Opinion The Way Forward

[Andyy1]

I know we’ve all got our own opinions, who knows what’s right in the end, but here’s my two cents:

• Longmire needs to move on. He’s had his time, has some positives but I genuinely can’t see us winning another GF with him at the helm. As much as I like Cox and his passion, I think we need an outsider.
• No more three tall forwards, Amartey has to go. Although McLean hasn’t been great, he offers more than Joel.
• Logan McDonald has to play full forward, non negotiable.
• If it looks like Chad will go in the near future, move him on and maximise value.
• Sheldrick and Cleary need game time, otherwise it’s pointless having them.
• Have everyone on the table. We have some talented players on the books, but where do they go when it mattered in the biggest game? They disappear.
• Recruitment: Trading has to be maximised, rather than focusing on the draft. Have we built a good team through the draft? Sure. But none of them have that steel, leadership or mental strength to take a hold in a GF.

Could say a lot more, but it’s turning into a long list.

 

[Andyy1]

Agree - can we though get him to be the loose man behind the ball?

I feel he doesn’t have the strength and technique to mark a KPF and doesn’t have the smarts and concentration for the mediums and smalls.

I’d like to see him in an Aliir / Andrew’s role where he is given freedom to be less accountable. To do this though, we would need to tighten the rest of our defence and probably lose one of the ‘midfielder backs’ (eg. Florent, Roberts).

Immediately strengthens our side if done.

 

[The King!]

Can you actually think of Joel Amartey as a premiership player?

Or Florent? Or Hayward?

Sure

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Reflecting deeper on Logan, I’m not sure modern footy has space in the forward line for the Gunston 2nd / 3rd tall role anymore. You either need to be able or clunk a big mark or be lightning quick and dynamic when the ball hits the ground.

So my question is whether Logan will be a perennial tease for a KPF role. I suggested earlier this year that I thought an argument could be made that Amartey and McLean were more important structurally than Logan, and so if one tall needed to make way it could be Logan (even though in many respects he is the most talented).

Still not sure how I feel about all this, but it does get me intrigued about training Logan with the backs in the off season. He might be a better defender who can occasionally swing forward than he will ever be a KPF. To me there are some serious Sam Reid

20

Sam Reid

Age

32

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.3

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.7

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

0.0

1star

G

1.0

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.4

3star

vibes. And I think his mentality seems to be more like that of a defender.

Or to put it really starkly, would I be more confident with Stringer up forward or Logan? I think I lean Stringer (if he can get back to fitness) but would really really like to be wrong.

 

[mcs095]

Two words I would love to see in big red and white text in the locker rooms:

• Ruthless
• Relentless

I'd add to this 'Redemption'.

None of this 'we will try to be there again' shit. Recognise what they owe to themselves, to the club and to the fans for what has happened in 2022 and 2024.

The only way this list and this playing group can remove the massive stink and stigma sitting around our club is to go the whole way, and achieve redemption. It probably won't happen in 2025 - history suggests we won't get close. But that should be burnt into every players mind when they walk into those change rooms. The failure of 2022 and 2024 can't be made up for in any reasonable form without achieving redemption.

 

[mcs095]

I think it's as simple as your home ground. While having a uniquely sized home ground can be a big asset during the H & A season, it can create problems in finals. WCE went through it while playing at the long but fairly narrow Subiaco. We had trouble winning on the wide expanses of the MCG. In 2015, we belted Hawks in the first final at Subi but got belted in the GF at the MCG. In 2017, we moved to Optus which is more MCG sized, and became a good away team culminating in the 2018 win. I've always said moving to Optus helped us win that.. I don't know where you'd move to but I reckon it would be a good move if you want to win GF's

I'm sick of hearing the bullshit excuse about ground shapes that too many hide behind in the AFL.

For good teams - it should never even be a thought. The only mantra needed is win any where, any time.

Its not like the MCG is particularly unique in its dimensions. Yes its wider than some other grounds, but not that much.

Its a piss weak excuse, rolled out far too often for mine. Yes you need to adjust game plans - but look across most seasons, and its pretty rare (unsurprising I know) outside of the occasional season won by MCG tenants that the Premiers don't win games across grounds of all shapes and sizes.

Sure

View attachment 2126282

View attachment 2126283

Closest this playing group will ever get to winning it if they can't solve their 'shitting bricks' approach to the big day.

 

[mcs095]

So my question is whether Logan will be a perennial tease for a KPF role. I suggested earlier this year that I thought an argument could be made that Amartey and McLean were more important structurally than Logan, and so if one tall needed to make way it could be Logan (even though in many respects he is the most talented).

If we must continue with 3 tall forwards, we need 2 of the 3 to probably get 33% better over the next one or two seasons, and one to probably get 50% better. I'm not talking about output etc here - but ability to impact games consistently. We go from what 7 or 8 goals in the prelim to nothing in the Grand Final.

I fear the ceiling for Amartey has already just about been reached, McLean will never be much more than an honest toiler, and McDonald will never quite reach his peak.

I tend to think we should pick 2 and go for it. If McLean is one of them (Which I think he will be - as we need a decent relief ruck in the side) - then we need to actively manage Grundy far better. Have him take more of the ruck duties, but actually be managed in some games across the season, and have whoever the backup ruck in the squad is play more than an odd game here and there.

I really fear we will never get enough out of those 3 big talls - but equally, I think we aren't anywhere near right with our mix of players around them either. Good teams simply waltz it out at ease against us now when they are on top - the pressure simply isn't there.

Replacing Parker with someone with leg speed like a Cleary or Wicks is a starting point (I'd go the former) is a first step.