Toast Half-time 2025: Mid Season Appraisal

[Roddy]

I think I have to stop doing ladder predictors, they're a complete headf*ck. I just did one that had us finishing 9th on 14 wins. I then hit 'autotip', which had us finishing 7th on 13.......

 

[Simon Crawshay]

13 wins will get you in the 8 this year for sure, maybe even 12 with a good percentage.

14 wins you will be pushing top four.

 

[Jimmy the Ghost]

I did a ladder predictor this morning, and brace yourselves...

I had a finishing 9th too!

Basically we just need to win the games we should, and hope Freo lose a few extra, then we'll be absolutely safe.

Same predictor for me

 

[Come back Cyril]

Great to listen to Rob McCartney's mid-season appraisal (always find him very measured/insightful). Interesting that he was really talking up Calsher as a long term prospect, get the feeling the lack of a preaseason really set him back this year and they are hopeful rather than confident he can impact this season - makes sense given box hill watchers observation that he is struggling to run out BH games.

 

[Roddy]

Great to listen to Rob McCartney's mid-season appraisal (always find him very measured/insightful). Interesting that he was really talking up Calsher as a long term prospect, get the feeling the lack of a preaseason really set him back this year and they are hopeful rather than confident he can impact this season - makes sense given box hill watchers observation that he is struggling to run out BH games.

Can't blame him, he still has a young, immature and developing body. As much as I love him and am desperate for him to succeed, time is very much on his side. It might be best to put him on ice for this season and then unleash him in '26 after a hopefully full pre-season, especially with Cholly doing so well, Gunners' renaissance, Mitchy hopefully dropping seamlessly back into place soon, Ram-man showing decent signs, and Scaife and McCabe playing well at BH and waiting in the wings....

 

[Yardie]

B: Hardwick - Barrass - Battle

HB: Sicily - Scrimshaw - Amon

C: Morrison - Day - D’Ambrosio

HF: Moore - Lewis - MacDonald

F: Ginnivan - Chol - Watson

FOL: Meek - Newcombe - Ward

INT: Weddle - Nash - Worpel - Impey - Mackenzie (sub)

Trying to find a spot for Gunston but there isn’t an obvious out.

Morrison sub, Gunston in and one of Battle, Weddle or Scrimshaw wing.

Tough

I think that's too tall down back. If you had to take out one of the talls who would it be and who would come in?

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I think that's too tall down back. If you had to take out one of the talls who would it be and who would come in?

One of the talls to a wing. Hardwick Amon and Impey are smalls. It’s definitely not too tall.

 

[Yardie]

One of the talls to a wing. Hardwick Amon and Impey are smalls. It’s definitely not too tall.

They can't play wing.

Can you be ruthless in pursuit of a premiership? Or do you play favourites and risk it all?

 

[Dewyyyyy]

They can't play wing.

Can you be ruthless in pursuit of a premiership? Or do you play favourites and risk it all?

It’s not just favourites it’s who’s the most talented and who’s the best. If they can fit into the system in a way whether natural or not then it’s worth trying.

Scrimshaw has the tools, battle has done it before and Weddle has the ability. For example.

 

[OnTheRocks]

We're going ok. Need to keep winning. Percentage needs to improve.

 

[Yardie]

It’s not just favourites it’s who’s the most talented and who’s the best. If they can fit into the system in a way whether natural or not then it’s worth trying.

Scrimshaw has the tools, battle has done it before and Weddle has the ability. For example.

But what if they can't fit into the system? Not sure I can see all of Barrass/Battle/Scrimshaw/Sicily in the team regardless of talent.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

But what if they can't fit into the system? Not sure I can see all of Barrass/Battle/Scrimshaw/Sicily in the team regardless of talent.

I can. I’m sure they’ll figure it out. Versatility.

 

[kazzooka]

But what if they can't fit into the system? Not sure I can see all of Barrass/Battle/Scrimshaw/Sicily in the team regardless of talent.

Barrass, Battle, scrimshaw as the backs. Weddle to play wing/ forward. Sicily to play forward.

What i'd like to see more though is a bit of selection or position changes based on opposition not just what we want.

If we're playing Brisbane, actually think about the matchups and don't have Sicily on Ah Chee and Battle on Cameron. We have so much depth and flexibility with defenders that we should be looking to use Hardwick, Impy, Mitchell and Amon 1 week, and battle, Barrass, as scrimshaw and sicily another.

 

[Hawked Wings]

13 wins will get you in the 8 this year for sure, maybe even 12 with a good percentage.

14 wins you will be pushing top four.

Hmmm not sure about that

 

[eldorado]

But what if they can't fit into the system?

What if they can?

What if ruling them out doesn't work?

Everything is a 'what if'...but I still think the bottom line is you play the best talent.

Addressing the 'too tall' issue (a genuine issue), Weddle has the most scope to play as a pure utility, leaving Scrim, Barrass and Battle as the talls, and Sicily the fourth option (as a swingman, or as a part of a 4 man 'tall' rotation)

 

[tommyk72]

Barrass, Battle, scrimshaw as the backs. Weddle to play wing/ forward. Sicily to play forward.

What i'd like to see more though is a bit of selection or position changes based on opposition not just what we want.

If we're playing Brisbane, actually think about the matchups and don't have Sicily on Ah Chee and Battle on Cameron. We have so much depth and flexibility with defenders that we should be looking to use Hardwick, Impy, Mitchell and Amon 1 week, and battle, Barrass, as scrimshaw and sicily another.

I’ve been a bit disappointed by the lack of focus on counteracting positions game plans. Perhaps it’s due to the injuries and disruptions to the best 22, and the desire for consistency, but I think to win it all this year we can’t solely focus on our own strengths. We’re not good enough. We need to counteract the opposition. Whether that’s tagging Daicos, playing one less tall against Brisbane, etc.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I’ve been a bit disappointed by the lack of focus on counteracting positions game plans. Perhaps it’s due to the injuries and disruptions to the best 22, and the desire for consistency, but I think to win it all this year we can’t solely focus on our own strengths. We’re not good enough. We need to counteract the opposition. Whether that’s tagging Daicos, playing one less tall against Brisbane, etc.

This is something that might be revealed in finals. This whole year has been trying to find balance with our best team. We have been sending players to mind other players but it's been more subtle and for short periods

 

[Yardie]

What if they can?

What if ruling them out doesn't work?

Everything is a 'what if'...but I still think the bottom line is you play the best talent.

Addressing the 'too tall' issue (a genuine issue), Weddle has the most scope to play as a pure utility, leaving Scrim, Barrass and Battle as the talls, and Sicily the fourth option (as a swingman, or as a part of a 4 man 'tall' rotation)

I don't count Weddle as a "tall" and have never mentioned him as one.

If Lewis comes back and hits his stride like we all want then we don't have the room up forward. I just think one of them is going to have to make way for the balance of the team regardless of talent.

As usual happy for the coaches to prove me wrong.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Hmmm not sure about that

Maybe 14 wins would be just outside the top four but 13 wins will almost definitely get us in the eight this year I feel.

The wild card is Gold Coast with the game up their sleeve but I feel like they will have their standard late season fade away and all the rest of the teams outside the eight are only on 6 wins which is miles off it.

 

[GOHORCS]

I have done the predictor.
We get pick 3 from Carlton.
Am I doing this right?

 

[The Seaword]

I have done the predictor.
We get pick 3 from Carlton.
Am I doing this right?

Nah, we get pick 2

 

[fairdinks]

I have done the predictor.
We get pick 3 from Carlton.
Am I doing this right?

and an early 2nd rounder.

Winning the premiership and then getting a sub 5 pick would be just the icing.

 

[Mitch75]

Maybe 14 wins would be just outside the top four but 13 wins will almost definitely get us in the eight this year I feel.

The wild card is Gold Coast with the game up their sleeve but I feel like they will have their standard late season fade away and all the rest of the teams outside the eight are only on 6 wins which is miles off it.

Mmm no, with our lowish percentage I think we will likely miss finals with 14 wins. We will need 15 wins to make the 8, and 16 wins for top 4.

Which means… We simply can’t afford to lose to anyone outside the top 8.. must beat North, StKilda, Melbourne, Port and Carlton. Have to also beat one or two of Fremantle, Brisbane, Adelaide (all of them interstate) and Collingwood. Gonna be a tough run home

 

[Strebi3]

Mmm no, with our lowish percentage I think we will likely miss finals with 14 wins. We will need 15 wins to make the 8, and 16 wins for top 4.

Which means… We simply can’t afford to lose to anyone outside the top 8.. must beat North, StKilda, Melbourne, Port and Carlton. Have to also beat one or two of Fremantle, Brisbane, Adelaide (all of them interstate) and Collingwood. Gonna be a tough run home

This is what you get when you get every favourite winning for the rest of the season which never happens. I have found our game against Freo in a few weeks could decide our fate as them and GC are the two most likely teams to miss

 

[marklar]

My appraisal: not great, not terrible.

We're doing some things well, but overall our games are almost unwatchable. Very frustrating that we are not quite right at this point of the season, yes we have some injury issues and suspension issues that have impacted our continuity, but we still look a fair way off being a good team.

Improvement across the board is required, I have no doubt we have a team and game plan that can compete well in finals, we're just not showing it yet.