binman

I agree with this - if they are being asked to play the same role. To be honest i thought it was worth trying Tomo in that role last season. Unfortunately Weed wasn't up to it and i would have considered giving tomo a crack at it, such is the structural importance for us of that role. But as i said, Tomo is little undersized i think to be true KPF. Which is why i think a mobile forward role might be his best option. And to play that role he has to almost change body shape from previous years, become lighter and more like a 800 metre runner than a 100 metre sprinter (who are generally strong, power athletes). Or more like say Grundy than say hawkins - tall but lean. And he definitely has to improve his lateral movement and agility, something he has, like most players (eg Lever) struggled with post ACL. He doesn't look much different in this photo from training the other day, so perhaps I'm of the mark. But I'd be interested in the views of regular track watchers whether he is more agile and moving better this preseason - and what role he has been playing in match sims and in drills.

Training reports suggest we have been practicing a set up similar to the Cats model of leaving space inside 50 with the ball kicked over the head of forwards who run back into that space to mark and have a shot on goal. In that set up Cameron essentially plays as a high half forward, not the KPP role he has played for most his career. That leaves Hawkins inside 50 - and any other tall marking target, such as Blicavs who might have pushed forward. Cameron suits the role super well because he is athletic, moves well, marks well on the lead out into space (which is the critical link up kick we employ too - ie long leads from players like Tmac from the half forward flank into space on the wing) and is a penetrating and accurate field kick who creates scoring opportunities. And importantly he can still compete, for example in pack marking situations, as a key position forward, when necessary (though that is clearly not a strength). Cameron is critical for the Cats in terms of how they transition the ball from their back half and enter their 50. That is the role i suspect they have Schache in mind for. He has the athletic profile and skill set for the role - and like Cameron, marks well on the lead, likes to have space and is a beautiful left foot kick. And i hope for Schache's sake i'm right. Otherwise, his chances of cementing a spot in the ones are minimal, as as you point out he is competing with TMac, Brown, JVR and the resting ruck for a spot as a key forward. He could certainly slot into Fritter's role as a medium leading forward, but would only ever do so as a fill in. And really, he'll never be a one on one key position forward (like JVR so obviously is for example), so it doesn't make much sense that they would have traded him to play a role he is, one, unlikely to get many opportunities to play and two is no good at.

I agree. He played CHF for a few games with the giants. I don't think he set the world on fire, but he's a bit small for a true CHF. He's struggled with agility and lateral movement since coming back from his knee. But is looking in great shape and seems to have trimmed down. If he can get a bit more agile, high half forward is perfect for hom. He's big enough to almost be a key position player, and not bad one on one so he'd be a tricky match up. Good field kick too, which can't hurt. A high half forward role is probably his best chance of getting a regular game in the ones. We are pretty well set for key defenders. If he were to focus on that role he'd probably be competing with melksham and Schache.

Under loaded?

Could not agree more. I really missed the regular, multiple training reports last season (props though to PF for the amazing effort he went to)

ta

Presser streaming live anywhere do we know?

Agree totally with all of the above. Except, I'm not sure hunger is the right word. Implies a psychological issue, whereas I reckon it was physical - they were fatigued.

It's hard to get a handle on his specific role, which appeared to be almost a defensive high half forward role. So its a hard to assess sparg's form in 2022. But I totally agree Chandler and Laurie will be competitors for his spot I have a feeling Laurie might be the main competitor as he has tbe kicking skills to match spargo's kicks inside 50 (a kpi for him no doubt). And they played him back at Casey a bit I sdsume to sharpen up his defensive skills. I hope they use Chandler in a more pure small forward, offensive role. He would work well in tandem with kossie. Like kozzie, super hard at it, a neat enough kick and good pace.

All good points. I think i recall a comment from someone at the club that JVR was close to selection for the finals. But really Chandler, who i tgought seserved a shot on form, and Bedford were really the only players that could have come up. Maybe Tomlinson too I guess. But who would of those 3 players replaced? Bedford and Chandler would have been fighting for much the same roles - nibbler and spargo, neither of whom needed a chop out to freshen up. As nibblers finish in tbe bluey suggests he was zero risk of being dropped. Spargs perhaps more of a chance of being dropped, but swapping him for Bedford or Chandler wouldn't have moved the needle much. Tomlinson would have had to replace a tall defender at the bisiness end and even though Lever looked hampered at times that wasnt going go happen - though I do wonder if he could have been played forward. As you say, disco got a shot, and was injured. Laurie never made a compelling case and noone else was banging the door down. And to be fair to goody, he dropped rivers and bowey and stuck with Hunt, and then later in the year selected melksham.

It shapes as an interesting year for bowser. From a good luck charm best 22 lock who only knew winning. To getting dropped in the back of his second season. He didn't appear injured - did he miss a game? - so perhaps it was a classic case of second year blues. However, I have little doubt Salem either out injured or not at his best had a big impact. Bowey was suddenly the main distributor off half back and other teams put work into him. He is a super important player for us, Salem even more so. But almost as important is both playing regularly together. They compliment each other really well and if Salem is fit and firing the opposition is more likely to give him more focus than bowey . Which helps bowey get off the chain a bit more and set up some scoring chains. If Hunter can cement a spot in the best 22, suddenly we have three elite kicks distibuting the ball in that critical half back, wing zone. That's a big improvement from 2022 right there. A question for the track watchers (loving the reports) - how are bowey and salo looking?

Yep. Judd would find it alot harder to get out the front of a contest now. I also wonder it is more common for teams just to look to negate maxy rather than trying to win the ruck contest than was the case for cox.

IN THE SENIORS NOT AT CASEY!

Even if freo don't use him predominately as a forward, surely, as was the case at the dees, that is where he plays when not in the ruck. And given they have Darcy, best case scenario for Jackson is a 50 \50 ruck and forward split (though i guess they could play him as a mid at times). But given Darcy is arguably the best young ruck in the AFL (and is def not a genuine forward - though a much better mark than Jackson), he and Jackson are unlikely to evenly split ruck duties. So Freo fans will have to get used to Jackon as a middling forward who doesn't clunk marks or kick many goals. They might even start pining for Lobb!

And I'd add that cox played his career flying to the east coast every second week - which is hard core for any player, but particularly a bloke of his size. Point c is probably a fair comment - but I reckon the defensive tactics to disrupt the effectiveness and synergy of the opposition ruck and midfield combo have advanced significantly since cox played.

Fair points. I was just thinking that players who control the drop zone are perhaps less likely to have a marking attempt impacted by their opponents' efforts to spoil and are less susceptible to getting bumped just as they are about to mark the footy. By the by, the best catches in cricket have soft hands too.

Now that he is left, i feel strangely more comfortable knocking Jackson. But now he is freo player i can say JACKSON IS MILES OFF BEING A GENUINE FORWARD. There are a number of reason why, for example he has no idea about leading patters it would appear. But his biggest issue is he doesn't use his body like a real forward the way Tmac and Fritter do. Doesn't seem able to protect the drop zone and often jumps straight up like the basketballer he is - which might be a factor in why he double grabs so often. He'll no doubt improve his forward craft - he's a kid still after all (and a supremely talented one at that) - but he is well behind the eight ball given those skills are not instinctive. By way of comparison, when i first saw Fritter play for Casey, the thing that jumped out straight away was how well he used his body and how natural a forward he was. Those skills immediately translated to the AFL level.

Well you were the artist. Any exaggerations?

The clip needed one more tmac mark. Then Jim stenman would really come into play.

Love that perfectly timed and weighted little bump (no chance of a free) tmac does to give himself position (and put Grundy out of position). That's forward craft baby.

It's funny you should say that tiers. When thinking about the best rucks i have seen, each player had one or two unique strengths or skills - madden being a top example (in addition to being a goal scorer, he was a beautiful run and jump mark). Cox was probably the most well rounded of the rucks i listed (which is no doubt why he was so highly rated) - which makes the comparison numbers even more impactful. Goal kicking is probably the one skill where he is below average - and even that has improved significantly over the last few years (though went backwards last season i guess).

I agree. Hard to say who the best ruck is over say the last 45 odd years. For me Dempsey was just about the best I'd seen. Len Thompson was a gun - super mobile - and Teasdale was dominant the year he won the Brownlow. Simon Madden and Salmon were both fantastic. Peter Moore wasn't too far off that level Stynes wasn't one of the great pure rucks, but his incredible resilience and fitness puts him in the conversation. In the modern era I have Ryder and Goldstein right up there I was always guilty of underrating cox, perhaps because I didn't watch many Eagles games. But he is undoubtedly one of the best rucks of the modern era. As is sandilands, who I probably also underrated. But there is no doubt in my mind. Max is, hands down, the best ruckman I have ever seen play (I never saw polly farmer play). Just look at the comparison with cox, who was probably considered the best ruck of his era. Of the nine categories cox only bests maxy in three (and only one category decisively) - 1.2 more disposals per game, 0.8 more marks per game and 0.2 more goals per game. Maxy has cox covered in six categories. Of those six he has cox covered decisively in four of them. The category that really jumps out is hit outs to advantage, which is surely the most important one when assessing a ruckman. He averages almost twice as many as hit outs to advantage than cox. Incredible. As DEE FENCE noted, maxy gets extra points for his incredible leadership over the last few season, particularly once made captain. Not only is he is the best ruck I have seen, he is the best skipper I have seen at the dees.

And like us in 2021, Geelong had a dream run with injury. A lot has changed in footy, but one constant is that injury is the biggest determinant of success.

I suspect Kozzie might end up being better able to wear the bumps than AD. That said, i agree. i hope he ends up being used like Cyril Riol- - 80% small forward 20% blitzing in the middle

It's like a cold sore. Hard to get rid off On this thread topic, as i noted in the Jackosn is leaving thread, after being anguished about Gerard Healy's defection to the Swans i vowed not to get too caught up in players leaving. If they leave they leave. I couldn't be any more ambivalent now about the young ruck who went to Freo last season. I have been pretty successful in not getting upset about players leaving over the subsequent years, but a couple of players have got under my guard. The one that immediately comes to mind is the Wiz. Totally understood why went home and didn't begrudge him one little bit for doing so, but I just loved watching him play so, so much that it was a real wrench when he left. In my top 10 favorite dees players of all time. I fear i'd feel much the same if Kozzie chose to leave. I just love watching him play footy and hope i get to do so week i week out for the rest of his career.