Introducing the Greatest midfield the AFL has ever seen.

[K]

Freeman was not too far behind Marsh -- and in the same Combine, so the same conditions. I do wonder how much you can compare one year to another. Maybe the conditions matter a lot.

I think some Irish kid in the International Combine got a better time than Wilkinson's.

[TaylorMade]

Your ability to bounce the ball with the most economical technique would alter 50-100m times if we really get into this, im not sure if they get tested with/without ball. There are players who are better at bouncing than other players, I have especially seen players caught because a poor bounce had slowed them down.

Most of the Gaelic Irish guys feel more comfortable touching the ball rather than bouncing it.

I think Marty Clarke used to bounce though. Cant quite recall

[TaylorMade]

Getting back to Buisness,

I find it interesting that Melbourne is being discussed as being as good as Collingwood. I find it very interesting that they have sold 2 home games this season. Both of those games, which would have been at the MCG, are now instead going to be held in the Desert. Both of those games are also against 2 potential top 4 teams in West Coast and Adelaide. I realise last year that they belted Adelaide there but i dont think it will be the same case this year. Not only will both those games be difficult but it could be the difference between them even making the 8 or not.

Lets not forget that they struggled to beat top 8 teams last year ( only beating WC without Kenedy and Darling, and The Giants at the G, which is a should win anyway ). In the finals they beat an old overrated Geelong side, and a Hawthorn outfit without O'Meara, Rioli and Stratton.

What happened the next week? They were embarressed infront of the Australian nation...

Yet, people will have you believe swapping Hogan for May is an upgrade. Or that Lever will have an immediate impact and be better when he returns from ACL. There are some big question marks over Melbourne's list imo. An ageing and slow Lewis can be exposed quite easily and Petracca goes missing in big games, just to name a few.

To think that Brayshaw and Petracca were selected before DeGoey indicates where the clubs are at...

[PyreneesPie]

TaylorMade, Bucks features in the Ask the Coach on www.afl.com.au. Scroll right down to the bottom of the page. He is asked about how Beams (now Beamsy!! Had to smile!) will fit in and how the mid-field might operate.

[TaylorMade]

Steam Locomotive
Locomotive class

- A steam locomotive is a type of railway locomotive that produces its pulling power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning combustible material – usually coal, wood, or oil – to produce steam in a boiler.
Stephenson built his "travelling engine" in 1814, which was used to haul coal at the Killingworth mine, which could haul up to 30 tons of coal at 4mph going uphill. Later in 1825, Stephenson also created the first public railway for steam locomotives.

In 1829, the Stephensons built the famous locomotive Rocket, which used a multi-tube boiler, a practice that continued in successive generations of steam engines.

The fastest steam locomotive was the A4 'Mallard' 4-6-2 and could reach 125 or 126 mph. According to the 1997 Guinness Book of World Records, the French TGV had the highest average speed from one station to the next of 253 kph (157 mph).

It takes about four hours to raise steam in the larger boilers (2000 horsepower) from dead cold. Sometimes for no apparent reason it could take much longer.

There are still some steam locomotives around, run by enthusiasts and mostly for tourists. ... In this case, of course, they also use steam turbines rather than piston engines. Also, and I suppose this is a big change, they create the heat for the steam not by burning coal but by Nuclear Fission...

[TaylorMade]

Thanks
PyreneesPie

[K]

[Woods]

Mick McGuane gave an extended interview on SEN back in October about how Beams will fit into the team. Well worth a listen for those who think a healthy Beams is a walk up start in the best 22.

https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=287655

(Skip foward to the 2:00 mark for the start of the McGuane interview. His comments get particularly pointed after about the 5:00 mark)

[RudeBoy]

Let's not get too carried away.

Last year we ranked 13th for centre clearances, so I fail to see why some are assuming we will suddenly dominate this crucial area this season. Even Grundy, who is an amazing ruck-rover all over the ground, rarely dominates centre bounce hitouts.

With the development of Sier, the growing maturity of Adams and the addition of Beams, we have reason to expect us to significantly improve in this area. But to assume that we will suddenly be able to get the ball out of the centre down to our forwards is overly optimistic imo.

[TaylorMade]

^
RudeBoy, what makes you think im getting too carried away? Was it my post about a Steam-Train?? I found some really cool pictures of some old school steam trains with Black and White grills, cant seem to upload them though...

Collingwood ranked No.1 for disposals and clearances, second for contested possessions and fourth for inside 50s last season, and that was without JDG and Adam Treloar in the middle.

[Woods]

The new 6-6-6 rule, and ruckmen being allowed to take possession at the bounce without being pinged for holding the ball, makes 2018 stats and 2019 forecasts very much an excercise in comparing apples & oranges.

[TaylorMade]

Woods,

Ruckman being allowed to take possession? Didnt hear about that one, but i would assume it favours Grundy.

Also, Forward 50 contest's will be one on one ( like the old days ). At the beginning of each quarter and after each goal is scored ( ball bounced in middle ).

Apart from that, its not a huge change in the scheme of things..

Love your pic by the way!

[RudeBoy]

[Pies2016]

[TaylorMade]

^
All great points Pies2016

One thing i noticed last year was several different players kicking in. Id like for us to have a designated kick. I recall Howe butching a few kick ins along with others.

Who would be our best designated kicker ?