Review The Week in Between - now we wait. Selection talk and other guff.

[The King!]

Glad im not on the panel such tough calls.

It's why they are paid the big bucks and they have way more info than we have.

Also I mean yeah Amartey, Parker, Jmac especially were poor, Roberts looked a little overawed, but we also know what their best looks like , Especially Parker and Jmac, we know they can bounce back, so it's a tough call to make any change in that regard, especially if Jmac keeps getting fitter over the next 2 weeks .

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

It's why they are paid the big bucks and they have way more info than we have.

Also I mean yeah Amartey, Parker, Jmac especially were poor, Roberts looked a little overawed, but we also know what their best looks like , Especially Parker and Jmac, we know they can bounce back, so it's a tough call to make any change in that regard, especially if Jmac keeps getting fitter over the next 2 weeks .

Yep which is baffling how most of the time they can get it so wrong.

 

[The King!]

Yep which is baffling how most of the time they can get it so wrong.

If a team wins they got it right if they lose then they didn't.

If campbell came on got 2 kicks and Sydney lost and we found out about his injury lol imagine that

 

[Dubai Quacker]

It's why they are paid the big bucks and they have way more info than we have.

Also I mean yeah Amartey, Parker, Jmac especially were poor, Roberts looked a little overawed, but we also know what their best looks like , Especially Parker and Jmac, we know they can bounce back, so it's a tough call to make any change in that regard, especially if Jmac keeps getting fitter over the next 2 weeks .

Remember how long it took Mills to find form after the injury?

That’s the worry with McI - fitness is one thing, but sometimes a run of games is needed.

We can’t afford another performance like that in a prelim.

But would Horse drop him?

I suspect not …. but someone needs to go out (or to sub) to accomodate Campbell.

 

[SwansLifer]

I wouldn't mind Adams in for Roberts. If Campbell has a slight groin then keep him as sub, if he is 100% then Adams is the sub.

 

[BloodySwan]

Jmac the sub but otherwise I'd make no changes.

3 talls have been key for our structure all year. We get dominated in the air enough as is, how do people think we'd go with 1 less tall? It would be an absolute bath

 

[Kbroome]

Only question on selections is do we drop one of the flankers for Adams to provide more grunt work so that we aren't down like 15 CPs in the first quarter and getting smoked in the middle.

 

[Millky95]

Only question on selections is do we drop one of the flankers for Adams to provide more grunt work so that we aren't down like 15 CPs in the first quarter and getting smoked in the middle.

Rebuttle is are we then too slow in leg speed late in the game?

 

[Dan87]

The three talls were up against Buckley, Taylor and HH

That's as good as it gets

They got bathed but it would have been even uglier if one of those guys had Cleary for company

 

[Dan87]

I don't think you drop Juzzy after you've done the hard yards and given him a gallop

It's Parker vs Adams again and likely unchanged but Parker's ToG stats are a bit of a worry so could go the other way

 

[Kbroome]

Rebuttle is are we then too slow in leg speed late in the game?

No imo because imo you have one of Campbell Juzz or one of the quick flankers coming into the game as the sub.

 

[The King!]

Won 5 of the last 6 v Hawthorn and haven't beaten Port in 8 years , yet think I'd rather Port the more I consider it.

 

[Dan87]

Won 5 of the last 6 v Hawthorn and haven't beaten Port in 8 years , yet think I'd rather Port the more I consider it.

I'd rather Hawks, they're young and will get burnt out and beat up

But really, bring either on

 

[Kbroome]

I'd rather Hawks, they're young and will get burnt out and beat up

But really, bring either on

Also apparently Will Day is cooked for the season so he won't take part in any of the remainder of the season

 

[The King!]

I'd rather Hawks, they're young and will get burnt out and beat up

But really, bring either on

Maybe overthinking it but if the Hawks go to Adelaide and beat Port then they are on continuing a hell of a run of form , knocking off a side on the road after a friday night MCG final. Just think they would be full of piss and vinegar going into the prelim, with no fear. I guess Port would be off a win too though, can we play North?

But like you said Bring on either.

 

[Dan87]

It's crazy to me that you guys watched us get locked down back for a half with no way forward and come to the conclusion we need to go smaller

Man, we need some good KPPs soon

 

[caesar88]

It's crazy to me that you guys watched us get locked down back for a half with no way forward and come to the conclusion we need to go smaller

Man, we need some good KPPs soon

I don't disagree that we need some stronger marking options ahead of the ball/down the line to avoid us being hemmed in to our back half for ages.

But I feel like we need to go smaller not instead of having good marking options but because we don't have those good marking options.

 

[Wheresbuddy]

OK, the elephant in the room.
Hypothesis: our first 14 games went so well because Grundy was in AA form. Since then his form has dropped very significantly and the team's with it. Hopefully we would agree on that.
I have no idea if it's injury or fatigue but his morale seems fine.
I'm hoping the coaches can find a way to improve things.
Solution?:
An article in the Mongrel Punt suggested that we are trying to use McLean around the ground to replace some of his "big man" impact. If so it doesn't appear to be working too well. Fast ball movement catches McLean out. Probably not the answer.
I'm hoping that McLean and possibly even Amartey take a bit more load to keep Grundy fresher during games but I'm not sure that's the real issue.
I thought he was a bit better tonight but he really only edged the hitouts. McInerney is probably the worst matchup for him so hopefully it will be OK against any of the others.
It isn't like he isn't doing his absolute best!
Any thoughts?

I agree his form is not at the level it was earlier this year. I think part of it has been the opposition rucks have been alot more physical with him at the ruck contest and nullifying his effort once the ball goes to ground. Earlier in the year, he really exploited the change in rules to make first contact but the opposition rucks have cottoned onto this.

However, I thought yesterday was the best game he has played in a while and at worse, honours shared with Briggs. Given our midfield fire-power, if he can draw level with his opponent, then we are in the contest. If he rediscovers his early season form, Heeney + Co will run rampant.

 

[mcs095]

I agree his form is not at the level it was earlier this year. I think part of it has been the opposition rucks have been alot more physical with him at the ruck contest and nullifying his effort once the ball goes to ground. Earlier in the year, he really exploited the change in rules to make first contact but the opposition rucks have cottoned onto this.

However, I thought yesterday was the best game he has played in a while and at worse, honours shared with Briggs. Given our midfield fire-power, if he can draw level with his opponent, then we are in the contest. If he rediscovers his early season form, Heeney + Co will run rampant.

He was very important in our second half revival, especially when the umpires remembered that umpiring the game like it was a rugby scrum probably isn't in line with the laws of the game - the amount of over the top holding in the first half was a ridiculous, and took Grundy right out of the game.

 

[Ticky009]

Remember how long it took Mills to find form after the injury?

That’s the worry with McI - fitness is one thing, but sometimes a run of games is needed.

We can’t afford another performance like that in a prelim.

But would Horse drop him?

I suspect not …. but someone needs to go out (or to sub) to accomodate Campbell.

I don't think Mills has found form after his injury - the lack of a proper pre-season is telling in his case.

 

[caesar88]

I know little about sports science, recovery from injuries etc., so may need some help here.

If he was underdone and needing match fitness/practice, does another week off now help or hurt his chances of playing better in two weeks' time?

I ask because I know nothing about this stuff, but all I do know is that the player we saw yesterday simply cannot be in a preliminary final team, no matter how highly-rated he is.

 

[Dan87]

I don't disagree that we need some stronger marking options ahead of the ball/down the line to avoid us being hemmed in to our back half for ages.

But I feel like we need to go smaller not instead of having good marking options but because we don't have those good marking options.

So Buckley, Taylor, HH could just plant their 100 kg where convenient and monster everyone then

If there's unrelenting pressure on the player and the contest, and an opposition keeps their structure you're going to have to play for territory at some point

We only got into the game because of fatigue

 

[caesar88]

So Buckley, Taylor, HH could just plant their 100 kg where convenient and monster everyone then

If there's unrelenting pressure on the player and the contest, and an opposition keeps their structure you're going to have to play for territory at some point

We only got into the game because of fatigue

I'm not necessarily saying the answer is to drop a tall and play with one less (though as I mentioned earlier, that is one option.) I'm saying that if we go with the three talls to keep our structure and not let opposition defences have their way with us (which they still did to a degree yesterday), then we might have to make an adjustment elsewhere to fit another small in. Swap out a flanker type for a pressure forward, swap out a slower medium forward for a smaller type. Etc.

There are ways we can increase our presence at ground level inside 50 without having to lose a tall. It's just a matter of how desperate, if at all, Horse & co are to make it happen.

 

[Jewelsbon]

He was very important in our second half revival, especially when the umpires remembered that umpiring the game like it was a rugby scrum probably isn't in line with the laws of the game - the amount of over the top holding in the first half was a ridiculous, and took Grundy right out of the game.

Absolutely perfect description of how the ball ups were adjudicated in the first half.
With the way he was cuddling him, I thought Briggs looked more like he was in love with Grundy than opposed to him!

Reckon we need Adams grunt around the stoppages. We missed his little blocks and his ability to get it out of the pack to the runners.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Don’t think we need to change the sub- this is such a specialist role and we’ve finally found one that did the job well…why on earth change it?

JMac will be better for the run I would probably play him but boy jeez looked short of a gallop