binman

You should of arrested him for crimes against coiffure.

Brilliant wheelo - just in time for the pod (and now I feel complete)

So your evidence supporting your assertion 'our pressure had not even come close to that what Collingwood brings' is your personal observations. Seriously, that's it? To be honest I'm really struggling to avoid responding with sarcasm or irony. I'll resist that urge and simply say that your argument is, on many levels, unpersuasive- not least because of the high likelihood of confirmation bias given your well documented opinion of where we are at as a team. Why don't you at least do some research to check if the data begween roundv6 and 11 supports your vibe? If you are right the data will support your assertion, not contradict it. By the by, stats aren't 'my thing'. My thing is trying to understand the game, and I find a combination of observation, looking at the data, curiosity and taking on board the many smart, well considered opinions of many posters on Demonland is really helpful.

Not sure what you mean OD. The comparison to nibbla is spargs preparedness to play a distinct role, one that is wholly team first and completey underappreciated by most fans - but 100% appreciated by teamates because they understand what the role is and how hard it is. You might remember that for several seasons nibbla was the demonland whipping boy for much the same reason spargs is now- because his value to the team is difficult to identify in 1995 stats like disposals and goals. It still amuses me how when announcing he was leaving it was as if we were losing Nick Daicos.

True - needs to bulk up a bit.still though hecwants to be a gorilla hunter.

No t sure about the end of 2025, but agree May's pace is a worry. That said every team needs a gorilla defender to take the oppo gorilla forward, which most teams have at least one of. And May is our gorilla down back, with no obvious replacement, which i think means his best 22 spot is safe this year.

I suspect from round 6 on that is categorically not true - our pressure has been off the charts in that period. I suspect that from round 6-11 we would be top 3 or 4 in the AFL for pressure rating and pressure rating differential. And i think we are number one in that period for contested possession differential. But feel free to post data that supports your assertion that 'our pressure had not even come close to that what Collingwood brings'.

2025 says hi

It's worth watching the analysis vid by Jeff White that has been referenced quite bit in the last week or so. A big part of it is highlighting the importance of structures and players carrying out their assigned role. As i noted in another thread, Spargo is the new Nibbla - surely, we've all learned from the Nibbla experience the importance of looking past old school stats like disposals and goals to assess the performance of players with distinct roles. The KPIs for his role would prioritize defensive running, pressure and tackles inside 50, assists and score involvements. Yes, he's a forward but goals are a bonus. I'm not saying he's been brilliant (though he's been way better than many have suggested) but he has played his role, is presumably meeting his KPIs and is clearly an important part of our forward line structure and system. That's why he is selected each week.

On selection, as a starting point i think it is reasonable to assume that assuming there is no fitness issues (eg returning after rehabbing) May, Lever and Viney will always be selected in the staring 22.

It's funny you say that SONS. I just posted this in another thread: You can't underestimate the importance of the key forwards bringing the ball to ground (well, ot would appear some can). Its really their most important metric - which by the by points to a weakness in the Champion Data player ratings system, ie it doesn't factor in things such as adherence to role and importance to structure. Petty and AJ were both much more influential than their ratings suggests.

I think that's right - you can't underestimate the importance of the key forwards bringing the ball to ground (well, ot would appear some can). Its really their most important metric - which by the by poimts to a weakness in the Champion Data player ratings system, ie it doesn't factor in things such as adherence to role, importance to structure. Petty and AJ were both much more influential than their ratings suggests. AJ also brings great energy to the team, an energy that has to be infectious. That said he can't rely on that alone. He reminds me of kolt in that regard, great energy but not enough direct impact. He needs to start clunking some marks up forward and kicking some goals as he's actually not being used much in the ruck so he had to earn his keep as a forward. it would appear maxy doesn't need much of a chop out. As evidence, in a big, must win game (not to mention long and high scorin, meaning lots of centre bounces) yesterday there were 122 ruck contests - Maxy took 108 (85%) of them. And AJ only went to 6 of 35 centre bounce ruck contests. Contrast that to the swans, who also have a gun number one ruck. Grundy had 95 ruck contests and Peter Ladhams 27. If our second ruck isn't needed foe more than 15-20% if ruck contests then AJ is competing with JVR. So he Ned's to kick sme goals. Ultimately JVR will 100% come back in, probably at AJ's expense. But personally as much as i love JVR his development is not going to be hurt playing some more games at Casey and I'd be giving AJ a chance to get his forward craft in shape (it's worth noting he was a forward at Werribee) and build his confidence at senior level. Can only help the team. On JVR, I wonder whether he's struggled this season with the bollocking andcerestlint work our key forwards have given do - which would be no shock given he is only 22 and not particularly tall.

I think this is really Important- ie the system becoming more instinctive and players carrying out their role in terms of method and structure. You can see with the pies how critical a rock solid system that all players know instinctively is. They have been using their system, with tweaks of course, since the start of the 2022 season. It takes time to embed a new system, particularly when senior players have spent years embedding a different one. On that point, kudos must go to our core senior players for adapting so effectively in the last few weeks. Take claz. It's so evident that he is really trying to be be more judicious with his kicks, only bombing it long when that's the right and/or only option. Ditto for tracc.

I said something similar to mate at the game - langdon's running was incredible. Ditto for Chandler, who worked his guts out.

Plus 23 for post clearance possessions must be some sort of tested @WheeloRatings ?

Yep. And he has a couple if attributes Tmac doesn't, or at least not to the same level - genuine speed and excellent lateral movement. I'm loving how goodTurner is running back with the flight of the ball.

Fans wants us to run out games, and when well up keep piling on the goals. Which is faire enough, we all love the sugar hit of goals. But if the aim was to increase our percentage then the best way to achieve that goal would have been to park the bus, suck time out of the clock, deny them scoring opportunities and not worry about scoring ourseves. Thats to say NOT allow the game to become the shoot out It became. But no fans want that.

I save it for special wins only. The last two victories pass the bar easily.

I was at the game so haven't seen any vision, but live it looked like an issue with his foot or ankle. He took off and ran pretty hard for 50-60 metres, which surely would be unlikely if it was a knee injury. At least I hope so.

Spargs passed the HIA test apparently.

Great call on petty. I sat with a mate and his son in the forward pocket at the punt road end, one row back from the fence. That's the first time I've sat on the fence at an AFL gamec in so long i cant even remember the last time- maybe the 1981 grand final. So for half the match I had a close up view of petts. His work rate and physicality against McCartin was unbelievable. McCartin is a beast, must have 10kg on petts, but petts didn't give him an inch. So important, one to deny intercept marks and two get tge ball to ground for koz and the gang.

I love him so much. Great game. Guts and Determination. His season high tackle count is 9. He had 8 at half time (7 in the first quarter!), and 12 at the end.

Sometimes when a team is poor it's mote about how well their opponent plays, and how effectively the oppo takes away their strengths and exploits their weaknesses. Today was one such example.

Really? Blimey, must be a small crowd. Thanks for the heads up.