Preview Changes: R10 vs Western Bulldogs, Saturday May 20, 1.40pm ACST @ Eureka Stadium (Ballarat)

[BunjiMC]

Did you go over to watch the game?

Yes. But also going the G tonight.....

 

[FR0GGY]

Yes. But also going the G tonight.....

Spewing

 

[AFC3000]

I feel like Tex was maybe scheduled for a break with the Geelong game but we thought we were a chance after a bit of a winning streak and the 1 point Collingwood loss while maybe underrating Geelongs performances against lesser teams.

Really interesting to see how we go without him but also a shame we don't get to see Thilthorpe as part of that mix.

Not overly confident but lets see how we go.

 

[GROTTO]

Very few talls in the history of the game would have been able to pull off that play. The body work, the mark, the run and the execution by foot. The matchwinner.

The amount of ground that both Tex and Charlie covered to create that goal is extraordinary. Its pure gut running at the end of the game.

Tex has the ball on the wing and Charlie has just left the centre of the ground.

Tex gets to just outside 60m and then hits Charlie who makes it inside 50m straight in front. The kick by Tex, surely is close to 40 plus metres.

 

[CrowBloke]

You're usually a sensible poster telling others not to misquote or exaggerate during discussion.

Fair reply, thanks .
The above is kind-of true. I enjoy interesting discussion, even when it's based on disagreement. I dislike personal attacks, ad hominem insults, and I try to be objective and balanced, knowing (as you say) that:

... all players do good things and bad things, and if there was a way to perfectly measure + vs - then a positive contribution is needed overall for a player to have a good game.

The "good" that many players did vs Collingwood was undone by poor goalkicking.
If any one of about 5 or 6 gettable set shots had been converted, we win.
All of them ==> we win well.
That was "the one that got away". I don't think Tex lost us that game, but your point was about being competitive, so I'll move on.

Tex did some good stuff in those 2 games, but lots of bad. Generally not through direct action, but through lack of being able to compete. Overall his contribution was a minus. Unarguably imo.

I like words like "unarguably". They challenge me.
Tex's first goal vs Geelong was from a miskick (looked like) coming in, but he was in the clear, marked it and slotted the goal. Could do no more than that.

I thought his second was a beauty and adds credence to my previous point about poor delivery, but this time it's a poor kick from Murphy. Tex has made a lead and was clear (Ratugolea is about 4m behind), but the Murphy kick goes wide to Tex's Left.

What does Tex do?
He competes.
The ball skids and bounces off Ratugolea. Tex pounces, gathers the ball, brushes off the half-tackle and dribble-kicks cleverly under the attempted smother of the advancing Geelong defender.

And while he's having an overall good year and I love Tex, it's not GREAT which is all I'm pointing out.

That was a great goal, all his own doing from bad delivery. He even jogs over to Murphy afterwards to give him a hand-slap, acknowledging that the kick-in from Murphy led to his goal. That's leadership, as well. If you look closely, Murphy gives him a head-tilt of apology for the miskick.

Tex's third goal (out of 11 total) comes from a bomb I50.
What does Tex do? He competes, gives Ratugolea one of his famous side-hip-noodges (some would call it a push in the back ) and takes the contested mark:

Tex goals.
If Laird had not given away that stupid free kick for a goal when we were streaming Left a few minutes earlier, we would have been within a goal of them, with just under 5 minutes to play.

For example, IMO Gollant would have halved a lot more of the Geelong contests. And therefore contribution would be less negative, maybe even positive.

I think that's fanciful speculation; Gollant might also have had a 'mare. We'll never know.

If you can't see Tex is hunting the body more and more, and weaker in the air, like Bigman (a very keen observer) says, I can't help.

No 'help' required, thanks. What I can see is that Tex is using his body/hips to get his defender out of position as good, experienced bigmen do, and as he did to great effect vs Wilkie last week.

Glad he's getting a rest. Should have been vs Cats as many including me called for... Hope it helps him have less negative contribution games overall.

I have some fanciful speculation of my own --- the plan might have been to rest Tex vs Geelong, but Nicks decided to take his best team down there and create a statement win. If I was Coach, I'd be happy with how Tex competed and with his 3 goals.

I love Tex too. He's having a good year, maybe not GREAT but, hey, he's 33 and is currently our best and most productive forward.
P.S. Tex, RoB and Thilthorpe are equal 9th in the League, for contested marks (16).
You gotta compete, to take those .

 

[MsTopG]

Out:
Hinge conc Sholl Himmelberg Gollant Parnell

In:
Doedee Worrell Walker Thilthorpe Cook/Nankervis/Dowling

Sub: Berry out.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Out:
Hinge conc Sholl Himmelberg Gollant Parnell

In:
Doedee Worrell Walker Thilthorpe Cook/Nankervis/Dowling

Sub: Berry out.

Is this for the next time we play the Bulldogs...

 

[GrommoT]

Is this for the next time we play the Bulldogs...

Doesn't hurt to be well prepared

 

[MsTopG]

Is this for the next time we play the Bulldogs...

Nah it's the same team he should play every week barring injuries. Hinge and McAdam when fit are first 22. Nick's should be getting games into Nankervis. I've been a Parnell fan but his kicking isn't as good as previously thought along with his size limitations. Nankervis and Dowling (when ready) should be the next players Nick's brings in. Don't know about Cook and whether he will make it or not. I suspect not but we need to find out.

 

[FR0GGY]

Rankine cleared

 

[skam85]

Been busy wining and dining over in Perth this week - What have I missed!?

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