deejammin'

The time for this was round 20- finals 2022. If we didn’t play Petty as a permanent forward when we had a misfiring forwardline, TMac injured, BBB sore and out of form, JVR too young, Weideman learning a new role and Tomlinson, Turner and Smith all capable of playing back we’re not doing it next year. It was a great solution so we could compete short term, that Goodwin was too stubborn for, but long term Petty will be one of the great backs of the modern era and we have time to find some forwardline solutions. As it stands next year we will have TMac, BBB, JVR (bigger and fitter with the confidence of a great VFL season), Weideman, Gawn/Grundy, Fritsch. Then we could bring in Colbert and draft another tall forward, that’s more than enough tall forward options. We need to work on our system and connection or none of those 8 options will work. If we lose Tomlinson then our KPD cover is thin, Smith is injury prone, Turner young, if we send Weid back we have no guarantees he’ll be capable. Even if the club wants Petty forward one injury to May or Lever and he’s straight back.

Here’s my prediction for our initial off season moves. Delist: Baker, Melksham, Rosman (re rookie?) Retire: Daw (Rookie) M Brown (Rookie) Rookie Elevation 2023: Chandler Leaving: Jackson Possibly Trade: Bedford, Tomlinson, Hunt, Weideman With Chandler probably being elevated from the rookie list there are three free primary list spots with Melksham delisted (maybe not) and Jackson leaving. It’s likely we need one or two more to leave, depending on what we get for the Jackson trade and the possible movements of Bedford, Tommo, Hunt and Weid. We can also go into next year with less rookies and take one or two more onto the main list with Brown and Daw likely to leave. Hibbo showed enough to choose to go around again although I would really like Bowey playing seniors regularly next year. IMO our needs are, one senior ruck (apparently Grundy) and at least one developing ruck (more if Weid leaves), a KPF, quick skilful players with x-factor. I would prefer to keep the backline trio of May, Lever, Petty together so would look at trading out Tomlinson to help get a KPF. If that doesn’t happen then JVR must play next year with Petty forward and one of Smith, Turner or Tomlinson stepping up into Petty’s spot. Turner looks likely. As crazy as it is to say given our paper thin rucks stocks and misfiring KPF if I could have one player in the league join us it would be Shai Bolton, we simply don’t have enough out and out game breakers to complement the hard workers of our midfield.

If I were his manager I’d go with the opposite. Adam’s value is the lowest it’s been in some time. He’s one year off a serious injury, I would encourage him to back himself in to continue to improve his speed and mobility of pre-season and fight to get back into a seriously good backline for the last season of his contract. Even if he’s fringe at the end of next year he will have shown more upside than this year and other clubs will come with better offers. Atm he’s not getting big years or big coin on this years form.

I hope Toby stays, he has skills that our list is lacking, speed and X factor. I hope he breaks in to our AFL team again next year. Wet congested VFL footy doesn’t suit him, he had some great games for us this year in the AFL, just needs to learn to stay in the game for four quarters. The one thing that may encourage him to stay is that Essendon is an absolute basket case. It’s a risk to go there atm and several of their stars are making noises about leaving, particularly if Jabs Hird gets the gig.

Tough as always but I think no change. The obvious one that makes this controversial is Salem for Bowey but Salem has been down on his best the second half of this year and Bowey has more than earned his spot back. That said I wouldn’t be surprised if Salem comes in, his best is outstanding, Bowey being extremely unlucky. TMac, Smith or Weid to sub. Given that our team is not tall we have the luxury of throwing Melk, Spargo, Harmes, Sparrow, ANB even Frittata or Kozzie into the mid/wing if a mid goes down, allowing us a tall sub. TMac has ruck, forward and backline experience, making him ideal, obviously the question is fitness. Smith has the forward/backline experience, Weid the ruck/forward. Line ball really.

It was painful wasn’t it! There were periods in the game where they were so busy praising Adelaide they missed calling Melbourne marks, goals and transition. The final highlights package also featured 4 Adelaide goals and only one MFC goal even though we won the game! Get stuffed Adelaide!

You beauty! Awesome win. Purcell and West enormous in the guts, Maddy Gay huge at HB, Birch, Gillard and Lampard excellent. Kate Hore could’ve kicked 4, goalkicking this week. Great game, ground it out against our nemesis away, without Daisy, Bannan or Zanker dominating! Huge win with upside! Perfect! Looking forward to seeing them play live before our big swans game next week!

Maxy had gone well beyond Dean Cox at this point, compare the pair: Dean Cox: 290 Games 1 Premiership 6 AA 1 B&F Max Gawn: 179 Games 1 Premiership (Captain!) 6 AA (1 AA Captain) 2 B & F 1 AFLCA Maxy has achieved everything Cox has, and more, in 111 less games, in a comp with more teams, far higher standards and he’s far from finished!

You’re right that Jackson isn’t as good as Witts this year statistically, but I’d say Jacko’s possessions and score involvements are more valuable than a lot of Witts key stats, though his hit outs to advantage are excellent. Freo’s Darcy is stiff, much more consistent than Witts statistically. Gawny in a league of his own (sorry for the seperate posts couldn’t get it to let me post pictures and text, mids feel free to merge).

Happy with our ins, Langdon stiff but did drop away in the second half of the year. There doesn’t appear to be any wing in that squad though. It’s become a very important position, unless Shai Bolton is put in as a wing? Pies are a bit stiff, N Daicos, Pendlebury and Sidebottom have all had excellent years, I’d have one of them over some of MacRae, Kelly, Sinclair and even Warner. I’d have Jackson over Witts or Blitsavs also. What the ruck selections show is how far beyond the rest of the rucks in the competition Max is, must get a 6th jacket.

Isn’t this similar to the Hawthorn model? I seem to remember they almost never won clearance or contested ball but smashed teams with their accuracy by foot, defence and ball movement.

If we’re winning comfortably against Collingwood with 1 minute to go we should Quack.

Whoops I totally forgot about that! Sorry! They’ll cheat for sure!

If he passes every element of the protocol and has no symptoms or set backs. Sydney have some good strong doctors and don’t strike me as the kind of club to risk serious concussion long term effects. There’s still a chance he misses.

This is amazing! Hilarious! I like Carlton A LOT more than the pies or dogs but that karma is epic!!!

Their equivalent of our final round loss was against Adelaide in round 20. Their last two performances were remarkable considering their outs and the quality of the opposition (hurts me to say it but the Pies just won’t die!). Interestingly we’ve reached full maturity. We went 11-0 against teams outside the 8. The knock on us last year was we were off our game and dropped games against bottom teams (Pies, Hawks, Adelaide, GWS). Our 5-6 record against the top 8 is less impressive than last years 8-1 but let’s make up for that in the finals!

They beat us. They’re a glass cannon, their best is very very good, their worst is very very bad.

Simon Goodwin’s finals coaching record is something we can be proud of! Best W/L percentage of the current top 8 coaches (I will update if this changes but seeing as I am barracking hard for the pies to lose, purely out of hatred, I’m hoping I won’t have to). Finals Coaching records: Simon Goodwin: 5W-1L, 83% Win, 1 Premiership Damien Hardwick: 10W, 5L, 67% Win, 3 Premierships John Longmire: 10W-11L, 48%, 1 Premiership, Michael Voss: 1-1, 50%, No Premierships Chris Scott: Finals 8W-15L, 35% Win, 1 Premiership Chris Fagan: 1-5, 16.7%, No Premierships Justin Longmuire: NA Craig MacRae: NA

So very proud! Bring on the finals!

I’d prefer both the Swans and Pies lose and we play Freo. Not for us, I think our best can beat all three, but because I love watching the swans and pies lose!!!

This is the worst I’ve seen Casey play in a long time. The game is totally on Brisbane’s terms, the pressure is lacking and the limited forays forward we’ve had in the second half have been rushed and messy.

Merrett would be a gun in our midfield…

Clarko is even more committed to a Tassie team than I thought 😈😈😈 Also, suck it Essendon!

Win, lose or draw this week we are destined for finals multiple years in a row for the first time since 2006! 16 years is a long drought to break. Win this weekend and we will play in consecutive Qualifying Finals for the first time since the modern top 8’s inception. We’re all nervous and disappointed that after a remarkable start to the year we don’t have top four sewn up heading into the final round. Some perspective however, this team continues to smash all the embarrassing records of our past, has backed up equally as strongly as 95% of reigning premiers in the past 30 years and is in this season up to its ears. Smash those lions!!!