Young Blood

Pretty good analysis and suggestions to get himself more involved.

I agree with others Billy Stretch hasn't performed well consistently at the higher level. Billy had a solid start to last season. His form since then hasn't been inconsistent in the seniors. He's 21 and only now starting to build a better frame for AFL. Clearly he drives standards in our young players in training and has a lot to offer there. I think we saw the FD persevere with playing him more the first few years due to Roos wanting to get AFL games into young players wherever possible while we were building. I think its now a deeper team and the opportunities aren't as easy for Billy. I truly believe he has the ability to be best 22 as he matures. I feel he's the type of player who could build into a really reliable player who doesn't star but you know what you get from him every week playing on a wing or HB/HF.

I don't know if Lewis is god. But he is pretty great with the ball when he has time and space yes.

I thought he was easily the most influential player in the first quarter. There was a general panic which we got the ball to him in a one on one situation. He was using his big body so well in the stoppages just making room for himself and others. Adelaide then got more numbers at the contest in the backline and he got lost trying to play up the ground.

Yes to this. Only changes I can see being made for next week unless we have injuries. Whilst Tim Smith and Pederson might probably give you a bit more consistency I think Weid has the most potential and I've liked his attack on the contest in the air and on the ground when he's been in. The role that those three play is really clear as a lead up tall who can help in the ruck. They're pretty much in to contest in the air and tackle and attack each contest. I think Tim Smith has shown this at AFL level, but I don't know if its just me but he seems to get injured or battered almost every game he plays. Wonder if he's not approaching contests protecting himself well enough....

Is this really that much more of an issue than it has ever been? I would be surprised if its a talking point this week. Don't get me wrong I think it should be. But interstate crowds with a full house of loud passionate one eyed supporters have and will continue to have an effect on the game and umpire decisions. I really feel for the poor bastards sometimes. It really is a hostile environment. Maybe we could give them blinkers and earmuffs

I thought two of the leaders in Vince and Lewis actually kept us alive with consistent efforts setting up across mid/half forward to give us multiple forward entries. Thought they were for the most part composed and gave us a pulse.

It's on the AFL website in highlights from the game section. Sorry I'm no good at embedding videos or whatever it is.

I can tell you he is an OK basketball player too. Watched him play before my game out at Coburg Monday night. Had a good chat with him afterwards. Can confirm a very pleasant likable character as his reputation suggests.

I really don't understand the knock against Harmes. He's not the cleanest with the ball and is probably still defining his role but I think he is one of our most consistent performers. He's definitely one of our most physical players and uses his body well around the contest as well as terrific tackling. As we saw yesterday Richmonds bottom six players were just far better then Geelongs. I think we need more like James Harmes who performs consistently without starring.

Very surprising. Spargo besides marking gives you so much more around the stoppages and general contest.

I think the idea is to start him further up the field on an undersized player and drift back in as a marking option. Not only does he have the potential advantage in a marking contest but it also messes with the oppositions backline structures. Ie. Do we send a tall back to run with him further up the ground in case he does the same?? But I do agree with Roos as well that starting him forward is much more of a threat. He's one of those players who doesn't need a lot of the ball or play to get going, hence why he doesn't need to start around the ball. I would definitely be swapping him with Hogan to start.

Agreed. He was OK against Crows and Bulldogs and managed to get on the end of some goals by slipping out the back. I thought he was very ordinary against Collingwood. Only reason I can see him being kept in is as a marking option outside of Tmac/Hogan/Trac especially with Pederson and Bayley playing further up the ground now. But he certainly hasn't been performing well in the air.

I'd like to know where the information came from that he'd like more time in the midfield. Sounds a bit like something to add to gain some traction in my opinion. I've certainly hardly ever seen him winning contested ball when he has found himself in those types of situations. But I spose he also might want to expand his game with his bigger body. A shame if he does go because he had some genuine pace and power which apart from Trac we don't have in our forwardline at the moment. We're heading more in the Richmond direction of smaller leaner players like Hannan, Fritsch, Spargo etc. I see him and a few of the other players at my work quite often so I'll ask him haha.

Agree I think Dion who just turned 20 needs a bit more time to see if he can develop a role for the club. I know its obvious but we won't know until the end of the year, its really hard to pick potential delisted players especially like AVB, McKenna, Kent who will be given a chance to prove themselves once fit. Wagner is definitely staying. I would imagine he will be a required player with Lewis/Vince retirement not too far away. At this stage the only clear one to me is JKH. Has been given a fair of time/development and opportunity and while he can find the ball I just think we have so much midfield depth now he is no longer required. I think Maynard at 26 could also be an option but I'd say they would give him another year considering he hasn't as long in the system/game of AFL.

Well its worked in patches. I think the idea of starting him on the wing would be to get him involved around the ball early. He's then been floating forward taking his usually undersized opposition with him or making the opposition have to switch and lose their structure creating an advantage for him or others as marking options. It didn't work as well against the bulldogs but it has definitely worked through patches of games with him on the wing also as a marking target further up the ground switching with Hogan. I definitely don't think he needs to play as high up the ground as he has been. High half forward for sure in tandem with Jesse.

I thought North only started to find real form after we played them....

Not really. I just don't think any of the mentioned players as possible ins are going to be have a huge impact over those who played on the weekend. Pedo was average but has built form in the VFL and I would trust him more then Weid at the moment taking marks up the ground. I don't think Vince will come out for a less experienced back, the backline wasn't too bad considering the circumstances (apart from some structure breakdowns). We were beaten comprehensively in the middle of the ground giving our backs little to no chance. It's possible we play Frost to match up on the Westoff/Dixon combo but I think we'll see them give Smith another go on whoever is playing further up the ground.

I can't see there being any changes unless someones is injured.

Yup more games into Smith please! He's have to be one of the most athletic players I've seen for quite a while. Has all the makings of a good backman.

In relation to perspective and games played wanted to mention here we also have quite a few players under 15 games: Bailey - 11 Spargo - 7 Joel Smith - 4

Yup we were beaten around the ball due to Collingwoods positioning and body use. So many times I saw their players shepherding the ground ball for one of their best mids to swoop in and more the ball on quickly. They held, obstructed and pushed away so effectively like the best teams do and we weren't able to counter it.

What do you rate our performance out of 10 to this point? Why? 7.5/10 - This team is still learning. We have finally been able to put away weaker sides with confidence. There is more belief and trust in the group then I've seen since Roos started. We just need to get more comfortable when we play the better sides in dealing with the pressure and getting it back on our own terms. Which player has impressed you the most? Angus Brayshaw - I always knew he could play to this standard but I'm just so glad he finally got the chance. Which draftee has made the biggest impact? Has to be Bailey. His spacial awareness and reading of the ball/play comes so easily to him. Can't wait to see him develop his body/tank more which can only give him more confidence. What has been our best win to date? Most enjoyable would have to be Adelaide Which player(s) needs to improve in the second half of the year? Tyson needs to learn to play a different role which I believe he can do so successfully. Hunt and Garlett obviously as well. What has been our most disappointing performance? Hawthorn. The other three losses against good sides were because we didn't cope well with the pressure. The effort was there. Against Hawthorn we fell away with our effort. Where do you see us finishing? Give a win/loss and finishing position I think we are a top 8 side. I see us hopefully finishing around 6/7th. @Wiseblood Good thread. Would be keen to see how you think we're going with your answers.

I like this thread. Quite happy for the expectations to come back down to where they should be. To be a top four side you need to perform in the big games against better teams which we are yet to achieve this season. Aim should be to make the eight until we can start winning some big games.

I really doubt the FD are going to replace Lewis or his role before the end of the season. I agree he looked off the pace yesterday and the style of game did not suit him one bit. His weaknesses were exposed by Collingwood but this was a result of our inability to slow them down. He wasn't given any time or space due to the lack of pressure applied by our midfield. I listened to Lyon this morning say that Lewis has played well when Melbourne has been able to dictate the flow of the game. Same must be said for Vince. When we are in control they are key in controlling our ball movement across the backline/wing. When the opposition are going blitz attack like yesterday they are caught out of position with little leg speed to make up ground. I guess my point is I think the FD are going to continue to take this risk. I think there are other teams that take the risk and rely on their best pressure backman (eg Jetta/Hibberd) to work hard around the contest and feed the ball to the best disposal players in Lewis/Vince/Salem. The conversation will need to be had at seasons end who can step up into the Vince/Lewis roles. Right now there's no one with the combination of both the ball use/decision making and pace to put pressure on. Wagner is the only one close for mine. Would like to see Tyson and Hung clean up their disposal to become possible options down the line also.