Prediction Changes v Melbourne (5 added to squad including Phillips, Cloke and Oxley omitted, see squad in OP)

[Saintly Viewed]

You should Dave. It's a great series. Better than watching Collingwood play at the present time, particularly with 3 lumbering rucks and Frost as our defensive general.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

You should Dave. It's a great series. Better than watching Collingwood play at the present time, particularly with 3 lumbering rucks and Frost as our defensive general.

great series
Lots of coaches get whacked too

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Unfortunately, while Buckley is coach, spuds and ball torchers like Blair, Sinclair and Toovey will continue to get games.
There are kids in the VFL like Marsh and Wills who are not getting games but Buckley's bum buddies are safe.

Do you really believe that?
Totally silly, all coaches want to win before playing "favourites"

 

[Mateyman]

The whole team is shit mate. He was far from the worst against Port. He is our best KPF and he's playing VFL. Bucks isn't claiming injuries as an excuse. Good on him. He's putting up a front to the media. "Oh yeah it's our application" or whatever. Bullshit. It's our injuries. Whether or not those injuries are Buck's fault is another story. He's not claiming them but it's there. But it's it's complete bullshit to cry injuries when you have one of your best players in the VFL. Two if you count Brown. He's just thrown a highly valuable and irreplaceable player out the window to try to absolve his own blame.

He was completely ineffectual against Port as he has been most of the season. From watching the VFL he actually came out yesterday and played with some real aggression (which we hadn't seen all year) and I think now he will be back in the seniors by our next game.

 

[Mateyman]

Unfortunately, while Buckley is coach, spuds and ball torchers like Blair, Sinclair and Toovey will continue to get games.
There are kids in the VFL like Marsh and Wills who are not getting games but Buckley's bum buddies are safe.

You talk about ball torchers and then complain that Marsh isn't in the team?

 

[DAWESOME!!]

Unfortunately, while Buckley is coach, spuds and ball torchers like Blair, Sinclair and Toovey will continue to get games.
There are kids in the VFL like Marsh and Wills who are not getting games but Buckley's bum buddies are safe.

Firstly, you have a problem with Sinclair and Toovey getting a game because of their disposal, but you want Marsh in the team?
Second, Marsh is getting a game this week.
Third, can you keep your homophobic slurs to yourself please?

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

You talk about ball torchers and then complain that Marsh isn't in the team?

Unfortunately he is a little wayward with his disposal which would work against him being selected. Some VFL watchers claim he has tidied it up a bit. How was his disposal against Casey and did he look capable of playing AFL?

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Firstly, you have a problem with Sinclair and Toovey getting a game because of their disposal, but you want Marsh in the team?
Second, Marsh is getting a game this week.
Third, can you keep your homophobic slurs to yourself please?

Marsh is in this week! Ignore my previous post. It seems I am slightly out of touch with reality. Hope he does well.

 

[mattys123]

I'm willing to give them until this game is actually played to assess team selection. I "get" the selection this week, even if I don't agree with it. We are pissing our pants worried about Gawn so will double team him with Grundy and Witts while Cox plays FF. Marsh comes in as the second defensive tall to take Dawes or Watts who don't play that tall anyway.

What there can't be is any excuses about "not having our best 22" or anything like that. We have Cloke, Brown, Goldsack, Aish etc running around in the VFL yesterday and it showed that all of them are too good for that level.

The coaching staff have backed this 22 to perform, it's on them more than the players tomorrow IMO, because it's a unique approach indeed.

 

[Hardas]

You need more than 50 games to be able to:
- run?
- not fall over 10 times a game?
- take a basic chest mark?
- spoil a mark?
Hm.....gonna have to disagree.

The falling over, even in good conditions, is a major weakness in his approach to the game.
IMO, it's not about experience after you've played a season or more, and of course it's not only Frost - it's mental weakness or poor concentration, or poor coaching reinforcement, or whatever else you want to blame.
'Keep your feet' should be a given at this level.

 

[TradeDraft]

The issue with selection this week is it means Cox becomes our main power forward.

His production in this role wont be enough.

His value is as the 2nd tall and backup ruck.

He kicks a goal or 2 amd has about 10 hitouts from 8 disposals. Its serviceable. ..not dominant.

With witts and grundy, cox realistically won't be needed to ruck. Grundy and witts will also need to play forward a lot and neither of them are highly productive as a forward.

I just hope in wrong, but my concern is that the 3 of them together will just limit us from some run.

Lets hope im dead wrong

Grundy and Witts don't play much Forward in game.

So be Intresting what Grundy does with lot more Time up there

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

The falling over, even in good conditions, is a major weakness in his approach to the game.
IMO, it's not about experience after you've played a season or more, and of course it's not only Frost - it's mental weakness or poor concentration, or poor coaching reinforcement, or whatever else you want to blame.
'Keep your feet' should be a given at this level.

Yep.

Experience is bedding down structures and gameplans. Learning running patterns and knowing when to block for teammates, leave your man to intercept etc.

Staying on your feet, taking chest marks, spoiling (as a defender) and running to actually keep up with your direct opponent are all basic skills an AFL standard footballer should have in Game 1, let alone game 50. These are all abilities Frost doesn't have.

 

[Hardas]

Yep.
Experience is bedding down structures and gameplans. Learning running patterns and knowing when to block for teammates, leave your man to intercept etc.
Staying on your feet, taking chest marks, spoiling (as a defender) and running to actually keep up with your direct opponent are all basic skills an AFL standard footballer should have in Game 1, let alone game 50. These are all abilities Frost doesn't have.

I hate to bring it up again, but some of these blokes in the back line seem to be like fish out of water at times - are they slow to adapt, or is the game plan showing them up when mid/forward pressure drops off?

 

[FireKrakouer]

Marsh is pretty fast isn't he? Maybe now we have someone quick enough to run back so we don't have 7 Joe the gooses scored against us from the goal square

 

[Hardas]

Marsh is pretty fast isn't he? Maybe now we have someone quick enough to run back so we don't have 7 Joe the gooses scored against us from the goal square

If all of Howe, Reid, Marsh and Williams play, we have a lot more capacity to hold up defensively back there.

 

[Mateyman]

Marsh is pretty fast isn't he? Maybe now we have someone quick enough to run back so we don't have 7 Joe the gooses scored against us from the goal square

You could be Sonic the Hedgehog and still not have been able to do anything when Port Adelaide had 3 players on none out the back last week

 

[10571z]

Any news on Howe? Certain starter

 

[TradeDraft]

Any news on Howe? Certain starter

Guess so. IF was doubt the Media would of Reported it by now

 

[DaVe86]

If all of Howe, Reid, Marsh and Williams play, we have a lot more capacity to hold up defensively back there.

Yeah i agree...although id have brown in over frost. Brown to me is the sort of guy to play in the 'monster' like jesse hogan. Frost is very poor body to body as was shown against hawkins a few weeks ago.

My dream backline is:

Williams, Brown, Marsh
Adams, Reid, Howe

And then Ramsey as the 7th

 

[DaVe86]

Any news on Howe? Certain starter

I reckon he is...although toovey was not played in the vfl so may still be a chance to come in. All other emergencies played vfl.

 

[DaVe86]

I'm willing to give them until this game is actually played to assess team selection. I "get" the selection this week, even if I don't agree with it. We are pissing our pants worried about Gawn so will double team him with Grundy and Witts while Cox plays FF. Marsh comes in as the second defensive tall to take Dawes or Watts who don't play that tall anyway.

What there can't be is any excuses about "not having our best 22" or anything like that. We have Cloke, Brown, Goldsack, Aish etc running around in the VFL yesterday and it showed that all of them are too good for that level.

The coaching staff have backed this 22 to perform, it's on them more than the players tomorrow IMO, because it's a unique approach indeed.

In my opinion we clearly have best 22 players in the vfl...so i agree we cant use the injury excuse.

I get that we want to double team gawn...i just reckon we have thrown our structure out to do it.

The production of witts + grundy + cox is probably not going to be enormous. However, if it nullifies the melbourne midfield then it could work.

I dont like it long term though

 

[surfer1]

Yeah i agree...although id have brown in over frost. Brown to me is the sort of guy to play in the 'monster' like jesse hogan. Frost is very poor body to body as was shown against hawkins a few weeks ago.

My dream backline is:

Williams, Brown, Marsh
Adams, Reid, Howe

And then Ramsey as the 7th

No love for Shaz

 

[doodles98]

No love for Shaz

Maybe he thinks he might need to get on the park and play good footy before he deserves the lovin!. You know, perhaps he doesn't give his footy player love away just to any old high draft pick.. they've gotta woo and impress first!

 

[surfer1]

Maybe he thinks he might need to get on the park and play good footy before he deserves the lovin!. You know, perhaps he doesn't give his footy player love away just to any old high draft pick.. they've gotta woo and impress first!

Fair enough

 

[DaVe86]

No love for Shaz

The hope is he comes good, but after 2 knee recos he needs to get his body right before he comes into calculations