In: learning
Out: results
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This for me is the most important appointment. we need someone whose going to keep our guys on the fking park. our injury toll has been atrocious this year and from what it sounds like. we were massively underdone this preseason
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The real core of the group still has a stack of football in them, many are still in what youād call the development phase (Parish, McGrath, Francis, Redman, D.Clarke and even guys like Walla and McKenna have only played about 50 odd AFL games). Merrett is 23, Smith is 26, Shiel is 26, Stringer is 25, Saad is 25, Daniher is 25. We have a super promising young ruckman in the wings, Zerk-Thatcher and Ham both look made of the right stuff, Mozzie will play senior footy next season.
We won 5 in a row for the first time since 2013. For several rounds we were the best defensive unit in the AFL. We had an awful run with injuries, and we have made changes to that department to try rectify the issue.
Last night sucked, but I donāt think we should throw away the future just yet.
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The fitness/medical department is the first port of call imo. So much originates from that. Changes there have obviously begun. Good. Because quite frankly it feels like Joe and Stewart were mismanaged (I may be totally unfair with that) , we look off the pace with general fitness and strength (especially early in the year two seasons running) and we just fielded a side in a final with at least 5 or 6 boys physically unable to impact due to clearly existing injuries. Someone needed to put Raz out to pasture months ago, and decide that Hurls and Hooker were at least one too many talls to carry injured. And Iām hoping that Hepp has escaped long term damage by playing on that foot.
Then look at the coaches. Weāre too disorganised, too often. Itās partly players, but itās also partly setups and quite frankly itās the coaches box responsibility to get the most from the list. Iām not saying specific people need to go, but collectively we seem lacking.
Players: We need another ruckman, thatās obvious. We need better skills and decision makers. Not just with ball in hand, but also off the ball. Way too often we donāt spread offensively and waste promising play. Happened repeatedly last night, terrible turnovers or handpasses to guys who are too close. Spread an extra meter or two and space opens up, but we run alongside instead and one opposition player is able to pressure two of ours. Thereās a lot wrong and itās as much between the ears as between ability.
We made finals and much of it was against the odds or in spite of ourselves, which is kinda positive but also not meaningfully sustainable. We cannot afford to continue with that. Full review of club needed, including management.
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He can help turn a basket case like Richmond into a good club. Maybe he can do it again.
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See, I donāt know what purpose this post serves, other than places you somewhat in the category of people I described.
Donāt confuse the discussion by mentioning T-Bell, Zaka and Hurley.
Make a case for me explaining how shopping Hooker around would benefit the club.
He turns 31 next month, is banged up body wise, and on in the vicinity of 800k for 2020.
So, you shop around the guy that didnāt answer his phone/door when the club was trying to trade him, and then later stayed with the club again after the most poorly run supplements program in history.
What do you think the result will be ?
Iāll tell youā¦
maybe a contending team like the Bulldogs offer a late 2nd Rounder (if lucky), whilst we pay a large portion of his salary for the next 2 seasons.
You canāt measure what you lose as a club when you decide to flick incredible clubmen like Hooker.
Sheedy has lamented many times his regret at trading away Carey and Bradbury.
How it had a detriment affect on club culture.
If Hooker is cooked, and he may well be, we just have to s*ck it up and pay him as per his contract.
Heās earnt that.
Another injury riddled 2020, and Cale may elect to retire 1 year early.
I say again, if you can make an argument how we could possibly benefit from trying to trade Cale Hooker this off season, Iād love to hear the details of that trade.
Please enlighten me.
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Ross the Boss is clearly the best credentialed available coach. If they are going to move on woosh Iād rather end up with Lyon than Rutten in the big chair to be honest.
Lyon stands for everything that we havenāt over the last 15 years.
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Take a good look at the list.
Our assessment is grossly biased.
We need to get trade value on some veterans.
There is no trade value in our veterans. The time for that was 3 years ago.
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Hurley would still have some value.
Zaka would have some also, but not as much.
As mentioned by HAP a while ago, a club like Melb may see value in adding Zaka to their side if they feel their window is now.
Thatās about it though.
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Because it means you get 40 games into another player.
Because we probably finish lower on the ladder so get a better pick.
If we keep the 6-8 old blokes on our list who offer very little by the time they retire our list is going to be very thin. The cycle will continue because in 3 years people will say āwe canāt rebuild now, Francis, Parish and McGrath are in their primeā.
Take our medicine now, even if it means two years of bad rather than mediocre. But at least we might have a fighting chance and who knows some kid might end up performing better than expected.
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Surely Langford and Laverde get guaranteed game time elsewhere- let them go.
If they are best 22 for us next year we are in trouble, and I like Langford. Laverde indifferentā¦
So much yes.
List analysis - Welcome feedbackā¦
Hooker - 1 year of good footy left. Was a liability the last month, clearly carrying an injury.
Hurley - same as hooker, one year left of good footy. Now passed his best.
Ambrose - took his game to another level. Run with role or lock down defender.
Saad - one of our few A graders.
McKenna - starting to add consistency to his game. Key to our future along with Saad.
Redman - big find for us this year. Will be a regular defender, wing for years. Tough, confident. At times turns it over too much.
Francis - showed consistency towards the end of the year. VFL days behind him. Should play every game next year. Prob is with hooker, Hurley Ambrose and Francis in the side, we look a bit immobile. All run straight lines with crap turning circle.
McGrath - in our best 22 without doubt, but needs to have more impact in more games (a la the final) to live up to expectations.
Langford - wanted him to get a string of games. He has had that now. And Iām not convinced. Too slow. Trade.
Laverde - competes well, but doesnāt do enough. Not in our best 22, and unlikely to be. Worthy of one more year to see if he can improve.
Merrett- had an ok year. Need him to get back to 2018 level, which he likely will.
Heppell - some blitzers question him. Gives his all at every context. Disposal not great, which prevents him being A grader, but has great impact on most games when fit. Great leader. Cleary Needs to get his foot right. Key to our chances next year.
Snelling - showed enough to be good depth player, worthy of place on list.
McKernan - positive impact in many games as key fwd. Can he take game to another level next year if he takes second best def when jd returns?
Tippa - consistency is key. His best and worst too far apart. If we are to improve as a team, we canāt afford the 4-6 possession, no impact games he dished up on too many occasions. Yet we canāt afford not to play him. We need his X factor.
Brown- prob our best kick for goal. But goes missing and contested mark a weakness . will compete with Stewart for 3rd fwd role. my money is on Stewart.
Fantasia - we donāt have a lot of pure class and he has it in spades, but worried his body too prone to injury. If he wants to go home, trade him now whilst his value is up.
Stringer - has class, mongrel and now added consistency to his game. Centre bounce clearance king. Core body strength to break tackles, which we lack. Gun.
Ham - like him. A summer with weights will help. Should replace Zaka now.
Zaka - passed it. Liability. Depth vfl player. Racks up possessions but little impact.
Parish - had a great second half of year. Should be part of our top 3-4 midfield for next few years.
Shiel - our only truly explosive mid. Is it possible to improve kicking skills? Can go āmissingā for periods too. Need him to improve for us to go to next level.
Bellchambers - serviceable when fit. Nothing less nothing more. Need Draper to take over
D Clarke - can build on a break out year. Will continue to improve.
Hartley - if nothing else, worthy depth player, especially with hooker/Hurley prone to injury.
Bzt - as most blitzers believe, should break in to play games next year. Could take Hurleyās spot.
Begley- little impact, no engine, no speed. Delist or one more year?
Z Clarke - delist if we get in another back up. Draper unlikely to be ready round 1.
Ridley - Iām a fan. Composure. Good skills. Good size. Can break into our side as regular next year.
Devon Smith- b and f last year. Enough said.
Jd - if he gets back to 2017 level we make top 4, given improvements to our list since then. Fairly big āifā.
Long - gets caught with the ball too much. Lacks awareness. Delist.
Stewart- was on fire in vfl at end of 2018, and was confident he would play big part in 2019. Persist.
Mozzie - fast, strong, skilful. Hopefully he can add more consistency and break through. Could take fantas role if we trade him.
McNiece - ok depth player. Will never be more. Delist.
Jok - athletic beast. Not sure he is a footballer though. One year more to see if he is.
Gown - looks likely. Persist.
Dea, Myers, baggers retired.
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Why would we go Ross Lyon. Our average lossing margin might be 15 points. But weāll loose 15 farkin games for the year.
Heās a has been, PASS!
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If this is not our best 22 by the end of next year we will not have progressed.
B: Ambrose - BZT - Francis
HB: Saad - Hurley - McKenna
C: Merrett - Clarke - McGrath
HF: Stringer - Daniher - Smith
F: Fantasia - McKernan - Tippa
R: Draper - Shiel - Parish
INT: Langford - Heppell - Gleeson - Mynott
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This is a very thorough analysis. Not the usual Blitz hysteria. Thanks, Visual_bulk.
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Out Zaka game style in Dusty Martin game style
Langford no
Needs more A. Heppell
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What about if we contact Richmond and ask for a straight swap
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