Prediction Round 23 Changes vs. GWS Giants

[Purple Suit]

Jamie Cripps 250th and Andrew Gaff last game in front of the home crowd. They will definitely get up. Favourites to win now and will probably win comfortably.

I would think so. Carlton always drop a quarter every game where they barely fire a shot. Do it in the first half and the rabid crowd will get their tail up and Carlton will fold like it's laundry day.

 

[Freoforever86]

I would think so. Carlton always drop a quarter every game where they barely fire a shot. Do it in the first half and the rabid crowd will get their tail up and Carlton will fold like it's laundry day.

Hopefully early to start the downhill skiers

 

[arsesmart]

Teams do not enjoy playing us anymore than anyone else I'm sure. I mean most teams lose the week after playing us.

Having said that, pressure is a vital part of the modern game. Teams who can apply it for the longest win. Against anybody. Full stop.

We need to bring pressure and to capitalise on our forward entries. Without Treacy it's over to small ball in some part.

One thing we have on our side is our coaching staff being very good at the strategic side of things. GWS are more susceptible to that this year.

 

[arsesmart]

I would think so. Carlton always drop a quarter every game where they barely fire a shot. Do it in the first half and the rabid crowd will get their tail up and Carlton will fold like it's laundry day.

They shouldn't get the usual boost from the umpiring at any rate.

 

[StingBitten]

I think this is a defining game for this group. The easy thing to do would be to head over, show some fight for a while then fold to the 25 or 30 point defeat that the vast majority of the AFL public expect.

We could head back quietly to Perth, the team comforting themselves with the fact that some key players were injured, we were unlucky, and that old chestnut we are still young.
There is always next year. Next year. And the year after.
And the year after.

Potential. The post dangerous word in professional sport. Success is always just around the corner. We just have to wait until Andy and Caleb are 26 and 24, instead of 23 and 25. We just need to wait until Alex Pearce and Sean Darcy are fit instead of injured.
Next year.


Or
The group could make a stand. Make a statement to the competition that we are a force, not just this year but for the next few years. Like paddy Dangerfield and Geelong last weekend, we could just refuse to accept defeat.

GWS are decent but there is certainly a vulnerable underbelly in that team if we show up in the right frame of mind.

I reckon this is the biggest game we have played since the 2022 finals series. There is SO MUCH at stake this Saturday. AFL careers are short and fleeting. There is zero guarantee that our star players will play top level football well into their 30s. As someone pointed out on another thread, it’s harder for WA players. Fyfe and sonny’s post age 30 careers are but pale shadows of their former glory. David Mundy is an exception rather than a rule.

We just have to find a way to win this Saturday. No excuses, no talk of futures. There is no other option. It will be an unbelievable waste of a season if we don’t.

I'm glad posters are starting to talk like this rather than hitch onto the doomspiral that's gripped the Purple faithful this week.

I woke up with the same feeling - we've lost the past two games after building a strong body of work throughout the season and not all is lost. The spotlight has been on our 5 close losses after leading at 3-qtr time, fair enough we're the worst offenders in the league with that, we're also notorious bad starters, but our strengths have put us in a position to be flirting with Top 2/4 in the back half of the season... overall incredible clearance work, fast-play, fixing a forward-line that's been bust since 2016, retaining good defensive pressure and a half-back line that rebounds faster than a stream of Chuck Norris jokes in 2007.

The last two weeks have been disappointing, no doubt there's been selection errors and really important players have been out (Pearce, Treacy, Walters) and others have been down on form (Darcy, Jackson, Frederick and others). For me though we have an opportunity that is mirror-image to the Swans game - down on form, playing the in-form team in the comp in Sydney with key players missing (in fact we have more missing than the Swans game). At our best though we can absolutely beat GWS, but the team need to find another gear with confidence - how much is JL willing to alter/evolve this weekend? Could we finally see the elusive Plan B?

If we lose comfortably/closely the last two weeks it'll be a massive deflator for 2024 - I don't think it damages our 'window' too much, but finals experience is vital and would be great for this group to experience even one elimination final. For me, the 2012 Semi set the tone for the 2013 finals campaign.

 

[mattis117]

Just make a final and have Pearce, Treacy, and Darcy fit and then we can at least enjoy a game with our best on the park. Every other team will not want to run into Freo with their three stars back.

 

[Van_Dyke]

 

[MadMundy]

 

[freo1997]

Reidy in over Tabs and an underdone Darcy is a good start.

Next I would look at providing Voss with a “legal” glove. Reckon it’s between his ears these dropped marks. Bit like Bugs Bunny providing the secret stuff in Space Jam..it could be a winner.

Worner should be out and never in the team again. Provides nothing.

 

[Kram]

I've never seen this dude play but given how much he's been pumped up on here I don't think there's any way he can fail.

 

[Freomaniac]

Nah, we wasted valuable opportunities to secure a top four spot. If we won against Essendon, Dogs, Eagles or even Hawks we would be on 13+ wins. We only have ourselves to blame.

dont forget the close losses to carlton and Port

 

[hoss]

Freddy out for someone that does something - like I'll take goals, tackles or chases.

On Pixel 7 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Freomaniac]

• 2019 Optus BS
• 2020 Optus BS 20.0
• Liam Henry
• 2022 finals campaign forcing us from 4th to 5th after their dreadful capitulation
• 2024 'dissent'

Have I missed anything?

To be honest, I dont think carlton screwed us in 2022.

Again, finishing 5th in 2022 instead of 4th was a blessing in disguise looking back. We needed that finals win. had we finished 4th, we would of went out in straight sets.

 

[Taylor]

I hope Reidy tears the game apart with 50 hitouts and 25 score involvements.

 

[Mogumber]

Freddy out for someone that does something - like I'll take goals, tackles or chases.

On Pixel 7 using BigFooty.com mobile app

And doesn't fumble

 

[dont bowl there]

To be honest, I dont think carlton screwed us in 2022.

Again, finishing 5th in 2022 instead of 4th was a blessing in disguise looking back. We needed that finals win. had we finished 4th, we would of went out in straight sets.

Why would we have gone out in straight sets?

 

[summerthebat]

I was confident earlier in this thread that we would win this weekend.

No longer,

Without Treacy & Darcy, we've got no chance. It's also far wetter here in Sydney than was expected.

 

[Dockeroo]

All Reidy needs to do is cancel out Briggs. We are not expecting miracles. Just get out there son, work your ****ing ass off and make Briggs earn it. Just try break even.

Then it’s up to Jackson to lift when he goes into the ruck, and also to provide something special in attack. He’s been fleeting around the fringes at 6 or 7/10 level for weeks now. If ever there was a time for LJ to stand up and deliver a monster game it’s this weekend.

 

[dont bowl there]

All Reidy needs to do is cancel out Briggs. We are not expecting miracles. Just get out there son, work your ****ing ass off and make Briggs earn it. Just try break even.

Then it’s up to Jackson to lift when he goes into the ruck, and also to provide something special in attack. He’s been fleeting around the fringes at 6 or 7/10 level for weeks now. If ever there was a time for LJ to stand up and deliver a monster game it’s this weekend.

Yep, he legit just has to make sure Briggs doesn't take the ball out of the ruck. That's about all he needs to do, let the mids contest the ground ball.

 

[332docker]

In: Reidy

Out: Tabs

Banners back to FWDline to add some pressure

 

[Drizzy]

My changes

Liam Reidy finally announced

Ins: Reidy Walters O’driscoll
Outs: worner tabs banners

 

[Drizzy]

In: Reidy

Out: Tabs

Banners back to FWDline to add some pressure

Walters and worner should make a change as well chuck banners sub or something

 

[Drizzy]

My changes

Liam Reidy finally announced

Ins: Reidy Walters O’driscoll
Outs: worner tabs banners

They will probs go aish over noddy but oh well

 

[JammoMonty]

They will probs go aish over noddy but oh well

It’ll be Noddy

 

[FreoRicci]

Why I have a feeling it’ll be Tabs in and Voss to come out?

Reidy about freaking half a season too late. V Hawthorn would’ve been nice