Preview Changes & Preview Thread for 2024 Preliminary Final vs Sydney @ SCG

[Bevoman]

Might be a bit left field but I'd try Rioli on Papley.

Rioli has the footy smarts to go with him, and can set up play from defence on the turnover.

Move Sweet to full forward and bring Dixon back to play ruck. Dixon is the more aggressive player and needs to be around the ball so he doesn't get stuck in the mud in the forward line.

Bringing in SPP for his first game back after a knee reconstruction in a prelim final also could prove to be a stroke of genius left field decision that will catch Sydney unaware. If he can run, he plays. Heart and soul player.

If Farrell is ready to go then he comes back in for Lorenz and plays half forward in the Rioli role. Move Narkle back to Sub and DBJ up to a wing/midfield role so JHF can spend more time up forward.

I'd also be tempted to throw Aliir up forward for a quarter and try to throw Sydney out of whack. He came from the Sydney system and will know how to exploit their defence, and with his strong marking I think he'd provide a point of difference. Allow Georgiades to run and jump at the ball and get an intercept game going.

Give Butters the week off in case we win so he can be fresh for the grand final. It's clear he's in discomfort and we need him at his best of we are any chance at winning the grand final.

I'd also swap Wines and Ratugolea around. I saw signs from Ratugolea that he has the capacity to break through tackles and use his power to explode out of stoppage. His lack of marking or forward ability then gets taken out of the equation and as he's a similar physique to Wines, it's the logical choice.

Bergman has been great in defence this year but he got beaten today, so it's time to change up his role. Put him at high half forward, he knows how to kick goals and his defensive ability will allow us to lock it in to our forward 50 better. Travis Boak slots back in to sure up the defence with maturity and experience.

All in all, I'd line up like this

B: Rioli, BZT, Boak
HB: L. Evans, Georgiades (1st qtr only), Jones
C: DBJ, Ratugolea, Burgoyne
HF: SPP, Wines, Farrell
F: Sweet, Aliir (1st qtr), Bergman
R: Dixon, Drew, Rozee
Int: F.Evans, JHF, Sinn, Mead
Sub: Narkle

In: SPP, Farrell, Dixon
Out: Marshall (inj), Butters (inj) Lorenz

Butters week off, move our best forward to defence: are you a Swans Supporter?

 

[TeeKray]

Quite a few interesting selection calls here.

Would seem pretty clear cut to bring Burton in for Lorenz.

Dixon is the most interesting call. Esava played well enough to keep his spot. What's going on with Marshall? I can't see him being dropped but is he going to be fit to play? I think there's every chance Dixon just misses out altogether.

And then there's Farrell who has been listed as a season ending injury but Hinkley point blank refuses to rule him out. How big a risk is that? And is it a risk worth taking given Sinn played quite well last night?

 

[Adz2332]

In
Burton (sub)
Out
Lorenz

 

[backtozero]

Farrell at HF to take shots from outside 50 is a huge weapon to have, but is the string up to the task?

 

[Bevoman]

Farrell would be the only player to consider from outside the squad.

But you would want to be pretty confident. It would be a bigger gamble than playing Rozee in the showdown.

Farrells done a hammy and he zones off form his opponent where the Sydney smalls are their strength.

It would be crazy risk to pick him but no doubt they will be considering Burton (in the mix).

 

[Buget]

Farrells done a hammy and he zones off form his opponent where the Sydney smalls are their strength.

It would be crazy risk to pick him but no doubt they will be considering Burton (in the mix).

Even Burton’s a risk. Calves done heal quickly.

 

[jdeezy]

I don't know if the stats back it up but it looked to me like Rat played a bit more up field to leave space for Todd, Mitch and/or Willie early in the game and that seemed to work well. He was a target and brought the ball to ground. He also didn't look too bad in the ruck, certainly a better option than Wines. There's no way he's getting dropped.

I don't know what we do in regards to Marshall and Dixon. I would suggest we are just going to run with whoever is the "fittest" out of the two. Could be a low bar.

Burton for Lorenz makes a lot of sense.

 

[elbarton]

Seriously, where is finals specialist Ollie Lord at

 

[manureid]

Imagine if Jones gets games for that brilliant tackle that gifted them a goal. Would be so AFL.

 

[hammo24]

Sydney fans saying they’d rather play us then hawthorn when we’ve had the streak on them and belt them by 100 points.

interesting bunch.

 

[johnnysix]

I don't see how you can play Todd next week. He went off for the concussion test, which he passed, and was then subbed because he 'didn't feel right'. I'm not saying we don't need him I just think he's way too big a risk. We can't afford to be a player down going into a prelim after such a physical game.

 

[Arintaraj]

He came over the back of the pack for that double fister. If he was all on his own or playing from the front I'd agree with you.

No, it was stupid and could have been costly.
But that still doesn't make Dixon the better choice.

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

You can not take Marshall into a prelim, although when healthy and fit is better than Esava and Dixon, his body is too unreliable. Any little knock could mean activating our sub early

 

[ElectricG]

I must admit, I was kind of hoping you guys would lose tonight as I would have preferred playing Hawthorn.

I’m really pumped for the prelim vs Sydney. Win lose or draw I’m glad it’s against a fair team and not some rancid vic side who showboat and play for frees.

 

[ibd77]

Sydney fans saying they’d rather play us then hawthorn when we’ve had the streak on them and belt them by 100 points.

interesting bunch.

Let's weigh it up...

Sydney are due for a win against us.

We played our grand final last night.

We got some sore, tired bodies from last night.

They are at full strength and we are missing a few.

Sydney want revenge for the mauling we gave them last match.

Sydney are up for the pressure fight.

They are slow starters but typically over run sides in the second half. Meanwhile we probably struggle to run out the game.

We are over due for a preliminary final win, especially away from home.

Ken might get a lot of media flak this week because he upset some opposition trolls. Our players like to respond by defending Ken on the footy field.

I think we lose this one by 30 plus points. Pretty much our average losing preliminary final record.

 

[PortPortPort]

Will be Butters get suspended?

 

[backtozero]

That really is an unbelievable stat for someone parked inside 50.

 

[Powerade 08]

For those even ****ing contemplating McEntee we’d be better going 3 on the bench.

7-7 when McEntee plays
10-1 when he doesn’t this season.

Please stop embarassing yourself and just admit you are wrong.

Evans, Narkle and Mead are just not the clear upgrades on McEntee that this board thought they were

 

[Gryllis]

We need Ollie to have a big game here, especially with none of the offensive trio mids being as influential as they were in the H&A season so far.

Don't waste him in the ruck. Let him focus on being that bull mid. If they're not really going to ruck Esava, Dixon or Visentini to come in.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Sydney fans saying they’d rather play us then hawthorn when we’ve had the streak on them and belt them by 100 points.

interesting bunch.

Main reason is we don’t want the corrupt umpiring that comes with the Hawks fairytale - like last night’s debacle.

 

[sobrave]

This is McEntee tier apologism. Also how was the big uncontested double fist back into a contest with less than a minute on the clock? If Hawthorn had snagged a late winner from the resulting contest, it would have been Sav's fault.

To be very clear my comment says more about Sav than it does about Dixon. I wish neither of them were on our list. But even Dixon's corpse still occasionally does things like kick a goal. Or at least a ****ing behind.

As if chungus could even waddle his way down to the backline to impact that contest.

 

[sobrave]

Will be Butters get suspended?

No

 

[backtozero]

Please stop embarassing yourself and just admit you are wrong.

Evans, Narkle and Mead are just not the clear upgrades on McEntee that this board thought they were

All you've shown is that you have NFI by putting Mead in the same conversation.

 

[SureBuddy]

Dixon's corpse is an upgrade on Ratugolea.

0.0 combined the last five weeks. Incredible.

Ratugolea was huge last night, what on earth are you talking about. He played such an important role and dominated. He took some crucial marks, his follow up work was insane and created multiple goals. He was very very good.

 

[bomberclifford]

Yeah I'm not sure I'm down with the Radical hate Schulzenfest

He was all over the ground and getting involved. No way Dixon could do that with his broken body.