Three things you have learned Round 1 2021 v Collingwood

[jazzadogs]

Absolutely. Who should we have an eye on to replace Stef Martin? I have no idea if Sweet will make it and ideally we get someone who can step straight into Stef's role as we would be up to our ears in contention for the cup.

I would also ask who was available and wanted to play for us two years ago as a #1 ruck, that plays in a similar way to Stef (and would have cost us nothing, like Stef has?).

It's fine to say that we should have done it, but the personnel need to be willing and available. It's just like saying we should get more indigenous players/clever crumbing forwards, when we have openly chased Wingard and Jack Martin (and probably enquired about others behind closed doors).

[Topdog]

I don't disagree jazz but i really can't recall us even being linked with a ruck. Did we go after Ryder?

[bornadog]

I don't disagree jazz but i really can't recall us even being linked with a ruck. Did we go after Ryder?

We had Tom Boyd and we didn't need another ruck two years ago

[GVGjr]

I don't disagree jazz but i really can't recall us even being linked with a ruck. Did we go after Ryder?

Not that I can recall, going back a few years now we had Boyd seeking external medical advice to get on top of a debilitating back injury and didn't really put the feelers out for any others. Apparently our plan was an unproven but talented youngster and a player with a bad back. We also didn't do a lot to maintain Roughead.

[jeemak]

A lot has been said already..........some really good points made.

1 - Bailey Dale may have a future in defence, though I need to see him tested one on one more often to make the call

2 - Bont's kicking runs either hot or cold, often never in between

3 - We now have two ruckmen I want to introduce to my nanna, because they seem like such lovely young men


I thought we defended the ground really well. We are going to concede goals, and if opposition teams know we're going to get our hands on it more often then they'll simply drop numbers back, exploit our limitations for ground level players in our forward line and await an opportunity to sling it from defence. That's how we are scored against, it's probably going to continue to be that way until we change personnel.

The congestion in our forward line means we need to make sure we nail the short passes instead of fluffing them, but most importantly nail our easy set shots. Some teams may play an open style game against us and it might be different these weeks, but until those games we probably just need to get used to more of what we saw last night with hopefully better hit-ups to the lead and conversion.

[Bullies]

The upside of Martin and English working is that it proves the concept works, so hopefully once Martin is done in a year or so, we actually replace him rather than letting English go it alone again.

I think that is why Sweet is being retained. Give Sweet another year or two to learn his craft and he will be ready to go.

[ratsmac]

1. Treloar's head wasn't in the game. I don't blame him but he didn't look comfortable at all imo. He was still serviceable and will be better for the run. In saying that what a luxury it is to have him in what was arguably the already best midfield in the comp.

2. Ruck is no longer a weak spot. Martin/English combo will cause selection headaches for other teams. They will be forced to go tall against us if Martin and English can keep up the good work. We at least don't look like getting exploited in the ruck anymore.

3. 2021 has the same congestion in the forward line as 2020. We can't do anything about opponents flooding so the brains trust need to come up with strategies to get through it. We can stop flooding our own forward line for starters. Clear our!

[Hotdog60]

We may see Sweet get a run if Martin needs a rest.

[1eyedog]

I don't disagree jazz but i really can't recall us even being linked with a ruck. Did we go after Ryder?

Yep we went after Lobbe hard at the end of 2016. He had a very attractive offer in front of him while holiday in Nam.

[bornadog]

Yep we went after Lobbe hard at the end of 2016. He had a very attractive offer in front of him while holiday in Nam.

We ended up with Trengove instead in 2018

[Twodogs]

Yep we went after Lobbe hard at the end of 2016. He had a very attractive offer in front of him while holiday in Nam.

And we would have given up the pick we took Tim English with for Lobbe.

[mjp]

It's just like saying we should get more indigenous players/clever crumbing forwards, when we have openly chased Wingard and Jack Martin (and probably enquired about others behind closed doors).

There’s always the draft jd.

We have to build it first mate - then they will come. Trying to get Jack Martin with no other indigenous players on our list?? Not gonna happen.

[Sedat]

We had Tom Boyd and we didn't need another ruck two years ago

Even having Tom Boyd on the list 2 years ago we were skinny in the ruck. And when he retired suddenly we could have boosted our ruck stocks in the mid season draft in 2019, the trade period in 2019, the national draft/rookie draft in 2019, the supplementary period in 2019 and the mid season draft in 2020, before we finally did something in the trade period in 2020.

[bornadog]

Even having Tom Boyd on the list 2 years ago we were skinny in the ruck. And when he retired suddenly we could have boosted our ruck stocks in the mid season draft in 2019, the trade period in 2019, the national draft/rookie draft in 2019, the supplementary period in 2019 and the mid season draft in 2020, before we finally did something in the trade period in 2020.

Easy to say, but who was available in mid season 2019 and how do you know we didn't try and pickup a ruckman?

Trade period 2019, we picked up Keath and Bruce, so I guess we identified these roles as more important and banked on English to develop.

* Were we skinny when we had Boyd, English, backup in Trengove and a developing Sweet?

* We have the same now, so are we skinny?

Genuine questions.

[jeemak]

1. Treloar's head wasn't in the game. I don't blame him but he didn't look comfortable at all imo. He was still serviceable and will be better for the run. In saying that what a luxury it is to have him in what was arguably the already best midfield in the comp.

2. Ruck is no longer a weak spot. Martin/English combo will cause selection headaches for other teams. They will be forced to go tall against us if Martin and English can keep up the good work. We at least don't look like getting exploited in the ruck anymore.

3. 2021 has the same congestion in the forward line as 2020. We can't do anything about opponents flooding so the brains trust need to come up with strategies to get through it. We can stop flooding our own forward line for starters. Clear our!

Agree, that and with the fact he's not played with the group ever it wasn't disheartening outing though.