Demon Dynasty

see dog bite. but def needs to get more involved

Common Demons! Better

16 effective disposals running @ 76% efficiency. 5 Clearances. 7 score involvements and 5 interceptions. Arguably one of the best on field! So many others missing easy stuff also and you pick Harmes out!?? Not renowned for goal kicking anyway.

We had both of our tall forwards playing up the field for far too long. So many missed opportunities as a result and some poor finish from other smaller forwards has resulted in a very ordinary return for so many entries. We also fail to hit enough leading targets, again due to both talls playing too much time high up. Fix up the basic structures and keep a balance and we would be in front by 7 or 8 goals by now. Very strange coaching which has hopefully been corrected in those last 10 minutes or so.

Harmes had a top 10 game for us last week stats wise and seemed to play his role very well from what i saw on the day and in his highlights from AFL StatsPro. Had ANB ranked 22nd last week. For the season so far i have Harmes ranked 13th statistically vs ANB 25th. However, if ANB plays a very solid game and Harmes has an off week then it might go the way you are suggesting. Anything's possible. They were / are playing different roles i realise but i think Harmes can cover ANB, even if spending significant time forward. Neither are really going to worry the scorer very often but both bring reasonable forward pressure according to the stats, with Harmes bringing elite inside 50 tackles and elite spoiling (in general). Starting to hit a few more targets now also which is an improvement on some past efforts. Harmes also has some extra break away / burst power through the legs and upper body which is handy at times in congestion to break the odd tackle, keep his feet and find a bit of extra space / time >> targets up field by foot or by hand when being tackled. http://www.afl.com.au/stats/stats-pro#/Compare?playerIds=CD_I297899,CD_I296420&comparisonTab=h2h

Correct Rocky. It doesn't have to be exact like for like as long as part of the role they play, along with others, covers the role they are replacing. A good example next week could be Viney for ANB. With Harmes / Viney rotating / resting (when not being benched) at HF playing a similar role to ANB (Mid/Forward) and IMO this combination more than capable of doing it better anyway. The only trouble is this only lasts for a week or so until Viney gets some match fitness back and starts playing a higher percentage of time in the midfield. Will the FD be happy with Harmes taking on a mid/forward role? Having said that i think Salem is well suited to replacing Hunt, especially given his high quality disposal by foot.

It's a long time out of the game but i agree W. Surely half a match (or thereabouts) against GC or the Blues was the better option. You wouldn't send Winks to Cranbourne after recovering from a hoof infection.

All 3 are a fair way off holding down a reasonably secure place in the 22 on current form IMO DV. The next 5 to 6 rounds will probably tell the tale as to who is more likely. Footy is a funny game though and all three might stay depending on injuries, their own form (or that of others who are competing directly or indirectly for their place), game day match ups and coaching credits/preferences.

Who does he replace, even if he does lift quite well at Casey guys? Assuming Fritsch and Spargo hold or better their current form, which to this stage is well above the output / form of Jeffy's so far. Of course one or both could lose form which sees them vulnerable IF he lifts but just saying. What if they don't?

I doubt the AFL will reduce rotations but i agree the stocks of a run and carry type player probably go up under that scenario. On form and based purely on their matches played 'so far' this year, it is my amateur view that neither ANB or Hunt are in our best 22 right now. This might change if either of them step up a few gears as the season progresses. ANB remains in the 22 as he doesn't have a direct, or indirect, replacement. That is until Viney returns. He is also potentially competing directly with Hannan to hold his place so there is a healthy battle on right there. Hunt was always more vulnerable with Salem and, to a lessor degree Wags, looking over his shoulder. Some are suggesting Hannan might be looked at before ANB. Only time will tell but at this stage, in both of his matches, IMHO Hannan has outperformed ANB. Substantially so vs Essendrug and almost equally as horrible but still outperforming him (by a bee's whisker) vs the Saints (both sitting bottom of the performance stakes last week IMO). It is too early in Hannan's return to make a call over and in preference to ANB but out of 29 players who have played 2 or more matches so far this season, i have Hannan sitting @ 16th vs ANB 25th. Of course, should Hannan follow up with another shocker vs GC and ANB lifts a little (or better), it is unlikely Hannan would hold his place given ANB has more credits in the bank vs Hannan, who has only played about half the number of career matches and only 2 vs 7 (ANB) so far this year. Yes i can hear some here saying... "that shouldn't matter" or "it has no relevance if one is outperforming the other" etc. But in a close knit contest i think more games played (even if most are ordinary) does hold some weight / credit in the Coach's eyes. A bit like how a challenger in many boxing bouts has to overwhelmingly defeat or K.O. his opponent in order to take the title. Same applies to the less experienced trying to usurp their more experienced team mate. There are also aspects to ANB's game IMO that Coaches would like that are, in some cases lacking, when looking at a direct comparison with Hannan unless Hannan is doing the things he does well.... exceptionally well! Things like pressure acts, tackling in general, two way running and clearance work. I think Hannan would want to start lifting in some of these other areas (with the exception of any substantial clearance work which i doubt coaches would be expecting much of) as well as playing to a high standard in what he does well anyway, if he is to get the nod above ANB once Viney returns. Regardless, healthy competition can only be a good thing from a team / match performance perspective and certainly puts the onus on both of them to keep their standards to a high level to maintain their spot, especially when a player the ilk of Viney is on the cusp of selection.

If that hard running and spread has some AFL level finishing on the end of it i agree DV. When it doesn't it all looks good but the end result often ends in a turnover and ball being switched or sent back over head straight down the other end. Sometimes for an easy joe-the-goose or a shot at goal. Hunt a good example of this of late. He will come back but needs to start finding more options by hand and foot earlier into his running forays. Then run on for the next one/two receive instead of trying to take on multiple tacklers. And hit a few more targets with short passes in order that the team maintains possession and he cashes in on his speed advantage More often. The turnovers will always happen from time to time at this level. Just needs some adjusting to his method IMO. You could have 4 to 5 hard running / spread players on the outside. If only one , or worse none of them, are at a decent level with finishing then all that effort/run will count for little in return. You will also find the team will move the ball much more efficiently and more players will be encouraged to spread more often on the burst if they know they are likely to be on the receiving end of some quality ball users around them. They will also be encouraged and likely have more trust to give off to someone who uses the ball very well vs someone who regularly doesn't. Some might call it confidence.

Goodwin & Co. taking a big risk with Viney against Box Hill. A good chance some idiot will take him out. Better to work him a little more on track and bring him in for half a match vs the lowely Blues if he needs further loading etc

Why would you predict a Jeffy type goal bonanza when he usually plays mostly mid and the balance pushing back and/or forward?

Harmes is an inside mid field tackling animal with a bit of outside run / spread. ANB a running / chasing link up outside medium forward who plays through the mid a little who doesnt finish particularly well and is prone to at least one brain snap (on average) per match. Harmes currently in our best 22. ANB a fair way off in current form or lack of plus ongoing brain fades. Viney to replace ANB against the Blues with Harnes / Viney resting / rotating forward to cover ANB's role. ANB emergency depth at best.

So i think what you are saying Wizard is he is dead boring?

http://www.afl.com.au/stats/stats-pro#/Compare?playerIds=CD_I298279,CD_I298210&comparisonTab=h2h FWIW out of 29 players who have played 2 or more games so far this season i have Gus ranked 8th and Tracc 11th in a weighted composition of averages. Still fairly close and we should not forget impact of said dog bite

Can't fault Peter's efforts and results brought to the club during his 5 years or so. A super effort, especially given where we were coming from. Has steadied the ship and, at the very least, has us pointing in the right general direction. In the next few years we just need the exact co-ordinates then to move the telegraph stick from all ahead half....to full. Thanks Mr Jackson

http://www.afl.com.au/stats/stats-pro#/Compare?playerIds=CD_I296324,CD_I294518&comparisonTab=h2h

Talk about clash jumpers! .....

First time i've ever liked a clash jumper....how long has it been again?

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I don't see why not DJ! Hopefully the VFL / AFL connection is being utilised in such a fashion at times. Would be very helpful for the senior coaches to have this option available.

I love watching Hunt but is he facing this dilemma especially early in the match. Is it worth benching him for the first half and instead having a more dour defender like Wags keeping a lid on things? Hunt then replaces wages for the majority of the 2nd half when the game and space starts to open up when he can use his pace and run to maximum effect having plenty left in the tank.

Nice post MM

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