Preview Changes: Round 12 v St Kilda

[Huntercrow]

Our senior players are not performing under pressure.

Games like last week against Freo tend to hide our biggest problems. The leadership group is ok in these sorts of games where not too much "leading" is required.

That first quarter in the torrential rain was probably the best quarter of football played anywhere this season.
However as we have seen too many times now our poor quarters are some of the dumbest football produced.

This highlights our inability to turn around a game. When things go wrong the younger players look to the seniors for guidance but when they see these same leaders being the major offenders they have no where to go. Also the mix of 3 forwards (Tex, Eddie and Lynch) 2 mids (Sloane and Thompson**) only 1 defender (Talia) in the leadership group doesn't really make sense when the opposition are winning the ball out of the centre.

Talia is on his own in this respect. We really do have a very young backline who generally have little to do in games such as the Freo flogging. But when they are facing a rampant Geelong it's a different kettle of fish. Who's there to rally the boys? An out of form Talia and possibly Sloane if he can get there quick enough.

These same senior players are the least likely to be dropped. 3 or 4 players will likely make way this week but it won't be from the leadership group. Instead we'll have a bunch of fresh faces eagerly looking forward to the Saints game. They will probably play well in the comfort zone of AO until the next time they are in need of guidance.

When all goes well and we are winning the clearances the play is generally centred around our forward line. This is the ideal scenario given our overall experience up forward.

But going the other way.......

**the same Thomo that has played no AFL this year! What were we thinking?

 

[mattymac]

Having calmed down I see three changes that demand making.

I put the loss mostly down to garbage coaching. Once we finally succumbed to what every man and his dog was saying we needed to do and tagged Selwood and manned their spare defender we won the game.

Nevertheless some things regarding players because obvious.

1. Our forward line is too tall. Otten is not fast/ athletic enough to replace McGovern. Forward pressure is non - existent and the opposition waltz it out of our 50 with gay abandon. Knight can bring some tackling pressure back and allow Charlie to spend more time up the ground where he is most damaging. We are missing the pace/ pressure on the ball carrier of Charlie and Hampton that we enjoyed in the midfield.

2. Mackay should be marked depth forever more. Seeing him get thrown around like a schoolgirl by Dangerfield was embarrassing. Just doesn't offer anything, disappears in big games and there is a first round draft pick ready to take his spot, at least until Seedsman is fit.

3. Hartigan needs a spell. Has been quite shit most of the year and turned to utter diarrhoea against Geelong. You can't reward such performances. Elevate Keath. That man is calm and deliberate.

In: Knight, Galluci, Keath
Out: Otten, Mackay, Hartigan

 

[Thetrader15]

Your way off and he's right.

"You're"...unless you are talking about his 'way off', in which case it would be his 'weight off'

 

[Thetrader15]

You know what's hilarious about that first line? There'll be a bit of panic set in, so we know they'll be reaching for experience above all else. As Pyke said last year, "you back guys in that have done good things for your club over a long period of time." Sorry, Neil, I mean Don, can you repeat that, my recorder wasn't on.

So it will be
Out: Kelly, Greenwood, Milera
In: Thommo, Cheney, Knight

 

[Huntercrow]

Why is it when the ATeam has a stinker the Bteam struggle. Don't these guys know their oppurtunities are opening up?

This has happened before and it's strange. Knowing a good performance may give you a shot at AFL should be enough to put your head down and not play poorly! as it is we may struggle to find many worthy of forcing changes this week.

 

[Elite Crow]

"You're"...unless you are talking about his 'way off', in which case it would be his 'weight off'

Thanks I dont know that

 

[footy4ever]

Stupid post

I see you got the point.

 

[Ramify]

The only thing I liked in the first half was otten attack on Selwood it almost worked but the guy has a heart unlike JJ


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Yep. Texted to a mate that that could be the best play Otten has made all season.

 

[arsene wenger1]

Having calmed down I see three changes that demand making.

I put the loss mostly down to garbage coaching. Once we finally succumbed to what every man and his dog was saying we needed to do and tagged Selwood and manned their spare defender we won the game.

Nevertheless some things regarding players because obvious.

1. Our forward line is too tall. Otten is not fast/ athletic enough to replace McGovern. Forward pressure is non - existent and the opposition waltz it out of our 50 with gay abandon. Knight can bring some tackling pressure back and allow Charlie to spend more time up the ground where he is most damaging. We are missing the pace/ pressure on the ball carrier of Charlie and Hampton that we enjoyed in the midfield.

2. Mackay should be marked depth forever more. Seeing him get thrown around like a schoolgirl by Dangerfield was embarrassing. Just doesn't offer anything, disappears in big games and there is a first round draft pick ready to take his spot, at least until Seedsman is fit.

3. Hartigan needs a spell. Has been quite shit most of the year and turned to utter diarrhoea against Geelong. You can't reward such performances. Elevate Keath. That man is calm and deliberate.

In: Knight, Galluci, Keath
Out: Otten, Mackay, Hartigan

Hartigan definitely needs to go, spoiled mid air more than the ball this year, and if he does manage to get a fist on it, it's only a slight punch into a dangerous area

 

[arsene wenger1]

I'd actually keep otten in the team and drop hartigan, move otten down back, a lot more reliable than hartigan, reads the play well, can actually punch the ball. We are one of the worst aerial teams in the comp, we don't handle the long ball to a contest well at all, whether it's forward or back. Hartigan is lost

 

[feenix67]

I'd actually keep otten in the team and drop hartigan, move otten down back, a lot more reliable than hartigan, reads the play well, can actually punch the ball. We are one of the worst aerial teams in the comp, we don't handle the long ball to a contest well at all, whether it's forward or back. Hartigan is lost

We actually miss Cheney in that regard.

 

[Anzacpaul]

Odds of Thommo coming back this week?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I'd actually keep otten in the team and drop hartigan, move otten down back, a lot more reliable than hartigan, reads the play well, can actually punch the ball. We are one of the worst aerial teams in the comp, we don't handle the long ball to a contest well at all, whether it's forward or back. Hartigan is lost

Certainly worth considering if Lever is fit.

A tall needs to be dropped for team balance & Hartigan has been struggling of late.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Odds of Thommo coming back this week?

Would be a stupid selection against a Saints team that has great speed...

 

[Crowbots are dead]

Having calmed down I see three changes that demand making.

I put the loss mostly down to garbage coaching. Once we finally succumbed to what every man and his dog was saying we needed to do and tagged Selwood and manned their spare defender we won the game.

Nevertheless some things regarding players because obvious.

1. Our forward line is too tall. Otten is not fast/ athletic enough to replace McGovern. Forward pressure is non - existent and the opposition waltz it out of our 50 with gay abandon. Knight can bring some tackling pressure back and allow Charlie to spend more time up the ground where he is most damaging. We are missing the pace/ pressure on the ball carrier of Charlie and Hampton that we enjoyed in the midfield.

2. Mackay should be marked depth forever more. Seeing him get thrown around like a schoolgirl by Dangerfield was embarrassing. Just doesn't offer anything, disappears in big games and there is a first round draft pick ready to take his spot, at least until Seedsman is fit.

3. Hartigan needs a spell. Has been quite shit most of the year and turned to utter diarrhoea against Geelong. You can't reward such performances. Elevate Keath. That man is calm and deliberate.

In: Knight, Galluci, Keath
Out: Otten, Mackay, Hartigan

I like your thinking . What do you think of beech instead of gooch or do you think too tall?

 

[Elite Crow]

Lever surely won't play so Otten will go back. Then bring in Beech to play up forward who is more mobile.

 

[MRB37]

Lever surely won't play so Otten will go back. Then bring in Beech to play up forward who is more mobile.

They said Lever was going to go back on, but they decided against it since the game was done. So sounds like he could still play.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Has anything been said about Lever?

 

[Anzacpaul]

Would be a stupid selection against a Saints team that has great speed...

I doubt it too. Just wondering......

My guess at changes

Out:Lever, Mackay.
In: Knight, Menzel,


Otten goes down back for Lever and Menzel takes his spot up forward.

Mackay surely can't survive after the way he was dropped, brought back and then 2 not great games.

 

[marty36]

Would be a stupid selection against a Saints team that has great speed...

At least it could make the team any softer than it is


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[Scorpus]

Has anything been said about Lever?

They said he would have been strapped up and return to the field if the game was in the balance

 

[azza77]

You were doing so well until you said Cheney had speed and athleticism

Cheney is deceptive, take a closer look next time he's out there. He's actually very quick in a straight line when he's not playing with a niggle.

Maybe he doesn't have excellent athleticism, but he's not to bad on the side step either.

Compared to Kelly who is just your run of the mill hard worker, Id much rather a quicker, cleaner, more experienced Cheney.

 

[Schulzycrow]

Outs
Mackay, Atkins, Otten, Kelly

In
Beech, Gallucci, Wigg, Knight

I know wishful thinking, but one game before the bye it would be good to see what Beech and Wigg could offer.

 

[Apsaalooke]

Beech for Otten as we're too tall up forward
Knight for Mackay is obvious to everyone bar our stubborn coaches
Maybe Gallucci for Atkins but won't happen
Wigg was ordinary yesterday but so was everyone

 

[1970crow]

We resolved it during the 2016 trade period, but the club decided organic growth was better. I think we all misinterpreted the term though.

I'm not convinced that Gibbs does much to address our issues when we're being put under that pressure and resort to indiscriminate kicking. Rocky is who I'd like to get as FA and then overpay for Gibbs. But if we can't swing changes to get Mackay out of the side, who would Gibbs replace? Dougie or a Crouch and I'm not sure that helps our extractive power.