JoshWoodenSpoon
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Played Round 1.
Prediction Changes for Round 5 vs Sydney
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With NN out, B.Williams HAS TO come in to lead the ruck.
I think we all agreed he had a good 2nd half vs the Roos, who have a couple very capable ruckmen in Xerri & Goldy. He needs to be given a genuine chance to lead the ruck for 3-4 weeks before we go for the back up option of Strndica.
I think we all agreed he had a good 2nd half vs the Roos, who have a couple very capable ruckmen in Xerri & Goldy. He needs to be given a genuine chance to lead the ruck for 3-4 weeks before we go for the back up option of Strndica.
he was better in the second half but it wasn't a huge difference. I'm at a stage where I'm bout to rule a line though him. Don't think I've ever seen an afl player that around 100kgs been thrown around like he has been.
It’s something I have seen when teams rise to the top. When we hit gf in 05/06 I think it was 04 that photo of cousins surfaced, unbelievably ripped after one more off season, his balls had dropped I guess you could say. Last year Gawn and Baily Williams just looked unbelievably fit and ripped and no surprise teams went deep into gf.
- Mar 25, 2003
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Absolutely agree. Hugh Dixon has had a really good start to his time at the club. He has put everything into his second crack at AFL footy.
But playing him as the #1 ruckman is setting him up to fail. As a utility tall and second ruck he is definitely worth persisting with.
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Don’t understand your response here. Wasn’t the comment you were responding to saying that Bailey Williams had to be #1 ruck not Hugh Dixon? He wasn’t saying Dixon should be #1 ruck. I agree with you - that would be setting Dixon up for failure although he would probably give it a red hot go.
- Mar 25, 2003
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From recall he had a significant pec injury around the year of his first AA. After that he suffered OP before his 2 ACLs....
- Jan 9, 2013
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It does seem that Nic is heavier than other years. I suspect (with no evidence at all, just an observation) that he has been carrying a niggle for a while, given the fact that he has hardly jumped at the ball during the preseason matches and the first few rounds...
TRAINING NOTES: Who steps in for Nic Nat?
Who replaces Nic Naitanui? And who’s got the ball on a string? Literally. Here’s what we saw at West Coast’s open training on Monday.
thewest.com.au
Anyone got access
Biggie
Eat better and exercise
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WHO REPLACES NIC NAT?TRAINING NOTES: Who steps in for Nic Nat?
Who replaces Nic Naitanui? And who’s got the ball on a string? Literally. Here’s what we saw at West Coast’s open training on Monday.
Anyone got access
There was a gloomy sky over West Coast’s Monday afternoon training session, following the news that star ruckman Nic Naitanui would spend the next few weeks in a knee brace.
He didn’t make an appearance in front of the dozens of Eagles fans who made their way to Mineral Resources Park, but those in line to step in for the All-Australian did.
Bailey Williams looked up and about, running laps early before getting involved in drills and even working on his forward craft alongside forward/ruck Hugh Dixon.
After getting the nod as Naitanui’s right-hand man in the win over Collingwood, Dixon is likely to maintain his role as the second option, with the Eagles likely to favour Williams over SSP player Luke Strnadica for main duties.
Callum Jamieson, who was used as a full-back in the absence of Tom Barrass against the Kangaroos in round two, was involved in light drills before leaving the turf early.
BACK ON DECK
There was no evidence of the calf injury that kept Sam Petrevski-Seton out of the Collingwood match.
The former Blue didn’t sport any strapping and was involved for the full 50-minute session.
Tim Kelly is edging closer to a return after sitting out the past two weeks with a hamstring injury.
Jamie Cripps and Greg Clark are listed as weeks away but look to be progressing nicely, with both getting involved for the majority of the afternoon.
Captain Luke Shuey ran laps early before watching from the sidelines for most of the session, while Elliot Yeo made an appearance – albeit short.
Andrew Gaff, who missed Saturday’s match with an ongoing ankle concern, packed up after 30 minutes, five minutes longer than veterans Josh Kennedy and Shannon Hurn.
Willie Rioli appeared with protection on his left thigh, after a corkie on the weekend.
MASK ON?
Jamaine Jones began training in unusual fashion, sporting a COVID face mask as he participated in handball drills alongside a group that included Dom Sheed, Oscar Allen, Yeo and Gaff.
It wasn’t the only bizarre thing to happen on the Monday session, which is a day earlier than usual to account for the Good Friday clash. Zane Trew took a novel approach to his recovery from a shin injury, kicking a ball on a string attached to his chest.
WHERE’S LUKE?
Luke Edwards was missing after being sent for scans on a groin injury which forced him to be subbed out in the final term on Saturday. The 20-year-old had just kicked the first goal of his career before being replaced by medical substitute Josh Rotham.
Jack Petruccelle was also absent from training, still under the AFL’s health and safety protocols.
The_Gambler
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And had 4 kicks.
Proven underage at WAFL League level >>> underage player only playing in u'18s. First round pick should be guaranteed 200+ games, A grader, not a gamble. This is why Johnson slipped
Agree that we seem to have gone too far favouring potential over proven performance.
Decent U16 player wrecked by injury who barely plays in his draft year but could potentially maybe play midfield? You just know the Eagles will take him over someone with more runs on the board.
- Sep 21, 2004
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Hope he enjoys his life. Enjoys his rest. comes back 15kgs heavier and plays like Plugger in 1991 out of the goal square and kicks 60 in the last few weeks
- Jun 7, 2015
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For all we know, Naitanui and the S&C guys have agreed that he's losing his agility through age and wear and there's not a damn thing Jenny Craig can do about it, so he might as well bulk up and finish his career as a pack-skittling behemoth. It's not the worst idea as long as he's not perma-injured.
- Sep 21, 2004
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Can we afford to use 2 tall guys in ruck like we did with Vardy/Lycett? Or willwe be too big?
Dont mind Dixon (rest up fwd)/Williams
Dont mind Dixon (rest up fwd)/Williams
kaiserchief13
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Has he been playing well in WAFL? If not he shouldn't be gifted another game by default. Strndica deserves to be gifted a game ahead of Williams because he hasn't played before
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This has Josh Kennedy tennis ball written all over it.
I think that's shortsighted. Strndica is not the long term answer, so what are we achieving by giving him games before we know whether Williams is up to it? At worst, we learn that Williams is not up to it and we move on from that delusion. At best, he flourishes and we get something positive out of the NN injury.
Forked if I know.
It’s a Jack Darling innovation
Carbine Chaos
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I think with Williams it is primarily above the shoulders where he struggles.
He has the athleticism and can tap well but doesn’t seem to believe he belongs at the level. He mistimes most jumps in the ruck and gets bullied off the ball too much for a guy of his size.
We should tell him the job is his until Naitanui is back and see how he responds. If he gets that run at it now and doesn’t prove that he can cut the mustard, then it’s probably time to move on afterwards.
He has the athleticism and can tap well but doesn’t seem to believe he belongs at the level. He mistimes most jumps in the ruck and gets bullied off the ball too much for a guy of his size.
We should tell him the job is his until Naitanui is back and see how he responds. If he gets that run at it now and doesn’t prove that he can cut the mustard, then it’s probably time to move on afterwards.
unless his body defies the laws of thermodynamics then there is plenty they can do about it
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