Preview R22: Changes vs. Footscray

[Soggy2112]

Dowling plays one bad game and dropped. What message are we sending our young players? Have that pressure weighing on them that they basically have to be perfect or they’re out.

Meanwhile Murphy’s place is written in stone.

What fantasy world is Nicks living in?

 

[SLOWNE]

and support the boys in the curtain raiser

ahem Curtin raiser

 

[Coopers]

From David Mackay's 100th game in 2013 to now, there has been a decade long uninterrupted span of at least one crap >50 game player in our best 22 that shouldn't be there and definitely shouldn't be an automatic selection

There was Doughty before that.

There has always been a whipping boy the coach loves.

 

[George Kramer]

oh OccamsRazorRay remember last week when you carried on like a xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx saying Murphy would be out for Rankine? Have you posted yet??

 

[cleanhands]

The only way Murphy gets out

 

[Afcprophet]

There was Doughty before that.

There has always been a whipping boy the coach loves.

Doughty averaged 20 disposals and 0.4 goals a game in his 7th season. Murphy is averaging 11 disposals and 0.5 goals a game in his 7th season.

 

[AFC979810]

Issue is Murphy is out of contract next year. Clubs are circling.

Need to extend to 2029.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

There was Doughty before that.

There has always been a whipping boy the coach loves.

Murphy is nowhere near either Doughty or Mackay level... he is on his own level well below based on performance of our 100+ game players.

Should never have got to 100 games.

 

[crows dude]

Murphy is nowhere near either Doughty or Mackay level... he is on his own level well below based on performance of our 100+ game players.

Should never have got to 100 games.

Im no Murphy fan but how many games did Mackay and Doughty play as a small forward. None. There whole career was wing/HB.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Im no Murphy fan but how many games did Mackay and Doughty play as a small forward. None. There whole career was wing/HB.

Sure, but can you name me a worse Crows player to reach 100 games?

We should have cut our losses years ago!

 

[DJ75]

Dowling plays one bad game and dropped. What message are we sending our young players? Have that pressure weighing on them that they basically have to be perfect or they’re out.

Meanwhile Murphy’s place is written in stone.

What fantasy world is Nicks living in?

Dowling has faded a little bit - as is to be expected.
I would have no problem if he was managed/rested for a week, and then brought straight back into the team.
There are many options to replace Murphy and his role. Why Nicks has nailed his career to Murphy is beyond me.

 

[Gtowncrow]

Just wish his main magic trick was to disappear ………… oh wait he does that in the last quarter

And his opponent cuts him in half for the rest of the game.

But seriously, where are the journalists who would put this directly to Nicks?

 

[Crows I Am]

Issue is Murphy is out of contract next year. Clubs are circling.

Need to extend to 2029.

Clubs in the amateur league? He might be able to crack 20 disposals at a division 7 club.

 

[Bearded Clam]

And his opponent cuts him in half for the rest of the game.

But seriously, where are the journalists who would put this directly to Nicks?

Unfortunately.. The great majority of AFL journalists cant fxxkn stand the crows..

Why would they want to highlight a massive handbrake thats perminently jammed on in the team.. they love seeing us lose and wallowing in the bottom 5 year on year..

The very few AFL journo’s that do like the crows are club sychophants.. never question the club. And even Rowe has shut up in recent weeks after having a dig a couple of months back..

Surprised given Rowe’s son was dumped from the club when he was a far better small forward than murphy ever was or will be.. sure, he’s still shite, but IMO he’s less shite than the useless turd murphy..

some AFL commentators like brereton etc are finally starting to highlight it though.. but they dont attent the post match pressors to ask questions of the bald chodehead.. so are easily ignored.

 

[DJ75]

Unfortunately.. The great majority of AFL journalists cant fxxkn stand the crows..

Why would they want to highlight a massive handbrake thats perminently jammed on in the team.. they love seeing us lose and wallowing in the bottom 5 year on year..

The very few AFL journo’s that do like the crows are club sychophants.. never question the club. And even Rowe has shut up in recent weeks after having a dig a couple of months back..

Surprised given Rowe’s son was dumped from the club when he was a far better small forward than murphy ever was or will be.. sure, he’s still shite, but IMO he’s less shite than the useless turd murphy..

some AFL commentators like brereton etc are finally starting to highlight it though.. but they dont attent the post match pressors to ask questions of the bald chodehead.. so are easily ignored.

The biggest issue is there is no such thing as journalism anymore.
When was the last time an intelligent journalist actually did a deep dive on a topic and presented well thought out evidence and discussion?
Now it's just trying for 'got ya' moments, fake outrage clickbait, or stick the microphone in front of the nearest moron they can find.
Journalism is dead.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Murphy is nowhere near either Doughty or Mackay level... he is on his own level well below based on performance of our 100+ game players.

Should never have got to 100 games.

Agree. I carried on for years about Mackay being an automatic selection. I thought that was a low ebb for AFC.

How wrong I was.

I really don’t think Murphy would have made it to 50 games with any other club including NM. At this rate he will play 200+ games

 

[Trigger13]

Dowling has faded a little bit - as is to be expected.
I would have no problem if he was managed/rested for a week, and then brought straight back into the team.
There are many options to replace Murphy and his role. Why Nicks has nailed his career to Murphy is beyond me.

I think this board is so desperate to see star kids come through that we may have slightly overrated guys like Nank and Dowling. Solid players. But very low ceilings IMO. No discernible weapons worthy of a flag-calibre side. I’ll get shot for that.

 

[bigman]

I am no Murphy apologist but playing small forward in our team is extremely difficult with our current set up. Most times that player is played up the field and drawn into stoppages becoming part of the scrum. They are then expected to get back quickly and provide front and centre support or defensive pressure on the opposition when the ball is kicked deep into our forward lines. Unfortunately when Tex, Burgess, Berg etc are playing they have little ground support when the ball spills free because of thier lack of pace and so too frequently the ball comes out of forward line with little pressure, putting undue pressure on the midfield and defence. Its only stars like Betts and Rankine that are able to do well under this game plan as they have the natural ability to get to the right position to get the ball.

Despite all of this i would have dropped Murphy a few weeks ago and played someone like Ryan who has been a very good player for the last 4-6 weeks for the SANFL team.

 

[George Kramer]

Ok so I went on OccamsRazorRay critical thinking course and what I learnt from it is Murphy should be out for Rankine, I was shocked to discover Murphy and Rankine are in fact playing in the same team again.

Mullett does this mean Nicks should go on the course?

 

[davos44]

Agree. I carried on for years about Mackay being an automatic selection. I thought that was a low ebb for AFC.

How wrong I was.

I really don’t think Murphy would have made it to 50 games with any other club including NM. At this rate he will play 200+ games

Definitely wouldn't be playing in the side if we had another small forward option. We're stuck with him for a couple more years at least, unless we accidently draft a gun small forward with immediate impact.

 

[cleanhands]

Definitely wouldn't be playing in the side if we had another small forward option. We're stuck with him for a couple more years at least, unless we accidently draft a gun small forward with immediate impact.

Or maybe a change in coaching tactics, which currently gives us sfa

 

[davos44]

Or maybe a change in coaching tactics, which currently gives us sfa

Remember when Murphy was our CHF under Pyke? Maybe Murph is just unlucky

 

[DJ75]

I think this board is so desperate to see star kids come through that we may have slightly overrated guys like Nank and Dowling. Solid players. But very low ceilings IMO. No discernible weapons worthy of a flag-calibre side. I’ll get shot for that.

Personally I think Dowling can become a solid B+ type (which all good teams have). He accumulates well, uses the ball pretty well, can hit the scoreboard and is hard running late in the game.
Nank I think can be slightly better. He has faded a little late in the season as well, but he has a cool head under pressure - a skill that is critical in the back half and particularly in the crunch. I have no question marks around him and expect him to be a mainstay in that backlines for the next 10 years.

 

[Scorpus]

I think this board is so desperate to see star kids come through that we may have slightly overrated guys like Nank and Dowling. Solid players. But very low ceilings IMO. No discernible weapons worthy of a flag-calibre side. I’ll get shot for that.

Dowling is the type that will live or die depending on whether the coach can find a role for him. A bit like Jarryd Lyons.

Not quite good enough to be a primary midfielder, probably good enough for other roles, depends where the coaches see him compared to other options

I suspect Dowling will always be played out of position, with his "best" spot of inside mid being occupied

 

[LoBu]

Personally I think Dowling can become a solid B+ type (which all good teams have). He accumulates well, uses the ball pretty well, can hit the scoreboard and is hard running late in the game.
Nank I think can be slightly better. He has faded a little late in the season as well, but he has a cool head under pressure - a skill that is critical in the back half and particularly in the crunch. I have no question marks around him and expect him to be a mainstay in that backlines for the next 10 years.

I'm still unsure, I like what I see but not sure of his place in the best 18 yet.

What is clearer to me is his position in the team, and if we get a Draper type mid next year along with some improvement from our number 11 Edwards, it's Dowling not Taylor (or Laird or Crouch) who will be out of the team.