I didn't pick Marchbank because I struggle with Marchbank McGovern Young & Weitering all in defence. Looks to tall and slow to me. That's my take

Cowan is a runner and kicks it a mile. With Docherty in the middle and Boyd injured, I see a need for another running defnder down back and I reckon Cowan will be a natural at AFL level and he is physically ready although it's hard to leave Marchbank out

As for Carroll his kicking looks a bit awkward but it is effective. Big improver this pre season

Same

If it was our Best 22 Walsh Boyd would be in it for me

I hope by mid year Carroll Hollands are pushing Best 22

He doesn’t stretch a defence though. If anything, he gets in the way and makes it harder for Harry. Plus he is a bad kick at goal. I have no doubt TDK will get better in the ruck but I’ve seen nothing to give me confidence he will become a forward threat. That’s the way it is with some ruckman and it’s why playing both Pittonet & TDK in the same side is unlikely to work IMO.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

That makes perfect sense FB… so, why put the extra ruck up front?

It’s just asking for another Brodie Smith to gain a kilometre against us from half back.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

with a 5 man bench it has options. There will be times McKay or Curnow will be on the bench. There will be times TDK & Pittonet rotate through the bench. It's about how we use them

I havent been to any training sessions thus far in 2023.

A lot of track watchers and people Ive spoken to who have attended and all suggest Carroll looks bigger and running better, but the biggest disappointment has been with his kicking: spraying, not making the distance. Heath Buck's training vids show those mistakes, but he is fit enough to follow up his kicks.

The Cowan logic is uber exciting. If Cowan can give us what Marchbank can (when fit), and more, bring it on.

Its kids like Cowan and Hollands who add excitement for me.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I had ringside seats in round 1 and saw SOS and TDK close up with Charlie and Harry playing KPF. I thought "stretch" the Tigers defense is exactly what TDK did. Pity he misses easy shots for goal, just as SOS Harry and Charlie do. Shits me no end they dont have a dead eye shot for goal when they have the opportunity. Apart from SOS, the 3 others seems to be laconic with their approach to goal (hit n miss).

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

B: Adam Saad, Jacob Weitering, Zac Williams
HB: Mitch McGovern , Sam Durdin , Sam Docherty
C: Matt Cottrell, Adam Cerra, Blake Acres
HF: Jack Martin, Charlie Curnow, Zac Fisher
F: Corey Durdin, Harry McKay, Matt Owies
Foll: Tom De Koning, Patrick Cripps, George Hewett
I/C: Jack Silvagni, Jesse Motlop, Matt Kennedy, Jack Carroll

Emerg: Newman, Lewis, Lochie O'Brien, Caleb Marchbank, Marc Pittonet,

If we are anywhere near where we think we are, barring injuries, the 3 newbies shouldn't get much of a look in for the 1st half of the year.

I doubt Lewis and LOB will get left out Rd 1, but I have Sam Durdin ahead of Lewis and Cottrell with his running power and intensity ahead of LOB. I think Carroll just gives us a point of difference. He's smart, skilled and a real slippery sucker in congestion. Fingers crossed he is ready to break out.

Pitto is an honest toiler, but TDK is our future. Will they run with 2 rucks or do we shorten SOS's career? Mmmmmmm

Newman is an honest trooper, but not our future. I am hoping Kemp and/or Cowan can force their way in later in the season but that back 6 are my first picked each week, if fit. Plow will struggle to see a game.

When Walshy back playing, a centreline of Walsh, Cerra and Acres is super exciting. A magnificent mixture of stamina, speed, skill and intensity.

Dow, Honey, Cunners and Philp are fighting Martin, Fish, Mots, Durds and Owies.

Unless he is tearing it up in the VFL, I am happy for Hollands to ply his trade and get his body tip top.

Commitment, Intensity, Smarts and Aggression surrounded by a great game plan. The cherry on top will be, some luck with injuries and we might win our share of games to give us a look in.

Regards Cazzesman

PS I forgot Boyd. He is in the mix for the back 6. Maybe in a BP and Doc moves to a wing and Cottell to the bench ahead of Carroll. Nice to have options.

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

The bench is still 4 + 1 sub. Only change is that you don’t have to pretend the sub is being used to cover an injury.

Every interchange that gets used on a spare big is one less spell for a runner. For a side like ours, one that’s already a wee bit overbalanced towards the stoppages, that’s an added challenge we could do without.

I think the sun shines out of Vossy’s arse. I haven’t seen a better leader of men in my time... but, this is why I say, it’ll be a mark against him. Last season it was the wing that we didn’t have, now it’s the rucks?

His system (every system, really) wants to pair a ruck/centreman and a ruck/forward. If you haven’t got them, you haven’t got them. If you can’t get them, do something else.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

I didn't know about the change re: sub not having to be injury related. Feels good when one of my hare brained ideas (which many others obviously had, but which i arrived at independently, honest! ) come to fruition.

It should’ve just gone to five on the bench.

With our handful of guys playing 60% game time every week, that would’ve suited us to a tee.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

True . Reckon it'll evolve to a 5 man bench in a year or two.

Going off recent training photos posted by the club Charlie and Harry look like they are close to entering their physical prime. Both looked noticeably stronger in the upper body. Harry looks enormous, he could tear opposition defenders apart this year IMO.

Our window is opening now people. Make no mistake. It's time.

I'm glad Vossy shows a preference for playing the 2 rucks TDK and Pittonet. For those who don't like the idea of 2 genuine ruckmen, with a 4 man bench, do you not think that there will be games we have no alternative but to play TDK and Pittonet?

Gawn & Grundy rotating will mean the Demons ruck will be fresh for every ruck battle.

I wouldn't rely on SOS for the 2nd ruck against 2 superior ruckmen because he will be dominated by the Demons rucks. All that will happen is the Demons ruck will be tapping the ball to the advantage of Petracca, Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw and Lachie Hunter.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Yep . Everyday of the week .

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All my dangerous friends

M2C on some of this.

* Glad they didn’t make it 5 on the bench. Need to just remove the sub all together and just let it be 4 interchange players.
* Hopefully the team interchange numbers, also stays as is, or even 5 less. Hate to go back to MM years.
* TDK / Pittonet combination will be the hardest to manage this year. Pittonet doesn’t have a second position and TDK up forward with Harry, Charlie and JSoS is too top heavy. IMO - Our forward line works best and sets up well when we have the 3 fowards plus Martin deep.
* Have no idea why people keep leaving Young out of our best 22. Was a revelation last year and will only get better. Just can’t get my head around it or why we are even suggesting we play him elsewhere.

Making no mistake.

Totally agree about Young. Revelation.
It was also obvious he looked great in the ruck when he rucked for 10 minutes against Lions when Pitto and especially TDK were beaten by McInerney.

You would have to assume TDK will keep improving as he has each year, and he will have studied what went so wrong against McInerney, and he will be better for it.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I don't think this is our best team, but this is what I reckon we'll see in round 1:

B: Newman - Young - McGovern
HB: Saad - Weitering - Docherty
C: Acres - Cripps - Fisher
HF: Martin - C. Curnow - Motlop
F: C. Durdin - McKay - Silvagni
R: Pittonet - Cerra - Hewitt
INT: Kennedy - TDK - Owies - O'Brien
Sub: E. Curnow