Strategy Changes & Pre-match Discussion - Round 24 vs. Essendon, MCG, Fri 25/08, 7:50pm

[NMBB]

Surely both Reef and Finn in particular have to be coming into consideration.

I’ve got a lingering concern that we aren’t exposing enough of our youth, long enough, to work out whether they have the talent to make it.

Agree 100%

 

[Soaring Magpie]

The reason for our form slump in the last month is because the boys have had their heads in September. I think we'll come good in the finals

I’ve been saying this for a month, (started a thread on it a few weeks ago - Is September calling)the win over Port secured us Top 2 essentially and the boys have gone into preservation mode since.
The pressure game has dropped as a result, but you can see it’s there ready to be switched on when we want, geelong game last week the perfect example.

It’s time now to switch to our finals run, tune up with a strong showing against the bombers to start our run to the flag.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

I think it's too many. Small forwards can struggle for impact in big games. Playing 4 of them (plus Adams) is overkill. Also need to look at who you're leaving out. Doing my best 23 it became difficult to fit them all in.

Nah one will be on the bench and Hill will push high up the ground like he did two weeks ago so we will rarely have all four in the forward 50. Plus Elliot doesn’t play like a small. Alongside mcstay and Mihocek that’s a good forward line. Adams is the extra we don’t need, but I’d rather drop mitchell out of the 22. Rather than any of our small forwards.

 

[Soaring Magpie]

A bit different with Hill. McRae said on Friday night that Hill could have played. Assume this was after scans.

Should mean he's at least a chance to play. Don't think we'll be as cautious with him as others. Feel he and Ginnivan are playing for one spot, possibly the sub. So think we'd like Hill to play against Bombers. Though I guess performing against Bombers isn't going to alter our thinking much.

I’m not sure they are playing for the same spot, they looked excellent together in the Cats game.
Having Ginni play forward allows Hill to be released to use his speed roaming further up the ground.

 

[jmac70]

I’m not sure they are playing for the same spot, they looked excellent together in the Cats game.
Having Ginni play forward allows Hill to be released to use his speed roaming further up the ground.

I agree. We need Hill’s speed up the ground. Teams are denying us the corridor and we can’t get our run going. We are becoming too predictable, leading to turn overs and quick entry into our defensive 50.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

So 4 small forwards plus the rotating mid... 5 small forwards ?

Our mids are plodders and we probably have one too many of them. Hill played very high last start almost like a mid himself. I’d rather him running up and down the wings and kicking goals from 50 on the run than Adams/lipinski/mitchell who (adams excepted) haven’t been very productive around goals this year.

 

[doofdoof]

Surely both Reef and Finn in particular have to be coming into consideration.

I’ve got a lingering concern that we aren’t exposing enough of our youth, long enough, to work out whether they have the talent to make it.

It's my one real criticism of the Fly regime.

They haven't taken the opportunities to concurrently rest the old guys in the depths of winter and set younger talent up for success against weaker opposition (North, WC and Freo in Melb obvious games).

The H&A season is looooong, especially for older legs and getting games into younger players helps build depth.

 

[Jekyll and Hyde]

I hope Essendon plays us back into some form.
I’ve gotta feeling it will be a different Essendon against us though.

 

[soreplums]

I think the plan was always to give Cox a run on Friday night. Probably would have played a half anyway.

it was only that Ryan got injured early that we were forced to pull the trigger earlier.

I think Fly has taken the last few weeks to try a few things with the 25/26 players he plans on using through the finals series.

 

[Lifelong Pie]

I hope Essendon plays us back into some form.
I’ve gotta feeling it will be a different Essendon against us though.

Kind of like your user name

 

[stormskye]

Out: bad defence and allowing oppo teams space to kick through our zone

In: good defence

Insane stat, but also no reason we can’t tighten up.

 

[sr36]

I’ve got a lingering concern that we aren’t exposing enough of our youth, long enough, to work out whether they have the talent to make it.

If all they had to go on was VFL I'd agree. But they play match Sim at training every week. They know how the VFL boys compete with and compare to AFL players and how they're progressing in that regard.

 

[jathanas]

Out: bad defence and allowing oppo teams space to kick through our zone

In: good defence

Insane stat, but also no reason we can’t tighten up.

View attachment 1779515

I'd suggest that's a symptom largely caused by the recent shitness of the midfield.

 

[gouki88]

Out: bad defence and allowing oppo teams space to kick through our zone

In: good defence

Insane stat, but also no reason we can’t tighten up.

View attachment 1779515

What insightful cutting edge stuff. Conceding more points is bad

 

[sr36]

What insightful cutting edge stuff. Conceding more points is bad

I didn't understand it until I saw that infographic.

 

[stormskye]

I'd suggest that's a symptom largely caused by the recent shitness of the midfield.

Combination of factors. Loss of Nick and Degoey obviously hasn’t helped, ditto Moore for basically two games of it.
There has been a recent trend even before this run of oppo teams easily transition from our forward line. We’ve got some work to do with how we are setting up

 

[stormskye]

What insightful cutting edge stuff. Conceding more points is bad

It’s a basic stat, but it does brutally highlight what we have all seen, we are getting cut open atm. But it’s not unfixable through some players returning and minor tweaks

 

[gouki88]

It’s a basic stat, but it does brutally highlight what we have all seen, we are getting cut open atm. But it’s not unfixable through some players returning and minor tweaks

It does, but it's incredibly shallow. Besides the inexplicable Hawthorn one, there's a variety of things feeding into this

 

[LuckyLee]

I think the opposite. If we have to play Melbourne I’d rather it was in a double chance game than an elimination game…. And have our home state advantage when it really matters in the prelim and GF.

Except that losing to Dees puts us on a collision course for an elimination game against Carlton…..


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[stormskye]

Except that losing to Dees puts us on a collision course for an elimination game against Carlton…..


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Why? You assume Carlton who just barely got over the line against Gold Coast are sure winners week 1? If curnow doesn’t play well, Carlton will struggle to win a game, they are more one man reliant than geel with Cameron. If all we view is a teams form then GWS and syd are arguably flag favourites too.

 

[LuckyLee]

McInnes is in rich form.

Howe down back… McInness up front

As others have said De Goey and Hill need to play if remotely fit, so as to have some touch pre first final… plus they bring sorely needed x factor

Ruscoe needs to be on standby if murphy out.

Allan has run and could come in and play an outside role… otherwise the VFL cupboard is bare.

Johnson not needed up front and too tepid with his effort when he does play.

Bianco, Macrae, don’t add enough run for a side already lacking it

If mediocre Essendon can kick 14-15 goals against us this week… then it’s goodbye flag

Shows that the defensive effort and cohesion has endemically broken down

I think Allan will prove to be one of those players - like Ginni and Johnson - who looks better at AFL level than VFL. I can’t wait to see him debut in the seniors.


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[Lifelong Pie]

I hope Melbourne lose the next two games and Carlton sneak into 4th spot, how sweet it would be to beat them week 1 of the finals and then for Melbourne to knock them out in straight sets.

This is all provided we don't lose of course, that would be unbearable

 

[stormskye]

I think Allan will prove to be one of those players - like Ginni and Johnson - who looks better at AFL level than VFL. I can’t wait to see him debut in the seniors.


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Johnson looks Miles above at vfl lvl, in fact his biggest issue at vfl lvl is he doesn’t take it seriously sometimes and plays up a bit for fun

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Except that losing to Dees puts us on a collision course for an elimination game against Carlton…..


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If we lose our QF we deserve what we get. Which is a second chance regardless of opponent.

We can’t be scared of our finals draw but if we get home state advantage during September, it’s far preferable in my mind that it’s an elimination game.

 

[manicpie]

It’s a basic stat, but it does brutally highlight what we have all seen, we are getting cut open atm. But it’s not unfixable through some players returning and minor tweaks

I think our main problem over the last month has been our mindset. Fly would be reluctant to change anything due to the fact that what he's drummed into the players all year. He has the side believing in all our systems and processes. to change things now would send a negative and contradictory message to the players. I still think our form slump is due to having our heads already in the finals. We saw against Geelong that when we believe, we will always win. The first week of the finals will tell the story but I think we'll go up a few levels in September