binman

Working on some things.....

@Brownie That's the thing, i don't think they sucked us into those handballs, i think those handballs were evidence of the tweak to our method, a method that now looks a lot like that of the Swans and tigers. You are right, fast movement is the key. And as Engorged Onion notes, so is getting territory at all costs. The pies used that philosophy to overcome the all team defence and zones we perfected and other teams have implemented. The only way to create space in your forward line is to go fast, so it is a method that makes sense (and why, as a generalization switching often doesn't). I reckon in part this handball based method is a reaction to the Pies method, which relies on there not being too much pressure on the kicker the ball is ultimately fed out too (usually Crisp, Pendlebury, SB or one of the daicos brothers). What what was fascinating about the Swans Pies game, in addition to to the handballs, the Pies sweated on that out side player and gave them no peace. But the Swans also often allowed the ball to be fed backwards, so daicos got ,many of his possessions in defensive, non threatening positions. Which is why despite getting so many possessions he was pretty ineffectual i thought.

Fair enough EO. You're right, the way the swans (and dees and tigers) are playing is clearly a strategic and planned method - and as you suggest a fundamental element of her method is taking territory at all cost, though more by hand than foot. An you're also right, it is really a twist on the approach tigers perfected in their flag years. Its worth noting though that Goody was experimenting in the 2023 preseason and first few games with really long handballs forward. A better way of describing is perhaps that it looks somewhat chaotic. It's an interesting model becuase it is impossible to implement without hundreds hours of all team practice over the preseason, drilling it in, honing the handball skills (for example the increasingly used over the head and bounce handballs) and practicing positioning and structures. On the latter point, how often did the Swans handball blind but still find teammate? That sort of synergy can't be magicked up, so if clubs didn't put in the time in the preseason its going to be all but impossible to implment in season. From all the training reports, my observation at the two training sessions i've been too, and our three games it looks like we have done the work. The other interesitng thing is it is a model that might be exposed come finals becuase each handball creates a trurnover opposrtubity. But as i've noted i think there are now two seasons and two methods - home and and away and finals. Come finals the game devolves into the sort of brutal rugby scrap we saw last year (whilst still retaining elements of the home and away season method)

At Casey fields

@Brownie I wrote this in response to a post about how the Swans played: 'The handball, tap on get it forward at cost method was really noticeable wasn't it. It's actually what we are trying to do, so I'd disagree we're playing safe, at least in the three games we've played thus far. The tigers have played a similar model too in their four games ie lots of chaotic handballing and knock on with a focus on forward movement and swarming. Perhaps it's this years version of the Pies 2022 and 2023 fast translation from half back method with the same wave running and handballs, but with less kicking (ie Pies used aggressive, quality kicking to cut through zones - whilst still using hand to link up). What was impressive about the Swans tonight was they also kicked super well. That said, they had a lot of kicks under no pressure. Pies were gassed.' Short version - the tigers method under yze looks very similar to ours this seasons. Its interesting the way the tigers are playing also looks very similar to how they played under Mcqualter. And Mcqualter is now of course our midfield coach, and apparently responsible for transition. Mini is the common link.

Driving me nuts. What a stupid system linking the Ticketmaster and membership systems. I have deleted my app multiple times. Still cant access my mobile membership tickets. Or any of my profile and accounts deets etc. Cant log in at all - not because my password etc is wrong, it just keeps saying try again later. if they are gong to align the Ticketmaster and membership systems, you'd think i could find my tickets on Ticketmaster. Nup I auto renewed my membership last October. But i never received my mail with my card as requested when i first took out the membership. Couldn't get onto the club. No response to my online enquiry. Not receiving any emails from club (they have the correct club). 'A new way to sign in' the graphic proudly boasts. Right, because it's all about making things easier for the customer! Grrr.

Goes a long way to explain wht we are currently 1.60 favourites (in from 1.65 AFTER the final teams were announced).

Huh?

The handball, tap on get it forward at cost method was really noticeable wasn't it. It's actually what we are trying to do, so I'd disagree we're playing safe, at least in the three games we've played thus far. The tigers have played a similar model too in their four games ie lots of chaotic handballing and knock on with a focus on forward movement and swarming. Perhaps it's this years version of the Pies 2022 and 2023 fast translation from half back method with the same wave running and handballs, but with less kicking (ie Pies used aggressive, quality kicking to cut through zones - whilst still using hand to link up). What was impressive about the Swans tonight was they also kicked super well. That said, they had a lot of kicks under no pressure. Pies were gassed.

Fair bit of goal post shifting there. Sure JVR is not an A grader yet, but he is definitely a quality forward. And in my opinion is the best 2i and under young forward in the AFL and will be as good, if not better than JUH - who many seem desperate to throw coin at. Failure to attain more senior KPF presence? What's that about? Its not as if we have been asleep at the wheel in terms of bringing in forwards. We drafted Hogan, he left. We drafted Jackson, he left. We traded in Brown who helped us win a flag. And he is back in the team this week. We had a throw a the stumps at trying to make Gawn and Grundy into a ruck forward combo (with Grundy costing us hardly anything in the scheme of things). And we used valuable draft picks on JVR and Jefferson to bring in young talent. Petty looked like an excellent option up forward, still does but has been injured. But is back next week. And Fritter is arguably the most underrated forward in the AFL having finished atop our goal kicking table three years in succession. What would you have the club have done? Throw stupid money at who exactly last trade period? To trade in a A grade forward they one, have to be available, and two affordable vis a vis our salary cap. Who fit both criteria last trading period? Seriously, sometime i think some people just whack the club for their own amusement.

It's just awful. Kid had just come back from rehabbing a serious long terms hamstring/tendon issue. So much of the AFL's decision making seems to be driven by two interrelated things - money and growing the 'market' (read be the number one sport in oz and put NRL in the shade). Sure both things are important, but their number one purpose should be protecting the players and number two being a steward of the game. IMO they have failed on both counts in terms of concussion. And its hard not to think the whole OR concept is yet another fail, particularly when you consider they have added a round (gather round) to the season when really they should be looking to reduce the number of games played given how demanding AFL football now is. The season is just too long. And it is beyond irresponsible to ask the tigers to play in the heat and humidity of South Eat Qld in mid March (on a notoriously spongy ground) and ask them to back up 5 days later! I think I'm right in saying that fatigue is a risk factor in some injuries, like soft tissue injury and i think also ACLs. In addition to Gibcus dong an ACL Prestia did a hammy. Why didn't they play that game on the weekend? The AFL might argue the reason is so the Tiger's and Blues can have their now traditional stand alone Thursday night round one game that creates revenue for the home team. But it's hard not to think its more about a Thursday night game against two of the four biggest vic teams that is a ratings bonanza for seven and Fox. And instead of opening the OR with us and Sydney on the Thursday night they could have opened with the tigers v Suns - but probably didn't think it would rate as high.

Agree - applies to both individual games and seasons. Def a calculated gamble by the lions to risk early season losses by tinkering with their fitness program, if that's what they've done (I haven't watched the clip yet). One they obviously think is worth taking.

Don't mention the L word. Seems to be extremely triggering for some on here. Can you post a link to voss' comments please. Thanks in advance.

Key position forward (KPF) is, as i understand it, is the centre half forward and full forward, positions that are usually filled by talls. But I agree on what I assume is your point- fritter, who is arguably our full forward and could be considered a KPF, is very much a quality forward. So, far from not having any quality KPFs, we have two.

I'd be filthy if I was a tigers fan. How could the AFL not find a way to ensure the tigers had at least a 6 day break. Ridiculous.

You're kidding right. You don't regard JVR as a quality KPF? Give me a spell.

In what sense? Injured or lost interest?

Yeah, right. Their best kick and one of their top 10 players, not to mention key to their transition game is being left out because he is plodding it up. Not fit enough yet.

Yes, I agree. Perplexing decision, made doubly so by not making him the sub and not having a wound up, fit billings in the starting 22.

Mcrae has had an interrupted preseason and not yet AFL ready.

Game 87. Will bring up his 100 games of AFL footy, an exclusive club, with only aprox 17.5% of all VFL/AFL players having achieved that milestone. Life membership of the AFL too. Good onya omac.

You hide it well KDF.

True. But i suspect moving forward, Schache wont be competing with JVR to give Maxy a chop out. He will be working on his ruck craft at Casey. Based on his performance in the Swans game he'll be working on it at Casey for the foreseeable future.

An interesting dynamic created by the Opening Round concept is that 4 of the 8 teams (dees, giants, suns and lions) will be playing their second games for the season against teams playing their first (the pies are playing the swans and the tigers are playing the blues). Every year commentators talk about teams having a bit of ring rust in the first round and struggle a bit to pick up the speed and intensity. That could well be a myth, but if not, the 4 teams that played in the OR tjhat play teams playing their first games for the season could have an advantage over their opponents.