Tolstoys Nudge

Haha nice! Once that tenderness sets in and adrenaline dissipates = it’s a MIN 2-3Wkr likely 4-6.

TMAC to the rescue re Petty being bake to be fwd though, that’s for sure. Lever I don’t think will necessarily even miss, will entirely depend on scan!

Hmmm nah. Or for me, if Thomo comes in, Petty stays fwd IMHO. Matchup wise it works & fwd line looked much more dangerous with Petty there (as did backline too of course). Interesting to see if we play Schache back in VFL today, just as a means to test out the depth for worst-case scenarios down-the-line, Adams still 12-18mths away from being AFL ready (demon afl ready that is, he’s AFL ready for many other sides) so curious to see if he JS does play back or if Jeffo experiment (not experimenting to make a def, just to round his game) means JS will stay fwd — I’m hoping they go with MJ fwd JS back.

No.. he’s just got a choice to make by circumstance and he’ll choose us, he’s a demon mad kid who’s supported us his entire life and will make use of the GC academy benefits all he can while he can!

Despite feeling slightly nervous just out of the sheer facts of going 0-2 and the pressure-cooker environment potentially becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts.. BUT.. then I went through the Dogs team, line by line, and boy — did I suddenly feel a whole lot better. The lineups are incredibly skewed in our favour, and all of a sudden with swans belting the pies (talk about a flattering scoreline, was more like a 10 goal drubbing) in Melbourne, after it seemed like they got us through the extremist humidity negating Max, Lever, JVR & happening to get us minus the one player it may of suited in Kos — I now find myself feeling extremely confident. I do highly recommend the exercise of reviewing dogs side.. you’ll start to see it: Backs: Bramble Khamis Coffield Wings: Harmes, Gallagher Fwds: West, Lobb Interchange: Vandermeer, McNeil, Williams, JJ (inconsistent lot at best) When you put that bottom 10 or so, against ours, it really does speak to how much the media fails to really ever actually analyse a game before speaking on their expected outcomes — sure we could lose, anyone can to any side, but how 80% of media rips the dogs is absolutely laughable and unfounded on every metric or facet: Gameplan, cohesion, experience, Ground record, Form & history! But it’s also just the way I (and I believe also the proverbial WE) like it, always have worn the underdog, written-off shoe better than the world-beater one and I’m glad the media have jumped-off, publicly at least. Last week, I don’t care what ANYONE says — conditions played a role & our new gameplan be it ball movement, or our updated (and MUCH improved for mine) Zone setup were all impacted by the ground size & most of all conditions. We’ve also got a more balanced side today, carrying less unfit players (Spargo over Billings was pure insanity, even Spargo over a KOLT or K Brown given his fitness was bonkers) with Clarry less likely to fade out late like he did LW, again where the humidity played an essential role. As proven on Friday night, Grundy could not POSSIBLY have had a better set of circumstances go his way last week, Max was mitigated to a pure tap only role given high marking was impossible, and Grundy being able to thrive by it basically playing like a torrential downpour after 15m, making everything slow-down & bringing his lower centre of gravity & ground-ball pick up, quick kick out of contest style to the forefront! That’s not happening again. Expected score was a 16pt loss LW, and we died in the last quarter & failed to take advantage yet again, early when we had ascendency & could of broken game open by getting out to a 15-25pt lead, which changes the entire dynamic of the contest. But we got beaten by a side who mastered the conditions, and that we’re able to run away, and sure right now swans look ominous, but it’s a 30wk season form opening rnd game to GF, so let’s not peak R0, as it is not ideal — but yes getting win sure would have taken the pressure off a little. We know it’s always danger vs dogs, they don’t like us and it’s more than mutually felt, but given a simulation of 1000 games, we win this one 670-715 times in my opinion. I’m definitely looking fwd to seeing the new style in appropriate conditions, with less fumbles than in a high-school gridiron Friday night lights — Rivers, Max, Lever, JVR, Trac should all make amends today in perfect for footy conditions & I just cannot wait to see the boys firing on the mighty ‘G!!! What I wanna see: — With appropriate conditions in both weather & ground this week… Our newly tweaked Zone alongside our adapted ball movement strategy = Putting aces in their places ergo putting the footy in the hands we want it in when propelling i50!!! Perhaps one of the most low-key innovative features of the off-season, helped perhaps by having some Mini McQualter insights, but the new slightly deeper Zone, that puts more of a premium on inviting the perfect kick with the go-on-then-have-crack-at-it roaming HFF interceptor sitting slightly back ready to pounce on the corridor pass that isn’t absolutely perfect, combined with the slightly more offensive cross-cross running pattern it launches once it is a read from those front zone runners, where they sense so much as a 55-45 chance at intercept, they’re GAWWWN w/full propulsion fwd thru mid & mid-side lanes using a cross-cross, or zig-zag pattern (depending on where the contest in question is) that has our best kicks (Salo, Billings, Kos, McVee, Windsor, Nibbler overlapping past the first possessor to ensure they’re the i50 kicker & decision maker & our fwds are running in both a 90* Angle & a stagger-type lead pattern along with a mid/fwd cutting to the most dangerous space just i50 for the easy over the top or short angle entry, like what we saw vs blues but more intense & id say at 10% improvement every 4-6wks thru the year — This is a method that IF we can get it right will result in MUCH better shots at goal, and also allow a f50 stoppage as the goal when the hit/up might be covered or the deeper option can’t get a break on the lead — as they’ll then work with those aforementioned to create a contest on a lower-height i50 deeper entry to get that stoppage or ideally win the contest before it gets to stoppage obviously! I know it sounds a bit complex or hard-to-visualise but you’ll hopefully see plenty of it today. Key though is getting that gamble kick intercept right & not allowing a deeper oppo entry due to a breakdown in the system somewhere. This gamble-kick enticing role is where I think Lever becomes essential if manned up, why need a Hore/Howes/Disco combo rather than a Tommo due to speed off mark & absolute decisiveness needing to be on-point! — Max Gawn & Lever/May/Hore/Howes at intercepting best in proper footy conditions without insane humidity & at a ground more condusive to it (So glad to see Marty back, despite the vitriol anyone seems to get when they mention him being a good pick-up, which is fine but confusing that’s all, you’ll see very soon why his kicking & smarts are so valued)✅✅✅ — Kos being champing-at-the-bit & in best one-touch form of his career, blitzing out of contests or dancing around traffic i50 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 — Watching a majestic young Winger Speedster tear down the Members wing & hit up some targets as well as taking a few bounces & igniting a mighty roar with a clam, composed, clinical finish!!! 🔥🔥🔥 — Clarry putting in one of those games where his hands have to be seen to be believed, setting up his teammates time after time & getting a snag from the boundary with a brute of a push-off & a SNAPPP 🙌🙌🙌 Prediction: Dees by 32pts Gls: JVR, Kossie 3, Fritta, Petracca, Brown 2 Best: Gawn, Clarry, Trac, Kos ————————————————————— If we do somehow lose, let’s see the manner & not throw baby out with bathwater, as hurtful as it’ll be, can’t see it happening but it’s a long season & we WILL get it right more than not, don’t forget that — We’ve proven this & I blv in this team & coaching staff, we’ve got FAR more improved in us than we do decline!!! Go Dees 🔴🔵

Been thinking this a long time after it was highly public Geelong usurped us.. pace is big plus and would suit our mids given he’s more outside overall but can win it inside as well..

Not sure fwd cohesion was the issue tonight — we got beaten at the coal face and on the outside in strange conditions, that rendered Max redundant and gave Grundy the best of chances to shine. We lacked the game turners that can make something or of nothing, with Trac off a little and fumbly, Kos would’ve been a MASSIVE advantage given how clean and quick he is but that’s footy. I took solace in May performance, Fritta overcoming recent mini-yips is huge & I think Howes was superb, composed and showed PLENTY. Clarry better for run, overall we will know much more after next week I feel!

Won’t bother Claz even a BIT mate, count on that!!!

YES

Agreed all around. I think only changes to Carlton squad will be Clarry for Brown & perhaps Fullarton for Kos, with Laurie as more of a fwd/mid option. Unless we somehow work a miracle with McAdam & he can be the sub. They may wait in Clarry but way I see it he played with Casey to protect him exposure wise and cannot see why he’d be held above as that’d only add pressure to his shoulders for R1-2.

Slippery slopes being sled

Loving the overall positivity from the DL’ers today… very very nice to see! Some really positive signs, thanks Andy for helping get us info and pics etc — love your work as always! — Love that Kolt was up and about, pulled at HT so we’ll see him tonight! — I think Fullarton rucking all game is a HUGE footnote personally… terrific signs! Could be a R1 Smoky now for sure given fwd woes and McAdam 80% likely to miss.. — SURELY Clarry plays now, it’d be counterproductive to hold him back now and likely a slight kick in guts. I’d have him 85% likely at present since he says he’s pulled-up well. — Seston dobbing 3 is another lovely song, kid can finish & I think he might be a player if he can cont to build an AFL tank & physique, he is def closing in on both!!! We need all the natural kickers & finishers we can get… — Wrapped for Jeffo, have been a keen observer of his since pre-draft and think with Petty (if he stays), JVR & MJ we’re building a really unique, dynamic set of Key Fwds to them have mids and smalls play off of. Each brings something very different, JVR the leading, aerobic, natural talent, Petty the crafty strong hands with high IQ & Jeffo the mark at highest-point, Bean-pole with some panache & flair!!! — TMAC an important depth defender — Hore a natural fitting smart defender who adds something different & plays tall/small — AMW cont to grow that 1-3% a week towards being an AFL player. Confident he’ll get there and AGAIN is something different in his skill set, style & make-up to what we have in the smalls dept

Not hard 2 do at ALL

Well get used to it! It’s likely gonna shown at least early, reiterated by Richo & makes sense at stages given he keeps getting tagged out of games at HB

Talk about a headline that makes you go ‘’MEH’ — Such a tool.. Goody has been safe, yes! But that’s not known cus of Lloyd, that’s for sure… I am looking fwd to seeing some of that change this year as I think its likely one of our biggest changes re having more gears to go to and less safe at times! But honestly Lloyd, is perhaps less on money than Cornes!

Can’t WAIT to see him today

Crazy! Shock horror neither Cornes or King had him in their combined top 10 finish Brownlow locks.. morons

Agreed!

Yeah that Clarry.. he’s SO flaky I mean just look at his 7yr record 🤷🏻‍♂️

Agreed

Yep, we’re perfect — clearly! 😂 Your point about the pies is EXTREMELY narrow sighted, they needed LUCK more than they needed skill. Did their skill make 6 demon shots miss form spots that have a 70% avg success rate in a qtr? Did their grit ensure that they won nearly every 50/50 decision in the final 3qtrs? LUCK is king and never forget it, luck > skill equation only amplifies in small margin finals. It’s hard to swallow but it’s fact. Sure you get runs like us in 21’ but even that had elements of luck, the dogs failures to get that extra goal to put them 23 up, etc.. run and carry is a super-simplified term, we’re adding strings to an arsenal, gears to a chain.. to combat a 10-15% swing toward a more offensive overall brand..

Yea, they were.. but it doesn’t change the fact we were the dominant side and we don’t really need to change much at all apart form what we clearly already are working on, being f50 momentum, chain & connection via addressing which players are in that dangerous space (Spargo, Laurie, Windsor, Rivers, Salem, Brayshaw etc) & who’s moving into the i50 space, and where ie shallow AND deep, 15-20m options off of a flare cut or a reverse-lead to create space horizontally, diagonally not just deep and straight or it a pocket, more outside 50m into 50m leads, more swinging of sides with blocks, fake blocks etc it’s an all encompassing strategy that enables more options & better shots, but we’ve still gotta kick em — doesn’t matter who you are, if you keep missing ANYONE will beat you ANY week, simples!

Huh…? Your making MY point mate haha I don’t think you got my jib.. I’m not saying he’s a blvr, I’m saying that they’re all full of hot air — And that they all know we’re a good side & all this fluff about us dropping-off is exactly what you said, shock-jock sensationalism. My point is that underneath, they’re the same as any neutral supporter, ie they have no idea & just wanna make the next bold prediction knowing if wrong no one will remember & they’ll get clicks along the way. Ones like King, Cornes etc who specifically went hard on us LY, let emotion rule their public ‘opinion’ & they inflate their own self importance, so when they talk about us all hear like he did with Hoyne and asking if the predictive stats still show MELB are best side etc, when we lose instead of pointing to fact we just didn’t convert, he decides to go all out the other way and say we have a bad culture, that we’re a disappointment etc etc ergo my entire point is.. he like many more are entirely FULL OF IT!!! I’ve been anti-media for many years, so you’re barking up the wrong tree there amigo, just to clarify — hope that helps clear it up.

I actually disagree wholeheartedly! I think our year depends largely on the next group stepping up, be it Gus, Rivers, McVee, Salem, Sparrow, Spargo, JVR, Kos, Langdon, Petty, Hunter, Billings & McAdam… May, Max, Lever, Trac, Viney, Oliver will do their thing no matter what — but the above group is where the heavy-weight of improvement or growth will come, then anything strong (top 10-15 player lvl of perf) from Windsor, JVR, Howes, Kolt, AMW, Fullarton, Adams, Disco is crème!!! But I suspect Windsor might have a roll to play already, which is hard to decipher if it’s a good or bad thing but either speaks to desperate need or a burgeoning, overwhelming talent.

I mean dabble now have us $10 as it is.. 😂😂😂 do what I’m doing if it annoys you, take their money folks! I mean the SWANS are $9 FFS 🤣🤣🤣