Ted Lasso

One of my huge concerns heading into 2021 with the reduced list sizes and FB dept soft cap is the need for on field leadership, even bordering on playing coaches. I feel compared to a lot of teams we're really poor in this area, we aren't good at responding to momentum shifts at all, we just hope we don't get blown away and try and re-set at quarter breaks. I really feel that 2-3 list spots on next years list need to be allocated to experienced on field leaders who have the capacity to effectively be a playing assistant coach. if stick with Goodwin which i believe would be a huge mistake, but sadly one i think we're going to make then we absolutely have to get this right or we're in for a very tough year. with this mind i'd be an advocate for chasing veterans with premiership experience, ideally via trade for late picks to protect free agency compo in the event Viney leaves, such as Issac Smith, i'm not sure who else. but i feel strongly we're going to need 2-3 for next season. Obviously they have to be still playing well enough to play the majority of games in the best 22 and ideally not suffering too much from injury concerns.

I think we need to know the reason for his form slump. to me Tommy at his best is quite mobile, and he hasn't had that this year, perhaps he's carrying too much weight, perhaps he's carrying an injury. the second component to this is his confidence is pretty shot, to be honest one of my real areas of concern with Goodwin is i think he manages players confidence really poorly, doesn't back guys in for lock enough, chops and changes too much. I thought Tommy wasn't playing as well as he'd have liked in his last stint but i felt personally like it wasn't too far away. he did seem to be getting to okay spots, getting his hands on the ball, just not quite clunking them.

God. Essendope would be demanding Petracca and 2 first rounders just for this blokes boots.

Daniel Rioli might be gettable?

Very interesting, i suppose that means we've got some money to throw around, or at least think we will after other trades go through.

I am a huge advocate for chasing both Issac Smith and Tom Hawkins and keeping Nathan Jones for one more year simply because list sizes and soft caps are shrinking and so is our coaching department. I think teams with essentially on field coaches and leadership are going to really do well next season, and i'd have all 3 in our best 22 right at this moment.

I'd chase hard! would really sure up our forward line, Imo Jackson will continue to develop in that role and Tmac with a pre season and injury free run may also be able to find some form. do need Weid to take another big step though

Maybe we will win the spoon next year just in time for them to introduce a draft lottery and give us pick 9

This has 100% been leaked to Jay Clark by his manager to try and get the Dees to panic and up their offer. it's very common these days. I hope we hold firm and only pay Jack what we think he's worth. it's hard to see him actually leaving by choice

If he leaves Freo i reckon the Eagles will snap him up on a nothing contract as insurance for an injury to Kennedy/Darling knowing if they get him right he's a bargain replacement for Kennedy when he retires.

Adam Tommlinson Steven May Michael Hibberd Jake Lever Tom McDonald Christian Salem Trent Rivers Christian Petracca Ed Langdon Jake Melksham Sam Weideman Harley Bennell Kozzie Pickett Harrison Petty Aaron Vandenberg Max Gawn james Harmes Clayton Oliver Jack Viney, Angus Brayshaw, Luke Jackson, Bailey Fritsch Some positional changes i'd make. Tmac to CHB. a full pre season of working on his running i think he can settle back into that position with much more support around him. Lever to the back flank. he's consistently caught one on one. he'll be dangerous for us as a quarter back player who can use his kicking and leave his opponent and intercept. Really rate Rivers, would be backing him to develop into the wingman we're crying out for. I think Harry Petty has shown great signs as a forward and i'd be willing to back him in if he can get fit, Vanders and Spargo down there provides some tackle pressure and also dangerous players. Bennell and Melksham help address the inside 50 conversion.

Our top 4 forwards have kicked 64 goals total this year, in 2018 our top 4 forwards kicked 150 goals. three of our 2018 top 4 forwards are still on the list, and 2 played on the weekend. we've gone so far backwards offensively since 2018 it's not even funny, We need forwards, a gun small forward, a big bloke who can take and mark and the best forward craft/forward coach in the business are absolute musts for us.

A team culture killer? sorry i didn't realise we had a successful winning culture.... we have no culture to destroy, we're a mess.

Not sure i'd take Jesse back, great bloke, loads of talent, but we aren't in a position, leadership wise to get the best out of someone like that.

I'm gunna get smashed for this, i can see it coming, BUT. would we consider trading Max Gawn? I understand it seems like a horrible idea, but he's 30 next year, and a F/A, he's got a history of injuries and could hit the wall faster than people think if you traded him now you might be a chance to get a good deal from a side like GWS who'd be desperate for him, could potentially snag Josh Kelly and Jeremy Finlayson, or something like that. 1-2 very good players at the right age, and back in our young rucks to come on. I am not advocating for this but i do think it's worth discussing, because as i said, he may only have 1-2 good years left and if we aren't going to push for a premiership, he's got a huge amount of value.

Rivers May Lever Salem Tommlinson Hibberd Melksham Petracca Langdon Fritsch Weideman Harmes Spargo Jackson Tmac Gawn Brayshaw Oliver Viney, Pickett, Hannan, AVB

I remember Roosy saying Goody talked his way into the role talking about contest, defence and Brand. Since taking over, we've totally lost our brand, the first think he dismantled was our defence and we are good in the contest because we have elite contest players, but we have no system at all around that, we're getting by purely on talent. outside of the Crows and Norf, every other team has shown more consistent system and chemistry as a team than we have and that is 100% Simon Goodwins fault.

Freo sacked him because they needed to re-build and he wasn't suited to re-building a team. we're ready to challenge but our coach isn't capable, in a very similar stage to St Kilda and Fremantle when he took over.

Also the guy who's taken 2 different teams to consistent finals series, regular grand final appearances and is about 20 points away from being a 3 time premiership coach?

I have been a supporter of JM for a while and generally think he's been pretty good but it's becoming obvious the club needs some serious change. if we could get Neale Balme or Geoff Walsh in for that role that'd be great, if not i'd be offering it to Alan Richardson.

Absolutely. and i reckon Roosy would be filthy about that. he was always talking about Brand and System and Goody has pulled it apart every year he's had the role.

Yeah exactly, but potentially more like the NBA, Richo would essentially take part of the senior coaching role on in terms of trading, drafting, and overseeing all of those things and you'd have a senior coach who effectively is just a match day coach/tactician. I think this works much better for modern football given the senior coaching role is so broad it's hard for them to really hire the right person because everyone is going to have strengths and weaknesses. would love Clarko, but i'm not sure how likely that is and for me it wouldn't change where i sit in terms of how the football department should look. for me Goodwin looks like a guy taking on way to much and not really sure where to start.

There is still plenty of talent on the list, coming into the right age to compete and play consistent finals... BUT there is now a serious question mark on if we have the right bloke to maximize that talent and get us where we need to go.

I have mentioned this before but the way footy is going i'd look at a football department re-structure, give the power to the GM of footy and hire the best tactical game day coach GM of footy - Alan Richardson - Tonnes of experience, understands footy, just not a good senior coach. Senior Coach - Adam Yze - Tactically brilliant, great apprenticeship under Clarko, history with Dees Backline Coach - Justin Leppach - responsible for the Tigers backline setup, if we could poach him it'd be huge. Midfield/Leadership - Michael Voss Forwards - Steve Johnson Culture/wellness - Brett Kirk Development - Mark Williams

The umpires are having zero bearing on this game. we are playing a horrific brand of totally unacceptable football for a team with our talent.