Unofficial Preview Changes v Hawks Round 11

[knaf]

I am in 2 Minds

Firstly bring in Fort. Hawk ruck (Meek?) was dominate in the half I watched of Sundays game. Oscar and Fort to wear him down. And perhaps contribute 2 or 3 goals between them.

Secondly Brain replaces Hipwood in 22. This increases our ability to match Hawks pace and allows flexibility to move players in response to Mitchell moves.

I prefer the second.

On Ryan, hasn’t been dominated the vfl. Won’t gives us anything as back up ruck. Won’t add much in terms of defensive running (much less than Hipppy). Unlikely to contribute more goals than Oscar and Fort combined. Having said all that not writing him off as future prospect, but he hasn’t got the form currently.

Been exciting to see what the new players have brought to the team, but just bringing in a new name doesn’t necessarily mean success.

 

[beardancer]

We've got a surplus of riches atm. Lyons was excellent at the weekend. Jim Madden played a super game, Zacostelsky was really good.......but the huge improver was Kalin Lane......Really Good

 

[Pride of lions]

As a left field idea maybe we could bring in Joyce and play Lester at CHF. Lester is pretty mobile and can take a good mark and could also be used to clamp down on Sicily if needed. Ryan looks very slow and could be a liability with the Hawks fast ball movement. Fort is the only other option but again is very slow.

 

[beardancer]

Oh, and just on Ryan......I just can't see how you could be a pro footballer with those legs!!!! My arms are thicker. My penis is thicker than those sticks*




* untrue

 

[mpal6]

As a left field idea maybe we could bring in Joyce and play Lester at CHF. Lester is pretty mobile and can take a good mark and could also be used to clamp down on Sicily if needed. Ryan looks very slow and could be a liability with the Hawks fast ball movement. Fort is the only other option but again is very slow.

Nah, backline sticks / stays together. We don't want to mess every line up to fill Hipwood's spot.

It's either Ryan or a small forward to blunt Hawks rebound. If we go small then Fort to sub as insurance. I was watching Port vs Hawks, I don't think Hawks have a tall backline so we can work with just Daniher and Morris. Rayner / Morris can play deep and Daniher can lead to the wings.

 

[rye]

hawks should have sicily back this week, playing daniher and morris as our only true kpf in the forward line is asking for trouble

 

[mpal6]

hawks should have sicily back this week, playing daniher and morris as our only true kpf in the forward line is asking for trouble

We can play Ah Chee on Sicily as a defensive forward.
Ah Chee will hurt going the other way and it'll be a decent match up.

 

[BuntonRules]

We can play Ah Chee on Sicily as a defensive forward.
Ah Chee will hurt going the other way and it'll be a decent match up.

Me like this. Much better team balance than a dinosaur, and has the smarts/class to give Sicily something to worry about.

Our run is what has improved us the last 2 weeks, so why would you go away from that?

 

[twhowler]

Really interesting conundrum coming up.

Sicily back - their most influential player who destroyed us last time.

Hipwood out - the one positive i would say is he was killed by Sicily last time. We just kicked long (our midfield was getting beaten and under pressure) and Hipwood struggled against a player who is strong and with a low centre of gravity.

So what to do?

OPTION 1 - Like for like. But who is the key forward? Ryan seems to be in poor form. Our other talls are all genuine rucks. Fort obviously the most experienced - i have liked him generally and he was beaten in the ruck by Briggs v GWS but still took 2 good marks in the forward line. Added bonus of a second ruck is that Meek was excellent on the weekend so it allows us to try to wear him down a bit.

OPTION 2 - shuffle around. Lester to forward line. Joyce to backline.

OPTION 3 - go smaller. Rayner and ah chee as the third and fourth keys if you like. someone 'tags' Sicily given our lack of talls. Go for Run over height. Would be a stronger argument for this at the mcg i reckon. Less so at docklands.

Usually the 22nd player selected doesn't really matter but that will be different this week.

I think I'd go with Fort. He is a genuine threat to worry about in the forward line. Sharp has a huge tank which helps our running.

Bailey i assume is in. I guess Reville makes way? I think he looks really promising but he is still quite low on TOG so in particular if we bring a ruck in we probably need to lose Bruce. Brain deserves a full game. I thought Answerth looked off pace a bit. Reville also more suited as sub as he can play mid minutes and i think you always want a sub who can play mid.

DOES ANYONE ELSE THINK THE ODDS OF $3.20 FOR HAWTHRON IS CRAZY?

We have not beaten them since 2019. 2019! And they are a much better team this year.

Last time we played them they had been flogged by Port. This time they played brilliantly and lost because they got a bit defensive. That was after beating the dogs (who have subsequently been in red hot form) and the saints.

Hawks get Sicily back.

We are just so far unders it's not funny.

I hope at least given the hawks are in genuinely good form and it's been so long since we have beaten them we can come out firing and actually be the hunter.

We were also off the bye last time and carrying unfit strugglers Rich and Gunston, plus Prior playing an all time poor game meaning we basically had 3 passengers. I still remember how timid and reactive we looked all game, even though we had a lead at half time.

Really don't think our season can recover if we lose this. But it's such a close season if we do win we go in to the dogs match (sadly looks a lot tougher now) with a chance to go positive win loss for the first time in the season, on the cusp of getting Ashcroft and Starcevich.

 

[Berrygood]

If Ryan is not playing the best, Henry Smith is Injured and Fort isn't favoured, is any consideration given to the other fwd we drafted, Luke Lloyd? How has his form been? It leaves us quite inexperienced up fwd I know.

Outside a like for like replacement for Hippy I'm not making any other changes. Very happy to give Starce n Bailey the extra cpl of weeks to get 100%. Even give them a run in the Vfl to be sure to be sure. Pretty important back end to the season, the more troops at 100% the better.

 

[M Malice]

I don't like the idea of a tall in for Hipwood, Fort or Ryan don't move around the ground as quick as Eric and both will be vulnerable on rebound, go smaller, Bailey in for Hippy as the only change I could live with although as I posted earlier I'd like Brain to get a full game this week and maybe special Bruuuuuuce to the sub spot.

If Bailey is not quite ready, Brain in for Hippy and Reece Torrent as the sub.

FWIW I think Fages will go with Fort for Hippy.

 

[p4p1]

Relish might be a bit of a stretch. It gets him involved for sure but he comes across in tele as 90% gambling on how to shark it or how to outwit the opposition ruck without competing for it.

FWIW when I was at the Freo game in Perth last year, when he did properly compete in the ruck, I was surprised how hard he and the other ruckman were bashing into each other. It certainly loses something in translation through the TV.

 

[p4p1]

I think last time we played them Sicily had a field day and they gave us the run around all day. We were just chasing tail and the score line should of been a lot worse.

To stop that happening again we need a much better output from the whole midfield group and try to squeeze up the ground quickly when we do move it forward.

Maybe Bailey in for Hipwood. Play Bailey exclusively as a small forward and Rayner to play CHF.

IIRC Sicily played on Gunston. I think whoever his opponent is this weekend, he will have a little less freedom.

 

[Nathan Barley]

If Ryan is not playing the best, Henry Smith is Injured and Fort isn't favoured, is any consideration given to the other fwd we drafted, Luke Lloyd? How has his form been? It leaves us quite inexperienced up fwd I know.

Outside a like for like replacement for Hippy I'm not making any other changes. Very happy to give Starce n Bailey the extra cpl of weeks to get 100%. Even give them a run in the Vfl to be sure to be sure. Pretty important back end to the season, the more troops at 100% the better.

Maybe we can sneak Daniel Lloyd out there

 

[Nathan Barley]

Bring in Dev and play him on ball and play Dunks forward

 

[Section 5]

I would go Fort over Ryan if they decide on a tall which i think they will.

You don't want Morris, Ryan and Jo (doing ruck relief) as the forwards. That's way to inexperienced a forward line.

If you go small its Bailey if available, Dev & Tunstill and hope Rayner has a big game.
Ah Chee spent a reasonable amount of time on the wing last week. That would have to change.
Once again, they could put Wilmot on the wing and keep Ah Chee forward with Reville also getting more forward time.

In: Fort Out: Hippy

If they decide to play Bailey.
In: Fort Out: Hippy
IN: Bailey Out: Brain

 

[p4p1]

Sicily isn't that tall. If we are worried about him, there is no reason to bring in another tall that doesn't move well.
We have options in the side that could do a good defensive role on Sicily if needed.

 

[Section 5]

If Ryan is not playing the best, Henry Smith is Injured and Fort isn't favoured, is any consideration given to the other fwd we drafted, Luke Lloyd? How has his form been? It leaves us quite inexperienced up fwd I know.

Outside a like for like replacement for Hippy I'm not making any other changes. Very happy to give Starce n Bailey the extra cpl of weeks to get 100%. Even give them a run in the Vfl to be sure to be sure. Pretty important back end to the season, the more troops at 100% the better.

Luke Lloyd has been playing in defense in the VFL for about the last 4 games.
We were too tall up forward, so he was the one they moved to defense.
Playing better in that position at present.
Could also be a learning experience from the coaches.

 

[martinson]

Sicily isn't that tall. If we are worried about him, there is no reason to bring in another tall that doesn't move well.
We have options in the side that could do a good defensive role on Sicily if needed.

Sicily pumped us last time for sure but we put zero work into him , had our worst possible option on him and we played awfully after half time to boot.

So I'm not overly worried about him with our new forward set up whatever it is provided we pay him due respect and look at ways to exploit the situation. He might not be 100% either.

 

[Nunez]

Bring in Dev and play him on ball and play Dunks forward

Actually like this idea. The two can rotate in the middle.

 

[Sherrinator]

Hipwood out for Bailey. Rayner the 2nd tall.

 

[Section 5]

We are going into round 11 undefeated in Melbourne this year.
Forget the fact we have only played there once being against the Demons.
Still, that's a positive.

On the other side of the ledger Hippy kicked 4 against the Hawks last year

 

[twhowler]

We are going into round 11 undefeated in Melbourne this year.
Forget the fact we have only played there once being against the Demons.
Still, that's a positive.

On the other side of the ledger Hippy kicked 4 against the Hawks last year

kicked 4 but from memory lost a lot of 1v1 v sicily. is my memory crap? maybe. i thought they were 1v1 and hippy had a strangely effective game (4.0 from 10 touches now that i look it up) but again you can't shirk 4 goals, handy contribution.

On the flipside to my usual doom and gloom, our record at docklands is pretty damn good.

Wins last year again saints, blues, pies. Loss to the dogs.

Wins in 2022 v essendon and saints.

wins in 2021 v pies and blues

7-1 since 2021. Up against our 0-4 v hawks since 2020. two immovable objects collide, one will yield...

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

I don't like the idea of a tall in for Hipwood, Fort or Ryan don't move around the ground as quick as Eric and both will be vulnerable on rebound, go smaller, Bailey in for Hippy as the only change I could live with although as I posted earlier I'd like Brain to get a full game this week and maybe special Bruuuuuuce to the sub spot.

If Bailey is not quite ready, Brain in for Hippy and Reece Torrent as the sub.

FWIW I think Fages will go with Fort for Hippy.

I'm with you.
I'm hoping that we don't revert back to dumpkicks on our forwards heads when the pressure is up.
If we can keep our ball movement quick then I feel confident a small will do the job by getting seperation.
If we go tall with Fort I feel like he will just be a target up front and it will come down on his head only for Scicilly to swallow it.
I'm iffy on Bailey atm, our mix has been good the last two weeks, but if he could up his defensive pressure then we could have the Rolls Royce of the Mosquito Fleets going around , maybe even Ferrari.

 

[McIvor]

So I hit the record books because my recollection of our record in games in the game pre-bye wasn’t great; probably because players have mentally checked out in looking forward to their upcoming breaks. Sadly, the record books supported my theory.

Since 2011 when the bye came in our record is as follows:

3 wins and 12 losses (2011 to current) and in that period when playing as the away team pre bye, we are 0 wins and 9 losses (therefore 3 wins and 3 losses at home) so we have our work cut out to win our first away game pre-bye.

Under Fagan (2017 to current):

2 wins and 6 losses

Since 2021 (post Covid year):

1 win and 3 losses

These numbers do not include the bye before finals.

All of a sudden, if I wasn’t nervous already, I’m extremely nervous now as the records supported my inkling.