Preview Changes vs Giants RD 24 - Huge game @ Mars Stadium - Sun 25 Aug 12:30

[JohnnySteel]

I am unsure about Harvey G and would swap him for McRae or Sanders .

Gallaghers disposal scares me in a final especially, with added heat.

Think he can become a good player but he is way too scrappy at the moment.

Rather get Harmes back into the side.


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[lachy]

Pretty sickening we find ourselves reliant on the final round of the year for the 3rd year in a row.

Why??? Restructured team, game plan, coaches and fitness staff and for the first time in Bev's time we are hitting form coming in.

We are not a top 4 team but we are a team none of the top 4 would want to meet in the finals

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[lachy]

Need to look at who could come in and whether they would be better than those there.

Really only 3 English, Harmes and Buss. Would like to see at least one in next week.as. going in unchanged is.risky given for example Khamis amd West's form over the last couple of weeks for example

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[Doggy]

Need to look at who could come in and whether they would be better than those there.

Really only 3 English, Harmes and Buss. Would like to see at least one in next week.as. going in unchanged is.risky given for example Khamis amd West's form over the last couple of weeks for example

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Coffield would be more likely than Busslinger at this stage of the year I'd suspect. Whether that's right or wrong.

Apparently English won't be back

 

[Rocketsurgery]

How is Harmes not in the team ahead of Gallagher? He's a better player with finals and premiership experience. Before his injury he was in good form kicking multiple goals for a few weeks in a row. He's been back since in the vfl playing well. He should have been in for today's game.

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[Doggy]

How is Harmes not in the team ahead of Gallagher? He's a better player with finals and premiership experience. Before his injury he was in good form kicking multiple goals for a few weeks in a row. He's been back since in the vfl playing well. He should have been in for today's game.

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He's only recently come back I think.

Not sure he'll come in here either

 

[bigdog54]

How is Harmes not in the team ahead of Gallagher? He's a better player with finals and premiership experience. Before his injury he was in good form kicking multiple goals for a few weeks in a row. He's been back since in the vfl playing well. He should have been in for today's game.

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The hammy is the only reason harmes is out of the team. When fit, he's in the 22

 

[Doggy]

Early weather reports, 17 degrees with scattered showers

 

[geoffjennings79]

Played 94 games for the club now, should get 100 round 0 next year.

I like your thinking! (Assuming you meant games #95-99 are all wins? )

 

[Zeno The Great]

Thought O'Donnell was excellent today. I have more faith in him to stand up in a final than buku. If English is available, I'd drop buku push lobb back.

Other change is gags out for one of Garcia, sanders or harmes. Gags disposals and how long he takes to dispose of the ball I fear will get exposed in high pressure games like next week.

 

[Scotch N Coke Monatore]

Macrae looked really good today when he was subbed on. Should start next week. Not sure who goes out or swaps to the sub. Hurts to suggest this but West?

 

[cherrypie]

I don’t think we looked any worse without English in the Ruck. Lobb & Darcy looked like a great combo against a good ruckman.

Lobb did a great job with his second efforts but was pretty comfortably beaten in the hitouts. Think if North had any decent midfielders we would’ve struggled around the ball as a result. Wouldn’t want GWS to have that consistent service from their ruck next week because they could capitalise on it

 

[cherrypie]

In: English, Harmes
Out: Khamis, Gallagher

 

[geoffjennings79]

In: English, Harmes
Out: Khamis, Gallagher

Bevo said English unlikely in post-match, needs another week. If we win, he'll have an extra 2 weeks recovery.

 

[bigdog54]

Lobb did a great job with his second efforts but was pretty comfortably beaten in the hitouts. Think if North had any decent midfielders we would’ve struggled around the ball as a result. Wouldn’t want GWS to have that consistent service from their ruck next week because they could capitalise on it

Don't agree with that. Yeah the 'numbers' say lobb was beaten in the hitouts but when two players bear hug and one gets a knuckle to it how useful is it really. Thought lobb neutralised the contest which was a nice change to watching English get butchered.

 

[who_let_the_dogs_out]

Macrae looked really good today when he was subbed on. Should start next week. Not sure who goes out or swaps to the sub. Hurts to suggest this but West?

West's last game in Ballarat was great from memory. If it's going to be wet and no doubt windy we'll need his small forward craft.

 

[ScottyDogg]

Does anyone else think West is carrying an injury. Not sure if it has been discussed. He took some big blows in the Carlton-Swans block I think he might have a shoulder or something else restricting him. Hopefully we win and he get enough time for it to heal up a bit before finals.

 

[Mofra]

Pretty sickening we find ourselves reliant on the final round of the year for the 3rd year in a row.

Freo would have to be Port and Hawks and Carlton both win to knock us out. Port will be favourites and St Kilda could surprise Carlton, the way they beat Geelong.

Either way we want to back ourselves in, beat GWS and earn a home final.

 

[Mofra]

Don't agree with that. Yeah the 'numbers' say lobb was beaten in the hitouts but when two players bear hug and one gets a knuckle to it how useful is it really. Thought lobb neutralised the contest which was a nice change to watching English get butchered.

There's breaking even, and then there's breaking even.

Lobb neutralised Xerri who is the best ruck in the game right now. It was actually a pretty massive effort for a guy who has hardly rucked at AFL level for a couple of months now.

I thought we overpayed at the trade table for Lobb, but right now it's looking like I was wrong and he was a good pick up.

Onto this week - no change. English needs another week and the role players all played their roles. Khamis had a mare in the first quarter but to his credit worked into the game and had some good moments in the second half.

Really happy for McNeill too who barely got onto an AFL list this year, has a shocker at the start of the year, but forced his way back into the side with sheer effort. Had the best fortnight of his career the past two games. No star but absolutely gives 100% in playing his role. Managed to get right back to defence to help out a number of times too so the kid seems to be covering a lot of ground.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

This is one game where I would love to have Tim in the ruck to allow Rory to give Liam a chop out against Hogan. However, it appears Tim will not be right. Tim spoke at the Presidents lunch and said he had started light running and gave himself a chance of playing but looks like Bevo has poured cold water on that or hopefully playing mind games with GWS.

Looks like it could be a balmy 19 degrees for Ballarat and fairly windy any rain will be later in the day. Hope we win but if we lose the train on the way back will be shaking with nervous bulldogs supporters tuning in on the blues v saints game.

 

[Golden_6]

In: English (if fit)
Out: Khamis

I'd probably swap Caleb & Macrae's roles around despite a good game from Daniel. I'd like Harmes in for VDM but there's next to zero chance of that happening.

 

[Golden_6]

Also Tim has had a brace on his right hand for the past week. Could the club be using the ankle as a 'cover' for another undisclosed injury? You can see him wearing it in his re-signing photos last week.

 

[go_sports_team]

There's breaking even, and then there's breaking even.

Lobb neutralised Xerri who is the best ruck in the game right now. It was actually a pretty massive effort for a guy who has hardly rucked at AFL level for a couple of months now.

I thought we overpayed at the trade table for Lobb, but right now it's looking like I was wrong and he was a good pick up.

Onto this week - no change. English needs another week and the role players all played their roles. Khamis had a mare in the first quarter but to his credit worked into the game and had some good moments in the second half.

Really happy for McNeill too who barely got onto an AFL list this year, has a shocker at the start of the year, but forced his way back into the side with sheer effort. Had the best fortnight of his career the past two games. No star but absolutely gives 100% in playing his role. Managed to get right back to defence to help out a number of times too so the kid seems to be covering a lot of ground.

100%. Watching at marvel, I was surprised to see he lost the hit out count so significantly because it seemed like he well and truly matched Xerri most of the time. He's turned into an amazing recruit for us and has saved us several times this year. Absolutely love his efforts of the past couple of months.

 

[Unorth]

100%. Watching at marvel, I was surprised to see he lost the hit out count so significantly because it seemed like he well and truly matched Xerri most of the time.

The Roughie special. Tim has his advantages over most rucks - being able to at least nullify their influence in the contest if he can’t compete in hit outs is not something he can do.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

I can almost guarantee there'll be no changes, which is probably a good move.

In terms of my preferences, I would really like to get Harmes into the side. I think he'd be so valuable against GWS' bigger bodies and harder running, and he is the dream candidate to run with / body Whitfield if he takes over.

In terms of outs, I really don't trust Khamis. He deserves credit for turning his awful first quarter around, but at the same time, this is part of a consistent pattern of him really struggling whenever we concede centre clearances and coming good when we're well on top. That's not really helpful in more competitive games. He is going to get isolated in those games and unfortunately he just cannot function in 1v1s.

That said, he allows Freijah to play more freely, which is probably of net benefit. So I favour keeping him in until English gets back, at which time we have Lobb back and JOD to take Khamis' position.

Anybody else going out of the side would be really stiff, but for me it's probably Gallagher. They play similar roles, Gags only managed ~70% TOG, and I just have a little more faith in Harmes' defensive chops and ball use at this stage, in a must-win game.

FB: Khamis - Jones - Duryea
HB: Dale - JOD - Daniel

C: Williams - Bontempelli - Bramble

HF: West - Naughton - Harmes
FF: Weightman - JUH - Darcy

R: Lobb - Liberatore - Treloar

I: Macrae - Freijah - Vandermeer - Richards
S: McNeil