Earl Hood

26 minutes ago, Sydee said:

personally don't rate him highly - seems about right

Looks like the dorks got Phillips for next to nothing and I suspect the Pies are picking part of his pay as the Hawks originally baulked at the $600k per year but late phone calls with the Pies got the deal done. Thought we should have been into Phillips knowing the pies were desperate. 

Still out of contract? 

Not sure letting Cross and Plapp go is a positive. Who are the replacements, if there are any? 

2 hours ago, hemingway said:

Smith wanted a change. He felt stale at the Hawks and a lot of his mates had departed. He had respect for Clarkson but there was not much love between them  Its no surprise that  he wanted to go to a successful club and had doubts about the Dees. I’m told that privately he has been critical of the Dees and some of their playing personnel. Players backchatting teammates etc. 

He only wanted another 2 years whichever club it was. 

And as reported it seems he wants a lifestyle change and to get away from Melbourne.  

Still a interesting choice by Smith to me. He had the choice of running the deep wings at the G for a majority of games or running in traffic at Cardinia Park that has no wings. As Hawks supporters tell me he Doesn’t tackle and likes to have space to receive, and run. It will be interesting to see how he plays at Geelong next year. 

25 minutes ago, Elegt said:

His kicking was terrible, probably why I reckon

You are probably right and he does have a lot of mates but not solely because of technique. I just don’t think the team game plan puts a premium on accurate kicking, it demands contested footy, get ball and bang it forward at all costs. Skill levels are secondary to brute, contested ability. If you get it right it overwhelms  bottom 6 sides, is competitive with middling 7 to 12 sides but struggles with top 4 sides big time. In short the coach and game plan worry me. 

Anyone know why he fell out of favour? He made mistakes early on then settled down Into the back pocket quite well I thought but was dropped and that was it. He showed some great qualities, burst speed, evasiveness, zero fear and willingness to take the game on. Might need some managing but plenty to work with, so was disappointed he didn’t get a late run. 

On 10/18/2020 at 9:21 AM, spirit of norm smith said:

Given Preuss now needing a fresh opportunity to become a number 1 ruckman elsewhere, it was interesting to see Stef Martin last night.
 

Martin was a developing athletic young ruckman at the Dees and was a strong performer in the ruck when Jamar was out injured in 2011.  Obviously the Dees has Jamar and a young Max Gawn and so Martin was squeezed out at the end of 2012 after 57 games.  
Martin has now played 8 years at the Lions for 133 games and whilst he’s has a few injuries has had an excellent career.  Turns 34 in December so tough call but probably one more chance at a flag if he goes on.  

Was Martin squeezed out? I thought at the time he took off of his own volition after experiencing the first year of Neeld. He is a highly intelligent individual and the Schwab/Neeld circus of stupidity was too much for him. 

Grain of salt, surely? We supposedly had so many other players on our radar. Rory Sloane is often mentioned. Would he or Neale have been lost to the game early if we got them under the Bailey/Neeld/Schwab era? 

Great career, all the best post footy mate. Never understood why we let him go at the time. 

Gee interesting where AFL is at the moment. I am now watching the Rabbitohs v EELS which is closely fought final. AFL contests So often one sided. 

3 hours ago, Redleg said:

I believe Martin will be on $250K next year after $1.7m this year. He will stay on a low amount for the rest of his contract.

Was by far the worst performance of a $1.7m player this year, in the history of the game.

And that pay scale [censored] is basic draft tampering but the AFL just sits there and watches it happen year in year out. It started with Luke Ball who walked from the Saints and refused to talk to suiters other than the Pies, we had first dibs. He had medical issues he would not devolve to anyone but his preferred destination club. Now we just get guys demanding front end payments that other clubs can’t meet, all to get to their preferred club. 

1 minute ago, rjay said:

 

Yep, will probably get a fine for that but honestly deserves weeks.

In a fair system he would get at least a week but as we know it's not a fair system.

Thought it would have been a 50m at least, happened after the whistle for the first infringement. 

The holding the ball, incorrect disposal rule has reappeared! Been missing for 6 to 10 rounds but now back. Amazing. 

The wife who is a Hawks tragic is telling me we have offered Isaac Smith a 2 year deal with the option of a third, not sure on what coin. She thinks the Hawks have offered one year plus a second depending on performance. Interesting! She reckons he will stay.

On 10/4/2020 at 7:54 PM, Whispering_Jack said:

Ben Long has been offered a week’s suspension for that high bump on Jack Macrae. Good to see the MRP taking these head high bumps seriously.

Interesting watching the replay it looks like a guy instinctively turning sideways for the impact as most people would to an oncoming player. You are expected not to bump but tackle but in that situation you can open yourself up for a shirtfront. We are talking about nanosecond decisions as to how you will take the collision. Perhaps I need to review the incident again from various angles but I think the decision is harsh. It reminds me a bit of the Viney Lynch collision a few years ago. In the end Viney got off because all he did was brace for the inevitable collision. 

5 hours ago, DubDee said:

Smith is a very inexperienced player and he had a fairly poor season.  he has only played 18 games in his career, so this signing is on potential. He has a massive leap, is 6"3' and very agile and quick. Obviously he needs to learn the footy smarts and quickly. but if he got some continuity and confidence I think he could be a player.  Play on a small quick fwd and take intercept marks, similar to Howe.

Before I get shouted down, I am not saying he will be as good as Howe, just trying to think what the MFC would be thinking with him.

I wonder if J Smith has ever played on the wing. As you say quick, agile, can take a mark and apparently has elite endurance. He is an athlete first perhaps he could maximise his strengths running up and down a wing and spend the preseason learning from Langdon. 

So who gets the FB nomination then? Andrews, Weitering, Jonas? 

14 minutes ago, loges said:

Farmer kicked 76 goals in 2000 and missed AA, LOL

Strewth who got the small forward possie? I remember a commentator, can’t remember who,  saying a small forward kicking 76 was the equivalent of a 100 goal year for a key forward. And Robbo did the equivalent a few years later, did he get AA? 

18 minutes ago, buck_nekkid said:

New midfield coach, additional midfield clearance strategies, additional silk rotating through the middle

5 minutes ago, tiers said:

More running power. Except for Oliver's run and Tracca's strength we get strangled whenever Viney, Melksham or AVB go in the middle. Brayshaw when played in the middle adds run but he is left on the outside too often. Note also that we get throttled at ball ups and boundary throw ins unless Maxie gets a clean hit to advantage and the oppos don't rove to him - not often. For his control of the ruck contests we get little return. - it seems that there is no plan or cohesion between Maxie and the little fellas.

It's demoralising how often we get beaten at crowded contests. Too many dees attack the ball and allow the oppos to own the outside perimeter that gives them a clear passage away from the pack. Even when winning we seem to chase all day.

It's own occasional good fortune that we have so many players who can convert something from nothing eg. ANB dodging the pack and running free to goal. Hunt whenever he gets free to run.

Lucky we have another six months to correct our deficiencies, if we can. Like our forward entries this has been an obvious failing for years but apparently there is no solution. Better coaching and planning would not hurt.

And a lot of that gets back to coaching and developing strategies and techniques to maximise our strengths. I go to training frequently pre Covid and the rucks and mids are always practicing set plays at ball ups, throw ins etc. It often looked more complex and nuanced than what you see game day. In general at training the game simulations don’t often resemble what we do game day. I really think we have issues with how we coach. 

1 minute ago, titan_uranus said:

The frustrating thing is, this reduces May down to one stat.

He's so much more. So, so much more.

Intercept marking. Pressure. Kick outs from defence. Leadership. Zoning. Reading the play. 

Agree May delivers much more but his primary role is to stop big forwards scoring and he has done that all season and his AA squad membership should be judged on the primary role of the full back position in my opinion. How often have we seen KPB getting all the plaudits but their role is not to take on the big gorilla but to spoil, intercept, rebound. It looks great but often some other poor bastard has done the hard man on man work. 

55 minutes ago, binman said:

Jeez you are being tough on Maxy AF.

Sure his year wasn't as good as his last few but he was so far the best ruck man it is not funny.

He played nearly 93% game time and almost all of that time in the ruck. Was smashed and physically targeted all year by opposition thugs, sorry rucks. 

Since the Port game carried at least two pretty serious injuries that we know off (and no doubt other niggles) - a lat tear and a PCL. The latter an injury that often means six weeks plus on the sidelines.

Incredible he played as many games as he did, particularly given the travel schedule,  compressed fixturing and that fact Goody barely gave him a chop out all season (by comparisons Nik Nat only played 69% game time and did much less travel). 

Was ranked 8th for average contested marks, with nearly two marks per game (as a comparison Nic Nat had 0.4 a game) and second most hit outs per game.

In terms of influence,  like most rucks (less so nic nat because he is he is different sort of player) he needs his mids to be switched on and have really effective systems in place by the coaches. With justification, you have been critical of both these elements at different times this year.

If his mids get tackled immediately or don't give it off when they have a chance, or don't block an opposition player sharking his taps then his influence is diminished. 

Worked his guts out all season and in every game. One of the few dees players i saw who gritted his teeth and put every ounce of effort into games when they were eon the line.  

One of our few true leaders. 

And was a brilliant skipper to boot. In his first go as skipper, in an incredibly tough year.

Fully deserves his AA spot. I'd make him captain.

Someone posted this on Facebook. Can’t do much more playing as a legit fullback than stop the big power forwards, the position is not about rebounding, s intercept marking or come across the pack and punch the ball away stuff. 

I am watching the game on CH7, can anyone tell me how many goals De Goey has kicked in his last 2 matches? 

Why am I sure that we will have a great preseason and all will be positive in 2021 then we will lose some early games because we are lacking connection between our midfield and our forwards, our mids are bombing it long, while our forwards are leading out etc, etc. Then there will be the inaccuracy in front of goal, gee we need to look at our kicking technique etc. Then our mids learn to lower their eyes to pick targets.....Oh and then there will be selection, where we experiment with people unsuited to their new roles, slowly work that out and eventually drop them or move them to their more suitable roles. 
 

 I suppose my point is we seem to be caught in some Ground Hog day circumstance with Goody. We start every season with the same game plan deficiencies, then slowly rectify them thru the season but drop vital games along the way. This has been a feature of the last 4 seasons, 2017 to 2020. 

That might be it for Harley. Sad really. 

4 minutes ago, kev martin said:

Thought the word this week was, "ruthless".

Ruthless to me, means "putting them to the sword". We had the chance and stopped. We really are softies. 

I heard Lever talking about ruthless, he kinda indicated, it was in the preparation, the process.

I'd like to see us show no mercy in the game.

Petracca can swing the momentum, as can Oliver, Viney used to be able to.

I thought we played keeping off well. Though, when it came to going, we couldn't transition to fast again. Need to work on their tempo and rhythm. They aren't on the same page!

Good backline again.

Midfielders found their straps at times. Gawn working well.

Salem, linking, getting space and zoning, doing team first.

River, an old head on young shoulders.

Baker getting involved and looks like he will get better.

Kossi is nearly, will get better.

Still a few passengers. 

Played ok but we were the exact opposite of ruthless, let’s face it. We managed to keep them in it all game to the point where we lost control and could have lost it. What’s the opposite of ruthless? Not sure but that is us.