bing181

Also across the pre-season. But old habits die hard, especially under pressure.

Bassett was forwards coach at both Essendon and Port.

How's that working out for (e.g.) Adam Yze? Or even Clarkson - into his third season at North and only now starting to see results, yesterday's was only his 7th win across all that time, and they actually went backwards last year on 2023. Similar story with Brad Scott - he's an OK/competent coach, yet here we are into his 3rd season - but has anything really improved at Essendon across that time? You can only work with what you have - and there's a recognition of that even on Demonland. e.g., the criticisms of moving Fritsch away from goals. Fair enough. But in that criticism is an inherent recognition that players are suited to certain roles and unsuited to others - to the extent that there are roles they can fill and others they can't. There's only one way to go from the contested, high-pressure game style that won us a premiership to one built around fast and skilled ball movement: change the list.

Not for want of trying? One of the advantages of lingering around the bottom reaches of the ladder for a few years is you get to load up on kids with very good skills - who you then mould into the players you need. Good luck with turning the likes of Trac, Viney, Clarrie, even Rivers, Sparrow etc., into skilled exponents of the modern move the ball quickly/turnover game. You only have to look at the kind of kids we've drafted of late to see that the club recognises the issue and is at least trying to do something about it. Similar discussion around some of the positional moves, e.g. Ed Langdon onto the ball to give us more run, or Fritsch further up the ground to give us more skill delivering the ball forward, or Windsor to HB to give us more speed off half-back etc. etc. Not saying these moves are working either, but once again, not for want of trying.

You're assuming that that's what they're instructed to do. Was pretty clear from Goodwin's presser that that's not the case.

And before them, Goodwin and Stafford were responsible. And before them ... If you change the coaches and get the same result, then just maybe it's not the coaches. In any case, from my incredibly uninformed POV, it's not entirely the forwards that's the issue, it's the delivery into the forward line. i.e., the players further up the field who for whatever reason just can't move the ball quickly enough and then can't hit targets. Alongside that, you can't underestimate the impact of the players who are missing up forward, nor the lack of experience.

North aren't going to be bottom 4 for long. They're chock full of high draft picks and eventually the cream will rise.

Lots on here kidding themselves about the quality of the list, and the impact of injuries. Someone commented on playing Henderson straight in from the VFL, and what it says. What it says it that the 4 (or more) guys ahead of him - Pickett, Tholstrup, Melksham and probably McAdam based on pre-season form - are all unavailable. As for the list, one of the downsides of having A-graders (and we still have a few) is that to keep them you have to pay them big bucks. Which leaves you with little cap space. I was surprised that we were even in the race for Houston as I'm not sure how we could have afforded him. While I'm not all that optimistic, at least with McVee, Windsor, Tholstrup, Melksham, Pickett and May back in the side we'll be not just a bit more competitive but faster and a bit more skilful - which is where the game is heading.

So many issues, some of it personnel (May at one end, Picket at the other), but could be a long season at this rate. While some teams are going backwards, there aren't really many easy-beats any more.

Players with one disposal or less: Turner, Lever, Howes, and Jefferson with zero. Really missing McVee and Windsor (amongst others of course).

With AMW out all season, and Hore, McVee and now Windsor unavailable, we seem a bit short on small defender stock. Rivers back and someone into the midfield (Langford?)?

No, but plenty were expecting JVR, Turner and one of Jeffo or AJ, which amounts to the same thing. Between rotations and giving Max a chop out in the ruck, only 2 of those would be forward most of the time.

Not the worst suggestion. Howes I'm just not sure about. Against that, isn't Sestan still not quite up to it fitness-wise?

At a critical time later in the match, that Lever non-kick into the middle to Viney ... not the first time.

Really missed May, McVee and Pickett. A step too far with all the injuries/unavailable. Sure, lots to be positive about, but a loss is a loss.

This.

When you contact them, you're not the only one. I had that for 2 seasons in a row and stopped going through the club, signed directly with Fox/WatchAFL, which is instantaneous. This system with the code is costing them members.

Not convinced by Howes, not sure what he brings. Understand with McVee and Hore unavailable and Rivers gone into the mids, but backline feels light-on for small defenders.

The difference between the two teams is that they can reliably find and hit targets. We can't.

Disposal Efficiency. The stat that has haunted us for years still ever-present.

This.

Oh they'll make the 8. Only question is how high they are in the 8 and how deep into Sept they go. They're better than last year through natural progression of the younger players, and then adding Barrass and Battle shores up their backline and leaves Sicily to play where they need him. Impressive and will be hard to stop once they get their tails up.

Yes and no. 3 of those changes have been forced through the unavailability of Kozzie, McVee and Thostrup, all of whom would have certainly been playing, plus probably Turner. Not to mention the departure of ANB, without even considering Melksham and Spargo, both injured/not ready. Not quite the radical shakeup, we actually have a lot of injuries and are just covering them. Not complaining either, but not sure how many of these debutantes will be able to hold their spots once the regulars are available.

But Goodwin is stubborn and won't give players a go ...

Of the Interchange, you would imagine Billings and Sharp have done enough. Then it's a toss up between Jefferson and Johnson (surprise surprise) and a fourth spot to ... god knows.