Preview Round 4 - Essendon v Geelong, MCG, 1:45pm Saturday

[Jhye Clark 13]

If we don't rest some guys this week, we are going to see it impact us next week against Port Adelaide over in Adelaide.

If players need to be rested in round 4 there's some serious questions that need to be asked of our fitness staff.

 

[Bobby_]

If players need to be rested in round 4 there's some serious questions that need to be asked of our fitness staff.

Not really.
When you consider we have played pretty much the same team all throughout the NAB Challenge, and had the two six day breaks early on, the next month is going to be crucial as we start facing some good teams like Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, West Coast & Adelaide. It's really our only chance to get some rest into the legs of a few before that big block of games.
It could make or break our season those four matches.

 

[FredLeDeux]

If we don't rest some guys this week, we are going to see it impact us next week against Port Adelaide over in Adelaide.

I still don't see why, in normal circumstances, blokes would need to be rested for Rd 4 - only 3 games into a 21-game season, when there is a full week between Rds 4 & 5.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Not really.
When you consider we have played pretty much the same team all throughout the NAB Challenge, and had the two six day breaks early on, the next month is going to be crucial as we start facing some good teams like Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, West Coast & Adelaide. It's really our only chance to get some rest into the legs of a few before that big block of games.
It could make or break our season those four matches.

I still couldn't understand even if the Lions game wasn't a training drill. Once you start flirting with form, DANGER SIGNS appear.

 

[Lana]

I still don't see why, in normal circumstances, blokes would need to be rested for Rd 4 - only 3 games into a 21-game season, when there is a full week between Rds 4 & 5.

It's not that they need to be rested, it wouldn't hurt to rest someone most weeks, it worked for us in 2011 not a single player played every game. It also gives more people a shot at playing regular football that wouldn't otherwise get the opportunity and someone is usually carrying a few bruises from the last game that while they could play with there no good reason why they should.

 

[FredLeDeux]

It's not that they need to be rested, it wouldn't hurt to rest someone most weeks, it worked for us in 2011 not a single player played every game. It also gives more people a shot at playing regular football that wouldn't otherwise get the opportunity and someone is usually carrying a few bruises from the last game that while they could play with there no good reason why they should.

Were we resting players after 3 Rds in 2011? I don't recall.
However, perhaps more importantly, with such a semi-new and reconstituted team, and so many players who've had limited or nil time playing together, it's essential, in my opinion, that they play together as often as possible until they learn to work together as a team.

 

[vinum coupe]

Not really.
When you consider we have played pretty much the same team all throughout the NAB Challenge, and had the two six day breaks early on, the next month is going to be crucial as we start facing some good teams like Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, West Coast & Adelaide. It's really our only chance to get some rest into the legs of a few before that big block of games.
It could make or break our season those four matches.

I agree, and I think they need to balance the rests through the year.
There's no point dropping 8 guys in one particular week.

The benefit this year is we seem to have more depth options, so let's use them.
They could rest Bartel (for example) this week and play ghs.

Scott has already mentioned this week that the players are struggling with the 90 rotations.
Now you'd need to be an idiot to ignore that. I'm sure they have the gps results etc and know what the players are going through.

So continually manage it I say.

They've just done 5 months of preseason plus 3 rounds.
I bet there are guys that want a breather. Or, should be given one.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Scott has already mentioned this week that the players are struggling with the 90 rotations.
Now you'd need to be an idiot to ignore that. I'm sure they have the gps results etc and know what the players are going through.

I guess I'm an idiot then.

Actually, scrap that, I ignored - not intentionally - the fact that rotations are now capped and didn't take into account the impact that might have on the players.

 

[Lana]

Were we resting players after 3 Rds in 2011? I don't recall.
However, perhaps more importantly, with such a semi-new and reconstituted team, and so many players who've had limited or nil time playing together, it's essential, in my opinion, that they play together as often as possible until they learn to work together as a team.

We were certainly rotating our players quite a bit in the first few rounds. A lot of guys going of for a single week then back in the next week. I honestly don't know how much of that was "resting" but it sure seemed that way.

Round 1: Chapman and Ling played in the VFL for match practice Podsiadly missed, the first two probably could have played at AFL level but the match committee decided to give Guthrie a round 1 debut
Round 2: Chapman, Ling and Pods were brought in
Scarlett, Mooney, Lonergan and Duncan out
Christensen made his debut
Round 3: Scarlett, Mooney and Duncan in
Guthire, Wojcinski and Mackie Out
Round 4: Wojcinski, Lonergan and Mackie In
Stokes, Duncan and Hawkins out
Round 5: Stokes, Hawkins and Duncan in
J.Hunt, Mooney and Christensen out out

 

[JUBJUB]

If players need to be rested in round 4 there's some serious questions that need to be asked of our fitness staff.

Not if it's say an Enright or Bartel.Totally understandable [well maybe not to you] if they have a couple of games off during the year.

 

[steady2]

This is the type of game we usually lose.

 

[JUBJUB]

I guess I'm an idiot then.

 

[steady2]

These are the sort of games that we normally lose.

sorry rabbi I missed that and doubled the trade mark

 

[romeohwho]

This is the type of game we usually lose.

Not this time-comfortable win.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Smedts returning to the 2s this week?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Were we resting players after 3 Rds in 2011? I don't recall.
However, perhaps more importantly, with such a semi-new and reconstituted team, and so many players who've had limited or nil time playing together, it's essential, in my opinion, that they play together as often as possible until they learn to work together as a team.

Seemed liked we rested more in the 2nd half of the 2011 season. Round 4 is premature imo.

 

[catempire]

Smedts returning to the 2s this week?

Injury report still says two weeks.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Injury report still says two weeks.

Funny that!

 

[cats_09]

Just regarding the debate about resting/rotating players out of the side already, the following is part of an article about Rodney Eade's take on the potential fatigue problems that could arise this season under the reduced interchange cap - article written after week 2:

Eade said he expected the hectic pace of the opening fortnight to slow down, with fatigue kicking in from about round six onwards.

"When that cumulative effect of fatigue kicks in, then how teams handle that, whether players get rested … or we as coaches decide to take some time off the clock and slow the game down, it'll be interesting to see which way it goes," he said.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-04-04/rodney-eade-to-apply-the-sixweek-rule-to-avoid-injury

He starts the article talking about how players may need to be rested every 6 weeks to avoid injury, and if one coach is thinking along those lines, chances are 17 other coaches also have that in mind.

This is why I think we need to be looking at our schedule ahead and planning opportunities to rest different players during the season, especially those who may not have pulled up to the be in a position to run out the next game. We have a tough month coming up, so if we are able to rotate out a couple of players this week and have fresh legs to return for games against Port, Suns, Eagles and Crows who are all going to provide tough games, that would be my preference, compared to hitting the 6 or 7 week mark and a few players struggling a bit due to increased work load from less rotations.

 

[vinum coupe]

I've got a feeling the meat tray is up for grabs.

And it's a jackpot, so I'll take a punt.

Out: Cockatoo, Bartel, Kolo
In: Gregson, Ghs, Lonergan

 

[Lana]

In Meznel
Out Kersten

More seriously

In Murdoch Gregson
Out Cockatoo Lang

 

[vinum coupe]

Forgot about Murdoch and Lang.
But Lang only had one poor week.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

 

[catempire]

Official:

In: Lonergan, Gregson, Murdoch
Out: Enright, McCarthy, Kolo

 

[Lana]

Okay I'm instantly worried about McCarthy