Roast Ballas and Mayne

[Banker]

As much as we like to blame Summa, Ross game plan and both of the players ability have limited their scoring.

Ballas was in the wafl for a reason and Mayne was always a spud. Both know this too well so they adapted and became 'team players' only problem is that Freo are refusing to drop them. A Wafl spell could do a world of good for both of them!

 

[tek87]

on top of the ladder and you want our two best defensive forwards out is mindnumbingly shortsighted . we need not drop these two when we are coming off the softest effort from the midfield this year. the possible replacements are inferior and Peels form does not demand it at all. Mzungu and Duffield should go before anybody. the level of despair and lack of support on this thread when we are 12-2 and top says alot. stick your roast in imbecile land. love to see what we come up with if we were 4-8.

 

[E Shed]

on top of the ladder and you want our two best defensive forwards out is mindnumbingly shortsighted . we need not drop these two when we are coming off the softest effort from the midfield this year. the possible replacements are inferior and Peels form does not demand it at all. Mzungu and Duffield should go before anybody. the level of despair and lack of support on this thread when we are 12-2 and top says alot. stick your roast in imbecile land. love to see what we come up with if we were 4-8.

Well we aren't locking the ball inside 50 and scoring from turnovers like we were when our press was working and neither of them kicking goals or taking marks inside forward 50 so what is that you feel they are doing well?

Compare them to Breust and Puopolo who I would say are more effective at both the scoring and defensive side of the game.

 

[clogged]

Unless there's a dramatic turn around in form, Freo won't finish in the top two. This "top of the ladder" is a passing fancy.

 

[ydraw]

Breust isn't a defensive forward. Puopolo and Rioli are Hawthorn's "defensive" forwards. Rioli kicked 5 last week.

 

[clogged]

Breust isn't a defensive forward. Puopolo and Rioli are Hawthorn's "defensive" forwards. Rioli kicked 5 last week.

As many as Ballantyne has kicked all year!

 

[ydraw]

As many as Ballantyne has kicked all year!

Yeah. Between them, Puopolo and Rioli have kicked 37 goals this year. Breust has kicked 34.

Mayne and Ballantyne have combined for 24 goals this year, and Walters has 27.

 

[FreoRicci]

Unless there's a dramatic turn around in form, Freo won't finish in the top two. This "top of the ladder" is a passing fancy.

But we are top of the ladder.. We beat Carlton, and we get two games clear again. We have Richmond, GWS and our bogey.. St Kilda after that. Hawthorn play Sydney, so unless there's a draw, one goes a game further behind. Eagles play Collingwood which could be anything. Rather be a game or two clear at this stage and every other team battling to make the top 4. Looking at the draw, Hawthorn play Eagles later on too. Top two is there for the taking and we hardly have fired. Good luxury to have.

 

[purplefrog]

But we are top of the ladder.. We beat Carlton, and we get two games clear again. We have Richmond, GWS and our bogey.. St Kilda after that. Hawthorn play Sydney, so unless there's a draw, one goes a game further behind. Eagles play Collingwood which could be anything. Rather be a game or two clear at this stage and every other team battling to make the top 4. Looking at the draw, Hawthorn play Eagles later on too. Top two is there for the taking and we hardly have fired. Good luxury to have.

Top two is due to the way we played in the first 9 rounds not the way we have played since.
We are currently playing the same if not worse than we have over the last month. I would rather be 3rd or 4th and playing like we were in the first 9 weeks.(if that was to guarantee us a top 2 finish).

 

[Spirit Level]

Would like to see a forward line consisting of Pav, Tavs, Sonny, Duffy, Croz and Clarke.

There's enough x-factor and scoring power there

 

[DudleyDocker]

Son Son has a dodgy ankle still so a lot of his going to ground is unfortunately a direct result of that.

Is his ankle connected to his head, because that seems pretty wobbly too

 

[Lost_Deputy]

Mayne should play back from now on. I'd much prefer seeing him down the there than Duff, Sherro and Sutty.

 

[DudleyDocker]

But we are top of the ladder.. We beat Carlton, and we get two games clear again. We have Richmond, GWS and our bogey.. St Kilda after that. Hawthorn play Sydney, so unless there's a draw, one goes a game further behind. Eagles play Collingwood which could be anything. Rather be a game or two clear at this stage and every other team battling to make the top 4. Looking at the draw, Hawthorn play Eagles later on too. Top two is there for the taking and we hardly have fired. Good luxury to have.

That's just dumb FreoRicci - if we can't beat Hawthorn, Sydney, Richmond and possibly West Coast there's no point being in the finals - I don't think I could handle another straight sets exit.

We need to be able to beat EVERY team, not rely on a soft finish and other teams losing.

 

[TheMcManusNose]

I actually wouldn't mind Grey coming in to the forward line if you're going to drop Ballantyne. I think he would provide an adequate level of tacking pressure given that it is his trademark - hopefully without falling over all the damn time.

I don't subscribe to the notion that Grey will be a small defender because frankly I think his disposal is worse than any other backman we're currently playing. Very much kick the **** out of the ball and just get it long.

 

[Taylor]

Mayne should play back from now on. I'd much prefer seeing him down the there than Duff, Sherro and Sutty.

My own opinion is that if we are going to play guys who can't kick then we need to play them forward of the half forward line, hitting the goal is a much bigger target than that precise kick anywhere up to the centerline and burning the ball inside fifty isn't good either.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

My own opinion is that if we are going to play guys who can't kick then we need to play them forward of the half forward line, hitting the goal is a much bigger target than that precise kick anywhere up to the centerline and burning the ball inside fifty isn't good either.

Fair enough. I reckon Mayne is a solid kick. Nothing incredible but accurate enough, can pass onto leading runs and can get a bit of distance. He tackles, can take a good grab, has strength and an attacking mind set. I'd rather him down back then just dropped.

 

[Taylor]

We can play poor kicks anywhere on the ground, it just makes it far more complicated.

FB to HBF
-Good kick;
__> No pressure kick up the line
- Bad kick;
>Contest : Win/Lose/Spill
__>Win - No pressure kick up the line
__>Lose - rebound into defensive fifty, defense largely out of position, opposition goal
__>Spill;
___>Contest : Win/Lose/OoB
___> Win - pressured kick up the line
___> Lose - rebound into defensive fifty, defense medium level out of position, opposition scoring shot
___> OoB - ball is moved out bounds for a stoppage, opposition able to set up

HBF to Wing
-Good kick;
__> No pressure kick up the line
- Bad kick;
>Contest : Win/Lose/Spill
__>Win - No pressure kick up the line
__>Lose - rebound to defensive fifty, defense marginally out of position, opposition inside fifty
__>Spill;
___>Contest : Win/Lose/OoB
___> Win - pressured kick up the line
___> Lose - rebound to defensive fifty, defense marginally out of position, opposition inside fifty
___> OoB - ball is moved out bounds for a stoppage, opposition able to set up

Good ball use makes the receiving player better, which makes the next receiving player better.

 

[beetz]

I don't understand that logic. If they're a poor kick they shouldn't be anywhere near the starting 22.

 

[FreoRicci]

That's just dumb FreoRicci - if we can't beat Hawthorn, Sydney, Richmond and possibly West Coast there's no point being in the finals - I don't think I could handle another straight sets exit.

We need to be able to beat EVERY team, not rely on a soft finish and other teams losing.

Didn't say we can't beat them and besides we have beaten Sydney, West Coast this season already. We have beaten every team bar 2 this season. To win finals, need to grab that top 2 chance which is the aim anyway for Ross and co. Have Eagles, Richmond coming up so not over yet.

 

[Taylor]

I don't understand that logic. If they're a poor kick they shouldn't be anywhere near the starting 22.

Then you got my point perfectly

Given most of the linking kicks are directed at the skinny small runners, relying on them to win a contested ball is a bit much, and explains why our pressure game works so well against teams that can't make that kick.

 

[Carnthedockers]

I'd like to see crozier come in and play closer to goal, possibly Mayne's position, and send Mayne back. He is deadly around goal. I know his defensive pressure isn't as good, but we need goal kickers.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

I'd like to see crozier come in and play closer to goal, possibly Mayne's position, and send Mayne back. He is deadly around goal. I know his defensive pressure isn't as good, but we need goal kickers.

Reckon Croz is a lock to come in

 

[DudleyDocker]

Didn't say we can't beat them and besides we have beaten Sydney, West Coast this season already. We have beaten every team bar 2 this season. To win finals, need to grab that top 2 chance which is the aim anyway for Ross and co. Have Eagles, Richmond coming up so not over yet.

Agree it's not over yet, but the way we are going (or barely going) we will not beat anyone good. I'd rather be outside the top two and have fixed our game up than struggle through as we are and rely on top 2 getting us home. It won't, kicking winning scores is the only way we can win a flag.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Ballas in the midfield - http://t.co/vgecqwValD

 

[salim malik]

As much as we like to blame Summa, Ross game plan and both of the players ability have limited their scoring.

Ballas was in the wafl for a reason and Mayne was always a spud. Both know this too well so they adapted and became 'team players' only problem is that Freo are refusing to drop them. A Wafl spell could do a world of good for both of them!

What utter bulldust.How many WAFL players have made all Australian.A select few win a Sandover. Ballas has an AA and a Sandover .Some on here have short memories .
Ballantyne has shown unbelievable courage and spilled more blood for Freo than any other player I can think of.He is suffering a form slump but to denigrate him as a limited WAFL player shows you know nothing about football.