#AFL Round One Weekly Discussion Thread.

[Blood Fever]

Great to see Port beat Melbourne. Just shows what an expert David King is with his statement that Melbourne will be undefeated this season, what an expert!!!

Don't watch any of the footy shows any more and often mute the commentators these days. Most of it shallow nonsense that justifies their existence.

[Ralph Dawg]

I have had complete footy overload this weekend, managing to watch big chunks of all games. The thing that has struck me is that teams which have put their faith in their young players, have excelled. In particular, the Port youngsters just took the game on with so much confidence. It is clear the coach has entrusted them with important roles in the team and they certainly thrived in R1. Contrast that to the way we manage our youngsters. Long stints in NEAFL. Dropped after one bad game yet particular favourites play like crap and get picked continuously (Hanners, Jack). Playing roles in defence and attack but never given central roles on the ball consistently. Traded out so we can keep ageing stars who have either fallen off the cliff or half way down. Dour game plans focused on hanging in games but never really taking it on. Sure, it's got us to the finals every year but let's be honest, we haven't looked like winning it in the last 2 years and based on last night, will be lucky to be mid table let alone winning a flag. Personally, I would prefer a call to be made early in the season that we are unlikely to win and then get some games into youngsters (Stoddart, Ling, Rowbottom, McInerney) and meaningful time on ball for Isaac and Mills. JPK and Parker to play up forward more and let's take the game on more. If it looks like the youngsters don't cut the mustard, then hit the next trade period hard and go for Coniglio or someone of his calibre. Jeez if the Lions can convince someone like Neale to go there, we should be able to do the same.

[barry]

Baz, they run a little deeper than that. Sidebottom , adams , treloar de goey, GRUNDY, potential - Moore , Stephenson , COX


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All good players, but only one with a sniff of being a star is grundy.

[stellation]

All good players, but only one with a sniff of being a star is grundy.

Treloar doesn't have a sniff of being a star?

[liz]

Treloar doesn't have a sniff of being a star?

Depends whether you think he already is. He's 26 (just a few months younger than Parker). At that age, most players have come close to their ceiling. Some incremental improvement can be expected with greater experience but few players jump from their level at that age to a significantly higher level of performance. So what we see now is most likely the "real" Treloar.

Based on his current output, he has some star like attributes. His pace away from stoppages is good and he knows how to find the ball. His limitations include inconsistent use of the ball by foot (sometimes wonderful but very often shoddy) and some frequently odd decision making.

I think he's a good player. I certainly wouldn't be unhappy if he were playing for us. But I suspect he won't ever reach the true "star" level in the competition.

[Blood Fever]

I have had complete footy overload this weekend, managing to watch big chunks of all games. The thing that has struck me is that teams which have put their faith in their young players, have excelled. In particular, the Port youngsters just took the game on with so much confidence. It is clear the coach has entrusted them with important roles in the team and they certainly thrived in R1. Contrast that to the way we manage our youngsters. Long stints in NEAFL. Dropped after one bad game yet particular favourites play like crap and get picked continuously (Hanners, Jack). Playing roles in defence and attack but never given central roles on the ball consistently. Traded out so we can keep ageing stars who have either fallen off the cliff or half way down. Dour game plans focused on hanging in games but never really taking it on. Sure, it's got us to the finals every year but let's be honest, we haven't looked like winning it in the last 2 years and based on last night, will be lucky to be mid table let alone winning a flag. Personally, I would prefer a call to be made early in the season that we are unlikely to win and then get some games into youngsters (Stoddart, Ling, Rowbottom, McInerney) and meaningful time on ball for Isaac and Mills. JPK and Parker to play up forward more and let's take the game on more. If it looks like the youngsters don't cut the mustard, then hit the next trade period hard and go for Coniglio or someone of his calibre. Jeez if the Lions can convince someone like Neale to go there, we should be able to do the same.

This is an interesting post RD. Maybe it has got to a tipping point where we really do need to play Jack and Grundy, for example, in the NEAFL a la Ryan Okeefe in his final year. Would hate to lose a player like Dawson, Stoddard etc who didn't get a long run at it and then left to become a gun. Delicate balancing act when our culture has always been to make top four. Maybe we are deluded about that this year. Also, club is probably fearful of drop in support with membership etc in Sydney where there can be a big drop off if success is not there. And we have been spoiled for over twenty years. Dilemma I'm sure(hope) the club is aware of.

[Ralph Dawg]

This is an interesting post RD. Maybe it has got to a tipping point where we really do need to play Jack and Grundy, for example, in the NEAFL a la Ryan Okeefe in his final year. Would hate to lose a player like Dawson, Stoddard etc who didn't get a long run at it and then left to become a gun. Delicate balancing act when our culture has always been to make top four. Maybe we are deluded about that this year. Also, club is probably fearful of drop in support with membership etc in Sydney where there can be a big drop off if success is not there. And we have been spoiled for over twenty years. Dilemma I'm sure(hope) the club is aware of.

Sydney is such a fickle market. We can't afford a prolonged period of being also rans. A call on renewal will need to be made sooner rather than later if we look uncompetitive in 2019.

[stevoswan]

Staying top four and having lots of members but never winning a flag won't cut it and isn't good enough.....we've been 'spoiled' for twenty years for two flags.....which means we're frustrated more than we're deliriously happy. I want to be deliriously happy.....

[rb4x]

Just watched some of the Giants thrashing the Bombers by 12 goals. Feel slightly better about losing the JLT match now. The Giants look the real deal and with Kelly, Ward and Haynes among others (Mummy anyone) to come in, look out.

[Hotpotato]

I’d like the Giants to win a flag, just to scuff up every AFL Ants nest in Victoria.

[Mountain Man]

I wonder what proportion of Ben Brown goals come from free kicks.

[dejavoodoo44]

I wonder what proportion of Ben Brown goals come from free kicks.

Enough to have me fantasizing, that one day an umpire will call play on, after deciding that Brown's ridiculous run up is taking far too long. Which should lead to an oblivious Brown, being smashed by an aggrieved opponent coming in from the side.

[neilfws]

I've read a couple of round 1 summaries in the news now, which both failed to mention the Dogs/Swans game at all.

AFL's crazy start to 2019 has thrown predictions out the window and set up an unreadable season - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Always the promise of sunnier days ahead following gloomy AFL starts for some | Craig Little | Sport | The Guardian

I guess it was not enough of an upset to make the list. Maybe a good thing in a way, just a regulation loss

[Boddo]

Due to my local side season not starting yet I saw a few games n was utterly gobsmacked that commentators openly talked about favourable draws etc. Is this the only competition that does not have an even draw? I can’t think of any

And then it hit me. I actually think the Administration like this as it allows sides outside the 8 to have a bump up the ladder every so often to make finals but then drop down, when their draw changes the next year, to allow another side to move up the ladder.

[Markwebbos]

I always thought we should have gone after Libba in the offseason. He’d be pretty handy right now.