I seriously dont know

[Vred]

After reading this thread it doesn't fill me with alot of confidence that things will improve this year, and again we will be waiting for the offseason to change around some pieces both coaching and player wise.. I'm no expect but I still feel both front and back we are weak, when our midfield is on fire they are hard to stop but our inability to kick goals and the amount of goals scored on us from turnovers week after week does get really old.

What's the fix? Goal kicking coach? Dump our large surplus of money on a gun forward (seriously trying to steal Ben Brown or Degoey is what I'd like to do). I don't even know what to do with the backline considering Moz will most likely be throwing in the towel at the end of this season.

If we lose our next game, again, I.. don't even know.

[GVGjr]

After reading this thread it doesn't fill me with alot of confidence that things will improve this year, and again we will be waiting for the offseason to change around some pieces both coaching and player wise.. I'm no expect but I still feel both front and back we are weak, when our midfield is on fire they are hard to stop but our inability to kick goals and the amount of goals scored on us from turnovers week after week does get really old.

What's the fix? Goal kicking coach? Dump our large surplus of money on a gun forward (seriously trying to steal Ben Brown or Degoey is what I'd like to do). I don't even know what to do with the backline considering Moz will most likely be throwing in the towel at the end of this season.

If we lose our next game, again, I.. don't even know.

It's a good point you have raised, losing is one thing, blaming it on inexperience and injuries is often a weaker excuse but it's harder for people to cop when the same problems are occurring and there is almost no sign of improvement

We have to address some of the glaring gaps

[Mofra]

No - I'm not saying that. What I am saying is that in 2019 you can only construct your list so many ways...West Coast are a good example. Sheed is clearly a good player, but got dropped last year because he wasn't impacting as a forward. Gaff whacks Brayshaw, there is a spot in the mids available, hey presto...then he starts this year on fire, Gaff returns from suspension, he gets spat out of the midfled...suddenly he's no good again, Redden gets injured, back in he goes...he's a gun again.

We have: Bont, Daniel, Macrae, Hunter, Dunks, Libber, McLean and Smith who all need to play in the midfield (inside or outside, I don't care). Then you have Suckling, Richards, Williams, Dale, Lipinski and Wallis as well. Again - inside, outside or spat out either forward or back. You can add JJ to that list - and probably Crozier as well.

They have to get the forward/mid balance right because for all of those guys to play some are going to have to play outside mid, half forward and half back. There simply isn't room for them all to play...or we adopt the West Coast model, drop half of the above group to the 2's and play a forward line consisting of forwards - Naughton, Lloyd, Gowers, Greene, Dickson, Schache and Cavarra. 'Cos that's the alternative strategy.

If you watched yesterday, we were OK early then started getting beaten at the stoppages, so Bevo sent a 5th to the clearance, which allowed West Coast to free up Hurn...but what was the coach supposed to do? It looked like we tried to reset it towards the back end of the 3rd, but by then the press was in full effect, then we allowed Waterman to kick 3 in 3 minutes and honestly who cares what happened after that?

Our list isn't stuffed, but if Sidebottom can spend time on a wing and at half-forward and Ablett can go forward with Selwood and Duncan being spat outside the contest, why can't McLean, Macrae, Libber, Dunkley and even Bont deal with playing outside of the contest (either outside mid or hf) for more than 5 minutes at time - have an impact, defend like their lives depend on it and maybe sneak a goal? Honestly, looking at Dunkley he just seems unable to figure it out which is (I guess) fine. Playing forward is tricky. Macrae seems to be sulking every time he goes down there. McLean at least seems enthusiastic but largely ineffective. Wallis has been good at it.

I understand the mid log-jam issues, but aside from Hunter we need a second 'run both ways' wingman and right now nobody has made that spot their own.
I really think McLean is capable with chop-outs from one of our developing types (Lipinski / Bailey Dale) but one of our 'inside' mids simply has to develop more outside ability. I understand we're loathe to play Smith more outside as he is the only mid on our list with genuine burst pace.
Vandermeer looks a classic developing wingman but he's not ready and likely won't be this year.

The other argument is as good as Daniel is in the backline as a distributor, the risk of him getting isolated means we have to develop someone else to play that role. McLean is also a chance there as we know Daniel delivers well into the F50 and has spent a fair amount of time at HF where aside from Lloyd there is nobody settled.
The 'McLean problem' is as much an opportunity.