Demon Dynasty

Everyone sees things diff W. Laurie, Jordan were both ok to good in patches y'day but also went missing at times. Jordan only racked up 1 possession (or thereabouts) in the third I believe? Very good either side of that though. Laurie wasn't very influential prior to half time, good contribution afterwards. Dunstan i thought showed something in terms of possibly replacing Harmes ... however there's the disposal. Bit of a Jekyll & Hyde here. Clean that up a little more and go a bit longer at times i reckon he should get a call up at some point. Having said that the FD may see it diff and he might get the nod this week!

I reckon him coming into form during that season was a bit of a catalyst for us doing so well in 2021. Still see him as part of that Premiership as he played his role to aplomb throughout the season and stepped up from his previous ordinary one. In 2020 i had him ranked (statistically) as the 33rd player out of 35 that played that season In 2021 he moved up a massive 19 places to finish in 14th from 34 that played. Albeit off a low base, his average weighted score in 2021 was up 127% on his previous year (2.59 vs 1.14) Very sad to see him go. Personally would've signed him for at least one more season. Great young fella and fabulous to watch in full flight off HB.

They are one of the best disposal teams going around, especially that last kick into 50 and love to run & carry as well. You don't want an open free flowing game against this mob imv. Don't give them an inch of space. The Cats mauled them and worried them out of it in the first two quarters of the Granny and it worked a treat. They never recovered. Anyone not using that footage as a reference as to how to beat them would be pretty foolish. Might be too old style and off the mark but if it was me coaching this week i'd be seriously considering asking the boys to play back of shoulder (heavy pressure man on man) and make sure they get no clean ball or run & under constant pressure for at least the first half of the match. Make it a massive heavy hitting scrap with no easy possessions then possibly reset back to a slightly more open / rolling zone style afterwards depending on scoreboard / results of first half lock down strat. Cover the guts from their kick ins as they love the FB to run it straight up the guts and also make sure there's an extra number defending the wings as they also love to go wide with medium kicks looking for a free out there, then they link up run & carry into 50 for the angled pass. Not unlike a soccer play down the L/R chanels before crossing the ball in.

Those clearances NS my gosh. We looked like the Hawks... sometimes worse if that's possible 😄 Now you highlight an issue with handball to kick ratio. I actually don't mind that ratio but as you say it's the type of handball in question. Ok so no team is perfect. Dinky pressure / sell into pressure handballs happen even with great handball exponents / teams. It's a tough game and always looks easier.from the sofa. However, if we could fix a fair % and go over the top or out wide to free players or players on the run more often i dont think we would be questioning their use at all. But as you say, we don't do the latter consistently enough from match to match and tend to revert back to the Clazza dink donk versions under pressure. And as much as i loooove Clazz...he's one of the main offenders that starts and continues the rot here. If you watch the Pies they use alot of handball in tight. Ring around the rosie whip arounds but theyre usually to the outer rings of congestion....not going to players 2 feet away or about to get crunched (as often). Once they connect with a free runner or he sees an opening (they almost always look to go corridor first!!) theyre off to the races launching quickly i50 with a low raking kick often to favoured sides or a shorter one out in front allowing leading forwards to run onto them. Quick smart ring a rosie handball use without going over board shouldn't be a factor if we were better at it! Also in the middle bounce i'd much rather see a quick kick around the cormer to HF then a defensive handball going backwards to a player under pressure or to a 50/50. And there lays another problem of ours. In the two games this season we've done that on a few occasions, only to see the oppo's HB take an easy grab and rebound quickly most of the time. Who is playing this role and why aren't they presenting often enough?? (Structure???)

Seems a bit nonsensical in the sense that if you have players badly out of form and or better ones coming back.... plus you need an in or two for match ups. In some cases, where necessary, you just have to make the odd sweeping changes (eg, 4 or more). Even if it meant say 6 changes eg; 2 for match ups, 1 for injury and 2 based on form and you have quality / in form players coming in (pretty rare for sure but you never know).... why not!?

Point 1. Pies in Rnd 23, 2017 was right up there given what was at stake. But agree it was old Melb on Friday night. No.2 Who knows but i hope Goody is sitting them all down and eye balling every one of em. Time to ask a few hard questions, especially from the leaders. Yes even Maxy should be questioned as to what he feels is the lay of the land here. Honesty pls fellas. No.3 JV obviously has many credits but hasn't fired a shot since the final round 2022. Would have brought him back through the Mcgoos to make sure he was super match fit & ripe to go. No.4 T-Mac has lost a yard or so even in a straight line. Reckon Goody will stay with him for this week but has to be last chance saloon (for some time) if he doesn't surely. 5. Petty as the main tall D is exposed when May isnt about. We need to find at least one more key tall D and fast. 6. Keep in mind Harmes was one of the few players that finished 2022 strongly. Having said that i agree he is running on thin ice and a big chance to lose his place this week. 7. Went ok given the limited opportunities and first game back. Hopefully he starts bringing the heat as well in the coming games. 8. Happens with the youngsters. He'll be fine imo 9. JVR was playing this role y'day in the Mcgoos. Coincidence? I think not. Melk likely to make way. Expecting the young fella to make his debut on Sunday. 10. He wasn't alone here. So many were giving too many dinky short gives to no one in particular resulting in either turnovers or another stoppage. Clarry's at his best on the move and driving legs out of congestion. If he was able to lower his vision coming inside (Tracc also) then steady and deliver a little more often, as he did occasionally in 2021, that would help his cause. Also look to handball further or over the top to outside runners more often. Re ins/outs Jefferson is too early (for now) JVR should get the nod this week over Smith for Melk's spot. Jordan probably comes in for Harmes. Dunstan unlucky. May for Tomo Piggy for McVee

Anyone who thinks the bump is dead (yes inc. Goody) ...i hope they're watching WC vs GWS

Yep... this week & the Pies / Geelong will be decent indicators as to how we are fairing vs 2022 & 21

Always have to remind myself that AFL HQ is the sporting equivalent of Barnum & Bailey

The black hole of the AFL... never stops sucking

Yep they're gonna go close. No forward line & pretty much no weapons anywhere

So no dangerous tackle against the Swans there but the ump picks out a behind the play against Frosty .... and again for a small tummy tap ...wow

Swans love the 1 / 2 overlap using their FB straight up the guts. Have to make sure we cover that this week. That's their preferred go to pretty much everytime from the kick ins. Their next option is to try and link up run out wide around the boundary. Hope the umps don't go as easy on them as they are so far today. Allowed to drop the ball like a hot potatoe when tackled.. no frees called so far on about three of those. Same as the Lions in the first quarter on Friday.

Yes those numbers were right off DZ. Didnt come to play at all. As a bare minimum there should have been a response after half time. But what did we get...more of the same till their mindset finally changed when the game was well beyond winning. Crazy stuff. We should know more about how we are travelling at as a team by round 6ish Being a rookie Mcvee will have these ups and downs but i really like him with ball in hand. Smooth mover & lovely user. So yes he might miss this week but i reckon he's shown he's ready for more time in the big league and may well come back shortly after or he may even get a reprieve and go around once more. Think the FD would be out of their mind to not go with Hibb this week though. Harmes a likely out for one of Jordan or Dunstan? Needs to gain some form/confidence, better ball use and some run/carry back in the Mcgoos for mine. Melk's been a great servant but imho Goody needs to look to the future here and the future is surely JVR ...and not in a few weeks or waiting for him to kick a bag at Casey. I'd be bringing him straight in for Melk this week. We've lost 3 of our last four games. Two of those were finals. And two of them against a team we smacked on their home turf just 4 matches ago by nearly 10 goals. Alot's gone wrong since. Reckon Goody, the FD and boys have some real soul searching to do to get to the bottom of what is a recent form slump. We aren't coping with pressure too well at all is what im witnessing and the only bloke that continues to pop his head up in those losses under pressure is Clarry with the odd cameo from others. And even Claz hasnt quite hit his usual top line form in some of those last four matches. Too much left to too few it seems. I reckon we also really struggle without Maysy so that aspect needs addressing also. He aint gonna be around for much longer. Will need to find another general down back pretty soonish.

I have a life sized laminated Gawny poster in my possession Jaded and he always looks rested with cup in hand ty

Hear hear... get off here and get a life knuckleheads!

Hibb 36 Dunstan 29 with 7 clearances Bill 27 Jordan 25 Gregory 20 on debut JVR 19 including 6 hit outs

Bit of WWF there with Munro pile driving Sweet 19 possessions to Gregory. Not bad for a debutante

Beautiful work from Gray for the Jordan assist

So many shots from the Dogs have been from the boundary. Casey's done well to force them out wide for a fair chunk of the game

Moniz the 2.0 wizz for his second

Gosh if that commentator barracks any harder for the Dogs he'll blow a woofer valve. 2 solid intercept marks at HB by JVR

Jordan way too slow there with the shot on goal. Interception by Sestan who walks it in for the sealer