Prediction Changes Dogs V North 18/6/2013

[dogwatch]

We are 1st in the comp for Centre Clearance averages and 1st for total clearances what more could English do whilst he is also leading rucks in disposals, Marks, tackles, intercept possessions and pressure acts?

Or do we want the Sweet type who will get say 5 more hitouts a game and go unsighted once the ball up is complete?

The importance of hitouts - or should I say unimportance of hitouts - is an intriguing subject. Five of the top 8 clubs on the ladder are in the bottom 8 for hitouts, including Port who are second last. See table below.

English himself ranks 9th in the AFL but his ranking might be slightly higher than expected if he doesn't share the tap contests around as much as players do at other clubs. I think the overall club ranking is a truer guide to the issue (unless of course you are analysing individual players).

I raised the issue recently asking what is a ruckman these days but nobody seemed to have any opinion. Or maybe nobody could answer it.

Ruckmen used to be the ones who mainly competed for the taps at centre bounces, ball-ups and throw-ins and hopefully took a few marks around the ground. That emphasis on taps (and HOTAs of course) seems misplaced, certainly in the case of players like English whose main talents are elsewhere. To me he's more of an endurance athlete who is not quick but is nevertheless agile and has good ball skills, marking ability and footy smarts. In other words, an extra midfielder ... who happens to be very tall. Really we could put anybody in for the tap as long as they can neutralise the contest and we can dominate the clearances. Josh Dunkley is exhibit A. Hence no need for a hitout specialist dinosaur like Sweet.

Anyone care to venture their definition of a modern day ruckman?

And to be a little bit provocative ... do we call English a ruckman or a midfielder? The catch-all term "follower" is a bit obsolete but might be the best way to describe him.


Table of Average Hitouts per club after Rd 13. Source: Footywire

 

[Dog 36]

This game is a must win considering we have the bye and looking at some of the games been played by opposition clubs during our bye round.

Get it done and get it done well

 

[bobs head soup]

I don't think Norf will be an easy kill this week.

Their last month has been a 3 point loss to Sydney, 35 to Collingwood, 6 to Essendon and 28 to GWS.

That's consistently competitive and a win is coming, but if we're not 5 goals up at half time, I'd hate to think how the game day thread will be reading.

 

[doggies ftw]

I think we’re gonna flog Norf, we won’t fix any underlying issues that we’re plagued with but it’s very dogs like to beat up on a minnow and pretend everything’s okay.


Will be 10 goals +

 

[Ndaz]

Norf have been competitive for the last month and will definitely scrape a win soon. Hopefully its not this week because I can flash in the pan forward like Zurhaar kicking a bag to sink us.

 

[Lee]

Quote from bevo’s presser “It’ll be no different this week, but we’ll keep giving lads an opportunity if they’ve played well at state-league level, and if they’ve put pressure on guys who maybe have had a dip in confidence and/or drop in form.”

Welcome back mitch hannan

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Quote from bevo’s presser “It’ll be no different this week, but we’ll keep giving lads an opportunity if they’ve played well at state-league level, and if they’ve put pressure on guys who maybe have had a dip in confidence and/or drop in form.”

Welcome back mitch hannan

Well, did he play well at state-league level? Better than say, Jones, or O'Donnell? Who else played better than them?

 

[Dogman 1]

Every time I tip us too win, we lose. Have tipped us this week so fingers crossed.

 

[Lee]

Changes I hope to see:
In: Caleb Poulter, Luke Cleary
Outs: James O’Donnell, Arthur Jones

What I think we’ll see
Ins: Mitch Hannan, Tim O’Brien
Outs: Arthur Jones, Josh Bruce

17

Josh Bruce

Age

32

Ht

198cm

Wt

97kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.2

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

4.6

3star

M

4.5

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

90.4

1star

D

8.9

2star

K

3.5

1star

HB

5.4

3star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.3

2star

MG

90.4

2star

D

11.2

3star

K

5.6

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.8

3star

 

[doggies ftw]

Well, did he play well at state-league level? Better than say, Jones, or O'Donnell? Who else played better than them?

Playing well at state level isn’t the be all and end all, otherwise the top 10 players in the VFL, WAFL, SANFL etc would all be on an AFL list but they’re not for a reason.

Hannan has shown time and time again he is nowhere even remotely close to the level required at AFL

 

[Dogman 1]

Think we should keep Artie in for 1 more week to see if he can get some confidence back against Kangas.

 

[Dogman 1]

B- cleary Jones doc
HB- Daniel naughton dale
C- baker macrae Williams
HF- treloar lobb Smith
F- weightman juh Bruce
R- English bont libba
Int- Jones crozier keath Scott
Sub- Rourke Smith

Feel like I have left someone out.

 

[ossie_21]

Whatever the changes are, if the ins include Hannan & O’Brien, I’d honestly think of packing it in

 

[Dogsman16]

Wish they would give Buss a crack. He’s not ready but at least he can hit a target.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Hannan has shown time and time again he is nowhere even remotely close to the level required at AFL

Jones and O’Donnell are?

 

[TiAn_]

Quote from bevo’s presser “It’ll be no different this week, but we’ll keep giving lads an opportunity if they’ve played well at state-league level, and if they’ve put pressure on guys who maybe have had a dip in confidence and/or drop in form.”

Welcome back mitch hannan

"Mitch is one that will be considered. He played pretty well the week before as well.

…

“Now with guys like Mitch playing some good footy. 'Westy' [Rhylee West] came in last week. That's healthy for us. It's what we need. Tim O'Brien went back after being omitted and had a really strong performance against Frankston. He took it on the chin, fronted up and played a really influential game. That's encouraging for him and for us. He is another one that will be considered."

 

[Struggle]

Whatever the changes are, if the ins include Hannan & O’Brien, I’d honestly think of packing it in

Would take Obrien because he has never played a game as bad as Bruce last week. But we need to move so far past Hannan.

He's likely to kick 3 against North when the pressure is off then go back to being a liability holding his spot for another 4 weeks before being dropped

 

[Dog 36]

Would take Obrien because he has never played a game as bad as Bruce last week. But we need to move so far past Hannan.

He's likely to kick 3 against North when the pressure is off then go back to being a liability holding his spot for another 4 weeks before being dropped

If Hannan is in this week it speaks volumes where we are at.

Hannan can play as well as he wants in VFL his issue is not been out of form or confidence been down he simply is not to AFL standard that won’t change no matter what he does in the VFL.

 

[JTCWBFC]

Jesus it's gunna be Hannan, McComb & TOB in isn't it

 

[doggies ftw]

Jones and O’Donnell are?

JOD sure he shouldn’t be in the team.

AJ probably not ready no but at least his bad game is just neutral, he was invisible neither good nor bad. Hannans bad games (or average games tbh) are genuinely harmful to the team, he is a net negative when he plays and at least AJ has some sort of upside.

 

[Dog 36]

JOD sure he shouldn’t be in the team.

AJ probably not ready no but at least his bad game is just neutral, he was invisible neither good nor bad. Hannans bad games (or average games tbh) are genuinely harmful to the team, he is a net negative when he plays and at least AJ has some sort of upside.

JOD and AJ also are of an age you can still work with.

Hannan is like flogging a dead horse

 

[doggies ftw]

Yeah this is shaping up to be a disaster at selection tonight, Bevos back is against the wall and this shit is what he does best, back to the Bevo boys we go.

Say what you want but I’ll tell you where I will not be on Sunday, supporting this rubbish on a Sunday 4.40 timeslot against Norf

I can quite easily be depressed from the comfort of my own home, no need to go out and look for reasons to neck myself

 

[Northernsoul74]

Changes I hope to see:
In: Caleb Poulter, Luke Cleary
Outs: James O’Donnell, Arthur Jones

What I think we’ll see
Ins: Mitch Hannan, Tim O’Brien
Outs: Arthur Jones, Josh Bruce

Why Poulter?

 

[dergert]

West does not deserve to be dropped imo.

 

[Mojorisin]

I don't like Sunday games. Waiting an extra day to find out teams isn't fun.