The Devil’s Advocate

[Hard Roar Tiger]

So, given a half decent run with injuries, I think we’ll finish top 4 and have a red hot crack at the flag in 2023.
Would like a high performance review but with our midfield acquisitions, meatie and cotch can almost play off the bench and be protected hopefully from soft tissue injuries.

So, where are our weak spots?

I feel like our defence really struggled this year.

Balta wasn’t fit from day 1, his hamstring issues didn’t come from Peter Burge but from a poor pre season.

Grimes didn’t settle in defence, I felt like the burden of captaincy perhaps weighed on him? That dropped mark against Goldie and not getting goal side of Zurhaar arguably cost us those games.

I don’t think Vlas played consistently well, stupidly got suspended when we least needed it and while his best  was elite, created a much bigger gap between that and his worst than prior years.

Tarrant was great in half 2 of the season but, as we saw from Shedda, the cliff can come up quicker than we think so we need to be aware of his age.

Our defence has traditionally been our lynch pin but could it be our achilles heel in season ‘23?

[Andyy]

Broad and Rioli were great.

Tarrant you'd hope will be better for knowing the structure although your comments about the cliff are true.

Balta struggled with fitness and being moved around too much. Hopefully that can be addressed/stopped.

Agree on Grimes + captaincy.

Vlastuin very dumb and undisciplined hopefully he's had a whack over the head.

Gibcus should be a bit fitter and tougher that's great.

Rutten return might help.

Honestly could be much better next year.


I think our forward line is a concern.
Lynch great this year hope he keeps it up and stays fit.
Jack now 34 and his output is continuing to decline.
Bolton inaccurate in front of goals, hope that improves he could kick 50+.

Then you have Cumberland hope he keeps his form up. Dusty no idea what he'll be doing at all. MRJ hopefully goes to another level

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Agreed on Broad and Rioli but only Broad plays a negating role and neither can stop the big gorillas.
Our forward line was the heaviest scoring in the comp with Lynch, Bolton and Jack kicking 150 odd goals between them.
With Cumberland scoring 19 in 9 games and a fit Dusty that forward line feels like the best in my lifetime.
I’m trying to think of a better one in 50 years.

I reckon that back 6 is the one area we look vulnerable compared to other contenders like the Cats, the Dees, the Swans and even the Dockers who were surprisingly stingy last season.

[WilliamPowell]

I agree regarding Grimes and the Captaincy

Think it effected both Grimes and Nankervis performance wise

As for the back six I think if we can get all of them fit especially Balta then we will be OK.

Need to keep Balta back, with perhaps the odd chop out in the ruck

For mine Gibcus is the interesting one. In season 2 does he take the next step? How many games in 2023? While understand why he played the last few weeks of season 2022 but his form really didn't warrant it. Kid is going to a star and the backbone of our defence for the next decade but I'm not sold on him getting games for the sake of getting games into him going forward

 I reckon we are a massive chance in 2023, so I'm of the belief of making sure we play the best 22 every week based on form.

I'm not worried about Tarrant. His job will continue to be playing on the opposition's biggest KF. While I understand the issue with Shedda and his form falling away so dramatically. Biggest difference I see is the fact Sheeda was a mid while Tarrant is a KPP. Shedda lost his pace and evasive ability in tight. I don't think that impacts on Tarrant as much

[Tiger Khosh]

Our defence was our biggest weakness last season. Thinking with the gws boys coming in giving us a stronger midfield, a new experience defensive line coach (if that’s what rutten is doing?), and even a slight uptick in form in balta, grimes, vlas, taz and broad that our defence will naturally get better.

From a list perspective I still think key position forward is comfortably our biggest deficiency. I know we were the highest scoring side in the league but if tom and/or jack cop any long term injuries, we literally don’t have anyone to take their spot other than an untried Bauer/draftee or pushing a defender into that role.

[Gracie]

Our biggest problem this year was the midfield

Yes defense had its problems but l still contend the weak midfield didn't help 

2022 lost multiple games by a small margin after being in front in every close loss and late in those games. Then Neale takes charge in the EF

Weak midfield. Fix that we fix a lot of things

Taranto and Hopper are going to make us infinitely stronger

[the claw]

You called!!!

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Our biggest problem this year was the midfield

Yes defense had its problems but l still contend the weak midfield didn't help 

2022 lost multiple games by a small margin after being in front in every close loss and late in those games. Then Neale takes charge in the EF

Weak midfield. Fix that we fix a lot of things

Taranto and Hopper are going to make us infinitely stronger

Agree with all of this but wonder if the backline issue might become more prevalent in 2023. It’s hard to know if midfield pressure, centre clearances or the inability of the defenders to defend one on one cost us but we on average leaked 2 goals more per game than Freo, Melbourne and the Cats.
We conceded least amount of points in 2020 and were 3 least in 2017 and 2019 with the gap being almost nil between those teams.

Closing that gap feels like a non negotiable in the off season.

[Broadsword]

Backline will depend on Grimes. Simple as that. Tarrant will be a reliable stopper. Balta and Gibcus should continue to improve. Broad, Vlastuin, Rioli, etc running off halfback is A-grade. But Grimes--there's no reason he can't be AA next year. If he rallies next year the backline could be anything. I hope there's a renewed focus on being stingy rather than purely expansive and counterattacking. (Hello Truck.)