Young Blood

I used to go to games with Dave. Old school mate. Always hoped we'd have a look at getting him come back home. He's been such a consistent player for the Crows.

It's a nice thought but I hope for the team's sake and best chance of getting through to a grand final that Jones isn't in the side. I'm sure everyone at the club realises this including Jones. He is a compeditor and I'm sure pushing at training to try and get in the side but unless there are injuries to utility types like Harmes, Sparrow or JJ I don't think we'll be seeing Jones in the red and blue this year. Love that he's playing a part behind the scenes though. I've had day dreams of a Bob Murphy type moment where we win a the flag and Jones is invited on stage to hold the cup. Bring a tear just thinking about it. I know this is getting ahead oneself. It's just a nice day dream to get me through the day.

God seeing the above posts of the scoreboard dating back to the second worst loss in AFL history, which resulted in the sacking of Dean Bailey, RIP. It made me realise how much recent history we've had at this ground. From Gawn's coming out party and huge upset win down there in 2014. The horrible loss in Roos' last game, the more recent loss after the siren when Touhy kicked it after the siren, and now this..... Incredible.

I agree with you although it would depend on how you differentiate between tired and fatigued. Seasoned players with several full pre seasons are always going to fair better towards the end of the season due to build up of match fitness over a period of time. As you say unless they are sore or have niggles rest is unnecessary and form continuity is important. Younger players with less preseasons or limited ones will tend to fatigue towards the end of games more often especially in the back half of the year. It's definitely something to be cognisant of for us with quite a few key players under 22. That being said I feel we've run out games relatively well the last month (West Coast being an abnormality). So as you say should't be a factor for us you would think.

Don't get me wrong I love Bailey and kicking 7 in any game is impressive. But Wright did it against a top 4 side, he was a catalyst in an upset win and was imposing while booting a few from beyond 50m in crucial stages to get his side over the line. Bailey kicked 7 against a mediocre side that gave him so much space and time. He kicked those last three in junk time when the game was done and dusted. He was too skilled, classy and smart for the opposition. Again I'm so glad he kicked the bag and should go into September full of confidence. But there's reasons why it wasn't as impressive to the AFL media than Wrights game.

If we can keep the Perth trio signed on and happy in Melbourne we're pretty well set up for some consistent football for quite some time. The three of them have such high ceilings. We're clearly drafting very well the last few years but the player development within the club has been outstanding. So keen to see how Rosman, Laurie, Turner and Smith develop with a few preseasons under their belt. To me there's only a handful of players who have had a bit of time at the club with whom the jury is still out whether they can perform at AFL level and thats Baker, Bedford and Chandler. Its as much about our depth probably keeping them from opportunity then anything else as well. I've left out the two mid season recruits. As you can see from footywire's squad list they're still a bit too young to play AFL yet. 😆

It's his defensive stuff around the contest that I'm sure the coaching staff are liking. He and Viney are our defensive mids/forwards who are really physical and intimidating. I agree that he has been really untidy with the ball but hopefully that improves in the coming weeks.

He's by far out toughest player with AVB, Harmes and maybe May a bit further back. He's definitely out of form, body doesn't look right. Looks perhaps a bit top heavy and legs aren't conditioned perhaps. But he still gives so much aggression and hard work inside especially defensively. I feel like he and Harmes are asked to play on the edge through the middle of the ground. Be intimidating and hurt when you tackle. It doesn't surprise me that this happens when a player is playing on the edge like he is that you cross the line every now and then. Not a good look but slow mid week news will go nuts with it as per usual. All the best players have their ugly moments (e.g. Judd). I worry a bit about Jack though. At times doesn't look too happy. His body language isn't great. I hope its more frustration with his body as apposed to anything else within the team and role etc. He forced quite a bit on the weekend and looked agitated so again this doesn't surprise me.

I'm talking about in game fatigue. We're not coping at times with increased physicality. Big bodies of Port and Hawthorn were really hurting us around the contest. Needless to say we're on the same page. Be the aggressor, hunt from the start.

I think fatigue might play a factor as well here. The last two weeks have been really physical games. I think the boys have taken a fair beating and it shows when making decisions in game. Not making excuses but I think teams are making a consertive effort to really hunt us with tackling and physicality around the ball and its showing. Need to weather the storm and make sure we're the aggressor. I thought we set the tone early in that Port game.

I get what you're saying re Brown. Give him a few more weeks to find some continuity with the team. Hopefully some consistency can be found in how we deliver the ball to him. But not sure if I would go as far as to say he's more critical to our structure then ANB, Kossie and Fritta will ever be. Apart from kicking 72 goals between them they are crucial to our forward line structure especially defensively which is how we have generated most of our scoring this season. Definitely need to see more from Brown to warrant a spot come finals. Some signs starting to show the last few weeks that might come to fruition. Fingers crossed!

Not concerned if Bailey is doing some slightly cheap stuff off the ball. Most smaller sized forwards do this to gain an edge. Eddy and Toby do it brilliantly.

God I hope its Saturday not Friday. We need all the rest we can get after the physicality of the last two games. Hawthorn especially I thought were ferocious with their tackling and body work around the ball. Sore boys.

Unfortunately the game has changed too much for the deep stay home forward out of the goal square to come back any time soon. It's mostly due to defensive structures. Most teams play a zone defense these days meaning they defend space as well as their man. Having a forward stay deep is problematic as most of the time opposition either play an extra defender or have a defender zone off their man to fill the hole between the key forward and the play up field. You would see many more two on one's if the strategy was to play someone predominantly deep. It's too predictable. The only time you see genuine one on ones in the forward half is usually off a turnover causing a transition where the deepest forward (about 50m mark on average) pushes hard enough back before the opposition get back to set up the zone (or you catch defenders ball watching/napping) May and Lever are so successful because they play predominantly inside forward 50 and zone off their men so well. Hence why opposition are now trying to pull them out and make them more accountable away from their forward 50 where they eat up intercepts.

Yeah nope. Most of the time forward 50 was vacant when in oppositions forward half.

When you say hold position you mean a forward stay back deeper? These days that's probably the 50m mark. Very rare you ever get a deep position forward position on any team in 2021.

How has Melksham been going for Casey? Hows his pressure been? We rely so much on forwardline pressure to produce turnovers resulting in scoring opportunities. Kozzy gives you so much added pressure when he doesn't have the ball. Sure, he hasn't been good offensively the last few weeks but I was at the game on the weekend and his repeat defensive efforts to close in on the oppositions backs was still evident. I would worry about losing our fastest high energy small forward whom for the majority of the season has been a catalyst for our forward half success. Melksham has been slow underwhelming at best.

This has been my preference for a while now to leave out the other tall. Neither Brown or Weid are playing good enough footy right now to deserve a spot. Jackson has been building nicely this season. He's spent less time in the ruck of late and looks more and more imposing up forward. He's been taking strong contested grabs on the wings and I think the coaches believe this could translate to better marking contests deeper inside forward 50. Max/Jackson to spend more time on ground switching between forward/ruck. This is my favourite mix so far this season. We should see Bailey and Trac more involved as targets as well.

Tmac is expecting second kid mid next week. On standby to return if it comes early. Might miss Mondays game if thats the case. https://www.afl.com.au/news/628885/key-dee-could-miss-pies-clash-due-to-a-different-birthday

He will be in the extended 40 man squad you would think if he maintains this form. But not the best 22. Unfortunately the 'wing' role isn't of significance to the AA team as its just 'midfield' hence why no pure wingers ever really get in. Its all centre square midfielders.

IN: Lockhart, Langdon Out: Melksham, Hunt or Salem Easy

So Tmac is equal 17th with a few other players kicking 20 goals 10 behinds for the season so far. I think there's a strong argument for him being in the conversation for AA, at least the way he's tracking. If you look at it this way, out of the top 20 forwards (goal kicking wise) whom he would be best compared to this season, Tom ranks: Marks - 3rd Disposals - 1st Tackles - 4th Inside 50s - 2nd Contested Possession 3rd Uncontested - 1st Goal assists 3rd 1%'s - 2nd He's also had a decent amount of hitouts as a forward with two rucks in the team. The main things against him as an upper potential All Australian is his contested marks and marks inside 50 are on the lower end of that group. If we see more of that and obviously pushing the top 10 for goals who knows!

Yeah. Hunt's speed would suggest he'd be in the picture to play on him but I've watched Cameron a fair bit this season and he really dislikes contact and physicality. I think we'll see players rotated including Hibberd, Rivers, Hunt and maybe even Salem to make him accountable on a dangerous player.

Isn't it wonderful when you can be so wrong about something that actually ends up coming to fruition and you can sit back and just admire. All the work he put into this part of his conditioning and fitness has really been on show this season. I still think Tmac's agility/mobility is restricted, its just the way he is but he's worked mighty hard on it and its a big reason he's been able to get back into form.

Simply confidence and concentration. He does everything else right. His strength and positioning are great now. I'm expecting them to start sticking the next few games. Thought Friday was a step in the right direction. He's putting himself in a position to succeed with marking. He just has to grab the opportunity with both hands....