binman

My guess would be his fitness is not yet at AFL level. I only went to two VFL game last year , Coburg mid season and the blues later in the season - he looked gassed late in quarters in both, particularly the Coburg game. A modified program might suggest they are focusing on building his aerobic base (the same might be true of Mcadam). I suspect Jefferson dominated at junior level as key forward who was strong, had good hands, good one on one and and read the ball well. And his lack of aerobic tank was not exposed. But the days of a key forward being able to get by just on physical strength, clunking a few marks and slotting sausage rolls are well and truly gone. Hawkins is a good example - for the first two thirds of his career his role was pretty much to stay inside 50 and play the big gorilla, wrestling role. And he was just about the best at it too. But in the last few years he dropped weight and clearly improved his tank and running ability, getting up and down the ground much more. Arguably his 2022 season was his best. But last year he had an interrupted preseason and started the season nowhere near peak aerobic fitness. Forced to go back to his stay inside 50 style, he was nowhere near as effective as he had been. The same could be said of Tmac coming back into he side late in 2023. And Jefferson ain't no Hawkins (yet?).

Sounds like vfl footy coaches in the 70s.

Young folk and their memes. It's a whole other language - I'm only know getting up to speed on emojis Im guessing that one means Nibbla was also showing his elite evasive skills today?

That's why Taylor picked him, of that i have no doubt.

Was Nibbla lacing out passes, setting up goals and making great decisions again? Good on ya nibbla!

Better than if he was doing my sort of training, which would have been just the walking part above. And even then it would be more like strolling the boundary then finished up sitting under the shade of a linden tree.

Name change in in the offfing? Perhaps: DistracheSHAKi

It's me, it's Schache, I've come home now.

I'd be okay with: 'One of the key questions heading into 2024 is whether Melbourne can bloody kick straight to get back to flag contention? 🤔 👉'

Indeed. 'One of the key questions heading into 2024 is whether Melbourne can score more to get back to flag contention? 🤔 👉' As you say making finals is kinda key to winning a flag. And i'd add that that the only time we need to score more is in the Grand Final. I'll admit i had tuned out by then, but i thought the Pies won the flag. By CODE sports' logic, I must be wrong because the Lions were the second highest scoring team in the AFL last season. But i guess i see their point - over 24 rounds of home and away footy, the Pies scored a whopping 63 points more point than us (and we scored 91 points more than we did in our 2021 premiership season!). And i wonder what they have to say about the Crows who were highest scoring team in the AFL last season - and missed the finals ('One of the key questions heading into 2024 is whether the crows' opponents can score less to get back to flag contention? 🤔 👉')

I went to training last wed and had similar thoughts. Petty was limping quite noticeably near the end of training and McAdam looked pretty gassed. Which as you say is understandable for petts given he is coming off that foot injury. In fact even though they never really communicated anything other than a very loose rehab time frame he is ahead of the worst case scenario that was floated (ie lisfranc requiring 10-12 months rehab) With Mcadam one thing i did notice is how skilled he was in the handball in tight area drill they did a few times. good hands and great evasive skills. Strong too, as evidenced by standing up in tackles. And i was surprised how quick he is off the mark. In the match sims he also took a couple of strong marks - very sticky hands. I think Melk's defensive (but can still provide an offensive threat), medium forward role is his if he can get his tank up to scratch by round one.

I had the same thought. Give he played almost every game, and i though was really good in the first half of the season i wonder if that points to him not always carrying out roles goody had given him?

Be still my beating heart. I went to training last Wednesday, and a highlight was may running with the flight of the ball to brilliantly spoil an ANB mark - but Nibbla kept his feet (and May did not), scooped up the lose ball, ran 10 metres and weighted a beautiful, pinpoint kick to Spargs (or Laurie?) who strolled into an open goal. Brilliant kicking and decision making skills, so no change there.

Poor pun punted

Young male horses break tackles?

A very good point. Most of the work rucks do is around the ground as opposed to the centre square (80%?) where relative strength is a huge factor (and height). KFW was getting pushed around at thrown in and around the ground stoppages at Casey last year. That will happen less and less, particularly because there's not that many mid twenty ruck behemoths running around in the VFL anymore with so few stand alone clubs. So he'll get more taps - and more contested marks too for that matter.

A very good point. And there's perhaps no better example than the best ruck i have seen play - Maxy.

Yep, that's my sense too. And i also wonder if Schcahe is one of those athletes that finds hard to put muscle on as even with nearly 10 years in the AFL system his arms are still a bit noodly.

I concur. Both have bulked up considerably - particularly KFW. I think it's harder to assess young rucks in training situations, particularly on a day when there weren't any ruck drills. But Verell certainly looked the more natural footballer, which of course is not surprising given their backgrounds. But KFW had one big advantage over Verell - he is taller. And he will get bigger still too. Verell will too of course but nowhere as big (ie in terms of height and muscle) as KFW who will be a monster if he stays in the AFL system. A year at Casey will give us a clear idea if KFW will make it I think. On a semi related note, Schache was standing only 25 metres away from me at one point. He was next to Max and there wasn't much between them height or size wise. It made me wonder why they haven't tried him as a second ruck option - perhaps they have and it wasn't his go?

Happy to have other clubs on for something to watch, but i hate dees games on Thursday night - particularly ones in Melbourne (because I'll almost always go). Friday night games are so much better. Still stand alone, the week is done so after a win you can waych the replay. And you get the benefit of the footy shows on radio on sat morning all discussing the game.

Bloody AI.

George went fishing i suspect. I was happy to oblige. Bit of fun. But leaving that aside, I don't mind posters or fans knocking the skills of players, assuming it aint needlessly rude or insulting (eg the puerile use of spud). Hell, kicking skills is my thing and I'm happy to pot poor kicks. What really frustrates me is when the criticism is unfounded, or when it might have been fair at some point but is no longer accurate. Even more frustrating when some players get held to some ridiculous standard (ALL players turn the ball over and make poor decisions) and others consistently get a free pass (tracc says hi). Some posters seemingly refuse to change their view, even when the evidence flatly contradicts it. Nibbla's supposedly poor kicking and decision making is the perfect example. I've posted at length on the data at seasons end that completely contradicts that view (one being he was our best kick inside 50 last season). So won't bother doing so again. It won't matter for some anyway because they will poo poo the data and pick out specific examples to generalise from - the exception to prove the rule school of analysis. Perhaps the go is to use that same approach, but in reverse. I'll learn how to video edit and put together a package from last season of all nibblas brilliant kicks that set up goals and examples of elite decision making. And then claim it as evidence he is the best kick and decision maker in the AFL.