Preview Changes R16 vs North Melbourne

[dogwatch]

Weddle. I couldn’t believe we picked Busslinger over him at the time, so it’s not even a hindsight call.

Yes, a number of us liked Weddle but TBF Busslinger was almost universally ranked by the pundits and phantoms at around that 12-13 mark while Weddle was a little behind him. So Buss was our generally expected pick and nobody much batted an eyelid when we called his name. The superior judgement of a few on BF notwithstanding. I could be wrong but I seem to recall that many here were saying it would be a reach going for Weddle at 13, even though he met most of the criteria we were after (just not the height).

Cal Twomey had them at 12 and 15
Chris Doerre (Knightmare) had them at 12 and 18
Fox Footy had them at 13 and 16
Rookie Me had them at 12 and 20
SEN had them at 13 and 21
Zero Hanger had them at 13 and Weddle not even in the top 20 (but Charlie Clarke was #20!)

Now I realise a phantom draft is slightly different to a power ranking. It's predicting what the clubs will do on the night. It's not ranking players according to the phantom caller's own estimation of their worth. But it's a fine difference and you'd have to rate it a pretty decent guide.

Anyway here we are a season and a half down the track and Weddle has played 31 games, Buss 0.

I still think Buss will eke out a decent career and it's too early to say Weddle will still be the better player in 5 years time. Weddle was ready to play from the start and already well developed. Buss was coming off a shoulder reconstruction so he had no pre-season and was only able to get a handful of VFL games in his first season.

 

[Ash1337]

North looked good last week. But not quick off half back. Don't think we've got much to worry about going tall. But I'd be surprised if we persist with it for the run home.

North halfbacks are Fisher, McDonald, Archer & Powell. They're all a bit 1 paced. Their team on the whole actually isn't quick except for Curtis, Scott and Zurhaar. Dogs have VDM, Richards, Dale, Bramble, Baker & Gallagher who have some speed. Should be fine for quickness.

 

[Ash1337]

Yes, a number of us liked Weddle but TBF Busslinger was almost universally ranked by the pundits and phantoms at around that 12-13 mark while Weddle was a little behind him. So Buss was our generally expected pick and nobody much batted an eyelid when we called his name. The superior judgement of a few on BF notwithstanding.

Cal Twomey had them at 12 and 15
Chris Doerre (Knightmare) had them at 12 and 18
Fox Footy had them at 13 and 16
Rookie Me had them at 12 and 20
SEN had them at 13 and 21
Zero Hanger had them at 13 and Weddle not even in the top 20 (but Charlie Clarke was #20!)

Now I realise a phantom draft is slightly different to a power ranking. It's predicting what the clubs will do on the night. It's not ranking players according to the phantom caller's own estimation of their worth. But it's a fine difference and you'd have to rate it a pretty decent guide.

Busslinger is a differen't type of KPD and is working through injury. Weddle is playing because his mobility can cover some of his weaknesses that Busslinger has been working on improving.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Really dislike the look of this team, way, way too tall.

 

[Frewy]

Really dislike the look of this team, way, way too tall.

I don't like it even as a player management tactic. Any team can get you if you're off the boil or have some unlucky injuries and the structure is stretched, 2024 Roos included.

 

[Contador]

Let's not forget that Bevo likes the idea of lobb playing wing. Has probably been waiting since mid last year to give it another crack.

 

[perro_loco]

We aren’t seriously talking up Lobb to defence are we? I still remember a certain game in Ballarat

Lobb played against Greene that game. One of Bevo brain farts, if I recall.

 

[Rookie]

This is a bit doom and gloom but who could we have picked up instead of Buss in his draft year... any good/great defenders that went begging in hindsight?

Van Es was also talked about a fair bit on here, more of an option at the pick we took Clarke or later. I would have been pretty happy going for two young defenders in that draft.

 

[Bulldog rick]

To be honest I'm looking forward to the return of the four headed monster. But do worry it could end in a greek tragedy.
A big call by bevo ' the enlightened one' ?
As the greatest Greek philosopher would say we will find out in a cuppla days, it's gunna be bewwediful and good luck to your family.

 

[Freshwater]

Seriously, where is Garcia? Is he playing VFL? I heard a rumour on here about touring Kardinia Park? but where is the communication from the club? They send text messages and emails about every trivial thing you can think of, but when a player who is tearing it up just disappears…crickets?

 

[Next Waiting]

Let's not forget that Bevo likes the idea of lobb playing wing. Has probably been waiting since mid last year to give it another crack.

I'm prepared to reserve judgement. Last year it might have been an idea ahead of its time and now an idea whose time has come (defence, wing, roaming, some combo). Not just about Lobb, but also about Naughts, JUH and the amazing Darcy. Things aren't exactly the same. JOD is more experiences and Richards is now in the middle.

And even though I believe we lost the game primarily in the middle, Brisbane's 2 very talls dining out against us might be an indication that we need a solution now if we are to combat the likes of Brisbane and Carlton this year should we progress. Perhaps this is a look at what we might look like when we play Carlton in a few weeks.

 

[doggy_dog]

North looked good last week. But not quick off half back. Don't think we've got much to worry about going tall. But I'd be surprised if we persist with it for the run home.

This is an issue though, we need to be building consistency we can’t really afford any hiccups from here. If this isn’t a structure we intend to persist with, and I think we’d all be surprised if it is, then we shouldn’t be dicking around just because it’s North for the sake of accommodating Lobb off one decent game

 

[X_box_X]

FFS, Nicholls is umpiring. This is not good.

 

[dergert]

Lol Naughton is one of the best rated key forwards in the afl and sen are telling listeners he needs to play defence

 

[Doggy Dan]

Lol Naughton is one of the best rated key forwards in the afl and sen are telling listeners he needs to play defence

Charlie Curnow is about to become a 3 x successive Coleman medalist and he regularly moves into defence when it’s necessary. Naughton playing a different role when required for team structure is not ‘moving him back to defence’ - it does not have to be binary.

 

[go the dogs]

Have heard Lobb back as well. Surely writing is on the wall for Busslinger leaving.

 

[dogwatch]

FFS, Nicholls is umpiring. This is not good.

The fix is in!

 

[geoffjennings79]

IF Lobb is successfully reinvented as a defender a-la Liam Jones

19

Liam Jones

Age

33

Ht

199cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.4

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

4.3

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

134.5

2star

D

7.6

2star

K

6.1

3star

HB

1.4

1star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.4

2star

MG

116.3

2star

D

9.4

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

...

We might as well just keep drafting every KPF-size father/son available to us ad-infinitum and move them around as required. They won't all be Darcy/Naughton level, so even if they're tearing it up forward at under age level, Bevo can just slot them into KPD roles. Or half back. Or wing.

We're approaching Marvin the Martian's "just add water for instant tall Martians" capability.

 

[TiAn_]

I really hope these rumours of Lobb playing in defence are BS. Darcy worked well enough back there because he’s twice the footballer Lobb is, is a better contested mark, is far more agile when the ball is on the ground and can kick well off both feet.

 

[Libba39]

To be honest I'm looking forward to the return of the four headed monster. But do worry it could end in a greek tragedy.
A big call by bevo ' the enlightened one' ?
As the greatest Greek philosopher would say we will find out in a cuppla days, it's gunna be bewwediful and good luck to your family.

The side is too top heavy...

A bit like Soula, Toula Roula, Voula and Agapė...

On SM-A505YN using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[X_box_X]

Apparently Bont is less than 50% chance to play according to Bevo. I haven't heard that out of his mouth, just referring to a Tweet I saw.

 

[Dog 36]

Apparently Bont is less than 50% chance to play according to Bevo. I haven't heard that out of his mouth, just referring to a Tweet I saw.

If that is the case then he won't play IMO

 

[jdz101]

Too tall. Again.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Apparently Bont is less than 50% chance to play according to Bevo. I haven't heard that out of his mouth, just referring to a Tweet I saw.

Naughton to the centre bounces! Solves our too many talls issue too

 

[manutd/dogs]

F*ck it. I'm bringing it back. Ol' mate Bevo's clearly off his anti-psychotic meds.