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AFLW 2024 - Round 10 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Byrnes, where has he gone?
- Thread starter Cohzee
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- May 10, 2004
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I watched the game a second time earlier and thought he played quite well.
I thought he has been playing ok, not as good as he can be but if this is Byrnes when out of form its not to bad anymore.
I would recommend watching replays to anyone who is judging Byrnes worth.
He does many things that are quick and or subtle that are hard to pick up. His clangers go in slow motion so we all see them first time.
A best 22 player.
Other teams e.g. Carlton have identified the need for quick aerobic athletes who can get to the back of a zone first. In fact when this threat exists the zone is pulled back leaving more holes in the middle. Thats where Stokes Varcoe and Shannon help without doing anything.
- May 10, 2004
- 24,853
- 5,691
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- Pistons/Hammers/Sri Lanka/The Exers
Agree with this post, and all three of them did plenty of this sort of thing yesterday.
catempire
Premium Platinum
It's all very well to do those little things, but the fact is pressure will come for spots after the mid season break and if Byrnes isn't kicking goals and using his pace to hurt the opposition (as is the case with current form), he will be in the gun.
- May 10, 2004
- 24,853
- 5,691
- AFL Club
- Geelong
- Other Teams
- Pistons/Hammers/Sri Lanka/The Exers
Again, I thought he did this yesterday.
I really didn't think he was too bad, and don't think his form is bad at the moment. He might not be at his best, but he's still in better form than the Byrnes of old.
If I have one criticism of him these days is that he's turned into a hungry little bastard when he's got the pill.
But I certainly don't think you could drop him on his form the last couple of weeks.
Rustybugles
Team Captain
He was not at his best against Melbourne (he had a few mates in the same boat!) - but why would you drop him? If anyone had watched the insipid performance by Geelong's VFL side recently you would have to say that there is no-one there who appears to be playing for a spot in the Senior side!
Pure_Ownage
TheBrownDog
I think you're missing the point. We're not saying anyone will come up from the VFL, that's unlikely in the short term, we're referring to Corey and Scarlett being back after the break, then Ottens, and maybe Rooke, and who misses out.
Shannon hasn't been that poor but he looks like he's lost confidence, it's noticeable to me how much he's fumbled in the last couple of weeks. That said, his first few weeks of the season were very good, and he's still trying and contributing, so I definitely wouldn't be pulling the trigger yet, but if he doesn't find form by the time the others are ready to come back, then it (him being dropped) is going to have to be seriously looked at.
SJ
Premium Platinum
Wasn't his best game yesterday but I thought he was pretty good against Collingwood (a much more important game). No worries there at the moment for mine.
I just think the opposition are now keeping close check on him and he has to adapt. A couple of times yesterday he went for the chest marks instead of the hands out in front. New challenge for him.
catempire
Premium Platinum
He has been goalless in the past two weeks.
I can't remember an occasion where he either chased an opponent down or burned off an opponent with pace in the past few weeks. These are things he needs to be doing when not kicking goals.
I don't think he has been hopeless, I'm just saying on current form he is standing near to the exit with names like Corey, Ottens, Scarlett and maybe Rooke returning in the 2nd half of the year.
Exhale You
Premiership Player
He's had a solid, if unspectacular year.
He certainly isn't harassing and chasing as much as he did last year.
I don't know if that's because his role has changed every so slightly, because he simply doesn't need to do as much of that with the emergence of Trav (and re-emergence of Stokes) or simply that he's not working as hard as he has in the past.
My biggest issue with his game is that there's been times this year were he's done a Didak and not committed fully to a contest.
He is a genuinely creative player but there's a fine line between reading the play well and simply pulling out of a physical contest.
As for his spot in the team, i don't think it's under threat right now but if we get close to full strength he'll be the forward under the most pressure.
He certainly isn't harassing and chasing as much as he did last year.
I don't know if that's because his role has changed every so slightly, because he simply doesn't need to do as much of that with the emergence of Trav (and re-emergence of Stokes) or simply that he's not working as hard as he has in the past.
My biggest issue with his game is that there's been times this year were he's done a Didak and not committed fully to a contest.
He is a genuinely creative player but there's a fine line between reading the play well and simply pulling out of a physical contest.
As for his spot in the team, i don't think it's under threat right now but if we get close to full strength he'll be the forward under the most pressure.
g-thing
Senior List
Byrnes is going well - don't worry about that. Has had about half a dozen goal assists in the past two games and since Stokes is back Byrnsie is playing more of a linking role. As one of the other posters said if you watch a reply carefully you will see lots of quick effective touches, often which commences a successful attack on goal.
I think Shannon's numbers are down but his impact on the game is still the same. I get the impression Stokes is instructed to be more in the midfield and Shannon more forward in the current lineup.
He's one of our more accurate kicks for goal - wouldn't you want him to have a shot? Its what he's there for.
against the pies im sure he had a ping on his right (which was really strange given that he avoids his right side like the plague in general play) when ablett was on for the handball.
acidfriend, byrnes conversion last year was fantastic, this year he has gone to the loo. as so has ling for that matter.
Exhale You
Premiership Player
I've noticed that in recent weeks, as well.
No doubt it stands out more because of the inherent unselfishness of both Varcoe and Stokes and i doubt the club see it as a major problem but nonetheless i hope he's aware if the perception and corrects it in the near future.
- Banned
- #21
Byrnes had a break thru season last year. And, I for one, think he needed to.
This year he has been ok - but not as good as last year. Having said that his bad days are not as bad and his good days are better than they were 3 or 4 seasons ago. So he is more consistent. And given he adds some pace to the side I see it unlikely he will be dropped.
If someone was to be dropped for Corey's return I think Stokes on current form is also safe - and that leaves Wojo in danger. More so than Byrnes.
Byrnes has a longer shelf life than Wojo and he has become more of a goal kicker than Wojo will ever be.
If you hypothetically drop Byrnes before Corey's return who would replace him with ? The only real option would be Mitch Duncan. He seems to be a serious potential player in the future for us and already seems to be good enough to make his inclusion at present a worthwhile consideration.
However Mitch does not have the experience yet come finals time this season I suspect - as Byrnes does. I can see therefore no advantage in dropping Byrnes or even contemplating it yet. He would need a few bad games for this to come to pass - and from what I have seen he has not had bad games - not just as productive as we would like.
Surely Hogan will make way for Corey. When Ottens returns this will make the selection table an interesting place to be a fly on the wall.
I think a fit Ottens and Corey will see obviously Hogan go - but who else ?
I think Wojo will go before Byrnes - as to their current form and what they bring to the side. Of course there are those who would prefer to see Blake omitted - and keep the extra pace in the side. There is some reasonable points to either being omitted or selected. Hard call.
This year he has been ok - but not as good as last year. Having said that his bad days are not as bad and his good days are better than they were 3 or 4 seasons ago. So he is more consistent. And given he adds some pace to the side I see it unlikely he will be dropped.
If someone was to be dropped for Corey's return I think Stokes on current form is also safe - and that leaves Wojo in danger. More so than Byrnes.
Byrnes has a longer shelf life than Wojo and he has become more of a goal kicker than Wojo will ever be.
If you hypothetically drop Byrnes before Corey's return who would replace him with ? The only real option would be Mitch Duncan. He seems to be a serious potential player in the future for us and already seems to be good enough to make his inclusion at present a worthwhile consideration.
However Mitch does not have the experience yet come finals time this season I suspect - as Byrnes does. I can see therefore no advantage in dropping Byrnes or even contemplating it yet. He would need a few bad games for this to come to pass - and from what I have seen he has not had bad games - not just as productive as we would like.
Surely Hogan will make way for Corey. When Ottens returns this will make the selection table an interesting place to be a fly on the wall.
I think a fit Ottens and Corey will see obviously Hogan go - but who else ?
I think Wojo will go before Byrnes - as to their current form and what they bring to the side. Of course there are those who would prefer to see Blake omitted - and keep the extra pace in the side. There is some reasonable points to either being omitted or selected. Hard call.
I think the addition of Stokes and Varcoe to the team has limited his scoring opportunities somewhat. I suspect he's playing less minutes and more on the wing than forward. Seems to be doing okay to me even though he's not scoring.
I think he's still been solid. Played a few blinders 1 or 2 shockers and then has been solid for the last few games.
Interesting fact: Byrnes was the most accurate goal kicker in the AFL for those who kicked over 30 last season.
Interesting fact: Byrnes was the most accurate goal kicker in the AFL for those who kicked over 30 last season.
I think Byrnes has been ok we have to remember that we do need some speed in the team as well. I also think that he works of getting front and square to the big blokes but with Podsy grabbing everything there is definately a shortage of loose ball in our forward 50 at the moment.
Exhale You
Premiership Player
It's weird, isn't it.
For the first five years of his career his conversion rate was abysmal, kicking a remarkably bad 27.48, yet last year he came out and kicked an extraordinary 32.11.
This year he's not been nearly as effective in front of goal, kicking 15.12, which puts him below Chapman, Hawkins, Podsiadly, Johnson and Mooney and around the same area as Travis Varcoe, who usually leads the team for goal kicking accuracy.
