Strategy Does Crowley Come Straight Back?

[Taylor]

Steven Baker was recalled for a grand final under Lyon after a long time off.

So it's on the table.

 

[Alfonz]

Crowley at his best does hit the score board.

That's a fallacy. I remember looking at the stats over the last few years (say 2013-2014), and he had the lowest goal average out of all our midfielders, bar one player (maybe Mundy?). Earlier in his career, it was maybe a different story ... but if he is in full lock down tag mode, he doesn't kick many goals.

 

[yakamoto]

Difficult task under rating Crowley's skills. Zero chance of playing this season. For gods sake, even MJ was a bit rusty after a two month lay off.

 

[Scham]

Given that the main problem for us currently is our poor skill level, it's a big no from me.

 

[Freoforever86]

Pretty sure Crowley has hard tagged opposition players & averaged more disposals than MDB.
I wouldn't be against it, but only for MDB

 

[MadDocker]

Think he'd be too rusty. He's a big body around the stoppages though. I'm sure Fyfe would appreciate him being in the side.

 

[FreoLyons]

Think he'd be too rusty. He's a big body around the stoppages though. I'm sure Fyfe would appreciate him being in the side.

Absolute no brainer IMO. Freo at their frenetic best started in the stoppages Crowls clearing space for our other mids to win "Quality" clearances.
at the moment though courtesy of Sandi giving us first touch rarely do our mids get the opportunity to deliver quality ball from stoppages.
Crowley if given the opportunity would provide the hard inside tags and blocks the Fyfe's etc have been missing

 

[SHill Shall]

Have discounted this possibility all season. But seeing the Eagles form, I'm kinda thinking it would be great to see a flashback of the good old days of Shuey being tagged out of a game in a PF/GF.

 

[Kram]

The main thing that puts me off was that his form and effectiveness was already noticeably dropping in 2014.

 

[MadDocker]

Will play more of a blocking / midfielder (Suban) role if he gets a gig rather than his traditional lockdown / runwith role IMO.

Defensive but not like he was. Couldn't do it

 

[jedi mind tricks]

Crowley looks a million dollars and is training with the main squad.I wouldn't be writing him of come finals.
Schuey running riot in the last derby is a reminder of the job Crowley can do on the prime movers.

Yes Salim he is a running machine who could do a job on their best plus switch during the game when needed. I wouldn't close the door on him just yet.


I'm going to drop by training on Friday. Hope to see you and a few others there.

 

[malpaso]

If we have Mzungu or MDB still in the lineup then I would certainly consider Crowley as an option. What I like about Crowley is the added mongrel, reckon there would be a fair bit of fire he would add in a prelim or GF. It is a risk considering our skill level but we are playing Mzungu and MDB at the moment...

 

[Kram]

That's a fallacy. I remember looking at the stats over the last few years (say 2013-2014), and he had the lowest goal average out of all our midfielders, bar one player (maybe Mundy?). Earlier in his career, it was maybe a different story ... but if he is in full lock down tag mode, he doesn't kick many goals.

At least on the odd occasion Crowley manages to take a mark around the 45m out area at least you know he will at least make the distance. Blokes like de Boer can't kick over an anthill.

 

[sproketman]

Midfield still has C grade plodders that can't win the ball running through there, why not someone with at least proven record of stopping the opposition.

Would backfire like Baker in 2010 though.

 

[MadDocker]

Regardless of him playing or not, I hope they name him in the squad and replace him with an emergency last minute if he isn't going to. After pulling up sore from the warm up of course.

Opposition tean planning for him right until the last minute and the media beat up leading up to tge game would be absolutely worth it

 

[purplerunsdeep]

Would be an instant upgrade on Deboer and with a strong fitness base, addition to the knowledge the final could be his last ever game - I would let the bull out in the china shop to knock over anyone from Sheuy, Hannaberry to Hodge or that filthy sniper Mitchell. While I don't condone injuries, if there is any accidental raised legs then that's apparently ok right?

One plays with amazing freedom when you know its your last game.... anyone remember A.Lynch?

 

[Freo Hitman]

With him being available to play soon, and with some current "best 22" players not showing much (eg: Mzungu), would/could/should Crowls come back into the team?

no

 

[Gekko71]

Arguments both ways on this one:

Our focus on quick ball movement suggests NOT
Our reliance on scoring from stoppages suggests YES

Our reluctance to tag in Crowly's absence suggests NOT
Our need to negate our opponent's midfield influence during finals suggests YES

Fyfe's dominance at stoppages suggests NOT - we're winning lots of clearances without Crowls
Fyfe's desired presence up forward suggests YES - Crowls could relieve pressure on other players at stoppages and free up Fyfe to go forward

Crowl's running speed suggests NOT - he's not that quick on defensive running anymore
Crowl's upper body strength and 190cm+ frame suggests YES - we need tall strong bodies to take contested marks

Our need for more accurate field kicking suggests NOT - Crowls isn't a super accurate kick - solid enough yes, but he's no Stephen Hill.
Our need for more experience on the field suggests YES - finals experience really counts for a lot at this time of year.

Really, the question is what would Crowls role be?

Crowls has had the least amount of practice with out new systems and fits into our new structure rather poorly... but then again, he's not alone: Barlow is an automatic inclusion for us, but his role in the side has changed and his influence has been diminished because of it - same for Ballaz, he's played further up-field and hasn't looked as threatening as a result. Sonny was a revelation in the midfield last week and created twelve different shades of havoc for the Roos... but we missed his uncanny snaps for goal in the forward line and we were struggling to score all game as a result.

The area we're most lacking in is scoring up forward - if Crowls could be a stay-at-home substitute for Pav, using his strength to take some contested man-on-man grabs up forward, that would be an interesting idea... he and Pav could rotate through the midfield, providing some extra muscle when needed. This might also require opponents to shuffle their match-ups - Crowly would have too much body strength for your average defender, requiring he be matched up with a stronger opponent... this could work in our favor.

Final answer: Of course I'm happy to have Crowley back in the side - but only so long as he can do his job better than the person he replaces, whatever that job may be. But unless his inclusion successfully addresses a specific weakness of ours, I'd prefer he be left in reserve.

 

[Pusswah]

For a minute I thought it would depend on who we're playing. Eagles yes, because they have a number of soft midfielders that he could crush. Hawthorn no, because they have too many great midfielders - unless he could clamp down hard and nasty enough to take some of the other players attention away from what they should be doing and trying to smack him instead?
That might be a bit left field though, maybe it's as simple as yes for eagles, no for hawks. Unless the extra 'attacking' midfielder that we've had this year isn't giving us as much as we thought earlier on? Maybe he's gone past them.

Could at least be some selections shenanigans to stir the pot.

 

[kingswood71]

Midfield still has C grade plodders that can't win the ball running through there, why not someone with at least proven record of stopping the opposition.

Would backfire like Baker in 2010 though.

Baker kept Leon Davis to 6 possessions and he was dropped for the replay !

 

[Scham]

The only position I would consider him for is as a tall forward in place of Tabs or Pearce if they were unavailable or not performing.

 

[Allikat]

I'm not opposed to it at all. He's been great for the club, and he's taken his punishment for doing something seriously stupid. Whether he should come into the side or not should depend on how we're going in the finals, and who we're playing. If we hit our early season form, and everyone in the team is contributing, then there's no spot for him. If we're playing a team that doesn't have a tag target, then there might not be a spot for him. If we're struggling through the finals and come across the Hawks or someone, bring him in & say hi to Mitchell.

 

[Van_Dyke]

I'm not opposed to it at all. He's been great for the club, and he's taken his punishment for doing something seriously stupid. Whether he should come into the side or not should depend on how we're going in the finals, and who we're playing. If we hit our early season form, and everyone in the team is contributing, then there's no spot for him. If we're playing a team that doesn't have a tag target, then there might not be a spot for him. If we're struggling through the finals and come across the Hawks or someone, bring him in & say hi to Mitchell.

If only Pinchy (Boomer) would last that long.

 

[sproketman]

Baker kept Leon Davis to 6 possessions and he was dropped for the replay !

Haha. I think that was Leon's best GF though.

 

[malpaso]

Would backfire like Baker in 2010 though.

Please check your stats ...