Preview **UPDATE** Changes vs. Sydney - Saturday 11.45am WST

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

We need someone to also play on Loyd.

He is awful. Let him get the ball all he likes if you ask me. If he has it it means they are deeply entrenched in their D50

 

[RookiePick]

View attachment 904934
More of this sh*t plz Liam

Absolutely case in point. A kid can come in with the confidence to have a crack at taking the game on like this and our system just snuffs the life out of them.

Solid systems are the bedrock but players have to be developed to win the ball, win the contest and beat their opponent/s when it's time to go. Are the players scared to make a mistake? Are the team rules around playing the percentages that rigid?

 

[amazingjoshy]

Really wanna see Jake kick a few, hope we don't even try to sit him on a wing

More Redden on the inside please

With Brander out it looks far more balanced, as long as Waterman is in as a fwd not a pure wingman. Back to the 7 fwd, 6 mid mix. And the fwd line always seems to work better with Waterman up there imo.

Should allow the likes of Kelly and Shuey to rotate off the empty wing and mean more inside time for Redden and Sheed.

NN should be completely dominating this one too. Up against McLean and probably Aliir.

 

[RookiePick]

Swans midfield clearly going to be sharking to Nic's taps. Hopefully our mids are prepared.

 

[Cuzz09]

Nic needs to start just smashing the ball inside 50 instead of pointless taps to the floor that work 1/7

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Hangover Noir]

Cripps to the red wing. Waterman to take his spot in the forward line.

And as I’ve been saying for the past few weeks, Redden into the guts, Shuey to rotate off a forward flank.

(For clarity, that’s what I’d like to happen, not what I expect to happen. Waterman will probably just take over for Brander and split the red wing with Redden).

What is a red wing and when did the term start being used?

This is the first time I’ve seen it - and I thought I read enough football to keep up with the lingo. Obviously not...

 

[Dale Doback]

Nic needs to start just smashing the ball inside 50 instead of pointless taps to the floor that work 1/7

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

Yeah he's not clearing the congestion with his hitouts. I rucked a lot over the years and it seems Nic is playing with his angles too much at the center bounce, constantly moving to put the other ruck off. He's often coming in from the side near the ump, around 9 o'clock which makes it hard for him to hit forward with any power. That forward hit from Nic to about 2 o'clock to Shuey on the move was our best clearance play for years. Sandilands dominance got Fyfe his first brownlow by being able to consistently hit to that exact area, players blocking for Fyfe and let him do the rest.

Our mid's have been so flat footed this year. We need them to get on the move. On Saturday Nic should be all over Hayden McLean who's only 197cm. It'd be good to see him facing the goals, using his leap to launch into this bloke and hitting forward with some power. Leave Shuey to sweep and get either TK or Yeo or both flying through. Go on the attack boys!

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

What is a red wing and when did the term start being used?

This is the first time I’ve seen it - and I thought I read enough football to keep up with the lingo. Obviously not...

First time I've seen it too. Defensive wing?

 

[RookiePick]

The opposite wing to the one Hurn kicks toward...every...gd...time.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

What is a red wing and when did the term start being used?

This is the first time I’ve seen it - and I thought I read enough football to keep up with the lingo. Obviously not...

First time I've seen it too. Defensive wing?

Yep - defensive wing. Not sure when it started being used by Simpson as the terminology, but has definitely been in use as their naming of the role since 2018.

Green wing is the attacking winger, usually Gaff. Move with the contest and get the footy. Linkup from the wing to the forward 50.

Red wing was usually occupied by Masten, now a combination of Brander/Redden. Stay a kick wide of the contest to prevent switching or an easy hack kick clear. Help inside D50 and being an option when exiting D50. Oftentimes winds up as one of the deepest defenders once we push forward.

*Not starting a debate about Masten, just a statement of fact, that’s what it was.*

One thing that is subjective and can be debated - I mentioned it on the Eagles podcast this week (plug) - I wonder how much it’s hurt taking Masten from that role (90% time on ground player) and instead splitting that role between Brander and Redden. Effectively wastes one of our 22 selected players by putting them in a time share role that was previously held down by one person. Might be adding to the imbalance.

Not talking quality or merit, just purely from a minutes distribution point we now have two players doing what was previously being entrusted to one.

 

[shooshka]

Yep - defensive wing. Not sure when it started being used by Simpson as the terminology, but has definitely been in use as their naming of the role since 2018.

Green wing is the attacking winger, usually Gaff. Move with the contest and get the footy. Linkup from the wing to the forward 50.

Red wing was usually occupied by Masten, now a combination of Brander/Redden. Stay a kick wide of the contest to prevent switching or an easy hack kick clear. Help inside D50 and being an option when exiting D50. Oftentimes winds up as one of the deepest defenders once we push forward.

*Not starting a debate about Masten, just a statement of fact, that’s what it was.*

One thing that is subjective and can be debated - I mentioned it on the Eagles podcast this week (plug) - I wonder how much it’s hurt taking Masten from that role (90% time on ground player) and instead splitting that role between Brander and Redden. Effectively wastes one of our 22 selected players by putting them in a time share role that was previously held down by one person. Might be adding to the imbalance.

Not talking quality or merit, just purely from a minutes distribution point we now have two players doing what was previously being entrusted to one.

Well whatever it is it hasn't been working if the aim is to stop the switch or easy exit out of defence! (that has been killing us this year).

If we can get it right we'll win more than we lose - as it is seriously breaking down our system at the moment (the easy rebounds out of our forward half). It is not all due to 1 winger - but it's certainly part of it.

 

[Biggie]

 

[Biggie]

 

[Biggie]

 

[Balls In]

Yeah he's not clearing the congestion with his hitouts.

This is the obvious game for our midfielders to play aggressively. Less defensive accountability and hit the set pieces with momentum straight towards our goal. Just need to trust that Nick will hit them more times than not on the way through. If we set up conservatively we will be playing into Sydney's hands and wasting the clear stoppage advantage we take into the game.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

What is a red wing and when did the term start being used?

This is the first time I’ve seen it - and I thought I read enough football to keep up with the lingo. Obviously not...

To be honest I’ve only ever heard Badge use it, but it sounded like a real thing and a better, more general name than “the Masten role”, which is what it is.

To be even more honest, every time I hear it I think of ice hockey.

 

[FKASC]

Just realised Cripps also went goalless in the two Marsh Series games this year so he hasn’t kicked a goal since the Elimination Final

 

[amazingjoshy]

Yep - defensive wing. Not sure when it started being used by Simpson as the terminology, but has definitely been in use as their naming of the role since 2018.

Green wing is the attacking winger, usually Gaff. Move with the contest and get the footy. Linkup from the wing to the forward 50.

Red wing was usually occupied by Masten, now a combination of Brander/Redden. Stay a kick wide of the contest to prevent switching or an easy hack kick clear. Help inside D50 and being an option when exiting D50. Oftentimes winds up as one of the deepest defenders once we push forward.

*Not starting a debate about Masten, just a statement of fact, that’s what it was.*

One thing that is subjective and can be debated - I mentioned it on the Eagles podcast this week (plug) - I wonder how much it’s hurt taking Masten from that role (90% time on ground player) and instead splitting that role between Brander and Redden. Effectively wastes one of our 22 selected players by putting them in a time share role that was previously held down by one person. Might be adding to the imbalance.

Not talking quality or merit, just purely from a minutes distribution point we now have two players doing what was previously being entrusted to one.

Our (current minus Kelly) midfield functioned the best it ever has in the 2018 finals series with Masten in his(defensive wing) role, and Redden/Sheed splitting Gaffs role.

Now, call me crazy, but why not just replace Masten with Gaff and leave the rest of the mids to do their thing?

 

[Chappy McChap]

Ah ok, so the criteria for players being untouchable is that they’re “leaders”. That’s why there’s so much angst about Simpson’s failure to drop Cripps, a player who’s never been in a leadership group, is never heard from outside the club and the only time I can recall him being spoken about as a leader was in the context of him being the sole remaining senior player in the forward line when Kennedy and Darling were both injured.

It also explains why Jetta doesn’t count, he’s clearly not a “leader” even though he’s regularly praised for his mentorship of the other indigenous guys.

Glad we cleared that up.

As for the other blokes you listed, none of them have ever had a run of form bad enough to warrant dropping them, as foamy at the mouth as some on here might get. Hurn might be getting close. Kennedy might have been getting close before last week. Darling’s a reigning AA forward who’s had two stinkers in a row. Gov and NicNat - does anyone seriously think they should have been dropped on form at any point in the past five years?

So basically we’re left with Cripps. Who obviously hasn’t been dropped because he’s a “leader”, despite all outward indications to the contrary. And it absolutely can’t be because there’s bugger all smalls to come in to replace him.

Cripps' form has been poor, but there just isn't a replacement. Treacy looked lost in the pre-season, and no Cameron or Willie (& Petch is out of form) means he stays in and finds form in the ones. The only small forward left was JJ and he's already in replacing Petch.

We have half backs queueing for a game which is surely why they dropped Jett's no?

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Cripps' form has been poor, but there just isn't a replacement. Treacy looked lost in the pre-season, and no Cameron or Willie (& Petch is out of form) means he stays in and finds form in the ones. The only small forward left was JJ and he's already in replacing Petch.

We have half backs queueing for a game which is surely why they dropped Jett's no?

I would have thought so too, but no apparently it’s because Cripps is an undroppable leader.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Can we just have more of this

And less of this

Cause we will get this

Which will make me do this

 

[larrikin]

Cripps' form has been poor, but there just isn't a replacement. Treacy looked lost in the pre-season, and no Cameron or Willie (& Petch is out of form) means he stays in and finds form in the ones. The only small forward left was JJ and he's already in replacing Petch.

We have half backs queueing for a game which is surely why they dropped Jett's no?

Also, Cripps doesn't have running patterns of a small forward. I doubt any of those other guys could do the km's at the pace Cripps does.

 

[amazingjoshy]

 

[Obeanie1]

Haggers saying we will be bringing in Waterman + O Allen to rotate with JK & Darling

.....hahah yeah lets have roatations of big players.

Well with Brander and Hickey out thats plausable.

One is on the bench and other three on the ground.

 

[Wedgetailed Westerner]

I read "senior players" as "senior players", not Jack Redden and Jamie Cripps (and an unspecified other list of players who would have counted, of which Jetta may well be included).

The funny thing in all of this is I bet it would be remarkably easy to find posts from people saying that Jetta's continued selection is proof that Adam Simpson never drops certain players. This is such a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario.

Most people want Redden and Cripps dropped after the starts to the season they've had. Its not difficult to understand why they've been persisted with, given their track record, but eventually a decision has to be made. This concept that Adam Simpson has a free pass for senior players is quite odd given the proof time and again that's its incorrect.

We've been extremely good the last few years. Cripps was fourth in our B+F in 2018, Redden second. Cripps four times Top 10 B+F, Redden two (including last year). It doesn't make sense to drop them just for the sake of it. They're not performing well enough now, most people would like to see them dropped (myself included) but its not irrational to persist with them and its certainly not indicative of any sort of free pass.

You don't drop good players when they're in good form, obviously. You don't drop good players when they have two bad weeks. We're now entering the window where you'd expect to see them dropped, but posters are framing this as some sort of long term problem that's been going on forever with Simpson (expect for all the times he has dropped senior players but those players don't count because...)

This is so true Badge. Something to concider. Weren't some of us.calling for Redden to.do the tagging job so we didnt need Hutch in the side?
Going by last weekend. He played his role, keeping Wines quiet