Prediction Changes vs Collingwood 1st Elim Final @ Optus SATURDAY 3rd OCT 6.10PM WST

[DanWCE]

Our Emergencies list looks more impressive than our Interchange bench. Wtf.

 

[ep2018]

I hope keeping Petch in the team isn't our 'Mitch Brown in the forward pocket' moment.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

I hope keeping Petch in the team isn't our 'Mitch Brown in the forward pocket' moment.

At least he’s an actual forward.

 

[Chris_6678]

Mitch in a forward pocket in the wet as a backup Ruck for Giles and an injured Lycett is wayyyyyyyyyy worse than Petch. At least Petch be dangerous and worry their defence.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Need an extra genuine defender in, so Schoey is the only option.

 

[Hell Yeoh]

I liken him to Gryan Miers. Did you see him on Thursday night? Neither.

Unfortunately Miers only looks like he’s never kicked a football. Petrucelle kicks like it.

Miers is solid. Petch not even close. Can we do a straight swap?

 

[FKASC]

At least he’s an actual forward.

Thought he was more of a point guard myself

 

[Grahame]

He's not going to be the difference between a win or a loss you'd imagine.
Most clubs carry one or two.
I've just set the bar really low for him.
If we get anything out of him, it's a bonus.

Mmmm, agree he doesn't add much (maybe the GF sprint?) but I'd don't want to play 21 v 22 which sounds like what you're accepting. Jetta has far more upside.

Rotham is a loss out of the backline too. He has some height if not bulk. Looks to me that we are a defender short.
Duggan and Cole have been doing well as part-time midfielders, certainly better than Ainsworth.
Schofield has done really well on De Goey who is the most dangerous forward.

Agree a defender short but I'd prefer the more experienced Schoey (and he has some 'toughness').

Love the idea of Ainsworth, ONeill, Brayshaw, Petro, Reid, Brander, Rotham etc all getting H&A games for experience (as we are an 'old' side). And in 12 mths I really hope some of them are in the best 26. But in the middle of finals I want experience. Right now, none of those guys are showing they are going to be 200 game players like OAllen or Waterman. If they were I'd stick with them. In the meantime Hutch, Schoey and Jetta sit on the sidelines.

 

[RookiePick]

Yes. Including the ability to execute a drop punt. I have no time for fast footballers who cannot kick. Poor man’s Ash Smith.

Miers kicking style is probably not the attribute to trumpet. It's horrid.

 

[NSLK]

Miers kicking style is probably not the attribute to trumpet. It's horrid.

Yes. That’s the point.

 

[Dylan82]

Interesting squad that has been selected. Plenty of running capacity there for sure.

If this is indeed the squad that is to play and the club are not playing some mindgames before a late "emergency" change, then it suggests some tactical shifts may be forthcoming.

+1 through the midfield in combination with a higher defensive press would make some sense in order to cover for the loss of Yeo in the middle.

 

[beatlesmith]

Ainsworth and Petch over Schofield and Jetta in an elimination final is a real headscratcher.

Petch has looked awful, quite frankly, and Ainsworth is going to have to reprise his poor Masten imitation without an obvious tagging option. Obviously they’re not strictly like-for-like options, but we’ve been moving magnets around enough recently to show some pragmatism in team selection.

How Petch gets the nod over Jetta is beyond me, given that the club was willing to try Jetta up forward, he showed much more in that role than Petch has this season and only lost his spot through injury. Combine that with the fact that Petch struggles with decision making, pressure, defensive effort, tackling and intensity at the contest - pretty important things in finals footy - it beggars belief that he has been picked.

I’d love him to prove me wrong but I suspect we’ll see another ~8 touch, 1-2 tackle showing with some real perplexing kicks. In his 5 games this year he’s kicked 2 goals and laid 7 tackles. I appreciate that he was injured and is getting back into the swing of it but rolling the dice on him playing his first passable game of the year in a final is a risk I’d rather not take.

I may have somehow been too optimistic with Petch! 3 handballs, 0 kicks, 0 marks, 0 tackles, 0.0 on the scoreboard.

One of the more pathetic performances in recent history. What’s sad is how predictable it was. He’s scarcely up for a low pressure flogging, let alone an elimination final.