Game Day Changes, prematch discussion & GDT vs Gold Coast

[KillaKanga]

I agree with Pykies sentiment particularly our 2nd and 3 rd forwards. DAW is very well suited to the Etihad surface and conditions. We need 6 goals out of these two.

Thompson, Grima, Spud and Hansen should keep their forwards quiet enough but it's the Ablett, O'Meara et al goals we need to minimise.

Not overly confident at all. Although if it's close at 3q time I won't be as nervous as 2013.

 

[Only Forwards]

Game is critical.

Need to win consistently to be any sort of finals side.

The next 2 games are as big as we've had this year.

We cannot afford to lose any more games at Etihad.

 

[Kimbo]

I'd be more confident if we didn't get our asses completely handed to us by two sides in Melbourne ...

Don't think for one second we can only lose this if "we don't come to play", that's absolute bullshit. Ablett alone can win this for the Suns, he's being compared to the Duck for good reason, he's capable of single handedly dragging a side out of the fire. When you add another genine A grade goal kicking mid in Bennell, we have more than our work cutout for us.

We still turn the ball over far too much for the side you think we are. We aren't at top 4 level........yet.... until I see us beating good sides, playing good football on the day, I'm not yet convinced we are nearly as good as those on this board think we are.

Fremantle, Sydney and Port were all pretty ordinary on their day. You could attribute that to our pressure? Sure, but the Port game was really the only one where I'd say our defensive pressure contributed to a fair majority of their turnovers. Freo and Sydney were just plain horrible with ball in hand....

Fair points Pykie, but I also think you're underestimating the team pressure we've been bringing when we're on. Part of the Freo and Sydney wins was to do with real and perceived pressure; the very thing those very sides have done to us over time. There's a fine line to be trod between believing the hype and diminishing our results so far.

I'm not on the "we should win" bandwagon by any stretch and I encourage the thinking that we can't get too cocky (ever). Each round of 2014 is providing a new perspective and complexion on the season and we can't get sucked into ladder position and dreams of being top 4. We simply have to show up with the maximum endeavour each week, week in, week out, with whoever is available. I'd like to think that we're beginning to get the defensive/offensive balance right. That said, I reckon GC do pretty well in both elements.

 

[Roos Addick]

B Tron has nailed it. I understand people wanting to be cautious but we will win in a canter this week.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[Pykie]

Fair points Pykie, but I also think you're underestimating the team pressure we've been bringing when we're on. Part of the Freo and Sydney wins was to do with real and perceived pressure; the very thing those very sides have done to us over time. There's a fine line to be trod between believing the hype and diminishing our results so far.

I'm not on the "we should win" bandwagon by any stretch and I encourage the thinking that we can't get too cocky (ever). Each round of 2014 is providing a new perspective and complexion on the season and we can't get sucked into ladder position and dreams of being top 4. We simply have to show up with the maximum endeavour each week, week in, week out, with whoever is available. I'd like to think that we're beginning to get the defensive/offensive balance right. That said, I reckon GC do pretty well in both elements.

I agree that the increase in defensive pressure has played a part in these wins no doubt.

In my personal opinion, only the Port game where it was really evident in changing the tide of the game, and attributed to their turnovers imo. All three wins against these sides came when they had absolutely deplorable forward 50 efficiency stats and very ordinary disposal efficiency.

What happened when we came up against sides with great disposal efficiency stats, and great F50 efficiency (taking advantage of the worst I50 differential in the top 8 by an absolute mile)? they absolutely murdered us.

I'm far from convinced we have seen the end of the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde syndrome yet. Some of our key indicators are horrible. I'd like to see us beat a Geelong/Port/Fremantle/Collingwood on days when they are zipping the ball around like they would in a final.

Gold Coast will finish 8th or 9th imo, we are so so far from just penciling in wins against top 8 sides imo....

I don't want to be a killjoy, but this board gets so ****ing ahead of themselves after one or two wins. Some people here are absolute gold fish, we have haven't won a final in now approaching 7 years. Also, disregarding GWS and GC, along with Carlton, only the Dogs, Tigers, Crows have had a longer grand final drought than us. 12 other sides have had more recent success (if you call making a GF success), but it reeks of mediocrity, just quietly, I'm sick of it. Pull your heads in.

We have a proud history and a big future, but if we are to be any better, we have to stop acting like we've won the premiership after one or two away wins........

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

We should feel confident, not over confident, that we can win this game on Sunday.

 

[Carnthe]

Goldy needs a big game. If he can give our mids first use that is one area where we can grab an advantage.

 

[Grogg]

Thompson for Tippett. That's it.

Nobody has won the week after playing in Perth as yet. Pretty confident we should be the first. 8 day break should negate the weary bodies somewhat after a fairly grueling 3 weeks.

As already stated, if we are to be taken seriously this year we should have a solid win. I'd like to think we will work them over physically then run over the top of them once the game opens up, so no different to what we've already been doing.

 

[Only Forwards]

The best midfielder of our generation and essentially 3 top picks all playing to their potential puts it wellin their favor, especially with our two most consistent midfielders and best and fairest winners of of the last 3 years missing


I agree that the increase in defensive pressure has played a part in these wins no doubt.

In my personal opinion, only the Port game where it was really evident in changing the tide of the game, and attributed to their turnovers imo. All three wins against these sides came when they had absolutely deplorable forward 50 efficiency stats and very ordinary disposal efficiency.

What happened when we came up against sides with great disposal efficiency stats, and great F50 efficiency (taking advantage of the worst I50 differential in the top 8 by an absolute mile), they absolutely murdered us.

I'm far from convinced we have seen the end of the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde syndrome yet. Some of our key indicators are horrible.

Gold Coast will finish 8th or 9th imo, we are so so far from just penciling in wins against top 8 sides imo....

I agree.

This is only something that consistent wins will erase.

We have the capability to win. We need to bring a consistent level of desire to.

NDS said pretty much that exact thing on the Sunday footy show. We need to bring the same level of intent to win, when we don't it is a purely mental thing.

We bring the pressure we have in the Syd/Port/Freo wins and we will go alright. We don't and we will get knocked off.

I think that before the end of the year we will have more losses that send this board into melt down. Our continued progression will not be linear.

 

[Roos Addick]

This game will be won at either end of the ground. Normally it's midfield battles that decide it but I can see us losing that battle this week and still win. Our backs and forwards have got them covered atm.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[the big lebowski]

I don't want to be a killjoy, but this board gets so ******* ahead of themselves after one or two wins. Some people here are absolute gold fish, we have haven't won a final in now approaching 7 years. Also, disregarding GWS and GC, along with Carlton, only the Dogs, Tigers, Crows have had a longer grand final drought than us. 12 other sides have had more recent success (if you call making a GF success), but it reeks of mediocrity, just quietly, I'm sick of it. Pull your heads in.

We have a proud history and a big future, but if we are to be any better, we have to stop acting like we've won the premiership after one or two away wins........

Gold Coast have never won a game at Etihad.

 

[Grogg]

I agree that the increase in defensive pressure has played a part in these wins no doubt.

In my personal opinion, only the Port game where it was really evident in changing the tide of the game, and attributed to their turnovers imo. All three wins against these sides came when they had absolutely deplorable forward 50 efficiency stats and very ordinary disposal efficiency.

What happened when we came up against sides with great disposal efficiency stats, and great F50 efficiency (taking advantage of the worst I50 differential in the top 8 by an absolute mile)? they absolutely murdered us.

That's true. What's also true is in both these games our workrate was well down. I'd like to see how they go when we actually come to play. If we're taking those games as indicative of our true position, then we are ****ing miles off being anywhere near a good side.

 

[NO_CSG]

Freo and Sydney were just plain horrible with ball in hand....

Don't disagree with that at all.

I am not sure how they are going this year, but GC are an excellent clearance side, and if we give them first use they will use it a hell of a lot better than Freo did.

 

[King Corey]

Gold Coast have never won a game at Etihad.

They'd never beaten us until last year either.

Always a first time..

 

[the big lebowski]

They'd never beaten us until last year either.

Always a first time..

Of course. Scott had never beaten Sydney or Ross Lyon either. Or won round 1.......... oh wait.

I'm just saying that we should win this is we apply ourselves as we have for 4 out of 6 games this year. If we don't, they are more than capable of showing us up.

 

[Dirty_11]

It's amusing how people on this thread think that by typing that we should win will somehow correlate into our side going into the game over confident and losing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Only Forwards]

I like how people on this thread think that by typing that we should win will somehow correlate into our side going into the game over confident and losing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So few things in BigFooty correlate to anything in the team ever.

People type changes in the changes thread like they mean something.

 

[GarnerSmash]

I'd be more confident if we didn't get our asses completely handed to us by two sides in Melbourne inside of the last 6 weeks, one when coming off an interstate trip. Ignore the scorelines, the coaching group went into damage control, both of those losses were 14 goal jobs in every key stat but the scoreboard......

They smashed Brisbane...... and GWS aren't complete pushovers this year either, they are at the same point as the GC last year.

I'd take a win against Richmond right now, wouldn't you?

With no Swallow/Wells and with Bennell coming back, the midfield battle is looking well in their favor......As I said, O'Meara and Prestia are definite matches for Cunners and Ziebell.

Don't think for one second we can only lose this if "we don't come to play", that's absolute bullshit. Ablett alone can win this for the Suns, he's being compared to the Duck for good reason, he's capable of single handedly dragging a side out of the fire. When you add another genine A grade goal kicking mid in Bennell, we have more than our work cutout for us.


We still turn the ball over far too much for the side you think we are. We aren't at top 4 level........yet.... until I see us beating good sides, playing good football on the day, I'm not yet convinced we are nearly as good as those on this board think we are.

Fremantle, Sydney and Port were all pretty ordinary on their day. You could attribute that to our pressure? Sure, but the Port game was really the only one where I'd say our defensive pressure contributed to a fair majority of their turnovers. Freo and Sydney were just plain horrible with ball in hand....

Don't get me wrong, I too am concerned by the ease in which we have lost our two games. Never looking like it is a major concern in any game. And I also acknowledge the improvement shown by GC and the talent they have all over the ground but at the same time I think our 4-2 record is significantly more impressive than theirs despite the poor form shown by both Sydney and Freo in the lead up to those games.

My main reason for confidence in this clash and faith in our current direction is that the structures that we have put on place on field have looked like holding up despite missing key personnel and have failed in only one of the games this year. The Collingwood game for me was worse that the bombers game because the structure seemed to collapse a bit because of work rate where as the bombers game we just looked like we were unsure what we were doing (pretty confident that this has been rectified). If we drop off intensity around the contest it will put significant pressure on our structure to hold up however if we bring both work rate and structural discipline to this game I have us as favourite to win. When saying that we need to win these games to be taken seriously it is this that I am talking about, not individual talent. Without the hard work and structural discipline teams lose despite talent. Bring that and I am confident that we are talented enough to capitalise.

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

It's amusing how people on this thread think that by typing that we should win will somehow correlate into our side going into the game over confident and losing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So much this. Be optimistic, be pessimistic, I doubt it makes a skerrick of difference.

In recent times I've had the feeling that the players themselves suffer the opposite problem of the supposed over-confidence on this board. I think the pressure of the should-win games has gotten to them in the past, and when things start going against them they become nervous, fumbly and frozen in their desperation to win the game they "should".

 

[blackshadow]

Can see why people are wanting to hold wells back, but there is no reason to hold Swallow back now.

If Spitta is right he should be BACK, even if it's with the view to sub him out or have him come on as the sub (and have Levi as the sub if Spitta starts).

Outs: Tippett and Nahas, both unlucky.
Ins: Thompson and Spitta

If Wells is 100% he comes in for BMac or Levi (both would be stiff to be dropped).

Must win game for us and Suns in good form we need to field our best possible team.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Carnthe]

Almost think we should leave Tippett in the side as the Suns have some really tall forwards. Not sure how we can do it balance wise though.

 

[Event Horizon]

I agree that we seem to have the structure without the ball, that makes it hard for the opposition to penetrate us. We only need to win our fair share of the ball, and the defensive structure does the rest. When we don't win the ball and are chasing backsides all day, we are still vulnerable to what happened against Essendon and Collingwood.

What worries me still however, is our own poor ball movement at times, and the fact our forward line is so out of form at this point. I would really like to see us smash a side in the first quarter as we did last year, and then do what we have done in Perth and Sydney. Quick ball movement is the key to being a top side this year. We have fixed one major issue but haven't reproduced the best of our game yet, and we will need to sooner or later, if we are to be a top 4 contender.

This match is very winnable if we bring the right pressure into the game. I still see a young side like GC giving the ball back to us continually if we apply the pressure and win our share of the contested possessions.

 

[Zondor]

I don't want to be a killjoy, but this board gets so ******* ahead of themselves after one or two wins. Some people here are absolute gold fish, we have haven't won a final in now approaching 7 years. Also, disregarding GWS and GC, along with Carlton, only the Dogs, Tigers, Crows have had a longer grand final drought than us. 12 other sides have had more recent success (if you call making a GF success), but it reeks of mediocrity, just quietly, I'm sick of it. Pull your heads in.

We have a proud history and a big future, but if we are to be any better, we have to stop acting like we've won the premiership after one or two away wins........

LOL. Yep. Lock the Bye Bye Brad thread. Let's tiptoe through the Tulips whilst holding hands as we prance towards the rainbow of dreams. Utopia beckons where we will celebrate with the biggest circle jerk this side of Sodom's existence. Mediocrity indeed. :stern look

But seriously this is a "Danger Game". As you have suggested Pykie Gold Coast are good on the transition. Port did us a few times on transition the last time we played at Idiot. We not only have to win cleaner contested ball but not cough it up as much and not allow the GC to counter break on us. Easier said than done but I have faith that Brad Scotts will get the guys up for this encounter. :stern look

 

[Nevbuster]

Spitta needs to play four quarters in VFL before being considered. No need to rush him back in with Wells coming back.

 

[hotham]

Win against freo was great. It's time to forget about that win now. Treat this game against GC as a danger game.