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

[Winganeen]

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?

Spot on.

You can't risk Bonner and Faz, especially as Sinn did enough. One probably you can.

Bonner in for Lorenz.

Maybe there is a call to be had between Dixon and Marshall, that's about it.

 

[Greasyrhys]

Almost a pity the swans chickened out of their deal to play finals at the Olympic stadium, might help our style a little. Either way it is an absolute MUST that we bring the same pressure and desperation as last night.

 

[OneGreatClub]

Almost a pity the swans chickened out of their deal to play finals at the Olympic stadium, might help our style a little. Either way it is an absolute MUST that we bring the same pressure and desperation as last night.

Any news on JHF?

 

[Gryllis]

Bonner in for Lorenz.

Bring back Bonner, the prelim specialist!

 

[Interstater]

Bring back Bonner, the prelim specialist!

Ok guys I have worked out who to bring in as the small forward.

 

[gbear]

Marshall in concussion protocols again so won’t be playing next week. Surely that is his last game, he needs to think about his health and well being.

 

[Visenfest]

Well that’s Marshall out. I’d bring Lord in, but it’ll be Dixon.

Shift Frank Evans back to sub, and start Lorenz.

Don’t worry about Burton, our defence was fine as is last night.

 

[Adz2332]

Our forward line looked better when Marshall was on and no Dixon. But another head knock and he's in concussion protocols again. Shame, hope he recovers well

Hope we go really hard at luko now

 

[MrMeaner]

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

This is a bit, right? It has to be a bit. I mean one of these suggestions, you could mistake it for being serious but all together, it has to be a bit.

 

[TeeKray]

Well that’s Marshall out. I’d bring Lord in, but it’ll be Dixon.

Shift Frank Evans back to sub, and start Lorenz.

Don’t worry about Burton, our defence was fine as is last night.

I know Burton has very few fans here but he's a much safer bet for a hot prelim final against Sydney at the SCG than a first year player who is 19 and has played literally 60 minutes of AFL football collecting a total of 6 possessions.

 

[Visenfest]

I know Burton has very few fans here but he's a much safer bet for a hot prelim final against Sydney at the SCG than a first year player who is 19 and has played literally 60 minutes of AFL football collecting a total of 6 possessions.

Our safe bets often end up with our pants pulled down. The balance was fine last night, so I wouldn’t mess with it.

 

[MrMeaner]

Marshall in concussion protocols again so won’t be playing next week. Surely that is his last game, he needs to think about his health and well being.

It is unfortunate for Marshall. I like him as a player and he is important to our structure, when fit. Unfortunately, I have doubts he can go on because his injury history is a liability for the club and a risk to his life after football.

If the league was serious about avoiding liability for concussions, they would be enforcing treatment for it as though it was an ACL (as in the expected time to recovery).

I realise this is unrealistic but my view is that the current solution of suspending players for causing head injuries will not achieve the AFL's legal aim. Nothing but ensuring players are not exposed to the risk of repeated head injuries before they have healed will do so.

 

[Coobk001]

Esava kills me with one basic issue. He has the slowest hands I've ever seen.

How many times does he get to a ball or a ground ball and if he can just lift the arms and release a handball, we're away. Instead he just gets caught up in the tackle all the time. It drives me crazy, he's either got no awareness, he's trying to do it himself, or he's just too damn slow.

Kills me.

 

[Adz2332]

Does time out of the game help at all? He's only 25, sit him a full year? Or does that have very little to do with it

 

[backtozero]

It is unfortunate for Marshall. I like him as a player and he is important to our structure, when fit. Unfortunately, I have doubts he can go on because his injury history is a liability for the club and a risk to his life after football.

If the league was serious about avoiding liability for concussions, they would be enforcing treatment for it as though it was an ACL (as in the expected time to recovery).

I realise this is unrealistic but my view is that the current solution of suspending players for causing head injuries will not achieve the AFL's legal aim. Nothing but ensuring players are not exposed to the risk of repeated head injuries before they have healed will do so.

Does a brain repair itself in the same way other injuries do though? As in, is an extended period away from the game going to "fix" him?

 

[Young Gun #6]

Out: Marshall
In: Burton

Narkle sub

Lorenz to Half Forward. Burton to the back line.

 

[jdeezy]

Todd being ruled out forces our hand on Burton I reckon (assuming he is fit). Dixon will come in for Todd but there's every chance he can't move and needs to be subbed, so Burton can provide coverage for him as well as down back.

Out: Marshall, Lorenz
In: Dixon, Burton
Burton sub

 

[Port 2004]

Any news on JHF?

Cramped up.

 

[tribey]

he's the worst player we've ever traded for

Aaron Shattock says ‘’

 

[MrMeaner]

Does a brain repair itself in the same way other injuries do though? As in, is an extended period away from the game going to "fix" him?

I don't know. As I understand from my own recent concussion and that of my family member, most people make a full recovery from concussion. A small number of people do not. The current consensus is that you really need to avoid repeated concussions, particularly before the brain has had time to heal as best it can.

My point is that the current sporting protocols (not just in Australian rules) don't appear to accord with the consensus view on this. That is the liability risk that I think those sports face.

If I was in Marshall's position, I would be getting advice from outside the league-associated sports med doctors.

 

[gbear]

Does a brain repair itself in the same way other injuries do though? As in, is an extended period away from the game going to "fix" him?

I permanently lost 25% of my hearing in my left ear post a concussion which resulted in a cochlear concussion just over 3 years ago. I knocked myself out during a fainting episode. Took months to recover from the headaches and I am no professional athlete.

 

[Lighthouse End]

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.

Have you been under a rock for 42 years?
You are talking about the AFL's ' Love Child ' here. Transplanted from South Melbourne as an experiment to test the viability of a national competition in the nation's biggest, most populous and wealthy city as a means to saving the arse of half a dozen other bankrupt clubs, pulled out of administration several times by VFL funding in the first few years before becoming privately owned in '86, pulled out of extinction again in the late 80s by the VFL when the Edelsten empire crumbled, and again in the early 90s when Barassi was sent there by the AFL to save the ( again ) sinking ship , and have been the most protected bunch of tossbags onfield by the most incredible collection of consistently ridiculous and biased, one sided umpiring I have ever seen in any grade of football over my lifetime. Even Leigh Matthews openly referred to them as a protected species.

No difference between the media wank off over Hawthorn in recent times and the garbage about this mob over the last 40 years - Bloods Culture ( no premierships for 70+years, constant floggings and finishing 10th - 12th every year before said transplant. Great culture !) Round, Foschini, Rhys Jones, Kelly, Kirk, Jack, Capper, Goodes ( talk about sooks! ), Papley, Heaney, Warner etc etc et al ad nauseam.

I for one hope Port do the same number on them as they did a few weeks ago, in front of their own bunch of bum sniffing, rugby ball tossing socialite imbeciles who wouldn't know the first thing about Australian football, and wipe the sneer right off that pillock Longmire's face.
Would add to the elation felt on Grand Final Day in 2022 when their protected little botties got well and truly smacked.

 

[growly]

Congratulations on last night, was there and the umpires definately did everything they could to get the Hawks over the line.
If you get over Sydney I wouldn't risk marshall in the granny if he is fit. Lord has to be next man up and I would bring him in this week. Pity scully hasn't got some games under his belt thus giving u another option.

 

[PJ Power]

Will be Butters get suspended?

Pardon?

 

[Buget]

Cramped up.

Will an ice bath help JHF?