Maldonboy38

Is it possible to be delighted, apprehensive AND excited at the same time? Yes. This squad looks like a deliberate break away from all the carp of 2024, and a risk/reward exploration of the new forward setup we so desperately need. Kozzie, Spargo and Tholstrup easily walk into this forward line, but unavailable. I have been a Jeffo fan for a while and hope he starts on the ground, but AJ looks more likely to worry the GWS backline. Centre line of Langdon, Clarry, Windsor please. Starting team might look like this: B: Petty May Bowey HB: Rivers Lever Salem C: Langdon Oliver Windsor HF: Henderson AJ Sparrow F: Fritsch JVR Chandler R: Gawn Viney Petracca I/C Langford Sharp Lindsey Jefferson Concerns - 1) defensive run over 4 quarters 2) can this forward setup click Anticipation - 1) Jeffo 2) Langford

Pace and forward handball showing some gaping holes in Blues effort and system.

It was a split second reaction but 2 weeks probably. Chose to bump and made contact with the jaw.

How is that not a free kick to Vlastuin? And Weitering walks over the line, unpressured.

Tiges doing so much right, only to have the last kick or handball in a chain be an absolute shocker. And around the packs the Blues are mobile putting the Tigers young brigade on their heels. Final result not looking pretty.

He is reading the play and getting to the right spots really well, but not executing simple kicking and marking. He looks ripe for mine, just rusty.

Free to air tv - if all else fails play re-runs of Friends or Seinfeld. Fox sport - if all else fails show some bland meaningless thing involving a Daicos. Apart from some great run-and-carry by the Giants, what a carp game of footy for a Sunday arvo. Dropped marks, poor foot skills decorated by some packs and tackling.

5 years too late SWYL. His last brain cell took the last train a long time ago.

Brown from GWS can't catch a cold, but boy he can play. He is going to destroy some oppo defences this year. But that Callaghan - wow.

It has always been so difficult to get a clear read on the quality of football at the postage stamp that is the SCG. The Swans v Hawks game has been quick and intense with lots of pressure plays, but little of the game style transfers to most other grounds. Both teams look OK, and it looks like the old fashioned "utility" player has had a field day.

The best our forward line has been since Neitz and Robertson, was with BBB and TMac as our marking targets. Despite modern football being a full ground defensive network, I maintain that having 2 large targets is the best option. I would like to see JVR and Jeffo, but JVR and Johnson looks more ready to go. ANB hole needs filling. Sharp might get there but looks outside our best 25 to me. Spargo, Kozzie, Fritsch and/or Melksham in any forward line means headaches for defenders. Hope we can see them fit and firing at the same time. Their combined leading patterns look static too often. Sparrow and Petracca also rotate through, which is a very strong variation. Other considerations are Turner, Kolt, and Chandler. Kolt will eventually take Melksham's position, Turner has very good hands and is athletic, Chandler runs two ways. Too many behinds kicked for too many seasons in a row. Not sure what the answer is. Lets give Chaplin a few weeks to see if anything changes. Two questions: Do we include Johnson as a 2nd ruck resting forward? What is the best matchup versus GWS?

I would add JVR, and Fritsch looks all at sea at the moment. Otherwise I agree.

First there was Nev Jetta in a filth jumper, and now BBB in a Bummers jumper!!! Sorry, but makes me want to puke. The sooner BBB is back at the Dees or helping out in Tassie, the better it will be.

I am a Jeffo fan, but Johnson is well ahead of him after the Freo game. I am OK with either of them for round 1. I am so hungry for Spargo to find fitness and form. At his peak he was so important, his delivery and decision making into the F50 was a standout when so many other of our players seem to fail at this too often. Although Chandler's gut running is a really important quality, and we have other smaller players like Laurie, only Kozzie and Spargo have that small forward touch of class and smarts around and through half forward. Bowey at his best is a great part of our defense, but his delivery has been iffy for the better part of 18 months now. Not convinced Langford or Lindsay are ready for round 1. Howes is better than he has shown in preseason. Is Fritsch ready for round 1? 2 very important players for season 2025 - Salem and JVR. Sparrow very solid. Not sold on Sharp. I wish Tholstrup was fit and ready.

Some clear deficiencies, but I am not too hassled by the score. Our general play is looking better as the game extends. Salem and Windsor growing, Langford ok. Johnson looking to have established his spot as our 2nd big body forward. Fritsch a worry.

Chipping around half back and then creating a path through seems to be used a lot more than previous seasons. Tackling and pressure excellent. An uninspiring game, with few highlights, lots of spilled marks, lots of fumbling, and missed shots at goal. May and Langdon excellent. Trac and Clarry looking really good. Goalkicking - grrrrr... Johnson looking handy. Flat and uninspiring so far.

Big picture reflections: Back 6 and full ground defense continues to look strong. Forward play - great to see leading patterns and repeat leads. A lot more activity and less kicking to prescribed zones after setting up. Refreshing. Midfield. Beaten well at times in first half, but we also rotated a lot of people through. Players with nouse and pace like McKercher and LDU ran away too often too easily. My biggest questions: Do we play 2 rucks? Campbell was very good. Do we fit Jefferson AND JVR in? Where do we play Kozzie? He was outstanding through the middle.

Welcome back Clarry - you star. In everything, bringing others into the game, running through stoppages at pace, showing leadership to young players which surprised me. and those hands in close - beautiful. Kozzie, Bowey, Rivers, Sharp, AMW, Lever, JVR the standouts. Langford strong and skillful but pace a definite issue. Lindsay smooth and effective but didn't see him much in packs and stoppages. I am huge fan of young Jeffo, and can't wait until he stands next to JVR for 150 games+. Leading patterns are great, follow up work good, but not impacting most of the contests he gets to. Campbell surprised me and was very impressive. Laurie started well, Chandler was fairly absent, Sparrow strong at times. The squeeze for starting 22 is now on.

Lots of players need to lift, but for those who need to prove themselves or show something to get/hold a place in the 22: Sparrow. I still reckon he has it, hopefully he can find his right spot, stay there and explode. Spargo. The forgotten man. His delivery inside F50 was a thing of beauty and remains one of the weakest parts of our game. Two others who I am really keen to see but are too young to have to prove anything yet, are Verrall and Jefferson.

I love this selection: big body, consistent, one touch marking, good through traffic, really good kick. But I am not expecting too much from him in 2025. He looks to be one of the most AFL ready first year players we have seen in a while at the Dees, but I also remember the first pre season of Petracca who really struggled prior to the Christmas break. The step up is a BIG step so I watch with huge interest but little expectation. I feel more confident now because our development program is so good. Tholstrup, Windsor, McVee, Kozzie, Luke Jackson all played in their first season. I will watch closely to see if Langford can do the same.

Absolute steal from West Coast to get Bo Allan. Round 1 is possible, and Freo will be spewing.

Really interesting that both our draft picks so far are great kicks. With Windsor last year, it seems our "best available" philosophy comes with a qualification about good foot skills.

Welcome Harvey.

He really surprised me. I felt he had become a very good VFL player whose skills would not transfer up to AFL standard. Very happy to put my hand up and say I got it wrong. He was very good for his 6 games and is probably competing with Jake Bowey for a spot as a small defender. His main issue is definitely his fitness. He was playing so well, but in most of his 6 games, he was making errors in the last quarter, simply because he could not get to the next contest, or be caught out of position through exhaustion. A good preseason will fix this.

It feels like a lot of deals have been made late so things sound comprehensive, but really only 3 clubs have made significant large-scale changes - Roos, Dogs and Tigers. I hate this extended trade period fluff.