bing181

Max had more disposals, more hitouts, more marks, more clearances and more metres gained than the Jackson and Darcy combined. In what sense was it an issue for us?

Counting on our young on-ballers was always going to be a stretch. Steele has more disposals and marks than Windsor and Langford combined. Brayshaw and co taking us apart.

The average number of games for a Pick 48 is 55, and Oskar is well on the way to passing that. Though even that figure is skewed by a few low-pick players playing a lot of games. The majority of players taken at around that pick don't even reach 50 games. So yes, well done Jason Taylor, above average outcome.

Jackson is about ready to step up to AA contention. Scary, not just as a ruck/forward, but also as a mid. Will be a handful. Not so fussed about the others.

We were absolutely right to get rid of him. He's a perpetual fringe player, and like all fringe players, will pop up for a cameo from time to time. Happy for him of course.

Our boy Oskar Baker ...

Ed Langdon has been pretty decent.

Yes. This myth has been refuted in some of the players' interviews, and by King himself.

You can’t claim a counterfactual as a fact. You have no idea what would have happened if King had come in with exactly the same squad. Equally, you have no idea what Goodwin might have achieved with our current squad—and alongside all the other changes that have taken place. The fact that the club pushed so hard to move on from some of these players, even at considerable financial cost, suggests they understood full well that King would not have been free to implement a new plan had they remained.

Hmm. What could Melbourne and the Swans have in common I wonder. Think think think.

Not sure Tom Mac is the man for any of those though. Against that, Amiss only had 4 possessions last week, so not sure about "quality key forward". Howes is 191, perhaps he can pick up the slack.

Hopefully the coaches are developing this system and the confidence for players to keep doing it. Fixed if for you.

And this week ... Oscar McDonald.

Sparrow very lucky. Though says something about where Laurie sits in the pecking order, unfortunately for him.

Same forward line coach. He's addressed what has changed for him (mainly between the ears).

FWIW, I'm not a member. I take an international subscription, but the liaison between the AFL and WatchAFL (international) is a dog's breakfast - at times it was taking weeks for the subscription to be activated. From memory, there was a year I couldn't even watch Round 1. I've said before that the AFL does not take digital streaming and rights seriously, they're still back in the days of terrestrial broadcast as for them, that's where the $$$ are. Digital broadcasting has advanced in leaps and bounds (e.g., choice of multiple camera angles, replays, commentaries etc. etc.) but not with the AFL. And until all that is sorted out, I feel like I've been forced to take a direct subscription, bypassing the AFL and the club. I've discussed this Membership, and while they're sympathetic, their hands are tied.

He'd already said in a previous OTC that they were told there'd be changes to the playing personnel. May, Petracca and Oliver were already out the door long before King arrived. From the drips of information that are available, it seems that the decisions to move them on came from across the club, from the FD (Richardson and Lamb) to the Board, with Guerra (and Smith, perhaps Green?) driving it all.

Not what I took out of that article.

Meanwhile in another galaxy, far far away ...

Have to agree. It doesn't just start at the top, if that leadership isn't focused and clear, you're always going to be pushing it uphill with everything else.

I really don't get these kinds of comments. JVR himself admitted that he wasn't playing well last year, and he even became a bit of a whipping boy here. Playing a key forward in the ruck is fairly standard AFL fare. Petty played forward because a) we had May, Disco, Tom Mac and Lever available down back and b) we badly needed a big-body foil for JVR, Jefferson and co - a role which is now taken by Mihocek. As for Tholstrup, he came straight into the team Round 6 after his stress fracture without having to pass by the VFL, and kept being played even when he was only getting single figure disposals. There were also reports that he was read the riot act at his exit interview in terms of his attitude and preparation. Given all that, not sure of where "not getting much of a go" came from, from the outside looking in I'd tend to say the reverse. I get it, the coach and a few others were moved on, but the Goodwin-bashing here is both tiresome and superficial. He was maybe not the right coach to be taking us forward, but as JVR summed up recently: "Goody was such a good coach for so long, and I think Kingy’s done really well to come in and hold on to what makes us a great footy club, while also bringing aspects of his coaching style."

Depends on their age and experience. Once you get 8 - 10 preseasons under your belt having a reduced one doesn't have the same impact as with younger players.

Lever's 7 intercepts was higher than any other Melb player, so not sure what would qualify as "high level". Not saying we don't need more, and agree on his ball use - what I don't quite get is why someone who's a leader and known for his footy smarts, doesn't know his limitations. Do not centre the ball Jake. Equally, it's a team defence, and it's for all the defenders to work together understanding who's doing what. Jake should be left one on one as little as possible - if possible. That said, it remains to be seen how successfully he can adapt to the new playing style. It's fast and furious out there.

You play players because of their strengths, not their weaknesses. Doing what he does best got Lever an AA.

Kind of what I was getting at. But I'd suggest that a happy, committed group of players are also more likely to push through when fatigue sets in at the end of games/quarters. i.e. fitness is as much between the ears.