Demon Dynasty

If we win again Saturday hopefully the wins will start having the same impact Chook

4 to 6... club media speak for... "not sure really but if it makes you feel any better"

Looking like Ins: Viney, Bull Outs: Weids (inj), Tyson (managed?) Edit: Spargo is back doh!....just listened to Goody's presser. Jeffy close but no cigar!

.... or just ask/watch Hibberd. As for training it, isn't that part of Misson's high performance role?

A couple of major issues that Hunt needs to work on IMHO. Some have said kicking isn't great. I would argue it's above AFL level @ 72% efficiency this season....BUT...there's a good reason. He is now playing a cautious / safe style! I believe It's his decision making and where he is running / kicking to that's getting himself (and as a result the team & its game style) all muddled (see below). Most of his running to receive is in low percentage areas of the ground, out wide very close to boundary. He is making life hard for himself by not going to dangerous parts of the ground often enough for the receive which will leave him nearer the corridor, in a better position to attack / run off or find other targets ahead of him on various angles. (playing too safe means he then limits himself and the team with his next available options) By receiving close to boundary most of the time he then either has to take a risky kick inside OR go up the line short or long. He is mostly going long often to players who are also very near boundary line continuing the slower / less direct route towards goal. If they do mark by this stage the opp is getting many numbers back to defend or the ball is knocked away over the line for another stoppage and again the opp is able to set up and defend. The coaches must be hating the frequency of this and the effect on slowing down their desire for the quickest sling shot possible. Occasionally Hunt tries to go short and is often effective but is usually going laterally to a player out wide (for example even when Hunt is reasonably well positioned further inboard between HBF and true CHB he will go short laterally with the next receiver ending up in a wider / worse position and having gained no yardage ....and defence getting even more numbers back, limiting the next receiver's ability to impact) As some have said already, Hunt doesn't have a side step or shimmy backwards step (a la Hibberd) to get around opponents in front or avoid tacklers coming from behind then kick around them on the arc. He is all ahead full and often all ahead full when he should have assessed and disposed well beforehand (knowing his limits....if he can't sidestep etc). He is then putting himself under pressure and ending up giving off a few too many hospital handballs. Confidence. With the above issues Hunt is losing (or has has already lost) much of his confidence and hence his ability / instinct of knowing when to run / when to go slow. Maybe also trying to over compensate!?? Often doing things in exactly the wrong way to which he once would have been. Ie., Taking an uncontested well in the clear and stopping to go back over the mark when it would be more damaging to play on and use his biggest weapon (pace) with options in front. Or playing on when he has multiple defenders around / in front of him instead of getting back quickly and giving off a very quick handball to someone running adjacent (yes others can assist with their run....he doesn't have to do all the run & carry!) or finding a short target etc up the field as quickly as possible. In short, i feel If Hunt uses his greatest weapon to more effect and starts running to more dangerous areas of the ground to receive more often..... then along with a stack of hard work (including learning how to side step / shimmy!) he will slowly find his mojo and be the damaging player we know he can be once more. So good to watch in full flight! Fingers crossed.

Not to be confused with the Devil's dumplings! .... .....

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Even more leeway GTB! Never backward in coming forward are the Hawks, especially under Clarkson

The Hawks have been pushing the rule boundaries (and in many cases breaching them) for a decade and been allowed to get away with it more than any other team IMO and now they have direct access to Gil! Lucifer help very other club! Their "what about me" cry has now been given the stamp of agreement by Gil. Are now a shoe in for top 4 and subject to a run of bad luck with injuries, will be given every opportunity on the field to make another GF! What a Coup from Clarkson! (with a leg up from Jeff pulling a few strings??) What a pox on the rest of the struggling Vic clubs looking to make it to the top. Good luck anyone trying to beat the Hawks this year. Golden armchair ride beckons.

If that is the case Praha then he might need some extra work on bananas / check side attempts. From what i have witnessed of late he appears try to "guide" the banana through the goals rather than staying the course on the original more correct line (angled away from goal towards middle of ground or thereabouts) opening up the angle a little more and allowing the drop of ball and point of contact to curl the ball on its natural arc through the middle. I noticed Hogan was trying to guide one or two banana attempts through in a similar fashion (changing his line/angle as he walked off the mark more towards the goal) early in the season but is now having some success by maintaining his line a little more and letting the curl do most of the work. I still recall Bartel's banana in the 2011 GF from deep in the pocket. A great example of super solid technique / routine under max pressure which made a very difficult kick look easy ( 1:40 in if interested )...

Poor old Melk had the yips on Sunday. Would have been an excellent game otherwise, excluding some of the bombing to top of square too often or on top of a player's head who is outnumbered. If he can try & hit a few more targets with short passes coming i50 when coming out of mid field more often it might change him from handy to elite. Even with the yips that was still his best game for the year though IMHO.

Not that anything i say matters but having watched Dom closely live & on box i find his reaction time is too slow to play inside successfully and is not a true in and under player anyway. Prefers to mop up after the initial forays inside which he does well. But we have plenty who do it as well or better inside especially with Viney returning. I think he is ok on the outside but only if receiving in enough space to assess and deliver within 40 meters or so on his left. In this scenario he generally assess well making good decisions and hitting up targets or kicking to favoured / fat side at a high percentage. Can look a million doing this at times when not kicking to unrealistic targets outside kicking range. What holds him back though IMO is his lack of burst speed and taking a bit long to assess/execute which sees him under pressure quite often and results in too many turnovers through pressured / panicy disposals. Hence the good / bad scenario and so many mixed views on where he is at. Personally i dont feel he is elite inside or out. A good without being great all rounder though. Would be looking to trade for a speedy classy outside mid at year's end if available similar to Impey at the Hawks

Lucifer forbid he ends up anything like Col SF. What a waste of talent. Hopefully the FD can find / replace missing grub (bite?) screw and get him to about 4th gear or so for the most part of the season.

thanks for the update 17

I agree LH. Would benefit more from playing a forward positional role and pushing up a little when required. However, as i stated earlier i would still rather have him playing out of a HFF role as a direct swap with Hannan (into an outside run & carry mid /forward role) or replacing Melk (Viney for Melk). With Viney returning i no longer see the need for Hulk to be playing as much time up the ground. And if you move Hannan up there we also gain outside speed / run & carry (and close down speed on the opps speedsters when they get it...see Ablett Rnd 1) that Hulk doesn't really offer. This gives us the luxury of bringing Jesse back to playing extra time at/around true CHF (Structure! + our best KPF). T-Mac out of the square (Structure + our other best KPF). This also sets a challenge for a very talented Tracc and might help focus his mind to achieve something of worth (loves a goal...work on his pressure i50 when he doesn't have it) and freshen his mind a little. Their dynamics in the air and off the ground along with the finish on and around goal (power of Tracc plus Finesse Aerial ability of Fritsch) of a forward set up...... Weid* / T-Mac / Spargo# Fritsch / Hogan / Tracc ... has my lips smacking! And will pose a real problem for any Opp with the variation in size / power / skill sets while still retaining the "3 talls" forward line if required. * Changing up as required with Melk, Pedders, Smith if FD deems suitable & in form # Jeffy (as above)

With 3 permanent talls, Melksham, Hannan as well as Nibbler playing a fair bit of time up forward im wondering where or how he plays any signifanct time forward. Seems to be playing a mostly outside mid role similar to that of Dom atm and running / getting to contests mostly between the arcs. Personally think the Dom/Tracc outside options make us a little pedestrian on the outside. Neither are line breaking either which allows opponents ahead to roll back in numbers and crowd out our forward 50. Might be time to bring Hannan up a little more for Tracc and get a little more pace/line breaking run going on the outside and set tracc some tasks i50. He is dynamic over head and at ground level and can hoof a ball from 50ish. Loves a goal too. Once he picks up his defensive work rate and work rate in general he should regain some previous good form also. The other alternative is he takes over Melk's role up forward and move Hannan into an outside mid role pushing forward a little. Viney in for Melk who needs to work on his kicking both at goal and delivery inside 50. Drops it on top of forward's heads too often around the goal square. Could also be reflective of the fact that we dont have a genuine lead up forward out of the 3 permanents that are there though. I guess that's part of Melk's role. Trouble is he is often playing too high himself and cant be doing both

I'm not sure what you mean by outdated. It's just an article that references what was being said on radio commentary today...which is now / today / current....according to the commentators. I have no idea where they sourced it. There is nothing in my posts which mentions MFC performance in 2016 in relation to anything about the final eight being settled by round 9. Jumping at shadows.

No idea just quoting what was mentioned. In this article it is going as low as Rnd 7 so Rnd 9 must be a little more secure for those already in i would think..... https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2016-is-the-final-eight-already-done-and-dusted-20160502-gokd93.html

As long as we make the eight i'll be wrapped. I heard someone on radio say today that if you're in the eight after round 9 you stay (or something like that!).

Thx for taking the time out Drunkn

Good point SJ

I thought Tyson's first half was ok to good. His second had moments but fumbled a little at times and made a few poor decisions / skill errors and got caught with slow decisions/reactions on occasions. If he can find another level of intensity and effort in close and a little bit of burst speed away from the contest / strength through the upper body to shake a few more tackles? Not sure if that's possible at this point. Frustrating as he appears to offer so much more than he is giving right now (or maybe he doesn't and this is it!). Quite an important outside link guy in the team and hits a few targets up field. On reflection i'm now thinking it's more likely to be Spargo or Weids (both managed / match up / balance options) for Viney this week but who knows. If Tyson goes we lose a reasonable option / link man on the outside in mid field IMO. Going to be an interesting week at selection table.

Amen to that 56. Footy is a funny game and Pedders might yet prove a whole bunch of us wrong as the year progresses with some sort of amazing lazarus!

I don't see Pedders as an auto in vs Weids Ox to be honest. or Bull, or anyone. Just want to see the player that is most capable of impacting at AFL level more often than not and whoever is in the better form at that particular time. Pedders, Bull, Weids (Bart Simpson!) i really don't care as long as they are performing most matches and having an impact. A few examples of how i'm looking at yesterday's match from him.... 1st quarter approx 12:00 to go ....involvement where he spoils from behind, cleans up his own crumb, avoids a player on the inside and handballs inboard to Spargo for the goal. Very nice decision making and execution for the assist. Can see he has the poise and ability to be special right there and what the FD have been excited about. 2nd Quarter approx 16:45 to go .... handball receive in the clear from Clarry inside 50. Has Spargo short or Melk out the back. Just enough time to assess & execute but delivers between both into no man's land. Rischitelli mops up for the turnover...scoring opportunity missed. Start of 3rd....first 3 minutes. No Weids. Forward line functioning fine for 2 successive goals before he is rotated on. Could be just coincidence but just saying ....he isn't necessarily a "lock" for forward structure / success as a "must have 3rd tall" option as some on here are constantly suggesting. Apart from some reasonable ruck relief efforts and a few other cameos where he is clean with a kick, handball or two (the handball for the run in goal after the Melkshem kick to top of square for example was nice and clean) i don't see him impacting much from his own efforts after that first quarter Ox. This could just be an experience / AFL tank issue. Sometimes years before players get to a certain level (especially through the legs / body) that will see them impact more weeks than not at elite level over 4 quarters. If you are happy to see him having a good game then an average one (or two) and you think the team can afford to carry that then by all means keep playing him and getting games into him. I just think some of that experience can be happening at VFL level if there's a more in form option tearing it up at Casey or a major in like Viney and having him out wont really impact the team in a significant way. I've included the ProStats link as a reference (just put Fritsch in as i had to include an extra to get the vid up)... http://www.afl.com.au/stats/stats-pro#/Compare?playerIds=CD_I993806,CD_I1001438&comparisonTab=h2h