Doomsday Double: Journey to the West

[17er]

The Suns have games at the new Perth Stadium on April 7th and 14th against the w***ers with Anchors and the Weagles. Has the club confirmed whether or not the team is going to travel twice or will the team be turning the trip into a mini tour and camp in the West for 10 days?

What's everybody else's take on this? I didn't think the AFL made any teams travel to WA consecutively and very few teams ever have to go there twice in a season. I can't think of another reason to have the games scheduled 7 days apart unless the Suns were perfectly happy with it or even asked for it.

Also, has any team played WC and Freo in WA on consecutive weeks and won both games? In 2016, the Bulldogs couldn't win in Round 23 against Freo, but then 12 days later they upset the Eagles in the Elimination Final. The Suns could actually be about to make history, provided the boys win.

After the debacle of the China trip in 2017, I'm hoping the club has organised these trips to Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Ballarat and Shanghai over the next 2 months with a higher degree of professionalism and forward planning.

 

[robo_1]

They’re staying there the whole time.. they will be in a holiday house between games and back into hotel rooms before the games to try keep preparations semi normal as possible


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[Sunraysia]

They’re staying there the whole time.. they will be in a holiday house between games and back into hotel rooms before the games to try keep preparations semi normal as possible


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I'll be over there as well - stuff the Commonwealth games circus . Hopefully we can get two wins .West teams are vulnerable this year ... they don't have any home ground advantage having never played at Optus.

 

[Peel67skin]

Any win will be bonus , love it no pressure under Dew .

 

[17er]

I agree that the new stadium strips away home ground advantage, but only to an extent. Where we remove it almost totally is by staying in town and taking away the travel factor. Not to be helped, but the Round 2 game in Melbourne adds a lot of travel to the schedule.

 

[Sunraysia]

I agree that the new stadium strips away home ground advantage, but only to an extent. Where we remove it almost totally is by staying in town and taking away the travel factor. Not to be helped, but the Round 2 game in Melbourne adds a lot of travel to the schedule.

As Robo said -you'll find a squad will make the trip and remain in Perth for both games.

 

[17er]

As Robo said -you'll find a squad will make the trip and remain in Perth for both games.

Can you remember any club that has won 2 games in 7 days in WA?

 

[Sunraysia]

Can you remember any club that has won 2 games in 7 days in WA?

Guaranteed no Eastern States club has won a home game there ..
History if we can beat the Dockers...

 

[17er]

Won in 2016 in Round 2 against Freo and last year they were still in the 8 when they narrowly beat us. We go back without Ablett, but the loss of Weller for them and our gain is a double blow that cancels out Gaz.

Victory over West Coast was pretty sweet and they have lost a lot of experienced players in their rebuild. I'm not sure why people think the Eagles will just shrug it off because they can barely field a starting side without a rookie or debutant.

 

[Iva Bigun]

Wow, Weller must have been really holding back with us if he's already lifted to a level where he cancels out you guys losing GAJ!

Now I understand why he was worth pick 2.

Hmmmmm it could be a malfunction but my sarcasm meter just exploded

 

[17er]

Wow, Weller must have been really holding back with us if he's already lifted to a level where he cancels out you guys losing GAJ!

Now I understand why he was worth pick 2.

Freo losing Weller for 22 matches is bad. Freo losing Weller for 10 seasons is really bad, but once your #2 pick matures the blow will sting less. Gold Coast gaining Weller is really good and his prospects as a 10 year player are awesome. Losing Gaz, who might have played half a season, wasn't ideal as we'd frontloaded his contract, yet it was inevitable and plans have long been in place to cope with his loss.
I'm going to revise my previous statement to - Weller's acquisition easily cancels out Ablett's loss, and then some.

 

[Jirik13]

The Suns have games at the new Perth Stadium on April 7th and 14th against the ******s with Anchors and the Weagles. Has the club confirmed whether or not the team is going to travel twice or will the team be turning the trip into a mini tour and camp in the West for 10 days?

What's everybody else's take on this? I didn't think the AFL made any teams travel to WA consecutively and very few teams ever have to go there twice in a season. I can't think of another reason to have the games scheduled 7 days apart unless the Suns were perfectly happy with it or even asked for it.

Also, has any team played WC and Freo in WA on consecutive weeks and won both games? In 2016, the Bulldogs couldn't win in Round 23 against Freo, but then 12 days later they upset the Eagles in the Elimination Final. The Suns could actually be about to make history, provided the boys win.

After the debacle of the China trip in 2017, I'm hoping the club has organised these trips to Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Ballarat and Shanghai over the next 2 months with a higher degree of professionalism and forward planning.

I am more concerned about China trip. Since Virgin has no direct flights I bet Suns will have the same crap itinerary as last year.

 

[TheSunGod]

Hmmmmm it could be a malfunction but my sarcasm meter just exploded

No mine’s working well, he was dead serious.

 

[LynchysMob]

I agree with what's been said above it's good that stadium is new to them so they have less of a HG advantage.

However, I do think that home ground advantage is mostly psychological. Also the crowd helps a lot.

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[jackenny]

Won in 2016 in Round 2 against Freo and last year they were still in the 8 when they narrowly beat us. We go back without Ablett, but the loss of Weller for them and our gain is a double blow that cancels out Gaz.

Victory over West Coast was pretty sweet and they have lost a lot of experienced players in their rebuild. I'm not sure why people think the Eagles will just shrug it off because they can barely field a starting side without a rookie or debutant.

West Coast's biggest strength is that they still have two great key-position players on each side of the ground (Kennedy and McGovern), and a brilliant ruckman in NicNat (when he's able to get on the ground) - although their midfield stocks and role-player stocks are (currently) a bit bare.

The Dockers are a bit of a dark horse for me. I'm curious to see what they do this year.

 

[17er]

West Coast's biggest strength is that they still have two great key-position players on each side of the ground (Kennedy and McGovern), and a brilliant ruckman in NicNat (when he's able to get on the ground) - although their midfield stocks and role-player stocks are (currently) a bit bare.

The Dockers are a bit of a dark horse for me. I'm curious to see what they do this year.

Kennedy is in doubt for the start of the season and NicNat might miss a lot of the season. The Suns gambled a whole lot of picks to West Coast for their 2018 first rounder, calculating the fall down the ladder, or else the trade made no sense.

The Dockers are improving, but like the Suns they lose 2 or 3 guys a year to the go hom factor, so I don't believe they are a complete team because in their successful years they didn't recruit well enough. The past 2 games between the Suns and Dockers could easily have been 2 wins for GCS, so I don't think our boys will be scared of back to back Perth games.

 

[jackenny]

I have a feeling NicNat will play, but he won't start hitting his straps until the second half of the season - but West Coast's ruck stocks are pretty phenomenal. Best depth in the competition for ruckman, honestly. Josh Kennedy will probably be right to play by the time we play West Coast, too.

link: https://thewest.com.au/sport/west-c...ne-targeting-round-three-return-ng-b88770830z

I feel more confident in beating West Coast than Fremantle at this stage, though.

Ross Lyon is phenomenal at turning bog-average players into pretty effective role-players. They're missing key position personnel, but they're pretty awesome in regard to small men.

Michael Walters, Hayden Ballantyne, and Brandon Matera is a good small forward brigade. Ballantyne looks to have rediscovered his form. Walters is simply awesome. It hinges on Matera, though - if he's able to tap into the form he's shown in the past, it'll be a beast to take on three elite small forwards. It's a big reason why I think Fremantle is a dark horse and could surprise a few teams.

Cam McCarthy is difficult to gauge at this point in time. He has the potential to be dangerous. Matt Taberner is really difficult to read: most games he looks lost, other games he looks like he's going to break out and become a genuine threat.

I wouldn't underestimate Fremantle's ruck stocks.

Aaron Sandilands is old, but he's still a monster, though I suspect this will be his last year.

Sean Darcy is frighteningly good for someone so young, too.

Their midfield rotations are great: Nat Fyfe, Bradley Hill, Lachie Neale, David Mundy, and Stephen Hill. Connor Blakely is an awesome tagger. Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra will probably see games this year. Danyle Pearce and Ed Langdon are alright depth in their own rights, too. I'm not holding my breath on Harley Bennell. He has all the talent in the world, but I doubts he'll live up to it. If he does, though...

As for their backline, I honestly don't mind it. It's more about 'team defence' anyway. I have pretty high hopes for Alex Pearce. Joel Hamling is a solid player. Michael Johnson is pretty old, though. Lee Spurr and Cameron Sutcliffe can be great role-players. I have high hopes for Luke Ryan, too.

FB: Lee Spurr - Joel Hamling - Michael Johnson
HB: Luke Ryan - Alex Pearce - Cameron Sutcliffe
C: Stephen Hill - Lachie Neale - Brad Hill
HF: David Mundy - Matt Taberner - Brandon Matera
FF: Hayden Ballantyne - Cam McCarthy - Michael Walters
FOL: Sean Darcy - Nat Fyfe - Connor Blakely

I/C: Danyle Pearce - Andrew Brayshaw - Adam Cerra - Aaron Sandilands

It's not a bad team sheet.

 

[Billy ray]

is anyone going over for this game?
I will be in perth and have tried to book tickets with my membership but it is saying no entitlement to this game.
what a joke
its a suns home game isn't it?
If I just book like any old member of the public the only seats available are crap, looking into the setting sun.
the rest of ground greyed out.
does anyone know whats going on?
I have emailed the suns membership - not sure how long they will take to get back to me - I cannot phone them atm

 

[17er]

FB: Lee Spurr - Joel Hamling - Michael Johnson
HB: Luke Ryan - Alex Pearce - Cameron Sutcliffe
C: Stephen Hill - Lachie Neale - Brad Hill
HF: David Mundy - Matt Taberner - Brandon Matera
FF: Hayden Ballantyne - Cam McCarthy - Michael Walters
FOL: Sean Darcy - Nat Fyfe - Connor Blakely

I/C: Danyle Pearce - Andrew Brayshaw - Adam Cerra - Aaron Sandilands

It's not a bad team sheet.

It is a good team, but injury has already hit with Stephen Hill out and a few fringe players, including Bennell.

They are getting old though, with Sandi 35, Ballantyne 30, Johnson 33, Mundy 32, Danyle Pearce 32, and Spurr 30, so how much of their former ability is on show is questionable.

They are also young in places - you have Cerra and Brayshaw starting and there are several other guys with less than a season worth of games - and they can barely put together 22 players with more than 20 games experience so their depth is suspect.

Looking at the past few games against Freo in WA, the 2 sides match up quite well. You'd even say the Suns have somewhat of an advantage given they've done quite well despite being the travelling team.

 

[robo_1]

I have emailed the suns membership - not sure how long they will take to get back to me - I cannot phone them atm

There’s a link on the website for them to request a call or contact them via Facebook they usually reply pretty quickly

 

[Billy ray]

Spoke to them. Apparently all we get is block 106 behind goals (like it was a normal ‘away’ game). Worst seats looking into the sun.

Will look at what freo offer.... they may have a one game membership with betterseats

 

[gosuns!]

Spoke to them. Apparently all we get is block 106 behind goals (like it was a normal ‘away’ game). Worst seats looking into the sun.

Will look at what freo offer.... they may have a one game membership with betterseats

I'd check into a stadium membership as well. They may have a 3 game which will cover both games at least.

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[GCStormie]

I'd check into a stadium membership as well. They may have a 3 game which will cover both games at least.

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Nope, only stadium memberships are the ones that are annual reserve seats for every event held at the stadium. and they're sold out

Spoke to them. Apparently all we get is block 106 behind goals (like it was a normal ‘away’ game). Worst seats looking into the sun.

Will look at what freo offer.... they may have a one game membership with betterseats

No, smallest Freo membership is a three gamer, same as WCE, from memory both have members resale tickets for unseated members

 

[W.C. Fry]

Hey guys. Genuinely interested in how your mini stint away from home is going. Can't find much media on it at all.

It's something I feel Eagles and Dockers should do to reduce travel burden. Have a small Melboune facility that we share and do 2-3 away games in a row.

So watching on in interest in how you go tonight. But as this is really your 4th away game in a row if you do come out flat, im not sure you can pinpoint that on just the Perth trip.

 

[Big Red Machine]

Hey guys. Genuinely interested in how your mini stint away from home is going. Can't find much media on it at all.

It's something I feel Eagles and Dockers should do to reduce travel burden. Have a small Melboune facility that we share and do 2-3 away games in a row.

So watching on in interest in how you go tonight. But as this is really your 4th away game in a row if you do come out flat, im not sure you can pinpoint that on just the Perth trip.

I definitely agree with your last point, It wouldn't just be the Perth trip but an accumulation of them all. I would imagine however that this last week without any travel will have the boys significantly fresher than we were last week.

I'm actually surprised that you guys don't have an east coast base for road trips, I've never done the flight myself but speak to those that do often through work and they say it's not the most pleasant trip to have to do on a regular basis.