Analysis 2020 List, Game Plan and Best 22?

[RobbieK]

Anyone know why we put all our eggs in the Naismith basket and didnt recruit a single ruckman despite seeing how disastrous it is without Sam?

Even an Archie Smith type was just sitting there for a 1 year cheap contract, and nothing

We also have Sinclair, Knoll, Amartey and McLean on this list. Two of them also currently in the best 22.

Now, you can legitimately question how much talent is in that list, but the idea that "we put all our eggs in the Naismith basket" is stretching it a bit.

That being said, hopefully the club learnt its lesson with Alex Johnson and accepts that Naismith's body simply isn't up to the rigors of AFL football and we make the signing of a long term #1 ruckman a priority this coming off season.

 

[Olian]

Competitive means not being smashed in the hitouts and being vaguely survivable around the ground. Sinclair is serviceable around the ground but awful at the hitouts, and Naismith is always injured and will likely never play a game for us again.

Someone like Preuss, who while not perfect would have suited our needs fairly well.

Pruess chose Melbourne so that he could be Gawn’s understudy. He’d rather play VFL than move interstate.

What rucks were available to recruit? Easy to say go and get one. Jacobs was available and he was axed by the Giants this week due to poor form.

 

[Wolfgang West]

Or maybe... just maybe... our midfield learns to shark a ******* ball once in a while.

And then, just as a crazy idea, they could do something effective with it when they do win the ball.

You will never shark the ball or win a ground ball at a stoppage when you are as flat footed that some of our mids are. Florent & Rowbottom aside.

 

[SGBeach]

no-one gave an opinion on Knoll.. I haven't seen him. Could he play competitive senior footy?

 

[Millky95]

no-one gave an opinion on Knoll.. I haven't seen him. Could he play competitive senior footy?

He is injured and never debuted last season. Unless someone like grimlock saw him at a 2nds game last year, we wouldn't really have one

 

[RobbieK]

no-one gave an opinion on Knoll.. I haven't seen him. Could he play competitive senior footy?

He didn't look close to AFL selection last year and no one has really seen any of him this year to tell where he is currently at. As a mature recruit switching codes you can sometimes get rapid development as he gets the hang of the game... but I wouldn't have high expectations at this point.

 

[caesar88]

You will never shark the ball or win a ground ball at a stoppage when you are as flat footed that some of our mids are. Florent & Rowbottom aside.

Could not agree more.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Not sure a ruckman would help us much.

We don’t have Jack, Hanners, JPK (in his prime) and McVeigh in the guts anymore.

The class isn’t there at present. But Rowbottom and Mills could end up being 2 of the 4.

 

[Punts]

Clarke will likely be delisted with thurlow, fox , amerty , bell , knoll and stoddart etc

Presume Ling might get a year extra

 

[DobmusEdge]

Clarke will likely be delisted with thurlow, fox , amerty , bell , knoll and stoddart etc

Presume Ling might get a year extra

I think you’ve got that absolutely spot on, possibly knoll might stay. So many list cloggers there

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

I have no idea whats our best 22

Basically shuffle Clarke, Gray, Ronke, Thurlow, Brand, Taylor around.

 

[caesar88]

Just so many guys have given us nothing this year and so many of them are the guys who should be playing for their careers. I mean if that's not incentive to have a crack, stand up and perform then **** me dead and call me Judy I don't know how we'll ever get a team performance.

At least not until we get some injured players back.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

More concerned whats happened to Allir.

 

[caesar88]

More concerned whats happened to Allir.

He's nervous wreck. Always knew our woeful midfield would claim another one of our defenders at some point. They got Lloyd first. I predict Mills will be the next to fall, then Dawson.

 

[Punts]

If Aliir keeps this up he won’t get another contract imo

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

He's nervous wreck. Always knew our woeful midfield would claim another one of our defenders at some point. They got Lloyd first. I predict Mills will be the next to fall, then Dawson.

He looks worst than his first season.

 

[The King!]

Today was clearly not great but I think Aliir should stay in the ruck for an extended period, get some confidence, run around

nic nat killed him today, but he will learn

 

[caesar88]

He looks worst than his first season.

Not sure who exactly you're referring to there, but yes.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Not sure who exactly you're referring to there, but yes.

Allir

 

[Dubai Quacker]

My heart sinks every time we’ve traded in a mid-20’s list clogger over the past 3 years.

Not one of Thurlow, Gray or Taylor looks even remotely likely to succeed. Brand is very marginal, as is Clarke.

The heady days of Kinnear finding gems like JPK and Ben McG are sadly a distant memory.

Add Fox, Knoll, Bell, Ronke, Foot, Naismith, Wicks and Stoddart (and perhaps Ling) to the list of “not gonna make its” - and a huge clean out looms at the end of 2020.

We desperately need Stephens, Warner and Gould to be contributors, or else there’s grim times ahead.

 

[kangle4]

Did the reserve players play in a practice match this week?

If not how are guys like Stephens, Gould and Warner supposed to improve and break into the seniors.

 

[S120]

Did the reserve players play in a practice match this week?

If not how are guys like Stephens, Gould and Warner supposed to improve and break into the seniors.

They played GWS again. With many more sides arriving in NSW this week and beyond, it seems the club will be able to organise games with other reserves sides for the next few weeks.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

They played GWS again. With many more sides arriving in NSW this week and beyond, it seems the club will be able to organise games with other reserves sides for the next few weeks.

I suspect Stephens and perhaps Warner will debut this week.

 

[The King!]

They will
Probably save the debuts for when fans attend at home

 

[RUNVS]

I suspect Stephens and perhaps Warner will debut this week.

I hope one of them does. I mean we aren't winning the flag this year, or even making the top 8, may as well give the young guys a go.