Demon Dynasty

In the last five rounds we've obviously ebbed away DZ. In terms of the season as a whole however, the bulk of the list has actually improved statistically vs 2021 to this point. Our problem is that some of those that haven't are obviously critical to our continuing success/winning form. And of course we've now had some injuries to key players in the last four weeks or so. Not really adding anything that no one knows already of course. However if i take my objective qualitative hat off for a moment and look at the numbers alone (Danger Danger Will Robinson!) the players that we need to get back to something resembling 2021 form aren't that many or deep barring injury of course. So lets look at those injured and the others still on the park who are statistically a fair way off their 2021 form... 🌤️ Harmes (-11% on 2021 score) - Struggling since his return from the hammy but came back against two top 8 clubs in red hot form. I'll back him in here as he's done this before, as recently as early last season when i don't think he played till about round 5 or 6 from memory yet went on to make a very sold contribution. Off by about 11% on his 2021 level (statistically) so far. He can make that up if he puts his head down and no further setbacks. Let's see after the buy but i reckon he'll ratchet things up slowly and get somewhere near back to his best within two to three weeks. 🌦️ Lever (-26%) As per Harmes but has had a stack more time to regain match fitness and form. Unfortunately that hasn't been the case and in his last three matches since May went down he's posted some horrible results on these tables. Is it a case of no May no decent form from Lever? Or is he just so far back after his return from injury that it's going to be one of those seasons for Jake? 26% off would appear to be a bridge too far at this point but stranger things have happened. Might be worth considering Tomo for a short stint see how he goes, put Lever back for a spell and an attempted reset with Casey along with a small block of ramped up training to try and lift his fitness / strength levels? Comes back fitter and better for it? 🌤️ Rivers (-8%). No issues for mine. 8% off of last season is an easy number for a youngster with his talent to get back to IMV. I like the reset at Casey approach here allowing him more time / space to find some form and belief / confidence as well as playing the way Goody & Co might feel he hasn't been and fixing a few issues in the way he's going about things. His game against the Swans with Casey was solid and a sign that the reset is on track. Can't be sure how he went against the Pies as i only saw the highlights. ⛅ Tommy Mac (-23%). . IMV and no doubt many others on here etc, a key / critical figure up forward and part of our preferred structure if we're to make something of the rest of this season. Not sure why he's 23% down on 2021. It's a big number and probably worth a deeper look. The one thing i have liked about some of his games is his contested marking ability up forward and higher up the ground and his accurate goal kicking. Hopefully he makes it back but even if he does will he make it back to AFL match fitness with decent form in time? ⛅ Kozzy (-21%) Again another big gap between this season and last. Some weeks he's on fire for a half of footy. Other weeks we might be lucky to see one quarter or almost zero return. If only Kozzy could find some consistency this season. One thing i have noticed in the games he's performed well or quite well in....i see his contested possession numbers are up a fair bit from weeks where he is having an off game. This one's a real mystery to me. Maybe carrying something and every other week he's a bit too sore to get going? Maybe drank a little too much Premiership happy juice in the off season? ⛅ Fritta (-14%) Not sure Fritta's been bringing his A game enough of the time this season. It's just the little things, like the odd missed goal that he'd usually slot. The missing quarters in game. Trying to do it all himself near the goals instead of looking for an open player by hand or foot etc and instead getting pinged. 14% isn't alot but we're waiting waiting waiting for Fritta to get going consistently. It's time to bring the A game son, especially now Macca and Maxy are both out. 🌦️ Benny B (13%) Oh Benny Benny Benny. Whatever happened to him this season. Given his experience, along with Lever, he's probably the biggest disappointment so far this season for mine. Dropping too many marks, getting pushed off / taken out of many contests quite easily. Not leading up enough at the ball carrier and/or doubling back for the out the back mark/goal as he did on occasions last season. Instead sitting back far too often waiting for the perfectly weighted long kick near the goals. I dunno. Another player still basking in the Premiership glory a little too long maybe? Needs a rocket and some grunt! Would want to be a damn good second half of the season from old Benny! So rounding it up there aren't many off their 2021 form...but far too many of them are inside that forward 50 arc for my liking. And the other real concern not inside the arc...Lever. Good luck trying to fix the issues inside 50 and the delivery / smarts coming inside because so far it's been an absolute crappola fest!

Yeh on Dogga's shoulders might do it!

MIght be a D replacing that R in the parentheses if we send him in this early

Spargo the ideal chop out for Dogga

Capper?...

Bugger Bum [censored].... Welcome to the seniors Majak

I'm going Tomo if it's a choice limited to these two. Well drilled and experienced in playing 'the Melbourne way' and could (potentially) play either end of the field. At a pinch you could even have Tomo cover Petty's role (and no im not saying he is necessarily capable either...just a short term stop gap) and send Petty forward if a key tall went down.

Hope you've got a decent wingback Chester (with matching footstool), a roaring fire, a decent pipe, plenty of smokin' tobaccy, a giant barrel of Melbourne premiership port and a compliant pooch (slipper retrieval) handy Mr Leg

Zorko's didn't look minor from where i was sitting. Absolutely pinged it and grabbed high as well. Could barely walk off the field. Has to be a two to three week layoff surely?

Weighted Average Scores up to & including Rnd 13, 2022 vs H&A Season 2021 Player 2022 Score 2022 Rank 2021 Score % Change vs 2021 2021 Rank Change in Rank vs 2021 C Oliver 5.369 1 5.258 2.11 1 0 C Salem 4.513 2 3.879 16.34 4 2 C Petracca 4.167 3 4.041 3.12 2 -1 Jack Viney 4.155 4 3.171 31.03 8 4 Steven May 4.083 5 3.926 4.00 3 -2 A Brayshaw 3.846 6 2.836 35.61 12 6 Ed Langdon 3.511 7 3.092 13.55 9 2 Max Gawn # 3.369 8 3.439 -2.04 7 -1 J Harmes 3.140 9 3.520 -10.80 6 -3 J Jordon 3.079 10 2.908 5.88 10 0 Jake Bowey 3.056 11 2.881 6.07 11 0 L Jackson # 3.054 12 2.355 29.68 21 9 L Dunstan 3.025 13 - - - - T Sparrow 2.994 14 2.023 48.00 28 14 Alex N-Bullen 2.867 15 2.388 20.06 19 4 Jake Lever 2.691 16 3.661 -26.50 5 -11 T Bedford 2.465 17 - - - - T Rivers 2.438 18 2.658 -8.28 13 -5 H Petty 2.136 19 2.086 2.40 26 7 C Spargo 2.073 20 2.068 0.24 27 7 Joel Smith 1.957 21 1.375 42.33 32 11 T McDonald # 1.939 22 2.516 -22.93 15 -7 J Hunt 1.927 23 2.597 -25.80 14 -9 A Tomlinson 1.925 24 2.475 -22.22 16 -8 K Pickett 1.879 25 2.378 -20.98 20 -5 Bayley Fritsch 1.863 26 2.155 -13.55 25 -1 Ben Brown# 1.605 27 1.855 -13.48 30 3 S Weideman 1.571 28 1.055 48.91 27 -1 Mitch Brown 1.513 29 2.475 -38.87 16 -13 J Melksham 1.433 30 1.853 -22.67 31 1 Daniel Turner >* 1.200 31 - - - - Average Team Score -Top 22 69.93 67.23 4.01 # Hit outs to advantage not captured * Only played one match...not an average score > Subbed Out Stats courtesy of footywire.com

Maxy from a set shot. Sparrow in general play or a set shot. If sparrow is in it might be worth pushing him forward a little more in the next few matches to see what he can offer in this regard. Not much else happening around the 50 outside of these two.

Yep mentioned this in another thread. Very frustrating and reminds me of 1980s style footy. Needs to learn to roll & play on more often and keep a fast play moving at times. While he defends stoutly and is very reliable the oppo & their coaches must love seeing the ball in his hands as they get to set up behind play and reset down field for the 50/50 offering them a good chance to rebound and attack once again.

Yeh he was with Kozzy for a while standing the mark as he was taking shots at goal

One of a number of issues but this along with forward connection/cohesion and conversion is high on the list IMV. It's also a goal accuracy issue from some. How many opportunities has ANB fluffed in the last 3 to 4 weeks? All gettable goals but hooking to the left. Then yesterday he finally tried to compensate but ended up over compensating and hitting the right goal post. Harmes & Viney yesterday running into an open goal (did they even make the distance from 40?). I've said this before quite a while back but many of our mids / genuine forwards cant kick accurately beyond about 40 meters and some can't even make 40 meters! I get that fatigue plays a big part here but seems to happen to our fellas far too often. We are in serious need of at least two genuine goal kickers who can roost a ball through with decent accuracy from 40 to 50 out (& sometimes just beyond). One of them a KTF who can clunk pack marks as well and/or at least bring the ball to ground more often.

Much of this is a form issue but agree with NS on most points. It is also the ability to run out a game and just run / share and carry without bumbling and fumbling. Which sort of comes back to the form issue. But some of it could also be linked to fitness and or a few too many players coming back from ad hoc injuries. Point 1: Goes without saying we have some major issues here. Personally its my belief we've had issues in this area for years that have never fully been solved. Ultimately we might need someone (an expert) from the outside to come in and change everything up. No doubt its also personnel related with Macca out but lets assume he doesnt get back in time. Who is his replacement? We have to find someone who can take contesteds and/or crunch the packs bringing the ball to ground for the smalls, at the least! The present crew, BB/Mitch & Weid just arent cutting it here. Then there's the structural issue both i50 and around contested packs. We just don't set up as well as some other teams consistently enough. Where are the front and squares for us in both of the above scenarios? We need the medium smalls and smalls to be getting into the right places more often including one out the back for the slider that breakes over the contest and out the back. Where are these structures (on a regular basis i mean)?? Why is it left to Clarry to crumb a pack and goal around the body from 30. Ok so our mids should be getting involved here but what are the dedicated smalls and mediums doing (or not doing) that sees them often nowhere near the right places? If you watch the Blues they get this structural side down really well both i50 and at the marking contests... and it pays off for them. Where is this discipline of structure for us?

Excuse me D4 ... I reckon BBO is more a glass half full Shiraz person myself! And not the standard run-o'-the-mill rubbish either ty. Only premium vintage for old uncle i would reckon

Its also a work rate issue up forward to some degrèe DZ. Forwards need to make multiple hard leads on occasions. When i watched BB i see him sitting deep for long periods calling for the long kick in. Those opportunities dont allways present. A leading prescence often needs to be happening higher asking for the ball to be given around 50 for mids to bail or kick to under heat. Our two forwards also often lead to the same pocket instead of splitting into diff lanes making the opp second guess. There's no guessing with our forward play. Far too often coming in wide and bombing into a pocket/flank. You can still bring it wide along the boundary...but how about using the angles on occasions and hitting up a forward leading straight up and in front like we saw the Pies do yesterday on at least one occasion? Far too predictable and the Talls not mobile enough IMHO. And doesnt have to be a tall always. How about hitting up a small or Fritta leading into space on fat side on occasions a la Harmes to Fritsch in the GF?

Round 13, 2022 MCG - Magpies vs Demons Well there's probably only two things we can relate to right at this moment that encapsulate the word 'Consistency'. One of them is a group of players... Clarry / Max (both legends... Max's injury can't be helped), Gus, Viney & Jordan. I would also throw May in here...IF he had played! I won't mention the other as it starts with L and not very enjoyable. Aside from the above another positive from these numbers is the top 6 total score which is the highest for the season. Clarry had a very good game but if he could just turn some of those handballs into meters gained with a quick kick forward...and get on the hunt a little more (pressure & tackles a bit low? Not alone here) However, in a losing team to post that and win the Danner's Cup you have to have a pretty crazy game. If only a few others down the line could step up a little more and go with him... 35 effectives @ 81.4%, one percenter, 6 clearances, 2 rebounds, 8 inside 50s, 3 tackles, 6 score involvements, 5 intercepts, 614 meters gaines, 1 goal and 6 turnovers (not that bad given the amount of ball he had). Gus i thought was almost BOG or had as big an impact as Clarry on the day (defensively). 13 intercepts on the day, the most for either side just ahead of Maynard on 12. The Pies had plenty more intercepts than us overall however as it seems our bombing days just keep on keeping on after about 5 years! A big number for Salem in only his second game back but is he playing too short/safe with 25 effectives @ 100% suggesting he might have been handing the pressure off to others with too many short lateral passes vs the occasional medium one inside etc? Top 5 Meters gained (MFC); Jordan (No.1 on the day) with a massive 829, Clarry 614, Hibb 463 (thought he had a decent return bar the dump around the body turnover kick on the wing late in the last), Viney 425 & Gus 400. After Benny Brown the player scores below that provide a bit of a form 'signal'. Showing why we aren't winning many games of footy of late. The form line after Benny (and he was borderline but a slight improvement on a horror four weeks...what was that around the body brain snap in the last though!!) is just too far off AFL level to win against anyone other than say the bottom three or four. Very few teams can 'carry' roughly eight players that are this badly out of form (not including Turner here for obvious reasons). If only we had that sort of depth! Personally, unless we fix how we play, from the middle of the ground forward, we are going to continue to struggle against other in form sides from here. Can we fix it? Who knows! Player Score Rank C Oliver 6.800 1 C Salem 5.300 2 C Petracca 4.925 3 A Brayshaw 4.850 4 J Jordon 4.400 5 J Viney 4.375 6 T Sparrow 3.875 7 L Jackson # 3.400 8 M Hibberd 2.975 9 C Spargo 2.875 10 H Petty 2.800 11 Max Gawn # 2.675 12 Ben Brown 2.375 13 Jake Bowey 2.125 14 Ed Langdon 1.825 15 J Harmes 1.775 16 Jake Lever 1.700 17 Alex N-Bullen 1.675 18 M Brown 1.450 19 B Fritsch 1.325 20 D Turner > 49% TOG 1.200 21 K Pickett 0.450 22 K Chandler < 22% TOG 0.250 23 Team Score 65.15 Top 6 30.65 Bottom 6 7.80 # Hit outs to advantage not captured > Subbed Out < Subbed In Stats courtesy of footywire.com

He was up and down (with May playing) after his return from injury but has yet to find something like his 2021 levels consistently. As soon as May went out any 'ok' days for him have disappeared and any bit of intermittent (every other week) ok days have dropped away badly since. This is also backed up statistically (starting with the Dockers). Including that game he has produced a worse result post May's exit each week, culminating in his worst performance for the season yesterday. 3 'ducks' in a row. Not good for us. May makes every defender look better when playing, he is that good. Funny thing is Lever will probably start improving after May returns. If he doesn't however, we need another hard nut defender and would like to see what Turner can bring (once he recovers). I'd bring him in for Lever within a few weeks of May's return if Lever doesn't get back near his best. Not many other options in this area other than Tomo and Smith who are pretty much a coin toss in difference in terms of the impact they are having at this stage in their careers.

100% ...too slow on decision making as well for now at this level. Playing at VFL pace at the moment. Time to head back for as long as it takes to reset. Not expecting massive improvement from Dunstan either but i'd be getting a block of games into him and letting him try to settle well before finals.

While im including Macca in this as he does make a significant difference up forward imv... After 3 losses to top 8 clubs (in a row) is it too simplistic to be saying... "No May, No Melbourne"?

Whatever we are attempting with that zone it's the most frustrating thing about our team defence for me. We fold back way too deep at kick ins i reckon, giving the opp far too much time and space in their defensive 50. Giving up 1/3rd of the ground before you start to try and close down the gaps and space on your opponents is pretty much asking for the opp to kick your [censored] if they have high level kicking skills and willing to work hard on their leads as they move the ball (in most cases) with relative ease up the field. Often choosing the time and place from which to launch pretty deep entries into our 50 or just run the ball in. To just keep playing this strat throughout the game when it obviously isn't working? No wonder we are 17th in pressure/tackle strats this season vs No.1 last year. Maybe it's by design and we are conserving ourselves for a big push in the second half of the season? If that's the case then i'm happy to stick a sock in it in the realisation (again) that i know very little about strats and game styles/methods and managing player loads etc. But after watching three top 8 teams pick us apart by waltzing the ball out of D50 and down the field from about quarter time to over-run us with relative ease, i have to say this very loose fold back zone (or whatever it's technical name might be) is absolutely killing any chance of staying in the game long enough to win (even occasionally) against the better in form teams. I understand many teams play this style but when i watch some of the rated clubs i can't say i notice them staying so far 'off' there opponent as they bring it out of their D50 (not for as long as we seem to do this anyway). The gaps are a little closer and they work harder to push up into the face of the opponent as quickly as possible to 'Stand' the mark and make it as hard as possible for them (within the 8 seconds they supposedly have to dispose) to hit up their next player on a lead or in space. So then you have to ask.... are we conserving ourselves for the back half or are we deliberately not closing the space down early and instead backing our usual 'trusty' defence to intercept and/or force a turnover before the ball gets near the 30 meter hot spots?

That's how i saw it from behind the play also. Clarry had a chance to burst and kick it forward off a few steps but went the suicide handball over the top to a stationary Sparrow inviting more pressure and the Pies just swarmed. They're gonna have to sort out this crap in the middle pretty quickly if we're to start winning games against the top 8 again from here. Footy's a really tough game at most levels and obviously super tough at this level but as the experts often say, might be time to get back to the basics. We look a much better team when Clarry's bursting out of congestion and kicking long i reckon.

Maybe don't take significant injuries / illness impacted players into a game? You don't always need a Maxy to square the ledger in the big man dept. Use Majak in small doses as required and craft / grind out some of these games. Maybe for the odd win. Ok so we lose a few ....we probably would've lost them anyway taking in compromised players. Gives the injured / ill time to reset and come back primed. I'm only a keyboard amature but seems a little strange to be managing a team in this manor over such a grueling long season. Goody goes back to learnings but it appear he has allowed this error with two of our key players now over the last few weeks. An error that could be the difference between 2nd and 3rd maybe if things get tight? As we know this is often a game of inches or small percentages. A few good/poor decisions can be the difference. Playing a big time player impacted by such issues to me also has the potential to effect a player's mental state / confidence in general, IF he ends up feeling he has not been able to play at his best and has let the team down etc. Simply not worth it in my book. Would we take this risk in a big final? If not, why do we do so in regular season?

Agreed Mr Leg but i still think he halved many of those center bounces in the air before then competing as that handy extra mid at ground level. Prevented the opp hitting to advantage first (some of the time). He's doing less of the former and seems to be a fair way off the level he showed in the GF on the ground at the mo also. Not expecting him at GF levels either every week however he's been a fair way off that for about 5 weeks now (post Covid?). Slightlly improved around the ground the last few but not in the middle IMO.