Preview Round 3, 2023: Hawthorn v North Melbourne, 1 April 223, 1.45pm AEDT @ York Park

[Dewyyyyy]

Am sure there’s a bit of ego in this one - Sam won’t want to lose to Clarko. The media will also pile on us more if we lose this than probably any other game coming up. Can’t see us making wholesale changes or playing more kids. We’ll bring back experienced players if fit (Morrison, scrim, chad) and back guys in.

100%

 

[grumbleguts]

Did Weddle play for Box Hill this weekend and if so how did he go?

18 disposals, 10 kicks, 8 handballs. 6 marks and 4 tackles.
He played well, but a little non-descript.

 

[I got the outside word]

All I want to see is the mongrel that I heard so much about in the pre-season, bit of heart and a dash of effort. A flogging here and I’m building myself a doomsday bunker.

 

[Noel Gallagher]

Bring in DGB for Frost - Frost to CHF, Finn to VFL for a confidence booster.

 

[H00t]

I know LDU has been tearing it up but he is a centre-square inside ball-winning machine and Finn (when tagging) usually starts off half-forward and runs to his man after the CB. This would seem to be a bit of a waste for a player like LDU who torches you with centre clearances.

Call me crazy but I think there is a chance that Sam could send Finn to the 3rd gamer! Mess up their transition ball movement game and make sure it is in the hands of blokes like Howe who can just kick it back to us.

The mid I reckon he probably would have gone to would have been Simpkin. Just because he matches up very well physically against him.

With Simpkin out, Sheezel is next in line.

Their other damaging players do most of their work in centre square.

Might be good for him to get a learning experience going against Cunnington or LDU though.

 

[TylerDurden]

I fear if we drop Reeves, Goldy will smash us in the ruck.

 

[chopflop]

Didn't Sam send Finn to Blakey to mess up their ball movement? How did that turn out?

Drop him then? He ain't a small back.

 

[Iceman!]

I fear if we drop Reeves, Goldy will smash us in the ruck.

Is a risk i think we need to take, i do not rate running 2 rucks in the modern game unless they can contribute significantly around the ground. At present Reeves needs to drastically improve as a ruckmen or his around the ground work to warrant getting a game with another ruckmen

 

[kirbatron]

Finn to padlock LDU

 

[Gaston]

18 disposals, 10 kicks, 8 handballs. 6 marks and 4 tackles.
He played well, but a little non-descript.

Fit right in with the current output.

 

[Bugs1977]

Bennetts' kick to the leading forwards today was excellent.

The kids a bloody ripper isn't he

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Is a risk i think we need to take, i do not rate running 2 rucks in the modern game unless they can contribute significantly around the ground. At present Reeves needs to drastically improve as a ruckmen or his around the ground work to warrant getting a game with another ruckmen

I'd like for us to drop Reeves and give Meek an opportunity to go one out against a seasoned vet like Goldy (Nash can be back up ruck).

I want to see if Meek actually has the goods to be a decent primary ruck which is what we recruited him for. He might be one of these rucks that benefits from rucking solo.

There is not point keeping with the Reeves/Meeks combo, it's never going to work. We need to see which one of the two has the ability to be our number 1 ruck.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

I fear if we drop Reeves, Goldy will smash us in the ruck.

Playing a man down around the ground doesn't seem to be working, so don't think we have much to lose.

DGB into the side do we think ?

Sadly we just don't have any options to change the forward 6 ATM.

 

[lethalselbow]

Bring in DGB for Frost - Frost to CHF, Finn to VFL for a confidence booster.

I don't see the issue with Finn. Allowed to have a bad game, they all did. He has been blanketing ppl all pre-season and vs Essendrugs. He will have a job on the weekend.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I don't see the issue with Finn. Allowed to have a bad game, they all did. He has been blanketing ppl all pre-season and vs Essendrugs. He will have a job on the weekend.

I think the question with Finn is whether a team at our stage of development actually needs a tagger?

Or whether its more a case of all hands on deck in the middle with players that can win the ball and provide some offense (which we are sadly lacking).

I see Finn as a final piece in a jigsaw in a contending team that has specific opponents in mind that they need to overcome to win a flag.

Whereas we are just trying to win full stop!

 

[Sixpence]

Last year showed we need to play two rucks. We were a much better side with two.

If Reeves is to be taken out, he needs to replaced with Lynch or Ramma. We can't just have Kosi as our only tall forward target.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I'm not playing Finn this week if I'm making the final decision at the selection table.

If we want to embrace this attacking style of play let's give him a rest and bring in Morrison.

Finn blanketing 1 opposition player in heavy losses archives absolutely nothing. Let's change it up a bit against a midfield already missing Jy Simpkin

12

Jy Simpkin

Age

26

Ht

183cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.0

4star

K

7.9

3star

HB

8.1

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

3.3

5star

CL

2.9

4star

D

20.6

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

9.6

5star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.5

4star

CL

5.5

5star

D

10.0

3star

K

5.6

3star

HB

4.4

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.4

4star

CL

0.2

2star

.

 

[Hawk88]

I fear if we drop Reeves, Goldy will smash us in the ruck.

He will smash Reeves anyway

I have said this every week, we need to drop Reeves and play Meek as solo ruck and have Kosi/Frost/Nash/CJ etc pinch hit if need be

He is honestly a liability at the moment, lumbers from one end to the other and doesn't mark nearly enough balls to make it worth selecting him. Look at Gawn and Witts who have a similar build, great tap ruckman but they also provide "something" around the ground.

Meek could honestly be Marshall/Nank type if we just let him

Bring in Rama/lynch if needed

 

[theiaofseed]

Last year showed we need to play two rucks. We were a much better side with two.

If Reeves is to be taken out, he needs to replaced with Lynch or Ramma. We can't just have Kosi as our only tall forward target.

I struggle to grasp how people think Reeves is the issue, best tap ruckmen on our list which is why he's there this fantasy about Ruckmen need to do x is baseless. He played 35% game time on the weekend due to injury, it's no shocked when he was off the ground is when we got monstered.

 

[Brishawk]

I'm not playing Finn this week if I'm making the final decision at the selection table.

If we want to embrace this attacking style of play let's give him a rest and bring in Morrison.

Finn blanketing 1 opposition player in heavy losses archives absolutely nothing. Let's change it up a bit against a midfield already missing Jy Simpkin.

He is our only defender that sticks to his opponent.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I struggle to grasp how people think Reeves is the issue, best tap ruckmen on our list which is why he's there this fantasy about Ruckmen need to do x is baseless. He played 35% game time on the weekend due to injury, it's no shocked when he was off the ground is when we got monstered.

We look pretty uncompetitive at the moment. Reeves isn't offering much around the ground. Max Lynch is a genuine competitor. In fact, he's the anti-Reeves. Won't win majority of the taps but will offer something as a roaming target.

I can see why people are suggesting that swap.

 

[Bugs1977]

I'd like for us to drop Reeves and give Meek an opportunity to go one out against a seasoned vet like Goldy (Nash can be back up ruck).

I want to see if Meek actually has the goods to be a decent primary ruck which is what we recruited him for. He might be one of these rucks that benefits from rucking solo.

There is not point keeping with the Reeves/Meeks combo, it's never going to work. We need to see which one of the two has the ability to be our number 1 ruck.

Is there a reason (injury) for Reeves 34 ToG%? If not then maybe a solution is to being in Max Lynch for him who can at least rest up forward as target. Like others have mentioned I also wouldn't be against throwing a debut to Ramsden to play as a forward.

 

[theiaofseed]

We look pretty uncompetitive at the moment. Reeves isn't offering much around the ground. Max Lynch is a genuine competitor. In fact, he's the anti-Reeves. Won't win majority of the taps but will offer something as a roaming target.

I can see why people are suggesting that swap.

Does he? He averages .6 more marks per game than Reeves, Reeves who was coming back from a shoulder injury which restricted his marking.

Lynch average a whooping .3% one percenters last year compared to Reeves 4, I just don't see this Lynch is better round the ground.

 

[theiaofseed]

Is there a reason (injury) for Reeves 34 ToG%? If not then maybe a solution is to being in Max Lynch for him who can at least rest up forward as target. Like others have mentioned I also wouldn't be against throwing a debut to Ramsden to play as a forward.

Yes Reeves copped a hit late in the first quarter which affected his game. I don't think he touched the ball after the hit.

 

[Bugs1977]

I'm not playing Finn this week if I'm making the final decision at the selection table.

If we want to embrace this attacking style of play let's give him a rest and bring in Morrison.

Finn blanketing 1 opposition player in heavy losses archives absolutely nothing. Let's change it up a bit against a midfield already missing Jy Simpkin.

I would say if Simpkin misses then that's even more reason to keep Finn in and get him to tag LDU who's been there best player. Take him out and you likely cut the head off the snake.