Unofficial Preview Round 1, Pies V Lions, Sat evening @6:20pm Qld / 7:20pm Vic (Thread closed, see Game Day thread)

[Kappa]

The Gabba gets a lot of dew at night. This often results in "wet weather footy" even if it hasn't rained for days. So, unless there is a deluge, chances are the conditions are going to be the same as would have been the case if it were completely dry.

In one respect, a bit of rain is better for the footballers. The Gabba drains really well (there's a massive stormwater system which runs under the ground) but the Gabba is ordinarily such a flint hard surface that taking a bit of sting out of the ground is good for player welfare.

Lions have been training with this dew for how long? Huge advantage.

 

[lionshine]

Lions have been training with this dew for how long? Huge advantage.

Lions usually train in the morning as opposed to at night time when the dew comes out to play.

 

[MAGPIE2013]

Given the uncertainty of keefe, are we planning to have frost into the starting 18 for this week?

 

[Soups]

Frost would be infront of Keefe anyway.

 

[rustyg70]

Given the uncertainty of keefe, are we planning to have frost into the starting 18 for this week?

Frost would have been a certainty to play anyway in my opinion.

 

[Kappa]

Given the uncertainty of keefe, are we planning to have frost into the starting 18 for this week?

Keeffe is injured regardless of the drug charges, was never in contention for round 1.

 

[Black_White]

Gah!
We have had the half week from hell.
Will be interesting to see if, like the bummers, the events galvanise the group. Or the whole show falls apart.
I'm thinking the latter.

 

[Wooljay]

The Gabba gets a lot of dew at night. This often results in "wet weather footy" even if it hasn't rained for days. So, unless there is a deluge, chances are the conditions are going to be the same as would have been the case if it were completely dry.

In one respect, a bit of rain is better for the footballers. The Gabba drains really well (there's a massive stormwater system which runs under the ground) but the Gabba is ordinarily such a flint hard surface that taking a bit of sting out of the ground is good for player welfare.

Yeah, it's one of those interesting cases of where football is just different regionally. Much like Subi's ground conditions I think the state of play at the Gabba is just flat out unlike the 'G or Etihad in Melbourne.

End of the day it'll come down to the better team, end of story!

 

[Schraderbrau]

The Goldsack in defense is more of a "want" then an expectation.

I hate, no wait, I despise playing 2 defensive forwards in Blair and Goldsack who to put it simply don't kick goals. One defensive forward who doesn't kick goals I could stand, 2, no way. So I'm hoping Goldy is actually played in his best position, which is half back.

As for Karnezis or Kennedy, I wouldn't argue with either, but Kennedy will add more midfield depth which may be more important this week against Brisbane's strength, their midfield.

Goldsack is a pretty rubbish defender imo. I'd rather him not play than go through defence. You are right though that there should not be two defensive forwards. Blair should be dropped, Goldsack's pressure is better and he can kick further than 30metres.

 

[TradeDraft]

So - Gault will get Elvated from Rookie List with Witts Out?

As we need 3 Tall Forwards

 

[Rusty22]

cmon karnezis

 

[jerry springer]

ive got a good feeling about this

 

[10571z]

cmon karnezis

why didn't he play against Bulldogs?

 

[Gone Critical]

Goldsack is a pretty rubbish defender imo. I'd rather him not play than go through defence. You are right though that there should not be two defensive forwards. Blair should be dropped, Goldsack's pressure is better and he can kick further than 30metres.

Don't agree , Blair has been one of the better performers in the pre season. By all means tip him out when the youngsters have gone past him but we should wait to see if that is going to happen 1st

 

[Rusty22]

why didn't he play against Bulldogs?

just didnt get picked.
he is playing saturday night though.

 

[10571z]

just didnt get picked.
he is playing saturday night though.

How do you know?

 

[spartan-magpie]

just didnt get picked.
he is playing saturday night though.

How do you know he's playing?

 

[Rusty22]

cant reveal my sources, but he is playing

 

[Schraderbrau]

Don't agree , Blair has been one of the better performers in the pre season. By all means tip him out when the youngsters have gone past him but we should wait to see if that is going to happen 1st

Tearing it up in the preseason and versus bottom eight teams is his specialty. He's obviously a premiership player and quality bloke but I seriously question what he has to offer us in the immediate and long term future. Players like De Goey and Freman would probably give us more than him now imo.

Aside from his defensive pressure (which I think is overrated) he contributes nothing to our side - he is a very low possession winner and an ineffective ball user. Goldsack creates much more pressure up forward and at least when he gets the ball can kick it more than 30 metres and reasonably accurately, not to mention his size and pace creates an awkward match up for opposition defences - when the opposition think about Blair it's pretty much "lol lets put our 17 year old debutant on him".

Obviously the coaching staff and many others see something that I don't but I can't understanding how giving him games helps us in the short, medium and long term.

 

[spartan-magpie]

cant reveal my sources, but he is playing

You made me very happy.

 

[Gone Critical]

Tearing it up in the preseason and versus bottom eight teams is his specialty. He's obviously a premiership player and quality bloke but I seriously question what he has to offer us in the immediate and long term future. Players like De Goey and Freman would probably give us more than him now imo.

Aside from his defensive pressure (which I think is overrated) he contributes nothing to our side - he is a very low possession winner and an ineffective ball user. Goldsack creates much more pressure up forward and at least when he gets the ball can kick it more than 30 metres and reasonably accurately, not to mention his size and pace creates an awkward match up for opposition defences - when the opposition think about Blair it's pretty much "lol lets put our 17 year old debutant on him".

Obviously the coaching staff and many others see something that I don't but I can't understanding how giving him games helps us in the short, medium and long term.

Blair isn't the type that wins matches but he is a solid filler the likes that all successful teams have. His equivalent at Hawthorn in Puopolo. They have almost identical career stats. Put Blair in a successful team and he will make a bigger contribution. Put him in a less successful team and he will still do you a job but may not be as obviously successful. 2014 wasn't a great year but players have up and down years. If he can go back to being a 25 goal a year defensive forward he will have done a job. If he falls out of the team that's okay. But he is not a vital ingredient to our future. The likes of De Goey and Freeman becoming A graders is.

Blairs is fine in the team while he performs. freeman and De Goey have plenty of time, haven't debuted yet. Our bigger concerns are the likes of PK, Kennedy, Broomhead and Fasolo. Guys who are 3-5 years in the system and are yet to secure a place. We need some of them to step up but we don't need to gift them games. Tell them to push Blair and Goldy out by weight of performance

 

[Frankie23]

cant reveal my sources, but he is playing

Buying into this, very happy he gets a gig, has a lot to prove especially this Satty. Getting excited, up the Pies!

 

[THATSGOLD]

Don't as in didn't last year? What was your 'that was the old game plan' post about then?
Or don't as in this year? Prophetic?

Old game plan was under a different coach.

 

[TradeDraft]

cant reveal my sources, but he is playing

Who?

 

[Apex36]

You made me very happy.

Don't get too excited. Rusty's "source" is big, black, and lives in his bedside table drawer.