Demon Dynasty

Hannan & Pedders easily fought it out for W.O.G. last week IMO. Spargo not great either but substantially better than Hannan and a tad unlucky. Smith a big improvement on Pedders IF he can stay on the park and he can manage to bring much of the form he showed against the Crows.

In: Tyson , Smith Out: Pedders, Spargo

Sadly for the generations between about the ages of 10 to 30 not very much is happening for them Timbo. At least for those who've become addicted. I guess it's better than getting into narcotics or gang type situations on the street etc. Parents obviously using it as a cheap form of babysitting in many cases. If some addicted ones are able to transgress from user to developer or graphic artist and earn a living from making these sort of games (or getting into worldwide comps that pay big prize money) then at least they can say it was all worthwhile. For the majority though it's just such a waste. Then again they might learn quite few dance moves! At last count i think there were 125 million registered Fortnite users worldwide alone. Gaming Industry is now pulling in much bigger $$ per anum than the movie industry.

Correct. They are attempting to mimick one of the many emoji 'victory celebration' dance moves from the most popular multi player game at the moment....Fortnite...hence why your kids know this. Jack not bad....Harmes hmmm ?? ?

Can't agree more SF. In addition we failed to hit up free players in either pocket with the short kick from the goal square and/or play on from the goal square. This meant we mostly bombed it to defensive 50 arc playing right into the hands of Collinwood's hard press and tall marking brigade like Cox and Grundy. This allowed the Pies to deliver the ball from a more dangerous 50 meter area more often putting more pressure on our backs instead of from 70/80 if we took the outlet kick or played on from the square. It also meant that even if we managed to get it over the boundary it was often happening 20 / 30 meters closer to Collingwood's goal. Our defence last week was fairly shizen all round and needs addressing.

That is correct. Should never have lost that right and should be part of the deal. Home ground advantage at our original home ground.

Lucifer Ox... Lucifer!

Very briefly /roughly... - Goody has an open door policy - Goody gets to know each player very well on and off the field without taking it too far "Mates" wise - Gives them plenty of freedom without being ultra strict with team rules while following a basic structure/method (i think). Resulting in the players enjoying their footy more than previously in general. - Agreed we are not great in the big matches but are enjoying/learning from challenges and have really only just started to get more experience as a unit in bigger games as we haven't been involved in too many previously. Defended a little here saying we have won QB matches in the past (being our only recent exposure) and hoping to get more experience by making finals and taking it as far as possible should we get there.

Now

He is our 2nd best intercept player just behind Lever W. I agree though, it's what he does or doesn't do after he gets it that's a worry. Assuming he is coachable then surely the line coaches would be drilling him to handball behind or sideways whenever possible to the likes of Nev, Hibb and Vince to reduce likely turnovers and increase efficiency going through the middle & forward off HB?

I like this option King! Wines is, by a country mile, their best player and in fab form right now. My only issue is im not sure Tracc has the mental ability right now as he is very much in a loose checking mindset (mostly) and loves to receive and go on the outside. I agree he needs educating though and play some more serious roles through the middle if he is to become a very good or great player vs just a handy one. Also Nev on Motlop please, who is also having a very good run at the moment. I still think we probably lose if we keep those two relatively quiet but the scoreboard (%) will be a little more respectable. At the G it would be a coin flip. The umps will give them at least 4 goals along the way (minimum) which will be the difference, even if we get the above right on the night. If we don''t quieten those two and we leave the likes of Pedders / Hannan in i reckon we might be looking at 40 odd points.

In: Smith, Frost, Tyson and one of Jeffy / Bugg Out: Pedders, Vince*, Tracc*, Hannan *Realistically i can't see these two being omitted. Gus needs to start playing more time through the middle taking time off Chunk IMHO. Chunk spends less time in the middle and more time resting at HF when Spargo is resting and a bit more time on the bench as a veteran. It's time. Gus is more capable of evading tackles and escaping a congested middle on either side of his body and hitting up targets inside 50 with either foot. Tyson mostly off the bench but rotating with Gus a little through the middle and replacing Fritsch at HF when Fritsch is resting. Or Tracc if he keeps his place ahead of Tyson. Tracc needs to be groomed into more of a big bodied running outside bias role (with some inside) through the middle, taking over from Hulk who needs to play slightly closer to goal more of the time for structure and a few more inside 50 contested marks across HF. We missed CHF target and general badly against the Pies IMO and it's time for him to start dominating and scoring here vs time through the middle. No shut down roles from any of Gus, Clarry or Chunk pls. ANB, Harmes and maybe a little of JV if needed in the square only.

Bolton seems a very nice chap. Not sure about his man management side but could do with an old head for assistance / support IMO. Had lunch with 3 Carlton tragics today and they have all conceded as well. Some said he should go, others thought he needed the above help. Paul Roos was mentioned on a number of occasions. Doubt he will go back into the fire again though. They all said that the Demon phoenix has given them some sort of hope, given we were in a similar trough a few years back. They also asked if i thought we would win the premiership. I said i have only ever taken it one week at a time supporting the MFC and was just hoping we can make finals at this point but also we have struggled against the rated / better teams in most cases but hopefully learning from those losses.

We already have a Murphy type player in Tyson and he is struggling to retain a senior spot. We need a slippery silky outsider who can also kick a goal or two on the run from 50ish. Thanks but no thanks.

Np DZ. I was behind the goals Punt road end and considering the bulk of play in the first quarter was up the other end i needed to see more of what happened. I hate going over losses also but must be a masochist. 20 minutes was all i could muster but much of the early damage and tone of the match was set by then i believe.

I really hadn't dissected him much in the past in detail Steve so it might be a one off and it was only the first quarter. Not saying Pedders is all bad but that first 20 minutes of his was bog ordinary. There was also another piece of play around the 5 or 10 minute mark on the Southern wing when he had a chance to disguise an out of bounds but fluffed it. Then had to try and tackle the Pie player that got the resulting ball that bumbled back inside and missed that, only to watch him waltz off and deliver inside 50. If the rest of his game was along these lines there is no way he is getting a follow up...unless the FD is a bit forgiving re concussion effect.

I didnt time it Timbo and hate going back through a loss. No way i could mentaly handle a whole losing match unless i was getting paid! Im guessing approx an hour and a quarter on the first 20 minutes. Long enough to give the remote a good workout but short enough to avoid the war office sending me to the dog house.

Certainly no issues with a receding hairline for photo shoots Adzman!

I would hate to admit you are right but I suspect you are to some degree Billy. The return of Jack has actually put a bit of a spanner into what was a very balanced and tuned mid field IMHO. And what is the missing ingredient .... Gus!!!! Tacking Gus outside and putting Jack in has seen one too many players (not always but too often vs previously) attacking the ground ball while their opponent slips out the back for a lucky bounce or over the top handball against the grain to get the ball going behind the unnecessary extra attacking player (Viney / Harmes etc) for the give off / clearance. Also on Saturday Jack did not defend whoever he was on too well early on in many cases (initially DeGoey then Treloar) possibly as he is not switched on defensively as yet and/or power lacking....maybe both. He was either giving them too much room by attacking the pill when he didn't need to (ie, other players at the drop were closer to the ball drop but he still went in leaving his opponent free) or not defending goal side of his opponent when the ball was in the oppositions 50. He wasn't alone here though. Just take the tape to the ball up (or ball in) with 15 minutes to go in the first quarter and you will witness at least 3 Pies goal side of the pill and only Nev (standing an opponent! Goal side!) between those three and their goals. Surprise surprise the Pies got it out the back to an unmarked Pie for I think their 3rd goal for the quarter. Jack one offender but not alone. Check where Clarry and some of the others are positioned also (i'll give you a guess where most of their opponents were!). Really poor stuff and efforts that will go towards losing contests and possibly the game. Certainly not in isolation but when added together they can conspire to hurt the final result. And as we know, in a final if you get off to a poor start (or allow your opponent to get off to a good or great one) you are pretty much toast in most cases! We also did some very ordinary things on Saturday in set ups like the one described above. For another great example of a really amateur set up and play watch Pedders go up in the ruck against Cox with 9:30 to go in the first. Mistake 1. Pedders is on the incorrect side of Cox giving him goal side position to start the throw in. Viney actually covers Treloar well in the initial contest from this ruck duel so he wasn't all bad all the time. Credit where credit's due. Mistake 2. Pedders leaves Cox to attack the ground ball and eventually tackles Adams, who gets there first (ie, see ball get ball instead of covering your direct opponent goal side!). Mistake 3. Salem allows himself to also get drawn in to the ground ball contest but gets caught in no mans land (ie, doesn't quite get to the opponent to effect a tackle but also doesn't sit off him far enough to potentially effect an intercept or tackle a potential receiver goal side either). Result: With Nev, Pedders and to a lessor degree Salem, all tackling Adams (or attempting to put a feeble hand in to effect a fumble in the case of Salem) this allows Cox (who has wisely stayed out) to wait out and grab the handball from a slippery Adams (who couldn't be shut down by two tacklers....Nev & Pedders!). With Cox's direct opponent (Pedders) on the ground after his tackle, Cox is able to turn around with enough time to size up the goals and kick his second goal on his preferred right foot (having no one in front of him goal side...ie, Pedders, or potentially a tackle or scrap which might put him off his kick....eg, Salem!). Some players also lacked intensity in some contests. For a great early example have a look at Hulk's effort to spoil Howe marking a tumble round the corner kick about the 10 minute mark in the 1st out of the centre from Viney (under pressure). Way off AFL level and certainly not finals worthy. Only one example but again, it all adds up and other players couldn't help but notice this surely. It becomes catchy, just as the look of Howe taking what appears on the surface to be a strong contested mark in defence (but wasn't) might be a bit of confidence booster for the opp. If you aren't going to give your all at every contest and pick and choose when to go at this point then I don't know. What are you doing? Rubbish like that has to be stamped out. Complete team and coach killer especially early in a match. For a good example of what we should expect look at Vince's effort to spoil DeGoey when he was way out of the contest from the resulting play following Howe's mark. Gives a soft free kick but at least he gave it his all, stopped DeGoey tacking an easy mark (knocking him over), even though a free kick resulted. Or clarry's effort to run down a Pie on the wing very early in the first resulting in a turnover and our first goal to Hannan. Maybe it was partly to do with a tired younger brigade. Maybe partly to do with Viney returning. Pedders having pretty much no effect and making fundamental mistakes along with others in set ups etc. maybe it was having no real run with player (or two) to run with DeGoey and Treloar for much of the game and instead have the duties assigned to a few who really weren't sure who they were on at any point and instead just picking up a random loose player (allowing mis matches like DeGoey on Clarry at times....to make an easy escape for another easy clearance...etc). I would be training and using one or two dedicated lock down players here and certainly not our best mids in Viney, Clarry, Jones or Brayshaw. ANB and/or Harmes all day for mine (as part of the starting 4). Keep your best players free, to do their best work, and make the opp work their ass off trying to shut US down! I know the FD will have been allover this one like a rash but they need to. It was pretty ordinary in so many ways and they (and the coach) must take part of the blame. The Pies were super well drilled and knew exactly what needed doing (where to position/block/one or two in MAX at the drop of the ball the rest keep their feet and wait for the spill / handball etc) and for some reason we did a lot of things that IMHO looked very amateurish (just as we did against the Hawks!). I hope Goody is learning after two horrible results where similar mistakes are where made (including match ups) and early intensity was lacking on such a big game day... again.

Hannan is a definite ommission IMO. Zero pressure inside 50 will ensure that. Bugg or Jeffy to replace. Agree on Spargo. Pedders played after a significant concussion. The most perplexing inclusion all year. Vince needs a break but the FD might see the buy as offering the solution needed and he stays. Personally i would be bringing Frost in for Vince to give us some extra height, pace/closing speed and run off HB that Vince doesnt offer. Frosty is also our 2nd best intercept player behind Lever. Just tell him to keep his disposals simple and release earlier into his runs. Tyson needs to come in for Tracc. Tracc has stalled since bitegate and Tyson has earned a call up, subject to performing his role and getting job done once he returns. A stint at Casey of 3 to 5 weeks might be the best message and tonic required to ensure Tracc takes his game/consistency to another level when he returns.

Would love to see him get himself right and have a good run at a block of games before he is considered a trade option. One of only 2 or 3 that pushed back and stood up for us when we were getting bullied and pushed around by the Hawks earlier this year and was the main driver in our dominant 1st quarter prior to getting injured, kicking 3 goals.

He was on his own at one point at HB asking for it for at least 5 seconds or more and i think it was Lewis who either chose to ignore or didnt see. Insisted in playing from behind at times so maybe part of his own doing....eg; not presenting enough. At the same time i cant recall us hitting many targets up at all inside 50. We went back to our old bad habbits. Either that or the Pies pressure on the ball carrier forced our hand here.

Pedo probably not the answer either Timbo. We lost Lever's height with no genuine "as tall or taller" replacement. Smith ok but not sure he is a genuine Lever type option either just yet. More time needed of course. I would think Frost and/or Weids across HB at some point are our best longer term options but hec even they might not be what's needed. Vince is a big worry at this stage as well.

Assuming a fit Hulk / T-Mac combo i also agree re 2 talls & 4 smalls. We are too easy to run the ball away from our 50 with 3 lumbering talls. The Pies exposed us big time here and went coast to coast far too often under little or no pressure. One of Garlett/Bugg has to come in for Hannan and possibly for Spargo also. Thought Spargo's first half was ok which might save him and break might freshen him up. Tyson for Tracc who is offering us very little on the inside / outside or defensively right now. Tyson can hit up a few targets occasionaly and gets involved in the link up scoring chains a bit more even if a tad slow to react/dispose and run. At this stage the lessor of two evils and can kick the odd goal. Pederson's only option IF he gets another game is CHB IMHO. We lack a tall marking general down back without Lever now and i would give him one more chance to try and show something in this specific role. Otherwise i just dont see how he fits or works in this line up.

Yep. He should be Traccing DeGoey by now who has gone past him at a rate of knots. Tyson pls. A good stint in the McGoos to work on his tank, 2 way running (especially defence) and goal kicking off HFF. We cant afford to carry half baked pretty players who wont go when it's their turn under heat in finals.