Autopsy Wheels falling off? 2 point loss to the Saints

[Bloods86]

Has always been the way with sport, and probs always will be.

Coaches talk tough and say no player is above being dropped, but the fact is the star players are always given more weeks to turn their form around.

To be fair to Warner, Gulden etc, they've played significant parts in getting us to 2 games clear at the top (even in games where they only dominate for a quarter or half). It's therefore no surprise that if they do worse, so do we.

I don't think one or two games is enough to drop these guys. And if we did, the question is then, who would we replace them with:

a) Parker, who isn't a like for like and if the idea is to improve delivery, he ain't it.

b) Mills in his first game of the year, no pre season etc

c) Someone from reserves to fill the wing or hybrid role, like Mitchell or Co Warner, who did alright at the weekend, but not on fire.

I'd look at Hamling and Adams for this week, and hopefully get a game into Parker, Mills, Sheldrick in the VFL, then see who can play a role after that.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Lots of selection questions - will Heeney cop a week, do we bring Mills/Parker in, who makes way for one or both, does Grundy need a rest, but if so, who’s coming in for him…

Makes my head spin.

Might it be easier to just ask the AFL if we can have 19 players on the field this week?

 

[bloodsbigot]

It's funny opposition boards saying how shit we are .

We are being written off everywhere so that good in a way

They're just grasping at straws really. Just anything they can find. Tall poppy syndrome.

 

[Bloods86]

Lots of selection questions - will Heeney cop a week, do we bring Mills/Parker in, who makes way for one or both, does Grundy need a rest, but if so, who’s coming in for him…

Makes my head spin.

Might it be easier to just ask the AFL if we can have 19 players on the field this week?

Parker only if Heeney misses.

If Grundy is out, I'd just bring Hamling in, ruck McLean, Amartey and maybe a bit of Logan in the front half. Unless Ladhams is fit again, but only if we're desperate for a mature body.

North won the hitouts and flogged Suns in clearances, but only beat them by 4, and the Suns are poor away. So I don't expect us to win the CB/stoppage battle this week. As long as we actually put pressure on their clearances though...

 

[Voice of the G]

Lots of selection questions - will Heeney cop a week, do we bring Mills/Parker in, who makes way for one or both, does Grundy need a rest, but if so, who’s coming in for him…

Makes my head spin.

Might it be easier to just ask the AFL if we can have 19 players on the field this week?

I would be very surprised Heeney gets reported for that.

 

[bloodsbigot]

I would be very surprised Heeney gets reported for that.

It was 100% accidental and everyone knows it. Everyone just loves to see theatre.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I would be very surprised Heeney gets reported for that.

Fine at absolute worst

 

[Superstar swan]

No resting players until we have secured 2 home finals. Once we do happy to play the entire vfl team.

They're professional players and the jobs not finished

 

[Neverwas]

lol @ North being favourites.

We are currently paying $1.06.

I'm not talking about the betting market.

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[Dubai Quacker]

The guernsey didn't look good, it has nothing to do with our performance though (nor are they political causes).

If bringing Mills in without any games, I'd be sticking him up forward (and I'd be using Heeney there this week). Wouldn't want to depend on him down back or in the mids, as good as he is. Needs to get some match practice first.

I’d like to Mills slot straight into the back 6.

He’s done it plenty of times before & whilst he will take some time to find peak form ….. I’m not sure anyone finds peak form in the VFL at the moment.

He remains probably our best player & it can be easy to forget that in light of some of the very good performances from others this year.

As for the guernsey, yes, it wasn’t the reason we lost …. but I’m still of a view that the traditional jumper should be worn …. other clubs just change the socks or something (apart from indigenous round).

 

[Neverwas]

For me, it's more that Heeney needs a rest, so I'd play him up forward (unless he's suspended). And I wouldn't bring either Mills or Parker back without a VFL game (Parker maybe if wet, because then his disposal suits the conditions). So Adams is the best option to get more CBAs. Either him or we throw Gulden, JJ in there more.

Heeney was our highest rated player yesterday.


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[Bloods86]

I’d like to Mills slot straight into the back 6.

He’s done it plenty of times before & whilst he will take some time to find peak form ….. I’m not sure anyone finds peak form in the VFL at the moment.

He remains probably our best player & it can be easy to forget that in light of some of the very good performances from others this year.

No debate over his class and what he can do for us down back, but we're talking about zero match play since last season, when we've looked sluggish in recent weeks.

He might be fine at intercepting, contesting, but not sure he'll give us a lot of defensive pressure late on if he's gassed.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Parker only if Heeney misses.

If Grundy is out, I'd just bring Hamling in, ruck McLean, Amartey and maybe a bit of Logan in the front half. Unless Ladhams is fit again, but only if we're desperate for a mature body.

North won the hitouts and flogged Suns in clearances, but only beat them by 4, and the Suns are poor away. So I don't expect us to win the CB/stoppage battle this week. As long as we actually put pressure on their clearances though...

I would be very surprised Heeney gets reported for that.

You two miss my gag in the last line (remember who we’re playing)? Or was it just not very good?

 

[Bloods86]

Heeney was our highest rated player yesterday.


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Yeah and he doesn't look like he did earlier, but was able to go forward and kick some clutch goals. So for me the logical step is give him a game mostly forward, a few less kms than usual, and he's always been good at applying forward pressure (something which we need to improve).

Might actually give us some F50 contested marks.

 

[Bloods86]

You two miss my gag in the last line (remember who we’re playing)? Or was it just not very good?

I got it, but it wasn't 19 on the field, it was an extra interchange?

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Parker only if Heeney misses.

If Grundy is out, I'd just bring Hamling in, ruck McLean, Amartey and maybe a bit of Logan in the front half. Unless Ladhams is fit again, but only if we're desperate for a mature body.

North won the hitouts and flogged Suns in clearances, but only beat them by 4, and the Suns are poor away. So I don't expect us to win the CB/stoppage battle this week. As long as we actually put pressure on their clearances though...

Hamling injured (dislocated?) his finger in the VFL, so is doubtful for next week.

Ladhams technically could have played yesterday, but seems to still be in concussion protocols

 

[Neverwas]

We talk about wicks a lot and some others but one guy who I defend a lot and love was worse than Wicks and others today and that was Hayward


Awful shot for goal when he finally got one.

A few shit turnovers , no tackles,

Playing injured.

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[Bloods86]

Hamling injured (dislocated?) his finger in the VFL, so is doubtful for next week.

Ladhams technically could have played yesterday, but seems to still be in concussion protocols

Hamling kept playing, unless there's some issues afterwards.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

Need a North preview to move on

I’m in that head space where I’ve gone to the predictor

Doomsday prediction we only beat North Melbourne and lose the rest with all other games decided where the higher team in the ladder wins then we still make the 8 (7th)

Same scenario but we win four of the seven we remain on top

Same scenario but we only win three then we are top four but not top two

Of course that really doesn’t count for other teams dropping games and having dream runs

But must get back to winning games in my best captain obvious statement

 

[The King!]

Playing injured.

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anytime our decent players suck they are injured

 

[kneecapper]

The more I think about it the more weird the past two weeks have been. People can try to blame fringe players all they like but it's our top 5 players who look badly out of form - Gulden, Warner, Blakey (apart from a quarter) and, to a lesser extent, Heeney and Grundy. Their indecision and fumbliness is causing problems at both ends of the ground.

Longmire has plenty of strengths but I think he puts way too much trust in the players' testimony and medical staff when it comes to team selection (see the 22 GF). He should recognise that some key players would probably benefit from a break (even if only mentally) and start rotating personnel through.

 

[Bloods86]

The more I think about it the more weird the past two weeks have been. People can try to blame fringe players all they like but it's our top 5 players who look badly out of form - Gulden, Warner, Blakey (apart from a quarter) and, to a lesser extent, Heeney and Grundy. Their indecision and fumbliness is causing problems at both ends of the ground.

Longmire has plenty of strengths but I think he puts way too much trust in the players' testimony and medical staff when it comes to team selection (see the 22 GF). He should recognise that some key players would probably benefit from a break (even if only mentally) and start rotating personnel through.

Who are we replacing Gulden, Warner, Blakey with though? Note: I don't think it's fitness with these guys, so you'd only be dropping due to form. Maybe Blakey is a bit banged up, but you could also rest him forward.

Mitchell, Co Warner, Magor would be the most like for like replacements (not sure it's warranted). Or you bring underdone Mills and Parker in, push Florent, JJ, Campbell etc into their spots.

 

[kneecapper]

Who are we replacing Gulden, Warner, Blakey with though? Note: I don't think it's fitness with these guys, so you'd only be dropping due to form. Maybe Blakey is a bit banged up, but you could also rest him forward.

Mitchell, Co Warner, Magor would be the most like for like replacements (not sure it's warranted). Or you bring underdone Mills and Parker in, push Florent, JJ, Campbell etc into their spots.

I'm not suggesting we rest all of them at once. Just one per round at stages over the remainder of the season, we can roll Mills, Parker, maybe even Sheldrick into the midfield. I think we have the personnel to cover them.

 

[Bloods86]

I'm not suggesting we rest all of them at once. Just one per round at stages over the remainder of the season, we can roll Mills, Parker, maybe even Sheldrick into the midfield. I think we have the personnel to cover them.

Of those 3, I reckon Blakey is most in need of a rest. I'm still not convinced that Mills can slot straight back in though.

We could really mix things up, throw North out a bit and do the following:

Heeney, Blakey move to the forward line for a game.

Out: Wicks, Roberts
In: Adams, Mills, Magor as sub

Blakey can always switch back if needed. Fox spends all game in defence. Mills mostly back with a few CBs.

Or just play Fox in D50 all game, he got all his touches at half back / half forward. Bring in Magor or Vickery for a full game if Roberts is struggling.

 

[J_Moore]

Here is the tackle drop off which is quite stunning and why i think something personal wise needs to change

2024 Tackle Differential: +4.0
2024 (pre L5): +8.16
Last 5: -6.8

Yes it’s the number one cause of our ‘woes’.

We’ve let the opposition have 3-4 more decent goal scoring chances than they ordinarily would just due to poor pressure.


Our attack has been not too bad, some inaccuracy aside.