Opinion The Way Forward

[Jewelsbon]

Yeah but imagine if we win in 25 and you don't bother going but sat through all the losses.

I'll cope, I'd probably have some regrets at not being there, but I'll cope.

 

[The King!]

I’ve attended 2005, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2022 and 2024.

Had tickets for 2016 but knew the umpiring fix would be in so refused to go. Unfortunately I was right. 2006 we didn’t deserve to win, 1-1 v wce felt fair. 2014 was a shocker as was 2022. 2024 takes the cake as the worst ever performance v expectation. The King!, be happy to miss us winning one, only after that will I return. Lots of my mates feel the same way, not going until trust is restored esp if Longmire remains at the helm. New coach may probably go.

Yep very understandable.

Ill keep in the guaranteed tickets so I have the option, but would I go watch Longmire stuff it up again, probably not

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

I'll cope, I'd probably have some regrets at not being there, but I'll cope.

Jewels its the most awful thing ever sitting there for the next 2hrs knowing there is no next week rather 7 months just to have a chance to get there again...

2022 was soul crushing sitting there for the next 3 quarters and the last GF i will attend if we happen to win one i can celebrate it at home.

Club has some balls with the one game wont define me shit.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

I'll cope, I'd probably have some regrets at not being there, but I'll cope.

This is where I'm at. I was there this year because I didn't want to "miss out". I won't be going next year if we make it. I'll happily watch on at a bar somewhere.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

This is where I'm at. I was there this year because I didn't want to "miss out". I won't be going next year if we make it. I'll happily watch on at a bar somewhere.

Prelims are great value we are generally in the contest at least i think our record is nuts 7-1 or something

 

[caesar88]

I'd like to see Gulden and Warner playing more forward and on the outside respectively, like they did in their first season as regulars in the 22 back in 2021.

Individually they have gone to new levels as players but in terms of how effective they are in the team, I'd take the early 2021 versions of them over the ones we've seen the last few years.

 

[Nuggetz]

I'd like to see Gulden and Warner playing more forward and on the outside respectively, like they did in their first season as regulars in the 22 back in 2021.

Individually they have gone to new levels as players but in terms of how effective they are in the team, I'd take the early 2021 versions of them over the ones we've seen the last few years.

Honestly think one of Heeney or Warner needs to be in the fwd line at all times. Both are dynamic & destructive when resting fwd.

 

[caesar88]

Honestly think one of Heeney or Warner needs to be in the fwd line at all times. Both are dynamic & destructive when resting fwd.

We can't take Heeney out of the mids. He is one of our only contested ball-winners and one of our best clearance players. He's a non-negotiable IMO.

Warner on the other hand is offering less in the mids than he is when he's in the front half, so there's almost nothing lost by playing him there and replacing him with someone who can offer more in the mids instead. It's a win/win.

 

[Kiama Chris]

We can't take Heeney out of the mids. He is one of our only contested ball-winners and one of our best clearance players. He's a non-negotiable IMO.

Warner on the other hand is offering less in the mids than he is when he's in the front half, so there's almost nothing lost by playing him there and replacing him with someone who can offer more in the mids instead. It's a win/win.

With Grundy's decline in the second half of the season we had to change our setup and I think we need to rework it again. A possibility:
Heeney was our biggest mid but I think we wore him out by the end. I would like to see him share time and role with Mills as our other big body.
Rowbottom's role changed too and I'd like to see him share time with Sheldrick in similar roles.
The third role could be shared between Warner and Jordon.
Heeney and Warner can rotate with each other forward. Jordon and Sheldrick can tag a defender or a mid. Mills can rest as an extra defender or relieve one.
Gulden, McInerney and Lloyd cover the wings.
I would like to see Mitchell used more on the inside in VFL. He's a fair size.
Adams, Corey and Cleary as good depth.
I reckon the pieces are there if used cleverly.

 

[caesar88]

With Grundy's decline in the second half of the season we had to change our setup and I think we need to rework it again. A possibility:
Heeney was our biggest mid but I think we wore him out by the end. I would like to see him share time and role with Mills as our other big body.
Rowbottom's role changed too and I'd like to see him share time with Sheldrick in similar roles.
The third role could be shared between Warner and Jordon.
Heeney and Warner can rotate with each other forward. Jordon and Sheldrick can tag a defender or a mid. Mills can rest as an extra defender or relieve one.
Gulden, McInerney and Lloyd cover the wings.
I would like to see Mitchell used more on the inside in VFL. He's a fair size.
Adams, Corey and Cleary as good depth.
I reckon the pieces are there if used cleverly.

Heeney & Rowbottom 100% need help. We often lament how much we miss JPK, and whilst JPK was great, it's worth remembering the midfielders of similar hardness and grunt that were around him for support - Hannebery, Jack, Parker, Mitchell and O'Keefe.

Who do Heeney & Rowbottom have? A purely attacking mid in Warner who offers next to nothing defensively, and a small wingman in Gulden. Parker was playing forward, Adams was sitting in the stands. It could be argued Grundy was good help in this regard, but as you say he faded badly in the second half of the year.

I agree with you that Mills & Sheldrick seem the most logical, if unconvincing at this stage, options to help, and Horse needs to make them a priority. Because there just can not be only two guys in a whole midfield group willing to do the hard stuff if we ever want to win a grand final.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Heeney & Rowbottom 100% need help. We often lament how much we miss JPK, and whilst JPK was great, it's worth remembering the midfielders of similar hardness and grunt that were around him for support - Hannebery, Jack, Parker, Mitchell and O'Keefe.

Who do Heeney & Rowbottom have? A purely attacking mid in Warner who offers next to nothing defensively, and a small wingman in Gulden. Parker was playing forward, Adams was sitting in the stands. It could be argued Grundy was good help in this regard, but as you say he faded badly in the second half of the year.

I agree with you that Mills & Sheldrick seem the most logical, if unconvincing at this stage, options to help, and Horse needs to make them a priority. Because there just can not be only two guys in a whole midfield group willing to do the hard stuff if we ever want to win a grand final.

I can't help remembering that Sheldrick monstered Horne-Francis in the U18s to the extent they shifted him forward. He doesn't have to be a saviour but I reckon he could do some of the heavy lifting. Work the rotations so each player can go harder for longer. Allow Heeney and Warner more time forward.
We need to manage Grundy better too. Not sure how, whether more rest is the go, but he got outplayed somewhat by the big men. Looked tired.

 

[kickthething]

I'll cope, I'd probably have some regrets at not being there, but I'll cope.

Not going might be the difference!!

 

[caesar88]

I can't help remembering that Sheldrick monstered Horne-Francis in the U18s to the extent they shifted him forward. He doesn't have to be a saviour but I reckon he could do some of the heavy lifting. Work the rotations so each player can go harder for longer. Allow Heeney and Warner more time forward.
We need to manage Grundy better too. Not sure how, whether more rest is the go, but he got outplayed somewhat by the big men. Looked tired.

Agreed KC. It's almost the ideal way to introduce Sheldrick into the mix. Three "big dogs" around him in Heeney, Rowbottom (feels weird calling him that) & Mills so that he can copy them without having to match them. Sheldrick learns, Heeney & Rowbottom get better support, and we'd even fiiiiinally be able to do tagging jobs in the mids with Mills there. Everybody wins! ****, I'm sold!

 

[Kiama Chris]

Agreed KC. It's almost the ideal way to introduce Sheldrick into the mix. Three "big dogs" around him in Heeney, Rowbottom (feels weird calling him that) & Mills so that he can copy them without having to match them. Sheldrick learns, Heeney & Rowbottom get better support, and we'd even fiiiiinally be able to do tagging jobs in the mids with Mills there. Everybody wins! ****, I'm sold!

Now all we have to do is sell the coaches!
Now for the forwards.
With both Heeney and Warner spending a bit more time forward (together making close to one player), two talls most of the time, Hayward and Papley we have room for another. Either a forward tagger a la JJ or an all-out attacker or a pressure forward. Maybe a combo.
But not a pure negative like Fox, much as I love him. Possibly station McLean a kick behind the ball.
That way mostly our forward line will be 2 talls, 2 mediums, 1 small and one "other".
Hopefully we'll experiment during the preseason.