- Nov 23, 2015
- 12,107
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- AFL Club
- GWS
- Moderator
- #1
The wheels have well and truly fallen off the Giants' season in the last four weeks. Again, we did not handle greasy/wet conditions, but the malaise seems larger than just not handling the conditions - dispirited, lacking hunger/effort, failure to rise when challenged in games. We also seem to be lacking a Plan B in games, if our tsunami gameplan is curbed or guys like Whitfield are sat on. Injuries are starting to take a toll too, with Kelly and Ash out for a while, Darcy Jones has been added to the list who will be missing for a while, and his speed will be missed. Kingsley doesn't seem to have any clue to how to sort the problems, while his calm demeanour is preferable to hysteria, he needs to find some answers - and quick.
Last year, the win against the Cats at GMHBA Stadium proved to be the spark for our resurgence - so can lightning strike twice? Their season has also hit a speedbump, after starting 7-0, they've lost 3 games in a row too. The Cats were embarrassed by the Darwin shellacking by the Suns, and no doubt will be out to avenge that loss in this game at home. Missing both Cameron and Hawkins, I expect both of them to return for this game. Dangerfield is presumably out, weakening their midfield, which is also a weakness for us at the moment, but can we take advantage of it?
Kingsley has taken a softly, softly approach to team changes, with relatively minimal changes for underperformance to date. So, apart from replacing Jones, should he take a stick to underperforming players, or does he stick solid with guys he feels are "best 22" (albeit not proving so at the moment)? The added problem being that our VFL team is not really performing that well either.
For mine, Conor Stone should be in the crosshairs. We brought him in as a replacement for Callum Brown, but he hasn't performed two weeks in a row, so the team isn't getting the same value as Brown was bringing. Stone gained as many disposals (3) in 85% of the Bulldogs game as Darcy Jones got in 15%. Otherwise, Aaron Cadman had a good start to the year, but it's all dried up for his in the last 2 games. Partly that's the fault of the rest of the team as we've struggled to get it forward, but he's dropped marks he should have taken. Similarly, Riccardi has shown the same issues he had last year. The thing is, though, I would not replace two out of three tall forward (indeed, three of four if you include Stone), so Riccardi keeps his spot for mine.
Toby Bedford has his critics, and he definitely needs to lift his offensive output (for mine, too many handpasses when he needs to take a kick option to get us moving forward more quickly), and with Jones out I think he's safe. Jacob Wehr returned to the team after previously being dropped. He's a neat and tidy player, but does he gives us the counterattack from defence that we need and are missing? Callum Ward was also criticised in the last game, although he seemed to have a run-with role curbing Marcus Bontempelli, which he did pretty well. But we definitely need some help in the midfield. Is Nick Haynes the best option on the wing? He has gotten plenty of the ball but is he using it constructively enough for us?
Max Gruzewski has had a good season in VFL and deserves a shot, has a great leap and good hands, and a decent shot on goal. I'd see if his enthusiasm could provide a spark up front in lieu of Cadman, who can go back to VFL and hopefully rediscover some form. James Peatling was very unlucky to be dropped last week, and had 25 disposals for 10 clearances and 3 goals this week in VFL. He deserves a recall, and a chance to solidify our misfiring midfield. I would keep Xavier O'Halloran, and probably Callan Ward too due to a lack of options, with Harry Rowston probably not doing enough to demand a spot in the first team at this point. What about Toby McMullin? Plays forward, can kick goals, can play midfield minutes. Does Josh Fahey deserve a spot in place of Wehr or Haynes? His last game wasn't the best, but other games he's been prolific; however, he's probably lacking in terms of defence. Can his kicking prowess overcome his defensive deficiencies to command a recall? Not sure. But what we've tried the last three weeks isn't working.
So, at the least for me:
OUT: Jones (inj), Stone, Cadman, Haynes
IN: Peatling, McMullin, Gruzewski, Fahey
B- Idun Buckley Perryman
HB- Himmleberg Taylor Whitfield
C- Callaghan Coniglio Wehr
HF- Daniels Riccardi Bedford
F- Greene Hogan Gruzewski
FOLL- Briggs Green XOH
I/C- Fahey, Ward, Peatling, Thomas
Sub- McMullin
I feel out of good ideas - we can reshuffle the deckchairs to try to get a spark, but there's something within the gameplan and motivation that both Kingsley and the players need to find to improve.
What are your thoughts?
Last year, the win against the Cats at GMHBA Stadium proved to be the spark for our resurgence - so can lightning strike twice? Their season has also hit a speedbump, after starting 7-0, they've lost 3 games in a row too. The Cats were embarrassed by the Darwin shellacking by the Suns, and no doubt will be out to avenge that loss in this game at home. Missing both Cameron and Hawkins, I expect both of them to return for this game. Dangerfield is presumably out, weakening their midfield, which is also a weakness for us at the moment, but can we take advantage of it?
Kingsley has taken a softly, softly approach to team changes, with relatively minimal changes for underperformance to date. So, apart from replacing Jones, should he take a stick to underperforming players, or does he stick solid with guys he feels are "best 22" (albeit not proving so at the moment)? The added problem being that our VFL team is not really performing that well either.
For mine, Conor Stone should be in the crosshairs. We brought him in as a replacement for Callum Brown, but he hasn't performed two weeks in a row, so the team isn't getting the same value as Brown was bringing. Stone gained as many disposals (3) in 85% of the Bulldogs game as Darcy Jones got in 15%. Otherwise, Aaron Cadman had a good start to the year, but it's all dried up for his in the last 2 games. Partly that's the fault of the rest of the team as we've struggled to get it forward, but he's dropped marks he should have taken. Similarly, Riccardi has shown the same issues he had last year. The thing is, though, I would not replace two out of three tall forward (indeed, three of four if you include Stone), so Riccardi keeps his spot for mine.
Toby Bedford has his critics, and he definitely needs to lift his offensive output (for mine, too many handpasses when he needs to take a kick option to get us moving forward more quickly), and with Jones out I think he's safe. Jacob Wehr returned to the team after previously being dropped. He's a neat and tidy player, but does he gives us the counterattack from defence that we need and are missing? Callum Ward was also criticised in the last game, although he seemed to have a run-with role curbing Marcus Bontempelli, which he did pretty well. But we definitely need some help in the midfield. Is Nick Haynes the best option on the wing? He has gotten plenty of the ball but is he using it constructively enough for us?
Max Gruzewski has had a good season in VFL and deserves a shot, has a great leap and good hands, and a decent shot on goal. I'd see if his enthusiasm could provide a spark up front in lieu of Cadman, who can go back to VFL and hopefully rediscover some form. James Peatling was very unlucky to be dropped last week, and had 25 disposals for 10 clearances and 3 goals this week in VFL. He deserves a recall, and a chance to solidify our misfiring midfield. I would keep Xavier O'Halloran, and probably Callan Ward too due to a lack of options, with Harry Rowston probably not doing enough to demand a spot in the first team at this point. What about Toby McMullin? Plays forward, can kick goals, can play midfield minutes. Does Josh Fahey deserve a spot in place of Wehr or Haynes? His last game wasn't the best, but other games he's been prolific; however, he's probably lacking in terms of defence. Can his kicking prowess overcome his defensive deficiencies to command a recall? Not sure. But what we've tried the last three weeks isn't working.
So, at the least for me:
OUT: Jones (inj), Stone, Cadman, Haynes
IN: Peatling, McMullin, Gruzewski, Fahey
B- Idun Buckley Perryman
HB- Himmleberg Taylor Whitfield
C- Callaghan Coniglio Wehr
HF- Daniels Riccardi Bedford
F- Greene Hogan Gruzewski
FOLL- Briggs Green XOH
I/C- Fahey, Ward, Peatling, Thomas
Sub- McMullin
I feel out of good ideas - we can reshuffle the deckchairs to try to get a spark, but there's something within the gameplan and motivation that both Kingsley and the players need to find to improve.
What are your thoughts?
