Prediction Round 15, 2024: Changes vs Essendon

[Barrybran]

Why is cripps in the middle?

I'm talking about Brockman, Ryan and Jones. If Chesser gets a bigger role, he's still learning himself. The off-season can't come fast enough.

 

[sharps24]

Pretty sure Barra meant Jack Darling as well. Jack regularly rucks in the forward line.

Now Keys has insisted I watch the presser again [ike the fair, balanced and impartial stick in the mud he is] I think I agree.

Barra out of nowhere midway through went "If Bailey Williams goes out would he be stiff" Simmo then says "Oscar Allen comes back into our side and he's our captain so there's a squeeze... Baileys really grown, he's got better every year, his new role, if he's a forward-ruck, is to be a good forward-ruck, so whether that's at AFL level or he works through at WAFL, we've got patience."

Not sure he's saying there that they don't want a second ruck, and unclear whether he's saying they have patience for him to figure it out at AFL or WAFL level. Barra brings it up again at the end, having established with Simmo that Bailey could theoretically work on things in the WAFL "So if Bailey Williams doesn't play, who is the backup ruckman? ... is it Jack or ...?'' I half hear the word Darling now off mike before he says Jack. I'm prepared to overrule my previous comments and assume he was talking about Darling then.

Logically, hard to a conspiracy here between Barra and Simmo to prep the fans for the club going down to 1 ruck. If we are going to play 1 ruck them why are we talking about Bailey needing to be a forward-ruck now, and the club being patient about that. If we are dropping B Williams on the basis he's not a good forward-ruck, then J-Williams has already proven this year that he kicks more goals and makes a better contest out of the ruck duels. So we'd elevate Jack W.

The dilemma is that with Darling in the side it's difficult to give Bailey a meaningful forward role, and without Bailey in the side there is no-one to chop out Flynn. They are not going to drop Darling or play without a second ruck. So they'll persist with Bailey. Perhaps Barra was going to suggest moving Darling into a genuine centre bounce attendance style micro ruck role, that would be better for balance and Barra is a moron so I guess I have to concede maybe that was where he was going. I want to say I can't imagine a circumstance where Simmo is so attached to an underperforming 32 year old 191cm tweener that he'd play him in front of BOTH of the Williams twins who are legitimate forward rucks. But I can imagine that, so. Boy what a ride this season is becoming.

 

[bzparkes]

He could be the sub.

Toasted?

 

[Shueygod]

Wouldn't worry to much.

For starters Shueygod thinks:

1. Chesser will reach Kelly levels;
2. Treacy is shite;
3. Last years best draft result for WC was:

GC lose pick 5 - Gain 16, 19 and a guarantee that Walter won’t be bid on the 1st 3 picks
North lose 2, 3 and 16 - Gain 1 and 5
WC lose 1 and 19 - Gain 2 and 3

Eagles get Mckercher and Curtin
north get Reid and Watson/Duursma
GC get a points boost

You’re so obsessed with me.

 

[DanWCE]

Too rough to throw Culley into the back up ruck role?

 

[sharps24]

Cherry picking. Fancy getting your **** in a tangle about a throw-away comment in an interview. By the way he actually said
"and I hope he isn't either although he probably is in the back of his mind"

What was the throw away, the Waterman Allen scenario was the most discussed aspect of the presser with multiple questions asked and answered. Simmo batted away any attempt to clarify how the forward set up will actually work but on Waterman he did say all of: darling deserves some of the credit there, prior to 2024 Jake wasn't considered a tall forward, kicking goals isn't the focus, he does his best work off the ball. He also said multiple times expect things in effect to get worse before they get better now Oscar is back.

Duffield asked him directly:

"Do you leave Jake where he is because he's playing pretty well and fit Oscar around him... at which point Simmo starts grinning like a Cheshire Cat.. or do you put Oscar where you think he ends up and Jakes role has to change?"

It's a worthy question and an easy question to answer if you actually rate Jake and plan to back him in. Which he clearly doesn't. Who the better player is we can all have an opinion on, I just expected the club to be a little more enthusiastic about one of the best things about the season being the birth of Plugger Waterman. Simmo's answer sucks balls,

"A bit of both" oh ok. Maybe it's a bit of both. Cool. But then, "Oscar wants to complement our side and help us win. So, I don't think it's about Jake kicking goals so.. and he's really clear on that and so are we..." What a thing to say about the guy who's averaging more goals a game than any forward in the comp and on current form is basically the premier forward in the comp.

How in the **** is that cherry picking? Its utter and indefensible trash is what it is. Go watch it and take a look at his body language while he during that exchange, he literally begins to squirm in his seat. His body is actually trying to get up and leave the room and he's physically having to fight it to remain there lol. If they weren't planning to absolutely shaft Waterman you'd think he'd maybe choose some different phrases and maybe present some affirming body language.

 

[Elite Pete]

thought we were too tall pre bye and now……

Weird line up

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Surprised to see Culley omitted instead of Hutch, expecting a sub designation there, but apart from that good changss

Hope Brockman in facilitates some more Ryan (or Brockman) in the middle for bursts.

 

[twce13]

annoyed that culley omitted.
if not with these outs, then when.

in particular i dont think we needed to give hutch another game.

 

[stallon]

Didnt expect Culley out with our lack of mids, but ok with the changes. Really a clear focus on bringing speed into the lineup.
Its probably Culley vs Maric for a spot, id choose Maric in that pairing as it lets us bring a faster guy into the midfield

JJ to play on a wing? Maybe Maric slides up to a wing and JJ plays fwd?
More importantly does this mean Chesser goes into the guts? I really hope so

I expect our midfield to be Yeo+Ginbey+Petch with rotations from Chesser/Ryan/Brockman.

Hutch to be sub surely

 

[Flarn Rarn]

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Surprised to see Culley omitted instead of Hutch, expecting a sub designation there, but apart from that good changss

Hope Brockman in facilitates some more Ryan (or Brockman) in the middle for bursts.

Probably weren't going to play Culley a full game and giving Hutch the trip + a chance to go home. Hutch doesn't desperately need to be playing full minutes at WAFL right now so I can see the case for it.

That said I wouldn't be surprised if there were some players who were out of joint somewhat at Hutch getting gametime at this stage in his career.

 

[squashface]

So we’re already light on with mids and we drop Culley?

Allen, Waterman, Darling, Maric, Williams, Hutchinson

We have 6 forwards in the team over 190cm. That is unbelievable. All that with one mid on the bench in Chesser.

I guess Simmo be like: “Hey I noticed you keep saying our midfield sucks, so how about I’ll just play none of them?”

Predicting a 10 goal loss where we get run off our feet in the second half (who would’ve thought with 6 tall forwards?) with Simmo telling us we’ll learn from it even though we won’t because they continue to give us weird selections week after week.

 

[Barrybran]

Didnt expect Culley out with our lack of mids, but ok with the changes. Really a clear focus on bringing speed into the lineup.
Its probably Culley vs Maric for a spot, id choose Maric in that pairing as it lets us bring a faster guy into the midfield

JJ to play on a wing? Maybe Maric slides up to a wing and JJ plays fwd?
More importantly does this mean Chesser goes into the guts? I really hope so

I expect our midfield to be Yeo+Ginbey+Petch with rotations from Chesser/Ryan/Brockman.

Hutch to be sub surely

I would expect JJ to drop back rather than come forward to provide space for Maric to move up to the wing. A faster midfield supporting three bigs and two smalls up forward.

Good pick up re Chesser

 

[WCErevival]

I think that's basically a confirmation that Culley isn't an AFL mid. He was poor there last game and the match committee know he doesnt have the pace to go with the Bombers. His future is as a HFF or third tall which we have an abundance of.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Strange that our midfield got smashed against North and our response is to pick a side with next to no midfielders.

 

[Spod]

Hutch over Culley is a weird call. Do we know who is travelling emergency?

 

[omgfridge]

Horrendous changes. I dont get bring the young mid in for 1 week and drop them. Yet someone like Sheed is only out through injury.

That midfield will be skull ****ed by the bombers. No idea why we are going in with 11000 tall forwards when there is no midfield kicking it in there.

 

[mat11]

Bizarre they'd pick hutch over culley when we're short of mids already

Rotham and jj prob get delisted but get games ahead of Harry and burgiel/hall/hj ???

Extremely tall fwd line, was no need for darling and hutch

 

[EagleMan87]

Amidst all the bitching and moaning, how good is it to see Allen back in the side?

 

[Bacchus]

annoyed that culley omitted.
if not with these outs, then when.

in particular i dont think we needed to give hutch another game.

Agree about Hutch, I think he is out of his depth atm.

They obviously didn’t think much of Culley’s game pre bye.

 

[Keys]

Hutch over Culley is a weird call. Do we know who is travelling emergency?

Gaff and Edwards were both mentioned as playing WAFL so the travelling emergency if there is one would be Culley

 

[wce4premiership]

Hutch is probably going to be the sub at a guess.

Glad that he stayed in the side. Same size as Yeo, he's not really a tall player like the rest in the forward line (Maric, Waterman, Darling, Allen, Williams) even though height wise he's similar to Waterman and Darling he plays more like a small or third man up.

 

[random260]

I said on page 1 to drop Culley.

Culley game annoyed me sorry not sorry.
Mid spots are very very rare. When you get time you need to seize the opportunity and show somethig

 

[stallon]

I would expect JJ to drop back rather than come forward to provide space for Maric to move up to the wing. A faster midfield supporting three bigs and two smalls up forward.

Good pick up re Chesser

Hard for JJ to go to the backline when we have 7 other defenders already named, maybe Duggan comes up into the midfield? That wouldnt be a bad option considering how light we are in there. Maybe thats just some flexibility theyve left in the squad in case we are getting destroyed in there.

 

[Ghossein]

cant get over the disrespect shown towards waterman tbh