DeeSpencer

No he hasn’t, moments of class but he’s a few steps behind in pressure and contested work.

A comedy who just laced the ball to targets twice in a row only for them to drop it.

Lack of handball chains from the contest has been a huge concern. Tigers go bang, bang, out. Too often one handball has turned in to a player then under pressure trying to create.

More than happy to take some lumps playing attacking footy from half back. But geez we need more skill through the midfield and more pace at half forward to make this work. And we need a backline committed to covering off rather than sagging back after our slow movement has kept them in position. And of course, lower the eyes!!

The Sparrow charging up the middle and a kick goes to 2 players getting in each others way is the big thing to review in terms of structures. A mountain of fat side space and an open 50, short of a completely flubbed kick or simple dropped mark that has to end with a set shot.

Hore or Adams better play well in the seconds because you couldn’t pick Tomlinson for round 1 based on this effort

Things I’d like to see in the second half: - Billings on the wing to see if he can earn that spot - Fritsch up the ground involved in play - Laurie more midfield chances - switches and moving to the fat side with the run rather than charging head first in to the press

This is probably the closet Blake Howes gets to afl level any time soon

We are bursting from half back but then trying to pick out insane long options, the idea of moving it quicker from half back is you have more space and time when you do get in the front half. The number of times we’ve burnt free options at half forward that would’ve then wheeled in to open 50’s have been astronomical. First 20 minutes we hit up all the half forwards

I agree and there weren’t too many defensive errors, the problem was when they had the ball that still needs work

The tall defenders are going to be a worry with this run and gun system. Lever has brain farts, May gets nervous under pressure and the Tug Boat can’t move the feet quick enough to evade pressure, nor can he defend.

The people not understanding why Clarry is working his way back through the seconds are you living under the worlds biggest rock? For one it’s clear he hasn’t done too much main group training so whilst he’s fit to play it’s best to keep him from a max intensity game but otherwise refer to any number of club statements and media articles. I know we aren’t allowed to speculate on here but geez putting 2 and 2 together isn’t banned. The club has stressed slow and steady.

Huge opportunity for Howes, Laurie, Windsor and Billings. They are the 4 who we need to see do well and push genuine claims for round 1. Be nice to see Tommo and Schache looking somewhat competent too. Aside from that it's experimentation time, keep pace on the ball, don't be afraid to make mistakes and play with good spirit more so concerns for results.

If the team above is correct we probably don't have enough defenders to push Riv in to the midfield in more than spurts unless they get really funky with Billings or K Brown. So I'd expect Riv to be mostly back, but with Salo and Gus hopefully not far off they'll have that option especially if Howes measures up. Brown over Tholstrup might be wanting a mid/winger to cover some minutes so the forward line gets some continuity - or as much as they can. I think it's the same for Verrell. Do 30% game time in the ruck so we don't overdo Max and that allows Schache to stay forward for more time and hopefully get some chemistry with JVR. Not that Verall isn't impressive, I just have my doubts that he's seriously in line to play any time soon.

Reid, Wardlaw, Sanders and McKercher will be hard to beat. Nick Watson is value at $18. For our guys its more about who can debut or who can be regular best 22 player and push for noms. Windsor, Laurie, Howes, Turner, Woey are all pushing the best 22 so would love to see a few noms. Tholstrup probably not far off either. The rest will do well to get debuts.

FB: McVee May Hore HB: Rivers Lever Bowey C; Windsor Petracca Langdon HF: Spargo Schache ANB FF: Fritsch JvR McAdam Foll: Gawn Brayshaw Viney Int: Salem Sparrow Chandler Laurie S: Billings E: Tomlinson, Howes, Woewodin Unavailable: Oliver, Hunter, Petty, Fullarton, Pickett (susp) Salo obviously has to prove his fitness and we’ll see how much they rotate him with Gus and Rivers on ball. Howes will have a chance to push his case which then frees another half back in to midfield but I don’t think he’s quite ready. Chandler, Laurie, Spargo, Billings are probably competing for 3 spots and the sub. Woey too. Billings will get his chance in the practice games but I wouldn’t be surprised if the coaches think his defensive and contested efforts need a bit more refinement. Plus he can be an important impact sub. Will Windsor be ready, we’ll know soon. I don’t think they rush Clarry back. I suspect they stick to the initial plan of a slow build for him.

I kind of think Hipwood is underrated now. He wasn't good for a long time despite the media pumping him up, then the media turned on him and since then he's kind of being pretty solid by upping his contested work. Maybe Oscar Allen of those 3 but Watts with more time to develop and also a more natural leap and overhead mark is probably realistic. I think he'll have to either pressure at ground level and/or find some easy footy up the ground and use his skills to really make an impact. He needs a few strings to his bow to cover for not being the tallest, quickest or most physical. Reports of him laying a few tackles at a recent training session are positive.

Mostly invisible when it’s hot but not a bad second ruck? No, I doubt that’s the aim. Specialist goal kicker in the Fritsch mold who hopefully adds a contested/structural tall role as he bulks up over time is surely the aim. Just might be a slow build

Great report, I’ve seen the wings with the backs a bit, I think they’re trying to establish that run and carry connection similar to Hunt and Langdon in ‘21/22. Encouraging the wings to get the ball on the run rather than peel wide for the short kick

Niners 1-6 Niners 30 Chiefs 27

Hmmm why did we lose that accuracy? Could it be because we had no bounce from half back and always went up and down the same wing meaning we always attacked a congested forward line and then had shots from tight angles or from distance? And why have our coaches pushed aggressive run and corridor footy this preseason? Maybe they’ve seen what Collingwood, Brisbane and GWS are doing and think we need to catch up.

Yes I have Schache just about by default. I’d have Melk or J Smith ahead of him as they were last year but obviously both are unavailable. T Mc was picked ahead of him late last year but another year older, another injury and a backline freshen up is required for him now. McAdam, possibly could play alongside Fritsch and maybe Tracc forward and just the one tall. I’m not dismissive of that line up, but I’d rather start the year with a genuine 2nd tall option. I wouldn’t want to load up Max and JVR to effectively do the job of 3 if not 4 players from the very start of the year. My expectations remain very low for the Schach attack but there’s hope that he has a year on continuity with team mates and might find some more easy ball on the lead even if he’s still suss at the contest

The lack of bounce from half back, the lack of speed and class through the midfield and the ordinary forward line have all been issues the last 2 years. We slipped from hard nose defending with a dynamic attacking game to something more like Ross Lyon ball the last 2 years. It's certainly something that has to change.

I have no faith in Tommy, not until he either does something at afl level or dominates Casey for a month. I like the move of him down back and hope he’s heathy and able to push his case in that role, because apart from physical issues he seems mentally shot as a forward. Same goes for BBB. Zero faith he can do anything at the top level these days, his Casey form late last year was dreadful. My depth chart for next man up after Petty and JVR would be: Fullarton (once healthy) > Schache > the old boys > who knows (Jefferson or Verrall)

Max giving the young fella a bath isn’t too surprising. Kozzie deep? And giving Howes the match up as they did McVee last summer. Happy to see Sparrow and Spargo both up and going.