Player Watch Pick #18 (2016) - Sam Powell-Pepper

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Where do we fit in Pickett?
Ideally:
Rioli, Georgiadies, Pickett
SPP, Esava, T.Marshall
Burgoyne, JHF, Rozee
Jones, Aliir, NWM
Bergman, BZT, Farrell
Sweet, Wines, Butters
Drew, L.Evans, Mead, DBJ
Boak
Sinn, Lukocious, Lord, Richards, Soldo, Visintini, Finlayson, Lorenz, Jackson
 
We bloody missed you big time on Thursday night Sam.

Your toughness in the forward line and in the middle like you provided in 2020 QF against Geelong, was sadly missed.

Geelong were arguably a better side back in 2020 than on Thursday night, as in 2020 they were 2 years away from a flag, made the 2020 GF, and had 17 of their premiership side playing in the 2020 QF, as well as Gary Ablett Jr, and only had 14 of that 2022 premiership side playing Thursday night.

In the 2020 QF, Sam started in the middle and won 5 contested possessions, all clearances early in the first quarter and didn't let Geelong get easy ball, especially ground ball at the stoppages, and it was a grinding first quarter where we only kicked 2.1 vs their 1.4.

In my review of the game at the time, and when I gave my votes, I said that first quarter Sam lead and set the tone for the rest of the team. He didn't do much after quarter time, but what he did in the first quarter meant his team wasn't on the back foot at the start of the game and Geelong couldn't get away and build confidence and momentum away from home.

In the coaches vote, Sam got 5 votes from one coach and 0 from the other one.

It wasn't hard to work out Hinkley gave him 5, because he knew Sam made sure our flakey flankers didn't get a chance to piss their pants, which would have meant Geelong got easy footy, just like they did on Thursday night.

Thursday night was the opposite. Geelong from the start had us on the run. And our hardest player after Sam, JHF, spend the first 7 minutes of the game on the bench, for some midfielder BS rotation policy principle.

Ken Hinkley and his dopey coaches haven't learnt a bloody thing. Memories like a sieve.
 
I don't think Jase was too happy about starting on the bench either. I watched him standing at the boundary trying desperately to signal to a player to come off so he could get on the ground.
They should just give Hornet the keys to do what he feels best, as in, if he needs a rest deep forward from the mid, then do it instead of going off and waiting. So they really need to sort that mid/fwd rotation roles out with Rozee, Butters and Hornet. Those boys do need rest but shouldn't really be on the bench for 5 or even 10 minutes of quarters. Rest forward and remove a forward, e.g. Evans, narkle, McEntee.. who ever is there.
 

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Player Watch Pick #18 (2016) - Sam Powell-Pepper

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