Preview Changes & Preview Thread for QF2, 2024 vs Geelong

[240volt]

He copped a flying elbow to the back/top of a head in a marking contest. He grabbed his head immediately after feeling the contact. It wasn't an innocuous, nothing contact, it was an elbow to the head.

PAL you want to have a look at the slow mo of Todd’s concussion. There’s no elbow, he’s in front of the pack, the Melbourne player behind him has his arms straight up going for the same mark as Todd.
His head to me looks like it’s hit the Melbourne players upper chest?

 

[El_Scorcho]

Esava = someone that can take a contested mark and doesn't get injured in the process

Todd = someone that can take a mark on the lead, on the boundary and 55m out from goal. Can't be in a contested marking situation without risking a trip to the hospital.

The choice is obvious.

Esava has to take contested marks because he doesn't move to get free. That's not a point in his favour. A mark isn't worth more because it's contested, and if you want to argue that Esava is taking marks in better positions, he's just not, which is why he hasn't hit the scoreboard in 3 matches.

Todd averages more marks, more marks inside 50, more goals, more goal assists, more score involvements, and that's just this season counting the 5 games Esava has played as a forward.

The choice is obvious.

 

[El_Scorcho]

PAL you want to have a look at the slow mo of Todd’s concussion. There’s no elbow, he’s in front of the pack, the Melbourne player behind him has his arms straight up going for the same mark as Todd.
His head to me looks like it’s hit the Melbourne players upper chest?

Incorrect, look again, the Melbourne player's elbow gets him on the way through with the elbow on the way up. Todd immediately holds the back of his head as he's felt solid contact.

As Todd is coming in from the side and the Melbourne player is coming in from the back at speed. It's not innocuous contact.

 

[Alberton Proud]

Winning form is good form
Outside bringing in Dixon for Visentini and Sinn for Farrell I can't see us making any other changes

 

[backtozero]

Esava has to take contested marks because he doesn't move to get free. That's not a point in his favour. A mark isn't worth more because it's contested and if you want to argue that Esava is taking marks in better positions, he's just not, which is why he hasn't hit the scoreboard in 3 matches.

Todd averages more marks, more marks inside 50, more goals, more goal assists, more score involvements, and that's just this season counting the 5 games Esava has played as a forward.

The choice is obvious.

Never said it was. You're the one that tried arguing from the outset that Todd's marks on the lead are more valuable than contested marks.

 

[Powerade 08]

Todd Marshall

4

Todd Marshall

Age

25

Ht

198cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.0

2star

K

6.4

3star

HB

2.5

2star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.5

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

8.9

2star

K

7.1

3star

HB

1.8

1star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.0

4star

G

1.1

5star

D

9.6

3star

K

5.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.6

5star

has kicked 1 goal in his last 5 AFL games and even gave one away with a deliberate OOB in defence against Melbourne.

McEntee last 5 AFL games:
4 goals, 3 goal assists
Evans and Narkle last 5 combined:
6 goals 1 assist

This is what people choose to spend years arguing over instead of just seeing a doctor

 

[RossFC]

Marshall played 17 games in a row this season before getting a hip strain in the Gold Coast game where Dixon clumsily fell on him. He's had 1 concussion this season, which he'll have had 4 weeks to recover from. I think the injury risk is way overblown

Todd Marshall's injury history in 2024.

• On post-season surgery list (hip).
• Missed a pre-season game due to a foot problem.
• Taken off late in a game in May with an ankle problem (sub was already activated).
• Subbed out in June due to hammy tightness.
• Squashed by Dixon in July and caused a hip problem (sub was already activated).
• Concussion in August.

There is a bit of bad luck involved, but shit just keeps happening to him.

 

[240volt]

Incorrect, look again, the Melbourne player's elbow gets him on the way through with the elbow on the way up. Todd immediately holds the back of his head as he's felt solid contact.

As Todd is coming in from the side and the Melbourne player is coming in from the back at speed. It's not innocuous contact.

Must be me because I can’t see it.
I see only one Melbourne player going for the ball behind Tood with his arms extended. Todd contacts him and goes to ground.
I’m looking at a Facebook post I found under “Marshall subbed out” on google search.

 

[tribey]

If they plan on playing Todd as a high connector a la Tom Lynch (ADL), I’d be happy with that, especially given no Houston/Farrell.

If they plan on playing him as a conventional hotspot forward under the usual F50 bombing raid, no thanks.

Stick with Rat/Dix, with Georgiades as the joker in the pack.

 

[ibd77]

Todd Marshall's injury history in 2024.

• On post-season surgery list (hip).
• Missed a pre-season game due to a foot problem.
• Taken off late in a game in May with an ankle problem (sub was already activated).
• Subbed out in June due to hammy tightness.
• Squashed by Dixon in July and caused a hip problem (sub was already activated).
• Concussion in August.

There is a bit of bad luck involved, but shit just keeps happening to him.

Yep and his form doesn't warrant automatic selection either. He now has to play an emergency role as our side is now set for finals.

 

[Schulzenfest]

It's fascinating how half this board is so anti-Marshall that they've jumped aboard the Ratugolea train surely on no other basis than him being someone, anyone, who isn't Marshall. He's terrible. His last three games he's averaging 7 disposals and he literally hasn't even kicked a behind, let alone a goal. His output isn't even an improvement on McEntee, let alone Todd.

There is exactly one reason you might fairly consider picking Ratugolea over Marshall, and it's the injury risk. Purely on football ability and output, if you genuinely believe Rat is a better forward than Marshall, you've absolutely gone off the deep end with your bias against him.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Todd Marshall has kicked 1 goal in his last 5 AFL games

He went off injured in three of those games. His last five full AFL games he's kicked 8 goals.

 

[backtozero]

It's fascinating how half this board is so anti-Marshall that they've jumped aboard the Ratugolea train surely on no other basis than him being someone, anyone, who isn't Marshall. He's terrible. His last three games he's averaging 7 disposals and he literally hasn't even kicked a behind, let alone a goal. His output isn't even an improvement on McEntee, let alone Todd.

There is exactly one reason you might fairly consider picking Ratugolea over Marshall, and it's the injury risk. Purely on football ability and output, if you genuinely believe Rat is a better forward than Marshall, you've absolutely gone off the deep end with your bias against him.

For years we heard that Marshall's selection was justified because "structure" and people would always use the win/loss ratio with him in the team as undeniable proof that his inclusion was paramount to winning.

Weird how this line of thinking doesn't work when it's other players involved.

 

[JakeNeadeFan]

It's fascinating how half this board is so anti-Marshall that they've jumped aboard the Ratugolea train surely on no other basis than him being someone, anyone, who isn't Marshall. His last three games he's averaging 7 disposals and he literally hasn't even kicked a behind, let alone a goal. His output isn't even an improvement on McEntee, let alone Todd.

There is exactly one reason you might consider picking Ratugolea over Marshall, and it's the injury risk. Purely on football ability and output, if you genuinely believe Rat is a better forward than Marshall, you've absolutely gone off the deep end with your bias against him.

This is pretty reductive.

Yes it is a meme, but a big part of being a key forward is just competing and creating opportunities for others. And not being beaten. Every time you are out marked or second to the ball the oppo can attack.

If you actually watch Esava play you can see he plays with a desperation that Marshall just doesn't have.

There was a great play for JHFs second goal where Sav initially competed for the mark, competes for the ground ball and handballs to JHF for the goal. It was absolutely his goal.

Marshall has other postive traits that Esava doesn't, but he just does not have the competitiveness. He gets beaten often, he isn't a good contest player.

 

[Schulzenfest]

For years we heard that Marshall's selection was justified because "structure" and people would always use the win/loss ratio with him in the team as undeniable proof that his inclusion was paramount to winning.

Weird how this line of thinking doesn't work when it's other players involved.

If you want to try that argument, the side as a whole is only averaging 73 points over those last three games I mentioned. We're winning at the moment off the strength of our defence and midfield. The forward line has been as poor as always.

 

[Willsy10]

Marshall is a way better forward than Esava. It’s just the ghosts of Ryan Burton

3

Ryan Burton

Age

27

Ht

191cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.5

5star

K

12.1

4star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

277.3

4star

D

16.8

4star

K

12.3

5star

HB

4.5

3star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.0

2star

MG

277.3

4star

D

13.4

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

4.4

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.2

4star

in the 2020 prelim that are haunting me into thinking we don’t risk Todd.

Todd already seemed to be playing hesitantly prior to the latest head knock. And you don’t want anyone shirking contests in finals.

It’s a tricky one. I’m glad I’m not making the call because It’s a coin flip.

 

[TeeKray]

He went off injured in three of those games. His last five full AFL games he's kicked 8 goals.

So this:

a) excludes the three games he didn't complete in which he kicked 0 goals from what still amount to a full game combined (highlight was 0 disposals against the SUNS in 1.5 quarters)

b) includes the outlier game against North in which he kicked 5 (a game where McEntee had 17 disposals and kicked 1.2 so clearly not indicative of a normal game)

c) ignores the 4 games prior to the North game in which he kicked 3 goals total

Let's face it, he's basically been putting up McEntee numbers for months but without the ability to provide contest and effort. Any faith in him to be a competent player in finals is blind faith based on what he's done in the distant past.

 

[johnnysix]

If you want to try that argument, the side as a whole is only averaging 73 points over those last three games I mentioned. We're winning at the moment off the strength of our defence and midfield. The forward line has been as poor as always.

Wouldn't mind seeing stats on how often each gets outmarked. Also intercept stats with each playing. Also, we've won those games. Something is going right. Why do you think so many people have doubts about Marshall? It's not like everyone woke up one morning and made it their mission in life to neg Marshall.

 

[ClintEastwood]

 

[FishingRick04]

He went off injured in three of those games. His last five full AFL games he's kicked 8 goals.

He’s no certainty to last a whole game in a final then is he. That’s the risk

 

[Port_Girl_92]

Its like that finals series where Stinkley brought in Marshall instead of Westhoff. Not saying Esava is Westhoff, but Marshall sucks at football. Can't mark, can't kick, can't tackle, barley has any grunt or competitiveness baout him, gets easily injured.

Look at our last 4-5 games, guess who hasn't been there.

 

[Tibbs]

He copped a flying elbow to the back/top of a head in a marking contest. He grabbed his head immediately after feeling the contact. It wasn't an innocuous, nothing contact, it was an elbow to the head.

Stop it! That is rubbish mate. He got a nothing glancing knock to the head from the straight arm of Turner. It wasnt an elbow hit. It was absolutely innocuous! Something that Marshall will face in every marking contest he faces. Watch the contest from any angle, there was no direct elbow or blow to his head. Now just imagine what would happen to the man if he had of received the Pickett bump! he would still be unconscious!

https://fb.watch/ud8uOONvB7/

 

[240volt]

Stop it! That is rubbish mate. He got a nothing glancing knock to the head from the straight arm of Turner. It wasnt an elbow hit. It was absolutely innocuous! Something that Marshall will face in every marking contest he faces. Watch the contest from any angle, there was no direct elbow or blow to his head. Now just imagine what would happen to the man if he had of received the Pickett bump! he would still be unconscious!

https://fb.watch/ud8uOONvB7/

Thanks, i thought I was going blind looking for the mystery man on the grassy knoll.

 

[Schulzenfest]

So this:

a) excludes the three games he didn't complete in which he kicked 0 goals from what still amount to a full game combined (highlight was 0 disposals against the SUNS in 1.5 quarters)

b) includes the outlier game against North in which he kicked 5 (a game where McEntee had 17 disposals and kicked 1.2 so clearly not indicative of a normal game)

c) ignores the 4 games prior to the North game in which he kicked 3 goals total

Let's face it, he's basically been putting up McEntee numbers for months but without the ability to provide contest and effort. Any faith in him to be a competent player in finals is blind faith based on what he's done in the distant past.

The 'distant past' you refer to is only last year.

Assuming full fitness, given the choice I'm taking the guy having a bad year (Marshall) over the guy who has been bad for his whole career (Esava) every time. But the 'assuming full fitness' bit is a legitimate concern.

 

[240volt]

T