Unofficial Preview Round 1, 2024: Bombers v Hawks, MCG 1:10pm Sat 16th March

[naysayer]

Um... they are ALL kids. As is the coach.

No matter your own age, calling someone who has a career and a family a "kid" is pretty strange. Whether they behave like a child is another matter, and can be true at any age.

Scrim is a few years past that label, I don't think he'd like it applied to him.

 

[burner1]

Yes we have forward options - but not a huge amount of forward pressure or marking power (ex Hardwick). It’s not really a complementary group.

Moore, chad, croc are all high hff types but less effective deep and pretty loose defensively. None are really linebreaking quick (croc moves well and Moore has a big tank).

Breust, Watson, ginnivan are different types but offensive focused with not much of a defensive or physical side. Breust and ginnivan are slow (Watson is not). Ginnivan also roams up ground a bit.

Butler is really only forward with a hard edged tackling game and speed - ie arguably a defensive/pressure forward at this stage.

Hardwick if plays forward would be best marking target of all our smalls. And our only small/med forward who is strong/big bodied.

Ideally you’d have a mix of the four types above - we’re pretty weighted towards the first two groups (although balances out a bit if take our Breust and chad who don’t have long left).

The round 1 mix will be interesting. If Hardwick is forward, lock in Breust and Moore and then there’s not a lot of room left.

 

[JZedd]

So we draft all these small forwards and NOW we decide to move Hardwick forward. I'm not buying into this.
Maybe we should re-draft Big Boy and plonk him at CHB.
Why take something that's working and
turn it on its head.

 

[HedgeFund]

Could be as simple as Hardwick saying to Sam in his end of season chat.

Blake: “Hey coach, I’ve spent 8 years in the backline. Pretty sure I know the drill down there. Bit bored, any chance I could train with the forwards to make preseason more interesting?”

Sam: “Yep - no worries”

 

[MrPremiership]

Simon Crawshay doesn’t endorse this.

He's getting murdered against the best teams.

Brisbane: Hipwood and Daniher would have field days
Carlton: McKay and Curnow would kick 10 (McKay probably behinds)
Port: Dixon and Marshall too good for him
Cats: Cameron and Hawkins would destroy him

 

[Slainte]

So we draft all these small forwards and NOW we decide to move Hardwick forward. I'm not buying into this.
Maybe we should re-draft Big Boy and plonk him at CHB.
Why take something that's working and
turn it on its head.

Because it is not working. Breust is the only small forward who is scoring heavily and the ball pings out of our forward 50 too easily. Repairs are in hand and Hardwick is part of that. It is too early to say how much he will be needed. Butler could have a break out year. Ginnivan and Watson could score heavily.

I think the clear message is that in 2024 we want to start regularly winning games. We want to be genuinely competitive, regardless of opposition or injuries. This is going to be a no excuses year.

Hardwick may not spend much time forward during the season but he needs to be able to perform there, if and when needed. He needs to understand all the leading patterns and the charactertistics and attributes of the regular forwards. You pick up those things training with the forwards, not training with the backs.

 

[Yardie]

If scrim can’t hold down a kpd role - I’m personally sceptical - he’s more likely at Box hill. Seemed pretty clear club wants quicker types on the flanks going forward. With guys like Serong, Frost, DGB all looking for a defender spot no sure thing scrim even plays round 1 (assuming a fully fit squad).

I’m pretty sceptical that work ethic, application, competitiveness, intensity etc will ‘click’ after 7 seasons in afl (a couple yes but 7?) Chol the same. It’s like expecting frost to develop composure.

They are both young and it can be expected that something like work ethic can kick in once the brain has fully developed.

 

[HedgeFund]

They are both young and it can be expected that something like work ethic can kick in once the brain has fully developed.

They are the 8th and 10th oldest players on our list. They aren’t young in any one’s estimation.

Plenty of players younger than them have a far superior work ethic.

 

[Yardie]

They are the 8th and 10th oldest players on our list. They aren’t young in any one’s estimation.

Plenty of players younger than them have a far superior work ethic.

They are young, brains aren't generally complete until 25 years of age.

 

[FB19]

They are young, brains aren't generally complete until 25 years of age.

What’s your definition of complete?

 

[burner1]

Mitchell prioritises scoring/atrack over defence. Yes we lock down at times (and play Finn) but we largely take risks and try to create even if we get scored aganist. Yet we don’t really score. Hardwick playing forward is consistent with how Mitchell has coached the last 24 months.

 

[Tony3163]

What’s your definition of complete?

The Teen Brain: 7 Things to Know

Learn about how the teen brain grows, matures, and adapts to the world.

www.nimh.nih.gov

A numbers of sources/organisation make mention of the continuing development of the human brain into the mid 20s

 

[Tony3163]

Mitchell prioritises scoring/atrack over defence. Yes we lock down at times (and play Finn) but we largely take risks and try to create even if we get scored aganist. Yet we don’t really score. Hardwick playing forward is consistent with how Mitchell has coached the last 24 months.

Yep, if we can develop Mitchell, Ryan (even Finn) as lockdown defenders when needed, Hardwick skills forward can be a definite plus for the side. This versatility will be valuable.

 

[Yardie]

What’s your definition of complete?

Not mine

 

[The hands of stone]

We struggled to score at times last year which got noted in pretty much every autopsy , pre game and general discussion .
Now there is talk we 'might' try a pretty decent player forward to improve the side ..........and people are losing there minds over it .
Gee we havent even had a praccy match yet !

 

[MrPremiership]

We struggled to score at times last year which got noted in pretty much every autopsy , pre game and general discussion .
Now there is talk we 'might' try a pretty decent player forward to improve the side ..........and people are losing there minds over it .
Gee we havent even had a praccy match yet !

People seem to ignore that we also had the 3rd worst defence in terms of points conceded. I'm not overly enamoured about moving our best small lockdown defender to the forward line to fix scoring woes, when we just brought in 2 good small forwards.

 

[Notsoyabby]

Um... they are ALL kids. As is the coach.

and hopefully one will turn into a GOAT!!!!

 

[Brant]

Mitchell prioritises scoring/atrack over defence. Yes we lock down at times (and play Finn) but we largely take risks and try to create even if we get scored aganist. Yet we don’t really score. Hardwick playing forward is consistent with how Mitchell has coached the last 24 months.

I wouldn't get too wound up over that.

More likely is that we've had a dour game style (at best) for almost a decade & Mitchell decided to work on that part of our game first (before worrying about the defensive side, which we already have the mindset & players for).

We prioritised Attack over Defence in large in 2023*, because that's the mind shift we needed - not because he values Attack over Defence (IMO). Like everyone else, I'm sure he understands that Defence wins Finals.


*again, IMO, this is/was the reason for a number of the blow-out losses we sustained in 2023. Opponents knew we'd attack when possible & often sat an additional player across HB or waited for us to run ourselves into trouble. Didn't help that we lacked KPF & our Forwardline was unsettled. We stuck to our plan (which we absolutely should have) & continued to learn, whilst they picked us off, rebounded through the middle & scored heavily. This is the reason we don't really score, but were able to cut teams up 'on our day(s)'.

 

[RoughysMullet]

I'm calling it now.

Scrimmers is in for a very big year in 2024.

I'm talking AA squad worthy level.

He’ll never make the AA team though.

Geelong players have a permanent half back position in the AA team no matter how well they play - see Tom Stewart, Corey Enright and Darren Milburn

 

[The hands of stone]

People seem to ignore that we also had the 3rd worst defence in terms of points conceded. I'm not overly enamoured about moving our best small lockdown defender to the forward line to fix scoring woes, when we just brought in 2 good small forwards.

Which is exactly why in pre season/praccy games we should be trying different set ups and combos.

Who knows we may find a Hardwick equivalent down back by doing this

 

[MrPremiership]

Which is exactly why in pre season/praccy games we should be trying different set ups and combos.

Who knows we may find a Hardwick equivalent down back by doing this

I'm all for trying new things, but moving your best small defender OUT of defence to fix your defence seems a bit of a hail mary

 

[TheFourPillars]

I'm all for trying new things, but moving your best small defender OUT of defence to fix your defence seems a bit of a hail mary

Let me put it to you this way. You have to look at this move as fluid. There are multiple players that we are trying out in defence at the moment. Seamus Mitchell, Bailey Macdonald, Jai Serong, Massimo D'AMBROSIO, Denver G Barass, Will McCabe, Finn Maginness and Bodie Ryan. Not to mention the seniors in Impey, Scrimshaw, Amon, Sic, Frost and Blank. We know what we have with Dimma. We want to have the flexibility to move him forward in the future for periods of the game. Having utilities as players is never a bad thing. Players playing multiple positions enables flexibility and covers injuries. It also allows the player to contribute in other ways if he is having a bad day in his so-called primary role.

 

[TylerDurden]

Sounds like Amon and D'Ambrosio could be lining up down back R1. Which explains the Hardwick move.

 

[The hands of stone]

I'm all for trying new things, but moving your best small defender OUT of defence to fix your defence seems a bit of a hail mary

It may simple give us more flexibility within the team , that cant be a bad thing if we want to be playing and winning finals can it ?

 

[HedgeFund]

They are young, brains aren't generally complete until 25 years of age.

So those players under 25 with yet to be fully developed brains who work hard are……something special are they?

The guys like Moore, Newcombe, Day, Maginness, Weddle, etc. who work their bums off to get everything out of themselves. Are they the exceptions?

Whilst l agree that the male brain is not fully developed until 25, it’s a fair stretch to suggest these two players didn’t know they need to work hard to succeed….due to lack of development of their brain.

FWIW: Both Chol and Scrimshaw have passed the age of 25.