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AFLW 2024 - Round 9 - Indigenous Round - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
No chance we get a first round pick. Lucky to get what was offered last year
His 22 goals against direct opponents (I haven't been counting if he is lined up on someone 50m up the field and Riewoldt scores a goal on Stewart...just as a heads up) this year hasn't been that bad. Not for a rookie defender. It could well tighten up as the year goes on and we have something closer to our best defence. It's only bad if he doesn't offer his intercepting game and getting on the end of spoils/neutralising plenty of contests.Technically, he's not that young turning 25 in a couple of months...
And devil's advocate here, but I'd still be looking for a young KPD option who is more of the traditional defender that can lockdown on the opposition's best KPF alongside SDK
Watching ER this season, at this stage he looks lost when isolated in the defensive 50 (especially deep), with his best asset being his run & leap at the ball & contest - something we see him able to exploit more in general play, and when he's slightly further up the ground rather than based out of the goal square. It may ultimately be that he's better suited as a third tall type defender, where he's not matched up against the oppositions best forward/s so he has more freedom to his game
IF an opposition team wanted to offer a crazy stupid trade in our favour for ER cone seasons end - I think we'd be crazy to not consider it (that is if he hasn't re-signed)
Interesting stats. Thanks for that.His 22 goals against direct opponents (I haven't been counting if he is lined up on someone 50m up the field and Riewoldt scores a goal on Stewart...just as a heads up) this year hasn't been that bad. Not for a rookie defender. It could well tighten up as the year goes on and we have something closer to our best defence. It's only bad if he doesn't offer his intercepting game and getting on the end of spoils/neutralising plenty of contests.
Age wise sure he's 25 and his first stint as a forward/ruck was a failure. But he could still be a solution for 7 more years, which will carry him through Kolo etc careers and a lot of J.Henry/SDKs.
As for the bolded, Sav will occasionally get done on the lead if isolated deep but in reality a lot of these kicks can't be stopped and every full back concedes most of their goals this way. His 1v1 contested ability is his most underrated feature and will improve. He's lost 7 of his 26 defensive 1v1s (26.9%) which has him a tiny bit ahead of the outstanding Callum Wilkie. De Koning has lost 25% but has only faced 10. Allir, Jonas, Barrass, Balta, Pearce, Petty, May, Laverde, Zerk-Thatcher, McKay, Kolo, Bruce, McKenzie, Howard and Battle are all losing a higher proportion of defensive 1v1 battles than Ratugolea. I'm not sure if any of them intercept mark anything close to Esava either. He's not too far off some of the elite % wise for this. So plenty to work with.
You don't throw away that skill set when his ceiling remains a lot higher still. Your IF isn't realistic despite the above. I'd rather discuss what we are likely to get offered and would rightly refuse. Otherwise we might as well say a team will offer the number 1 pick and it only serves as a means to say "well sure we'll get rid of him" but it's a pointless discussion.
I guess we're also failing to consider his personal decision, which at the end of last season was already made up to leave and pursue his career at another club.His 22 goals against direct opponents (I haven't been counting if he is lined up on someone 50m up the field and Riewoldt scores a goal on Stewart...just as a heads up) this year hasn't been that bad. Not for a rookie defender. It could well tighten up as the year goes on and we have something closer to our best defence. It's only bad if he doesn't offer his intercepting game and getting on the end of spoils/neutralising plenty of contests.
Age wise sure he's 25 and his first stint as a forward/ruck was a failure. But he could still be a solution for 7 more years, which will carry him through Kolo etc careers and a lot of J.Henry/SDKs.
As for the bolded, Sav will occasionally get done on the lead if isolated deep but in reality a lot of these kicks can't be stopped and every full back concedes most of their goals this way. His 1v1 contested ability is his most underrated feature and will improve. He's lost 7 of his 26 defensive 1v1s (26.9%) which has him a tiny bit ahead of the outstanding Callum Wilkie. De Koning has lost 25% but has only faced 10. Allir, Jonas, Barrass, Balta, Pearce, Petty, May, Laverde, Zerk-Thatcher, McKay, Kolo, Bruce, McKenzie, Howard and Battle are all losing a higher proportion of defensive 1v1 battles than Ratugolea. I'm not sure if any of them intercept mark anything close to Esava either. He's not too far off some of the elite % wise for this. So plenty to work with.
You don't throw away that skill set when his ceiling remains a lot higher still. Your IF isn't realistic despite the above. I'd rather discuss what we are likely to get offered and would rightly refuse. Otherwise we might as well say a team will offer the number 1 pick and it only serves as a means to say "well sure we'll get rid of him" but it's a pointless discussion.
He'll only decide to leave if they say they're not sure there's a spot in the 22 for him or they've received an offer too good to refuse.I guess we're also failing to consider his personal decision, which at the end of last season was already made up to leave and pursue his career at another club.
I'd like to think that Geelong has become his kind of cultural home and that now that he's earning more first-team action this year, he'd be strongly considering staying. But who knows? It's not unheard of for good first-team players to decide to leave powerful well-run clubs to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
If he does decide to go, I don't think the club gets much by way of compensation.
Hope you're right!He'll only decide to leave if they say they're not sure there's a spot in the 22 for him or they've received an offer too good to refuse.
Neither will happen so he'll be a Cat next year and beyond.
With O Henry and Rohan out. J Henry will be playing forward line this week. That we can bank on I reckon.As teams now like to put work into Stewart we are fortunate to have Ratugolea providing that alternative aerial threat. He does that better than J Henry, SDK or Kolo. The downside is he doesn’t defend as well as them. So it will be fascinating how they select the side. Maybe for matchups? I think we will see a fair bit of J Henry and SDK played elsewhere.
Yep. One step at a time!With O Henry and Rohan out. J Henry will be playing forward line this week. That we can bank on I reckon.
Imagine if he kicks a bag and how much shit he will give to his brother lolWith O Henry and Rohan out. J Henry will be playing forward line this week. That we can bank on I reckon.
How does everyone see our best 22 backline and how Esava fits into that?
Talls: SDK, Esava, Henry, Kolo
Mediums Stewart Zuthrie, Bowes, Duncan
Smalls: Bews, O'Connor, Tuohy
Really hard to select as great back 6 that is balanced
If Bews has lost half a yard of his pace, confidence and stopping power it doesn't really matter that he is a "small". Likewise for Tuohy he can in no way guard a small forward right now.How does everyone see our best 22 backline and how Esava fits into that?
Talls: SDK, Esava, Henry, Kolo
Mediums Stewart Zuthrie, Bowes, Duncan
Smalls: Bews, O'Connor, Tuohy
Really hard to select as great back 6 that is balanced
I can't see how Kolo, Henry, SDK and Esava all play in the same team. I think once everyone is back he will be playing VFL. A real shame but he has at least managed to salvage his careerIf Bews has lost half a yard of his pace, confidence and stopping power it doesn't really matter that he is a "small". Likewise for Tuohy he can in no way guard a small forward right now.
You would potentially play SDK and Ratugolea as the key defenders, J.Henry third tall, Kolo and Stewart as mediums and then O'Connor and Zuthrie as the smalls. With Holmes required more in midfield, Duncan and Bowes may end up more on the wings.
Let's say there are 6 spots in defence, 2 on the wings and then likely 2 on the bench who rotate through both. Exclude Holmes as a hybrid winger/midfielder. That leaves 10 players.
SDK, Kolo, Stewart, J.Henry, O'Connor, Zuthrie, Smith and Duncan are "musts" for team balance, attributes and players I can't see Scott excluding. O'Connor and Zuthrie due to the variable form of Tuohy and Bews. Although I would say Zuthrie has dropped off too, they will surely back him in.
That leaves 2 spots between Ratugolea, Bews, Tuohy and Bowes. I'd say you pick one of the latter two as the skilful rebounder who can also play wing/half forward. Then pick your poison between a tall athletic interceptor and a small stopper. Coaches tend to stick with their trusted generals, even a little longer than they should, but unlike others I don't think the MC right now are thinking "drop Esava when everyone is available, easy peasy". Especially when they've played so many tall defenders for so long and have never really alluded to regretting that philosophy. The set of talls we have right now are more mobile than the 4 we've played in other seasons.
It'll be interesting to see what they do there. Henry has been increasingly used as a forward so if they keep doing that, there's room for all of them.I can't see how Kolo, Henry, SDK and Esava all play in the same team. I think once everyone is back he will be playing VFL. A real shame but he has at least managed to salvage his career
JH can and will play forward and on the ball.I can't see how Kolo, Henry, SDK and Esava all play in the same team. I think once everyone is back he will be playing VFL. A real shame but he has at least managed to salvage his career
I can't see how Kolo, Henry, SDK and Esava all play in the same team. I think once everyone is back he will be playing VFL. A real shame but he has at least managed to salvage his career
He'll only decide to leave if they say they're not sure there's a spot in the 22 for him or they've received an offer too good to refuse.
Neither will happen so he'll be a Cat next year and beyond.
I’m getting the strong impression that the club has said to Esava that j Henry will play forward meaning there is a clear spot for him in defence.
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I'm only going off the complete contentedness of the match committee to play 4 slower tall defenders together than the ones we have now. Especially when one will probably be used as a swing forward in games.I can't see how Kolo, Henry, SDK and Esava all play in the same team. I think once everyone is back he will be playing VFL. A real shame but he has at least managed to salvage his career