Preview Rd18: Changes & prematch discussion vs Collingwood

[Horizons_00]

I think Dumont will be a defensive/tagging midfielder tomorrow

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Just checked it. We're dead last for players used this season and we're the second youngest list (correct me if I'm wrong). Something is off about that.

What this season has really needed has been more injuries, as that drives the majority of team changes. I can't recall a time where stability and needing to use fewer players hasn't been a) considered a positive and b) a reasonable guide to which teams have performed best across the season.

Is this the new version of "Bigfooty. Where being young is better than being good."?

And how desperate are we for things to worry about, when we think this year is "off" for North? I can't recall so much optimism pre-season that anyone could now be disappointed.

 

[benbanjo]

What this season has really needed has been more injuries, as that drives the majority of team changes. I can't recall a time where stability and needing to use fewer players hasn't been a) considered a positive and b) a reasonable guide to which teams have performed best across the season.

Is this the new version of "Bigfooty. Where being young is better than being good."?

And how desperate are we for things to worry about, when we think this year is "off" for North? I can't recall so much optimism pre-season that anyone could now be disappointed.

No one expected the dogs and then the tigers to win a flag, once we got on a bit of a role i think people started to dream, unfortunately injuries have slowed us down and we are not just an above average side.

Sydney beat us on the weekend and even they made a change to their line up, we lose and no change...

 

[Gasometer]

What this season has really needed has been more injuries, as that drives the majority of team changes. I can't recall a time where stability and needing to use fewer players hasn't been a) considered a positive and b) a reasonable guide to which teams have performed best across the season.

Is this the new version of "Bigfooty. Where being young is better than being good."?

And how desperate are we for things to worry about, when we think this year is "off" for North? I can't recall so much optimism pre-season that anyone could now be disappointed.

....time to bump the 2018 predictions thread

 

[King Corey]

What this season has really needed has been more injuries, as that drives the majority of team changes. I can't recall a time where stability and needing to use fewer players hasn't been a) considered a positive and b) a reasonable guide to which teams have performed best across the season.

Is this the new version of "Bigfooty. Where being young is better than being good."?

And how desperate are we for things to worry about, when we think this year is "off" for North? I can't recall so much optimism pre-season that anyone could now be disappointed.

Can see HOF's (assumed) perspective though. It feels like we could still end the year in no man's land.

Relative stability was good but as injuries as started to strike you couldn't help but wonder what we might take out of the season?

A flag? A mid table finish? A farewell year for some veterans? Developmental senior game minutes into future stars?

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Can see HOF's (assumed) perspective though. It feels like we could still end the year in no man's land.

Relative stability was good but as injuries as started to strike you couldn't help but wonder what we might take out of the season?

A flag? A mid table finish? A farewell year for some veterans? Developmental senior game minutes into future stars?

We'll only know in retrospect. But for now I can take from senior performances this season that:
- Ben Brown and Ben Cunnington are actual gods.
- Shaun Higgins has a fair bit of time left.
- Jed Anderson is a cracking midfielder.
- Ahern can be a wonderful player for us for a long time.
- Scott Thompson is not ready to retire, and a third defender can come on in leaps and bounds with him and Taz beside him.
- LDU was a good pick.
- Promising draftees in their second year (Jy) are likely to be given more responsibility and also be less likely to catch the eye as they did when they were fringe and new.
- Daw is worth keeping.
- Goldy isn't done.
- There's a role for Froggy in our midfield.
- Wood can be a very handy forward, and Jack can be a star forward.
- EVW is a keeper, and Murphy also looked at home (as did Morgan in his one outing).
- Cam Zurhaar continues to develop and impress.
- Billy Hartung was a very good pickup.

I'll finish the year having enjoyed a lot of unexpected wins and startlingly good play, while also seeing a bunch of young players get given opportunities to not just be in and out of the team for experience, or "blooding", or to boost the players played numbers, but to be trusted as critical contributors for extended periods. Whether it falls apart from here or we see finals or we finish ninth, the year has exceeded my expectations on both the ladder and the development fronts.

 

[Heaps of fun]

What this season has really needed has been more injuries, as that drives the majority of team changes. I can't recall a time where stability and needing to use fewer players hasn't been a) considered a positive and b) a reasonable guide to which teams have performed best across the season.

Is this the new version of "Bigfooty. Where being young is better than being good."?

And how desperate are we for things to worry about, when we think this year is "off" for North? I can't recall so much optimism pre-season that anyone could now be disappointed.

Stability can be a good indicator, ladder position even better. Traditionally a 30 player team at this point in the season would be top two, not ninth and falling.

Feel like Brad talks big about current, medium term and long term success but leaving young players inexperienced and untested is a hallmark of his coaching tenure. I don't see how those two things correlate.

 

[Caracas]

The inescapable fact is that our destiny this season is completely within our control. Every single game is very winnable (and the opposite). Along with Richmond, we are the only other team not to lose two games in a row yet. That may well end tomorrow. However, we’re in it to win it still.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[ferball]

Navicular related concussion.

I hope not.

 

[Waussie]

Stability can be a good indicator, ladder position even better. Traditionally a 30 player team at this point in the season would be top two, not ninth and falling.

Feel like Brad talks big about current, medium term and long term success but leaving young players inexperienced and untested is a hallmark of his coaching tenure. I don't see how those two things correlate.

Been saying this for a while

 

[Mav]

Stability can be a good indicator, ladder position even better. Traditionally a 30 player team at this point in the season would be top two, not ninth and falling.

Feel like Brad talks big about current, medium term and long term success but leaving young players inexperienced and untested is a hallmark of his coaching tenure. I don't see how those two things correlate.

who are the young guys we are getting games into?

Ahern, LDU, Murphy and Morgan are our debutantes (I can think of).
Then we have Zurhaar EVW and Jy in their second years.

Only Jy has been consistently picked.

 

[shinboner spiggs]

who are the young guys we are getting games into?

Ahern, LDU, Murphy and Morgan are our debutantes (I can think of).
Then we have Zurhaar EVW and Jy in their second years.

Only Jy has been consistently picked.

EVW would have played every game had he not done his knee. Ahern also likewise had he been match fit and ready to play rd 1.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Either we win and keep finals alive

Or we lose and start playing the kids Will Walker, Murphy, Hibberd and McKay

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Stability can be a good indicator, ladder position even better. Traditionally a 30 player team at this point in the season would be top two, not ninth and falling.

Feel like Brad talks big about current, medium term and long term success but leaving young players inexperienced and untested is a hallmark of his coaching tenure. I don't see how those two things correlate.

I set the floor at Kasey Green. Brad's running an AFL kindergarten compared to other times and coaches we have all lived through.

 

[Mav]

EVW would have played every game had he not done his knee. Ahern also likewise had he been match fit and ready to play rd 1.

Sure but if EVW had been fit would Murphy or Morgan have got a game? And what if Waite, Wood and Garner had all been fit. Would any of these guys got much of a run?

 

[Gasometer]

I set the floor at Kasey Green. Brad's running an AFL kindergarten compared to other times and coaches we have all lived through.

David Calthorpe sends his regards

 

[Horizons_00]

Turner has been very meh this year with a few excellent defensive games

He looked absolutely gutted to come off last week. He bleeds blue and white, i have this eery feeling he is going to come out firing tomorrow

 

[shinboner spiggs]

Sure but if EVW had been fit would Murphy or Morgan have got a game? And what if Waite, Wood and Garner had all been fit. Would any of these guys got much of a run?

But in what world would you play young, untried players instead of Waite,
Wood and garner? Brad picks the best team and incorporates the kids/fringe when they need to be, or if they’re busting the door down- see Ahern.

He shuffles the bottom 4 around regularly, if his hand isn’t forced by injury. Daw, hartung, Clarke, Hrovat frequently we’re dropped.

If we had all 44 players fit and healthy I would hope he chose the best team to give us chance of winning the game. From then on only injury/poor form will see a player omitted. No games gifted ever.

 

[jimandphilbadge]

David Calthorpe sends his regards

He would have if he hadn't eaten them first.

 

[Mav]

But in what world would you play young, untried players instead of Waite,
Wood and garner? Brad picks the best team and incorporates the kids/fringe when they need to be, or if they’re busting the door down- see Ahern.

He shuffles the bottom 4 around regularly, if his hand isn’t forced by injury. Daw, hartung, Clarke, Hrovat frequently we’re dropped.

If we had all 44 players fit and healthy I would hope he chose the best team to give us chance of winning the game. From then on only injury/poor form will see a player omitted. No games gifted ever.

Agree, but it comes back to the point that we have been sold the line that we are planning for the short, medium and long term. If this is the case then guys need to be introduced into the AFL. Would Brad drop LMac (someone down on form) to give one of these guys game time? I doubt it. He backs in the players for far too long. LT was the perfect example. We kept gifting him games and now we lack a small forward!

 

[Colbys Boots]

Regardless of any discussion about who's in the best team and who's had a good season and who's been desperately unlucky to not get games, the most troubling aspect about 2018 for me is that we are no closer to knowing whether Sam Durdin, Daniel Nielson, Ben McKay and Nick Larkey are good enough to play at AFL level. You could also throw Brayden Preuss into that group too. And if they fail, then that whole medium term / long term planning story that we were fed during the free agency recruitment of Dal Santo, Waite, Higgins etc is no longer acceptable.

 

[King Corey]

We'll only know in retrospect. But for now I can take from senior performances this season that:
- Ben Brown and Ben Cunnington are actual gods.
- Shaun Higgins has a fair bit of time left.
- Jed Anderson is a cracking midfielder.
- Ahern can be a wonderful player for us for a long time.
- Scott Thompson is not ready to retire, and a third defender can come on in leaps and bounds with him and Taz beside him.
- LDU was a good pick.
- Promising draftees in their second year (Jy) are likely to be given more responsibility and also be less likely to catch the eye as they did when they were fringe and new.
- Daw is worth keeping.
- Goldy isn't done.
- There's a role for Froggy in our midfield.
- Wood can be a very handy forward, and Jack can be a star forward.
- EVW is a keeper, and Murphy also looked at home (as did Morgan in his one outing).
- Cam Zurhaar continues to develop and impress.
- Billy Hartung was a very good pickup.

I'll finish the year having enjoyed a lot of unexpected wins and startlingly good play, while also seeing a bunch of young players get given opportunities to not just be in and out of the team for experience, or "blooding", or to boost the players played numbers, but to be trusted as critical contributors for extended periods. Whether it falls apart from here or we see finals or we finish ninth, the year has exceeded my expectations on both the ladder and the development fronts.

Don't want this to turn into a binary discussion H2H and people inevitably split these talks into "haters" and "supporters". There's already a bit of cheerleading apparent.

Agree there are heaps of positives this year, it's far exceeded 2017. All your points are valid, the team unit played very well excepting about 4-5 weeks where effort was sub-par.

However premiership famine is starting to bite, very much exacerbated by watching our peers sweep past last year to nail one. I won't even comment on the year before that..

We've taken a lot out of this year this far but it's hard to determine if it's a truly solid platform or another 1st half 2016 overall. Remaining weeks will be especially interesting to see how we respond if yet another window of opportunity opens up - like the rounds of the * or sydney games.

 

[Sticksphat]

I go there for the level headedness and the ability of almost all posters to positively encourage the players after mistakes are made.



On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

I go there when Subway is closed....

 

[Steamin Beamin]

the most troubling aspect about 2018 for me is that we are no closer to knowing whether Sam Durdin, Daniel Nielson, Ben McKay and Nick Larkey are good enough to play at AFL level

You know what they say, that key positions take longer to develop, it's probably counter intuitive to have them play at AFL level when they're not ready. Just look at how Larkey went last year, it wasn't pretty and certainly didn't help with his confidence. When the club resigned Scooter and W8 last year, it pretty much means that the club wants to give these young players another year to develop.

 

[Barassi Scowl]

We'll only know in retrospect. But for now I can take from senior performances this season that:
- Ben Brown and Ben Cunnington are actual gods.
- Shaun Higgins has a fair bit of time left.
- Jed Anderson is a cracking midfielder.
- Ahern can be a wonderful player for us for a long time.
- Scott Thompson is not ready to retire, and a third defender can come on in leaps and bounds with him and Taz beside him.
- LDU was a good pick.
- Promising draftees in their second year (Jy) are likely to be given more responsibility and also be less likely to catch the eye as they did when they were fringe and new.
- Daw is worth keeping.
- Goldy isn't done.
- There's a role for Froggy in our midfield.
- Wood can be a very handy forward, and Jack can be a star forward.
- EVW is a keeper, and Murphy also looked at home (as did Morgan in his one outing).
- Cam Zurhaar continues to develop and impress.
- Billy Hartung was a very good pickup.

I'll finish the year having enjoyed a lot of unexpected wins and startlingly good play, while also seeing a bunch of young players get given opportunities to not just be in and out of the team for experience, or "blooding", or to boost the players played numbers, but to be trusted as critical contributors for extended periods. Whether it falls apart from here or we see finals or we finish ninth, the year has exceeded my expectations on both the ladder and the development fronts.

I needed this post!