Good news that Elijah is ok to continue. And obviously great about Walsh, but we've known about this for some time.

After all the red ink spilled this week, it's anticlimactic not seeing Pitto in the team, but maybe reintegrating Walsh is the priority this week and we can mix and match game styles later.

It is good news re Elijah. I hope there's no last minute call up on Cowan or Binns.

FYI, I was told, by someone I trust, following Pitto's BOG game in the VFL that he looked fit again and will come into contention for selection. When that is, I have NFI. That Vossy likes Pitto in the ruck, a 3rd marking target, Marchbank as a defender and pressuring small forwards. Non of that should be a surprise to us. I think we all have a hunch Vossy leans that way.

In other words, don't believe when you hear Vossy has moved past any of the above.

Anticlimactic? sorry if I led you to think Pitto was a given this week. Just my preference, and a possibility. That's all.

Pitto was selected as Emergency this week. He's getting close.

Good thing is AFL is on the Saturday and VFL is on the Sunday. We get to see a few peripheral players knocking on the door.

I really prefer Cincotta instead of Carroll for his wise head, hard body and gives us flexibility to release williams from defence, if needed.

We should go OK this week. KPF/Ruck Burgess has been dropped for Gollant. Both similar size, but Gollant doesnt ruck. OBrien is the sole ruck. Interesting.

TDK has to get his timing right because body on body against OBrien is going to be a huge challenge for him. We will find out how much TDK has improved on last year's outing in Rnd 5.

Go Blues.

The MC are trying to develop our game and improve our versatility.
We will play with 2 rucks at some stage but we're trying to develop our game currently with 1. It doesn't mean anyone wants Marc Pittonet assassinated. No one is saying we'll play this structure for eternity. We're just trying a different structure at the moment. We're prioritising the turnover game.

Last year we averaged 11.4 marks inside 50 per game. This year we're averaging 10 but we're now getting more goals per inside 50 (5th in the AFL) compared to 13th in the AFL last year.
More goals per game (5th in the AFL compared to 11th last year) and more scoring shots per inside 50.
Just as importantly we're spreading the load more and being less reliant on superstars. (5th in the AFL for number of goal scorers per match compete to 15th last year)
The game is about winning and efficiency. You don't get 4 points for taking more marks. We're smashing the rest of the AFL for tackles inside 50. That is about mindset, personnel and structure.
The stats are there. Forward line efficiency 2024 - 2023, hugely improved.
Structural change? Harry relieving ruck, more ground level players.

How are we tracking with clearances compared to last year?
It's the stoppage clearances that are the major change which is about structure more than rucks. In fact our rucks are averaging more hitouts and hitouts to advantage than their opponents per game. Last year we were behind on both those fronts.
Forget the uninformed opinions and work with the data.
The loss of Sam Walsh has been significantly underestimated. I saw yesterday that Cripps is currently worst in the AFL for turning a first possession into a clearance. Get Walsh around him again and see that efficiency increase significantly.

Last year we were too one dimensional. We're adding layers to our game which will take time and there will be times where we take a step backwards. There will also be times where players will lose their spot in the team so the MC can try a different structure. That's team sport.

"I don’t want to underestimate Sam Walsh’s influence on our team, but if you think he’s the difference, we’re certainly going down the wrong path . . .Sam coming in helps us with that, but at the same time, we can’t be thinking that that’s the fix for us, that’s one part of a bigger picture."

"I think it’s having that balanced profile, we don't want to be heavily weighted in one area. To be a good team, you need to know what you’re good at and for us. Whether it’s a turnover game or stoppages, we’d like both of them to come together at some stage, because as the games get bigger and the year progresses, you want to join those things together a bit more tightly".

"We’ve taken a squad mentality to everything we’ve done so we appreciate that there’s one person that can step in and have a good role and a good say in that .

Like Vossy said in the presser "we are far from the finished product"

With regards to stoppages...



On scoring more from turnovers rather than stoppages...



There's still another 20 weeks to play out and during that time we will be working on different parts of the game and bringing it all together.



In other words, every player knows their role and their importance to the team.

Its a work in progress. He knows what has worked and what works and what the team is building and we will evolve from who we are today and what we are doing.

He also said he only selects players fit enough to play and wont carry anyone. Good to hear.

I'm loving what Im hearing.

There is a bit of talk about a midfielder going out. Anyone know anything about this.

Funny you say that Bend . I got a couple of mates who are real characters . A couple of hilarious blokes who are a barrel of laughs , BUT , when it comes to footy they get all serious and there sense of humour goes out the window . I tell you mate , footy sends people REAL strange . What is it about our game ? real looney tunes stuff with my mates to the point i never footy up in there company coz it sends "em off the planet . Real weird i tell ya .

A person on BF who appears to be IDK (from past observation) won’t rule out that midfielder may be missing but was categorical that Binns isn’t the ‘in’

But who knows?

I think I will just wait and see and settle in to watch the bombers get beaten…

Cincotta ?

If Cerra is out then Kennedy goes into the midfield surely?

So who comes in to replace Kennedy in the forward line, Pitto?