We only need one as long as nothing goes wrong with Cameron and Mihocek, as well as the rest of the list, WHE and Reef for example. Players come back from injury all the time so no reason to assume McStay and Cox will suffer setbacks… it’s just match form that the clock will start ticking on if setbacks occur.
I agree. WHE has played some ripping games as a tall forward this year. Howe looked very good against North. It won't surprise me if we do end up with just one of the 3 - it's what we'll be looking at for the next 6 weeks most likely and we might like it.
To win the flag from here, we need everything to go right on the injury front.
He’s no star but his main point of difference is he doesn’t get pushed under the ball as easily as all the other options. Depending on how he comes back from his knee I think that will be very important trait come finals time when we need to combat those intercept defenders.
The current regime seem to get more out of our veterans than Malthouse did in 2010 though.
Maybe but has that been out of necessity because our kids haven’t stepped up?
At the start of 2010 OBree and Fraser were carrying the on all duties and Medhurst was kicking 4s .
I don’t think the veteran is guaranteed in this situation but he’ll be given his best chance and set up to succeed.
That is true, Fly has got more than most out of our veterans. I thought Howe was gone after the arm fracture - shows Howe good he is. Sidebottom I thought was finished a number of times. Fly really backs them in.
We’re now reaching a point where you can start projecting matchups. Personally against McCartin/ Weitering/ McKay/ Andrews/ Pearce (I don’t think anyone else has one that matters and if they do the club doesn’t) I’d feel most comfortable with McStay over any alternative as low as 70% of his best. I think in that scenario he offers as much contest as Cox or Kruger and frees up Mihocek. The only outlier is a run of 8 weeks in the seniors from Krueger.
Agreed, but given timelines if Kreuger’s been solid I don’t think Cox will get the senior time to show he is or isn’t rusty. McStay appears on track to be back first and I can’t see Cox pushing either out on the basis of training form.
Different types of players and time off, but the lions are bringing back Ashcroft straight away Be some type of litmus test to see how quickly he begins to perform
Ashcroft is returning after 11 months though. Not 7.
I know and did mention it is a different level of time off. Either way, it will be interesting to see how he goes
I'm so nervous for all the players returning from acl's & taking extra interest this year in their timelines & how they go, keeping Dan in mind the whole time
I'm so nervous for all the players returning from acl's & taking extra interest this year in their timelines & how they go, keeping Dan in mind the whole time
Off the top of my head, Mitch Georgiades & Zac Williams..
Georgiades has come back in better form than he left. Hopefully Dan can do th same.
Also the young kid from Eagles, Jai Culley has returned. Not sure how he's played though. He was out for over 13 months, I believe.
