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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 13 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Essendon
Last post by shawny -I'll respectfully disagree Shawny on the list and I put our rejuvenation down more to the dominant work of Cripps and Walsh which was missing earlier in the season.
EB, players play to a system at the highest level sure they have to execute it but the actual gameplan is on the coaches. There has been significant game day changes since Fraser took over (in particular the first 3 weeks). How we transition from D50 is completely different, changes in personnel with more youth and more speed, Inside 50 manic pressure on the opposition is there every week with the kids we have in there. The use of Haywood is different. The use of Harry is different. Using Hewitt in the role he is best has also worked. He was the one asked to quiet Durham in the second half. He was in the 2nds under Voss. The lowering of the eyes and trying to target a leading forward is much improved under Fraser - even though this week was looked back to the old Voss days. My theory is the Dons had many behind the ball which made it a lot harder to navigate around their spares. Hopefully this returns back to the first 3 weeks next week as the Giants will likely just try and take us on like Geel, Dogs and Port did.
We got smashed this week in contested footy and thats against the last placed team, yet we still got the 4 points - Contested footy was our strongest trait in the Voss era and Essendon smoked us - that in itself confirms how much things have changed.
Voss was a contested beast and coached the same way but for whatever reason it didn't work and the current system change is welcomed as i feel we are now finally getting the best out of the list. The have a higher rating on the list then you as i rate it middle of the road so the 1-8 start on a weak draw without major injuries meant something was off and the last 4 weeks proved it in my eyes anyway.
I expect us to win 50% of our remaining matches and this was not going to happen under the previous system
Would you offer the job to Fraser if he achieved your 50% win rate and are you happy to continue with the majority of the list as is?
EB, I want a thorough process to elect the next coach. If after that process Fraser is selected then im fine with that but we need that process. This is the step i believe we keep getting wrong so i want no stone unturned this time around
Regarding the list I believe its not as bad as it appeared under Voss in his last few years and the instant result changes with the interim coach confirms my thinking. I rank it mid tier without major injuries and once you add Walker to Jagga Walsh and Cripps mix, get more games into the kids and if we can snare a few free agents that fill a few of the weaker areas we will be hard to beat. No list is ever perfect so we need smart additions again in the off season but as i said we are not as far away as many think.
Mainly as i don't think the players we lost in last years trade has been as bad as many imagined as a matter of fact i would take the mobile hard working Haywood over lazy Charlie, Jack is a handy player but the improvement of Cowan negates his loss, it's TDK that hurt us mobile goalkicking rucks don't exactly grow on trees. I'm much more bullish than i was 12 months ago in fact i believe we are better placed now then we were this time last year comparing the list at both times.
Then again I could be delusional! Time will tell.