Young Blood

We have the best backline in the comp. Both in player ability, talent and balance but also with the structures and schemes set up to assist the backline from midfielders and Max. Best starting 6 currently B: Hibberd May Tomlinson HB: Salem Lever Hunt Int: Hunt Depth: Petty, Jetta, Lockhart, Daw, (and if not for injury Smith and Hore) Rivers to me was the key missing link with his versatility and attack on the contest. Settling Tomlinson into a one on one tall back to contest the second/best forward frees up Lever and even May at times. Plus excellent user of the ball. Moving Hunt back has given us a different look also. Our depth is also exceptional. As long as he plays within himself with his limited foot skills he'll be ok. The battle between Jetta and Hibberd for the last spot will keep both sharp I think. I'd throw Hunt in this as well in order to maintain consistency.

I know others are super keen to see us try out this extra tall attack but I'm pretty skeptical. Regarding Tmac on a wing, as much as the guy can run all day and presents a mismatch with marking contests I worry about his mobility/agility when the ball hits the ground or the opposition win the ball especially in wet conditions. His tackling in close has been great this year as seen in his forward 50 tackling and pressure numbers. But on the large wings of the MCG I think he could really get burnt but some of Richmond's wing/mids. My only concern with this side this year has been the Russian roulette we play with allowing the opposition move the ball freely through the corridor. It was apparent at times against the Saints and especially against Geelong where we allow fairly free movement through the middle and really work hard to get numbers back set up behind the ball. The mids and wings simply need to put enough pressure on the kicker to warrant a poor inside 50 sending it down the throat of any of our intercepters (Lever, May, Gawn, Rivers, Brayshaw). I don't see a formula where Tmac can do enough defensively as a predominant wingman.

On that note. Anyone know how Lockhart played? God we have so much depth now across the ground.

Yeah he'll definitely get guys to pay closer attention when oppo mids are having too much influence. I've noticed already this year a few times players like Viney and Jordan hedging players around stoppages to limit their space and movement. I meant more a traditional hard tag like de Boer's role for GWS. Last hard tag I can remember us playing was Harmsy back in 2018 finals.

Luke Jackson is probably the main reason why Max is currently leading the coaching votes and will push for a Brownlow this year. Max's mobility across the ground has been on display and improved greatly, he's making so many more marking contests and looking strong in every one of them. In previous years ruckman have attacked Max, battering him at ruck contests and wearing him down physically. The support Jackson is providing is crucial for Max to be freed up to float forward and back with maintaining energy to compete hard every contest. Huge.

doubt it. We haven't had a history in recent times of a hard tag. Goodwin likes to keep our mids freed up.

With Ben Brown I can understand bringing in a talented forward who even though has had injuries and form concerns last year he has a history of being a highly effective key position forward. These are valid points, but bringing him in because we invested money and picks etc. should not be one of them. Let him find some continuity in his game which he has lacked for over a year. Then bring him in.

Maybe we can counter attack with Kozzy offering a low blow to Grimes' nether regions. Within the play of course hehe

The obvious ones are May for Petty and Weid for M.Brown - We really lacked decent marking options especially in the first half and although people lack confidence in Weid I think he's the best current marking option. Brown to have another week at Casey to prove himself. - I think Melksham for Bayley if he's fit makes sense. Melksham apart from some opportunist goals has looked just OK and I don't believe he play the role he excelled at a few years back as our inside 50 kicking specialist. Our midfield is not doing a better job of this and I don't think he works well as a third tall. - I love the guy and understand the occasion etc. but Jones based on last week is such an obvious drop. Very average game and old legs could do with a rest. Guys like Sparrow and Jetta absolutely deserve his spot in the side. I can see someone like Jordan making way for Fritta and probably being the sub but he was solid on the weekend as he has been all year playing a number of roles across the ground.

Yeah I don't get this. Is it because he played OK as a forward a few years back in maybe 2-3 games when we were desperate due to injuries? I get that he could probably perform well but he is well and truly a backman first and formost. Plus the swinging of backs to forwards and visa versa within games isn't very common. You come in with a solid set structure and game plan. Those things only happen when absolutely necessary in dire situations most of the time.

Definitely agree with those calling for Mitch Brown to replace Bailey. Mitch isn't a lumbering big forward. He's taller and longer then bailey but still on the lighter more mobile side. He plays similarly (obviously not as well) to Bailey as second/third marking option who does his best work on the lead and finding space like Bailey does. Stick with the current structure/formula I say and not muck things up bringing in another bigger heavier marking tall. Melksham doesn't play the lead up role well. He prefers to have to ball ontop of his head standing so he can get body contact and either mark or bring ball to ground in control. We won't be rushing either BBB or Weid back. The only spot in the side I can see Majak playing is if one of Jackson or Gawn are injured. He is a player who has to be more involved in games switching between ruck and forward to get the most out of him. I've watched him just get lost/wasted as a key position forward deep.

Also this puts more pressure of Tmac. I think he's been playing a decent enough role for us but if he doesn't hit the score board this week as the no.1 option now that Bailey is out I think he'll be under pressure to keep his spot with the other two bigs on the way. I don't like the wing idea for him. I get that he can run all day and get to marking contests but he's just so stiff and immobile when the ball hits the deck I think we lose the flexibility at that we need at that position.

Definitely agree with those calling for Mitch Brown to replace Bailey. He plays similarly (obviously not as well) to Bailey as second/third marking option who does his best work on the lead and finding space like Bailey does. Stick with the current structure/formula I say and not muck things up bringing in another bigger tall. We won't be rushing either BBB or Weid back. The only spot in the side I can see Majak playing is if one of Jackson or Gawn are injured. He is a player who has to be more involved in games switching between ruck and forward to get the most out of him. I've watched him just get lost/wasted as a key position forward deep.

I totally understand and agree with @Pennant St Dee that Selwood is a champion and future hall of fame player who should be respected. However there is a strong distaste for him especially amongst the players especially within games. Every week I see players giving it to him. I even noticed Sparrow give him a nice shove after getting him in a tackle where he was called for throwing the ball. It might simply be that he talks a lot of [censored] out there or the well known narrative around him milking/playing for free kicks but in the heat of the game as others have mentioned these things happen. It's all part of the game. Only one I don't love is when a defender is beaten in a forward marking contest or gives away a free kick and while his man goes back to take a shot another opposition player will come and really rub it in. Unless there is malice I don't really like it.

I do miss seeing more of the traditional navy jumper with the away white shorts. That being said I really like the Royal blue. Sooo much better then the awful away/alternative strips we've mucked around with for the last decade sheesh. Side note would like to see us wear the Indigenous round strip more often throughout the season. I've found them really striking and interesting each year how they change and bring in a different artist. Perhaps last years designer Nev Jetta can get Kozzie on board to put some paint to paper haha.

Not sure if exact role. I think like most tall defenders he would have to have trained to build his 1v1 ability while peeling off his man much like May does to intercept when needed. In Tomlinson's SEN interview on Monday he noted how even though he's still a slighter looking tall that Petty is super strong. He's the perfect option to backfill May. I hope he can come in and just half as many contests as he can this week to free up Lever and allow Tomlinson to body up their strongest tall. Side note. Lever was incredible in that last game. He has most definitely improved his body work. I know he isn't taking the oppo's no.1 biggest forward but he is rarely losing contests this season against some bigger bodies still.

Yes look apart from some key distinctions such as: • Sparrow belongs to the Family: Passeridae while swallows are members of the Family: Hirundinidae. • Taxonomic diversity is much higher in sparrows than in swallows. • Swallows are bigger and heavier than sparrows. • Sparrows have a stocky body while swallows have an elongated body. • Swallows make mud nests, but sparrows never use mud. • Swallows usually fly around water bodies whereas sparrows prefer to fly around terrestrial ecosystems. • Wings are characteristically elongated in swallows but not in sparrows. Once upon a time a Swallow at the dees might have been a nice edition but I'm quite happy with our Sparrow especially if he has higher taxonomic diversity.

I've been seeing it most weeks. The ones who consistently get in to help tackle and create a stoppage are Kozzy and Spargo. But overall as you say team tackling has been excellent.

Obviously have more trust in this team based on the start to the season but its the way they've been winning and swinging momentum in games that gives me more confidence. Over the last few years I've felt that we've been able to challenge teams and throw ourselves at the contest to stay in it or come back. But there's so much more backbone to the resilience this year. The word I keep using talking to people is how proactive we have been when a team challenges us. Instead of going defensive and just make it a contested slog, players like Trac, Viney, Hunt and especially Langdon are moving with the ball and giving us forward momentum out of contests. I like most others am still concerned about this game. We're a far better team in better form for sure. But Hawthorn across their first four games haven't been as poor as predicted early on. - The big comeback against Essendon -They hung around against Richmond matching them for two quarters before Tiges put them away in the last - Came back from five goals to almost beat the cats in the last - Slow start against the dockers and getting bullied in the last around the ball was probably their worst loss by far If we play to our strengths and apply the pressure we SHOULD be fine.

I think its pretty obvious he clearly hasn't yet developed his forward craft skills (Nic Nat pointed this out in the commentary). He's played predominantly in the ruck as a jnr. and is now being asked to simply compete in the air forward of the ball when he's not helping Max out. While he isn't clunking them consistently yet I haven't seen him beaten in a marking contest yet, he generally halves the contest which is fine for a 19 year old still learning every game. The answer is he isn't a forward... YET.

Bracing for this first photo of the eye after hearing on SEN this morning and this forum that it looks pretty gruesome.

It was mentioned on the Gus n Gawny podcast the other week that Casey's forward line could look pretty ominous in the air for this week or the next. Ben Brown, Majak. Weid and maybe Mitch Brown all to return through the VFL it seems. Sheesh.

The only player who I thought was average and didn't contribute much within his role even was Tmac. Besides his inside 50 tackles being a game high and competing in the air at times I thought he struggled to be effective in this one. I'm sure a great contributing factor was the way the game was played. Opposition flooding the forward line is always going to make a key talls day really difficult but I would have liked to see more of him leading up at the ball across half forward like Petracca does so well when he's down there. He still lacks intensity and that one grab marking ability he showed a few years back. So often is first to it in the air but fumbles it with hard hands. Didn't love the one hand attempt running back with the flight needs to be tougher in those situations. Anyway clearly he stays in as the best fit tall option in the side and looks to bring more of how he played against the saints.

lol I think you missed the Jesus puns

I'm interested in the defensive side of Laurie's game. His offensive skills look good enough for him to really push for selection with our need for good ball users in the forward line. It's an interesting mix we have of small forwards. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. Here's some stating of the obvious for my own amusement mainly. Kozzy is clearly the most talented and electric. His skills are already A grade, great mark and leap for his size and I was surprisingly impressed with how well he covered the ground with his running. Skies the limit. Just needs to mature and stay in games more. ANB's main strength is still his tank and pressure/repeat pressure acts. Thought he was building a bit before he got rubbed out. Kicking not as bad as it used to be. Not the best decision maker. Spargo has good skills, decision making and his pressure is probably the best of the lot perhaps. His size always an issue but intreaguing to see how he goes this year Hunt has his speed and decent hands marking. Very average kick and I think lowest on the pecking order IMO. I don't see him playing but for depth this season, at least I hope. Chandler is another forgotten mosquitto due to injury and lack of opportunity. In his one game he looked lively with his tackling and pressure. Hopefully adds to the competition for spots. The above unpacking makes me think Laurie could slot in well with our need for better ball users and his creativity. Note: I'm leaving out Sparrow and Bowey. I know they will both probably spend a fair bit of time forward but they both seem to be stronger up the ground and this stage and maybe less goal sense? Both have great potential regardless.