Changes vs Lions Round 13

[Here2tellyouwhy]

This was always coming, we've had big problems with our midfield for years but instead of doing something about it the recruitment team seem to think it's only a minor problem that can be fixed with a few tweaks (ie add more mediocre mids to the mix). They've been doing it since Wellinghams recruitment. We did so well last year in spite of our midfield, because our defense played well above anything they'd ever shown before, Nic Nat played amazingly and our forward line converted a high % of our inside 50s into scores. This year our defense has on the whole reverted back to normal levels, Nic Nat is playing injured, our forward line don't have a chance because the ball is being kicked in there in like the midfielders are trying to seed clouds and we inexplicably haven't managed to recruit a decent crumbing forward since Phil Matera left. Our crap midfield is being exposed and we just don't have the players in there to keep up with the top teams in the league.

The one thing I have noticed this year, partly due to the interchange cap maybe is the game has become a contested midfield battle.
Wellingham, Redden, Jetta even Yeo were never the answer. All four have talent no doubt but as it stands all four look to be back home on a pay check and not here to bleed for the club like Shuey and Priddis.

This year I didn't rate Geelong at all. Lost to Melbourne at home. Lost to Brisbane, never looked like making the 8. Add one contested beast and get back a few from injuries and they're top 4 and just beat the top side. Don't have a top ruck.

Doggies. They completely destroy oppositions rucks and have more contested players over the ground then anyone. They put their best forward into the middle and he created/kicked 3 goals in a minute and a half then went forward again. Won the game right there and then with clean contested ball in the middle, done on the back of his mongrel and speed. No top rucks.

Hawks, missing Hodge and not in top form, still a top contested team with heart, players who stand up. Poppy has a great contested game and has stood up. Gunston, not the biggest guy out there has played Roughies role and had to sacrifice his game to do so.
Contested and hard at it and currently top 4. No top rucks.

Sydney, Tippett and Sinclair are pretty decent rucks but it's their contested ball winners that get the job done week in week out.
They arguably have the best midfield in the league.

Crows have a decent tap ruckmen in Jacobs but also have contested mids like Sloane, Thommo, Crouch. Last night their B graders stood up and played with heart. Jarryd Lyons had 17 contested and David Mackay 12.
Sloane had 11 contested possies in the last and we all know this guy plays with heart every game, no questions (love Sloaney)


tldr; and that right there is the game this year folks. No contested ball winners and you're cooked.

 

[SpaceClef]

The one thing I have noticed this year, partly due to the interchange cap maybe is the game has become a contested midfield battle.
Wellingham, Redden, Jetta even Yeo were never the answer. All four have talent no doubt but as it stands all four look to be back home on a pay check and not here to bleed for the club like Shuey and Priddis.

This year I didn't rate Geelong at all. Lost to Melbourne at home. Lost to Brisbane, never looked like making the 8. Add one contested beast and get back a few from injuries and they're top 4 and just beat the top side. Don't have a top ruck.

Doggies. They completely destroy oppositions rucks and have more contested players over the ground then anyone. They put their best forward into the middle and he created/kicked 3 goals in a minute and a half then went forward again. Won the game right there and then with clean contested ball in the middle, done on the back of his mongrel and speed. No top rucks.

Hawks, missing Hodge and not in top form, still a top contested team with heart, players who stand up. Poppy has a great contested game and has stood up. Gunston, not the biggest guy out there has played Roughies role and had to sacrifice his game to do so.
Contested and hard at it and currently top 4. No top rucks.

Sydney, Tippett and Sinclair are pretty decent rucks but it's their contested ball winners that get the job done week in week out.
They arguably have the best midfield in the league.

Crows have a decent tap ruckmen in Jacobs but also have contested mids like Sloane, Thommo, Crouch. Last night their B graders stood up and played with heart. Jarryd Lyons had 17 contested and David Mackay 12.
Sloane had 11 contested possies in the last and we all know this guy plays with heart every game, no questions (love Sloaney)


tldr; and that right there is the game this year folks. No contested ball winners and you're cooked.

And we keep recruiting smallish accumulators and back flankers.

Crossing my fingers and toes that Partington somehow becomes a beast

 

[Godfather32]

The one thing I have noticed this year, partly due to the interchange cap maybe is the game has become a contested midfield battle.
Wellingham, Redden, Jetta even Yeo were never the answer. All four have talent no doubt but as it stands all four look to be back home on a pay check and not here to bleed for the club like Shuey and Priddis.

This year I didn't rate Geelong at all. Lost to Melbourne at home. Lost to Brisbane, never looked like making the 8. Add one contested beast and get back a few from injuries and they're top 4 and just beat the top side. Don't have a top ruck.

Doggies. They completely destroy oppositions rucks and have more contested players over the ground then anyone. They put their best forward into the middle and he created/kicked 3 goals in a minute and a half then went forward again. Won the game right there and then with clean contested ball in the middle, done on the back of his mongrel and speed. No top rucks.

Hawks, missing Hodge and not in top form, still a top contested team with heart, players who stand up. Poppy has a great contested game and has stood up. Gunston, not the biggest guy out there has played Roughies role and had to sacrifice his game to do so.
Contested and hard at it and currently top 4. No top rucks.

Sydney, Tippett and Sinclair are pretty decent rucks but it's their contested ball winners that get the job done week in week out.
They arguably have the best midfield in the league.

Crows have a decent tap ruckmen in Jacobs but also have contested mids like Sloane, Thommo, Crouch. Last night their B graders stood up and played with heart. Jarryd Lyons had 17 contested and David Mackay 12.
Sloane had 11 contested possies in the last and we all know this guy plays with heart every game, no questions (love Sloaney)


tldr; and that right there is the game this year folks. No contested ball winners and you're cooked.

And the thing is, they're not just contested ball winners, they have other strings to their bow. They not only get the ball but they have the speed or skill to do something useful with it.

 

[wraglesweb]

IN : Nelson - Adamson - Jetta - McKenzie
Out : Redden - Hutchings - Masten - Schofield

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Nelson is in good form.

Yeah but he isn't a forward. Our half back line has been reasonable.

 

[Pat_Footy]

Yeah but he isn't a forward. Our half back line has been reasonable.

I think it's more important to have players in the team that are in good form. I'm sure if Nelson came into the backline, he would free to another player to go forward and play lecra's role.

Hill is in very good form at the moment and he is playing all over the ground.

 

[EastPete]

Is McInnes fit? Rather him tbh

Yes we need a true CHF. How many times did the Crows take a mark where we should have had a CHF.

This doesn't solve the midfield problem it will take a change of strategy to use the players we have not the players we would like them to be.

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

And the thing is, they're not just contested ball winners, they have other strings to their bow. They not only get the ball but they have the speed or skill to do something useful with it.

I think it's this thread but someone mentioned we have the spine.
2 gun forwards JK and Darling, 2 gun Rucks Nic and Slyce.
Gun speed in the middle with Shuey. Gun speed on the outside with Yeo and Jetta.
Gun gut runners one left one right footed for the wings in Gaff and Masten.
Gun backs in Emac (lock down) Gov (intercept marking) Shep (heart and effort).

Our best contested player is slow and can't kick, our next best is a near 7 foot ruckmen who can only play 70% of the game.
Shuey's a contested gun who can kick, has speed, breaks tackles, scores goals. Maybe we can clone him because he's our only one.

 

[Godfather32]

I think it's this thread but someone mentioned we have the spine.
2 gun forwards JK and Darling, 2 gun Rucks Nic and Slyce.
Gun speed in the middle with Shuey. Gun speed on the outside with Yeo and Jetta.
Gun gut runners one left one right footed for the wings in Gaff and Masten.
Gun backs in Emac (lock down) Gov (intercept marking) Shep (heart and effort).

Our best contested player is slow and can't kick, our next best is a near 7 foot ruckmen who can only play 70% of the game.
Shuey's a contested gun who can kick, has speed, breaks tackles, scores goals. Maybe we can clone him because he's our only one.

If we had 3 Shuey's we'd be good I reckon.
We just don't seem to have enough players that want to go in and win the ball.

 

[SpaceClef]

I think it's this thread but someone mentioned we have the spine.
2 gun forwards JK and Darling, 2 gun Rucks Nic and Slyce.
Gun speed in the middle with Shuey. Gun speed on the outside with Yeo and Jetta.
Gun gut runners one left one right footed for the wings in Gaff and Masten.
Gun backs in Emac (lock down) Gov (intercept marking) Shep (heart and effort).

Our best contested player is slow and can't kick, our next best is a near 7 foot ruckmen who can only play 70% of the game.
Shuey's a contested gun who can kick, has speed, breaks tackles, scores goals. Maybe we can clone him because he's our only one.

Shuey's not a contested gun though IMO. He has that string to his bow, but it's not his natural game.

 

[Eaglemaniac]

Shuey's not a contested gun though IMO. He has that string to his bow, but it's not his natural game.

Way too many of our players listed as "gun" in that post. It's thinking like this that has our list constantly overrated and nothing done to fix our problems.

 

[Pat_Footy]

Shuey's not a contested gun though IMO. He has that string to his bow, but it's not his natural game.

Shuey is not the god that people on this forum believe him to be. He may be the best mid wce has but that's just highlighting a horrible situation. He makes an awful lot of unforced errors. These errors are consistent and will ensure he is never seen in the same light as cousins, Kerr, Judd and the other top line mids in the competition.

 

[West Coast 06]

Yes we need a true CHF. How many times did the Crows take a mark where we should have had a CHF.

This doesn't solve the midfield problem it will take a change of strategy to use the players we have not the players we would like them to be.

This actually infuriates me when at the game. We get the ball in defense, turn around to go up the ground and there is no one in our forward fifty. No one. I do not understand why Kennedy rolls so far down the ground. Leave him in the square!

Then when we turn around we will have someone to kick to who is leading into space in our forward fifty! Wouldn't that be novel?

For next week.
IN: Nelson, Jetta, Mackenzie
OUT: LeCras, Naitanui, Wellingham

Let Gov back up Lycett and rest forward. Leave Barrass in to get direction from Mackenzie. Nelson adds mongrel and can run through the middle on occasion. Nic needs a rest, and I know we don't like to do this, but with him it is a rest as he is almost in the injured category.

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

Shuey's not a contested gun though IMO. He has that string to his bow, but it's not his natural game.

He's still the best all round midfielder we have.
Man I miss the Judd Cousins Kerr days.

 

[Youdy]

Are we the Port Adelaide of 2014/15?

Over perform to expectations on the back of a new coach and new 'revolutionary' game-plan

Aggressively pursue trades for the 'missing pieces' to put the side over the top, surge into premiership favoritism

Lose a key assistant coach (Welsh/Pyke)

Realise that players may have had career best seasons and the team as a whole is exposed by a tougher draw

 

[Biggie]

Couldn't give two shits about the next two games, such is my feeling after the past fortnight.

Might get out and about and enjoy life rather than watch these bunch of pretenders.

If you need me, I'm the bitter, twisted couch sitting supporter over there feeling very sorry for himself.

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

Way too many of our players listed as "gun" in that post. It's thinking like this that has our list constantly overrated and nothing done to fix our problems.

I used gun instead of elite for this reason. They are guns to us but certainly not elite with in the comp.
Although Nic's is an elite ruckmen, Gaff an elite wingmen. Priddis an elite contested stopage player and Gov is elite for intercept marking.
It falls away pretty quickly after that.

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

Are we the Port Adelaide of 2014/15?

Over perform to expectations on the back of a new coach and new 'revolutionary' game-plan

Aggressively pursue trades for the 'missing pieces' to put the side over the top, surge into premiership favoritism

Lose a key assistant coach (Welsh/Pyke)

Realise that players may have had career best seasons and the team as a whole is exposed by a tougher draw

We very well might be. Lets see how the year pans out.

 

[Youdy]

I used gun instead of elite for this reason. They are guns to us but certainly not elite with in the comp.
Although Nic's is an elite ruckmen, Gaff an elite wingmen. Priddis an elite contested stopage player and Gov is elite for intercept marking.
It falls away pretty quickly after that.

Ok that clears it up, so gun equals not elite

 

[Biggie]

I'm an elite 2 minute noodle maker.

 

[javaguice]

This was always coming, we've had big problems with our midfield for years but instead of doing something about it the recruitment team seem to think it's only a minor problem that can be fixed with a few tweaks (ie add more mediocre mids to the mix). They've been doing it since Wellinghams recruitment. We did so well last year in spite of our midfield, because our defense played well above anything they'd ever shown before, Nic Nat played amazingly and our forward line converted a high % of our inside 50s into scores. This year our defense has on the whole reverted back to normal levels, Nic Nat is playing injured, our forward line don't have a chance because the ball is being kicked in there in like the midfielders are trying to seed clouds and we inexplicably haven't managed to recruit a decent crumbing forward since Phil Matera left. Our crap midfield is being exposed and we just don't have the players in there to keep up with the top teams in the league.

I'm hoping this loss makes the penny drop for simmo and we start to see some innovation. We are nowhere near it this year.

 

[Godfather32]

I'm hoping this loss makes the penny drop for simmo and we start to see some innovation. We are nowhere near it this year.

Be interesting to see if he has anything up his sleeve tactically. Seems to me that the last few times we've been good it's been due to Walsh or Don Pyke and their tactics rather than whoever was in the head coaches seat. To me he's seemed very slow to react with both in-game strategy and outside the game as far as selections go.

 

[javaguice]

Be interesting to see if he has anything up his sleeve tactically. Seems to me that the last few times we've been good it's been due to Walsh or Don Pyke and their tactics rather than whoever was in the head coaches seat. To me he's seemed very slow to react with both in-game strategy and outside the game as far as selections go.

Yeah was saying in another thread.... we need someone with20-30 years coaching knowledge.... Not a second year coach who despite his size is well out of his depth.

 

[salo]

I wonder if it wouldn't be a bad idea to give Mitch Brown an opportunity to reinvent himself as a forward.

we don't need another big forward to bomb indiscriminately away at.

 

[Athlete]

IN : Nelson - Adamson - Jetta - McKenzie
Out : Redden - Hutchings - Masten - Schofield

Agree certainly adds much needed pace,also improvement in contested ball and stoppages.