Opinion Major changes for 2023

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The Dr

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 20, 2007
7,155
8,164
Melbourne
AFL Club
Melbourne
List 'em here.

For me, it's gotta be the KPFs. Brown and Melk need to be replaced asap, preferably with McDonald and JVR or even Petty permanently. Or if we can snag one in the trade period.

Secondly we need better kicks in the team. Bowey is best 22 and Laurie needs to be given time. That's a start.

We also need a compete mindset shift from Goody. It's no longer a winning formula to win contested footy and try to win defensive slogs. Don't just kick to the forward pocket each entry. We have an elite group of players in their prime - let them shine. Look at what the Pies have done under McRae - built upon Buckley's excellent defence and added attacking elements and they look fantastic.


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Fitness. How come we fell so far? Burguess surely couldn't of left such a hole. We got out ran 11km against syndey and 16km against brisbane. Our fitness was declining second half of season. Absolutely no question. We must recapture that or we can not sustain this game plan.

The forward line needs to be reconstructed from the ground up. Its been our Achilles of this team build since its origin sub 2017. I have little faith now in Ben Brown who cant apply pressure has limited mobility and as a tall cant take contested marks. He does look good at times but over the course of the season its questionable that he has much good football left.

Tom mc wont solve the forward line. In fact at times it was debate whether Weids should get a go over him earlier this year. He will band aid and help the structure though. We must give JVR 15+ games next year and figure out if hes the man or not. Live or die by that.

Alex neal bullen ultimately fell away. Bowey possibly needs an alternative role and luke dunstan needs to be incorporated into this side.

Overall Goodwin has not rotated this side during the year and the side looks totally depleted. They were trying they were cooked.
 
Luke Dunstan is more of the same and everything wrong with our current list. He does not need to be incorporated in the side.

We need class, desperately.
 

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Retire Brown, Melksham, Hibberd. Trade Salem, Sparrow, Hunt.

Add players that will have a desire to move the ball aggressively from HB.

We are kicking to the pockets because I don’t think there is a lot of faith in our forwards, bar Fritsch. That needs to change. Petty may be the answer? I think a fit McDonald helps.

Fitness. We aren’t fit or aren’t working hard. Simple.
 
Retire Brown, Melksham, Hibberd. Trade Salem, Sparrow, Hunt.

Add players that will have a desire to move the ball aggressively from HB.

We are kicking to the pockets because I don’t think there is a lot of faith in our forwards, bar Fritsch. That needs to change. Petty may be the answer? I think a fit McDonald helps.

Fitness. We aren’t fit or aren’t working hard. Simple.
Hibbo one of our best this year, surely has another year in him.
 
  • Change the gameplan to be more aggressive and less risk adverse. Stop being so predictable with entries in and out of 50.
  • Retire Brown, Melk, TMac. Get a new forwards coach. Play JVR and Weid (second ruck Pedo style).
  • Trade out Salem, Sparrow, Rivers, and obviously Jacko. Play Bowey, Chandler, Laurie, and Turner.
  • Move Brayshaw back to the wing and keep him there. If not then half back and trade in a specialised winger.
  • Trade in or draft a couple of tall forwards, a young ruck and some good ball users.
  • Get fitter.
  • Other than this I think we have a really good team and should compete strongly if we make some smart changes. We can't afford to stand still for another season though.
 
Casey has been dominating the VFL and several players have really stood out
But can’t get a game. Meanwhile in the 1’s we’ve got dudes going at half pace and they know there position isn’t at risk because Goody refuses to drop players in poor form.

In a top 4 side having pressure for list spots should be very motivating. Want to play finals for the reigning premiers? Play your role or someone else will.

Instead we have let out of form players woft all over the ground. I can’t imagine a lot of our depth players will feel motivated to stay at the club with the lack of opportunities.
 
Fitness. How come we fell so far? Burguess surely couldn't of left such a hole. We got out ran 11km against syndey and 16km against brisbane. Our fitness was declining second half of season. Absolutely no question. We must recapture that or we can not sustain this game plan.

The forward line needs to be reconstructed from the ground up. Its been our Achilles of this team build since its origin sub 2017. I have little faith now in Ben Brown who cant apply pressure has limited mobility and as a tall cant take contested marks. He does look good at times but over the course of the season its questionable that he has much good football left.

Tom mc wont solve the forward line. In fact at times it was debate whether Weids should get a go over him earlier this year. He will band aid and help the structure though. We must give JVR 15+ games next year and figure out if hes the man or not. Live or die by that.

Alex neal bullen ultimately fell away. Bowey possibly needs an alternative role and luke dunstan needs to be incorporated into this side.

Overall Goodwin has not rotated this side during the year and the side looks totally depleted. They were trying they were cooked.
Topkent

Combine this with a pretty predictable game plan and we’ve got some issues.
 
Casey has been dominating the VFL and several players have really stood out
But can’t get a game. Meanwhile in the 1’s we’ve got dudes going at half pace and they know there position isn’t at risk because Goody refuses to drop players in poor form.

In a top 4 side having pressure for list spots should be very motivating. Want to play finals for the reigning premiers? Play your role or someone else will.

Instead we have let out of form players woft all over the ground. I can’t imagine a lot of our depth players will feel motivated to stay at the club with the lack of opportunities.

So much this.

Goody craves consistency and stability which I agree is important, but you've also gotta mix things up if warranted. His selections have been so conservative and detrimental, especially in the second half of the year when so many players were out of form and banged up.


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Bring in Dursma and * off Rivers, Sparrow and Spargo.

If I was a betting man, I would be inclined to say Spargo gets paid more per kick than the Bont does, since he only has about 2 kicks a match.
 
Fitness. How come we fell so far? Burguess surely couldn't of left such a hole. We got out ran 11km against syndey and 16km against brisbane. Our fitness was declining second half of season. Absolutely no question. We must recapture that or we can not sustain this game plan.

The forward line needs to be reconstructed from the ground up. Its been our Achilles of this team build since its origin sub 2017. I have little faith now in Ben Brown who cant apply pressure has limited mobility and as a tall cant take contested marks. He does look good at times but over the course of the season its questionable that he has much good football left.

Tom mc wont solve the forward line. In fact at times it was debate whether Weids should get a go over him earlier this year. He will band aid and help the structure though. We must give JVR 15+ games next year and figure out if hes the man or not. Live or die by that.

Alex neal bullen ultimately fell away. Bowey possibly needs an alternative role and luke dunstan needs to be incorporated into this side.

Overall Goodwin has not rotated this side during the year and the side looks totally depleted. They were trying they were cooked.
Darren Burgess can't be the difference because none of those other teams have him either. We are in an elite competition fitness levels between teams would be negligible. I think our poor midfield forward connexion is the main culprit. It felt like we absolutely dominated the first half yet we got reward for the effort. The second quarter felt like we had so much control yet only put 3 goals on the board, they barely went forward and still managed two. A proper functioning forward line and the game would have been over. We have actually seen this over the season but just nowhere near consistently enough and evidently the best teams stop us. I know we had a softer draw at the start of the season however we were getting a lot more right, not our best footy but better than what we have been in the latter half of the season. Our forward pressure is right down, we have no problems getting it in there but it just bounces out so easily which is also taxing on the team. I don't think we are too far off but we definitely need a big shake up in the off-season.
 
Clone Petty so we can have one at each end.

If that ultimately proves unfeasible, then:
  • Swing Petty forward and bring in Turner
  • Trade for a half decent KPF that can pinch hit in the ruck
  • Retire Brown and Melk
  • Put Sparrow, Hunt and Salem on the trade table
  • Gus back to half back and bring in Bowey.
  • Harmes to either have a tagging job or spend time forward. Bloke looked aimless out there last night.
  • Time for JVR and Laurie to see if some fresh, young legs can add a new dynamic
  • Play with some flair - it's amazing how dangerous we suddenly looked in the last 5 minutes last night when we took the game on. Feel free to release the shackles sometimes RoboGoody.
 
B- Hibberd May Turner
HB- Bowey Lever Brayshaw
C- Langdon Oliver Howes
HF- Laurie JVR Spargo
F- Pickett Petty Fritsch
R- Grundy Petracca Viney
I- Gawn Harmes ANB Salem

slightly smaller defence with Turner taking Petty's spot. use Petty up forward, in 3 minutes he showed more contested marking ability than our other forwards have all year. bring in some new blood across most lines in Turner, Howes, Laurie, and JVR.
blokes like ANB, Spargo, and Salem, should be under pressure to perform each week next year, and if they're not fit and in form, then give someone else like Chandler, Moniz-Wakefield, or D.Smith a go instead.
as for the gamelan, we need to get numbers back, open up the forward 50, give some space for the guns like Fritsch and Pickett to operate in, then counterattack quickly and direct. forward half footy is dead.
 
B- Hibberd May Turner
HB- Bowey Lever Brayshaw
C- Langdon Oliver Howes
HF- Laurie JVR Spargo
F- Pickett Petty Fritsch
R- Grundy Petracca Viney
I- Gawn Harmes ANB Salem

slightly smaller defence with Turner taking Petty's spot. use Petty up forward, in 3 minutes he showed more contested marking ability than our other forwards have all year. bring in some new blood across most lines in Turner, Howes, Laurie, and JVR.
blokes like ANB, Spargo, and Salem, should be under pressure to perform each week next year, and if they're not fit and in form, then give someone else like Chandler, Moniz-Wakefield, or D.Smith a go instead.
as for the gamelan, we need to get numbers back, open up the forward 50, give some space for the guns like Fritsch and Pickett to operate in, then counterattack quickly and direct. forward half footy is dead.

I fear we will be dissapponted by Laurie and find his just another short slow player with a good kick (Like Spargo/Bowey). Seems it’s MFCs new trend to load up the squad with Caleb Daniel clones.
 
Probably on my own again, but I didn't mind (most) of Goodwin's presser.

I think personnel is a small part of our issues, but in saying that I would like to see a little more of our "Casey Globetrotters". I expect real nice contributions next year from Van Royen and Bowey, Turner maybe, Chandler too. I wouldn't mind our coaches "moving magnets around" wrt Hunt and Petty.

We had a lot of players stagnate this year I think. Fitness a big issue, I don't buy Goodwin's "execute basics for longer" line, we're fading out and being outworked and that sneaky campaigner knows it I bet.

I think last year the whole team seemed a bit more fluffy- I remember seeing photos from social team of Jake Lever helping out the cleaners by wiping the floor, there was also some malarkey (or fugazi maybe) about players not spilling Gatorade anymore? Trac was the one who drew the short straw and had to talk to the media about that one. Lots of talk about building each-other up, and not bringing each-other down with sledges and nasty words. I've noticed plenty of gentle ribbing this year which seemed a little opposed to that, and my friend at the Fancy Cheeseburger restaurant in Prahran said the ribbing wasn't so gentle then. I reckon there's a bit in that, a little bit maybe but still.

I hope Goodwin gets back on the DMT looking for answers, he needs to free his mind up I think.
 
Probably on my own again, but I didn't mind (most) of Goodwin's presser.

I think personnel is a small part of our issues, but in saying that I would like to see a little more of our "Casey Globetrotters". I expect real nice contributions next year from Van Royen and Bowey, Turner maybe, Chandler too. I wouldn't mind our coaches "moving magnets around" wrt Hunt and Petty.

We had a lot of players stagnate this year I think. Fitness a big issue, I don't buy Goodwin's "execute basics for longer" line, we're fading out and being outworked and that sneaky campaigner knows it I bet.

I think last year the whole team seemed a bit more fluffy- I remember seeing photos from social team of Jake Lever helping out the cleaners by wiping the floor, there was also some malarkey (or fugazi maybe) about players not spilling Gatorade anymore? Trac was the one who drew the short straw and had to talk to the media about that one. Lots of talk about building each-other up, and not bringing each-other down with sledges and nasty words. I've noticed plenty of gentle ribbing this year which seemed a little opposed to that, and my friend at the Fancy Cheeseburger restaurant in Prahran said the ribbing wasn't so gentle then. I reckon there's a bit in that, a little bit maybe but still.

I hope Goodwin gets back on the DMT looking for answers, he needs to free his mind up I think.
Good post, and noticed the ribbing/sledging a bit more too. On G&G they regularly made a few lowbrow comments about people's games. Nothing too mean but after all the chat last year about being more positive it was noticeable how quickly it came back.
I don't know that we're significantly less fit than other teams, but think our method is very taxing and wastes energy. We had a few good bursts over the season, however winning contested footy constantly is a grind. Building your whole game around that means you're going to get banged up and run out of gas eventually.
We had a lot more injuries this year compared to last, and I don't think we managed them as well as we could/should have. Lots of niggles that never went away for key players.
 
Fair bit of obvious list turning over to do:

Retire/Delist: M. Brown, Dunstan, Melksham, Baker (can’t see anyone arguing any of these). If either of Brown or Tmac wants to retire you wouldn’t talk them out of it

Potential trades: Jackson, Sparrow, Salem, Bedford, Weid

Into the starting 22: Bowey, Chandler, JVR, Turner

Need to bring in via trade:
  • Second ruck
  • Decent tall forward
  • Classy winger

Draft targets:
  • Natural goalkickers of any size
  • Elite kicks with pace and preferably some height
  • Tall forward/ruck project

Let’s hope we get active. I actually think we’ve got a strong hand to target either a real gun player (no idea who that might be), or to trade right up in the draft and get a top pick if Taylor really likes someone.
 

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