Preview Round 19: Changes Vs Western Bulldogs + Pre-match Discussion

[Paracleet]

It is our oldest team for the year in mean age and largest by games played by more than 5%.

It's a bit deceptive though since we have three superannuated guys in the side pushing it up. Median games played and age we'd be younger than the dogs and still one of the younger sides running out this week.

See above, about 6 months older and about same games experience. This from Footywire:

View attachment 715706

 

[Scham]

In terms of actual goal kicking production? Well the data suggests McCarthy who since he has joined the club has kicked more goals at a better goal per game average than Ballas.

Not a crumber though. We’ve got all the talls we need. That was the original point in the convo, we need crumbers hence Balla playing.

 

[Joao]

His U18 video highlights from his draft year showed him in traffic alot taking the tackler on. He had the (relative) strength to shrug the tackle and so get get away with that in junior footy. He can't get away with it in senior footy (and never will given his relative size in senior footy) and, from what I've seen at AFL level, hasn't really been able to adjust his game.

I definitely agree that was a massive problem for him last year. In his one outing this year I thought he had improved significantly.

 

[E Shed]

I don't mind it. I agree that the theory is at least sound. We need more goals. Lobb has been the best forward of recent times and we need more smalls down there who actually know where the goals are. Ballantyne will go as hard as he can to finish his career well. He's probably been standing around in the WAFL checking the form guide.
If we played Lobb and Fyfe as 2 talls and Walters, Balla, Shultz down there we might actually kick a few.

 

[Stronzo]

Ross has gone all in.

Let’s hope it works.

 

[WilloTree]

Ross has gone all in.

Let’s hope it works.

He sure has. Got this horrible feeling he's gone all in with a 2-7.

I give up trying to understand how they pick a team.

Are we rebuilding or not? coz last I checked we still in the bottom half.

If the rebuild is finished and we're happy with 9th, so be it. If it's not, then playing Ballentyne and Sandi over guys like Sturt, Valente and Carter is incredibly short-sighted.

 

[PapaJ]

It is our oldest team for the year in mean age and largest by games played by more than 5%.

It's a bit deceptive though since we have three superannuated guys in the side pushing it up. Median games played and age we'd be younger than the dogs and still one of the younger sides running out this week.

Yes that's true. Even if you take the mean, this is our oldest team this season and is still 'middle of the pack' so to speak compared to league average - and that's because we've included the two vets.

In fact, on numbers alone, Sandi and Balla make this team more 'balanced' in terms of age/games profile rather than 'old' as some might think. It's not all out play the kids, but it's not like we're putting an ancient team out there either. At this stage, with a last chance of finals on the card, it makes sense - looking at age/experience profile alone that is.

 

[aussieviking]

All these people complaining that we should be picking only young players because we are rebuilding.....Its crap .We are one game from finals.Pick the best team you can.
What better way to educate better players than to play finals and high pressure games. If finals are totally out of the realms of possibility then pick just young guys.
Young guys develop in wafl too. Most of our youngsters are not yet starring at that level.

 

[Hazelsnuts]

All these people complaining that we should be picking only young players because we are rebuilding.....Its crap .We are one game from finals.Pick the best team you can.
What better way to educate better players than to play finals and high pressure games. If finals are totally out of the realms of possibility then pick just young guys.
Young guys develop in wafl too. Most of our youngsters are not yet starring at that level.

Are you ‘Jeff the Wiggle’. - wake up, we ain’t playing finals my good fellow.

 

[Sweetback]

Are you ‘Jeff the Wiggle’. - wake up, we ain’t playing finals my good fellow.

What does he/she have to wake up to?

 

[Frigate]

I like the change up. All this talk about youth and rebuilding etc is trash talk IMO.
The best possible rebuild outcome at this point is to win as many matches as possible. Swita has only really played the role of a defensive forward. He has been fairly lost out there for the most part.

If one thing Ballas can do, it is play as a defensive forward. He has averaged 5 tackles in the past 3 games so perhaps that is what they are after. Carter seems to be the favourite of the month now, although I have not seen him mentioned in the best players at WAFL. Low tackling stats, and very low marking stats. He rarely scores any goals - so how the heck do you shove him in the forward line for AFL?

This game is critical, as was last week. So you pick a team that you think can win at all costs. It is not about robbing a player of a rebuild at this point. We have rotated a lot of players through the team, and they have had ample opportunity to cement their place. Unfortunately, without Taberner and Hogan, our forward line is back to 2018, and the small players struggle to have an impact. McCarthy simply is not a key forward either.

We know there is a chance that Ballas will kick 3+ goals. We know that is not going to happen with anyone other than Matera or Walters as a small forward. I am looking forward to it.

 

[dont bowl there]

I really wish I had the optimism most of you have, all I can see is a lumbering forward line with a cooked small forward that hasn't shown any sign of being a decent AFL player for years now.

 

[Big Macs]

I like the change up. All this talk about youth and rebuilding etc is trash talk IMO.
The best possible rebuild outcome at this point is to win as many matches as possible. Swita has only really played the role of a defensive forward. He has been fairly lost out there for the most part.

If one thing Ballas can do, it is play as a defensive forward. He has averaged 5 tackles in the past 3 games so perhaps that is what they are after. Carter seems to be the favourite of the month now, although I have not seen him mentioned in the best players at WAFL. Low tackling stats, and very low marking stats. He rarely scores any goals - so how the heck do you shove him in the forward line for AFL?

This game is critical, as was last week. So you pick a team that you think can win at all costs. It is not about robbing a player of a rebuild at this point. We have rotated a lot of players through the team, and they have had ample opportunity to cement their place. Unfortunately, without Taberner and Hogan, our forward line is back to 2018, and the small players struggle to have an impact. McCarthy simply is not a key forward either.

We know there is a chance that Ballas will kick 3+ goals. We know that is not going to happen with anyone other than Matera or Walters as a small forward. I am looking forward to it.

In the period 2015 to now, Ballantyne has kicked 3+ goals 5 times and never more than 4 goals. And 3 of those bags of 3+ came in the one season (2016). So in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 (granted he hasn't played this year) only twice did he kick more than 3+ goals...so let's not get too carried away with what Ballas might do.

Having said that, I do hope he proves me wrong and Freo have a good win. I'm just a little skeptical

 

[summerthebat]

I think the logic that a lot of us are concerned by, with the repeated selection of tried and almost retired players is a clash of messaging and scope.

It's now apparent that we've gone full bore this season and we're going to fall at least a game or two short of playing finals and for what? We've only exposed two mature VFL recruits who look limited, no Tim Kelly or Michael Barlow's here.

During this pursuit of winning the 2019 premiership, there's no youth outside of Brayshaw, Cerra and Logue have been adequately exposed, so when we inevitably fall short this year (do a ladder predictor if you still have hope) we'll be entering 2020 with more holes to fill than we did at the start of 2019. That's really bad.

The selections of Sandilands & Ballantyne are all good and well for individual games, but they are two positions that we'll have to fill in six games.

Seemingly every other club in the league has managed to introduce players that will be better off for it in 2020.

 

[Kram]

I really wish I had the optimism most of you have, all I can see is a lumbering forward line with a cooked small forward that hasn't shown any sign of being a decent AFL player for years now.

This, really feels like we are gonna cop a flogging unfortunately.

 

[Scham]

I really wish I had the optimism most of you have, all I can see is a lumbering forward line with a cooked small forward that hasn't shown any sign of being a decent AFL player for years now.

It showed signs of working last week but the Swans were putrid. It’ll be interesting this week as we’ve improved the set up by dropping two non performing forwards, one of which was a tall and replacing them with two crumbers. However, the Bulldogs are better than the Swans, are at home, and have had good time to plan and prepare for our set up. Should be very interesting.

 

[Scham]

I think the logic that a lot of us are concerned by, with the repeated selection of tried and almost retired players is a clash of messaging and scope.

It's now apparent that we've gone full bore this season and we're going to fall at least a game or two short of playing finals and for what? We've only exposed two mature VFL recruits who look limited, no Tim Kelly or Michael Barlow's here.

During this pursuit of winning the 2019 premiership, there's no youth outside of Brayshaw, Cerra and Logue have been adequately exposed, so when we inevitably fall short this year (do a ladder predictor if you still have hope) we'll be entering 2020 with more holes to fill than we did at the start of 2019. That's really bad.

The selections of Sandilands & Ballantyne are all good and well for individual games, but they are two positions that we'll have to fill in six games.

Seemingly every other club in the league has managed to introduce players that will be better off for it in 2020.

I realise that it’s somewhat relevant to today’s game due to Balla coming in but I feel the bolder bit a seperate issue all together and one that Ross has had directed at him all through his long career.

 

[dont bowl there]

It showed signs of working last week but the Swans were putrid. It’ll be interesting this week as we’ve improved the set up by dropping two non performing forwards, one of which was a tall and replacing them with two crumbers. However, the Bulldogs are better than the Swans, are at home, and have had good time to plan and prepare for our set up. Should be very interesting.

It showed signs of working last week? We watched a different game if that's the case. Swans had one of the youngest teams they have ever fielded last week, away from home and came within 1 point of beating a team which many here think are still a finals chance. One of us will be wrong, I would even be happy with a 2 goal loss tomorrow as long as we show something other than just bombing it long. My prediction is 60+ loss and the heat to really come down.

 

[Hazelsnuts]

What does he/she have to wake up to?

Finals - we ain’t playing finals

 

[Scham]

It showed signs of working last week? We watched a different game if that's the case. Swans had one of the youngest teams they have ever fielded last week, away from home and came within 1 point of beating a team which many here think are still a finals chance. One of us will be wrong, I would even be happy with a 2 goal loss tomorrow as long as we show something other than just bombing it long. My prediction is 60+ loss and the heat to really come down.

We both could be wrong too.

 

[dont bowl there]

We both could be wrong too.

100 point win?

 

[Sweetback]

Finals - we ain’t playing finals

But there’s still a chance, as unlikely as it may be. Ross is also coaching for his career. Structurally there is just enough to work with. So why should we quit now?

 

[Dale147]

Looks like Wilson is getting every opportunity to prove he’s fit. Guess that’s why 2 travelling emergencies went across.

 

[Rion]

I think the logic that a lot of us are concerned by, with the repeated selection of tried and almost retired players is a clash of messaging and scope.

It's now apparent that we've gone full bore this season and we're going to fall at least a game or two short of playing finals and for what? We've only exposed two mature VFL recruits who look limited, no Tim Kelly or Michael Barlow's here.

During this pursuit of winning the 2019 premiership, there's no youth outside of Brayshaw, Cerra and Logue have been adequately exposed, so when we inevitably fall short this year (do a ladder predictor if you still have hope) we'll be entering 2020 with more holes to fill than we did at the start of 2019. That's really bad.

The selections of Sandilands & Ballantyne are all good and well for individual games, but they are two positions that we'll have to fill in six games.

Seemingly every other club in the league has managed to introduce players that will be better off for it in 2020.

Yeah totally agree with this. Feel like every year of the rebuild the club has gone in with the approach of playing the oldest side possible and only bringing in the youngsters when everything has fallen apart. It's just that this year we've been competitive for longer and/or other clubs have been worse so we're nominally still in the hunt.

Does leave you with feeling like we're a bit aimless. I mean a team like Richmond might win the premiership this year AND have developed their youngsters far better while we end up doing neither.

 

[noise36]

I laughed earlier in the season when people were talking top 4 and I laugh now when people talk finals.