Preview Changes: R3 vs Fremantle

[GameofSloanes]

I argued at the end of 2022 that it should have been finals or bust for Nicks in 2023 and I think its pretty obvious that we had the cattle to make the finals in 2023 and a bunch of Nicks howlers cost us.

Its going to get very very loud externally if we lose this week.

I think you'll find Nicks argued that we would've made finals had the goal umpire not been blind / followed the goal review rules

Someone suggested to me that he may have had an extension clause in his contract if we made finals

 

[GameofSloanes]

Why would we put laird at HF when
1) he's never played forward
2) he's a terrible kick for goal
3) we have many HFFs in our squad already that can rotate between mid/HF

Smith out, Laird to HB

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Why would we put laird at HF when
1) he's never played forward
2) he's a terrible kick for goal
3) we have many HFFs in our squad already that can rotate between mid/HF

Smith out, Laird to HB

Hopefully it means Murphy is out and frees up midfield time for Rash, Ranks and Peds.

But I suspect it means Peds is out!

 

[Trigger13]

Yup - alot of the noise coming out so far from the club since the loss smells of a 'Back the boys in' selection again.

Already hearing the meaningless talk about 'Process, DNA, Learnings, Tweaks, tinkering, not far off, make most of our chances.....'

The club is just drowning in middle of the road mediocrity. How any club with any selection integrity could pick Smith and Murphy this week after their putrid efforts has got me beat.

Its the AFC way though, I remember over the years a littany of 'senior' players being picked when they were cooked or woefully out of form - Thompson, Lynch, Douglas, Jacobs, Shirley, McGregor, Porplyzia, Gibbs... List goes on...

Nicks has Ken Hinkley’s playbook. Starting to roll out the same BS at pressers.

 

[cleanhands]

Hopefully it means Murphy is out and frees up midfield time for Rash, Ranks and Peds.

But I suspect it means Peds is out!

Has to be a Murphy

 

[Trigger13]

Has the entire world forgotten how good Laird was at half back. Was an absolute weapon there.



AFC: send him forward.

 

[AFC979810]

Has the entire world forgotten how good Laird was at half back. Was an absolute weapon there.



AFC: send him forward.

He was great at half back - and then the 6 6 6 rule came in for the 2019 season and he really struggled (2019/2020) leading to him being given a go in the midfield in 2021.

Not against him being HBF or HFF. Just don't think he can go in the midfield with Crouch.

 

[ABAB]

So King wasn't aware Rankine did get a lot of midfield minutes against GCS and looked good........

 

[AFC979810]

I think you'll find Nicks argued that we would've made finals had the goal umpire not been blind / followed the goal review rules

Someone suggested to me that he may have had an extension clause in his contract if we made finals

If thats the reasoning the club should have countered back saying he would have gotten the extension if he didn't go in with only one key defender against Richmond, didn't pull Soligo against Collingwood and make a bunch of stupid obvious errors that cost us games.

 

[AFC979810]

So King wasn't aware Rankine did get a lot of midfield minutes against GCS and looked good........

What a terrible take.

Rankine and Rachele have combined for 12 CBA's across the first two rounds.

King is spot on here. Surely the bigger question should be that if Rankine looked so good in the midfield in RD 1 - why did Nicks massively reduce his midfield minutes in round 2?

 

[Faaarrk]

externally (by that I mean AFL media) he seemed to have a pass because of the lack of talent

But it seems some of the media players are suggesting we now have the talent.

However I'm not convinced we do, but I don't disagree with the criticism of Nicks either.

How could anyone possibly know when he doesn’t play our talented young players in the middle.

 

[Faaarrk]

Has the entire world forgotten how good Laird was at half back. Was an absolute weapon there.



AFC: send him forward.

He was great at intercepting but still shocking with disposals.
He’s never been good a kicking but always looks good on paper. Fantastic fantasy league player.

 

[Faaarrk]

Why would we put laird at HF when
1) he's never played forward
2) he's a terrible kick for goal
3) we have many HFFs in our squad already that can rotate between mid/HF

Smith out, Laird to HB

Even at half back we have Curtin and Nank that should be given games.
Lairds only position is bench to come on when Crouch needs a rest, or Dawson.

 

[chrisso crow]

Even at half back we have Curtin and Nank that should be given games.
Lairds only position is bench to come on when Crouch needs a rest, or Dawson.

Bingo. Time to stop gifting games to our experienced players, and giving opportunity to those showing some good form below.

Is it just me, or do others get frustrated that the majority of our high draft picks have to do an 'apprenticeship' in the SANFL before being given a shot, where other clubs just bring them straight into the team?

I'm not convinced that we'd pick a Harley Reid type and not have him wasting away in the SANFL for a year or so.

 

[NSolis]

Bingo. Time to stop gifting games to our experienced players, and giving opportunity to those showing some good form below.

Is it just me, or do others get frustrated that the majority of our high draft picks have to do an 'apprenticeship' in the SANFL before being given a shot, where other clubs just bring them straight into the team?

I'm not convinced that we'd pick a Harley Reid type and not have him wasting away in the SANFL for a year or so.

People are always talking on here about how our talented early draft picks have to do their time in the SANFL but this just isn't true. In recent years we've debuted all of our high draft picks early, often in the first few rounds of their first season. Thilthorpe, Rachele, Soligo, Michalanney etc. all played very early. The only one I can think of who was a top 20-ish pick and was fit but didn't debut early is Cook.

 

[Tapiola]

One constant in life...David King always hates us. I dont think he is wrong btw, but honestly any chance he gets to take a shot

I'm sorry but that's just not correct. King was a big 'gee' for us last year.

 

[1970crow]

Its absolutely astounding that Rachele has only attended 2 Centre bounces in 2024.

In 2023 his first 6 games - CBA's:

Round 1 - 29%
Round 2 - 35%
Round 3 - 53%
Round 4 - 36%
Round 5 - 58%
Round 6 - 69%

Is it a coincidence we are 4-0 when Rachele has over 50% CBA attendance?

As to Pedlar - its going to be very very interesting what happens this week. His confidence looks to be completely shot. In an ideal world the club would back in a highly talented 21 year old player with less than 30 games, but with the external pressure on Nicks I think he will drop him.

Crouch coming back was always going to cut numbers from elsewhere. And it was never going to be Laird or Dawson. Playing Berry has exasperated the issue.

 

[MsTopG]

One constant in life...David King always hates us. I dont think he is wrong btw, but honestly any chance he gets to take a shot

King doesn't forget '98. We're an easy to take a pot shot at as we've been poorly run since the 90's.

 

[crows dude]

Has the entire world forgotten how good Laird was at half back. Was an absolute weapon there.



AFC: send him forward.

Laird at Half Back

2015 - 562 Disposals
2016 - 521 Disposals
2017 - 736 Disposals
2018 - 644 Disposals
2019 - 623 Disposals

Laied in the midfield
2020 - MOves to mid field
Covid year - 389 Disposals
2021- 704 disposals
2022 - 659 Disposals
2023 - 637 disposals

So in conclusion he will still rack it up at half back. Put him back there again.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Laird at half back looked iffy in 2019 and 20, IIRC. Can’t remember if that was purely put down to 6-6-6 or if it was also his own form?

 

[Afcprophet]

Berry needs to be dropped, absolute vanilla player, too slow with the ball, no creative flair, poor disposal, and totally unbalances the side. Taylor is a far better and more promising option -- why hasn't he been given even just one game to test himself?

Smith is a shell of his former self. Nankervis again a better option.

Murphy is a total non-entity. Cook is a better option.

Does Nicks seriously think Murphy, Berry and Smith will be in our next premiership?

 

[MsTopG]

Laird at Half Back

2015 - 562 Disposals
2016 - 521 Disposals
2017 - 736 Disposals
2018 - 644 Disposals
2019 - 623 Disposals

Laied in the midfield
2020 - MOves to mid field
Covid year - 389 Disposals
2021- 704 disposals
2022 - 659 Disposals
2023 - 637 disposals

So in conclusion he will still rack it up at half back. Put him back there again.

He was also fairly decent as a mid when berry and crouch weren't in the team. We can only play one in the midfield out of Laird, Crouch, Berry. The problem with Crouch is that he can only be played in the midfield. I woukd prefer to play Laird who can play various positions. Just get back to the midfield we had when berry and crouch weren't in the team. That might actually force the dud Nicks to play youth with pace.

 

[DJ75]

Berry needs to be dropped, absolute vanilla player, too slow with the ball, no creative flair, poor disposal, and totally unbalances the side. Taylor is a far better and more promising option -- why hasn't he been given even just one game to test himself?

Smith is a shell of his former self. Nankervis again a better option.

Murphy is a total non-entity. Cook is a better option.

Does Nicks seriously think Murphy, Berry and Smith will be in our next premiership?

Does Nicks seriously think at all?

 

[MsTopG]

Does Nicks seriously think at all?

If he does its not the correct thoughts.

 

[1970crow]

Same David King the apologists were quoting every time he said Nicks is the right coach and we are on the right track?