Strategy Changes Round 2 Fremantle vs. Sydney

[Alfonz]

It is because we are grasping at straws to try and prove that the selection committee went out and fundamentally picked the "wrong" team for the game and that they have been picking the "wrong" team for some time and that there is some magic answer in the cupboard that we have not been selecting; there is a lot of trying to work back from that idea and then come up with examples of why we picked the wrong team going on.

In reality, the only player that we picked that probably didn't have good form going into the game was Reidy; but then half of us also pegged ourselves to the idea that we needed to pick him to allow Jackson to play elsewhere, which is probably also where the selection committee arrived at as well. The other half of this board think that Voss can magically play backup ruck but I have seen nothing to suggest that he can. I think the truth is that had Voss played over Reidy then Treacy (or maybe Cox) would have had to have been the one to do the backup rucking. Again, I think most people (including the selection committee) are very against that on the basis that it exposes Treacy (or Cox) to getting injured again.

People will point to Worner, Banfield and Walker (they will always have their detractors, including myself for the first two), but honestly, they had good form in the pre-season games to justify going with them first, and a lot of the first cut flankers were already out with injury - they also look a lot fitter than many of the options that could be brought in. The flankers weren't the main reason we got smashed; we got smashed in the middle.

Of those midfielders that played in the centre (outside of the Top Tier of Serong and Brayshaw) O'Driscoll, O'Meara and Johnson all had good to reasonable pre-season form and where all orders of magnitude better than Brodie. We clearly went at it with an offensive mindset from the centre bounces, which aligns with what everyone wants to see from the coaching team, but at the end of the day we couldn't pull it off with the personnel that we had out there, and we could neither defend well or attack with precision.

The fundamentals of the selection table are that we need Darcy and Young to be available to play in the middle more often than not; and it's not like we aren't trying to make that happen as soon as possible and with the consistency needed to get to the final eight. I am not saying that Longmuir has got everything right, but I am honestly not sure what other things they could have pulled at the selection table, especially if we are focused on getting players up to that consistent level of availability.

This honestly seems like grasping at straws to justify the team selection, not the other way around.

I don't accept that Worner and Banfield were justified selections based on form and fitness.

Banfield played one quarter against the IAS, and didn't play against Melbourne. And he was cramping badly in the last quarter against Geelong. Erasmus didn't do much in those pre-season games, but it was still more than Banfield. Erasmus has form as a junior playing forward. Maybe PSA is junk form and we have thrown this in the bin, but I'd still go with him when Banfield is the alternative. Erasmus could also be used at stoppages and giving us a tackling presence which we sorely lacked. No issue with Erasmus being outside our best 23, but when Young and Fyfe are unavailable, then I find it a strange selection choice to leave him out.

Worner played half a game against Melbourne. He played a full game against IAS and was his usual mediocre self. Chapman played two full games. Was not great in those games, nor when he came on against Geelong, but everybody knows Chapman is a far better player than Worner and it was a truly awful selection decision.

Reidy was another ridiculous selection in terms of being picked as the second ruck (ergo a KPF). Yes, Voss would be useless as a backup ruck. But so is Reidy. And Voss is obviously a better forward and around the ground option. There was significant noise during the week around playing the Jackson/Voss combo and I am certain Voss would have rucked if selected, not Treacy/Cox as you suggest.

We would have been flogged no matter what team we selected, but that doesn't change the fact the selected team was wrong, and many people called out these issues before the game even started.

 

[Duz97]

Anyone got a Bolton update? Are the club lying to us again or is he back in full training

 

[go_the_dockers]

Anyone got a Bolton update? Are the club lying to us again or is he back in full training

Injury update in a few hours.

 

[Schauermann]

Even if Brodie still has something to offer, if what the Peel watchers say is true about his lack of effort, you simply can't reward that with AFL games unless you have no other choice.

Don't really know what happenend to him. He has never looked as good for Peel as he did in 2022 at AFL level. Perhaps in a few matches, but not on a consistent basis...

 

[BettercallSaul]

Anyone got a Bolton update? Are the club lying to us again or is he back in full training

Luke Ryan said on radio he spoke to Bolton and he said he is feeling much better than last week. Warning though, a few years ago Ryan also said Henry reminded him of Cyril……so.

 

[kuhni]

This honestly seems like grasping at straws to justify the team selection, not the other way around.

I don't accept that Worner and Banfield were justified selections based on form and fitness.

Banfield played one quarter against the IAS, and didn't play against Melbourne. And he was cramping badly in the last quarter against Geelong. Erasmus didn't do much in those pre-season games, but it was still more than Banfield. Erasmus has form as a junior playing forward. Maybe PSA is junk form and we have thrown this in the bin, but I'd still go with him when Banfield is the alternative. Erasmus could also be used at stoppages and giving us a tackling presence which we sorely lacked. No issue with Erasmus being outside our best 23, but when Young and Fyfe are unavailable, then I find it a strange selection choice to leave him out.

Worner played half a game against Melbourne. He played a full game against IAS and was his usual mediocre self. Chapman played two full games. Was not great in those games, nor when he came on against Geelong, but everybody knows Chapman is a far better player than Worner and it was a truly awful selection decision.

Reidy was another ridiculous selection in terms of being picked as the second ruck (ergo a KPF). Yes, Voss would be useless as a backup ruck. But so is Reidy. And Voss is obviously a better forward and around the ground option. There was significant noise during the week around playing the Jackson/Voss combo and I am certain Voss would have rucked if selected, not Treacy/Cox as you suggest.

We would have been flogged no matter what team we selected, but that doesn't change the fact the selected team was wrong, and many people called out these issues before the game even started.

Reidy wasn't picked as second ruck though. He just stunk it up to the point we had to hide him forward for the rest of the game.

 

[Bastyy]

If only Darcy didn't get injured, could have hid Reidy away as an above average WAFL ruckman and gotten a future fourth for him

 

[A Mantle Full]

In: Fyfe, Walters, Bolton, Voss
Out: Switta, Banfield, Worner, Reidy

 

[rgauci]

Reidy wasn't picked as second ruck though. He just stunk it up to the point we had to hide him forward for the rest of the game.

He started each quarter either on the bench or in the forward line. He wasn’t our primary ruck, evidence by the large discrepancy in hitouts.

 

[One_Wing]

No Walters available but Cooper maybe?

 

[The Emporer]

I would like to see Aiden Riddle replace Reidy, he was one of the best for Peel in their Scratch match on the weekend and also kicked two goals.
Surely its worth giving the kid a crack while waiting for Darcy to return. im confident he's is a better option then Reidy'.

 

[Perfect Purple]

Anyone got a Bolton update? Are the club lying to us again or is he back in full training

Just in that he is a test for this week’s game.

 

[DMan 11]

No Walters available but Cooper maybe?

I doubt it, had to be carried off the ground his ankle injury was that bad in the Peel game.
Would be a miracle recovery to play the week later


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[DMan 11]

Out: Reidy, Worner, Wagner, Switta

In: Voss, Erasmus, Bolton

Sub: ??

Chapman to start on the HBF.
Draper play Wagners role and/or try free up Clark to be quarterback.

Voss secondary ruck, Dogga to run all day with Grundy given relatively similar style ruckman.

Erasmus take over NOD’s CBA’s, NOD back on the wing

Bolton for Switta


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[Vintage]

Bolton for switta
Ras for a defender (Worner)

That might be it. Worth noting Collingwood only made 2 changes to the team that got belted by GWS in round 0, and 1 of them was forced. So we probably should ready ourselves for similar - especially given we don’t have clear A graders waiting on the sidelines.

 

[FreoMatt]

Reidy wasn't picked as second ruck though. He just stunk it up to the point we had to hide him forward for the rest of the game.

Changes this week;
Out: Reidy
In: My Grandmother


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[Dirty_banchez]

So nothing about Fyfe in the injury report. Is he up for selection this week?

 

[mattis117]

So nothing about Fyfe in the injury report. Is he up for selection this week?

He got through unscathed, it is normal once that occurs for players to not be mentioned in the report.

 

[fnerd]

Something needs to be done about him.

Yea trade him to Adelaide for Dan curtin

 

[FreoRicci]

Worner probably won’t come out.

Out- Switta, Reidy
In- Voss, Bolton

9 defenders again. Would like a mid to cover so that NOD can go wing. I guess not

 

[FreoRicci]

On Cox I’d play him out of the square. Can’t hurt to at least trial it. Has very good hands overhead. Chappy to take his place at HB and provide some mobility. I still can’t get my head around him being made the sub.

That’s actually a decent call.
Draper, Cox and Pearce can’t play together.
Draper Pearce and Ryan is fine. Voss can go ruck, and just put Cox with Amiss and Treacy. It’ll work.
Jackson then can go in the middle if Voss rucks. Add something different

 

[wakojako]

Time to play Jackson on ball to cover absence of Young? We will also need one of Ras/Brodie.

 

[Lach72]

No young for another 2-3 weeks is going to suck arse

 

[more_of_bito]

Like the idea from Duffield

Pearce,Chapman, Draper talls in defence.

Cox plays forward /ruck and Jackson to ruck

Erasmus to replace ODriscoll in centre push him to wing

Out:Reidy,
In: Erasmus

Wagner to Sub

 

[malpaso]

Sydney are light on in defense for talls esp. if they play McCartin up forward as they have been doing.

McInerney out is a big win, he's a huge two-way runner. Sydney already are susceptible on the wings, this should mean Sharp and NOD should feast out there.