deejammin'

Two quick goals from the Suns to level the game. Day and Burgess lively up forward. GC starting to win clearances and their KPF are marking a bringing the ball to ground.

Good first quarter. Despite missing Moose and Dunstan our midfield is on top and winning good clearances. BBB is worrying his defender, got two pitb frees. Great pass to Charlie Spargo late for a goal on the siren. Joel Smith looks super lively forward, should have three goals but didn’t settle on the run and put one behind, one out in the full. Bailey Laurie looks great, composed, quick, uses it well. Woey and Spargs also good. KFW doesn’t win many taps but his athleticism and follow up work is starting to come through, caused a goal with a great follow up tackle and handball. The backline looks composed and settled, we gave up a couple of easy contested marks early, but settled late. Tomlinson doing ok on Day. Deakin Smith looks a player, Howes does some nice things. Buntine a good leader down there. Only negative is after playing a blinder last week Melksham has been caught couple of times trying to do too much.

Disappointing to give away that late goal. Terrible turnover and then lazy inside d50.

Bailey Laurie, White and Spargs doing very well in the middle. KFW starting to look like a footballer. Smith super dangerous as a forward.

In case people aren’t aware you can watch the replay on the AFL app and site anytime, just search VFL replays, you can send the game as a link but sadly I can’t find a way to post the link here as that’s not a option available through my app. It’s not as enjoyable as the seniors one but some good moments, pretty rubbish commentary. Are you sure you watched it? It wasn’t his best game but watch 4.57 quarter 1 when Brown marks with clear separation on a lead and goals around the corner. There are many other examples but 1.24 quarter 4 is yet another example of Brown getting separation on a lead and hitting a target inside 50, those are the ones I remember off the top of my head, there’s plenty more, including Brown winning a good ruck contest in the 3rd quarter and kicking to Jefferson in the square (who sadly fumbles the mark). I’m not one for hyperbole, I said it wasn’t his best game but decoy is a bit rich. He played the role of taking both James Blanck who I consider box hills best key defender and experienced at VFL level and having Grainger-Barass often triple teaming him when we didn’t move the ball quickly. You may think Grainger their best defender who was on TMac and I don’t think he’s bad, but Blanck is much stronger physically and better as a shutdown defender where Grainger is more an interceptor. I don’t think that forward-line will lack pressure as firstly the four won’t be on the ground at the same time often. Max and Ben would alternate allowing the forwardline to always have three of Chandler, Pickett, ANB, Spargo, Trac, Viney and the other mids who have pinch hit forward this year, plenty of pressure there, plus Fritsch’s pressure has generally been better this year. Happy to agree to disagree but I think you are overly harsh on BBB’s game, I thought he played the role well and showed enough of each skill without having a stand out game. There’s also the question of how VFL form actually equates to AFL. The VFL tends to be a more contested, compressed game than AFL due to ground sizes and VFL game plans to limit AFL players influence. Mitch White absolutely excelled at VFL level but there’s no way he comes back into AFL level as the pace of the game would render him less effective than some of the more athletically gifted players who can struggle at VFL level. There’s many players like this. You may be right, it’s possible Browny won’t come in this week but it’s also not as simple as needing dominant 5 goal VFL performances to come back in, playing a strong role at VFL level can be more important than a dominant glamorous performance.

Yeah I watched it. I didn’t think he was terrible, he led up and down the ground and did some good things. He also did some of the grunt work in the middle of packs without much individual success in a way that freed Smith, Jefferson, Melksham, TMac up. He’s not on fire, it’s certainly not the performance he’d want to put in to be assured of a place in the team, but I think if he played that same role in a way that took the first defender (Collins) and freed JVR, Max and Fritsch up in the way the other three were for Casey we’d look pretty good. It’s also partly my own bias that I’d like to see the BBB, JVR, Max, Fritta combo as I think it’s the most dynamic and has the most different strengths while I really want to see Petty back with Lever and May. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s just Petty in forward for Schache, but I’m interested in seeing the Brown JVR combo in particular and thought BBB played a sacrificial role this weekend at Casey that could translate to the seniors. In terms of the Casey game, Melksham was excellent but he plays the Fritsch role and I don’t think you can have two of those, especially against GC’s somewhat mobile tall defense. J Smith was very lively but I think he needs some time to play a few games, especially given how much time he has spent back the last few seasons. Tommy looked more hit and miss to me than Brown, his work up the ground late in game was good, but early on he kept getting swamped and caught and not taking his marks. Brown was workmanlike in a way that brought the other forwards into it and took Box Hill’s best defender all day, didn’t set the world on fire but structurally was important and bullocked and worked hard all game.

Looked like a corky in the upper right leg to me.

There is more than one way to skin a cat and in terms of resting players this is a good example. Not a single player played 100% game time on the weekend, we started multiple quarters with Gawn, Trac and other key players on the bench. Last year we were 10-0 but our game plan was labour intensive, we got a lead early but didn’t have the fitness to ice games early in the last to put teams away and rest players, many teams got right back at us in the last, see Hawthorn, Essendon etc. Do what we did to the Roos against GC and our best players will get the best of both worlds, keep form, touch and the speed of the game and play 70% game time with plenty of rest with the hopeful option to rest one with the sub. For me it’s: Out: Schache(injured), Hibberd (rested), Jordon(sub) In: Petty (back), BBB, Spargo, (Jordon or Melksham to sub)

There was no indecision. He was always going. We have a football industry where culture dictates you can’t declare your intentions in-season so any player leaving must “stuff their club around”, there’s no other way.

Ironically the introduction of a Tassie club could be the thing that finally does what Jeff Kennett has been banging on about for years and kill a Victorian club. The irony being Hawthorn rely on Tassie for their funding and without it, it could be them, after decades of Jeff suggesting it will be us. Logically though North Melbourne will be in huge trouble when they lose their Tassie money. Lowest membership in Victoria, famously low attendances and always struggle financially. This will be interesting.

Absolutely fair enough. I think my generosity of spirit is enhanced by Freo’s capitulation this year, we spent draft capital on Jackson, but I think we’ll get that back in spades at a time where we’re a very good team. If Freo were up the top competing with us I’d not be applauding him, but given they could very easily be bottom 4 by the time we play them I think I’ll be able to manage it, perhaps a bit sarcastically.

I think Kozzie has been struggling post suspension because he has doubt in his mind about how hard he can bump/tackle. His game has always been built on putting on pressure, hitting bodies and tackling hard and since being suspended for an incident where he didn’t even hurt anyone I think he is overthinking the pressure side of his game and it’s making him less instinctive. Hopefully he gets back to his best this week.

FWIW I won’t be booing Jackson, I’ll be applauding him. He helped win us a flag, first in 57 years, once a premiership player always a premiership player. I will be continuing to barrack hard for Freo to finish as low as possible and if Jacko contributes to that but not playing his best, or being played in his best role, fine. But I could never boo him, watching that third quarter of the GF again and again has brought me so much joy and he’s a huge part of it, no matter where he plays now.

Kane Cornes can GAGF his entire career is clickbait, he never owns up to his many, many mistakes and his bias towards Port Adelaide is some of the worst of any commentator in the league, to the point it effects his stories (see Kozzie to PA story last year). As others have said Jackson has ten years to do what Grundy is doing and we didn’t get Grundy FOR Jackson, we got draft picks, which are hopefully getting higher and higher due to Freo’s current woes. If anyone got checkmated by Grundy to Melbourne it was Collingwood, although they’re doing fine, I’m glad we got Grundy and yes the impetus for us getting him was Jacko leaving but this is rubbish from Cornes, that I doubt he believes. He’s the worst.

I watched the game. We didn’t set the world on fire but we weren’t terrible either. I agree with the comment we were too tall up forward and KFW is very raw. Brown was ok, TMac is way off. Dunstan and Harmes good but Harmesy can butcher the ball. Disco ok but I don’t get those who want him in the AFL, needs more time to develop. Howes and Woey down on their early season form. Schache and Laurie were missed. All in all our VFL squad have lost two games in two years, not time to panic just yet.

I had the same problem, try this:

I hope you’re right if we do rest some guys. Such an even top 12 atm it’d be great to put a gap on the competitors.

Time to start getting into Kane Cornes then. Made up a rumour to the advantage of his old club with absolutely nothing behind it. Deserves to be dragged because of this, [censored].

Found it on YouTube through Fox footy. Both the AFL and MFC app have the weird cut 3.50 version but because you told me it existed I was able to find it. The version on the apps is weird. Even shorter than where channel 7 left it one the broadcast. Oh well.

How did you see Goodwin’s full presser? I can only get the clipped 3.50 version that cuts out early on the AFL app and our MFC version.

I agree if they’re injured. But last year we were 7-0 playing a VFL West Coast side and 8-0 playing the Roos and we didn’t rest sore players, that’s when we should’ve. Right now we’re 4-2, not in very good form and have a chance to play close to our full strength lineup. If players are injured, sure, rest them. But if they’re just a bit sore but capable of playing we need to get our best team on the park, in the right positions and find some form. Let’s get to 5-2 and 6-2 and then think about resting players with niggles, right now I’d like to see us play.

I would be limiting resting players. We actually haven’t had much continuity this season and it would be good to keep changes to a minimum. Petty to go back this week, ideally with May, Lever and Hibberd. Brayshaw to play more mid/wing. In: BBB, Out: JJ (sub), Laurie(plays VFL) Obviously if anyone is injured or sore we rest them, if May in for Turner, if Chandler Laurie in. Grundy stays in, he and Max need to play together. I think BBB has to play, Schache is the other option but he doesn’t have BBB size and presence up forward. BBB’s preseason and his first two weeks were good and he will take McKay off JVR. We also need Fritta and Pickett to get back to their best after a few lean weeks. Most of all our defense needs to get back to its best and our mids need to start winning clearance and contested ball again. Big chance to reset against a team that despite a good coach and a few gun players is absolutely putrid.

A difficult game to watch but a win is a win. Proud of our resilience and great to see us come back to win from a decent deficit, something, as it’s been noted, we haven’t done for almost all of last season and this one. Viney, Chandler, Gawn, Grundy, Langdon, Hunter, Lever all huge. Van Rooyen unbelievable in the last quarter. Trac and Clarry a bit off their best but still very good. There are however, worrying signs. Our backline is a bit off. It’s happened all year that teams get easy uncontested marks to players around 30-60 metres out, even to key forwards, something that just did not happen our premiership year. May looks a bit off, McVee, Rivers and Bowey all do great things but also make big mistakes as young players do. Hibbo is heart and soul and a brilliant lockdown defender but his turnovers hurt us last night. Our defensive structure has broken down much more than in the previous two years, not to mention how vulnerable we are to ground balls. Brayshaw’s best is excellent, his worst very worrying. For this reason I think Petty has to go back, we look so settled with May, Petty and Lever back there and they play better together. It also takes pressure off Hibberd, Bowey, Rivers and Brayshaw to play their best. As Goody says our contest and defense is the heart of our team. Let’s put it back together, I don’t think May, Petty and Lever have played a single game together down back this year, let’s get it settled this week. Our contest is also off, teams have figured out how to stop or intercept our first possession and we tend to setup so aggressively this means they leave the contest with very little pressure. I have faith in Yze and Goody to address this but we need to do it quickly, we are usually an elite contest team but at the moment teams are beating us in there, Gawn back will help but it seems we need to do some work on our setup and pressure around the contest. All in all I believe we’re definitely a top 8 team, hopefully top 4, at our best top 2. We now have three games we should win. Bank them, get the structure and form of key players right and let’s launch an assault from 7-2. Go Dees!

He asked the umpire and then relayed what the ump said. He had no idea. He looked surprised when the ump told him.

That may be the rule. But it’s not the rule if you literally never pay it. I’ve watched close to every game this season (love Kayo!) and I can point to hundreds of examples of this. Watch the highlights of Florent’s kick against Port, there’s two players in that area, there’s countless other examples of players doing that. To the point that players had forgotten this is the rule. This is THE problem if you only pay it once in a hundred times it’s an enormous disadvantage to the one team it happens to. If the AFL wants to enforce that, fine, send out a memo at the start of the season that they will be harsh on this and pay it consistently, the whole time. What they did was cherry pick it once, six rounds and seven games into the season and have a huge impact on the game (reversing a point to a goal). It’s the same as the Coniglio free a few weeks back, if no-one is paying it and you pull it out once and say it’s the rule, but never do it again, no matter how much you justify it it’s a huge disadvantage to the one team who cops it. The narrative coming into this season and last was that they were going to be lighter on the protected area and only pay it when it blatantly effected the ball carrier as the fifty was too big a penalty for indiscretions that didn’t affect the play, same with the stand rule being loosened. This is the complete opposite of that.