Preview R9: Changes vs. Richmond

[Mattrox]

Agreed, until Brisbane took control in the second 1/4.
I think Edwards copped the blame for that.

Agreed again .

Edwards won't be developed into an AFL player the ways he's been treated by Nicks.
He needs AFL game-time (so does Draper for that matter), not more time dominating in the SANFL.

We keep hearing this argument. But it's almost broken clock theory.

 

[Daniel6]

Chris Scott disagrees, but when he was he ever won anything.

I never said I agree with it, I just said that’s the philosophy I believe they use.

 

[1990crow]

Can't work out why Bond is playing.

 

[Cromulant]

Edwards won't be developed into an AFL player the ways he's been treated by Nicks.
He needs AFL game-time (so does Draper for that matter), not more time dominating in the SANFL.

Even if he leaves he'd struggle to get another gig

 

[CrowBloke]

We keep hearing this argument.

We? Who, "we"?
Don't you mean "you"?
If you keep hearing it, maybe it's because several people think along similar lines ...?

Caveat: that doesn't mean I'm right, or we're right, but here's a reasonable question:
--- do you think Edwards/Draper/Dowling have been well-treated and well-developed by Nicks?

But it's almost broken clock theory.

Again, what?
Did you mean "broken record" ... "broken record" ... "broken record" ...etc?

 

[CrowBloke]

Even if he leaves he'd struggle to get another gig

Nicks? ... definitely .

Edwards? I think several clubs would be interested, but I'm often wrong <<shrug>>.
If you have the time, please watch Edwards in the second quarter of the game vs the Saints, the way he moves, his run-and-carry, the ways he lowered his eyes and his delivery.
He can footy, but like any rookie he needs the backing of his Coach.

 

[daniel_4tw]

Can't work out why Bond is playing.

Bond is Laird’s replacement. They shouldn’t ever play in the same team.

 

[Geoffa32]

This needs to be the game we open up and bury a side.

 

[CrowBloke]

Coaching 101:
--- develop your youth into AFL-quality players, say, over a 3 or 4-year period, especially in a rebuild,
THEN
--- select your best-23, week-by-week, according to form (no matter whom) and availability.

Coaching a la Nicks:
--- at the start of the year, after drilling a dour, defensive game style into your squad then pick your best-23 based upon previous seniority and toe-the-line training
--- only change that when injury hits.
--- keep selecting senior players regardless of form (because they are, supposedly, best-23)
--- ignore your promising youth unless injury gives them a chance, blame them if the team is playing poorly, then play them out of position, then drop them.

 

[1970crow]

Of course, but im trying to think of a positive. We could quite easily have brought a Maley or Fogarty in to keep that structure, and for the first time in a while weve chosen not to.

Likely the oppo we are facing probably plays a role in that, but im glad we havent done it all the same.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled it looks like we’re not sticking to a structure ahead of actually playing AFL quality players. But that’s only a part of the overall issue. Until we start honouring leads instead of using them as ‘decoys’ to clear space for the designated (and entirely predictable) target, we’ll not genuinely compete.

Not sure how many seasons I first posted that Nicks’ delivery strategy into our 50 is more about defending turnover than it is about scoring goals. The more pressure, the worse it is until the game is done and the shackles are released.

 

[Cromulant]

Nicks? ... definitely .

Edwards? I think several clubs would be interested, but I'm often wrong <<shrug>>.
If you have the time, please watch Edwards in the second quarter of the game vs the Saints, the way he moves, his run-and-carry, the ways he lowered his eyes and his delivery.
He can footy, but like any rookie he needs the backing of his Coach.

No need to be patronising, I saw it for myself.

The reality is though, a delisted 2 gamer (hopefully more) in a side crying out for midfielders is more likely to be big demand by VFL sides rather than AFL sides.

 

[Daniel6]

This needs to be the game we open up and bury a side.

Yeah, we need to start building out percentages

96.6% isn’t very good.

 

[Mattrox]

We? Who, "we"?
Don't you mean "you"?
If you keep hearing it, maybe it's because several people think along similar lines ...?

Caveat: that doesn't mean I'm right, or we're right, but here's a reasonable question:
--- do you think Edwards/Draper/Dowling have been well-treated and well-developed by Nicks?

Again, what?
Did you mean "broken record" ... "broken record" ... "broken record" ...etc?

Broken clock. correct twice a day.

We as in this board. I can go find receipts if you want.

 

[Velvet George]

Surely we could have rested ANB with his knee and played Edwards or Dowling?

Now if we make finals and the club uses the excuse we were cooked again?

 

[Cromulant]

Surely we could have rested ANB with his knee and played Edwards or Dowling?

Now if we make finals and the club uses the excuse we were cooked again?

Do we know who the travelling emergency is ??

We really should be doing that

 

[cleanhands]

Surely we could have rested ANB with his knee and played Edwards or Dowling?

Now if we make finals and the club uses the excuse we were cooked again?

We just seem to miss so many opportunities

 

[Bovo]

reasonable question:
--- do you think Edwards/Draper/Dowling have been well-treated and well-developed by Nicks?

well treated is an interesting one, but I’ll go with well-developed. For me no. The SANFL is not the place to develop AFL required skills. Only AFL games can do this. Even Cook is a great example. He was playing amazingly in the SANFL but couldn’t get a gig. Look at him flourish now though. He needed to be playing AFL to see his potential and abilities.

 

[Cromulant]

well treated is an interesting one, but I’ll go with well-developed. For me no. The SANFL is not the place to develop AFL required skills. Only AFL games can do this. Even Cook is a great example. He was playing amazingly in the SANFL but couldn’t get a gig. Look at him flourish now though. He needed to be playing AFL to see his potential and abilities.

He wasnt playing amazingly in the SANFL, thats the point.

SANFL form is largely irrelevant

 

[cleanhands]

well treated is an interesting one, but I’ll go with well-developed. For me no. The SANFL is not the place to develop AFL required skills. Only AFL games can do this. Even Cook is a great example. He was playing amazingly in the SANFL but couldn’t get a gig. Look at him flourish now though. He needed to be playing AFL to see his potential and abilities.

Walk before you run

 

[Bovo]

Walk before you run

I understand that, but some teams just know how to do it:

Pick​	Player​	AFL Games​
1	Sam Lalor	18
2	Finn O’Sullivan	28
3	Jagga Smith	2
4	Sid Draper	10
5	Levi Ashcroft	35
6	Harvey Langford	30

jagga Smith did an ACL in 2025. Out numbers are not even close.

 

[NSolis]

Then explain why he attended only around 30% of CBA-s .. under half the previous week.

Hmmm, perhaps he wasn't one of our main midfielders!

In the first half he attended 12 CBAs, only behind Berry who attended 14. Peatling also attended 12, Dawson and Rachele had 6 each. After half time Edwards was moved out of the midfield as I said in my last post and did not attend any in the second half. That’s how he ended up at 30%.

He had 5 disposals in the first half but only one in the second term where we were well beaten, which is why they made the move I assume.

 

[cleanhands]

I understand that, but some teams just know how to do it:

Pick​	Player​	AFL Games​
1	Sam Lalor	18
2	Finn O’Sullivan	28
3	Jagga Smith	2
4	Sid Draper	10
5	Levi Ashcroft	35
6	Harvey Langford	30

jagga Smith did an ACL in 2025. Out numbers are not even close.

A good start would be play them in their appropriate position in the SANFL

 

[Bovo]

He wasnt playing amazingly in the SANFL, thats the point.

SANFL form is largely irrelevant

Do you think he would play better alongside players like Berry, Soligo, Rachele and Rankine or second tier mids. But that being said I have no idea who would make way for him. How the hell do some teams successfully do it?

 

[Mattrox]

I understand that, but some teams just know how to do it:

Pick​	Player​	AFL Games​
1	Sam Lalor	18
2	Finn O’Sullivan	28
3	Jagga Smith	2
4	Sid Draper	10
5	Levi Ashcroft	35
6	Harvey Langford	30

jagga Smith did an ACL in 2025. Out numbers are not even close.

Every player is different and it is easy to cherry pick. Not everybody is AFL ready at time of Drafting.

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[Samcro24]

Does anyone else find the phrase 'warm body' a bit icky or is it just me

Not at all