Preview Round 4, 2024 : Collingwood v Hawks, 5:10pm Sunday 7th, Adelaide Oval

[peetoo]

Nah, Tigers v Saints is on C7 this Sunday.

Full marks to the AFL working out sundays game will be a bottom of table blockbuster

 

[Platten44]

For some reason, most Pies fans I know are nervous about this game.

Welcome to modern footy. Bring elite pressure and kick straight and it’s Any Given Sunday.

 

[Billyc]

I had a funny feeling that Jai was a slow starter into a season and had to look at the stats last year.

Jai Newcombe 2023

Rnd 1
Disposals 19
Kicks 8
Handpass 11
Marks 3
Tackles 3
Meters Gaines 369

Rnd 2
Disposals 25
Kicks 16
Handpass 9
Marks 5
Tackles 4
Meters Gaines 321

Rnd 3
Disposals 22
Kicks 15
Handpass 7
Marks 7
Tackles 5
Meters Gaines 504

Rnd 4
Disposals 15
Kicks 9
Handpass 6
Marks 4
Tackles 3
Meters Gaines 187

Lo and behold I was right Day, Worpel and Ward were making up the slack last year. Just for those going on about Jai's form

So why does this happen? And he’s not alone. Sloppy starts to the season has been a team trend in recent years.

 

[domus]

For some reason, most Pies fans I know are nervous about this game.

Some reason? How about you always beat us?

 

[TheFourPillars]

So why does this happen? And he’s not alone. Sloppy starts to the season has been a team trend in recent years.

Its not something Jai would want to repeat every season. It is a trend that he would want to end. I am not sure about the reason.

 

[triangulation_squared]

I'm plugging in Serong back and moving Weddle to the Wing and dropping Morrison
Rama to replace Lewis at CFH
Butler for Wiz
Mitchell in, Hardwick goes forward and Breust out
Tempted to sub Reeves and plug him in if Meek or Rama are not firing

 

[Simon Crawshay]

So why does this happen? And he’s not alone. Sloppy starts to the season has been a team trend in recent years.

I'd like to see the numbers on how many sides make finals after being 0 and 3. I have a gut feeling it's a pretty low percentage.

It's not like the 82 game NBA season where you can lose a bunch of games early but still make finals if you have a mid / late season surge.

In a 23 game comp if you lose even a smallish amount of games early you are right up against it big time. The margin for error to make the finals from that position is super slim.

That's why I worry when I hear from the club that we are aiming to work into a season, that type of mentality is not conclusive to playing finals.

I'd rather they have the game plan 100% embedded in the players in the pre season and put absolutely everything into hitting the start of the season all guns blazing.

 

[Hot Cheese Rioli]

Meek won’t be dropped for Reeves.

He gave good contest after the ruck even if he did cough it up a bit.

Reeves has to work on getting involved more at Box Hill, but maybe more importantly adjusting to the ruck rule change which has impacted him, which I could see he was trying to do at Box Hill by being closer and jumping into his opponent on Saturday.

For some reason I'm out of the loop on this one but keep hearing about it. What was the ruck rule change?

 

[RX Hawk]

In: Ramsden, Butler, Maginness
Out: Lewis (inj), Watson (inj), Breust

FB: Hardwick, Frost, Scrimshaw
HB: Weddle, Sicily, Impey
C: Amon, Worpel, Mackenzie
HF: Moore, Chol, Macdonald
FF: Ginnivan, Ramsden, Butler
Foll: Meek, Newcombe, Nash
Int: D'Ambrosio, Ward, Maginness, Hustwaite, Morrison

Want Shammy back in the side as well 4 changes might be too much.

This is the best. All changes deserve their chances. Also for a developing team trying to groom players in key positions I don't see the rationale in playing some key players out of place such as Amon and Hardwick. Leave them in wing and back pocket where they are much needed. We can play fancy and be experimental after we have the core in place and matured as a team - may be in another 2 years. Poor coaching 2 weeks in a row.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

For some reason I'm out of the loop on this one but keep hearing about it. What was the ruck rule change?

You’re allowed to block the opposing rucks with a straight arm as long as you contest the ball.

It means experienced and bulky rucks have an advantage. Gawn has had his way with most rucks as a result, for example.

Noodle relied on being the taller ruck who couldn’t be blocked from the fall of the ball. We sat 2nd in the comp for hitout win % in 2023.

The new rule has taken that away from him.

 

[Hot Cheese Rioli]

You’re allowed to block the opposing rucks with a straight arm as long as you contest the ball.

It means experienced and bulky rucks have an advantage. Gawn has had his way with most rucks as a result, for example.

Noodle relied on being the taller ruck who couldn’t be blocked from the fall of the ball. We sat 2nd in the comp for hitout win % in 2023.

The new rule has taken that away from him.

Thanks - appreciate the time explaining it. Makes it hard for list management when fundamental rule changes like this are brought in with little to no notice.

 

[mustang]

Butler a no-brainer for Watson.

Gunners for the experience for Lewis.

No Gunners for a while in the seniors game has passed him by Ramsden hopefully.

 

[Roddy]

So if Ramma comes in, is he coming in to be a tall forward and backup ruck? Has he been training in forward craft?

 

[Wingnut19]

I'm plugging in Serong back and moving Weddle to the Wing and dropping Morrison
Rama to replace Lewis at CFH
Butler for Wiz
Mitchell in, Hardwick goes forward and Breust out
Tempted to sub Reeves and plug him in if Meek or Rama are not firing

This is probably the best changes I have read. Hardwick to replace Bruest experience up forward and for crying out loud it gets Shammy back into the seniors where he stays for rest of his career.

 

[matey]

So if Ramma comes in, is he coming in to be a tall forward and backup ruck? Has he been training in forward craft?

Yes he has been training up forward. In one practice match during preseason in the 3rd he kicked 3 quick goals which included a couple of strong grabs and has a nice kicking action when lining up. I know it’s just training but he looks thicker and doesn’t seem to get pushed off the ball as easy like last year.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I still want Harry Morrison

1

Harry Morrison

Age

26

Ht

184cm

Wt

79kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

8.5

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

4.3

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

0.9

3star

D

13.4

3star

K

9.8

4star

HB

3.6

2star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.6

3star

CL

0.8

3star

D

18.4

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

7.0

5star

M

5.4

5star

T

2.2

4star

CL

2.0

4star

playing in anything that resembles a big game for us.
Low-risk player from an output perspective with 7 years of experience.

Wouldn't mind seeing him brought into the starting 22.
Have heard worse ideas than Breust as the sub.

 

[kirbatron]

we'll win this

 

[Roddy]

Yes he has been training up forward. In one practice match during preseason in the 3rd he kicked 3 quick goals which included a couple of strong grabs and has a nice kicking action when lining up. I know it’s just training but he looks thicker and doesn’t seem to get pushed off the ball as easy like last year.

So that means he'll give Meek a chop out, rather that Chol, I take it...

 

[burner1]

You’re allowed to block the opposing rucks with a straight arm as long as you contest the ball.

It means experienced and bulky rucks have an advantage. Gawn has had his way with most rucks as a result, for example.

Noodle relied on being the taller ruck who couldn’t be blocked from the fall of the ball. We sat 2nd in the comp for hitout win % in 2023.

The new rule has taken that away from him.

Our mids got a big advantage via reeves in 2023 and now that’s been taking away they are struggling.

Unless reeves can find a way to combat the rule change we’re going to have our work cut out getting our midfields clearances (particularly centre) back to 2023 levels.

We beat the pies 18-3 in centre clearances last year. Really hard to see that happening this week.

Dunno why afl changed the rule - didn’t seem an issue / area they really needed to change.

 

[peetoo]

I'm plugging in Serong back and moving Weddle to the Wing and dropping Morrison
Rama to replace Lewis at CFH
Butler for Wiz
Mitchell in, Hardwick goes forward and Breust out
Tempted to sub Reeves and plug him in if Meek or Rama are not firing

Agree with a lot of that

 

[peetoo]

Our mids got a big advantage via reeves in 2023 and now that’s been taking away they are struggling.

Unless reeves can find a way to combat the rule change we’re going to have our work cut out getting our midfields clearances (particularly centre) back to 2023 levels.

We beat the pies 18-3 in centre clearances last year. Really hard to see that happening this week.

Dunno why afl changed the rule - didn’t seem an issue / area they really needed to change.

It’s really off to radically change ruck rules when rucks notoriously take longer to develop

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

Our mids got a big advantage via reeves in 2023 and now that’s been taking away they are struggling.

Unless reeves can find a way to combat the rule change we’re going to have our work cut out getting our midfields clearances (particularly centre) back to 2023 levels.

We beat the pies 18-3 in centre clearances last year. Really hard to see that happening this week.

Dunno why afl changed the rule - didn’t seem an issue / area they really needed to change.

AFAIK, the rules committee sit down with AFL counsel (which includes, or included Chris Scott and Patrick Dangerfield as coach, and player representatives respectively). I guess Geelong didn't see any need to protect TALL ruckmen?

 

[RoughysMullet]

So why does this happen? And he’s not alone. Sloppy starts to the season has been a team trend in recent years.

We can’t handle the early season pressure- we play better when we’ve lost a few and seemingly can’t play finals so have not much to lose and just play with freedom…

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Our mids got a big advantage via reeves in 2023 and now that’s been taking away they are struggling.

Unless reeves can find a way to combat the rule change we’re going to have our work cut out getting our midfields clearances (particularly centre) back to 2023 levels.

We beat the pies 18-3 in centre clearances last year. Really hard to see that happening this week.

Dunno why afl changed the rule - didn’t seem an issue / area they really needed to change.

Yes, sucks for us and Ned. He’d be frustrated, but now he has to to try and change his approach and hopefully improve in that area.

 

[TheFourPillars]

We can’t handle the early season pressure- we play better when we’ve lost a few and seemingly can’t play finals so have not much to lose and just play with freedom…

That's not it. Our team has changed drastically year on year in certain areas of the ground. So there needs to be a period of adjustment to get that improved team synergy.