PaulR

I think you’ve nailed the critical piece of data, with our midfielders now mature and at best practice levels of fitness, our need to rotate them through the bench decreases, allowing us to employ the bench more strategically. The days when young mids were managed at 75% game time are done, with Tracca the last to be needing this support. This means the Preuss addition will be for many games and to good effect.

As the number 1 clearance team in the Comp with arguably the best ruck and midfield, these rules should deliver a very dominant season for us. Any team with ruck or midfield issues will be hurt, more than in the past.

Neil Craig..?

Wow that description is so loaded!!! Peterson is a practicing professor of psychology from Canada who’s clinical experiences has lead him to advocate an “evolutionary psychological” viewpoint on some devisive issues that have become memes in the various ideology and gender debates going on. His book is well worth a read and his interviews are entertaining.

Oooohhh Mama!

I read that article and thought “I wonder where they rate Angus Brayshaw?”... given his Brownlow number he had an exceptional output last season as well, for one so young.

Goodwin has been blessed with a apprenticeship under Roos, a great list and a very solid high performance team in his FD. Now let’s hope he’s been touched by the Gods and he’ll pull it all together. Another 3 years plus Bartlett’s firstborn if he wins a flag. ?

Good luck to him. He was on holidays having fun.

Welcome aboard Nelo!

The Preuss and Maxy tandem with one in our goal square at centre bounces, is a nightmare for most oppositions. We’re clearing at 60% kick long and deep... if leadup blocked. We will destroy many teams this season, Goodwin and the FD have read the rule changes well and recruited to our significant advantage, i.e. Kolo for wing, Hunt becomes a weapon from kick ins where the player can now just play on... etc interesting times.

I disagree PD, I think both Tommy and Weid benefit and do well from time up the ground. I reckon Goodwin has a plan to evolve this part of our setup and further improve our midfield/clearance dominance by addressing the only area of weakness, those times when Maxy is resting or being double teamed. It may be at the expense of OMac if Maxy continues to roll or play back, or require tall forwards play stints on the wing providing hit up targets, etc... BTW I know your view, and am actually more interest in exploring how it might or could work than playing “I’m right ... you’re wrong” (yawn) chest thumping game...

The “replacing Hogan’s 47 goals” debate, needs to be broadened out to appreciate the genius of it, and how we’ll do much better than break even on the 47 goal “loss”. Losing Hogan allowed the perfect replacement in Weid to step up at the ideal time (with a great return), and allowed us to recruit May. So how to measure... Weid late last year averaged almost 2 goals a game versus serious opposition. So we can assume 2 goal average in 2019 Or approx 40 goals over 22+ games. PLUS May is an experienced key defender who should be able to be counted on to reduce by a further 1 goal per game, the goals against, than the MFC player he’s replacing in the 22. So there’s another 22+ goals my guess is for Hogan’s 47 we’re looking at a return of 60+ so a profit (gain on the competition) of 20 so goals..! Tres good

Does the arrival of Pruess enable us to rest Maxy in 3-4 games against struggling teams during the year, to have him cherry ripe for big games..? And should we?

I don’t think being an a$$hole when you lose implies you are less accepting of the loss than someone who has the class to be gracious in defeat. So we’re probably talking at cross purposes on this.

Hawk supporters need to reacquire the ability to lose gracefully. Until they do (and it’s a skill that will require decades of practice), they will get little sympathy from me, when the footy Gods do them ill.

If he makes it can we call him “Luke”? :)

This is what happens when you pay people too much money to do a simple job. Bizarre

Curious to hear the thoughts of those who’ve attended training, where KK appears to be in the peaking order, I.e best 22, position attributes etc... Aside from May, he seems next most likely to slot straight in and improve us.

On the NT games and our presence in NT, am I right In thinking that the MFC have an “academy”in the NT, and if so, what potential benefit does that give us? And are there any kids coming through our NT academy that are good? Would love to discover another Liam..!

After years in the wilderness and crap fixtures we’re back, playing (arguably) the best brand of attacking footy and have a team with characters who genuinely entertain. So it’s time for the AFL to give us the fixture we deserve and have earned. ????

Our last two Friday night games were at 90k+ each, so the AFL should be open to giving us more...

Given Tyson is now Preuss it depends on how this big boy fares...!

I agree with the wisdom of waiting a couple of seasons to rate a trade period. And given that, if we were to rate our trade efforts of 2015, 2016 & 2017 now, did we trade well..? Id say yes, and that gives me confidence that this years trade period will also bare quality fruit.

I think Hogan’s output is covered with the addition of May (22 more goals stopped), and another forward (or collection of) kicking 25 in Hogan’s spot in the forward 50... there’s Hogan’s tally covered. Its the year on year improvement to Trac, Vanders, Spargo, Hannan and Weidemann (plus Oliver resting forward) that will cover the “Hogan deficit”... A new season and an improving team.

There was a moment at the end of the GF when Westcoast almost scored the slam dunk goal to seal the game, and Jeremy arrived late, knowing they where done and his look of anguish was so heartfelt I almost forgave him for leaving... almost. Then the Eagles won and I laughed at how sweetly cruel the footy gods can be...