binman

Agree with all of the above WJ, particularly the notion that there is a big difference between trying to implement a new game plan and successfully doing so.

An excellent article. Balanced, informative and I think it nails the key issues and ponderables. And unlike almost every other preview I've read or heard does not perpetuate any #Goodwin myths. (pro tip - discount any analysis that has as a starting point King introducing a diametrically different game plan to the one Goody tried to implement in 2025).

That's exactly where i stand - i really hope he makes it and have certainly not written him off (yet) but as a betting man i wouldn't be putting any of my hard earned on him to make it (unless of course i got some juicy odds!) I know what you mean by not enough mongrel, and agree, but what worries me most is his second efforts are not instinctive and it feels like he lacks the hyper competitive, won't lose this contest energy of say JVR or Kentfield (who probably doesn't have the raw talent of Jeffo, but I'm more confident he'll make it as he 100% has the competitive instincts). All that said, i also really want him to succeed and he has the talent to do so. We'll soon see if he has the necessary drive and determination because if he can't become a best 23 player this year i think he'll go the way of the Weed at years end.

G'day @Fanatique Demon the first pod of the King era (which follows the brief Chaplin interregnum) will be coming very soon, possibly next week.

I watched the game again and focused on the defensive system. To argue against myself, on second viewing, i could get a sense what they are trying to do defensively, or at the least what some of the key elements of that system are likely to be. In addition to our defensive unit pushing up aggressively, and the resulting need for players with leg speed to get back on turnover, i reckon some other key elements of our defensive system under King are: As noted by Harriet Cordner (one of the two commentators) a couple of times, we were creating a spare in defence Related to the above, when our defenders pushed up the ground to compress the ground, and ideally trap the ball in our forward half, Cordner noted a couple of times we were keeping a defender in our back half, which provides some protection for when we turn it over and the oppo get it past/over our defensive line Creating spare and leaving a defender in our back half when we push up (ironically, two strategies Goody employed between 2020 and 2023) both put pressure on the rest of the team to provide defensive cover and support, which in turns means lots of all team gut running and effort They are clearly looking to 'ping' of half back quickly and get it out of defensive half as quickly as possible Trading in CJ was an obvious tell in terms of the above point - he's obviously going to be given freedom to play on ASAP and run and carry out of the back half As i noted earlier in this thread, ditto a number of other posters, we are going to be looking to be aggressive with our kicks out of defence - not only will we go fast, but we'll be taking on more high risks kicks into the corridor and/or across lanes on the 45 XT was selected in large part because of his ability to move the ball quickly aggressively out of the half back, and take on high risk/high reward kicks that have become so important in footy to beat zone defences, get behind oppo defences and set up high quality scoring opportunities I really liked Howes game, and with his good pace, ability to read the play, make good decisions with ball in hand and hit targets by foot he looked right at home with the new defensive system - and his height gives us terrific flexibility in terms of his ability to play on medium forwards, and at pinch taller forwards

True - though neither were off one step. Speaking of kicking goals, one other other changes I've noted accross the intra-club and practice matches is it appears players have been encouraged to have a ping at goals when in range rather than always look for a pass option. Assuming that's the case, im a big fan of that change - of course if someone is free closer to goal and/or on a better amgle and the kick is not hard, the percentage play is a pass, but otherwise pin your ears back boys and have a shot.

Yep. In many ways Friday's game was not great in terms of giving our game plan and system a decent test, particularly our defensive system- even with little pressure our kicking was often poor yet they didn't hurt us at all on turnover. With more pressure, we'll turn it over more and better teams will make us pay.

I know bang on about it, but for all the talk about game plan etc, our single biggest weakness in the last 5 years has been our kicking - which has coincided with good kicking becoming ever more important. Its important all over the ground of course, but having mids who can hit targets after winning a centre and/or around the ground clearance is just so so important in footy now. If our mids are better by foot this season, we'll see an immediate improvement in our capacity to score from stoppages, and more importantly we'll turn the ball over less often. Speaking of kicking after winning a clearance, how many players in the AFL could kick a goal from the centre square uner pressute and of (barely) one step the way The Bison slotted that goal on Friday - wow. On a less positive note, as much I think Windsor will be a star, his kicking worries me.

100% agree. As i have previously noted, we were one of the fastest at moving the ball from our back half last season. And despite people still banging on about us being a long down the line team, that was simply not the case last season. Which by the by, is not some abstract point as it's not as if King is having to completely reinvent the wheel, so to speak, and implement a brand new game plan in the way, say, Mcrae had to do at Collingwood when the pies went from a defence first system under Buckley to Mcrae's fast transition game plan. From what i've gleaned from training reports, the intra club game and Friday's game, the key differences this year to last year in terms of game plan are: Whilst we def were using overlap handball last year (we were the fastest at playing on after a mark or free kick, and that often involved a handball release) they look like they are really trying to run in waves and provide a handball option and look to hanball often (by the by, I watched most of the Eagles freo practice match and both teams seem to have a similar approach to us in terms of their use of handball) - less a big change, more taking it up a level Our defensive line often pushed up high last season, but they look to be pushing even higher now The forward line also look to be pushing up the ground high when the ball is in our defensive 50 (funnily enough we were doing thatt in 2021 - 2023 when we had a defence first system) The three points above, combined, mean all players will have to cover more ground in total, and we'll have a much greater need for, and emphasis on, players who can cover the ground at speed (which, leaving aside any of the cultural question marks on Tracc and Claz, a benefit of them leaving is both are treacle slow, particularly claz, and if they are replaced in our best 23 by two quick players, eg latrelle, we get an immediate big improvement in our overall leg speed) Agree with the fellas comment that we look to be switching more often, and looking for the tricky short to medium kick on the 45 (apparently a factor in why we selected Taylor was his ability to hit those kicks) Apart from agressively pushing up the ground, I haven't really been able to work out what our defensive system will look like - but leg speed in defence will be critical as defenders will need to sprint back when we turn the ball over- even if May was not having off field issues and an interrupted preseason, I honestly think he's too slow for our method (and was last year too for that matter ) and i worry Lever and Tmac are in the same boat (I can't see both in the team when Petty gets back) As you note ATG, I reckon the biggest change is the way we enter 50 - except when they kick deep to the hotspot (which as you note we often did last year, so again, it's not like that's a new thing) they seem to have a big focus on kicking to space, even if the forward is not yet leading there, and looking for players in space - not having claz and tracc kicking inside 50, koz playing more midfield and the addition of Latrelle, who looks like he'll play a high half forward role, means we are more likely to hit those critical 20-30 metre kicks on the angle to an open player - something have been woeful at for years (and like the speed factor, replacing two bog average kicks in our best 23 with 2 elite kicks, for example Latrelle and Taylor, means we get an immediate big improvement in our overall kicking skills - the game is now all about winning the turnover battle, and even a statistically small reduction in the number of turnovers and missed scoring opportunities has a significant impact on a team's chances of winning) Another related change, albeit a minor one, is they seem to have a real focus on really punching their kicks, and kicking low drillers, particularly inside 50 kicks ATG, any thoughts on King's midfield set up and system (I always find it hard to work out midfield method)?

Yep. We worked hard - King's gambit involves serious two way running, and we kept the focus and effort level up right through the game. That's a big, big positive. But jeez, the Roos were poor, in lots of ways, including their woeful effort level (and Clarkson doesn't seen to have been able to implement an AFL standard defensive system). To be fair, who knows where their program's at, but they chose to run with 24 players (as opposed to our 28) so I was assuming they had planned for a proper match sim hit out. And why wouldn't they? They need a big season - their crop of high draft picks are all coming into their prime and Clarkson has been in charge of this group long enough now to go to the next level. North fans would have a justifiable expectation the Roos should be pushing for finals at this stage of their developmen. Time to get going. But they look miles off - must be super frustrating for their fans.

If we were both, say, competing for a place in the finals it would have the classic 24 point game.

And give two completely unnecessary drive bys, not to mention a backhanded compliment - so much negativity in so few words is quite a skill

A breakout year in his second season?

Yes

You can't cast from your phone to your TV Ethan?

You can't read too much into a practice match. That said, based on what I've seen so far, I'm confident we'll win the flag this season.

The writer of C'mon Demons pay US to play it

We have multiple Moniz-Wakefields?

You might have misunderstood Ethan - he didn't mean membership to the podcast, he meant tipping in some $ to this footy forum to help keep the lights on. By the by, lots of people, me included, volunteer their time and energy (eg the moderators, people who provide invaluable tech support support etc) AND also are paid up Demonland members. That to say the two things are not mutually exclusive. Apart from helping the site continue, a benefit of contributing some $ is you don't get ads.

G'day @Stem Splitters. Thanks for your interest in the pod and the work you've done on an alternative intro song, and the thought you have put into it - very much appreciated. Ultimately its @Demonland's call, but my two cents is C'mon Demons has been used as the intro since the start of the pod (which was before i joined) and for better or worse is part of the show. In some ways it's a gag, in the so bad it's good vein. And given its vintage (ie 80s), it's also a nostalgic nod to the fact that the show is hosted by two old blokes, and a slightly younger bloke, who have fond memories of the 80s era. I'd add that it's also a nod, albeit an unintentional one, to the somewhat loose, unpolished vibe of the show - in reality it is the very definition of a niche podcast that is never going to get a big audience. That's to say C'mon Demons is part of the show, one i can't see us changing (but again, it's @Demonland's call). I do take your point about looking for ways to invigorate and/or improve the show, and again thanks for your interest on that front. But to be honest, i reckon a good starting point to improving the show would be for me to work on not interrupting so often, not banging on for so long and not repeating myself (note to self - work on that stuff). All that said what i would actually like is the original being cleaned up, remastered so to speak (ie as opposed to say being remixed, sampled or edited) to take out the crackle and slight sonic wobble it has in parts (i might be wrong, but i think @Demonland took the audio from a cassette tape). And, for fun, i wouldn't mind a dub or minimal techno remix of C'mon Demons. Perhaps i could use it as the stinger for the Stats file!

IIRC, a while back there was a trend of clubs having multiple VCs, and even in a couple of cases, two captains. But if I were to guess, I'd say now most clubs don't (have multiple VCs), and also have fewer players in the leadership group. Which is better in my humble.

I really like that idea - players you really enjoy watching, as opposed to 'best' players Flash not in my top 10 best Demon players, but def one of the dees I most enjoyed watching.

Love (for the dees) means never having to say you're sorry

Love that song - didn't realise kate Bush sang on it