Preview Round 8, 2024 : Bulldogs v Hawks, 4pm 5th May, Marvel Stadium

[Strapping Young Lad]

Agree last year some people were IMO over the top in their praise for Reeves and correlated his hitout wins with our midfield performance. His hit out wins were mid table and to advantage was about 6th of the recognised ruckman and mid table overall as a % around 30%. In other key stats like metres gained marks disposals clearances scoring he ranks last or close enough to it, on par with players like Andrew Philips and Mason Cox in 2023. And he turned 26 this year it’s not like he’s early 20s. The critique of Reeves is totally fair and if it seems over the top my feeling is that was to counter balance what felt like an equally over the top defence of him.

His taps absolutely correlated to our midfield performance. Silly to suggest otherwise. He certainly wasn’t being picked for his disposals or marking.

Ratten has said as much as a former opposition coach trying to quell his influence when we brained the Roos last year.

Another side, that is currently top 4, had him in their top 5 players that they need to plan to beat when playing lowly old Hawthorn in 2023.

To pretend like he wasn’t a big part of why we were so good in the middle last year is silly.

 

[peetoo]

His taps absolutely correlated to our midfield performance. Silly to suggest otherwise. He certainly wasn’t being picked for his disposals or marking.

Ratten has said as much as a former opposition coach trying to quell his influence when we brained the Roos last week.

Another side, that is currently top 4, had him in their top 5 players that they need to plan to beat when playing lowly old Hawthorn in 2023.

To pretend like he wasn’t a big part of why we were so good in the middle last year is silly.

AFL mafia on the case

 

[FB19]

His taps absolutely correlated to our midfield performance. Silly to suggest otherwise. He certainly wasn’t being picked for his disposals or marking.

Ratten has said as much as a former opposition coach trying to quell his influence when we brained the Roos last week.

Another side, that is currently top 4, had him in their top 5 players that they need to plan to beat when playing lowly old Hawthorn in 2023.

To pretend like he wasn’t a big part of why we were so good in the middle last year is silly.

I know you’ve said that multiple times I am just questioning that view based on the stats. I expected him to be near the top for taps won, hit outs total and hit outs to advantage, but he actually ranges from 6-9 and that’s when you exclude ruckmen playing less than 10 games so worse in raw numbers. That surprised me. I didn’t say he wasnt a reason for the strong midfield performance but that it was overstated. Given his numbers have him just above average that would seem to be a fair not silly position to take. You can of course disagree as you have and I expected given your staunch support for him last year. Which is totally fine it’s an opinion forum after all.
What we should be able to agree on is he gives us little else and if he isn’t dominating with his One Wood it’s going to be a long road back barring injury.

 

[Dazza the Viking]

Surely we are not bringing Reeves in, rather stick with Ramsden

 

[Dazza the Viking]

In - Reeves, D’Ambrossio, Phillips, Hustwaite, Breust
Out - Chol, Morrison, Serong, Ramsden, Gunston

Nash to tag Bont, Maginess to Libba

Sub - MacDonald

Nash tags Bont I’m putting the C on Bont in my SuperCoach team

Reeves no thanks, Ramsden stays

D’Ambrosio and Hustwaite should be locks, need players who can hit a target

Breust and Watson in if fit

Morrison Serong and Gunston out

 

[cryptor]

Please god do not pick Reeves, ever again.

Not sure god is on the selection committee.

 

[Yardie]

I want them to pick Reeves as the sub to drive us all mad......

 

[FB19]

I want them to pick Reeves as the sub to drive us all mad......

This should be absolutely laughable but given this year…we would have no defence to the tanking allegations then. Only for that reason I can’t support.

 

[Bedi]

I'm firmly in the Reeves camp. Even if he is a project player (like Pittonet), I feel he is the better tap ruckman and our midfield functions better with him in the side. Not to say Meek has done poorly, but given his stature, he really should be providing more of a physical presence. I've already accepted he can't mark or be relied upon as a goal kicker, but Reeves is no better. Hence maybe best strategy is to keep alternating them till one really stands up and cements their place.

 

[Bedi]

Nash tags Bont I’m putting the C on Bont in my SuperCoach team

Reeves no thanks, Ramsden stays

D’Ambrosio and Hustwaite should be locks, need players who can hit a target

Breust and Watson in if fit

Morrison Serong and Gunston out

Wtf was with the decision to drop D’Ambrosio? Rare shining light for us this year.
Also any intel on what's going on with Lewis?

Ins: D’Ambrosio, Lewis, Phillips
Outs: Chol, Serong, Ramsden

 

[SSSSSS]

Wtf was with the decision to drop D’Ambrosio? Rare shining light for us this year.
Also any intel on what's going on with Lewis?

Ins: D’Ambrosio, Lewis, Phillips
Outs: Chol, Serong, Ramsden

I think Massimo was sore/injured.

 

[Newmo89]

Wtf was with the decision to drop D’Ambrosio? Rare shining light for us this year.
Also any intel on what's going on with Lewis?

Ins: D’Ambrosio, Lewis, Phillips
Outs: Chol, Serong, Ramsden

Mass was managed for a sore hip last week.

 

[TylerDurden]

I'm firmly in the Reeves camp. Even if he is a project player (like Pittonet), I feel he is the better tap ruckman and our midfield functions better with him in the side. Not to say Meek has done poorly, but given his stature, he really should be providing more of a physical presence. I've already accepted he can't mark or be relied upon as a goal kicker, but Reeves is no better. Hence maybe best strategy is to keep alternating them till one really stands up and cements their place.

Meek has been in our top 3 players over the last month of footy.
Unsure what else you'd be expecting of him at this stage.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Wtf was with the decision to drop D’Ambrosio? Rare shining light for us this year.
Also any intel on what's going on with Lewis?

Ins: D’Ambrosio, Lewis, Phillips
Outs: Chol, Serong, Ramsden

Wasnt dropped

Managed

Had a Hip Issue

 

[RoughysMullet]

Just hoping Sammy Mitchell has a light bulb moment this week and chooses a running player as the sub like literally every other club- every single game

 

[Bedi]

Meek has been in our top 3 players over the last month of footy.
Unsure what else you'd be expecting of him at this stage.

If Meek's among our top 3 players then god help us all.
Not to say AFL.com is the best source, but he hasn't been listed in our best for the past month. Nor has he received a single coaches vote, so just curious as to what makes you say he's been our best 3 players? Lot of hype about him on here, but serviceable is my best description for him.

 

[Brishawk]

Just hoping Sammy Mitchell has a light bulb moment this week and chooses a running player as the sub like literally every other club- every single game

I know who out sub will be. Have a picture as a clue

Extra clue, it not the short guy

 

[smish]

Darcy/English - Phillips
JUH - Weddle
Naughton - Frost

Looks like it could be a tough day down back

 

[Madhawknut]

Wtf was with the decision to drop D’Ambrosio? Rare shining light for us this year.
Also any intel on what's going on with Lewis?

Ins: D’Ambrosio, Lewis, Phillips
Outs: Chol, Serong, Ramsden

D'ambrosio coaches my son at point cook and was managing a sore back last week. He was moving well last night at training. I would say he is lock this week

 

[Bedi]

D'ambrosio coaches my son at point cook and was managing a sore back last week. He was moving well last night at training. I would say he is lock this week

Wow, that's cool. He's been a great pickup, esp as he's still only 20. He was listed as an emergency, so wonder why when he was injured.

 

[Madhawknut]

Wow, that's cool. He's been a great pickup, esp as he's still only 20. He was listed as an emergency, so wonder why when he was injured.

I know strange but he was struggling with sore back last week.

 

[Blackhawk42]

If Meek's among our top 3 players then god help us all.
Not to say AFL.com is the best source, but he hasn't been listed in our best for the past month. Nor has he received a single coaches vote, so just curious as to what makes you say he's been our best 3 players? Lot of hype about him on here, but serviceable is my best description for him.

Not getting a coaches vote against Collingwood was an oversight on behalf of Mitchell and Craig Macrae. 30 hitouts, 18 disposals and 4 tackles.
Darcy Cameron had similar stats but far less impact on the contest.

He's backed it up by performing quite admirably against one of the best rucks in the comp (Witts).

A week later he's bobbed up with 24 hitouts and 2 goals, followed by a game where he's (in the opinion of myself and Champion Data) beaten Brody Grundy despite us getting flogged.

Been an unexpected shining light in a tough period for us.

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[SSSSSS]

 

[SSSSSS]

Must win game if we are any chance of making the finals.

Percentage boost will be handy too.

Hawks by 58.