Young Blood

Yes its not a flashy signing. It might be a bit Vanilla but its of lower risk. - Has been durable, playing the last 80 games for GWS (bar the one on the weekend) - Will be able to run out games with his elite endurance (something a lot of our players have not done well) - His size gives us a marking option further up the ground so our forwards aren't stuck on the wings as often - Loves to run and spread, a catalyst for something GWS do so well and something we desperately need - Has played finals four years in a row. Was close to best on ground in the prelim against Richmond in 2017 - He can pinch hit in the ruck so our forwards don't have to and has played both back and fwd if needed. True utility If the rumors are true I for one am very keen to see this guy cementing a spot in our side on the wing and playing consistent footy for us. He's a solid mark and has decent inside/rebound 50 numbers across his career. He played in a very deep side for his position at GWS and he could really add what this side is in need of.

I can understand where @Laughing Goat is coming from. We recruited ANB as an inside mid which is where he started his time as Melbourne. He racked up a lot of the football in his first few years at Casey. He was super competitive winning a ton of contested football. I remember him getting 30+ possession in games regularly. Came runner up in best and fairest 2016. Because of our midfield depth he developed more as a small HF. Since then he has been rotated through the middle of the ground at times It is probably silly to compare him to Clayton as they just aren't the same style of player. If we can develop or recruit better small F/HF's and not have to use guys like ANB (and to a lesser extent Hunt) then I don't see why ANB couldn't go back to being a mid and add to our midfield rotation more consistently. I would prefer this to trying to play Salem there again. He's just too important with his ball use off half back.

Definitely a player we could use. @Patches O’houlihan from what I've seen he kicks well on both sides. He plays his best football on the wing. Although as others have stated he can play a variety of roles with his size and endurance. He has always been able to pinch hit in the ruck which would be really handy for us in not having to use a forward in this role. He doesn't rack up a lot of the football but because of his running he is able to run and spread into space (a major part of GWS's gameplan) to open up the ground. He is a decent contested mark as well. Something we've been desperate for further up the ground. We badly need more players who can take a solid mark (other then Max) to relieve pressure in the middle of the ground. To me its a no brainer. We badly missed a bigger body playing up the ground this year and although he doesn't have the same grunt and physical presence AVB has he can definitely play that wing/high HF role consistently. You know what you're going to get from him. His stat breakdown shows he was a bit down on inside 50's this year but as you can see from his stats he contributes in a number of key areas. https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pg-greater-western-sydney-giants--adam-tomlinson?year=2019

I agree with others that we need some fresh new support staff and assistant coaches but its also good to have a few stick around who really know and have mutual trust with the players. Rawlings was certainly one of them. Highly rated coach. Did a great job with our backs and last season left his senior coaching role at Casey to take over as forward coach halfway through the season. As its been reported the difference in our structure and set up was substantial (even if it didn't look like it) with an undermanned forward line. Kept us in games. Will definitely be missed. One I would rather have stayed.

He didn't work as a head coach, sure. He had an average list with injury prone key players for most of his tenure. But he's a good pickup as an assistant coach. Puts a huge emphasis on fitness (a glaring issue at the club) and seemed to have our number fairly often, out strategizing us at times knowing we don't have the outside run that his team did. He exposed us and I for one am looking forward to him working out where we are beaten as a club and sealing those cracks.

Yes that is why is actually called Duck

Yes I don't expect a lot of marking tonight. I do expect a strong attempt to play on at all costs with a lot of handball overlap.

Apologies this is slightly unrelated. I've always thought Duck is a good nickname for a guy with anger management issues. He's calm on the surface especially in media appearances but below he is a violent maniac. Allegedly smashed a glass in his girlfriends face and has had multiple run ins with violence and the law, not to mention the drama around him at Nth Melbourne. Seems to be a forgotten piece of information. How this guy has been allowed to resurface and become a prominent figure on national TV and radio really baffles me. Have to chalk it up to Australian standards and the amount that so called 'Legends of the game' and men in general get away with. Maybe we'll see Cousins riding the boundary for channel 7 in the near future.

Since tidying up his disposal he's been our most consistent back man. Fairly obvious statement from Nick considering the other two key backs haven't had a solid run at it to build form. I think everyone would agree that an in form May is much more well rounded player then Frost. But I'm glad we have him with his pace and intensity. Next thing he needs to learn is when to switch gears. Now that his disposal is much better he can help his decision making with ball in hand by choosing when to go and when to stay calm and composed so his decisions aren't rushed. There was an obvious one on the weekend where he turned the ball over not because it was a poor kick but because his timing was off due unnecessary panic. Would like to see him develop a little bit of composure that Lever and May. It's such a great skill to have as a backman to pull up or fake a kick when you realize the option is poor. He has the pace to get himself out of trouble in one on one situations too.

Side note: Rare occurrence but overall this has been the most rational response from posters to a topic I've ever come across. Kudos DL people. No dummy spitting here just considered rational responses.

I really doubt we'll see May back this week. Surely the club will look at putting him on ice for the rest of the year. It's been an uphill battle getting him on the park fitness wise all season. Aim should be to stay competitive for the rest of the season. There's not going to be a sudden shift. Besides playing guys in different roles and trying out newer players we know Goodwin won't make dramatic changes to our game style. The one abnormality is still that West Coast game over there. For some reason we went really small and decided to take the game on at all costs with overlapping handball through the middle of the ground and run and carry. We looking like Collingwood in full flight. It worked for three quarters and would have won us the game if we didn't run out of players off the bench. Its an odd one. I'll be happy to be the one still throwing out the excuse that this team was never at reasonable fitness from the very start of the season. Again an uphill battle where we could usually concentrate more on game plan perhaps.

Jesus. Viney finally starting to find some form. Last game he looked fitter and able to do more and last night I thought he was one of our best.

I've always tried to stand up for Oscar. He's a 23 yr old playing one of the hardest positions, definitely the most exposing position for mistakes. Thats not an excuse for his performance, its just a fact. I agree with a lot of @binman's comments. Some of the sentiments towards Oscar are so unnecessary. I suppose its more entertaining for some to be dramatic about players they are frustrated with. He is well and truly the whipping boy no doubt. All that being said he was thoroughly beaten last night. His role is to at least half 50/50 contests as a one on one defender. Adelaide did a great job clearing our for Jenkins to go one on one and Oscar was beaten every time. It really did impact the scoreboard and game overall. Is that the last time we will see Oscar playing in the red and blue? I really doubt that. But he needs to build some confidence back in the two's. You would think it May would slot in at some point. I look forward to the DL uproar and horror if Oscar is selected next week ?

Nah he was definitely referring to his pace. We all know how lightning Clarry's hands are :).

He certainly looks skilled and from all accounts this is his main attribute with ball in hand with his use across HF. Something we desperately need. I suppose IT posters (including myself) are looking at the very brief footage. It's certainly crude to suggest he's slow from that but he certainly isn't fast or at least doesn't appear to have a burst of speed which is usually something HF's possess as an attribute. The common thread on DL has been the 'Need for Speed'. I do think we are lacking players that can run and spread with decent pace. I can't name many that I would call outside mids/wings who can really move effectively without the ball at the moment. As a side note I always hear the so called experts say that Oliver is super quick (Healy was one I think). I'd like to know exactly what they mean by that. Is this over 5-10m? 50m? Clayton certainly isn't slow on foot but I'm sometimes baffled with how others see players.

That is true. Makes sense

A very brief highlight package is up on the MFC site. Looks to have good skills and ability around in the contest. I hate to be that guy but he does look slow in the short bit of footage.

I would say both are developing nicely and showing good signs especially Marty. But the fact that these two are best 22 is kind of depressing at the moment. They really shouldn't be. However I'll take the positive! Definitely think Hore has what it takes to be a consistent AFL backman.

We looked slow enough today without Preuss let alone with him in the side. GWS just tear you to shreds when you turn the ball over. Hardest running side in the comp (along with collingwood). They were cleaner with possessions but where they killed us is when we turned the ball over and they worked so hard to run back through the middle and link up. They were just far too good. The inability for us to spread and run hard for each other is baffling. This team still just looks so unfit to me.

If it ever gets to full fitness our backline will be just fine in the next few seasons. B: Jetta May Hore HB: Salem Lever Hibberd Bench/swingman: Fritsch Depth: Lockhart, Petty, Omac, Frost, Wagner

Fair enough. I meant more he could become more Pendles like.... if he can stop fumbling.

Are you saying he is way off overall or just on the weekend? He might have had an off night but I think he's been one of very few who has performed consistently this season along with Salem and Oliver. He's not the cleanest player but he wins so much of the football in close and I think his kicking on both sides has continued to improve. As one commentator noted he's not wheeling around to his preferred side as much (as Viney always does) he is kicking in stride and I've been impressed with some of his left foot kicking under pressure. He's been playing on the wing and in the middle I'd imagine swapping with Jones. Pretty sure he did the same thing last year. Gus is in our best 5 players IMO. Yes he can appear slow and maybe a bit lathargic at times, its just how he moves and his body language I think. But he has terrific spacial awareness and one of those players who always has time. The game has already slowed down for him which is something that hasn't quite happened yet for Clayton who often rushes with his disposal. I think Gus is in the mold of a Pendlebry type. Not super fast or flashy but has the spatial awareness to make the right decisions often. He always keeps himself in every contest with his persistence and hunger. I hate to be that guy but the kid is 23. Is he perhaps down on confidence with ball in hand playing in a side that is struggling at the moment? sure..... But he's not way off.

He might not be carrying a defined injury but he still looks limited in his movement. Bending down to pick up the ball seems like a real task for him. Looks stiff to me. I think he's always been pretty limited in his agility and movement but he just looks not quite right to me at the moment. Thought he put himself in the right positions to mark and win the ball on the weekend but wasn't very effective when he did get it overall. That was noted last week by Goodwin hence why he didn't play for Casey or seniors on the weekend. It doesn't sound like anything serious. I think it was more a give him the week off type injury.

I haven't consulted or overseen the fitness and performance manager and their process/systems in place last off season so I'm not sure if I personally can make that assumption. Roos pointed out during On The Couch a few weeks back that the team didn't look fit. He said a really good indicator of how a clubs fitness for an upcoming season were the results from the first 4km time trial first day back after the break. He said if the times were good you knew you had a good indication that your players were well set for a good season fitness wise. I highly doubt Melbourne came back in great shape overall after the shorter break especially considering the off field surguries and delays players had. There weren't overwhelming revues of players coming back in excellent shape bar maybe Stretch, Fritsch and small handful of others.