Preview Changes VS Hawks - Elimination Final @ MCG Friday 6th Sep 7:40pm

[Libbaaaa]

It's not so much about the players who are coming in, in this case both have already finished their own seasons anyway. It's about splitting the focus towards next season when a club is days away from playing in a big final. And effects current players in the 22, about to play in said final, whose roles might be taken by those shiney new toys. Media speculation and internal club discussions are one thing but this is different.

It's unnecessary and can wait (a few more days or even a month if they get that far) - and I certainly don't think it's a maturity thing just because the NRL do it and we don't.

That's my thinking, basically saying to Frost you won't play next year but please go do a job on Naughton this Friday.

 

[Mofra]

I’m fine with Harmes in over West but he needs to be in the 22 as hard nosed pressure role.

VDM, McNeil, Harmes, Daniel or Macrae all realistic options for the sub. Something tell me that Bevo will land on Caleb again.

I assume Harmes will stick to Sicily and make his life miserable.
Someone has to and West got the job last time. I'm the absence of West, Harmes seems the logical choice.

 

[goodcop badcop]

I'm thinking Macrae will be the sub.

 

[Johnny_Dogg4]

rain forecast for late afternoon / evening

 

[PurpJuice]

Freijah will have a huge game. He has the pace to match Hawthorn’s smalls, yet is strong and tall enough to out mark them in a contest.

 

[RWnBluey]

Smiley Boy Is Harmes for Arty one of the changes or the only change?

 

[BEaston]

His last couple of games he was very quiet so it might just be a perfect storm of form & injury.

I do agree that he should be playing though. I’d trust him over VDM & McNeil (who has been doing okay) in a big final when the intensity rises significantly.

Different role though to McNeil and VDM though. Those guys are more runners up and back, West I'd see more staying in the forward 50. Similar to Harmes.

 

[BEaston]

I'm thinking Macrae will be the sub.

think so too.

 

[AFDogs]

Caleb Daniel

35

Caleb Daniel

Age

28

Ht

171cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

19.5

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

CL

1.0

3star

D

16.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

's skills in the wet could be necessary. I'd say he plays and isn't sub.

 

[Smiley Boy]

Smiley Boy Is Harmes for Arty one of the changes or the only change?

Only change

 

[RWnBluey]

Only change

Thanks for confirming.

As I posted earlier, going in with only the one small forward is definitely a concern.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

It's not so much about the players who are coming in, in this case both have already finished their own seasons anyway. It's about splitting the focus towards next season when a club is days away from playing in a big final. And effects current players in the 22, about to play in said final, whose roles might be taken by those shiney new toys. Media speculation and internal club discussions are one thing but this is different.

It's unnecessary and can wait (a few more days or even a month if they get that far) - and I certainly don't think it's a maturity thing just because the NRL do it and we don't.

I wouldn't like it and I don't think a lot of fans would. That player would not be popular and we all know how some rabid fans can behave. Look at the grumbling that happens just on a possibility, eg Baz. Would we feel any better if we knew for sure he was going?

Also, the culture and chemistry of the team, which is so carefully nurtured and built on towards the finals would be disrupted. As you say, codes that are used to it, fine, but it would be a long time before AFL could make it work.

But, maybe the players would feel differently. We've already discussed how they view the game in a very different way to the fans. To a majority of them, it's just a job.

IMHO.

 

[Pugz89]

It's not so much about the players who are coming in, in this case both have already finished their own seasons anyway. It's about splitting the focus towards next season when a club is days away from playing in a big final. And effects current players in the 22, about to play in said final, whose roles might be taken by those shiney new toys. Media speculation and internal club discussions are one thing but this is different.

It's unnecessary and can wait (a few more days or even a month if they get that far) - and I certainly don't think it's a maturity thing just because the NRL do it and we don't.

If a sudden death final isn't enough to narrow the focus of a player going into this weekend, then there are probably more question marks over that player in any case. Players play for the opportunity at a premiership, and if their mind is on about being replaced next year, then that is on the player. Football is as much a mental game as a physical game, and how players handle different circumstances and situations. I personally like it. A lot of these moves are the 'worst kept secret' anyway, like the day after a team finishes, a player requests a trade etc, despite the request being a formality and everyone essentially already knowing.

It is about maturity, about evolving at a mental level to handle an unusual circumstance, which is likely to become more common. The first player to ever nominate a club, rather than a state, was a trailblazer and now that is just accepted as the norm, and I think this will be the same in 5-10yrs time.
A bit like nobody wanted to be the first person to leave a party, but once one person leaves, many follow suit soon after.

 

[go the dogs]

Only change

Can't believe West isn't getting picked.

West 25 Goals BDM 9
West 67 tackles VDM 42 tackles

i just can't get my head around how VDM has played every game and how he is getting picked ahead of West

 

[Bulldog Brent]

ALERT

Tickets are available on Ticketek if you go in - I just checked.

 

[Pugz89]

Can't believe West isn't getting picked.

West 25 Goals BDM 9
West 67 tackles VDM 42 tackles

i just can't get my head around how VDM has played every game and how he is getting picked ahead of West

I'd imagine it'd be leg speed related? VDM is quicker than West.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Caleb Daniel's skills in the wet could be necessary. I'd say he plays and isn't sub.

If the weather is bad I think it's more the other way. Short, accurate kicking becomes a bit pointless in bad conditions where it ends up more grinding it out and keeping it moving forward. His ground ball skills could help however

 

[go the dogs]

I'd imagine it'd be leg speed related? VDM is quicker than West.

i hear this all the time haha. what does his leg speed achieve. doesn't tackle doesn't kick goals. been subbed out early a couple of times lately with tight hamstrings mind boggling selection.

 

[BEaston]

I'd imagine it'd be leg speed related? VDM is quicker than West.

Speed and endurance.
I'm no huge VDM fan, but they're different roles/players. VDM covers a lot of ground.

It was always Harmes vs West for the negating/bullocking forward that predominately works in the f50.

It was Arty vs VDM vs McNeil for two speedy outside runners.

It's how we've structured for most of the season, especially end of the season.

 

[BEaston]

West was a chance if Gags went out and Harmes played that role but was unlikely to happen as they love Gallagher.

 

[ExRoyboy]

His last couple of games he was very quiet so it might just be a perfect storm of form & injury.

I do agree that he should be playing though. I’d trust him over VDM & McNeil (who has been doing okay) in a big final when the intensity rises significantly.

Me too, the thing with Westy relative to VDM and McNeil is how clean he is with his gather of the ground ball, even in the wet. He plays like it is a dry ball sometimes. One touch, doesn’t fumble often. Whereas my worry with the other two is that under pressure they can be susceptible to fumbles, add in the wet weather expected and it will get worse.

So my preference would definitely be to have West in the team. I know VDM and McNeil both bring other things to the game in terms of repeat sprints and pressure but I think West would have been perfect for the type of conditions and pressure we are going to see on Friday night. I had thought he was a lock in this team now, not on the outer. So it’s a real shame if he is not in the team.

 

[PurpJuice]

Funny that Hawks fans think Bramble is some weak link because they delisted him. I don’t think they realise he’s turned into an elite AA caliber defender this year.

His speed and pin point accuracy will be key to winning this game.

 

[ExRoyboy]

Funny that Hawks fans think Bramble is some weak link because they delisted him. I don’t think they realise he’s turned into an elite AA caliber defender this year.

His speed and pin point accuracy will be key to winning this game.

They probably haven’t watched much of our games in the second half of the year. He was a little shaky early in the season and I don’t think he played that well when we played Hawthorn either. But his second half of the season has been almost faultless and he has been a critical part of our No.1 rated defence in the second half of the season.

That’s okay, I have no issue in opposition teams or supporters under rating us

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Funny that Hawks fans think Bramble is some weak link because they delisted him. I don’t think they realise he’s turned into an elite AA caliber defender this year.

His speed and pin point accuracy will be key to winning this game.

Calling him AA caliber is a bit much (given Dale wasn't AA and he's clearly had the better season), but yes it, is funny.

Bramble's running the ball out from deeper in defence, such as taking kick-ins as the second option when Dale is on the bench, when he rotated between the most attacking half-back and wing at the Hawks. Duryea plays further upt he ground than Bramble. He's a different player because he's playing in a different position than he did at the Hawks!

 

[Mofra]

I'd imagine it'd be leg speed related? VDM is quicker than West.

And they play different roles.
VDM and Arty are playing for one spot.