Preview Changes and Preview for Gather Round v Essendon

[davo999]

Why?

Just think he’s not going 100% yet , still choosing his moments atm

 

[Doctor Feel]

Have we lost yet?

 

[yepits2020]

A resting midfielder should be replacing Evans.

So if JHF comes in, Evans comes out.

Don’t know what happened to McEntee, but pretty unsighted after half time.

Finlayson needed to pinch hit in ruck. We literally have no one else. Sweet against Glenelg did not have to compete against a ruckman, so can’t tell if he could replace Finlayson.

Jones needs game time to develop, but sheesh …….. is it a lack of concentration?

Anast does not look fit enough for AFL.

Sinn looks like he needs more game conditioning. Bringing him in as the sub takes game time away from him.

Mead should stay permanently in the team, coming along nicely, close to our best midfielder up to half time (only Drew better).

 

[philthy05]

Don't tell us what you are not going to do tell us how you combat a side with two experienced ruckmen. Last night we struggled to match it with one.

There’s a massive difference between Gawn and a cooked Goldstein / out of form Sam Draper.

Sweet will be a bollard in the forward line, in reality he will spend most of the time on the bench. His opponent when he is forward will spend all day covering our other kfs. He could even snag a goal and I’m fairly positive his opponent would have prevented that and more by covering our actual forwards.

And then there’s just the chance it interrupts soldos form, which is not only a possibility it’s entirely likely based on every single time we’ve tried to play two rucks we’ve derailed the form of our lead ruck. When has it ever worked for us? Is soldo / sweet the guys we want to bet on turning that around?


There’s just too many downsides / high a chance it backfires compared to the upside.

And what would we do the week after when we play 1 oppo ruck again? Do we keep 2 rucks? Which ruck do we drop if we drop a ruck? Sweet, soldo?


I don’t think 2 rucks is working in the afl anymore, I mean it’s certainly not working very well for Essendon. Arguably the only reason Essendon are doing it is cause they don’t have any kfs to pick over a 2nd ruck anyway.

 

[Ah12]

All of above are great but it still leaves us with no 2nd ruck. Findlayson was horrendously bad in all facets of his game and Jones served up his usual game of rubbish. Jones needs an extended period with the 2’s to work out his “yips”.
It was very telling last night when he got the “bronx cheer” for clunking a mark. Generally the Port supporter base know their stuff and the cheer was like in the old days of Fos & Jack when the team would be crucified at the social club after a poor game. Those two coaches knew that the reception from the fans would be less than friendly after a poor game, if it was seemed that certain players weren’t pulling their weight. It was expected!

Im worried the current 2nd ruck option we have doesnt have enough upside to take away the speed on the ball we currently have. If Sweet cant clunk marks theres no point. I much prefer us with 1 ruck and i dont feel thats why we lost. We dominated general play but were wastful going forward and couldnt defend. A 2nd ruck that could get back in the hole would be useful but Sweet is not that.

 

[portly]

I'm starting to feel like not bothering attending myself.
Been such a depressing experience the past couple of seasons seeing us stink it up and lack passion in our play so often.
Feel as if, if the players can't give a toss, why should I any more?

I very much feel that the players do give a toss.

The loss was not due to lack of effort. Poise and panic maybe, but not effort.

 

[Poo Eckert]

I like key forwards that are aggressive and compete. This is why, for all of his flaws, I don't mind Dixon. It's also why I want us to put time into Lord. You can't teach this. You either have it or you don't.

Marshall doesn't have it but he's supremely skilled for a big man so he contributes in a different way.

Finlayson is mercurial and agile for a big man but he is always going to let you down when you need him the most.

Georgiades I'm not sure what he adds apart from run-jump-mark.

Dixon just needs to play higher away from goals eg CHF

 

[Doctor Feel]

The only place Dixon should be playing is in the bin

 

[MrChow]

I think Jones is worth persisting with. It’s early in the season, but he needs AFL games, has elite speed, just needs to learn how to mark, and use his speed better.

Need the Hornet back in. Also bring in Georgi. Mcentee and Frankie can go.

Play Finlayson as a utility, 2nd ruck, wing, forward, back, whatever’s needed.

 

[raptalia]

There’s a massive difference between Gawn and a cooked Goldstein / out of form Sam Draper.

Sweet will be a bollard in the forward line, in reality he will spend most of the time on the bench. His opponent when he is forward will spend all day covering our other kfs. He could even snag a goal and I’m fairly positive his opponent would have prevented that and more by covering our actual forwards.

And then there’s just the chance it interrupts soldos form, which is not only a possibility it’s entirely likely based on every single time we’ve tried to play two rucks we’ve derailed the form of our lead ruck. When has it ever worked for us? Is soldo / sweet the guys we want to bet on turning that around?


There’s just too many downsides / high a chance it backfires compared to the upside.

And what would we do the week after when we play 1 oppo ruck again? Do we keep 2 rucks? Which ruck do we drop if we drop a ruck? Sweet, soldo?


I don’t think 2 rucks is working in the afl anymore, I mean it’s certainly not working very well for Essendon. Arguably the only reason Essendon are doing it is cause they don’t have any kfs to pick over a 2nd ruck anyway.

That is this week but I am talking about a permanent fix to a problem that has beset us for the past two seasons. When Lycett was at his top and Dixon was younger the situation was different. We will encounter Max Gwan again and we need a strategy to avoid a repeat of Saturday's events. I am not sure Soldo on his pat malone is the answer.

I am not necessarily saying pick two ruckmen but at least use the players we have. Esava Ratugolea did a lot of support ruckwork at the Cats and he could be used to support Soldo. That may mean filling a tall spot down back but Finlayson could drop back if needed. I am not saying Esava should do 50% of the ruckwork but he could rotate through the ruck in short spells.

 

[Chachi]

He may need more time but Bergman plays better at half back.

Mead 100% stays in.

McEntee and Evans add too little.

Play Jez as a second ruck resting forward and bring in MG for Evans.

I want them to drop McEntee but they won’t.

 

[Yoda_]

Marshall for the Saints was possibly their best (on stats without seeing much of the game) against Goldstein and Draper.

They didn't need 2 Rucks and Goldstein is perhaps a liability for the Bombers. Won’t be surprised if the Bombers switch back to one.

We like to play two rucks, especially with 2MP out suspended

 

[simba_]

playing two rucks is for winners, we want excuses

 

[Powertron]

Time is ticking on the Bergman as a winger experiment. He doesn’t look half the player he was last season.

I’d be inclined to move him to HB, drop Jones, and put one of Sinn/Burgoyne/Farrell to the wing.

 

[AflNerd22]

Out: Finlayson, Jones, Burton, Mcentee, Evans(sub)
In: Sweet, Williams, Burgoyne(starting 22), JHF (if fit), Anastasopoulos
This is what should happen but we all know it won't prepare to lose

 

[Poo Eckert]

The only place Dixon should be playing is in the bin

Really? His marking has been good this year, his goal kicking is as always. Hence why I’d like him higher at CHF and yes he should be our pinch hitting ruckman. This allows Finny to be dropped who is flakey as all hell and let Mitch or Lord to be in the side.

 

[jac147]

He may need more time but Bergman plays better at half back.

Mead 100% stays in.

McEntee and Evans add too little.

Play Jez as a second ruck resting forward and bring in MG for Evans.

I want them to drop McEntee but they won’t.

Mead made a least two foot skill errors on Saturday, tighten up his disposal by foot and he will be the real deal!

 

[SureBuddy]

I would be swapping Bergman and Farrell instantly. Also I know we don’t want to play 2 rucks, but Finlayson as the second ruck is not the option. He gets slaughtered in there now and we lose all momentum. At the very least, change up the set rotation timings, where Soldo is off the ground at the end of quarters.

 

[JimmyBC]

playing two rucks is for winners, we want excuses

Playing two rucks is great if one of them isn't Sweet

 

[Doctor Feel]

Playing two rucks is great if one of them isn't Sweet

Sam Hayes I reckon

 

[JimmyBC]

Sam Hayes I reckon

Imagine Chux, Ivan 'n Sweet on the ground at the same time it'd be like a Bollard Supernova.

 

[Poo Eckert]

When Dixon didn’t play our forward line looked more dynamic

 

[JimmyBC]

When Dixon didn’t play our forward line looked more dynamic

Yep.

MG, Todd & Finlayson unencumbered by Dixon as the one armed beacon is what a smart coach would be looking at for now and the future.

 

[Ralph Lorenz]

There's a few players I'd like to swap out of the side in Jones, Finlayson and Burton (separately to the other contentious McEntee, Evans, Burgoyne type fringes) but as frustrating as they've been, we probably need to remain steadfast for them to regain or find form, because in form they work.

Lord or Scully could replace Finlayson, but neither would be ready until mid year.

Williams could work in either Burton or Jones' role but for whatever reason, he's not getting a look in and/or is injured.

Ugh... I was wrong about Dixon being cooked. He has some fight left in him, I'll admit... If he stays fit, I'd be okay with him staying in the side, but with Anasta at his feet to clean up.

 

[AflNerd22]

There's a few players I'd like to swap out of the side in Jones, Finlayson and Burton (separately to the other contentious McEntee, Evans, Burgoyne type fringes) but as frustrating as they've been, we probably need to remain steadfast for them to regain or find form, because in form they work.

Lord or Scully could replace Finlayson, but neither would be ready until mid year.

Williams could work in either Burton or Jones' role but for whatever reason, he's not getting a look in and/or is injured.

Ugh... I was wrong about Dixon being cooked. He has some fight left in him, I'll admit... If he stays fit, I'd be okay with him staying in the side, but with Anasta at his feet to clean up.

Lord is injured