Very good point eZyT, Dimma played him in the guts in his first AFL game and not much after that, my only thinking is, he is needed more on a wing.
Its like magic in slow motion' - Brian Taylor on Marlion Pickett on debut.
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The 2022 Engine Room
- Thread starter OldTiger1967
- Start date
Very good point eZyT, Dimma played him in the guts in his first AFL game and not much after that, my only thinking is, he is needed more on a wing.
Its like magic in slow motion' - Brian Taylor on Marlion Pickett on debut.
Appears to be a bit of recency bias in the discussions around the need to improve our midfield. We just do not have the cattle to emulate Melbourne’s midfield but then again we never did have the best midfield in any of our premiership years either. Our strength has always been in our defense. Not just the designated back six either but our whole ground defense.
We’ll be able to contend again if we can rediscover our whole ground defensive ability and in particular, find a way to start affecting turnovers at a high rate again.
If we try going head to head with teams like Melbourne in a midfield clearance battle we’ll lose and lose badly.
We’ll be able to contend again if we can rediscover our whole ground defensive ability and in particular, find a way to start affecting turnovers at a high rate again.
If we try going head to head with teams like Melbourne in a midfield clearance battle we’ll lose and lose badly.
Big Soldo and a few less injuries will make all the difference.
I was watching Gawn in the granny, when he gave Oliver and Petracca first use they we’re almost impossible to stop.
Big Soldo can provide a similar service to our boys. Shai needs to visit the centre a bit more as well, when he’s in there things happen.
I was watching Gawn in the granny, when he gave Oliver and Petracca first use they we’re almost impossible to stop.
Big Soldo can provide a similar service to our boys. Shai needs to visit the centre a bit more as well, when he’s in there things happen.
Big Nank n Soldo working tandem in the ruck will make life much easier for our mids. Both more than capable of providing the bullocking and blocking work that's essential to give the on ballers that half metre, half second of extra room to work in. It's not that often during games that the on ballers get premium silver service ball spoon fed to them in open space by the rucks. There's always a mountain of beast work required around the ruck contests to try n gain an advantage though, Nank n Soldo excell at beast work.
I haven't seen any training so the only info I have is from this site and the AFL sites so I reckon the two preseason matches will tell us were our guys are and what our new game plan may be. We only have to remind ourselves of the last preseason matches that told us we were off the pace a touch and the main season followed that line.
Not having first use of the ball at rucks always put us on the backfoot and having Nanks shoulder the burden took too much out of him so having Soldo back and working with Nanks is only going to improve us
Not having first use of the ball at rucks always put us on the backfoot and having Nanks shoulder the burden took too much out of him so having Soldo back and working with Nanks is only going to improve us
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Seems to be a lot of “hoping” around our midfield this year. Hoping we have a better run with injuries, hoping a few older players have one more big year left in them, hoping one or two young kids make big strides. Maybe it’ll all come together, who knows. But I reckon we need to make some internal shifts. And adjust our midfield strategy. The game seems to have gone past our semi contested/coral and intercept pressure strategy that’s been so successful in the past.
Regular and decent players like Baker (and someone else) need to find more time in the midfield, playing a dedicated role, otherwise just hoping for all of the above might not be enough. Maybe Stack gets a run through there if he’s prepared properly. Dunno. But think we’ve gotta move a few pieces around and think about our craft, or tactics, a bit.
Regular and decent players like Baker (and someone else) need to find more time in the midfield, playing a dedicated role, otherwise just hoping for all of the above might not be enough. Maybe Stack gets a run through there if he’s prepared properly. Dunno. But think we’ve gotta move a few pieces around and think about our craft, or tactics, a bit.
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Yeah, but one area we have fallen off a bit is in making sure opposition clearances are under intense pressure and they spray it forward. We don't have to win the clearance out of the middle but we do have to make sure the opposition can't get a clean clearance. The 2018 PF comes to mind, not only did we lose the centre clearances, we let Collingwood get clean clearances.
Having both Soldo and Nank will help a lot here, but we also need the mids to perform.
DS
With Dusty in the side anything could happen.But even how great Dusty is he can't compete against age & motivation.
We're in transition mode.
Be a bonus if we make finals but do we really have it in us?
We're in transition mode.
Be a bonus if we make finals but do we really have it in us?
That has to be the worst rule ever instigated.
However, all other clubs have had to adjust, so we must also.
all true, but all clubs rely on hope at this time of the year.
the Dees will be hoping Petracca and Oliver can repeat their career best years in the middle, will be hoping that May and Lever maintain their jump from decent defenders to 2 of the best in the land, they will be hoping the forward line, led by Bailey Fritsch can again kick enough goals etc etc.
i reckon we have as much reason to hope as anyone.
I have been flippant on this thread, but please consider not only the return of Soldo, but of full quarters.
Two dominant ruckman over 30mins can *seriously* work teams over.
There are so many options in red time with these two big guys. We beat teams through attrition in 2019. A *smile* juggernaut that simply couldn’t be stopped.
Nank and Soldo aren’t just an elite tandem. They are a tactical platform.
Two dominant ruckman over 30mins can *seriously* work teams over.
There are so many options in red time with these two big guys. We beat teams through attrition in 2019. A *smile* juggernaut that simply couldn’t be stopped.
Nank and Soldo aren’t just an elite tandem. They are a tactical platform.
Given they actually DID those things last year, (whereas we didn’t), I reckon Melbourne are more expecting it to happen again rather than hoping.
By the end of their playing days guys can only have one career best year. The Dees will be hoping many of their stars didnt have theirs in 2021.
Let's see if Egobourne arises again this season. Dynasty is probably media-driven, but let's see if they drink more bathwater.
