Preview Changes v Sydney

[Paladin]

They play Freo and Saints. At least 1 win there. Which will keep them 4th as long as we beat the Swans. Its also about keeping the Swans out of the top 4.

If players are declared fit by the club at this stage, knowing everything that they know, then they are good to go. No point in resting them for a rests sake. With the Bye we may be in the spot where we only play 2 games in 4 weeks. They will have lots of time to rest up.

Port will overtake them if they only win 1 and we beat Sydney.

If Richmond win 2 like they should then they will quite possibly finish 3rd above Geelong.

So risking Tex and Sloane so we get Richmond would be more than foolish. Not to mention could backfire they are due to win a final!

 

[Dangarman]

And yet we've beaten every other team this year apart from Norf



****ing Norf ... still can't get my head around that !

And Collingwood. Technically haven't beaten Sydney and WC this year, but only cause we haven't played them yet...

 

[Heafy83]

Port will overtake them if they only win 1 and we beat Sydney.

If Richmond win 2 like they should then they will quite possibly finish 3rd above Geelong.

So risking Tex and Sloane so we get Richmond would be more than foolish. Not to mention could backfire they are due to win a final!

If Richmond win this week and Port/Swans lose then Tigers have secured a top 4 spot. Swans play us and Port play the Dogs away. I can't see Port getting over the Dogs given its away and they are playing for a finals spot.

 

[subaru]

And Collingwood. Technically haven't beaten Sydney and WC this year, but only cause we haven't played them yet...

Technically schmecnically

 

[Paladin]

If Richmond win this week and Port/Swans lose then Tigers have secured a top 4 spot. Swans play us and Port play the Dogs away. I can't see Port getting over the Dogs given its away and they are playing for a finals spot.

So we should risk Tex and Sloane because you think you can tip 4 or 5 results correctly? If Richmond win both and Geelong drop 1 they wont finish 4th! Hows your tipping?

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

You and others can't seem to comprehend what our coach has stated about resting players.

Clearly we played people last season who should have been rested and I'm sure that our public statements are unchanged.

Will we again?

 

[Elite Crow]

So we should risk Tex and Sloane because you think you can tip 4 or 5 results correctly? If Richmond win both and Geelong drop 1 they wont finish 4th! Hows your tipping?

And given Geelong plays gws they could easily drop a game

 

[jackster83]

Why not "manage" Lever this week and next?

We've got nothing to lose, it will freshen him up for finals and we can give a couple of games to someone who will be here next year (Doedee, Dear or Hartigan).

 

[1970crow]

I would be in favour of a Thommo farewell game

Also would bring in Wigg to get a taste and rest Tex

Would like to rest Talia but don't think there's anyone else who can take Franklin ... and doesn't get any easier next week against Kennedy.

Out: Tex, Sloane
In: Wigg, Thommo

It would be nice to be able to give Thommo a farewell game. But reality is that the game would need to be given to someone who we might need to call up in the event of injury. If anyone is rested from our genuine best 22 inside mids, then we need to play Poholke or Gooch as they might be required down the track. Thommo should have been chaired off after the game he was gifted when Greenwood was rested. We can't put Thommo ahead of the team and ultimate goal again.

 

[Elite Crow]

These are not injuries that will get worse. They are just a sore toe/knee. Nothing is broken or torn. They will heal given time. Time they will have against West Coast possibly or the bye afterwards.

Are you sure about that?

I know it was only Rowie but he said Tex had turf toe that could get worse and stop him playing.

 

[Heafy83]

So we should risk Tex and Sloane because you think you can tip 4 or 5 results correctly? If Richmond win both and Geelong drop 1 they wont finish 4th! Hows your tipping?

Risk Tex & Sloane? Risk them from a stubbed toe and knock to the knee? If they are named then they are right to go. Their injuries will not get worse. Every player has niggles and sore body parts this time of the year. The question is will they be able to provide enough to the team on game day. Im backing them both in to do so given they have most of the year.

 

[Heafy83]

Are you sure about that?

I know it was only Rowie but he said Tex had turf toe that could get worse and stop him playing.

Club has not said he has turf toe. Simply a stubbed toe.

 

[Heafy83]

So we should risk Tex and Sloane because you think you can tip 4 or 5 results correctly? If Richmond win both and Geelong drop 1 they wont finish 4th! Hows your tipping?

PS tipping is great this year with 123. Sitting top of one competition and 5th out of 277 in another

 

[Elite Crow]

Club has not said he has turf toe. Simply a stubbed toe.

Club always tells the truth about injuries? I missed the part where they told us Sloane had a knee issue for a while.

The club also didn't tell us Tex had scans on a foot until it came out.

 

[Heafy83]

Club always tells the truth about injuries? I missed the part where they told us Sloane had a knee issue for a while.

The club also didn't tell us Tex had scans on a foot until it came out.

Tin Foil hat stuff right there

Why does the club have to tell us about scans if they don't reveal an injury? Also there is a difference about straight out lying about what an injury is and not declaring every niggle a player has.

 

[1970crow]

Pathetic but it happens and is also good to honour your champions.

When was the last time it happened in a side that was in contention for the flag or finals? Just list the player and the year.

 

[Paladin]

Risk Tex & Sloane? Risk them from a stubbed toe and knock to the knee? If they are named then they are right to go. Their injuries will not get worse. Every player has niggles and sore body parts this time of the year. The question is will they be able to provide enough to the team on game day. Im backing them both in to do so given they have most of the year.

The real question is will a rest this week help them get closer to 100% fitness for the finals.

If the answer is yes then they should sit out this dead rubber. Agree?

 

[Elite Crow]

Tin Foil hat stuff right there

Why does the club have to tell us about scans if they don't reveal an injury? Also there is a difference about straight out lying about what an injury is and not declaring every niggle a player has.

Why would a player need to pass a fitness test for a stubbed/jarred toe?

And do you know how you get turf toe?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Hopefully AFC have learnt from last year that there is no need to take an unnecessary risks with players who are not near their optimum fitness levels & are at significant risk of further injury. There needs to be a balance of resting anyone who is an unnecessary risk, compared to resting a heap of players & effectively throwing the game against Sydney.

Sydney are our most dangerous competitor for the flag, so we should be doing everything within reason to beat them so they remain out of the top-4 & have to fight their way to a Grand Final. Also, we have a shocking poor record against Sydney, so there is also the psychological issue too, even though many on here dismiss it.

As I mentioned before, Talia appears to be able to manage his issue for a while now. Given Sydney have 3 big forwards & we don't have Hartigan or Otten ready to go, he should play again this week or we are vulnerable at the back. We can rest Talia & his back from a long flight next week if we feel he could do with a 2 week freshen up.

Walker didn't appear to be moving at all well last week after his knock. I would be looking to rest him & his toe if he is still the same way. We can bring in another midfielder for him, as we have enough tall timber with JJ, Gov & Lynch, particularly as we have no suitable replacements in the SANFL.

Sloane seemed to run out the game OK last week & has been meticulous in his rehab. Again I would not risk him if we there is a significant chance of causing a 3 week injury (missing 1st final), but otherwise he should play.

I have no issue resting 1-2 of these players (or others), but resting all 3 I doubt is necessary & sends a message to Sydney we are not taking them seriously.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

Not sure what all the debate in here is to be honest . Pyke has been very clear that players won't be rested, but we also won't be playing players with injuries. We have a clear approach to the rest of the season which will not risk flirting with our form line .

 

[1970crow]

What is your point? I'm assuming you have one, even if it's not evident from the drivel flowing from your keyboard.

Menzel is an interesting case. Thinker suggested during the preseason that there was work ethic type issues causing him to not be giving himself the best chance of getting a game. And yet he has been selected 4 times so far this year. He was selected for round 4 off the back of a 16 touch SANFL game and then for round 8 off 18 touches. His form at the lower level was generally described as average by those who attend the games and yet he has been selected. I'm wouldn't be too convinced that he's all that far away should the right player be an unfortunate out.

 

[CrowsAlways83]

Roo even said it during the Port game, they carried injured players because they had to keep winning.

Should we do the same when we don't need to keep winning?

I'm very surprised with the lack of vision by some all for the feel good factor of beating Sydney.

Agreed, some people sure have short memories that we beat Sydney in the minor round last year, only to get spanked in the semi-final, and I also remember we beat Sydney in the minor round in 2012 only to be hammered in the qualifying final by them. Winning in the minor round has no bearing on what the result might be against that team in finals. Yes we might take some confidence out of it, but it guarantees us zilch.

Having the bye after Rd 23 makes the decision a little bit more complex, but the fact is we have locked in a top 2 spot, the only thing that can change is whether its finishing top or 2nd, and the only impact that has is on who our opponent will be - but given the remaining fixture its not entirely in our control who will finish 3 or 4 so we may as well look after playing personnel first and foremost and not try manipulate who our finals opponent will be.

Having said that, I would be happy for us to lose one or both of the next two if it means Port has no chance of climbing into the top 4, because all I wanted us to secure was the double chance with home ground advantage - which we lose if Port is our opponent. I reckon losing to Sydney while resting Tex and Sloane, then beating West Coast away will still see us take good form into finals

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Menzel is an interesting case. Thinker suggested during the preseason that there was work ethic type issues causing him to not be giving himself the best chance of getting a game. And yet he has been selected 4 times so far this year. He was selected for round 4 off the back of a 16 touch SANFL game and then for round 8 off 18 touches. His form at the lower level was generally described as average by those who attend the games and yet he has been selected. I'm wouldn't be too convinced that he's all that far away should the right player be an unfortunate out.

Could bring him in for Tex this week, if he needs a rest.

We have got nothing to lose to see what he can do at AFL level...

 

[1970crow]

It's an interesting choice of words. You'd think if they are needing to get over an injury, then they'd have a fair bit of not doing work to do.

 

[1970crow]

I agree.
You've had a soft draw avoiding us all season

Would have loved to have gotten you out of the way nice and early.