PREVIEW THREAD: Round 2 Vs Hawthorn

[VogonProsthetnic]

I agree, but I do have concerns over JJ and Caleb in the same backline. Is that too small? I know last night we all thought we were too small and we were okay, but can we afford to go even smaller? Does this mean Caleb plays higher up the ground or do we just stick with midget backline?

Play JJ on the wing and Richards in the middle. Looks like Williams is now lost to the defence.

 

[Mattie2016]

20 goals for West. Bring him in pronto!

Yep, new club record. Kicked one from the 8th row of the John Gent Stand.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

Williams will no doubt stay in the side. He was part of the back 6 that held Sydney to 1 goal for a half.
We also need to remember he trained most of the pre season as a mid and was injured for the last half of last year so needs a little while to completely find his 2018 mojo.
Expect a better showing in the following weeks.

 

[Yojimbo]

Can I ask what it is about the game plan/style you think won’t cut it ?

IMO it’s a pretty basic game plan but when executed well it holds up pretty good.

When you pick a side that locks you in to how you have to play, last night we got away with it because Sydney traditionally
give up a lot of inside 50's and don't move the ball very quickly in fact they are on the bottom of the ladder. Once Sydney
got the match ups right and the ball bounced their way they were always going to mount a come back. Longmire is a
creature of habit and is slow on the uptake at times, but even he turned around a forty point lead in a very short time.
Effort should be a non-negotiable as should making the distance from thirty metres out yet I saw some things that were a
little concerning (The Naughton move back 25 minutes late). I expect us to run at Hawthorn and use the hands more, but so
will they it will be interesting to see if we smash the contested numbers yet lose the clearances, I love match ups when the
two teams have different ideologies this one will be interesting.

 

[Dale4captain]

Jacko comes in as a safety net in the ruck to assist English & as a backup tall for either end. Actually, have no idea who I'd drop. Probably Dicko but he doesn't deserve it yet.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

When you pick a side that locks you in to how you have to play, last night we got away with it because Sydney traditionally
give up a lot of inside 50's and don't move the ball very quickly in fact they are on the bottom of the ladder. Once Sydney
got the match ups right and the ball bounced their way they were always going to mount a come back. Longmire is a
creature of habit and is slow on the uptake at times, but even he turned around a forty point lead in a very short time.
Effort should be a non-negotiable as should making the distance from thirty metres out yet I saw some things that were a
little concerning (The Naughton move back 25 minutes late). I expect us to run at Hawthorn and use the hands more, but so
will they it will be interesting to see if we smash the contested numbers yet lose the clearances, I love match ups when the
two teams have different ideologies this one will be interesting.

It kinda reads like you’re not giving us much credit for toweling the Swans up for 3qtrs, putting it down to how the swans play and Longmires stubbornness.

I saw the game differently and think it was only us dropping off and skill errors letting the swans in to the game. Not so much different match ups from their behalf. We played some weaker centre bounce players late, which could explains different match ups. I also disagree re 25 min too late for Naughts. You can’t put the cue in the rack and just try and hold on to the big lead. We got their with Naughts up fwd. it stays that way unless it’s an emergency which it was probably 5 min before he went back. He steadied the ship and we were lucky enough to score a couple without him fwd.

We kicked 3.6 to 4-1 in the third qtrs so could’ve easily been 50+ pts up at 3qtr if more accurate which means Swans don’t get close from their. The swans were inaccurate in the 1st but I’m just highlighting the fact it was only a very small part of the game that the swans were on top of us and their dangerous fwd line capitalised.

I think our set up holds up because you either need very good foot skills pinpointing out of your defence or a hard running link up game. Both can be hard to play for 4 qtrs.

One thing we do agree on is next weeks game. Will be a cracker. Just hope we play with the same intensity as we did last night.

 

[Libba39]

Why another key defender can I ask? Our defenders get broken down by the highball when the midfield breaks down. We need to continue pressing in the midfield to protect our back half. We cannot play negatively/reactively. We do not have the personnel to win that position especially with Naughton up front. I thought the personnel attending the centre bounce was all wrong during Sydney's run in the 4th with at stages all of Mclean, Williams and Dickson attending the centre bounce instead of our out and out contested ball winners. That's how Sydney got on top of us and go their momentum going.

Why heap so much pressure on the defense each week and risk losing a game like last night because we don't have any comeback when the oppposition gets on top in the midflield???

Our midfield is not going to start like that every week. They will have their colours lowered on some occasions.

 

[Mattie2016]

The team to defeat Hawthorn:

B: Daniel Cordy Suckling
HB: Williams Wood Richards
C: Hunter Macrae Dunkley
HF: McLean Schache Wallis
F: Gowers Naughton Dickson
Foll: English Bontempelli Liberatore
Int: Llyod Smith Crozier Dureya
Emerg: Lipinski Trengove Greene Hayes

Getting closer to selection: Johannisen (1 week), Boyd (3 weeks), Jong (4 weeks), Picken (?!), Morris (?!) - not sure how we could possibly squeeze all these stars in!

 

[Next Waiting]

The team to defeat Hawthorn:

B: Daniel Cordy Suckling
HB: Williams Wood Richards
C: Hunter Macrae Dunkley
HF: McLean Schache Wallis
F: Gowers Naughton Dickson
Foll: English Bontempelli Liberatore
Int: Llyod Smith Crozier Dureya
Emerg: Lipinski Trengove Greene Hayes

Getting closer to selection: Johannisen (1 week), Boyd (3 weeks), Jong (4 weeks), Picken (?!), Morris (?!) - not sure how we could possibly squeeze all these stars in!

Daniel always starts off the bench which is how it should be imo. Id always fond a place for crozier in the back 6 at opening bounce. Like richards on the hbf

 

[Mofra]

I liked Smith's last quarter but he just looked overawed for the first three.

He's in the side for his speed so I'm not sure Lippi or Hayes is purely like for like. Hayes isn't slow but his kicking looked way off in the JLT. Lippi is more attacking than pure wingman for mine, just wish he had a little more legspeed.

 

[Next Waiting]

I liked Smith's last quarter but he just looked overawed for the first three.

He's in the side for his speed so I'm not sure Lippi or Hayes is purely like for like. Hayes isn't slow but his kicking looked way off in the JLT. Lippi is more attacking than pure wingman for mine, just wish he had a little more legspeed.

Id be ok with lippy. Possibly gains a couple of yards on where to be off the back of last seasons experience/exposure. Good skills too.
Just a little underwhelmed by Smith at this stage (not a criticism given first year player). Would prefer he orientate himself in the VFL and force his way in under match conditions through sheer weight of form.
Defer to Bevos judgement ...

 

[Yojimbo]

It kinda reads like you’re not giving us much credit for toweling the Swans up for 3qtrs, putting it down to how the swans play and Longmires stubbornness.

No I am saying the game had to go that way based on the team we picked, a couple of our normal rebounders were quiet
because they were forced to play tall. Longmire persisted with Grundy, Rampe and Melican for way too long, it all changed
when Aliir went back this was a mistake. We should have moved Naughton back after his third goal and played through
the flanks from then on. I don't like anti-structure and too many of the same type of player, but we won so it does not
matter. Sydney made Gowers, Dickson and Lloyd look like superstars until they had to kick the ball that is for Gowers
and Dickson.

 

[Dazb86]

Only change I'd make is dropping Smith for Lipinski. Needs a run in the lower level to get him up to speed.

 

[Mattdougie]

Williams had to play the Morris role- the deepest defender. He's better as an intercept defender or a mid fielder.

Problem is- we don't have anyone else who can play this role. Losing Moz is going to be costly.

Lewis Young

Is he still with us? Does anyone have a confirmed sighting of him in the last two years or has he gone Loch Ness mobster on us?

 

[VitalDread]

JJ is back at round 3

 

[Anja_Nees]

Would be very conservative with changes. Maybe Smith or Suckling if he doesn’t come up (though it seems he will).

JJ selects himself but given the long layoffs etc I’d imagine all of the other candidates coming back (Boyd, Jong, Picken, Morris etc) will need time in the VFL.

I like Lipinski so I’d be happy to see him come in.

 

[ossie_21]

Why do people want Dickson dropped? Took a few marks inside 50 but kicking for once let him down. If he’d kicked 2-3 nobody would want him dropped, let the rustiness get shaken off first

 

[NthBondiDoggies]

The hawks generally play - Roughead, Ceglar and Gunstan as talls and then Breust, Burgoyne (with Wingard to come in) and Puopolo - a very solid forward line. Can not fathom why they have been rated so low - this is a serious forward line.

Bevo seems happy to go with a smaller backline - so may go with the following - no match ups anymore but interesting now with 6-6-6.

Roughead - Cordy
Gunstan - Wood
Ceglar - ?? Williams (would prefer Young or Fletch)

Breust - Crozier
Poppy - Daniel
Burgoyne - Richard

I really like Williams but think he may need to go for this game based on horses-for-courses to deal with the height. One more tall than Sydney and better Amal’s if it hits the ground.

The Mids are where we have an advantage:

Mitchell, O’Meara. Shiels and Worpel, Howe and Cousins is good but:

Bont, Macrae, Libba, Dunkley, Wallis and McLean (with Smith, West, Lippy, Williams and LJ to come) is better - particularly contested ball and clearances. Last year Howe did a great job on Bonti but this year we have Libba and Dunkley and the game will change.

Wings - we have Hunter and Smith. They have Isaac Smith and Cousins (and Scully if he become fit?)

Hunter will kill it as usual.

Smith did some very good things under pressure and made some junior mistakes - no crime there! Especially when he is trying to make the play rather than freezing - very different. Am happy to play him for a designated number of games - say 3 and then create the expectation that he will go back to VFL for a period with a set of clear challenges. That keeps his confidence up - he will be a star and fixed in team by the end Of the year.

Alternatively- Lippy has done what you would want - 36 touches in the twos. Presume that was in the guts? If it was as a winger - then he is even more valuable to the AFL team. I am not normally impressed by one good game but I do like that players move up from regularly when they kill it. Especially if he repeats over a few weeks. Lippy is a genuine talent and seems to be easily forgotten because he is such an allrounder.

In the forward line - we did ok if not for poor kicking (again!).

Naughton- was outstanding and will likely stay despite match up problems down back. Was just too good

Schache - not great but OK. What is it about our key forwards not marking at the highest point - could see Grundy holding arms down but they will all do this if you don’t get on you bike and move around. Will be fine but plenty to work on - Naughton is better one on one so Schache should try and make the lead out in front rather than sit under the ball with Naughty. If they can click will be great.

Gowers was dangerous which is what we want - his fast leads are had to defend and will get better touch.

McLean was handy without being a standout - is a solid best 22 so will contribute next week also.

Lloyd was good - looked a bit slow but is dangerous and a genuine goal kicker who contributes in the Mids so should keep his spot and will speed up and be good.

Dickson wasn’t he best game but only because he missed what he would normally get. His pressure is outstanding - will keep his spot.

So no changes in forward line. I expect someone like Greene or Lippy may come in a some stage and hopefully Cavarro but probably not this week.

 

[dogwatch]

Lewis Young

Is he still with us? Does anyone have a confirmed sighting of him in the last two years or has he gone Loch Ness mobster on us?

LOL, is that someone who wears a black kilt and tam o'shanter and makes his enemies wear the concrete sporran? "Big Lewy disna tak' kindly to teuchters like ye comin' on tae his patch. Ye'll be swimmin wi' th' silkies taemorra."

(FWIW, Bevo said Lewis and Roberts will "get a look-in" - whatever that means - in the coming weeks. Lewis was an emergency yesterday. So I'd say he's definitely under consideration)

 

[dogwatch]

Only change I'd make is dropping Smith for Lipinski. Needs a run in the lower level to get him up to speed.

It's not typical of Bevo to drop a debutant after one week, although he did do it after giving Kieren Collins a game.
I think he'll back Smith for a couple more games at least, especially as a player that's come with big wraps at pick#6.

I've cooled a little on Lipinski. He was ordinary in the JLT and would have known he was fighting for a place in the seniors. Yes, I know JLT form is suspect but how much credence do we place on VFL practice match form? I'd like to see him back it up with another dominant display in the practice match against Willy next week before considering him for the seniors.

 

[Royale]

Why heap so much pressure on the defense each week and risk losing a game like last night because we don't have any comeback when the oppposition gets on top in the midflield???

Our midfield is not going to start like that every week. They will have their colours lowered on some occasions.

Why not, our midfield is our strength. The contested ball, the fast hands. That's our strength.

You're robbing peter to pay paul. If we hold up in the midfield, the backline has an easier time of it. Its that simple. It's what we did in 2015 and 2016 by being routinely smaller downback and upfront.

 

[Glenn Barclay]

for me with Naughton playing up forward and Moz doing his acl we need to play a key back.
so for me its
Pick 1
Trengove
Roberts
Young

Drop 1
Williams
Dickson
Smith

any combination I'm happy with

 

[ScragCity]

Go with the same team. Our back line is undersized but neither Roberts or Young are currently knocking the door down. Would rather play six in form defenders than playing a lesser player just to have a better ratio of talls.

I'm expecting the Hawks to cut us up with their ball movement but I also tipped the Swans to beat us so i'm not writing us off. Go Dogs.

 

[Doggies7]

If we didn't bring in another tall back against Reid, Buddy, Sinclair, I don't think we will against the Hawk. I would love another tall in, but Bevo loves the smaller backline and we do seem to play well with it. I get so nervous every time a high ball comes in... We should be able to run off Ceglar and Roughy well when the ball hits the ground.

Need someone to stick tight to Breust, he murdered us last year.

 

[Doggies7]

Bailey Williams looks so good when he gets off the chain and can intercept and run through the middle. I don't want him having to wrestle Ceglar or Roughy all game like Reid on Saturday night, he's far too good a player to be used in that role.