Crusader wrote:
I think Kemp & McGovern is one too many.
I like Kemp, but right now he’s just the guy that’s sometimes at the end of an all-too-obvious forward chain. Easily defended.
That’s not to say that Brackets is a slippery cauliflower, but what he can do is get a clean shot off from 40-60.
Wilbur, Moir, Ison, Brackets, Flynn Young & Ainsworth. Mobility is one thing, but it’s their scoring range that helps them create & slip into pockets of space. If only Kemp could kick…
I’m not real sure of Byrne’s range, but I know that none of Frankie, Motlop or Fogarty need defending beyond 40m.
Fair enough, but I'll give a different opinion.
Byrne has kicked goals from 50m. Evans has kicked plenty from 50m. How could you forget his purple patch of games in 2025? He hasn't been kicking straight, ditto Kemp, and FYI ditto Flynn Young. Yep dead eye Young has been missing easy shots at goal too in his last 2 games.
I really liked Derksen's game against the Scrays, but he was played in the backline this week. Killed it the air. The week before he killed it playing FF kicking a bag (albeit against weak opposition), took half a dozen marks. What I like about Derksen is he does take a good grab AND kicks straight at goal, and thought he may push out Kemp last week, whose kicking for goal has failed him, his team, and his coach (aka Coach killer). So, I wouldn't mind seeing Derksen in and send a message to Kemp: we like your competitiveness in the air and on the ground, but your kicking for goal, needs work....in the VFL.
I think Gov had an ordinary game on Saturday, but he was the 190cm FF for the 40-45 minutes Harry was in the ruck. I don't think Kemp and Gov are KPD. Sure they are mobile but if its not a free flowing game, with open spaces and time, which it rarely is these days, they wont be leading to mark much. I am a fan of 2 KPF's, especially if one is thrown into the ruck. Its obvious we need at least one tall target in a KPF role when Harry is in the ruck.
Flynn Young is a lead up forward, not a crumber, unless Ive missed something. I find he is easy pushed off the ball, and if you have Moir with Gov and Young, who is going to crumb with Evans out of the forward line and Ainsworth spending 90% GT in the midfield area? It aint going to be Young. Young imo and I've said this before, reminds me of a shorter version of Brad Pearce with his hard assertive leading. Sounds nice, but Young hasn't played for two weeks and the 2 prior games he did play, he was quiet. I don't see reward for selection reflecting his current form. Moir will provide a leading target too.
I like the idea of holding back Moir and make him hungry. He has shown good signs in last 2 VFL games in a row, and he's playing a HHF role which is getting him into the game. I have no problem playing Moir and Ison together, especially with Ison's confidence up, and Moir kicking goals and getting touches last 2 weeks.
Now its obvious its much too early to tank, and playing to win, we can win this as long as we don't let Sweet dominate the ruck....and we kick straight for goal.