deelusions from afar

Have no idea about how good Stafford is as a coach. But as others have said I think this is more about the game plan / strategy. There's three phases of the game: when we have the ball, when they have the ball and when it's in dispute. We're very good at 2/3. But when the ball is in hand we are boring and safe. Whoever is in charge of ball movement / strategy needs to do a lot of work over summer. Can't blame them as it worked last year but the game has evolved. We need to as well.

I know it's going to be a light week on the track, but if they did any match simulation at training this week, I would like to see: Team A: - First choice midfield - Second choice defence (eg Tomlinson, Smith, Disco, Bowey etc) - Forward line with Kozzie, Fritsch, Petracca, ANB, Spargo and Chandler / Bedford (i.e. no talls). Team B: - 2nd choice midfield - first choice defence - rest of best 44 forwards. I would like to see our midfield practice moving the ball without bombing it long (as Team A doesn't have anyone can compete v May /Lever / Petty in the air). If they know they can't do this, they'll start to come up with strategies and systems that favour the forwards. Every other decent team can do this. We might not have the skills of Sydney / Collingwood but we're not that far behind. We just haven't practiced it. We've practiced playing "boring". I think back to some of our wins early last year - eg our breakout match v the Tigers. We outworked them and moved the ball by handballing and running our way up the field. While other teams now know not to have their defenders follow our forwards up the ground, this doesn't mean we can't try a bit more run and carry. We have the players and the team to do it - we've just forgotten how. Maybe it's too late in season to be working on this, but it should be the focus over summer.

Love trac but... why didn't they sub him out on the weekend. We was clearly playing hampered.

I would have Smith as the sub (or TMac if he were match fit or JVR if he had got some senior experience). It seems to be our key position players that go down and we have midfield depth with ANB, Petracca, Sparrow spending time forward, Brayshaw able to play back. If May / Lever / Petty / Brown go down we don't have a logical backup. This is our Achilles heel - which is even more apparent with playing only one tall forward (and a resting ruck).

Re-watched our match with them and actually feel more confident now. The things that stood out for me: * we played better than I remembered and really should have won. * obviously umpiring decisions can go either way but fairly sure their first two goals (to Reid) and their last two came from questionable free kicks. * We missed some absolute sitters - Jackson, Gawn and Fritsch near the end that they would normally kick. * May was out (so was Buddy) and Petty was on and off the ground with a bunch of knocks. Our backline competed better than I remembered but definitely got caught out a few times which potentially could be attributed to some players getting caught out of position. * Rowbottom tagged Clarry from the start with a hard tag at every stoppage. He clearly impacted Clarry's influence (I think they will do this again) but as the game went on Clarry seemed to outwork him. *Kozzie and Spargo were critical - just get the ball in their hands and we usually score.

Also don't think it would be wise to trade both Chandler and Bedford. The minute we do that we'll have multiple injuries to Spargo, Kozzie and ANB. I have a feeling Bedford will leave and Chandler will want one last shot at the Dees - he hasn't got the chance to have a string of games like Bedford has.

While I like the creative thinking, in addition to the comments others have made, would be surprised if Freo let Treacy go. I think he's rated highly by Freo supporters (and I assume therefore their FD too).

Wouldn't worry about the SEN trade reports - most of them would be way off the mark.

It's interesting how this is playing out. It seems like the board and influential people have split into factions. The fact that Xavier and Madden have gone today means Josh Mahoney is running out of allies. Unless Sheedy, Dodoro and co go as well, they are growing in power and may be able to put their boy (Hird) back on the throne. Sycophants (Robbo, Corcoran etc) are saying this is needed to unite the club but it will do the opposite - already big names such as Watson (x2) and Lloyd are saying this is not the way to go. With the North President getting advice from Peter Jackson and her CEO apparently in the gun, I wonder if Josh Mahoney could jump ship to North given he was PJ's anointed successor (until Bartlett went for his own choice). Hope he does - always liked Josh and thought he was pivotal in our turn around. Essendon look to be going through cycles of more dysfunction for a while yet.

Yeah I guess this makes sense - with Trac spending more time forward (with Brayshaw on ball) then he could effectively take Sparrow's midfield minutes. Would be very rough for Sparrow and Jordon to miss but if TMac is in that seems to be the only way.

But no ones ever building a list from scratch. When we drafted Kozzie people said we were crazy as he's just a forward pocket / pressure forward. But he is incredibly important to our team / structure / system as he filled a need we are crying out for.

Interesting someone said in this thread that a bunch of Carlton players took paycuts to fit him in. That's all good and well if you're in the window but to do that and not make finals would hurt! They must be in for some salary cap pain as they have improved out of sight and probably injuries cost them from a finals berth. Would be throwing the Jackson $$ (if he doesn't stay) at De Konig who was replaced by Pittonet at the end of the season - and because the blues have multiple tall forwards, he can't rest there.

It's a big call - he seems lightly built at the moment. And to get in the Melbourne team (especially on the wing) you need elite fitness (tank) and discipline to implement the game plan. Would hope he gets there but would be surprised if its Rd 1 next year.

Since we were one of the clubs linked to him earlier in the year I've tried to watch him closely whenever I see a Port match. I've obviously been watching the wrong matches but he hasn't been the classy player that everyone talks about - in fact I mostly have seen him turn it over / bomb it long. I know I've obviously not seen his best but... do we really want him? I guess as a free agent it costs nothing. I would rather the salary go to a key forward or ruck / forward though i think

Put $40 on him in the preseason @ 9.00. Cash out or hold?

TMac to play?

Agree 100% Especially when you consider this - Top 8 record v Top 8 sides in 2022 We've had by far the hardest run of any team (followed by the dogs who just scraped in). A number of our losses happened in our flat patch in the middle of the season (Freo, Swans, Pies) when May was out and we were battling injuries etc. All teams have flat spots so it's not like we can discount them. But to have played 3 or 4 more matches against the top 8 than almost everyone else and still finish 2nd is a pretty bloody brilliant effort! I think this is especially so when you consider our tough finish to the season and we look to be finding our form / touch. It's all coming together. Compare this to the Cats / Tigers last month and they might get a shock in September!

This is the one time we're allowed to think two weeks a time 😉

Given the week off - surely they structure games so that no player misses due to concussion protocols. It's pretty unfair otherwise. I don't want swans supporters to have an excuse

On the weekend, I thought I noticed a bit more flair from some players - particularly Rivers and Hunt. Looking to play on more and get additional metres before kicking. Whether this was just coincidental / circumstantial or a deliberate instruction remains to be seen.

It's definitely a stretch. But they are 5 years off playing finals. If he leaves he can come to a premiership team who are right in the window. He's 24 now so at North will spend the best years of his career in a team rebuilding. He could get paid more at North but if Jackson leaves we will have significant space in the cap ($750k+? per year) and what could be two first round draft picks. As he's contracted North would be highly unlikely to let him go but sometimes it happens.

I agree with this 100%. Playing the percentages is one thing... but its not playing the percentages when the opposition know you are going to do this and have setup for it. As @A F has said, maybe we're waiting to pull the trigger in the finals - I hope that's the case. But we were so close last week to losing which means we would most likely finish outside the top 4. Are we really prepared to risk the double chance (and possible week off if we win) just to get a couple of tactical wins in the finals? Seems a stretch

Agree 100%. Grundy is contracted so doesn't have to go. If he does go, he would most likely want to go to a contender. He was apparently impressed with our presentation. Which other contenders have the cap to bring in a ruckman on $700k? The only reason we could do it is due to Jackson leaving. Pies don't have leverage unless there's a bidding war. They want the salary space to go after the GWS players.

I think the Sparrow for Harmes is the most likely change. But why did they have Harmes play a full game in the wet to be a 5 day break if he was in contention? I think they would opt for Viney to play the defensive mid role if we need a tag or potentially Oliver if he's got a tag himself. If Harmes were to come in to tag Neale it further complicates our midfield rotations if Brayshaw is to continue in there. Would be surprised to see him pushed to a wing and Jordon squeezed out given he hasn't played wing all year. Think you're judging ANB too harshly - his pressure and running are critical to the team. He's not in the team to kick goals other than opportunist ones. And on Spargo, as much as I am a fan of Chandler, he is not quicker or bigger than Spargo and so is just as likely to be pushed aside. Spargo leads THE COMP for % of inside 50 kicks marked by a team mate. Given its our biggest weakness, he is important. Chandler has not shown this at AFL level (albeit with limited opportunities). But I agree Spargo has been found out numerous times when he goes to a wing.

So glad our selections are not in the hands of many of the posters on here! No player is perfect and every player has their limitations. It's about finding the right mix that compliment each other to get the best result for the team. e.g: Ben Brown - yes he sh!ts me - particularly when his opponents are quicker and more agile than him. But he is the most important structural player to our team. Who else can run like he does and force the ball to ground. Weid is not up to it. JVR is not ready. TMac is not ready. MB is not up to it. Plus he has kicked clutch goals in the final quarter the last two weeks. Charlie Spargo - he is under sized and not particularly quick. It seems like he is exposed when put on the wing which happened again on the weekend. But he is our best inside 50 kick by a mile - and that is our biggest weakness. We need the ball in his hands at half forward more often. Who can come in and do this better? ANB - he is not as clean as some players and his kicking can be off - but he runs as hard as anyone to allow us to play our game. If he goes out we get exposed on turnover and with not enough forward pressure.