Demon Dynasty

At this stage we have no effective KFs. Anything's worth a try. Direct swap for T-Mac maybe

Cheers graz. That first quarter was pretty up there pressure wise as you say. I heard somewhere it was the 2nd highest rating ever or for quite some time maybe? Unlikely that can be maintained over 4 quarters of course but as you say we probably are a fair way off full match fitness in these first few matches. Can't recall the second half numbers on this but the result is an indicator that it probably dropped off significantly again from the 2nd quarter level you quoted. I still don't understand playing Harmes in the backline effectively leaving us a rotation short in the middle but the coaches are getting paid the big $ and in reality i have no idea why they are doing things the way they do them from the bleaches. I certainly preferred this sort of start than the usual coming from behind routine over the last 8 years or more. Much easier to defend a big lead than try and catch one i reckon. We are fielding a pretty inexperienced team at this stage. Not so much against the Blues but very evident in that first round where the average number of games differential was -43 vs the Eagles. Their top end experience (100+ gamers) was sitting at 14 and we were on 8. A differential of 6 players with that experience level is pretty massive. Against the Blues however, we were on average 1 year younger and -7 games down in experience but that difference is so negligible it would have played no part in the outcome imv. Would like to see Lockhardt come in for Smith this week which will free up Harmes into the middle and assist the rotations > our ability to match the opp in the middle for longer and hopefully beat them on the day. Always a critical factor in any match.

Accountable yes but "tagging" the opp's best and being accountable on your direct opponent who isn't, are worlds apart imv.

Thanks for clarifying OD. Bit slow on that one. Yes this is true and should've been playing a lock down on Cripps in the first or 2nd half which would have helped Clarry to up the ante a little and might have helped with his stamina also imo.

Player / Team Score - Round 2 vs Carlton Blues (Marvel Stadium) Player Score Rank Max Gawn # 5.325 1 Christian Petracca 4.400 2 Clayton Oliver 3.775 3 Jack Viney 2.825 4 Alex N-Bullen 2.625 5 Neville Jetta 2.375 6 Angus Brayshaw 2.350 7 Christian Salem 2.350 7 Adam Tomlinson 2.325 9 Harley Bennell 2.250 10 James Harmes 2.075 11 Ed Langdon 2.000 12 Steven May 1.875 13 Tom McDonald 1.600 14 Trent Rivers 1.550 15 Jake Lever 1.500 16 Jayden Hunt 1.475 17 Nathan Jones 1.475 17 Joel Smith 1.450 19 Bayley Fritsch 1.275 20 Jake Melksham 1.050 21 Luke Jackson 0.250 22 Team Score 48.175 Top 6 21.325 Bottom 6 6.975 # Hit outs to advantage not accounted for Even without adding hit outs to advantage to Big M's stats he was, statistically at least, clearly the No.1 player on the evening for the Demons. A promising return by Harley as well, finishing in the top 10. Even more impressive given that he only spent half the match on the park. Gus the next lowest time on ground with 69%. Carrying some sort of niggle? Maybe not but if so that's a fairly low time on ground? Taking the 20% time reduction into account, this is a very marginal improvement on the 2019 average team score of 59.623. Approx a 0.8% improvement so nothing to really get excited about so far this season in a team sense (statistically).

JD i feel like i'm reading a description that resembles my many decades of watching coaches start, try and fail at the MFC while being mostly under the influence watching the game from the bleaches. At least the minor parts that i can remember before it became a blur of colour and noise anyway.

Happy new year Mr Old! Wait.... maybe not that happy so far out in the lovely wide world at the moment but anyway You are saying Jackson is playing in the backline?

Fair enough KDA. I was more responding to the OP's suggestion that we were at least one mid short on rotations not so much a criticism of Jackson himself who hopefully in his own right/role will turn out to be a valuable asset to the club. I do feel we are still a classy ball using / evasive mid short in the middle at this point.

?? Shldve selected Green. Guy will be a cracker a la Clarry and we passed him over. This club has issues

G'day fellow minions. Well it's been the most unusual start to any season i can ever recall and much of the time the true tale of the what and the how, in terms of individual & team performance, is best left to the coaches, experts and what we see with the naked eye on the field. But there's no harm in throwing in a few stats, useless or otherwise, as a bit of a sideshow / discussion point is there? Ok, feel free to commence rant against how useless stats are....here ? Not that some of you will need much encouraging! And no i'm not advocating that stats in any way (on there own) are an appropriate indicator of performance. But when linked to the watching of a game in full they can sometimes act as a slight guide in either a plausible trend and/or a stand out performance / underperformance by both individuals and/or or the team as a whole. Emphasis on sometimes. In most cases not so, but no harm in taking a look provided we keep stats in context of their limited capability of telling the full and true story. In the end they can't and don't, as so much more happens on the field of play it would be folly to think otherwise. Anyway here's a bit of a belated update from Rnd 1. As you will see below, the team performance vs West Coast looks to have dropped off a cliff vs the 2019 average (which was 59.623), by 25%. On the surface that would appear to be extremely alarming given the wonderful year that was 2019! But after adjusting for the reduction in time played, post CV19, that 25% drop off is actually only 5%. But then again...any drop off from 2019 is actually bloody alarming surely! The counter argument is, one match result is not an average so we need to wait at least 6 to 8 rounds before we hit the panic button. However, it's something i'll be looking into as the season progresses and i'll try to update as soon as i can after each match. Player / Team Score - Round 1 vs West Coast Eagles (Optus Stadium) Player Score Rank Jack Viney 5.625 1 Jay Lockhart 3.575 2 Clayton Oliver 3.250 3 James Harmes 3.100 4 Max Gawn # 2.950 5 Ed Langdon 2.925 6 Christian Petracca 2.800 7 Angus Brayshaw 2.325 8 Alex N-Bullen 2.050 9 Oscar McDonald 2.000 10 Jake Lever 1.850 11 Jake Melksham 1.700 12 Steven May 1.575 13 Tom McDonald # 1.450 14 Michael Hibberd 1.300 15 Kysaiah Pickett 1.300 16 Adam Tomlinson 1.250 17 Neville Jetta 1.200 18 Toby Bedford 1.150 19 Bayley Fritsch 0.900 20 Mitchell Brown 0.625 21 Charlie Spargo -0.250 22 Team Score 44.650 Top 6 21.425 Bottom 6 4.875 # Hit outs to advantage not accounted for Rnd 2 to follow shortly....

A few ins and outs might be needed SW. Aside from a few individuals we looked horribly one paced and in the main pretty sluggish after quarter time yesterday. Ball movement obviously is part of the issue but our kicking skills / decision making also seemed to fall away badly after about half way through the second. Hopefully better for the run

They have gained even more zip / run at ground level which is a real worry given we haven't been able to match them in this area (or other similar style teams) in the past 3 years or so. Early days but the injection of Hill and Butler seems like decent selections. The younger Jones not too shabby either. The Doggies are usually rated in this same area also so if that;'s anything to go by the Saints will be one to watch this season.

There's always Job Keeper TPF39

No arguments from me on that one HFF. Apart from Maxy our spine seems pretty flakey at this point.

We are both sitting here typing for a reason i guess 640. When i think of Smith, yes forward seems better but i haven't seen alot so far to suggest he will be a regular starter in our best 22 as a forward. Petty has impressed me a little more at times tbh. Albeit the sample size is too small to lock him in as a genuine alternative either at this point. We are presently bereft of a genuine KF marking/goaling talent aside from Tracc who is not really designed/designated to play a genuine KF role (full time anyway).

Is it time to trial May at FF and move T-Mac down back once again? Either that or play T-Mac only from the square as we did in 2018. Looks completely lost higher up the ground lately. At this point in time our structure is non existent forward of centre in the two key forward positions.

According to the website an indefinite groin injury Buzzy. Sadly we haven't had a consistent impact regular goal kicking KPF at the MFC since Neitz and that feels like a lifetime ago now.

A major issue that is nothing new here. It's been a problem for much of Goody's tenure so far. And he refuses to adjust. The rolling zone that too often pushes itself too high up the field allowing way too much room out the back when an opp rebounds quickly. And when they do holes appear everywhere, they cut through or over it like a hot knife through butter with handball wide, footskills and run (combo of both with the top teams) and they're off to the races as we usually have no one behind the ball and or foot speed generally lacking to close down quickly enough when teams get a run on with their own speed of ball movement / foot speed. After Rnd 7 against the Tigers last year Goody finally saw the errors of this and started to put a sweeper out back as a last resort protection to reduce the number of joe-the-goose rebound goals. When he did so it appeared to work. Im not sure but appears he has fallen back into the old ways and we are no longer playing the last man defensive sweeper this season? Not being able to see the game from behind the goals i could be wrong though. Seem to recall Hore played this role to aplomb on occasions last year. Even kicking one of the team goals of the year in one match up north. Don't underestimate the loss of Hore accross HB for Smith. Hore is a gun in the making while Smith has no idea how to play this area of the ground. Effectively one man down here y'day. Then there's the loss of Petty up forward. While certainly no superstar (yet) this bloke knows how to play a KF role when he's on and he offers a genuine mobile tall target, running the various forward patterns beautifully in comparison to say a T-Mac or the Weid. Our biggest hole going forward, aside from a few extra nippy / tough but skilled (by foot) medium smalls/crumbers at ground level (Kozzy one small that will help here), is the addition of a genuine KPF. T-Mac in a cameo role played deep out of the goal square a la 2018 is a handy 2nd or 3rd stringer. Petty the same a little higher inside 50 and around the arc. But we must snag that genuine KPF by season's end if we are ever to take this group deep into finals on a regular basis.

Assume Harmes gets the job done and nullifies in a similar way for a half allowing Clarry the freedom, space and time to do more damage throughout the entire match. We win by 6 to 8 goals. No coin flip. Imo Harmes is a gun lock down role player who can also work off his opponent the other way and get off the leash adding another string to our bow doing damage the other way (even on Cripps). We might win by 10 plus. You are underestimating the value of Harmes when played in a more appropriate/effective role. We'll agree to disagree.

Very solid summary Leon. In particular Goody's willingness to throw our best midfielders into a wasted lock down role really need highlighting. There is nothing Clarry was doing that Harmes couldn't have done just as well? Freeing up our best mid to offer more damaging attack on and with the ball in hand. The exhaustion factor of marking / grappling and following such a gun player around the park should not be underestimated. Goody's been doing this for years and not just with Clarry. Seen him do it a number of times with Chunk years ago when Chunk was still firing on 5 cylinders and Harmes the up and commer leaving lessor lights to try and get the CPs. One of the worst decisions a coach can make imv showing no foresight or faith in players that can carry out the role juat us well such as Harmes who was wasted down back. It's decision making (by the Coach) like this that goes towards determining whether we run away with a match (as we should have last night) or fall over the line like we did. This team woukd be crunching opponents like the Blues by 6 to 8 goals plus on the trot with a better coach imho.

Uncle what is this staff you speak of? In shock re your P.S. 's! Coming from such a fine up-holder of all that is good and altruistic. Shame on you!

Not sure Goody has an edge that will put much fear (if any) into any of this lot. Too complacent and easy going. All good when all is well but when the going gets tough there appears to be a lack of venom / vigour / edge to drive this group to another level and step up to match and pressure / lock down on an opponent when they start getting a run on. Still too one paced aside from Rivers, Langdon and Hunt, not enough crumbers, no KFs presenting and poor forward structure as a result of no genuine effective KF marking power. All ahead full steam far too often coming inside 50. Rarely stop, prop and go lateral or backwards around the arc to maintain possession if percentage outlets are covered. Instead we continually bomb as per last year. Negatives > T-Mac gawnsky up forward? Straight swap for May? Jones completely Gawnsky? Smith horrid down back. Melk AWOL ....again. Salem refuses to take the game on and kick further than 20 odd meters or so and mostly down the line. Fritschkreig about the only marking threat up forward, other than Tracc (when he goes there) but can't hit the broad side of a barn atm. Why wasn't Tracc played forward for a longer stint? We are stagnant / hesitant running the ball out of the goal square with all that open space in front playing old style footy while the bulk of teams run the ball out most of the time gaining valuable meters often to mid field. Why was Gawny lairising with rediculous blind tap outs out the back straight to Blues players on a few occasions in the third quarter? Cost u so few goals imv. General field kicking after quarter time dropped away gradually. Pressure after quarter time, in particular in our forward 50, was woeful The Blues escaped with relative ease from then on with poor delivery also impacting here. Match fitness impacting as game went on maybe but it's the same for both teams. Not enough handball to players out wide in space after half time. Too much handball in close ensuring the heat remained mostly on. Positives > Rivers great debut has some toe, Jackson found it a little as the game went on, Tracc was vg, Gawny good 1st half. Gus wasn't bad, Langdon ok early but dropped away afterwards. Viney nb in patches. ANB's lace out pass inside 50 in the first Q was lovely to watch as was the chain that got it into his hands in the first place. More of that pls fellas. In summary a win is a win but we still need more pace, crumbers / smaller players putting pressure on and collecting ground ball at the drop and the biggest elephant....a genuine KPF.

My expectations must be way off the mainstream here. Seeing the players take the field would be pretty exciting right now

The old cartoon imposer at the end. Johhno involved in the winning goal. Great effort from Williams to keep his feet, spin outta that pack and spot up Gazz for the finish. Noice!