Demon Dynasty

OD the form Weids is in at the moment I doubt anyone would offer you more than evens anyway! ?

Wise even an 75% - 80% Pedders would offer at least a 50% (or more) impact and effect than Weids is having at the moment I would think. And he can also pinch hit in the ruck to relieve Watts a little more and allow him to impact up forward more often (hopefully). Also a potential defensive option if we got desperate. Weids can only play a single role at the moment. Not only is he way off AFL level he is also unable to help out/impact anywhere else. Our best chance for finals in over a decade. I hope we don't blow it at the selection table by being stubborn/having too much faith in any one player. Whether it's Weids or Specky Magee! just play whoever is having the most impact/results/form and who is most versatile as long as they're given a run of at least 3 weeks or so to get AFL match fit etc and a fair crack at it. If Weids goes back and shows some stand out form with Casey and Pedders has had a good run at it and fails....then he gets another crack etc etc. Apply the same principles to every position on the field and we play finals (subject to no further injury woes).

Apart from Jeffy in Rnd 11 vs the Hawks last year, last week's game by Weids was the lowest 'weighted' statistical score of any MFC player in any match this year and last. And Jeffy was dropped following that match. Even Hannan has a greater average weighted statisitical output (impact?) at this early stage averaging 1.68 vs 1.38 for Weid. Jeffy scored 0.25 last year in that Rnd 11 match vs Weids 0.38 vs the Cats. Even Big M playing about half a match scored 0.35 around the ground and that doesn't include any hit out stats. The bull's weighted score was 0.78. Unacceptable also but still double the weighted output (statistically) of Weids. Darcy performing at that level must have contributed towards securing some of the Pies many losses in 2016. Surely we don't want to be going backwards by accepting performances at that level (or worse) In an ongoing sense by any player? Sends a poor message to others also I would have thought.

Structure assumes the player can impact the match, take a few pack marks i50, bust packs for smalls/others to feed off front and square or take a few pack/contested marks/on the lead etc and kick 2 to 3 goals most weeks Pro. Weids does very little of these things right now. He may do in future given enough time but he just isn't ready and hasn't been no matter how much the match comittee FD (others on here etc) might "wish" and hope that he will immediately be. He is at least another pre season away from impacting to a level that sees him as a regular "impact player" up the spine and key to our overall structure.

I stand corrected Xar. On that assessment then he IS the key forward this week. If that is the case are we asking too much of JW? Resting ruck duties also for at least 15% - 20% of the time plus a key forward role and also possibly playing a +1 role across half back or through the middle (pushing high) at times. Watts is good but pretty sure the last time i looked he didn't have a giant S plastered across his chest. Agree with OD, Pedders should have been the In for Weids (or in this case Smith) or just let Smith settle for his 2nd shot at it on a wider and more expansive G against lessor rated opposition. Confidence is a funny thing in football but you can't get it if you aren't on the park. As a match committee if you "back" a rookie to come in at least 'back" your own initial decision and give him 2 to 3 weeks to settle, find the pace of the game, and show something. Just as they've done with Weids who has shown marginal to no impact after 6 trials. Otherwise why bring him in in the first place knowing it will probably take at least that many matches to see a return?

He is effectively "the man" this week chook. You can argue Watts should be but he doesn't have the height or spring to ever be considered a key forward. Weids has to be the most luckiest forward after last week's 'worst on ground performance' and pretty horrible the week before also. Tim Smith wasn't great either but at least did what a forward is supposed to do and kicked a lousy goal which was better than most on the day. We effectively have no genuinely dangerous options in the forward line outside of Watts and an odd cameo (maybe) from a very young and inexperienced Trac. So we 'out' our only genuine (potentially) dangerous key forward in Smith and who do we bring in to replace him? No one. We bring in a potentially under done Frost and kick out OMac who was exposed last week on occasions but only because we allowed Hawkins to match up on him for longer than 30 seconds (which should never have been allowed to happen)!! Otherwise I though he held his own when not on Hawkins. IF we win this one, we do so only from extreme mid field effort/Max output and shut down roles from Bugg and the like. Tyson would want to have a blinder after last week. This is a must win if we are to have any chance of finals. Good luck boys. Let's hope we can steal a win as I personally can't see where enough goals are going to come from in that line up.

I now have a phobia of MFC forwards kicking for goal

Thanks for the reminder iva ....why not!

Other teams have won premierships without a top line dominating ruckman, even in recent times. Just get on with playing the best footy we can with the most in form players (whether it's up and comers, older guys, whoever...just play the best "in form' who is showing they are up to it at Casey for a few weeks on end for the role required at AFL level) and we still make the finals, subject to no further injury woes

SW if you could pls refrain from raining down abuse on RTG...ty ??

If I found a magic lamp and rubbed it and the genie granted me one football related wish only, which must immediately be followed by at least 5 years of jolly good floggings for the same team the wish was granted to, I would gleefully accept a Hawthorn like reign of 4 premierships in 9 years Brendan.

Some of your best work Ethan ??

That was a very positive way of looking at it Moon I'll give you that. You might want to take up something speculative like gold prospecting.

If that thingy up there has anything to do with me i can assure you wise i have never been more at ease with the world, what with yesterday's amazing kicking at goal and now Maxy Gaaawn....i couldn't be better

Up Ship Creek BB! Without even a pencil....i mean..spencil

Is there any chance of that extra work getting him near the level of Maxy by next Saturday Titan?

Without wanting to be too pedantic Mr Leg...one "was" the best ruckman and well....yeh

And that's supposed to make me feel better?

He stood up big time Ted. Forgot about him. Even Weidering made a reasonable fist of it after coming back on.

Thought Seton, Silvagni and Palmer weren't too bad either titan. Cripps not bad also but obviously not news to anyone.

The Blues aint as bad as some of the pundits have been suggesting. Some serious talent starting to bob up.

What a win over the Drugsters by the Blue Baggers!!! Haven't enjoyed a win like that since our last win!

Beggars cant be choosers AF. If Hibberd and Frost can get on the park we wont need him in defence. Straight replacement for Weids atm and chop out in the ruck. Not a long term solution but plays a role for a given period till we find/develop better or weids is ready etc. Who knows Peds might improve also. Who are we to place a player in a box and say he can't improve with age/experience? He does only have 60 games under his belt but still a valuable 60 games of experience. If we can get Peds fit he just might be the ideal foil for Hulk up forward as the 2nd tall stringer and as the resting ruckman for some of the time, Watts still doing his little cameos here and there on the odd occasion also when Peds is playing forward and Spencil (Maxy) resting..

The ball or his shoes DD?

I officially hate you Mr Fence