Will West Coast roll the dice and play Naitanui next week?

[Duskfire]

If they play him they lose. Guarantee if he is named GWS will focus on him and have players run off him and around him and tackle him all day. Hasn't played all year, no match fitness. Afl history is full of players coming in underdone and it back firing.

Eagles have a chance to win this. Bringing in Nat would be a massive massive mistake. Paddy was the aa ruck and Petrie and Vardy did alright. Have to back them in, hope Vardy has a crazy Boyd-grand final type game.

 

[Underdog]

If they play him they lose.

They probably lose regardless.

Guarantee if he is named GWS will focus on him and have players run off him and around him and tackle him all day. Hasn't played all year, no match fitness. Afl history is full of players coming in underdone and it back firing.

Not sure how worried we'll be of Mumford running away from Nic...
Regardless of fitness levels, it would take coconut sized balls to not give him proper respect. He'll cause headaches even if he doesn't move from the goal square all day.

Eagles have a chance to win this. Bringing in Nat would be a massive massive mistake. Paddy was the aa ruck and Petrie and Vardy did alright. Have to back them in, hope Vardy has a crazy Boyd-grand final type game.

Vardy was OK. He's been OK all year. And by OK, I mean pretty rubbish by lead ruckman standards but alright given his lack of experience. West Coast have no chance of causing damage with Vardy leading the ruck over Naitanui. We still might get pumped with Nic, and it's a risk, but one worth taking IMO.

 

[Barrybran]

I was a firm "no" before round 23 but I think we're at a point where we need to roll the dice. Vardy and Petrie have been excellent for us this year and had solid outings on Saturday so they won't come out. The biggest issues we face against GWS are their pace and tall forward line, neither of which will be solved by playing Nic. As others have mentioned though, Nic changes our whole midfield dynamic and our team lifts when he plays. We've managed to turn our fadeouts into full game performances and GWS have been down on form but I don't see us beating them with the team we have. We obviously have to manage his workload so put him up forward as others have suggested and have Vardy help out down back (not his strength, I know, but he'll be better than Nic there and will take the fourth tallest forward).

 

[JRyan23]

People saying save him for round 1. Why?
This IMO is West Coast's last chance at a premiership for a while, with the retiring of Petrie, Mitchell and Priddis, who were all instrumental on Saturday Night, as well as the ageing of JK. Roll the dice, bring him and Wellingham/Masten in for Partington and Duggan

 

[JRyan23]

I was a firm "no" before round 23 but I think we're at a point where we need to roll the dice. Vardy and Petrie have been excellent for us this year and had solid outings on Saturday so they won't come out. The biggest issues we face against GWS are their pace and tall forward line, neither of which will be solved by playing Nic. As others have mentioned though, Nic changes our whole midfield dynamic and our team lifts when he plays. We've managed to turn our fadeouts into full game performances and GWS have been down on form but I don't see us beating them with the team we have. We obviously have to manage his workload so put him up forward as others have suggested and have Vardy help out down back (not his strength, I know, but he'll be better than Nic there and will take the fourth tallest forward).

Cameron will be out, and Mumford in doubt, so he would dominate Simpson if he plays, and the forward line would only have two talls (Patton, Lobb)

 

[Thats Wright]

Who would've thought Petrie keeps Nic Nat out of a final at 35.

His last few ruck contests against Ryder were top shelf. Not sure what Ryder was doing but Drew somehow contributed a lot in the last few minutes.

 

[Barrybran]

Cameron will be out, and Mumford in doubt, so he would dominate Simpson if he plays, and the forward line would only have two talls (Patton, Lobb)

Fair point

 

[King Brown]

I can't remember the last time a ruckman came back in from a long lay off from a knee reco and performed well in their first game. It's extremely rare that they ever make it back to full condition.

Naitanui's last final was unspeakably poor, so I don't think he really has runs on the board to say he's an automatic inclusion.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

Mumford will snap him if he plays

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

Not worth it, he'd be coming in underdone and not battle hardened to an extremely physical contest. I know he will want to play but I just don't see it working.

 

[StillAtLarge]

Would be worth risking in a prelim against big Nank and Grigg. I'm sure he's done a tonne of running so fitness won't be an issue. Simulating ruck contests at training ain't that hard either

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

People saying save him for round 1. Why?
This IMO is West Coast's last chance at a premiership for a while, with the retiring of Petrie, Mitchell and Priddis, who were all instrumental on Saturday Night, as well as the ageing of JK.

Yep pretty much this.

Like any team in the finals, but particularly given the age of our list, the only point in competing in the finals series is to try and win the flag, and literally the only possible pathway to this team beating Richmond/Adelaide/Sydney is to have a something like match fit NN available and somewhere near his best . There might be a 15% chance at best that he will be able to perform at anything like that level after a hitout in the semi, but there is something like a <1% chance that we will win two games in a row at the MCG without him.

Even if we somehow beat GWS without him, the same set of considerations rolls around next week, and suddenly it becomes an even riskier proposition to bring him in with no match practice in a prelim.

Better to bite the bullet and name him now. Take the risk and see what happens.

I have a horrible feeling that having chalked up a amazing finals win which will keep the fan base happy west coast will take the conservative option, keep him in cotton wool and essentially accept we will be exiting this week or next.

 

[redglare]

Won't play. Quote from Shuey yesterday when asked about Naitanui:
"But as you've heard from the footy club before it's a massive risk with a guy who is 115kg or whatever he is coming back from an ACL and he's had some soreness."

Soreness = doubt = no chance of playing IMO

They need fresh legs, but not sure how many options they have. Possible ins Wellingham and Masten, Possible outs Partington and Lecras

 

[Sprout]

I think it's a risk worth taking. All in.

 

[ROYAL EAGLE]

If we drop McKenzie, with Cameron out then we can bring in Naitanui and play Vardy and Petrie.
No matter what Petrie will play Vardy would be the one to come out, but i think all three can play together

 

[Eaglespur]

If we drop McKenzie, with Cameron out then we can bring in Naitanui and play Vardy and Petrie.
No matter what Petrie will play Vardy would be the one to come out, but i think all three can play together

0 chance. Criminal to drop Eazy.

 

[Anzacpaul]

Except for a premiership?

Sent from my F3115 using Tapatalk

Richmond will cut them up on the MCG, if by some miracle they get over GWS

 

[Big_Birdy]

I wouldnt play him but if I did I wouldnt drop Vardy or Petrie for him, id drop Lecras and play him permanent forward.

Lets be honest these days he will provide more pressure than lecras, is a better crumber and probably a better set shot. And he at least can take a contested grab whilst drawing 3 blokes.

Im warming to the idea after actually writing that out.....

 

[greatwhiteshark]

I wouldnt play him but if I did I wouldnt drop Vardy or Petrie for him, id drop Lecras and play him permanent forward.

Lets be honest these days he will provide more pressure than lecras, is a better crumber and probably a better set shot. And he at least can take a contested grab whilst drawing 3 blokes.

Im warming to the idea after actually writing that out.....

Would provide more pressure I will give you that, he is not even close to a better crumber, set shot you have to be joking and as far as contested grabs go he has taken about 10 in his whole career.
He is a ruckman, nothing less and nothing more.

 

[Big_Birdy]

Would provide more pressure I will give you that, he is not even close to a better crumber, set shot you have to be joking and as far as contested grabs go he has taken about 10 in his whole career.
He is a ruckman, nothing less and nothing more.

Set shot was a joke, just remember Lecras had one sitter Saturday and missed. Crumber wasnt. When was the last time Lecras kicked a crumbing goal? People think he is a crumber. He isnt. At least not any more.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Set shot was a joke, just remember Lecras had one sitter Saturday and missed. Crumber wasnt. When was the last time Lecras kicked a crumbing goal? People think he is a crumber. He isnt. At least not any more.

Fair enough on crumbing but that has never really been his game, but he needs to play that role now I agree.
Many players have missed set shots, I would back him in most times on a set shot.
We are crying out for a crumbing forward but just don't have one, Cripps should be it but seems to play high half forward, maybe swap him and Lecras and put Cripps down to a pocket and have Lecras play high half forward. Rioli???? Big risk but no certainty at all to be the player people think he might be either. Total unknown and to big a risk in my view.
I would play Nic though as a ruckman and give him about 60-70% game time.

 

[la verschroben]

Richmond will cut them up on the MCG, if by some miracle they get over GWS

I have pre-post traumatic stress disorder from thinking about that game

 

[Big_Birdy]

Fair enough on crumbing but that has never really been his game, but he needs to play that role now I agree.
Many players have missed set shots, I would back him in most times on a set shot.
We are crying out for a crumbing forward but just don't have one, Cripps should be it but seems to play high half forward, maybe swap him and Lecras and put Cripps down to a pocket and have Lecras play high half forward. Rioli???? Big risk but no certainty at all to be the player people think he might be either. Total unknown and to big a risk in my view.
I would play Nic though as a ruckman and give him about 60-70% game time.

Agree re crumber. Desperate. Perhaps thats why Simpson wants us playing a gamestyle that only looks for perfect entries

 

[Damon_3388]

392 days after he injured his knee, and 64 days after the Philadelphia workout video, West Coast remain bizarrely conservative IMO in not picking Naitanui.

Sure, Mumford is out for GWS, but why not try to maximise your chances, especially against a weakened opponent. Then, if you win, Naitanui has a game under his belt before a prelim.

Do the Eagles even believe in themselves, or are they "just happy to be there" at this point?

 

[Underdog]

392 days after he injured his knee, and 64 days after the Philadelphia workout video, West Coast remain bizarrely conservative IMO in not picking Naitanui.

Sure, Mumford is out for GWS, but why not try to maximise your chances, especially against a weakened opponent. Then, if you win, Naitanui has a game under his belt before a prelim.

Do the Eagles even believe in themselves, or are they "just happy to be there" at this point?

Agreed mate. And I'm sick of how evasive my club is being about the matter. If anything, Mumford being out makes a perfect scenario for his return.

Further, I am willing to bet that if Vardy did a hammy last week, Nic would be in. That being the case, he should be now. He's our most important player and allows our midfield to actually play offensively, and cause the opposition to structure defensively.

Hell, stick him in the goal square for 80% of the game and he'll still cause headaches. It'd prevent Kennedy being double/triple teamed so much too.