Preview AFL Round 21 - West Coast v Geelong, Subiaco, 5:40PM local (7:40PM AET) Saturday 17 August

[Zuta]

So Bartel out, Hawkins out, Blitz out, Varcoe out, Stokes out, some have West out, Mackie out, Rivers shouldn't be in, Lonergan out


are we second bottom or second top?

Maybe we ought to resort to the old dart board for team selection...

 

[Hoffy95]

Have another guess. Maybe I'm just an experienced, knowledgeable football judge who is not blinded by a love of a football club and can see things from a neutral perspective as well. I'm tipping Stokes has two weeks to 'get it right' or he will be watching the game from the stands like you and Partridge.

Was your username based on an inspired prediction when you signed up?

 

[Strangled Cat]

It will be truly remarkable if we win, to be honest. I have penciled this in as a loss. I hope I get the tip wrong!

 

[fpm84]

It will be truly remarkable if we win, to be honest. I have penciled this in as a loss. I hope I get the tip wrong!

Yep. I'm feeling veeeeeeeery uneasy about this one. West Coast regained a few players from injury yesterday and look likely to get Kerr back this week. Their win yesterday has given them a sniff of finals, and they'll be treating Saturday night like an elimination final.

 

[candiehappy]

Motlop on the wide open spaces will be a thing to behold

Cat's by 25

 

[JUBJUB]

Stokes needs to go. Clearly not in the best 22 and has been poor for two months now. Motlop has left him behind and the side does not need under-performing 'like-types' now that Christensen is back. Stokes stats have been ordinary and he relies too much on others getting the football for him. Two contested possessions on the weekend is an example of this. He lacks poise, his disposal efficiency is terrible and he does not know where to run. He can't hit the scoreboard either. It is surely only a matter of time before they run out of patience with him and he must be left out if they are to be successful in finals.

 

[Partridge]

Yep. I'm feeling veeeeeeeery uneasy about this one. West Coast regained a few players from injury yesterday and look likely to get Kerr back this week. Their win yesterday has given them a sniff of finals, and they'll be treating Saturday night like an elimination final.

Forget uneasy, I'm not expecting to win fullstop. They're too inconsistent from week to week to trust right now, and the selections of the match committee in recent weeks scream that they don't know what their best 22 is (or close to it), and that they'd rather play out of form or fitness players rather than making tough decisions. Hawkins shouldn't be playing due to fitness, and Varcoe due to form. Neither will be dropped.

Expect a narrow loss which will be happily excused.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Have another guess. Maybe I'm just an experienced, knowledgeable football judge who is not blinded by a love of a football club and can see things from a neutral perspective as well. I'm tipping Stokes has two weeks to 'get it right' or he will be watching the game from the stands like you and Partridge.

They say that anything is possible.
But they're wrong.

 

[vinum coupe]

Wow. I'm expecting a win.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Wow. I'm expecting a win.

Me too, unless the MC drafts you and Partridge from the grandstand.

 

[candiehappy]

Wow. I'm expecting a win.

2nd plays 10th, reading this thread there's no way we'll be in the hunt ......

 

[vinum coupe]

I had a kick at Willy yesterday Fred and I'm afraid my left foot is out of form so I wont be picked.

 

[Hoffy95]

Forget uneasy, I'm not expecting to win fullstop. They're too inconsistent from week to week to trust right now, and the selections of the match committee in recent weeks scream that they don't know what their best 22 is (or close to it), and that they'd rather play out of form or fitness players rather than making tough decisions. Hawkins shouldn't be playing due to fitness, and Varcoe due to form. Neither will be dropped.

Expect a narrow loss which will be happily excused.

I'd bring in Chappy. He'll be seriously hungry and capable of lifting the side. Sub him out towards the end.

Agree Varcoe and Hawkins won't be dropped.

I'm feeling pretty good about our chances. Can understand why some aren't. More gut feel than anything else. So much on the line now that the boys know a loss means forfeiting a home final. We'll certainly see what we're made of when there's fairly definitive consequences for a loss this time around.

 

[Demons Dynasty]

Deleted.

 

[Hoffy95]

Pwnt

 

[CatTricks]

Motlop on the wide open spaces will be a thing to behold

I rekon the Eagles will send Wellingham to him, while Scooter and Joel go at it.

 

[Partridge]

Me too, unless the MC drafts you and Partridge from the grandstand.

Nothing's changed here Fred. Play like we did against Fremantle, or Hawthorn, or Melbourne recently, and West Coast won't get near us. But following those wins were very ordinary displays against Adelaide and North. We don't play well in Perth lately - we've lost our last 3 there (2 against West Coast - including in 2011, and last year against Fremantle). So we'll see.

 

[Partridge]

I'd bring in Chappy. He'll be seriously hungry and capable of lifting the side. Sub him out towards the end.

Agree Varcoe and Hawkins won't be dropped.

I'm feeling pretty good about our chances. Can understand why some aren't. More gut feel than anything else. So much on the line now that the boys know a loss means forfeiting a home final. We'll certainly see what we're made of when there's fairly definitive consequences for a loss this time around.

There were consequences before losing to Adelaide and North as well.

 

[witsend]

Why not Chappy as sub? Perfect entree back to AFL?

 

[Hoffy95]

There were consequences before losing to Adelaide and North as well.

Obviously.

But they were more setbacks rather than having definitive consequences. I.e. losing them didn't guarantee we miss out on top 2. Losing one of the next 3 almost certainly does.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Why not Chappy as sub? Perfect entree back to AFL?

I think he needs more game time, not less.

 

[fpm84]

I'm more than happy for Chappy to play. In fact, I want him to. His return would really lift the team, especially the senior players, IMO.

 

[Partridge]

I'm more than happy for Chappy to play. In fact, I want him to. His return would really lift the team, especially the senior players, IMO.

They need him to lift them? The knowledge that 3 more wins GUARANTEES top 2 and a home Qualifying Final not enough???

 

[fpm84]

They need him to lift them? The knowledge that 3 more wins GUARANTEES top 2 and a home Qualifying Final not enough???

I'm not implying that they need Chapman's return to lift them... but that it would provide a definitive boost. You watch when he kicks his first goal back in the seniors - his teammates will run from the other end of the field to congratulate him. The knowledge that we can go one step towards securing a home qualifying final should be enough to have us in the right frame of mind - but Chapman being back in the side will be a definite emotional advantage.

 

[Partridge]

I'm not implying that they need Chapman's return to lift them... but that it would provide a definitive boost. You watch when he kicks his first goal back in the seniors - his teammates will run from the other end of the field to congratulate him. The knowledge that we can go one step towards securing a home qualifying final should be enough to have us in the right frame of mind - but Chapman being back in the side will be a definite emotional advantage.

In that case Kelly and Bartel better start running now.