Changes for Gold Coast

[Lach72]

"The Dockers had just 25 possessions – 16 kicks and nine handballs – inside their forward 50 to show for their 31 entries. The Dogs went forward 57 times and had 76 disposals inside the arc."

How hopeless is that?

 

[Unique Name]

I doubt there was anyone out there "not trying" on the weekend. There certainly looked like a lot of guys who had no clue, and spent the whole day chasing tail and corralling opposition instead of attacking the ball. The coaches can blame lack of effort, but I think that is a cop out - they have had the whole off season to have the boys primed and ready to go.

To me one of the problems is we still try to pressure teams by shutting down space and corralling people, but the only real pressure that counts now is scoreboard pressure. West Coast let in over 100 points on the weekend and still won easily - and seemed to have a whale of a time doing it. When was the last time you saw a Fremantle side that seemed to be actually enjoying their football?

Yeah fair enough.

I would say though that we've all seen Fyfe, Mundy, Hill, Walters give a 100%. I didn't see that on the weekend. Especially Fyfe and Mundy, neither gave it their all. I refuse to believe the reigning brownlow medallist can give 100% and only get 2 clearances.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Yeah fair enough.

I would say though that we've all seen Fyfe, Mundy, Hill, Walters give a 100%. I didn't see that on the weekend. Especially Fyfe and Mundy, neither gave it their all. I refuse to believe the reigning brownlow medallist can give 100% and only get 2 clearances.

Me either, that's why I'm going with (hoping) a change of game plan - good players are good because they play instinctively - I saw very little instinct from any of our boys on the weekend.

 

[meima]

Me either, that's why I'm going with (hoping) a change of game plan - good players are good because they play instinctively - I saw very little instinct from any of our boys on the weekend.

Just a question , if our core group is off, can't we depend on our footsoldiers like d.Pearce and suban to lift their game, I will ask weller that question also after 30 afl game.we will not win at at least lost in a way like hawthorn without roughead ,Brad and sheiel.I heard Leigh Matthew mention even you got good game plan is hard to replace those guy, I agree but that is the risk they took to win 3flag, now is their risk to do mini rebuild.

 

[DudleyDocker]

That was 12 months ago.
We don't have the cattle to implement a strong offensive game plan starting from our D50.
Our players miss targets willy nilly.

From what I've seen already,we will slide for sure,how far,I'm not to sure.

We have pretty much exactly the same cattle as we did in the period we dominated last year, that is my point. Players don't "lose" skills, they lose confidence, they become indecisive and they panic - that is what I saw on Sunday. FFS Stephen Hill and Michael Walters couldn't even hit targets and there are few better kicks than them in the league. Fyfe had 2 clearances and hardly touched it, Mundy, Walters, Neale all had poor games by their standards - are you saying the "cattle" are not good enough?

Not razor blade time yet, give them a few weeks and see how they go. Last year everyone wrote off the Eagles after 3 rounds, Hawthorn were going to slide after being beaten by GWS and Essendon and we were unbeatable. If we can finish the season off like they did I will be pretty happy.

Edit: We only need to be the best team in the league in September / October - up to then we just need to do enough to stay in the hunt...

 

[ydraw]

Who will replace Mayne from Peel? Unless you play Alex Pearce forward there is no one at Peel who could play forward.

Crozier

 

[DudleyDocker]

Just a question , if our core group is off, can't we depend on our footsoldiers like d.Pearce and suban to lift their game, I will ask weller that question also after 30 afl game.we will not win at at least lost in a way like hawthorn without roughead ,Brad and sheiel.

Agree buddy, we were absolute rubbish on the weekend. Kind of like the second derby last year and the St Kilda game the year before. Like the Eagles in the first derby last year or in the grand final. All teams have shockers from time to time - well, except Hawthorn - and it's how you react to them that determines how good a team you are.

I will be happier to make a judgement after next week and even happier after round 23

 

[yakamoto]

Does anyone else think that Fyfe looks to be carrying a bit of extra weight in a Medhurstian sort of way? Possibly I have been imagining it, but I had been thinking he was looking rather leaden footed during the preseason match sims and practice games. He was certainly leaden footed on Sunday.

 

[meima]

Agree buddy, we were absolute rubbish on the weekend. Kind of like the second derby last year and the St Kilda game the year before. Like the Eagles in the first derby last year or in the grand final. All teams have shockers from time to time - well, except Hawthorn - and it's how you react to them that determines how good a team you are.

I will be happier to make a judgement after next week and even happier after round 23

Sorry forget this is changes thread instead of melt . will go back to melt and do some melting before GC.

 

[free at last]

We have pretty much exactly the same cattle as we did in the period we dominated last year, that is my point. Players don't "lose" skills, they lose confidence, they become indecisive and they panic - that is what I saw on Sunday. FFS Stephen Hill and Michael Walters couldn't even hit targets and there are few better kicks than them in the league. Fyfe had 2 clearances and hardly touched it, Mundy, Walters, Neale all had poor games by their standards - are you saying the "cattle" are not good enough?

Not razor blade time yet, give them a few weeks and see how they go. Last year everyone wrote off the Eagles after 3 rounds, Hawthorn were going to slide after being beaten by GWS and Essendon and we were unbeatable. If we can finish the season off like they did I will be pretty happy.

RTB's GP has been cracked.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Crozier

Crozier has hardly played this year (I think he is injured) and when he has played he has hardly looked like he is interested at times. I saw him in the preseason and I honestly thought he had the same kind of look about him as Colin Sylvia. Didn't see his 13 possession scoreless game against Subiaco but it hardly screams "pick me".

Maybe he is injured / not fit and will come good but at the moment he is not the answer. I would love to see someone replace Mayne for a period to give him a chance to get his confidence back in the magoos, but can't see a like for like until either Crozier, Bennell or Yarran puts their hand up. Unless we restructure and go for an actual tall like Collins / Silvagni, but not sure that will improve us.

Longer term I am backing meima's mate Uebergang - I think he shows glimpses of something special for the future.

 

[DudleyDocker]

RTB's GP has been cracked.

100% agree, and I think that was some time ago. That's my point about not being a personnel issue - rather a game plan issue.

Having said that Ross is a very astute man and I think it's no coincidence we have brought in IP from Hawthorn in Hale, Guerra and to a lesser degree Rock. I think we are seeing the beginnings of a change and that is always a painful period, hopefully by mid-season we start to see the benefits!

 

[meima]

Crozier has hardly played this year (I think he is injured) and when he has played he has hardly looked like he is interested at times. I saw him in the preseason and I honestly thought he had the same kind of look about him as Colin Sylvia. Didn't see his 13 possession scoreless game against Subiaco but it hardly screams "pick me".

Maybe he is injured / not fit and will come good but at the moment he is not the answer. I would love to see someone replace Mayne for a period to give him a chance to get his confidence back in the magoos, but can't see a like for like until either Crozier, Bennell or Yarran puts their hand up. Unless we restructure and go for an actual tall like Collins / Silvagni, but not sure that will improve us.

Longer term I am backing meima's mate Uebergang - I think he shows glimpses of something special for the future.

Don't put me on the spot DD, give him one year to develop if possible rookie boostma for Johnson role.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Don't put me on the spot DD, give him one year to develop if possible rookie boostma for Johnson role.

If we still had the sub rule I would be playing Ueber as the sub right now - can play back or forward and other than fitness I think he could make an impact.

Pity no sub now hey

 

[MadDocker]

Crozier

LOL!

 

[DudleyDocker]

"The Dockers had just 25 possessions – 16 kicks and nine handballs – inside their forward 50 to show for their 31 entries. The Dogs went forward 57 times and had 76 disposals inside the arc."

How hopeless is that?

Ummm... really, REALLY hopeless?

 

[meima]

This changes against GC is due swallow and o Meara with dixon and bennell gone to another team.

A.Pearce -Griffe. forward/back a bit of ruck
Tab keep his spot warning do some ruck work with Hale if not back to peel.
Langdon - gu
Mayne out - suban / fyfe sharing time in this position .
Weller keep his spot to see how he perform against GC
Spurr out - maybe hunghes just want to see is he worse than spurr or got something to work with.
Deboer in for Barlow.

Peel
Ubergang need to play back with Collins for future chemistry sick.
Grey move to HF / mid to learn marking and kicking goal. Disposal at HB give Tucker and ryhuis

 

[Phlanispo]

Just thought I'd chime in, sorry if I'm intruding. How likely does everyone think these matchups are?

Steven May on Pavlich

Rory Thompson on Taberner

Adam Saad on Walters

Alex Sexton to tag Stephen Hill

Zac Dawson on Tom Lynch

Michael Johnson (if healthy) on Sam Day

Silvagni on Ryan Davis

Sandilands to destroy Tommy Nicholls

Fyfe to destroy everyone

Silvagni and Johnson could swap if Johnson wants to have a more attacking role. Looking at these matchups, most of them seem to favour Gold Coast, although the real key to the game will be Sandilands and Fyfe. Sandi absolutely destroyed us last time we played against each other. I do wonder where Fremantle's rebounding out of the backline is going to come from if Hill gets forced out of the contest. Ibbo will probably relish the responsibility. If Kolojashnij can't get up for the game (battling illness) and Adam Saad is playing lockdown on Walters, run out of the backline may be a problem for us, too.

 

[Taylor]

Just thought I'd chime in, sorry if I'm intruding. How likely does everyone think these matchups are?

Steven May on Pavlich

Rory Thompson on Taberner

Adam Saad on Walters

Alex Sexton to tag Stephen Hill

Zac Dawson on Tom Lynch

Michael Johnson (if healthy) on Sam Day

Silvagni on Ryan Davis

Sandilands to destroy Tommy Nicholls

Fyfe to destroy everyone

Silvagni and Johnson could swap if Johnson wants to have a more attacking role. Looking at these matchups, most of them seem to favour Gold Coast, although the real key to the game will be Sandilands and Fyfe. Sandi absolutely destroyed us last time we played against each other. I do wonder where Fremantle's rebounding out of the backline is going to come from if Hill gets forced out of the contest. Ibbo will probably relish the responsibility. If Kolojashnij can't get up for the game (battling illness) and Adam Saad is playing lockdown on Walters, run out of the backline may be a problem for us, too.

I think Saad would be best played as loosely as possible. Running line breakers like him get a free run against us.

 

[DudleyDocker]

I think Saad would be best played as loosely as possible. Running line breakers like him get a free run against us.

Damn you Tayl0r, you've given them the secret!

 

[Bicco]

I don't think I've ever had as much interest in team selection as I do this weekend.

 

[Taylor]

Damn you Tayl0r, you've given them the secret!

Haha, everyone with eyes and two sides of their brain has known that the key to breaking us is speed and smothering the options for the person trying to take the second kick out of defense.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Haha, everyone with eyes and two sides of their brain has known that the key to breaking us is speed and smothering the options for the person trying to take the second kick out of defense.

Yes, but maybe Gold Coast hadn't noticed...

 

[meima]

Haha, everyone with eyes and two sides of their brain has known that the key to breaking us is speed and smothering the options for the person trying to take the second kick out of defense.

I only got one side of brain working currently ,therefore you reveal our secret.

 

[Mudd]

Granted Mayne is a liability at the moment, but I daresay he's not the worst forward in the game.

Correct, that would be Taberner.