Opinion Round 5 Changes vs. Melbourne

[democritus]

I barely saw either Barlow or Neale contest a centre bounce on Saturday. Fair enough it was working in the first half. Was Lachie taking a tag? But it seemed very strange that we were reluctant to throw them in the square when we could barely get our hands on it in the third.

What's the go.

 

[Arcassius]

I barely saw either Barlow or Neale contest a centre bounce on Saturday. Fair enough it was working in the first half. Was Lachie taking a tag? But it seemed very strange that we were reluctant to throw them in the square when we could barely get our hands on it in the third.

What's the go.

I recall seeing Neale starting on the outside of the square, but don't recall who his direct opponent was. That's why I was curious whether it was a tactical decision for him to not contest (decoy mode) or whether he was being checked and kept out of the contest


Also something to watch in our games - when an opponent gets a goal, do we send in the same centre bounce squad to respond? (fyfe, hill, sandi, mundy)

 

[E Shed]

Wouldn't be reading too much into Sonny getting a bath last week. Happens to the best of them.
Neither Walters or Ballantyne usually get much of it against Sydney. Smith and Rampe are class.
Buddy could barely get near it and he's the best in the game. Sometimes you just have to give credit to the defender.

 

[tacopavlich]

Well I think Mundy had a poor game too despite getting it 20 times. Turnovers, missed marks, handballs to opposition etc. Neale and Walters had poor game games compared to usual. So we pick just one out of a hat to 'send a message'? It's not like they weren't showing commitment or being lazy. Barlow should have a week off if he has a niggling injury, but not to be made an example of.

Think neales bad form hit us really hard, hes been extremely good for us extracting the ball in stoppages and helping fyfe feed it to our mids. The second half only fyfe was trying his guts out trying to win clearances.

 

[pavsbootlace]

TBH, I can't recall exactly when/where I heard that. But that figure is rattling round in my brain. It's possible that some 'journo' threw that figure up (12-16 games) and somehow, I'm imagining Ross said that. I did a quick search via google news to try and find it, but it seems you're both right. The halfway mark is what comes up again and again.

There was an article by Kim Hagdorn based on pure speculation with no direct quotes saying that Pav and Mcpharlin were expected to play 15 games. Lyon however has stated on a couple of occasions that Luke will not be rested in the first half of the season and Pav and Sandi feel better when they are playing regularly.

 

[Freoforever86]

Can we give sore players a week off should they be sore this week, or in round 20 but I would prefer to rest 10 players over 10 weeks than 10 players in 1 week.

I just don't want to go into finals with McPharlin, Pav and Johnson injured again. It has hurt us so much the last few years, and I am sure a number of other players were carrying general soreness and would have benefited from a rest. We have Crozier, Sheridan, Ballas, Duffy, A Pearce and co ready to come in now, plus Dawson 2-3 weeks away.

We're hardly a lock for finals yet though, hence why we don't want to rest anyone as yet. Don't flirt with form and momentum. Before/after the bye is a perfect time & maybe with a few rounds left you rest a few. Not round 5

 

[purplefrog]

Don't understand why it has to be such a definitive statement if a player is DROPPED or RESTED.
I see it more as fine tuning and keeping the hunger in the 23rd to 30th player, saying that they are still in with a chance to get a gig.
Yes we are winning but does that mean the same 22 play every week barring injury?
A couple of games within the next few months to guys like Crozier Sheridan Blakely Grey and A Pearce would put them in a better position than coming in at the business end of the season at this level should injuries occur.
Granted this week may not be the right time to do it as a game at the MCG is a rarity but assuming we are travelling well over the next few weeks I feel a few minor tweeks would not go astray.

 

[XXRL]

Also something to watch in our games - when an opponent gets a goal, do we send in the same centre bounce squad to respond? (fyfe, hill, sandi, mundy)

I did notice that Pav contested the centre bounce following Sydney's first two goals.

 

[Freo Hitman]

Ballard for a gig this week ???

 

[Spoken4]

I did notice that Pav contested the centre bounce following Sydney's first two goals.

Really don't know why we still allow Pav to do that. Surely longevity dictates keeping him in the front third of the ground 100% of the time.

 

[XXRL]

Really don't know why we still allow Pav to do that. Surely longevity dictates keeping him in the front third of the ground 100% of the time.

RTB said, along the lines of, it's up to Pav if he wants to do that - "he could get a kick in the coaches' box if he wanted to"

 

[democritus]

Really don't know why we still allow Pav to do that. Surely longevity dictates keeping him in the front third of the ground 100% of the time.

I wonder how much of that is Pav taking the initiative himself. Something had to change in that second half or we we're going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Personally, in limited doses, I don't mind it.

 

[Arcassius]

Ballard for a gig this week ???

doubtful - his disposal still needs work

 

[Righteo]

I wonder how much of that is Pav taking the initiative himself. Something had to change in that second half or we we're going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Personally, in limited doses, I don't mind it.

Same, Pav into the middle and Fyfe forward a couple times a game is a useful way to muck up opposition structures.

 

[youmewe]

Ballard for a gig this week ???

Not possible, he's a rookie.

We can't upgrade a rookie because of a retirement.

 

[jedi mind tricks]

In Sylvia

 

[greatgatsby]

Wouldn't be reading too much into Sonny getting a bath last week. Happens to the best of them.
Neither Walters or Ballantyne usually get much of it against Sydney. Smith and Rampe are class.
Buddy could barely get near it and he's the best in the game. Sometimes you just have to give credit to the defender.

Too right and this is a serious issue for us. In contrast, Hawthorn's small forwards took them to the cleaners in the GF.

 

[kp junior]

Don't understand why it has to be such a definitive statement if a player is DROPPED or RESTED.
I see it more as fine tuning and keeping the hunger in the 23rd to 30th player, saying that they are still in with a chance to get a gig.
Yes we are winning but does that mean the same 22 play every week barring injury?
A couple of games within the next few months to guys like Crozier Sheridan Blakely Grey and A Pearce would put them in a better position than coming in at the business end of the season at this level should injuries occur.
Granted this week may not be the right time to do it as a game at the MCG is a rarity but assuming we are travelling well over the next few weeks I feel a few minor tweeks would not go astray.

Yep just think of it as picking your best 25, and rotating through that group, rather than best 22. Other sports do it with much smaller teams on the field, where it should make a bigger difference to the outcome than a 22 man team like in footy.

 

[Jezzitizle]

Too right and this is a serious issue for us. In contrast, Hawthorn's small forwards took them to the cleaners in the GF.

Because the swans defence had to focus a lot more on roughie and gunston than they do on pav and tabs, along with the hawks not playing a forward as almost a defender up front like we had mayne last year and seemingly now balantyne. Hawks set up more aggressively than we do imo.

 

[Nothing]

Just a question, what's going on with barlow? I got him in super coach so just wondering haha

There is a stickied SC/DT thread at the top of the page.

 

[Gekko71]

doubtful - his disposal still needs work

Ballard's also still on the rookie list IIRC.

In regards to changes for Melbourne, originally I was calling for people to be rested after round four - but I've changed my mind. RTB wants to consolidate our good start to the year and seems very hesitant to underestimate either Melbourne or Paul Roos.

Other posters points about playing our best team on the MCG to give them exposure to the ground is a brilliant point and I think it's a great idea. We need to expose Ballaz to the MCG in order to kick some Melbourne arse, and get a good look at those forward pockets for later in the year

...but there's also a little voice in the back of my head, quietly insisting we need to expose Duffy to the MCG early too, for exactly the same reasons...

I'm a creature of instinct, so I say we need to fit Max in there somewhere... most probably as the sub.

As for who comes out for Ballaz - I have no idea. No one deserves or wants to be dropped... so it's a question of who needs a rest the most, and whom can we most afford to be without for a week.

 

[couldhavebeen]

Hasn't Silvagni done his hamstring again?

On the news tonight,RTB said that Sivagni has had an operation on his damaged hamstring and will be out for 12 weeks .

 

[Gekko71]

On the news tonight,RTB said that Sivagni has had an operation on his damaged hamstring and will be out for 12 weeks .

F*** it!

...I think you've got a point Couda - we need to get Alex P up to speed early as well.

 

[Agenfrida]

On the news tonight,RTB said that Sivagni has had an operation on his damaged hamstring and will be out for 12 weeks .

That sucks. Damn, will SCOS ever catch a break?

 

[Agenfrida]

F*** it!

...I think you've got a point Couda - we need to get Alex P up to speed early as well.

Most likely won't eventuate, but I thought the Bulldogs game might be a good one for AP's debut.

Put him on Boyd. Both are at a similar stage of development. Better than him having to stand a seasoned KPP. He'd then have someone at a similar level of strength, conditioning and experience. He'd still get a taste for the pace of the game, our structures etc...