poita

Windsor not fit. Langford a beauty. Gawn receiving a bath. Don't touch Cameron or Dangerfield.

Everything about him has been useless for three years. Teams are happy for him to have the ball because they know he won't hurt them.

Has Viney disposed of the ball cleanly once this season? Van Rooyen needs to stop worrying about his opponent and attack the football.

And inside the 50. The end is incredibly nigh for him.

The start to the second quarter has been horrific. Can't make a tackle, can't hit a target, can't defend. We're in big trouble.

What is the point of Sharp and Turner? Both are great at disappearing when the ball is in their area. Oliver's mind is willing, but his body is cactus. He is an absolute liability at centre bounces.

May, Viney and Gawn are all playing like they're 55 years old.

The team feels unbalanced to me - too many small forwards, and I feel we are one small defender / wing, and one ruck / tall forward, short. Going small up forward is fine if our midfielders can lower their eyes and hit a leading target, but more likely we continue to bomb away and allow the Geelong defenders to dominate. Nevertheless hopefully we can see some progress towards a more competitive game plan.

Spargo, Melksham and Salem. All we need is Lever to return and Goody will have all his favourites back together.

I'm really looking forward to Goodwin dropping our best performed defender (McDonald) this week to bring in Lever who can't defend to save his life. With May turning in a career worst effort last week, and Bowey and Salem incapable of stopping any half decent small forward, fun times surely await.

Yes, a good coach will tailor the game plan to the players he has at his disposal. There is no point asking a group of unskilled footballers to be a high possession side, or looking at a bunch of plodders to be racing through the midfield and breaking lines. That's not what we have to work with. I'm not 100% convinced that Hawthorn's game plan will bring them a premiership, but Mitchell has them playing a style of football that is totally in tune with the players that he has at his disposal. That is what Goodwin needs to sort out and fast.

I'm not sure why people get upset when supporters express their disgust at the way the team is performing. At least those people care enough to turn up and support the team. The far bigger concern is the very significant part of our so-called fan base that will just disengage completely and not come to games, not buy memberships and so on if things continue on their current course. The financial implications of starting the season like this are massive given that memberships won't be sold, attendances will be pitiful and we'll guarantee ourselves a diabolical fixture next year.

I expected us to be fairly ordinary this year, so I'm not totally surprised by what we've dished up so far. What I didn't expect was the lack of passion, the lack of respect and the lack of care for each other. We have so many players who just dispose of the footy without thinking, leaving their teammates to get crunched or to compete outnumbered. We're totally bereft of skill, fitness and confidence. Goodwin has clearly lost the players and the plot, and needs to do the honourable thing and resign. Lamb should join him.

Laughable that Howes gets another chance. His confidence is shot and he needs a stint at Casey. Frankly anybody on the list would be better at this point.

Unsurprisingly all three of last weeks inclusions have been booted straight out - that's what happens when you bring in players with no form or match fitness. Howes is clearly not a defender, so needs to be played elsewhere at Casey to see if he can be repurposed. Jefferson is not AFL ready, so hopefully he is made to come back via Casey to build some form before he gets another chance. Melksham averaged 8 disposals and 1 goal last year, and now comes straight in with no form or fitness. He is ridiculously overrated by Goodwin and by Demonland, and is clearly not part of our future. I don't think Langford is AFL ready, but hopefully he gets a full game to show what he can do. Billings deserves a chance, but we know what we are going to get by now. Johnson did some good things in round 1, and hopefully he has spent the past fortnight working on his ruck work. Obviously May is a big in if he is anywhere near full fitness, although we do seem top heavy in defence.

Clear the forward line out, move the ball quickly and deliver low and hard to a leading Fritsch with Pickett on hand to mop up any crumbs. Fritsch will kick 60 goals a year in that scenario and Pickett will get 50 if he avoids suspension. Expecting Fritsch to outmark taller and stronger opponents in the middle of a pack as at present is ludicrous.

12 months ago we lost Tamara Hyett to the Bulldogs, and I'm not convinced she was fully replaced. Ben Brown has since headed to Essendon. We have now lost Jessie Mulholland to the Saints. Hopefully the club is working hard to provide our AFLW program with the quality and quantity of personnel that they require to be successful this season. https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1286813/st-kilda-saints-appoint-new-gm-of-aflw-jessie-mulholland-retiree-steph-chiocci-to-return

Our small defender stocks (or lack thereof) are a major issue. It is one of the reasons I was so annoyed that we sent so many picks to Essendon in the Lindsay deal. Finding a quality small defender with a late pick this year is an absolute must, even if McVee signs a long term extension.

Wasn't Gawn involved in the Grundy discussions? Given how that one worked out, he is the last person that should be trying to recruit players.

Is Marty Hore made of paper? What a total waste of a list spot.

Doesn't kick nearly enough goals, doesn't win his own football, and doesn't demand his opponent be accountable for him because he doesn't play in dangerous positions. Has a career average of just over 2 inside 50s per game, so his much vaunted field kicking is probably only contributing a goal a game. Good on him for reaching game 100 this week, but we can do so much better.

I don't know if Chaplin is the problem, the solution or somewhere in between. What I do know is: 1. Having 2-3 key forwards all standing in the same positions and competing for the same contests doesn't work. 2. Playing midgets across the half forward line and expecting them to mark high balls doesn't work. 3. Having Spargo manning grass by himself on the wide HFF whilst his opponent intercepts balls inside F50 doesn't work. 4. Entering the F50 from the flanks so that we take most of our shots from 45 degree angles doesn't work. 5. Slow ball movement through the middle of the ground that results in high balls to packs or kicks under pressure into the F50 doesn't work. 6. Having your best goalkicker roaming the wings doesn't work. What does work is: 1. Unselfish forwards who block for each other and create pathways for teammates (Watch Brown & McDonald in 2021 as exhibit A). 2. Multiple forwards leading in different directions at different times. 3. Forwards who lead hard at the kicker and demand the football out in front. 4. Crumbing forwards at the feet of marking targets. 5. Quick, direct movement inside F50. I can't stand Hawthorn, but they have perfected all of these things.

Consider also the following long term contracts that Tim Lamb has agreed to: Oliver contracted to age 33 (2030) Petracca contracted to age 33 (2029) Lever contracted to age 32 (2028) Langdon contracted to age 32 (2028) Viney contracted to age 34 (2028) Gawn contracted to age 36 (2027) Salem contracted to age 31 (2026) McAdam contracted to age 31 (2026) Fritsch contracted to age 31 (2026) May (33), McDonald (33), Campbell (33) and Melksham (34) all out of contract this year. I'm pretty confident Petracca will be playing good football somewhere at that age. Fritsch's contract is fine, notwithstanding his recent form. McDonald and May both deserve to be on the list this year. However I cannot see the wisdom in the deals offered to Langdon, Lever and Viney - they are all terrible contracts for us, particularly given the money they would each be on. I love Gawn, but cannot see him making it to 2027 in decent shape. Salem has done nothing for 3 years. McAdam was a shocking trade in every respect. Melksham should have been delisted two years ago. If it is good enough for Geelong to have Selwood and Hawkins on 1 year contracts at the end of the career, then it should be good enough for us (2 years absolute max).

Not destroying the 33 year old, 226 gamer in the first month of the season is.the.key.