Ted Lasso

If the Blues are genuinely paying this bloke 900k per year, he and Jack Martin will combine for around 2 million dollars per season. incredible stuff considering they're not key position players good players but i feel like they're eating too big a slice of the salary cap for the output they bring.

The patches list of things that need to improve in 2021 for us to play finals. 1. Our work at the selection table. i think selections genuinely cost us several games this year, and ultimately that results in a finals spot gone. we need to be more willing to back guys in if they have an off game, and we need to settle the team and make less unforced changes. we chopped and changed so much the team was never really able to build any sort of chemistry. especially in the forward 50. this is just really bad coaching IMO 2. we need to get more reward for the dominance of Max Gawn. even when he's right on top in the hit outs we seem to be breaking even or losing clearance. if Gawn is dominating we really need to be making the most of that and really looking to push the hit outs to advantage - scores stat right up. a clean tap from max should really result in a quality entry and a shot at goal much more regularly than it currently is. 3. Our inside/outside balance. we really need to pick 1-2 guys, or recruit them to be wingers, and keep them there, too often we all get sucked into the honey pot and teams know when that happens if they get it to the outside we're toast. Ed Langdon helped that this year, but this ultimately comes down to players knowing and understanding their role at stoppage, this to me is a failing of Simon Goodwin and Ben Matthews. 4. Sam Weideman and Bailey Fritsch need to significantly build their fitness, we need Sam to take much more marks on the lead than he is currently. players creating and finding space will greatly improve our % moving inside 50, way too often we're anchored to the goal square and when we can't mark it we haven't been able to lock it in. 5. Foot skills. when a team isn't highly skilled it's SOOOO important the team has a structure and plan that makes them predictable to each other and reduces the room for mistakes. we seem to be a bit of a chaotic make it up as we go team, and that doesn't suit this list. this again is Simon Goodwin failing to recognise the list he has and trying to implement HIS game plan, not one that works for the players he has.

I don't think the improvement would be so small axis. not only would Gunston improve our best 22 and give us a better chance of winning games, his leadership and off field influence and development of Weidman and Jackson would be absolute gold. with the FB department cap being reduced, players who can provide a level of coaching are going to be like absolute gold to teams like the MFC in 2021. i think the investment is quite a lot more than just what he could provide on the field. that's really just a bonus

4 years at 600k for a team outside the 8 to lose a former captain would very likely net us band 1. not saying that's the correct band for what Jack Viney is worth but based on other players similar to that who have left, that's about right. though i think jack may also be a restricted free agent? so potentially we might even be able to force a trade?

If Zach Merrett is on the cards as a potential option for us and we're not throwing the kitchen sink at him i'd be staggered. He's EXACTLY what we need. not only does he add to our inside midfield depth, he can do what our current players can't and move to a wing or half back and be extremely damaging. Bombers would likely want a significant deal to get him, especially if we're also looking at Saad If Viney left Via Free agency and we got Band 1 compensation which would currently be pick 10, that might kick off a conversation

Positives. The breakout year of Petracca the return to form of Steven May the inclusion of Ed Langdon the 3 draftees all look the goods. Negatives. Still have a senior coach with no idea what he's doing. 22 individuals, not a team horrific selections and way too many changes week to week little to no sign of improvement in the same areas that have been killing us for years Simon Goodwin hasn't been sacked yet.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH as soon as i saw this thread i knew it would be a best 22!!! love your work!

Probably yes, but he's not on big $$ Moore and De Goey will want serious coin

Straight swap for Cockatoo. if we can get him fit he'd be a good player for us, Cats need a ruckman like Press desperately.

Wouldn't be so sure mate, they're under the pump cap wise bigtime and of the blokes they need to lock in, he's definitely the one they'd happily lose to keep the others i reckon if you invested in him you could get him

Actually thought Jesse showed some really good signs tonight, was moving well, getting to good spots and really jumping at the ball I would 100% welcome him back tot he club, particularly if the Dockers aren't asking for a lot trade wise. if we could add Saad, Hogan and potentially another winger to this side. and ideally [censored] Goodwin off and get someone who can coach, we'll be on for 2021

Already well and truly into a bottle of scotch! cheers Demonland! great community to be a part of, possibly the only respite being a dees supporter!

I think the plan with Fritsch is for him to build his endurance base and become more of a wing/high half forward, and it allows some space for Gunston to improve the side in the now, and allow Jackson to develop into his role a bit more.

Jack Gunston would probably be the ideal one in terms of him being an immediate improvement of the best 22 but also highly experienced and providing that on field leadership and helping Weideman develop the bit of forward craft he's currently lacking. our entire forward line is lacking a bit of system so a key forward who could help with that would be a huge bonus

Yeah it's hard to see them being keen on trading him but i think he is someone we could ask about. we'd probably have to give up either a very strong pick or a starting player

I mean more trade wise. i don't even know if the Blues would entertain it though they are in a position they could offload a key forward to get another need filled, possiblty inside mid support for Cripps.

One player who i think would be gettable, allbeit expensive is Harry McKay. i reckon he's an immediate upgrade on Weid and has plenty of upside moving forward. Kind of ironic because we passed McKay to take Weid and were interested in both. I feel like outside run and class is still our biggest need and that's where the bulk of our cap should be spent at this stage, but if we could get McKay in. even if it cost us a good pick. i think we'd be better for it

It's obviously extremely unhealthy to have the level of disagreement in terms of direction that the club evidently has right now. I think if Goodwin weren't signed up long term there would be a pretty clear consensus that his position should be seriously looked at for 2021, but the reality is he's probably safe regardless. So i definitely understand the frustration from long suffering supporters who have contributed time, emotion and money to the club, have seen an exciting young list in 2018 make a pre-lim and appear to have some success coming in the next few years, fall to 17th, and then most likely miss the finals again the following year. I personally have been a financial contributer to the club for a while now, and i'm frustrated by the situation we find ourselves in re- Goodwins contract but that's also said with the benefit of hindsight, at the time in 2018 i was equally as excited as most people and didn't mind him being renewed, although 4 years did feel excessive. My biggest concern with Goodwin is we're having the same issues since 2017. Inconsistency week to week poor conversion inside 50 too easy to transition the ball against an appearance of lacking chemistry and system as a team too many changes at selection week to week, consistent poor selections in terms of Glen Bartlett i think he's tried to provide the club with some calm, and stability, but the club is still lacking in unity overall and a little bit traumatized by how things have gone. i don't think he's done a bad job, but he also hasn't been exceptional. i can understand why people would consider challenging although i think we're pretty close, and a change of coach could really get us back on track accross the board. some on field success is great for bringing people together.

Imagine a half back line with Saad and Williams on it. we'd immediately become on of the best rebound teams in the comp. It'd be costly. but if we could somehow get those two guys, and another wingman. it'd be a great result. Think Williams might go elsewhere though

He looks like a guy who's made the decision to leave and is going through the motions. i wouldn't be surprised if a team has offered him a massive deal, Norf potentially could have offered him a boat load of cash

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.