Young Blood

When its glaring in the highlights that have been replayed over and over on fox for these three occasions where there was a clear pass there's not excuse. Heading to the pointy end of the year you want to be seeing the team things done consistently. What I will point out that Kingy and others haven't is apart from these few moments he's been great at creating for others. He lead both Score Involvements (10) and Goal assists (3) on the weekend. I noted many times him giving the handball off to players in space that created shots on goal. In key big moments you want to see it. But this narrative thats being blown up is overboard IMO.

Hope you're a sports doc CFP... Or have some synchronicities occured for you today?

I quite like the look of it and what it represents especially in the NT in front of so many local indigenous supporters. I'm sure the boys will be keen to wear it up there. But in the end who cares what strip we're wearing just win the bloody game.

Love the idea but I think swinging May forward would only happen in game where injuries occur to our forwards. I don't fully understand your reasoning for sending him forward being that he kicks in to one side predominantly as a backman. I imagine thats by design based on coaching and structure rather then him deciding that or being a left-footer.... However, he's far too important down back. I understand the emergence of Petty has been great but May does so many things that go unseen, he drives/steers the ship back their while manning the opposition's best forward. Jackson though to me has to spend more time in the middle. Would love to see him as no.1 ruckman the next few weeks. Max won so many taps that eventuated in the Cats winning the ball. Jackson gives you a much better chance at winning that ball back if that happens. We saw the effect he had against Brisbane. He gives you so much more around every stoppage. To me its pretty simple. Play Max as a forward. It can be a lead up role or deeper but he's such a good target down there. Play him as the second ruck, just try it.

I agree with this. It won't be popular but its the best set up for us having two tall targets up forward with Gawn and Jackson spending periods of time rotating through there as well. Its how we set up when Tmac was healthy and I think we should keep this structure to see how it holds up the next few weeks. Petracca was great up forward on the weekend but we can't afford to have him spend more time in the forward line when we're up against the comps best midfields. Mitch Brown is great as a lead up forward but he's really more like a taller Fritsch with the way he plays. Weid's game (especially first half) was cringe-worthy last week with the way he dropped marks that were all his. But I think persist with him, just have him play aggressive and bring the ball to ground for our smalls, make their tall backs accountable.

Agreed, Petty looks set to take on more responsibility moving forward. Will need to see a full game or more from Turner before we count him in as covering the best / most dynamic full back in the comp.

I hear you. May and Max (pending Jackson situation) are both 30 and will need contingency plans for them also. It's inevitable we're going to drop off in one of these areas in 3-5 years. Most teams do, hence 'premiership window'. But you would think this midfield if we can keep them signed have a longer timeline so shoring up key positions where we're aging will be important for our longer term success.

I think you'll find the established players in that prime age group are the ones most sort after hence will be more expensive, more competition to sign/trade for. Of course if we can somehow get involved in recruiting these types and fit them salary wise we would. But established veterans can be what extends multiple shots at the flag for good teams. Brian Lake came across to Hawthorn at age 32(?) I think and solidified their backline, winning three flags. Now I know this is a poor example as Lake was an All Australian backman before coming across from the dogs but still, established veterans if picked up for the right price can play vital roles in teams with open premiership windows. Gunston will be 31 next season and for the right price, with proof his body has more left in him, I'd have no problem slotting him in this side. I think he'd be awesome leading up the ground creating space and opportunity for Bailey and Brown as deep scoring options.

OK...

EEEK Yeah its a worry. Last season Nibbler was 15.11 and Trac was 29.19 Oliver while finishing is clearly an area of his game he needs to work on (one of very few things), I'm less worried about because he's less often in positions to score and his creativity and ability to win the first contest is so crucial. He's more important in this area. But the other two need to sharpen up. It's been noted on here by many Trac's high ball drop doesn't help. I understand he uses it for momentum when kicking from 50 but he's been way off lately. ANB just needs confidence with set shots and maybe less rushing with his snaps/on the run.

I think Gunston would only really come in to sure up our forward depth. Didn't play last year and has looked average this year. I'm sure some of this has to do with taking more of a back seat and developing the other forward young fowards (Lewis etc.) at Hawthorn. Didn't play last year but his 2020 season was solid kicking 29 goals in 16 games. I would have no problems with him coming in to replace Mitch Brown as back up lead up tall forward. Brown is obviously having a wonderful VFL season but the it seems the responsibility of playing the role at AFL level is probably beyond him now. He was always great hitting the scoreboard in average teams at Essendon and early on at Melbourne but he just looks overwhelmed now when he gets called up to the AFL squad. JVR's development over the course of the season is one to keep track of. With our backline depth pretty well covered his best chance atm is developing as a forward. At 193cm if he can put on more size he could really develop to come in as Brown and Tmac start to slow down.

I'm in the camp that BBB had an average, disappointing game but not worth dropping. He's never been a great standing contested mark. Struggles to get his hands free or use his body/arms to wrestle the opposition out of position for the grab (Tmac is much better at this). Too many times he got caught in this predicament on Thursday where Andrews easily beat him, at times throwing him aside. You could tell Ben was really frustrated with himself in the contest. I think its the strength in this hips/lower body he's lacking. Ben needs space in front of him and at least some momentum to be effective. A lot of forwards do. I would like to see him be a little more defensive in these positions to simply aim to bring the ball to ground to our advantage. I thought too many times he was caught out and didn't half the contest where he could have. He's still our best deep forward option when he can get in space with outstretched arms. He also gives Bayley space and the lesser backman to create more scoring opportunities.

Me watching Sir Why you Little and Lord Nev across dif topics

Bowey is perfectly fine. Thought he was one of the few who played well against Collingwood. Are people basing his game on how much he had the ball? With Salem and May back he's not going to be as much a focal as a distributor across half-back. Just needs to keep doing what he does, carry out his role in our defensive structure, provide a contest and make the right decisions with his disposal. Unlike Rivers he rarely gets caught out of position. Rivers has struggled early on this season and needs to build on form in the two's. Last week was a step in the right direction. For what its worth I would say Rivers have most pressure on Hibberds spot/role. Coaching staff adore what Bowey does.

So wise

Oh yes please. I am so sick of Harmes butchering the ball when kicking inside 50. If Salem and Rivers can get back to their best then I would like to see Gus more forward of centre.

Isn't he out of contract at the end of the seasaon? I don't believe WC have to give us anything? Would be interesting the compensation pick for Jackson.

It's a big concern for me. Last year we were able to combat the quick corridor ball movement using our fitness and ability to get back to zone off and make teams kick down the line on the wings (ie filling up the space through the middle of the ground) If its off a quick turnover then there's less you can do about this. BUT I've been so concerned watching teams move the ball easily with numbers through the middle of the ground the last three weeks when we have had the opportunity to get back and set up properly. The work rate just isn't there defensively at the moment. I think a lot of that comes down to fitness. We're not running out of games anywhere near like we were last year.

Mmm I wouldn't doesn't have a good track record as a forward. GWS swung him there occasionally and wasn't great. Unfortunately his lack of pace and agility really hurts him.

I thought the forwardline pressure was terrific in the first half yesterday. As good as I've seen this season. The problem we're having is with ball movement. We need to do what opposition teams are doing to us. So many times we're looking to move the ball wide, stringing 15-20m kicks, this produces slower transition and eventually result in kicking in long (the only real option when we set up this way most of the time). What Collingwood, Sydney and Freo did so well is moving with the ball in hand. Starting from the half back they initiate their ball transition with a short handball or kick to someone that already has someone else running ready to receive through the corridor. Its proactive and when you run in numbers it means even if you turn it over you have a greater likelihood of winning the ball back. Its something other teams earlier this year tried but weren't good enough to execute. To me its less about the forward line under performing and more about how to transition the ball from stoppages and turnovers. So many times yesterday I thought guys like Petracca would win a ball from stoppages and look to run and kick the ball long. This can be great if its in our front half to catch out the opposition back out of position. However by moving the ball by hand/short with pace beginning in the back half running in numbers it gives the forwards more time to structure up to lead and get into dangerous positions. It drags opposition up to the ball instead of zoning off and creates better more accurate/dangerous inside 50 disposal.

He's done a great job replacing Gus' role on that wing. He makes great decisions with the ball in hand and always provides a contest either to win of halve it. Hopefully he can build on this for the second half of the year. I'd like to see him get more creative and damaging with his kicking as he kicks so well.

I'm glad a player has finally commented on the low crowd numbers. It still baffles me rocking up each week to see the stands looking so empty throughout the ground especially the last two weeks against high-quality opposition. I'm almost certain when we play finals the crowds will return as they did for the 2018 finals against Geelong and Hawthorn. It would just be nice to see consistent crowds throughout the season to show the players we're there for them rooting them on, that every game matters to us as much as it does to them. Kudos to those who do! Not sure how deliberate Christian was with his approach here, perhaps it was all just sincere but I thought the way he was critical and promptly gave a half jokey, measly excuse. If he didn't give the excuse it would be straight up negative comments made public towards the MFC supporter base which would be more controversial. Perhaps it was just his way of nudging those who are fit and healthy enough to leave their warm cosy homes for the MCG this long weekend. Collingwood will of course have more supporters there this week. But it will be nice the next time an interstate team plays the G against us that they not to be louder and more present then MFC supporters.

Certainly never implied that Gus would be getting a banner contract. I think he will work out a contract that fits in with MFC's 5 year plan ahead (hopefully!). Gus is a match-winner. Its been well documented but in the heat of the moment, when a contest needs winning he has shown consistently he can perform. The big contests he won or halved in the grand final during crucial moments were match defining. I said he was in our top 5 most important players this year. Certainly doesn't rank as highly overall with a healthy list. But he has performed his 'easy role' down back well with Salem on the sidelines adequately and then some. It's more about how he covers then ground then anything else but around the contest and with ball in air or in hand the statistics back this up. He might not have the foot skills of Salem in terms of sharpness but he uses it pretty well on both these days. His dispoal efficiency % could be better but he generally kicks under more pressure then other backs. All that being said he's: 3rd for effective disposals in the side 2nd for effective kicks 2nd for rebound 50's 3rd for disposals behind Clayton and Trac. Again not unusual with him playing that sweeping half back which Salem usually plays and picks up similar numbers. 1st for uncontested possessions. 2nd for intercept possessions 1st for marks (no.2 in the comp) 2nd Intercept marks There's definitely some room for improvement but he's performed in this new role well. Most of these numbers/ranking within the side are leaning towards elite compared to the rest of the comp. If you consider the position he is playing easy that's fair enough. We can see how he performs back on the wing if that happens when Salem returns and then reassess. If he performs as well as last year I hope we can sign him within the cap constraints we're facing.

There's pretty much zero chance Gus leaves. It's just a matter of the contract. Right in the thick of his prime years. I imagine the talks of taking less pay to keep the team together might come into play at some stage. This season he's been in our top 5 most important players most games.

I really feel for Sam. It just hasn't worked out for him. At 24 years old he should be hitting his stride but a number of things haven't fallen his way. He's played just 54 games in 7 seasons! Injuries, lack of consistant form and the club recruiting excellent tall forward additions in Brown, Jackson and possibly now JVR possibly have all hindered his ability to improve at the AFL level. Still baffles me why he signed on with us when there were opportunities elsewhere to really advance his career. But not complaining he remains a great backup for any of the talls we have for the next two seasons where we will be pushing for multiple premierships!