Opinion Changes vs Geelong

[Schulzenfest]

I like him as a ruckman until Ryder gets back now the coaches have done the right think and brought Hombsch in. Team balance restored.

Yep, this. The current set up is probably the best Ryder-less structure available to us. Probably should have been how we lined up in Round 2, but we just had to wait for Hombsch’s form to justify a call-up first. Now it has.

Hombsch, Clurey and Howard will all know that when Ryder comes back, one of those three is likely to be the out for him. Hopefully that puts a rocket up all three of them over the next few weeks.

 

[JUSTWORK]

I'll go unpopular opinion Rockliff needs to come back through the SANFL now, I didn't have a problem with the way he's been handled but the injury on top of a slow fitness & form build leads me to believe he needs to get a 30 plus possession game in the magoos to get a bit of a confidence spike before recall.

Has merit, but that relies on everyone in the AFL side (midfielders at least) playing their role and playing well meaning we don’t need to rush Rockliff back in.

 

[PowerBaz]

I like him as a ruckman until Ryder gets back now the coaches have done the right think and brought Hombsch in. Team balance restored. He’ll still get his chop out from Westhoff and Dixon.

Interesting it took them this long to sort it out.

 

[G3TWOTYAD3S3RV]

With SPP & Rockliff out of the side you’d feel pretty hard done by if your name is Atley. If he can’t get a gig now he never will. He’ll seek a trade no doubt it. Shame as I think he’s a real player.

 

[David Puddy]

Balance looks much better with Hombsch back.

Means Dougal will ruck most of the game, letting Dixon play as a proper forward against their undermanned backline and Hoff back to his roaming role.

Neade in should mean that Gray, Boak, and Wingard will play more minutes through the middle.

Still would have liked to see Barry instead of Amon, but you can't win them all I guess.

 

[finbarr]

Interesting it took them this long to sort it out.

Essendon was an accident waiting to happen really. They got seduced by the Ryderless performance against Sydney, which was really on the back of Dixon going into ruck after half time. In that game we could afford to lose Dixon from the forward line because the conditions were so humid and slippery that it wasn’t really a marking forwards game, and the smaller forwards were able to come into their own.

 

[jac147]

The only other change I would have considered would have been Amon (out), Barry (in)
Pretty happy with Neade & Hombsch.
No use in suggesting Billy as it’s never going to happen!

 

[PowerBaz]

More than anything they need to turn up with 100% intensity 100% of the match.

 

[Andre]

Yep, this. The current set up is probably the best Ryder-less structure available to us. Probably should have been how we lined up in Round 2, but we just had to wait for Hombsch’s form to justify a call-up first. Now it has.

Hombsch, Clurey and Howard will all know that when Ryder comes back, one of those three is likely to be the out for him. Hopefully that puts a rocket up all three of them over the next few weeks.

Howard’s been our best defender this year. Add in if he’s able to show he should be our chip out when’s Ryder is back, he’s not only ahead of all defenders including Jonas, but in the first handful picked full stop.

 

[Coobk001]

With SPP & Rockliff out of the side you’d feel pretty hard done by if your name is Atley. If he can’t get a gig now he never will. He’ll seek a trade no doubt it. Shame as I think he’s a real player.

Yeah I'm a bit confused on this. Atley looks like an outstanding talent, and also fits the glaring need we have for more zip in the contest. They must be seeing something we aren't to keep holding him back. Because having watched every game he's played AFL and SANFL, I can say that he has some great speed, fantastic power through his core to take a tackle and dish off, he is great at breaking tackles, and skill wise overall he is solid and probably better than Ollie, so there's a lot to work with. I certainly want us to start getting games into him asap.

 

[Jonts]

the problem with Atley at AFL level is where does he play if he isn't on the ball for his 60-70% game time?

 

[Magus]

the problem with Atley at AFL level is where does he play if he isn't on the ball for his 60-70% game time?

Try anything, he's a kid.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

Atley will get his chance I love the peak irrational port board panic over a 2nd year player not getting picked "he's the next dirk winxa omfg he'll leave, leave!, Leave!!!"

 

[Schulzenfest]

Howard’s been our best defender this year. Add in if he’s able to show he should be our chip out when’s Ryder is back, he’s not only ahead of all defenders including Jonas, but in the first handful picked full stop.

Yeah, IMO he’s definitely the least likely of the three to go out, but you never know. If Hombsch and Clurey hit really strong form and Doogs hasn’t played as a defender in a while, maybe they give him a week or two in the SANFL to readjust to the KPD role before calling him back up again. It’s not something that I personally would do, but I wouldn’t rule it out either.

 

[raptalia]

So what is the st

With SPP & Rockliff out of the side you’d feel pretty hard done by if your name is Atley. If he can’t get a gig now he never will. He’ll seek a trade no doubt it. Shame as I think he’s a real player.

Ken probably thinks he isn't ready yet.

 

[Willsy10]

Don't mind the changes. Neade and Hombsch are both in good form. But agree with posters above that Atley is definitely the unlucky one.

Houston and Clurey really lucky for mine, better perform this week. And Amon too that goes without saying, his spot was gifted and he needs to repay the faith.

 

[OneGreatClub]

With SPP & Rockliff out of the side you’d feel pretty hard done by if your name is Atley. If he can’t get a gig now he never will. He’ll seek a trade no doubt it. Shame as I think he’s a real player.

Wtf

 

[raptalia]

Howard’s been our best defender this year. Add in if he’s able to show he should be our chip out when’s Ryder is back, he’s not only ahead of all defenders including Jonas, but in the first handful picked full stop.

Plus with Westhoff further up the field Dougal is the only 195 cm+ defender we have. With Hawkins at 198cm we need someone to contest in the air.

 

[G3TWOTYAD3S3RV]

Yeah I'm a bit confused on this. Atley looks like an outstanding talent, and also fits the glaring need we have for more zip in the contest. They must be seeing something we aren't to keep holding him back. Because having watched every game he's played AFL and SANFL, I can say that he has some great speed, fantastic power through his core to take a tackle and dish off, he is great at breaking tackles, and skill wise overall he is solid and probably better than Ollie, so there's a lot to work with. I certainly want us to start getting games into him asap.

Totally agree & he does have a luring go home to play along side his brother factor. He’s been really solid for the Maggie’s . With two mids out you’d think they’d give him a decent crack. It’s irrational as much as the no ruck inclusions is. He may just look for more opportunities.

 

[Andre]

Yeah, IMO he’s definitely the least likely of the three to go out, but you never know. If Hombsch and Clurey hit really strong form and Doogs hasn’t played as a defender in a while, maybe they give him a week or two in the SANFL to readjust to the KPD role before calling him back up again. It’s not something that I personally would do, but I wouldn’t rule it out either.

Our tallest defender. Potentially unpopular opinion, but a choice between Howard and Jonas only, I’d take Howard.

 

[Chrizzt]

Totally agree & he does have a luring go home to play along side his brother factor. He’s been really solid for the Maggie’s . With two mids out you’d think they’d give him a decent crack. It’s irrational as much as the no ruck inclusions is. He may just look for more opportunities.

I hope you have some sturdy plastic mattress covers with the amount of bedwetting you're doing here.

You really think there's a strong pull to go and play for North at the moment? He's already been given some AFL games and is only in his second year on the list. Ken said in a radio interview the other day that his form is fine, but a bit disappointing against WWT. There's nothing wrong with demanding a consistent run of form before giving him a run at AFL.

 

[JUSTWORK]

Totally agree & he does have a luring go home to play along side his brother factor. He’s been really solid for the Maggie’s . With two mids out you’d think they’d give him a decent crack. It’s irrational as much as the no ruck inclusions is. He may just look for more opportunities.

He is still very young and has a lot of good young players he will be playing with.

Hayes, Powell-Pepper, Wines, Atley is a promising midfield group it to mention the likes of Bonner, Howard, Byrne-Jones, Marshall, Wingard and all outher promising young players.

Hopefully he relishes the players we will have around him commits for another two years.

 

[Powerstufff]

I hope you have some sturdy plastic mattress covers with the amount of bedwetting you're doing here.

You really think there's a strong pull to go and play for North at the moment? He's already been given some AFL games and is only in his second year on the list. Ken said in a radio interview the other day that his form is fine, but a bit disappointing against WWT. There's nothing wrong with demanding a consistent run of form before giving him a run at AFL.

Who are you replying to/talking about?

 

[JUSTWORK]

You really think there's a strong pull to go and play for North at the moment?

Well it does happen all the time, Jed Anderson left the hawks to go to North, Jack Steele left the giants to get games with St Kilda, Barret with Brisbane.

Not saying Atley will or will not this year, but players deprived of opertunities do go looking for it elsewhere

 

[Byrons Firen]

Just got back from the "Captain's run" (where did this phrase come from?) no SPP so missed an opportunity to say
"keep your chin up m8" no surprise tho' coz he's not playing. As the players walked off got a chance to ask Dougal
"whats it like to hear Dooooogz out there"
"pretty awesome m8"
Good to see Chen there and the profile he has. Not uncommon to see him in the Mall at our marches and Maggies games
both Alberton and away. Great ambassador, so proud of him. Always acknowledges an hello so so professional.
Kicking goals without a ball in hand.