binman

Absolutely. Max is next level marking threat up forward. If we play two talls and Jackson, they have the option of giving Tmac, Brown or Weed a rest when Max goes forward if they are worried about being too tall. The other thing have so many mobile talls in the teams is their ability to push up the ground and provide down the line marking options from long kicks out of defence or kicks from the half back to high half forward. West coast use their three tall forwards (Darling, Allen and Kennedy) for this all the time, and it is a huge weapon, particularly late in quarters and games. It also has the effect of pulling defenders out of the forward line, which creates space for the small, mediums and the other bigs to go to work. Think about how often it is one of Darling, Allen or Kennedy kicking it inside 50, often to one of the other bigs or setting up Ryan to take an unimpeded fly at a pack mark. They killed Port with this tactic. No doubt the kick from Viney to Max was a set play. Langdon did an almost identical kick, with much the same result.

The Jackson 6 wrote that in response to the idea of three talls - Weid, BBB, and Jacko - in the forward line. Responses to the response might be interesting... Its a fair question. I think part of the answer is that Jackson would almost directly replace the small/medium (eg sparrow), both up forward and for midfield rotations. For context (thanks AOB) Jackson led Melbourne for ground ball gets on the weekend, along with Jack Viney (9 each), had a career high 15 possessions, 11 contested possessions (behind only Viney, Oliver and Gawn) and ran close to 15 odd ks in the game. Jackson is phenomenal below his knees as evidenced by those ground ball gets and i'm convinced he'll do some mid field time with max rucking. And even when he takes the ruck solo he is almost another mid the way he plays. He might have to improve his tackling but my point is he can play as a small/medium. The other part of the answer is that which ever two players of Tmac, Brown and Weed are selected they have to make sure they are applying pressure and tackling. I'm on the record as saying weed was woeful at that last year, and i wouldn't lay him if doesn't improve this aspect of his game dramatically. Whereas Tmac as been terrific in this respect this year, and for this reason I have him ahead of Weed at this point in time. I don't know how Brown goes with forward half pressure, but he too has to pull his weight when he comes in. So, I think three tall forwards can work, assuming one of them is Jackson. If it doesn't - and maybe it is a week to week call - then i am 100% positive it won't be Jackson coming out. Jackson will play every game he is fit and available for. He is a star. And will become the dominant ruck man in the AFL within the next 4-5 years. In the meantime opposition coaches are going to have work out how to deal with him and Max tag teaming. And if he does play as a small/medium alongside two genuine talls, work out who the heck they are going to play on him (something they don't have to worry about with Sparrow).

What the hell was dermie rabbiting on about with that. Great response from spazza. As if dermi would have let a teammate get a wack in rhe head and not remonstrate.

Engorged cockerel?

They have their testicles everywhere

[censored] is a banned word on DL? Bloody woke, PC police, cancel culture, vitrtue signalers!!!

Will Mark O'Connor tag for a third consecutive week and go to Melbourne's Christian Petracca on Sunday? Should he instead return to the backline, a defensive teammate may have to fall out if Jack Henry isn't used as a forward again. The Cats are set to be forced into two changes with Shaun Higgins (hamstring) and Francis Evans (ankle) injured. Luke Dahlhaus was again quiet against the Hawks, but debutant Max Holmes looked up to the level. Sam Menegola (shoulder) is in to return and Brad Close is edging towards a recall after a pre-season foot setback. Medical sub Charlie Constable impressed when given the chance but wasn't used much after half-time. Josh Jenkins and Ben Jarvis remain around the mark after five and four goals respectively a fortnight ago in the VFL. R3 medical sub: Charlie Constable (replaced Evans) Verdict: Jenkins as an extra marking target alongside Menegola and Close in place of Higgins, Evans and Dahlhaus. - Mitch Cleary

From the AFL site: The Demons are rolling and enter this weekend's clash with the Cats full of form and momentum. Therefore, don't expect many changes. The side has liked to rotate their medical substitutes, especially given they are yet to use one after three weeks, so Jake Melksham could either come into the 22 or play VFL to get some footy under his belt. Jay Lockhart is also on the cusp of a return after suffering a nasty [censored] injury. Tom Sparrow was relatively quiet against the Giants, but don't expect Simon Goodwin to make too many alterations to a winning formula. R3 medical sub: Jake Melksham (unused) Verdict: Melksham to get his first taste of senior footy this year, replacing Sparrow. - Riley Beveridge

As my wife would be happy to tell you, I don't do concise.

Jetts was good in the first two games and ok against the Giants. No knock at all on him for being beaten by Greene. As much as i think he is a total [censored] knuckle (and have heard some pretty wild stories about his off field behavior), Greene is an out and out star and is about the best one on one player in the AFL. Hibberd for jetts is not like for like, as Hibberd, whilst having more toe than Jetts, is average one on one and his go his running of HB. So more like for like for Hunt. But Hunt isn't going to get dropped. Hibberd might come in, but i reckon with Dalhaus, Parfit and that toss pot Miers we will need a lock down small, and concerns about his pace aside, Jetts is that player atm (and might well be until Lockhart gets back).

Like Mt Waverly and Glenn Waverly, ever since I first made that mistake, they are interchangeable for me!

The other thing about Jackson is that he has bulked up enough to do some serious minutes in the ruck. And do well. Plenty of teams will resort to flooding back lines, like the giants did. Running Jackson as a ruck gives us terrific tactical flexibility at creates the opportunity to play Max at deep full forward, as was the case on Sunday night. This is a great option to combat the flood as we have three talls, who if they can't mark will bring it to ground, where kozzue the mozzie and his two comprades can go to work.

Agree. Brayshaw was super important in the first quarter from a defensive perspective I thought. And in the last too, where he seemed to really push deep into our defence. The wing is a feast or famine position as it dependent on which side the opposition play down. We are likely to always move it though Langdon's wing and the oppos the other wing. So a winger has to be mentally prepared to go though periods where he is not in the game. But still has to do the running. It's a tricky role and more than ever a specialist one. I can't see them moving Brayshaw from the wing, this week - or any other for that matter. I reckon they have him in mind for the role all season. In terms of Melksham, there is not an obvious spot for him atm. In the normal course of events he'd be a half forward, so could come in for Swallow. But i think Swallow's role is to apply pressure and tackle hard, two things Melksham was woeful at last year. And to be honest i'm pleased those chickens are coming home to roost. So if not Swallow, who else would he replace? He's not taking Fritter's position or any of the smalls. Maybe Jones? But i can't se that atm either . In some ways he is the perfect sub. Experienced. Can play in multiple roles. And based on last year's performances, plenty of experience and practice being a spectator and bobbing up for the odd cameo.

100%. He already is too important to have anwhere else. That forward pressure, goal creating role is critical in footy circa 2021. Which is why I said before the first game he will come straight in, and that he is in our top 5 most important players, even at this very early stage of his career

Quoted when i meant to edit

My least favourite team. And in selwood my least favourite player.

What on earth are you talking about? They beat a potential finals rival, on the road by six goals. A team that played with great spirit and threw everything they had at us. A 50 point turnaround after quarter time. To win their third game in a row. To go 3-0. For the first time since 2005. You simply have to be trying to wind people up. Because you can't seriously suggest we shouldn't sing our song after that victory.

Tick.

It was a problem in past years. As evidenced by us regularly smashing teams inside 50 differential. And losing They improved at the back end of last year and again this season. As evidenced by our scoring efficieny from inside 50s. Yesterday they flooded our back half. Big packs with mutiple players flying for marks was inevitable. And important to make sure they couldn't intercept mark. Which worked because they got bugger all intercept marks given their numerical advantage down there. Again not sure what you were watching but we were brilliant when the ball came to ground. Kossie was electric. Spargo and nibbler both took their chances and even Max and fritter snagged goals from congestion. And we had 30 shots at goal from our 67 inside 50s. Not too shabby given how crowded it was back there.

Seriously? Have you been watching us this year? Even rhe boneheaded commentators pointed out how less crowded we were than the saints for example. As evidenced by our incredible inside 50 to scoring ratio in that game (almost double of the saints). Similarly we had an open forward line v the dockers and in both our practice games. Why was it so crowded against the giants? Because they played a spare back there and flooded back at every opportunity. Which was a big factor in their impotence after q time. And for what it's worth I thought we did a good job of scoring against that flood. Some smart leads and passes, 17 tackles inside 50, kossie and max pushing forward (smart move by goodies- something else to disrupt the anti goodies narrative). Sometimes I think people complain for the sake of complaining and are stuck in 12 month old preconceived critisms.

Umpiring us in Canberra must tbe afl equivalent of 'rewarding' poor performance with a one way trip to Siberia

Exactly. At least after 20 mins or so. I thought for the first 20 mins our defensive running was a bit off. But the players sorted that on field, which was a super positive, and goody no doubt addressed it a q time. And there were a couple of lazy efforts up till half time by Oliver and viney (both were factors in gws goals - Oliver's right before half time not putting pressure on a deep kick inside 50 that was crumbed fir a goal). But none that jumped out after that. And really all their goals after half time were complete against the run of play, and came after errors by us (eg tracc trying to bring oliver into the game at the start of the last q, rather than kick long from the centre) Yes they were down two rotations after half time (and only two, because of the sub) but gws never threw in the towel. And they kicked super accurately and in Toby Greene have one of the top 5 players in the AFL, who was on song. Bottom line is we powered away from them after q time. A 50 point turn around. And only very poor kicking for goal (what was up with Oliver? Tracc also getting the post from dead in front - and spargo and Max sodas right at the end) stooped it being a 70 point turn around. As you say effort was not an issue. At all.

Good point. I reckon it is in large part down to how effective our defensive structure is. And our all team defence. We make it very hard for team to transition past our HB and make scoring really hard. The first few goals by GWS were the exception to prove the rule, in so far as being a reminder how few easy, coast to coast, goals opposition teams score againt us this year.

Three talls. But with weed and brown in Jackson will play more like a medium, such is his mobility and ability when the ball hits the deck. Total match up nightmare.

Not sure what you mean. Jackson will not be dropped.