Prediction Changes: Round 3 Vs West Coast Eagles + pre-match discussion

[heypenny]

I think there are going to be a lot of disappointed people on Thursday. As much as I would love to see Walker, NOD, Johnson and Sturt in, I just don't see who the obvious outs are. We need to move on from Hughes and Banners but they weren't that bad. Wilson was also pretty good who's keeping out Walker.

I do think Chapman, Brodie, Schultz and Freddy need to be help accountable for inconsistent performances, but they are so important when on song. It's a tough one.

 

[Gimme the Fyfe]

I would love for Fyfe to somehow get selected this week and be the catalyst for an unexpected merciless turnaround. He can take this opportunity to fill the leadership vacuum in the forwardline, stake his claim and start his and the team's next chapter. Provided he gets in, there's no better time for him to step up and lead by example.

 

[sumavich]

He's never won a Glendinning/Allan medal
Don't think he'll win one either, but it'll be good to see him turn his form around

 

[Quazar]

Ur a legend. That's the greatest GIF of all time.

hahaha, I don't know if it's the greatest, but 'tis a beaut!

 

[DockerDerek]

At this stage our pre-season plans are in tatters. Our tall forward trio of Fyfe, Tabs and Jackson have all contributed next to nothing through lack of fitness or form or a combination of both.

Our most glaring weaknesses are in the key forwards and the wings. The midfield is not performing well either but the reasons are less evident. We probably need to mix things up until we can find the right formula. Playing Johnson and/or Erasmus would not hurt.

While we have strength and talent in the backline, it seems that there is a reluctance to experiment with any of the obvious candidates further up the ground. Clark, Cox, Young and Walker would all appear to have potential to play in more attacking positions - Cox as a key forward and the others in midfield or wing roles.

In particular I think we need to play Cox forward if Tabs and Fyfe are absent. I don’t think Treacy, Amiss and Jackson are going to cut it as a tall forward group. Not right now anyway.

 

[stax on the mull]

I was thinking it might be West Coast that could throw a defender like McGovern or Barrass forward. They've used Harry Edwards as a key defender before in a Derby, so they could bring him in. The reason why I suggest that is because they used Waterman as their 2nd ruck against GWS but he would have to go up against Jackson, so they might want to use Allen this week rather than pinch-hit with Waterman, and also rather than bring back Jamieson who they dropped after Rd 1.

 

[bushchook]

I like it, but I still say let’s just go hell for leather and play all the new forwards Sturt Amiss and Treacy. What the heel do we have to lose at this stage? Can’t be any worse than what we’ve put forward so far.

Amiss and Treacy between them have played 8 quarters of footy this year for a total of 3 marks, 3 kicks and 1 goal.

 

[bushchook]

While we have strength and talent in the backline, it seems that there is a reluctance to experiment with any of the obvious candidates further up the ground. Clark, Cox, Young and Walker would all appear to have potential to play in more attacking positions - Cox as a key forward and the others in midfield or wing roles.

Assuming we're preferring Wilson as a defender at the moment, I'd be very willing to experiment with Brandon Walker as a small forward. He has all the attributes (bar goalkicking I guess because I've never seen him try) to be a very dangerous small forward - explosive pace, good core strength, evasiveness, strong tackling.

 

[Chief Brody]

I think we either go play the youth or go for finals but we can't do both imo. The banal . suggestions of bringing in Sturt, Treacy, Johnson and ras every week will kill us W L wise and dent some confidences along the way.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Assuming we're preferring Wilson as a defender at the moment, I'd be very willing to experiment with Brandon Walker as a small forward. He has all the attributes (bar goalkicking I guess because I've never seen him try) to be a very dangerous small forward - explosive pace, good core strength, evasiveness, strong tackling.

Could see that. His brain fades wouldn’t immediately result in oppo goals either.

 

[kingswood71]

I think we either go play the youth or go for finals but we can't do both imo. The banal . suggestions of bringing in Sturt, Treacy, Johnson and ras every week will kill us W L wise and dent some confidences along the way.

Agreed!
So we have had a very bad start to the season....But, get a couple of wins on the board and confidence grows. Just because we have lost 2 games, doesnt mean this season is a complete right off just yet.
Put the best team on the park that gives us the best chance of winning against the opposition we are playing.

 

[King Huskii]

I think we either go play the youth or go for finals but we can't do both imo. The banal . suggestions of bringing in Sturt, Treacy, Johnson and ras every week will kill us W L wise and dent some confidences along the way.

We are losing anyway. It's like Freo have won the first two games.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

I hope the coaching staff are replaying the last five minutes of the game to the squad a few times to show the players both a) this is how we should be playing if we want to win a bloody game, b) just tap it through - this was a reverse of the Adelaide game in R1 and c) use that injustice of the final siren/non-deliberate call as fuel for the fire.

We constantly get done over by the league and the umps - use this BS as motivation to get better

Come out during the derby with fire in their bellies or GTFO

 

[Alfonz]

The midfield is not performing well either but the reasons are less evident. We probably need to mix things up until we can find the right formula. Playing Johnson and/or Erasmus would not hurt.

The reasons are very much evident. Small/tiny players like Serong, Brayshaw, Aish, JOM, Switta are going to struggle against the brutish power of Cunnington, LDU and Zurharr. The latter is a player I had hoped for a while that we could lure home, but that ship has sailed.

The chance of our team winning a premiership rests largely on whether Erasmus and Johnson can become those dominant powerful midfielders. We need to get them games ASAP and accept that they might only have a small impact.

 

[andreww90]

A bit of a scuffle between Darcy and Clarke at training today, nothing major but hopefully they bring the same passion and intensity this weekend.

They made up joked and hugged it out at the end.

 

[mattis117]

A bit of a scuffle between Darcy and Clarke at training today, nothing major but hopefully they bring the same passion and intensity this weekend.

They made up joked and hugged it out at the end.

Who is Clarke?

 

[andreww90]

Who is Clarke?

I’ll tell you when you’re older.

 

[Square Peg]

A bit of a scuffle between Darcy and Clarke at training today, nothing major but hopefully they bring the same passion and intensity this weekend.

They made up joked and hugged it out at the end

Any other good things to report? Sturt lining up on the flank and drills kicking it to him, for example?

 

[MadMundy]

'We shouldn't give Treacy and Amiss games because they make mistakes."

They're kids, they're going to make mistakes. Should we drop every single kid that makes a mistake instantly?

 

[Purpletown]

I think we either go play the youth or go for finals but we can't do both imo. The banal . suggestions of bringing in Sturt, Treacy, Johnson and ras every week will kill us W L wise and dent some confidences along the way.

This is a good call. In round one we mostly picked experience over youth and my take on that was we were backing ourselves for a crack at the top four.

Two games later and two losses and we are at the crossroads about how to proceed from here. 2023 finals prospects have taken a hit, however Imo the match committee will stick with experience over youth for another week or two. Go 0 - 4 or 1 - 5 and it will be in our long term interests to favour youth over experience.

As you have said CB if we change our plans we must then stick with that plan.

The main problem at the moment is we are not playing well at all but hopefully we can turn that around this weekend.

 

[freo1997]

'We shouldn't give Treacy and Amiss games because they make mistakes."

They're kids, they're going to make mistakes. Should we drop every single kid that makes a mistake instantly?

Amiss should play every game. Every game.

Treacy is a low pick. He needs to earn it. At this current time he needs Wafl. Treacy is very overrated on here.

 

[Chief Brody]

Agreed!
So we have had a very bad start to the season....But, get a couple of wins on the board and confidence grows. Just because we have lost 2 games, doesnt mean this season is a complete right off just yet.
Put the best team on the park that gives us the best chance of winning against the opposition we are playing.

100 %.

On paper our list compared to both saints and north are much stronger buy our application is why we lost, it's that simple.

Our current list and b22 is good enough to play finals, what's not good enough atm is our game plan which is either on the players or the coaching staff.

 

[Chief Brody]

Amiss should play every game. Every game.

Treacy is a low pick. He needs to earn it. At this current time he needs Wafl. Treacy is very overrated on here.

Agreed. There is a gulf between the natural talent, forward nous and potential between these 2 guys.

 

[kingswood71]

Amiss should play every game. Every game.

Treacy is a low pick. He needs to earn it. At this current time he needs Wafl. Treacy is very overrated on here.

Agreed.
This is the kind of game where Amiss may flourish. Assume Tabs stays in and Fyfe comes in, they likely get taken by McGovern and Barrass. This leaves Amiss to Hurn and I think Amiss can kill him on the lead. End up with a good situation where we have a couple of decent marking options (hopefully!) and one very good leading forward.

 

[Son of a Wizard]

Agreed.
This is the kind of game where Amiss may flourish. Assume Tabs stays in and Fyfe comes in, they likely get taken by McGovern and Barrass. This leaves Amiss to Hurn and I think Amiss can kill him on the lead. End up with a good situation where we have a couple of decent marking options (hopefully!) and one very good leading forward.

How about a forward line of Tabs, Treacey, Amiss, Fyfe, Kuek, Jackson and one of those developing rucks. That will surprise the Eagles.