Preview Changes: R3 vs Fremantle

[NSolis]

I often read how Laird does nothing with the ball and is merely a stats accumulator. Do you have his DE%?

Laird had 72.4% DE on the weekend, with 202 meters gained from 29 disposals (Crouch had 287m from 37 disposals). There's nothing really wrong with being 'merely a stats accumulator' - winning contested ball is important and Laird is good at it. The problem is really just that Crouch and Laird both in there makes our midfield a bit one dimensional because neither of them are that damaging on the outside. Ideally you want guys like Laird and Crouch winning the ball and feeding it out to players who use it well.

Crouch is playing far better than Laird right now and is actually setting up scoring opportunities as well, which makes Laird a selection/coaching issue. Can't see the plan of having Laird play elsewhere on the field that we saw in round 1 working.

 

[crows dude]

Laird had 72.4% DE on the weekend, with 202 meters gained from 29 disposals (Crouch had 287m from 37 disposals). There's nothing really wrong with being 'merely a stats accumulator' - winning contested ball is important and Laird is good at it. The problem is really just that Crouch and Laird both in there makes our midfield a bit one dimensional because neither of them are that damaging on the outside. Ideally you want guys like Laird and Crouch winning the ball and feeding it out to players who use it well.

Crouch is playing far better than Laird right now and is actually setting up scoring opportunities as well, which makes Laird a selection/coaching issue. Can't see the plan of having Laird play elsewhere on the field that we saw in round 1 working.

Yeh cant play both of them together

Rotatate the two of them between the bench. Play half a qtr each.

 

[Apsaalooke]

Who was assigned the Doedee job of intercepting a la Alir et al? ... there was nobody I could see, playing between Cameron, Hawkins, and the incoming ball. It was open air back there. A glaring coaching blunder IMO.

Geelong had an interceptor and we didn’t.
That was why they won and we lost.

 

[ABAB]

Geelong had an interceptor and we didn’t.
That was why they won and we lost.

Geelong weren't bombing the ball inside 50 as well with loose defenders.

 

[NSolis]

I think the big question if they did make a drastic move and drop Laird for example is who do they bring in to take those midfield rotations and does it actually make the team better. The obvious choice would be Schoenberg if he was fit, and last year when Laird missed a game the midfield rotations aside from Crouch and Dawson went to Schoenberg, Berry, Sloane and Hately, most of whom are unavailable or in Berry's case wouldn't be an upgrade on Laird.

I know a lot of people on here will just say pick a random kid from the SANFL and play them to see how they do, but the inside mid options in the SANFL right now are pretty raw given the injuries (Bond, Edwards, Dowling?). My preference would be to give the midfield rotations to Soligo/Rachele/Pedlar if they can handle it, particularly Soligo.

If the view is that those guys aren't ready for full-time midfield duties yet it's going to be hard to see them not keeping at least one out of Berry/Laird in the team, at least until Schoenberg is fit or someone has a good run playing in the middle in the SANFL.

 

[NSolis]

Worrell was on Cameron yeah, I think because they felt like Cameron would destroy Keane, which is probably true. Keane was the guy roaming around more as an intercepting player from the second quarter on.

Not having Doedee/Murray is a big loss right now for sure.

 

[Sanders]

Scott cut us open with Rahilly's intel.
Our coaches couldn't deal with it.

If we’re opened up so easily, intel wasn’t really needed

 

[Danger in Texas]

Say there’s 25 CBs in a game. This is roughly what the CBA split should look like:

Dawson - 20
Crouch - 16
Soligo - 15
Rankine - 10
Laird - 9
Rachele - 5

Means only one of Crouch or Laird is in there at any one time. Crouch minutes preferred over Laird due to form. Level of class and speed is added without losing too much genuine ball-winning

 

[Milo Cyrus]

If we’re opened up so easily, intel wasn’t really needed

I think Rahilly said "just turn up on time".

 

[Milo Cyrus]

Laird had 72.4% DE on the weekend, with 202 meters gained from 29 disposals (Crouch had 287m from 37 disposals). There's nothing really wrong with being 'merely a stats accumulator' - winning contested ball is important and Laird is good at it. The problem is really just that Crouch and Laird both in there makes our midfield a bit one dimensional because neither of them are that damaging on the outside. Ideally you want guys like Laird and Crouch winning the ball and feeding it out to players who use it well.

Crouch is playing far better than Laird right now and is actually setting up scoring opportunities as well, which makes Laird a selection/coaching issue. Can't see the plan of having Laird play elsewhere on the field that we saw in round 1 working.

Dawson is the one that cramped up everything in my opinion. He was so gung ho at the contest he forgot about his distribution role.
I would have preferred he had less tackles and more kicks. Play your role stuff.

 

[cleanhands]

Not being helped by Dawson way down on his best form currently and now that opposing teams are putting time into him his ball use has dropped off to a fair degree.

Please explain I’m a fossil who doesn’t understand this metres gained
If Crouch wins possessions and h balls 3 metres to a teammate is he credited 3 metres gained?

 

[NSolis]

Please explain I’m a fossil who doesn’t understand this metres gained
If Crouch wins possessions and h balls 3 metres to a teammate is he credited 3 metres gained?

Assuming the handball goes forwards, yes. It's just territory gained towards your goal, minus territory lost if you pass the ball backwards.

 

[cleanhands]

Assuming the handball goes forwards, yes. It's just territory gained towards your goal, minus territory lost if you pass the ball backwards.

So if he has 20 hball possessions of 100% efficiencies to a teammate and we gain 700 metres that doesn’t count

 

[cleanhands]

Metres gained: Breaking down the AFL's most misunderstood statistic

'Metres gained' has become the sexy statistic that's synonymous with modern footy, but what does it mean and just how valuable is it? ESPN and Champion Data have joined forces to break down everything metres gained and explain what it all means.

www.espn.com.au

Stupid stat

 

[Betts are off]

At this point Brodie Smith

33

Brodie Smith

Age

32

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.5

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.2

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

500.1

5star

D

17.1

4star

K

12.6

5star

HB

4.5

3star

M

3.5

3star

T

2.3

3star

MG

438.9

5star

D

17.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.6

5star

should drop himself! He looks frightened when the ball comes near him.

No form, no confidence!

 

[cleanhands]

From that article explainer...Crouch gets a mention actually.

Again insignificant stupid stat

 

[GROTTO]

Fun Facts with Grotto - Stolen Edition.

Adelaide's win-loss record since start of 2020​

At Adelaide Oval
20-27 (42.6 per cent win rate)


At all other venues
9-30 (23.1 per cent win rate)

Away wins under Matthew Nicks

Matthew Nicks

Age

49

Ht

187cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.6

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.4

3star

R17, 2020 - Beat Carlton (11th) by 16 points at People First Stadium, Gold Coast
R4, 2021 - Beat North Melbourne (18th) by 41 points at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
R13, 2021 - Beat St Kilda (12th) by six points at Cazalys Stadium, Cairns
R19, 2021 - Beat Hawthorn (17th) by 19 points at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
R6, 2022 - Beat Western Bulldogs (10th) by one point at Mars Stadium, Ballarat
R15, 2022 - Beat North Melbourne (17th) by 57 points at Blundstone Arena, Hobart
R21, 2022 - Beat West Coast (17th) by 16 points at Optus Stadium, Perth
R6, 2023 - Beat Hawthorn (18th) by 3 points at UTAS Stadium, Launceston
R24, 2023 - Beat West Coast (18th) by 45 points at Optus Stadium, Perth

 

[cleanhands]

I don''t think the AFL coaches would agree with that personally, players like Matt Crouch's prime job is to get the ball out to the team's best users like Dawson. the 2023 version of Dawson that said. Strange how the focus hasn't yet come onto Dawson's 2024 form thus far.

But if he hball s backwards or side ways to someone that puts it too advantage it’s a negative gain and nuffies on here that go on stats blow up oh look at his metres gained. Yes the coaches have better understanding. If a bloke is winning the ball 37 times how many times did he turn it over. It just gives the Crouch bashers ammunition without any understanding or eye for the game

 

[BACCS]

Brodie surely needs a spell, just looks devoid of any confidence. Nank deserves his chance.

Keep Ned as sub, as he did against Geelong and last year, he plays his best footy from there and doesn’t tend to replicate in full games.

**** Murphy off for anyone else, not even doing the pressure role well. Given Curtin a debut in his home state.

I’m losing a lot of faith in Berry, just fumbles way too often and it’s killing us. Maybe keep for one more week.

 

[WheresGroomgone]

Nicks and the selection team will only make two changes and sadly one of them won’t be Smith. Murphy is the new Mckay - he seemed to almost point out the shocker from Pedlar with him not hitting Tex in the presser so expect him to go.

Nankervis seems to have been treated a bit poo by his non selection after a good preseason and the games of 2023 hopefully he comes in at some stage.

Curtin to debut at home?

Who should be dropped;
Smith
Murphy
Jones
McHenry just because

 

[Danger in Texas]

I don''t think the AFL coaches would agree with that personally, players like Matt Crouch's prime job is to get the ball out to the team's best users like Dawson. the 2023 version of Dawson that said. Strange how the focus hasn't yet come onto Dawson's 2024 form thus far.

I think if Dawson’s form continues into say, round 5 or 6, there’ll be reason for worry

Right now he’s got the credits in the bank

Agree on Crouch though, he’s the one mid that’s one-grabbing the ball the best and accurately distributing it, as of right now

 

[cleanhands]

Well at 89.2% disposal efficiencygoing by that of his 37 disposals almost 9 out of every 10 were deemed effective which is bloody decent for a player classed as an inside midfielder.

No argument from me.
It’s just another reason I’m not a fan of going by stats, it gives the unknowledgable I know that’s not a word( but you know what I mean) think they are knowledgeable

 

[weekend at bernies]

Out: Smith, Berry
In: Nank, McHenry
Sub: whoever

Pedlar plays on ball.

 

[Scorpus]

Surely we could "manage" Smith if we don't want to embarrass him with the "omitted" tag, even though he deserves it

He's 32, it's easy to justify "management"

 

[cleanhands]

Surely we could "manage" Smith if we don't want to embarrass him with the "omitted" tag, even though he deserves it

He's 32, it's easy to justify "management"

Don’t players like being told the truth these days