Pennant St Dee

The big one is the short 45 kicking game to counter an opponent who presses and once you find the one who is sagging off go with speed on the ball in a more direct forward motion. That was happening in soccer for years with their short passing in triangles to draw teams out then go with a diagonal pass behind the back. There’s also the popular in vogue scoring from turnover from the defensive half, which is very much what Elenio Herrera’s Inter Milan sides of the 60s were built on and still to this day is very much used as the call in soccer “counter attack”

The media engage with the agents, Allen is coming out of contract, has bad knees like Viney has a body with wear and tear beyond his age. Build a story meet Mitchell in a very public place and get a contract in terms of years that are generous that’s what’s at play here. However after being burnt by Nic Nat and Yeo in recent times we saw it with Barrass I think in full rebuild mode the Eagles will happily take the first round compensation to go with the Harley Picks and load up at the draft over the next 2 years

Curtin played in super round last week and bagged 8 vs Subiaco, to big , strong and agile for his opponent.

We can win but we have to be prepared to work just as hard when we don’t have the footy as we do when we have it. But the Cats do have speed in Holmes and Smith, not to mention others who are prepared to do the basics 1) Reference opponents at all times 2) Locate opponent on turnovers at speed and forwards defend the overlapping defender 3) Two way run 4) Block and get body on opponent around stoppages 5) Don’t all be bees to the honeypot and get balance right inside and outside the stoppage to prevent what has happened the last two weeks 6) Get some speed on the ball with our movement, whilst I understand this is a confidence thing as well back yourself to hit the first option and kick with some penetration 7) Stick tackles 8) Don’t burn teammate in better position These are all things we can control, may not get us the win but do those things well it won’t be a blowout

Get on the phone to Bevo, at least have the discussion he’s the coach for us, Freo are already into him

Did it with Melksham last year and it worked well, nothing to do with favourites list, an experienced player who has previously done defensive forward roles to impact opposition’s ability to intercept

Two, AJ comes back for Turner, Fritsch to play as 3rd tall

Which is why I’ve been saying no

Yes knees are going to have to be managed for the remainder of his career. Not great for a KPP would IMO only be worth a short contract at the right price with potential to roll over yearly if he was like Shaun Burgoyne

Not to mention clubs now have to pay much higher draft pick capital for FS then the Cats paid for Scarlet, Ablett and Hawkins. Without the FS the way it was back then the Cats would not have been able to take all of them

When were we dominant apart from the first 10 rounds of 2022. 2023 we looked to have timed everything right in the backend and put a good run of games together with a key ingredient of settled side an minimal change, heading into September. Then unfortunately came the double forward line blow of Petty and Melksham. We were never near the dominant dynasties of the Cats of 2007-12 or the Hawks of 2011-15. Cats made prelim in 2004 and were minutes away from another prelim in 05 before divine intervention in the form of Nick Davis. 2006 they were at crisis point missing the 8 yet backed their coach. They won a flag had 8 All Australians , walked away with numerous individual awards that year and their dynasty was built off the back of good fortune with father sons and nailing 2 drafts to net - Scarlett, Corey, Ablett, Enright, Johnson, Chapman, Ling, Kelly, Bartel, Hawkins Hawks won one early in 2008 then regressed before making 5 prelims and winning three in a row, striking at the right time with Suns and GWS coming in preventing teams from topping up on top end talent in bulk and with players coming into their prime who had been selected off the back of nailing 2 drafts to net - Hodge, Mitchell, Brown, Roughead, Franklin and Lewis. The only similarity we have is making a prelim in 2018 and regressing for two seasons but we never had draft halls to match those two. Trac, Oliver and Brayshaw very good players and Viney FS hard as a cats head and what every club needs. Our greatest error was not absolutely nailing the picks between 2007-9 which would have seen us set up for a long time and been able to ride out the impact of the expansion clubs

The recruitment process since 21/22 started bringing in better ball users and the addition of Windsor and Lindsay continues down the path with Mcvee. Jefferson has taken a little longer but you get that with talls and JVR once not needing to ruck will be better served high up the ground. I believe we’ve started the process to the new game style which will have fluctuations but I want the FD to hold their nerve and not throw the baby out with the bath water

That is fact and that’s from within PA footy department

He doesn’t just not tackle, he doesn’t get any body contact or apply pressure, the GWS, Pies and Hawthorn forward lines all rely on pressure acts and winning the ground ball game. Greene, Daniels and Jones Schulz, Hill and Mcreery Watson, Moore, Hardwick and Ginnivan Fritsch wouldn’t last with his work ethic

Really, how did GWS forward line function last year when Hogan didn’t fire. Kingsley would not put up with Fritsch refusal to apply second let alone third efforts at the fall of the ball