Earl Hood

Viney is the one of the 3 experienced mids I assumed would be depth next season. Oliver and Tracc should be playing their best footy given their age and experience and I expected the new coach to get them working on their weaknesses, while looking to maximise their strengths in the new game plan and giving Viney the bad news. I could understand one of Tracc or Oliver but not both.

They can kick, but they need to take the time to find a target and that should be within 25 m most times. That should have been a team rule with consequences for not doing it. In 2024 I made a habit of watching our replays and freeze framing it when one of these 3 had the ball and running forward, time and time again they booted long burning teammates 20m forward and running in the corridor. They can all kick accurately over 25m. The problem has been in my mind that Goodwin tolerated, if not encouraged the blind hack kick forward from this trio for the last 2 seasons.

Yes that’s what has me thinking this a cultural rebuild. Not unlike some of the organisational restructures I endured at work over the years when the new management team takes over. It is often the experienced, competent, square pegs types out the door first.

So that has me wondering about the discussion with Viney. He is the player that I thought the modern game has moved on from. He is the one I thought would not be first pick and needed a role change, perhaps to a defensive forward role. Looks like he will now be needed full time in the guts.

Because the club wants him out, I suspect. Is this as more a cultural rebuild as opposed to some game style change that can’t accommodate a May, Oliver and (to a lesser extent) Petracca?

And our new coach couldn’t overcome that [censored] to force him into a rethink? King has talked of a reset, more attacking game style, meets McVee who says he wants more attacking role but after meeting requests transfer! The new coach is not having a great impact so far.

Given he is on the list next year and he has wheels, a tank and reasonable disposal, the new coach has got to develop a game style that gets the ball to him and others like him, more often. We need more outside running receivers and less inside experienced bulls just hack kicking the ball forward to no one. Sharp might work in a more attacking game style.

Hey we beat Brisbane remember!

And Father Son!

Umpires keeping the Cats in it.

And that surely gives us hope that King can turn things around. We get enough of the ball and we get the inside 50’s to be competitive, if we start playing modern footy.

Danger!

And if they do, they will win the flag. It’s amazing they can keep playing these high pressure games without incurring injuries.

I hope Viney, Oliver, Langdon and Co are watching this game and how the best sides are delivering the ball into their F50 to the advantage of their forwards! The Cats in that quarter, with their ball carriers in traffic, under pressure, were spotting up targets with 20 meter kicks. You don’t have to be a great kick to set up goals.

It’s outcome based isn’t it? Someone is concussed, someone must be guilty. That’s what happened to May.

It’s a final so there is no such thing as a dangerous tackle.

Turner forward, JVR moved back. I believe JVR was as good at CHB in his Under 18 games as he was up forward. And Turner seems a natural the few times he played forward.

We definitely need another agile small forward in addition to Kossie. We should have a crack at this guy.

And if that issue is not addressed it won’t matter who we have up forward. I don’t know why Goodwin tolerated that long bombing/hack kicking forward by the experienced old guard for so long after he said he was trying to fix the so called lack of forward connection! There should have been consequences, experienced players dropped if they continued to kick long, burning players closer and in better positions. I hope King is very strong on this glaring flaw in our game style.

I’m in, he doesn’t cost picks and we desperately need players who are natural instinctive forwards to improve our conversion rate and to mentor the younger forwards. Of course if our ball movement and delivery doesn’t improve nothing changes.

Gee don’t even try to tackle Rowell or you will give away a free.

Unlike us they have been trading and drafting very efficiently and smartly and to a plan. Picking up cheap as chips trade bargains like Ginnivan, Chol D’Ambrosia, then pay full price for Barrass and Battle to go with early picks like Watson.

Imagine if his defender(s) actually played off his back shoulder instead of 5 meters away guarding grass.

Crows making some shocking blunders. Tex might be number one culprit, burning team mates and kicking points.

All over!