Preview 2019 Grand Final - Richmond vs GWS, Saturday 28th September, MCG.

[TigerImposter]

this is the big concern for me. We lack toughness and size its been a concern all yr.
No way would i play all of Baker Ellis Short. In 2017 blokes like Townsend, McIntosh and Graham gave us that bigger body that could smash in. We also had Grigg a bigger bodied 190cm old head in the midfield and We were also better balanced down back with rance and Astbury in the key defensive posts.

While ive been concerned about these things all yr ive never really thought we were backs to the wall and had no chance of winning games i felt we had a chance to win most of them.

It may just be my temperament but this game is really the first one where i think we lose that we cant win. Get behind against this mob and i dont think they will allow us to wriggle of the hook.

I have thought the last two yrs that the team could be infinately improved, and there was a need to do so.
praying like mad we can win just one more and the concerns dont hit us when we least want them too.

The players missing from the team from 2017 are
Townsend, McIntosh, Graham, Grigg, Rance and Butler. Imo only, we havent covered the mids not with grunt or size.Nor have we covered Rance imo. but we have covered Butlers role.

the players who have come in
Lynch, Soldo, Baker, Short, Bolton and one to be named.Theres a lot of midfield grunt missing and the extra kpd in Rance.

I just cant shake the feeling we are to small and not enough hardness.

No doubt Rance and Graham are big losses , but we’ve covered for Rance all year especially in the back half of the season. Broad has been outstanding playing the third tall and looking at the scores kicked against us since our winning streak the Eagles have been the highest with 82.
70 Saints
58 Suns
67 GWS
63 PA
66 Pies
60 Dees
45 Blues
82 WCE
55 Lions
65 Lions
66 Cats

I believe our defence has adequately matched 2017 based on those figures.
Now looking at the ins and outs you’ve stated.
Lynch for Townsend. Massive upgrade and especially now that he’s crunching players and working hard defensively.

Soldo for Griggs is an upgrade as we were found out last year with the one ruck experiment . It was awesome in 17 , but no longer an option in moving forward.

Bolton for Butler is a break even , but Bolton is more skilled and a player who can rotate in the midfield. His second half against the bigger bodied and old fat cats was brilliant.
Rance for Short is a loss, but as I said earlier our scores against show that we’re keeping teams down to low scores bc Broad is doing his bit and Short frees up and compliments Houli as well as gives us extra dash and long precision kicking out of the BL. The reality is that Short is playing a more attacking role than KMac.
The only midfielder we’re losing out on is a young five gamer in Graham 2017 which can be replaced by a solid mature bodied Pickett or a young first year player in Ross. It’s a loss, but not detrimental imo.

I think we’re a better side than 2017 and with GWS inexperience in GF I can’t see them getting near us.

 

[biaseddustyfan]

feels good to be going in as underdogs again. will be one of the greatest flags of all time if we can get up over their goat midfield and forwardline plus score against Shaw and Haynes the greatest defenders of 2019. all the pressure is on them so the choke is a big chance. tigs by 49

 

[Grechy]

Is anyone else going to sleep at night and tossing and turning over match ups and thinking about the game? It's doing my head in.

 

[peternorth]

We deserve to win

 

[peternorth]

Is anyone else going to sleep at night and tossing and turning over match ups and thinking about the game? It's doing my head in.

Kinda. Although for me not so much turning

 

[TigerImposter]

Is anyone else going to sleep at night and tossing and turning over match ups and thinking about the game? It's doing my head in.

Sleeping like a baby mate. We had a birthday in our family last night and one tonight. So the reds have been great. Blues night tomorrow night and pre game celebrations Friday night.
No sleep lost there for me and in fact I may need to find a few hours somewhere in the middle of the day.

 

[biaseddustyfan]

Is anyone else going to sleep at night and tossing and turning over match ups and thinking about the game? It's doing my head in.

yep I still haven't got my drinks/snacks matchups sorted out either. shit's stressing me out

 

[Tiger Toffee]

Is anyone else going to sleep at night and tossing and turning over match ups and thinking about the game? It's doing my head in.

Nope.

 

[Drofder]

Kinda. Although for me not so much turning

You might be retired but seems you still keep your hand in it.

 

[maxiboy238]

London Tarven after the game Free shout from Greg Stafford

 

[db26]

Sleeping like a baby mate. We had a birthday in our family last night and one tonight. So the reds have been great. Blues night tomorrow night and pre game celebrations Friday night.
No sleep lost there for me and in fact I may need to find a few hours somewhere in the middle of the day.

Interested to hear your views how we should matchup on there talls.I think like others have said it's our pressure and tackling breaking there midfield.

 

[TigerImposter]

Interested to hear your views how we should matchup on there talls.I think like others have said it's our pressure and tackling breaking there midfield.

Yep forcing their mf wide with no easy possessions into their FL. Also getting first use would help a lot bc it then puts their BL under the pump with Lynch Jack and co. Scoreboard pressure is a beautiful panacea in big games.

 

[db26]

This might come back and bite me, but i think the GWS game against collingwood is a bit over hyped.
Was a rugby style slow low scoring scrappy game, (due to wet). And frankly collingwood only really pulled their finger out in the last, and really could've won the game GWS just stopped.

Plus collingwood arsed top 4, didn't think they played well leading up to finals.

The G is our fortress, we play there better then any other team

I'm thinking that to add to that pies haven't got 2 gun monster forwards like us and there pressure and tackling was way off.There last quarters a concern to both in lions and pies games.You can bet Dimma will be having a coffee with Clarko hawks smashed them a month a go.

 

[db26]

Last time De Boer played on Dusty, Dusty wasn't at his best... I'd expect very different things this time around

The key is we need to support who every he tags.Martin drags him to the forward line that's in our favour already.

 

[Loomer]

 

[peternorth]

hmmmm

davis will play. i doubt he'd miss, captain and all first GF and all.

i hope coniglio plays.

 

[Spanish_Fly]

Doesnt bother me at all if whitfield and Coniglio play, but if Davis is out thats a massive win for us, means that Lynch, Jack and Dusty all get more favourable matchups.

 

[tora tora tora]

No doubt Rance and Graham are big losses , but we’ve covered for Rance all year especially in the back half of the season. Broad has been outstanding playing the third tall and looking at the scores kicked against us since our winning streak the Eagles have been the highest with 82.
70 Saints
58 Suns
67 GWS
63 PA
66 Pies
60 Dees
45 Blues
82 WCE
55 Lions
65 Lions
66 Cats

I believe our defence has adequately matched 2017 based on those figures.
Now looking at the ins and outs you’ve stated.
Lynch for Townsend. Massive upgrade and especially now that he’s crunching players and working hard defensively.

Soldo for Griggs is an upgrade as we were found out last year with the one ruck experiment . It was awesome in 17 , but no longer an option in moving forward.

Bolton for Butler is a break even , but Bolton is more skilled and a player who can rotate in the midfield. His second half against the bigger bodied and old fat cats was brilliant.
Rance for Short is a loss, but as I said earlier our scores against show that we’re keeping teams down to low scores bc Broad is doing his bit and Short frees up and compliments Houli as well as gives us extra dash and long precision kicking out of the BL. The reality is that Short is playing a more attacking role than KMac.
The only midfielder we’re losing out on is a young five gamer in Graham 2017 which can be replaced by a solid mature bodied Pickett or a young first year player in Ross. It’s a loss, but not detrimental imo.

I think we’re a better side than 2017 and with GWS inexperience in GF I can’t see them getting near us.

Inside mids are in the action from the moment the ball is bounced. Ross/Pickett are excellent replacements for JG. Their nerves will be OK by 1/2 way through the first quarter. They have to get their positioning right around stoppages.

 

[Rasha]

Doesnt bother me at all if whitfield and Coniglio play, but if Davis is out thats a massive win for us, means that Lynch, Jack and Dusty all get more favourable matchups.

Davis is cooked.
I hope he plays, he'll be a liability for them.

 

[Tiger V]

just got my tickets and now I am sh$%#ing myself

 

[TigerImposter]

Davis is cooked.
I hope he plays, he'll be a liability for them.

I’m positive I saw him resting in the FL in the last quarter. He could hardly move and if he gets up from that and plays then Lynch will kill him.

 

[Dunger]

Davis is cooked.
I hope he plays, he'll be a liability for them.

Coniglio too, hasn't had any real footy let alone finals footy for 2 months

 

[Punt rd end]

A mate of mine was a medic in the army and a theatre nurse reckons whitfield will be lucky if his guts doesn't spill out onto the field

 

[SavDog23]

Lynch to kick 6 on a underdone Davis.

 

[Cotcho]

Davis is their best and most important player by a mile. I reckon he's the best back in the comp. Huge out if true. Huge if he's injured.