Changes for Round 2 v Norf

[THE A5]

Yes I'd like to see him played exclusively on the wing and keeping his width from contests.

Im starting to think though that we may uncover an option this season for a different player than Gaff on the wing that has all the tools he lacks, I just don't believe endurance cuts it anymore, as all players are now super fit. We need pace, swerveability, tackling too.

With our newer recruits West, JJ, SPS, Clark, Naish, and Joyce we suddenly have great midfield depth and they all look ready to make an impact at AFL level to me.

Naish/Chessar are the ones on the list that could push Gaff out the wing but neither are proven players just yet. I still think Gaff has great footy left in him as a wingmen.

Naish is the one I want us to keep if simmo wants us to play a more attacking brand of footy. He isn't the type to chip the ball around side to side but rather looks to move the game on with a long kick penetrating kick or bite the bullet and try and attack the corridor. He also seems to have some handy wheels.

I feel for XOn cause he is well below the pecking order and after his first promising game in a while looks to get the chop. Unlike West/Joyce he does seem to have a bit more class to his game but I think simmo prefers the blue collar type of a west or joyce above him. Would actually love to see him retain his spot this week and be the 4th/5th on baller behind a decent crop of inside mids this week.

 

[The Passenger]

I still think Gaff has great footy left in him as a wingmen.

He was playing perfectly good footy up until we moved him into more of an inside midfield role and he's been very middle of the road since then.

Given the circumstances I thought he played pretty well on the weekend. Provided a decent bit of a balance alongside the spark of guys like JJ, SPS and Willie who don't have the consistency in their games yet to be relied on for four quarters every week.

When TK, Yeo and (fingers crossed) Shuey return a guy like Gaff is a one paced midfielder that unnecessarily slows things down at the coalface. These three guys are not just dynamic midfielders but they are experienced and proven performers who don't need many accumulator-style footballers in their direct vicinity. You could argue Redden is likewise a bit one paced but he is stronger on the ball than Gaff, therefore better in clearance battles and much more suited to that part of the field.

Also, as we've seen over many years Gaff is great on the wing - he is very adept at getting on the end of the grunt work and using his fitness, space finding ability and accurate kicking to deliver into the 50. None of which really come to the fore when he is playing in the centre (A compilation from 2019-2021 of him winning a clearance only to launch an around-the-corner kick to the opposition would leave one tearing their hair out!).

His change of role in the last couple of years has been a real head-scratcher.

 

[GROTTO]

One of Kennedy's kids has covid, caught it from school, so I guess he's out this week. School seems to be where covid is spreading most, probably a bad year to have so many players with kids. his absence wont be the difference between winning or losing imo.

No travel for him to Melbourne which at his age is a consideration, he will be cherry ripe for the Derby in R3.

 

[Biggie]

Already posted but needs to come from #1

 

[Convocation]

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Schmooky, Schmooky, Schmooky, those outs leave us still way too tall.

 

[Rowan18]

Gaff needs to play in his proper position - outside mid on the wing. The last 2 years we have played him at centre clearances and as an extractor. Let’s face facts - he is a crap extractor.

I am also beginning to accept it will be hard to have Sheed and Gaff in the same side

I am not missing Sheed at all. He is a HFF who kicks goals but can't pressure. JJ and Rioli are streets ahead of him.

 

[Reminiscence]

Edwards was not close to be being b22 last season and he isn't coming back like that after missing all preseason. I also think Duggan could do with a wafl praccy game or two as he himself has missed the preseason

I think we would all take him underdone at the centre square than see Gaff keep lining up.
It's an experiment that hasn't worked for years.

 

[shooshka]

I am not missing Sheed at all. He is a HFF who kicks goals but can't pressure. JJ and Rioli are streets ahead of him.

I disagree. He averages 4.5 clearances a game, around 22-25 possessions a game (hard to normalise with the 2020 shortened quarters) and 10 contested possessions a game in the last 3 years.

In the same time period he averages about 2.5 tackles per game which is poor.

Sheed to me is a role player (attacking mid), who is great if we have the alternate role player (defensive mid - usually Yeo or Redden).

We all want the next Martin, Petracca etc - but the reality is we have to work with the players we have and create roles that suit their strengths. Sheed as the outside pacy runner is not going to thrive, whilst his kicking is good he is just too slow. Sheed as a defensive mid will never thrive, as he is quite poor at defending. But we have a spot for an attacking mid (who, if needed can spend a little time on the HFF), I'm not sure 1 good game from JJ and some glimpses from Rioli displace him just yet.

 

[shooshka]

I think we would all take him underdone at the centre square than see Gaff keep lining up.
It's an experiment that hasn't worked for years.

The issue is Gaff isn't a distributor by hand, so he defaults to kicking (often around the corner). If (and it is unlikely now) he could bring team-mates into the game and create space by hand then he's a serviceable bit-part option in the CBD's for a few times a game.

He is elite outside though. Not flashy, but very good at getting back to help the defence and also at being the outlet.

 

[southcoast]

He (Gaff) is elite outside though. Not flashy, but very good at getting back to help the defence and also at being the outlet.

Your comments are spot on and that is why Gaff should be played in a position where his strengths hurt the opposition.

Something, something about ‘not making players into something they are not’

Ditto Naish - let him play on the other wing and play to his strengths.

 

[shooshka]

Your comments are spot on and that is why Gaff should be played in a position where his strengths hurt the opposition.

Something, something about ‘not making players into something they are not’

Ditto Naish - let him play on the other wing and play to his strengths.

Agree. And their skills (and also their weaknesses in many ways) compliment each other. Would be a good combo.

 

[DanWCE]

I disagree. He averages 4.5 clearances a game, around 22-25 possessions a game (hard to normalise with the 2020 shortened quarters) and 10 contested possessions a game in the last 3 years.

In the same time period he averages about 2.5 tackles per game which is poor.

Sheed to me is a role player (attacking mid), who is great if we have the alternate role player (defensive mid - usually Yeo or Redden).

We all want the next Martin, Petracca etc - but the reality is we have to work with the players we have and create roles that suit their strengths. Sheed as the outside pacy runner is not going to thrive, whilst his kicking is good he is just too slow. Sheed as a defensive mid will never thrive, as he is quite poor at defending. But we have a spot for an attacking mid (who, if needed can spend a little time on the HFF), I'm not sure 1 good game from JJ and some glimpses from Rioli displace him just yet.

Sheed has damaging games and others where he is a genuine liability. I would just question whether he's got comfortable since returning to the side in '18.

Happy to see how he performs under new midfield coaches but if we continue to see a lack of defensive application and those blind hack kicks around the body without any penetration then he should be played in the WAFL to focus on his game.

He kicks goals and gets his hands on it plenty, but it would be hard for most to argue there isn't a gulf between his best and worst which was really highlighted last season.

 

[Grahame]

One benefit of having three regulars - Cripps (ageing), Cole and Sheed (debatable value) - out is that we might just find others who go past them. Not that I'm down on them but it'd be great to think the team progresses so much while they're out that they have trouble getting their spots back.

And in that vein ... imagine if Williams came on so much that NN was our second ruck. Or Waterman improved so much that JK could retire once OA came back ... etc etc

... I can just hear the mob (rightly) saying tell him he's dreamin'

 

[THE A5]

Sheed has damaging games and others where he is a genuine liability. I would just question whether he's got comfortable since returning to the side in '18.

Happy to see how he performs under new midfield coaches but if we continue to see a lack of defensive application and those blind hack kicks around the body without any penetration then he should be played in the WAFL to focus on his game.

He kicks goals and gets his hands on it plenty, but it would be hard for most to argue there isn't a gulf between his best and worst which was really highlighted last season.

his 2019 was good but along with the rest of the team went to shit post 2020

 

[WCErevival]

Sheeds decline has to do with him having to help lead the midfield with all the stars out. He's not good enough for that. He's a decent support mid though.

 

[KERRPOW]

One of Kennedy's kids has covid, caught it from school, so I guess he's out this week. School seems to be where covid is spreading most, probably a bad year to have so many players with kids. his absence wont be the difference between winning or losing imo.

Yeh, my daughter was considered a close contact from daycare.

Fortunately she didnt get it.

Just wondering how often this shit is gonna happen.

 

[Fatty rules]

Sheeds decline has to do with him having to help lead the midfield with all the stars out. He's not good enough for that. He's a decent support mid though.

I also remember one commentator saying that in general play stoppages he gets a lot of gets, but less so at centre bounces.

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

I also remember one commentator saying that in general play stoppages he gets a lot of gets, but less so at centre bounces.

I am liking Rioli and Jones taking rotations for centre bounces and then passing over to Sheed et al once in open play

The above probably only works when NicNat is rucking.

 

[Cornelius Roy]

Outside of the game where he kicked 3 goals in the space of about 10 minutes I can't really recall many "damaging" games from Sheed despite racking up 30 possies on the reg.

He doesn't really break lines or move/dispose of the ball long or quick enough to do that. I do think in the longer term there's more value in what Jones/Rioli can do in this respect as it puts more pressure on defenders and increases the chances of goals.

Completely agree it's probably too early to make this move permanent but having players compile inefficient/undamaging possessions whilst being completely unwilling to have a defensive impact on the game needs to be eliminated from our team if we're to move forward.

 

[DanWCE]

JD in, Duggan through the WAFL according to the great man himself on radio this morning.

 

[Eastcoasteagle]

View attachment 1352062

Thought Kennedy was out due to COVID? If so, Darling is L4L.

Others to come out for Kelly, Shuey, Ryan and Witho I'd go with:

H. Edwards (so unlucky but can't see them dropping Gov or TB)
Hough (shame as would be good to pump the games into him)
Dixon (one of Williams and NN to play 3rd tall fwd).
Naish (moves to the sub)

Keeping XON and Williams as want to give them both another week, I know a few hated on Williams last week but I thought he was ok.

 

[KERRPOW]

I think its worth persevering with XON for now. Showed a little bit of class IMO. had the second least amount of TOG (Nic woth that one).

Wheras keen to dumo williams...isnt AFL quality.

 

[Coasters7]

Thought Kennedy was out due to COVID? If so, Darling is L4L.

Others to come out for Kelly, Shuey, Ryan and Witho I'd go with:

H. Edwards (so unlucky but can't see them dropping Gov or TB)
Hough (shame as would be good to pump the games into him)
Dixon (one of Williams and NN to play 3rd tall fwd).
Naish (moves to the sub)

Keeping XON and Williams as want to give them both another week, I know a few hated on Williams last week but I thought he was ok.

Williams competed well but he looked like he’d never seen a footy in his life. Looked lost in marking contests and ran around like a headless chook.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Williams might survive this week with JK out since Dixon still required to partner JD up forward and not as a backup ruck.