Opinion Things you would like to see this off season

[Midnite65]

I'll start us off.
- Crozier to hit the weights hard.
- Sheridan to work on his inside work (feel as though he can potentially be a good player at AFL level)
- Zac Clarke to do a full Pre Season as a forward (can't just turn a ruckman into a forward)
-Hopefully bring in some good young Talls (Goddard,Lamb or Ports Mason Shaw)
- Taberner and Apeness to both stack on some size.
- Get Sylvia to come back a month early
- Give Pearce the kick up the ass he needs.

Zac Clarke will never be a forward!

 

[Midnite65]

I would love to see the AFL get rid of the sub as it is such a waste of time and go back to 60 interchanges, that way we wouldn't constantly rotate and could throw Fyfe to full forward instead of on the bench

 

[Grape Bear]

- active recruitment for a goal kicking coach and a program to improve our goal kicking
- all the boys in a massive hypnotherapy group or sports psych session to address the yips

 

[Jezzitizle]

Reality is we need to be more dangerous up forward, you can't win a final when only two of your forwards look like they might get a shot on goal (Pav and sonson). Crozier should be a permanent forward next year, Taberner too we need him to come on. Apeness should get games. Deboer and Mayne should be trade bait for draft picks, I feel like they've peaked. They just don't get shots inside 50 so shouldn't be up there.

 

[kingswood71]

Things i would like to see in the Off Season:
1. Suban to spend the whole summer training with Crowls to learn to be our next tagger.
2. Crozier to convince RTB that he deserves to start every game as a forward flanker rotating thru the middle.
3. Fyfe to attend anger management to ensure he doesnt get suspended next year.
4. Basil Z to have an epiphany and realize that as a sports commentator, he is a bloody good news reader......

 

[Lach72]

Alex Pearce playing any of the roles filled by Silvagni, Johnson, ibbotson or Duffield

Duffield is a weak link in the back half. A defender who defends like a Girl Scout

 

[masai]

Maybe pick up some players from other clubs, only Daniel Pearce has proven to be a successful move so far.

I think Zachary Dawson feels very insulted, has done his job 1000% better than Pearce.

 

[electricfeel]

A clearer idea of an attacking forward line right from the start: Pavlich, Walters, Ballantyne, Taberner, Crozier, Mayne, Apeness to get more games. Fyfe rotating forward. I really like Crozier and want to see him best 22 next season. Also more Duffy as well.

Tabs and Ape to hit the gym hard. I'm confident one more pre season in them will see them start to provide more impact on the game.

Blooding a young defender or at least recruiting a key defender. Have a feeling McPharlin will retire at the end of the season.

Bigger focus on skills and goalkicking and how to get rid of the yips during pressure games. We seem to spray a lot of our shots on game when there's a game on the line... Not many players are capable of kicking clutch goals except for maybe Walters.

This is probably harsh on my behalf but would like to see Crowley retire. Yes he's a good tagger and he did a great job last night on Boak but all season he's been letting many players off the chain. I don't know if this is under the instruction to play a bit looser but Crowley is a very very average midfielder. He is fumbly and his kicks are up and under kicks. I hate seeing him with the ball. He is almost a liability if he is not doing a proper tagging role since he is a poor midfielder. I personally think we can do without him and it'll allow for someone like Sheridan/Duffy to get games.

Also I'm really starting to get sick of Danyle Pearce and Zac Clarke.... Pearce needs a rocket up his ass and Clarke is like Tin Man. Needs a heart.

 

[go_the_dockers]

- Morabito, Duffy and Tanner Smith to have uninterrupted preseason.
- Sylvia and Simpson to turn up to preseason in top condition, and work hard until March both demanding selection.
- Crozier and Sheridan to follow Fyfe workout routine.
- Bring in Wayne Carey to work one on one with Taberner and Apeness. He has a brilliant footy brain and could teach them a lot.
- Recruit Sam Grimley - Leading goal kicker in the VFL, probably gettable for a 3rd round pick or a pick upgrade, can ruck for small periods. I would play him with Taberner and Pav next year with Sandi in the ruck.
-

 

[FreoGirl]

Margetts to retire

 

[Lach72]

I'm thinking that Apeness needs to be plonked at full forward next to Ballantyne and Walters. Pav, crozier and possibly Taberner round that out. Mayne can get lumped into the Suban /De Boer role off the bench or as the sub.
Perhaps De Boer if he's still here starts to fill the Crowley role. We need something more offensive from our tagger.

Alex Pearce to be a fixture in the back line.

He has a touch of the Dustin Fletcher's about him. He can play tall and small.
Duffy to play at least half the games.
Suban averaging 10 possessions a game or whatever he's doing and not being attacking enough is no good to anyone.
Walters and Crozier can rotate midfield.
The role that Josh Simpson was recruited for is wide open: Josh seize it

Sheridan to push into the side all year.
Brady Grey to push into the side.

 

[Unique Name]

What does everyone think about getting Sandilands to retire? While I think he could play on for one more year I think he needs to move on for Clarke's sake. Clarke is so s**t at being a forward he makes our forward line worse just by being in it. But when he's our main ruckman he's actually pretty good.

Clarke being the main ruck then free's up our Forward line

Walters Pav Ballaz
Crozier Tabs Duffy

2 smalls - Walters and Ballaz
2 Meds - Croz and Duffy (Mayne needs to learn to kick goals again before he gets back in the team)
2 Talls - Pav and Tabs (Apeness and Tabs should play at least 10-15 games each this year, with Pav having a few key rests)

New rule for 2015 forward line

If you can't kick goals you can't get a game.

 

[Lach72]

McPharlin retiring.

These next two drafts are going to be crucial.

I think we need to look at some heavier cutting/trading.
If guys like Suban/Clancee/DeBoer could net us a 3rd round pick I'd consider it

 

[Admiral Byng]

A new game plan for the slow movement forward. We go alright at the fast transition from the turn-over, but we're pathetically bad at the slow movement forward. The plan seems to be to move the ball to about 70 out and then bomb it long into the middle of the congestion about 15m out and hope for the best. We need to have some sort of a plan for short options across half-forward, how to work the space and create options.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

What are people's thoughts on Clarke + 1st rounder for a very high pick, say top 5? I'd shop de Boer and Suban around, keep Clancee however, and it's almost worth delisting Sylvia. It's about time McPharlin retires, it's sad but true, Silvagni is more than capable of taking his place, and from all reports A. Pearce sounds like decent back up. Duffy, Crozier, Walters and Ballantyne all should be in the team, Duffy and Crozier however need a big preseason to do this. Josh Simpson has a big chance to get into the team, he could really challenge Pearce if he knuckles downs and does the work. Tabs and Apeness just need to get in the gym, maybe recruit a stopgap if possible for 1-2 years. Next year is the last year we will have Pav and Sandi IMO, keep them fresh as well as the other vets, especially Johnson, and we should be giving top 4 a red hot go again.

The key part of the off season this year is for us to not trade all our depth away.

 

[SlowAndOld]

Long-time stalker first time poster (well in many years and i can't seem to login to my old account), but I feel the need to express something to the internet due to the numbness that has over-taken me.

I really believe we need one of (or preferably both) Simpson and Morabito to really come on next year. Fingers crossed as having the injection of 2 first round draft picks with pace would really be a big boost. If one of tall Pearce or Smith come on in defence (and are injury free) and Johnson's surgery is successful, I think we are actually looking pretty good. I'd love to get another KPD and or KPF in the 24-28 year old bracket as I feel like this is still where the gap in our list is BUT I think we're better off developing what we have than just getting a player who is not an upgrade on Silvagni in defence or Taberner in attack. So the hope is, a bit more pace and a bit of KPP depth.

However, outside of the vagaries of development, drafting and trading (and I will say again I don't think we are as far off or about to drop off a cliff like many posters), the following is what I'd like to see addressed:
1) Organisation around stoppages
I felt against both Sydney and Port our game broke down out of the middle once the physical intensity of the other team lifted. We were able to get by against most other teams (and almost against Geelong) by bustling through, but Port (after half time) and Sydney were physically strong enough to stand up to us. We're not set up to get space or have a man with any time outside of the contest (that we seem to do this better in defence than in the middle that I find strange). This affects our skills due to kicks coming under pressure. Essentially having three guys on the ball means the opposition have an easy outlet pass when they get their hands on the ball, and can often create another stoppage when they don't. We've looked disorganised all year in this area and I think Mark Stone and Ross really need to get this sorted. We have the cattle to get the ball one on one (especially with Sandilands rucking), but we need to get cleaner in this area to turn it into a real advantage.
2) Forward entries
There was a lot missing last night: Ballantyne and Taberner looking like he was injured the whole game. However, it felt again like we just put the ball on the boot and kicked to a lot of 30/70s. I don't think another marking target will fix this, rather a bit more patience and, once again organisation. Maybe a lack of continuity in players this year affected us, but I feel we need to have the systems to deal with players not being available.
3) Skills
Our skills were sharper last year (okay, our goal kicking was pretty much the same). I think a big part of this is organisation: knowing where a player is going to be helps with sharper skills and decision making. However, all year we have been fumbling and missing easy targets by foot and by hand. I don't think (outside of Dawson) we are that unskilled.

So, will a pre-season focused on fitness, skills and systems improve us enough?

 

[Admiral Byng]

Oh, and I want some sort of formal set-shot goal practice program based upon fear, intimidation and physical violence for any misses.

 

[balthazarthedonk]

I'd like to see some speed and accurate kicking in our midfield.

Therefore I am crossing every appendage that Josh will come good and Mora will have the best ever preseason and will improve his kicking. I'd consider putting Sutcliffe there too but I don't think the backline would hold up. Brady Grey a chance off a wing too - D Pearce's position must surely be under scrutiny

In the backline, Alex Pearce given a shot and maybe Sean Hurley if he's drafted and has picked up some skills with the oval ball. We need another defender who can play on smalls too

If Sylvia doesn't sort himself out, Walters to the midfield. Heartily sick of seeing us win the tussle in the centre square but for other teams (Sydney especially frustrating) to pick off the rushed kick out. Son Son's football nouse will be helpful there, as would Sylvia's if he gets his act together. If he has a decent preseason, don't put Sylvia in a forward pocket though. Terrible experiment.

Forward line of
ballas, Pav crozier/walters (depending on the above)
Duffy Tabs [tall person - possibly Apeness, maybe someone not in the team yet]

Edit: Similar to SlowandOld, really

For the love of God, no defensive forwards and I also question Crowley's role. We need better skills, not just hardness at the ball.

 

[Mighty Guybrush]

I too echo the sentiments here of people when I would like to see a good pre-season (and added bulk) to Apeness and Tabs. Also do think that Crowls role in shutting down oppostion players, whilst admirable, is having less effect on the game as a whole. Stoppage work - just wathcing the difference in how Sydney and Port moved the ball forward compared to us made me think we need to really re-think our approach. Or approaches are often just kick and hope, whilst oppostion teams seem to be a lot cleaner with forward 50 entries from centre clearances.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

We need less role players and more match winners.

 

[apuchar]

Maybe look at whether we have the best coaching staff we possibly could.

 

[basashi]

Absolute joke we're not playing the Indians of all teams at the bounciest ground in Australia.

******* CA.

If you build it, they will come.

If you go into debt three times and reduce the capacity of it each time in some misguided "redevelopment, " .... they will go away.

 

[apuchar]

Long-time stalker first time poster (well in many years and i can't seem to login to my old account), but I feel the need to express something to the internet due to the numbness that has over-taken me.

I really believe we need one of (or preferably both) Simpson and Morabito to really come on next year. Fingers crossed as having the injection of 2 first round draft picks with pace would really be a big boost. If one of tall Pearce or Smith come on in defence (and are injury free) and Johnson's surgery is successful, I think we are actually looking pretty good. I'd love to get another KPD and or KPF in the 24-28 year old bracket as I feel like this is still where the gap in our list is BUT I think we're better off developing what we have than just getting a player who is not an upgrade on Silvagni in defence or Taberner in attack. So the hope is, a bit more pace and a bit of KPP depth.

However, outside of the vagaries of development, drafting and trading (and I will say again I don't think we are as far off or about to drop off a cliff like many posters), the following is what I'd like to see addressed:
1) Organisation around stoppages
I felt against both Sydney and Port our game broke down out of the middle once the physical intensity of the other team lifted. We were able to get by against most other teams (and almost against Geelong) by bustling through, but Port (after half time) and Sydney were physically strong enough to stand up to us. We're not set up to get space or have a man with any time outside of the contest (that we seem to do this better in defence than in the middle that I find strange). This affects our skills due to kicks coming under pressure. Essentially having three guys on the ball means the opposition have an easy outlet pass when they get their hands on the ball, and can often create another stoppage when they don't. We've looked disorganised all year in this area and I think Mark Stone and Ross really need to get this sorted. We have the cattle to get the ball one on one (especially with Sandilands rucking), but we need to get cleaner in this area to turn it into a real advantage.
2) Forward entries
There was a lot missing last night: Ballantyne and Taberner looking like he was injured the whole game. However, it felt again like we just put the ball on the boot and kicked to a lot of 30/70s. I don't think another marking target will fix this, rather a bit more patience and, once again organisation. Maybe a lack of continuity in players this year affected us, but I feel we need to have the systems to deal with players not being available.
3) Skills
Our skills were sharper last year (okay, our goal kicking was pretty much the same). I think a big part of this is organisation: knowing where a player is going to be helps with sharper skills and decision making. However, all year we have been fumbling and missing easy targets by foot and by hand. I don't think (outside of Dawson) we are that unskilled.

So, will a pre-season focused on fitness, skills and systems improve us enough?

You should post more often.

 

[Midnite65]

What does everyone think about getting Sandilands to retire? While I think he could play on for one more year I think he needs to move on for Clarke's sake. Clarke is so s**t at being a forward he makes our forward line worse just by being in it. But when he's our main ruckman he's actually pretty good.

Clarke being the main ruck then free's up our Forward line

Walters Pav Ballaz
Crozier Tabs Duffy

2 smalls - Walters and Ballaz
2 Meds - Croz and Duffy (Mayne needs to learn to kick goals again before he gets back in the team)
2 Talls - Pav and Tabs (Apeness and Tabs should play at least 10-15 games each this year, with Pav having a few key rests)

New rule for 2015 forward line

If you can't kick goals you can't get a game.

 

[Midnite65]

Clarke is s**t at being a ruckman! Put him at East Perth until he learns to get some desire to play the game