Preview Round 7, 2016: Richmond v Hawthorn, 6 May 2016, 7.50pm @ MCG

[Main Man]

8 games until our bye - after which Rough and Hodge will be back. 6 of them we should win. Swans and Nth matbe not.
Even in our current average form, we should be 10 - 4 at the bye.
8 games at full strength to build momentum and win enough games to sneak into 4th.
16 - 6 should get top 4.
We can still win it.

Yep and if we find form we could be 12-2 in a prime position however as we saw in the St Kilda game, in our current form there are no gimme games, we could also be 8-6 and in the middle of the pack.

I thought after the WC game here we go again, going to be hard to stop again this year but been very underwhelming since despite winning games.

The response starts this week, we will know more in a months time.

 

[Grumblez]

Missed him out in your team brother

Shoenmakers into the middle? On your head be it..

Was no room left, if we are to debut brand and give him a taste someone has to make way , no reason why they can't have string a couple games in the afl have a couple weeks alternating in the vfl and fighting it out for that "tall" spot

And why not shoey? It's different, the smalls aren't working try something different, everyone shirked when roughy first went in the middle how is this any different, we need to win the clearances and contested ball , obviously our small bodied midfielders aren't upto it alone so time to try something.

 

[Angus Young]

I just want four solid quarters and a big win.... therefore it will be a nail biter and we will probably * it.

 

[TyHawk]

Surely Chip plays! If not then we are in a heap of trouble. That changes the landscape as jack Riewoldt is one player that's in good form at the Tigers. No hodge and no chip swings the balance to them. Not sure why I'm this concerned as we are the better side but last week performance had a real stink about it. 158 points against is ridiculous! Lewis, smith, Hill are in poor form and don't get me started on Shiels....may as well be not playing at all!! Burgoyne in the middle from the start and shiels to run around with dusty to make him earn every kick. This in the context of our season is a real 'circuit breaker' for us. Our season gets harder after the bye as we travel three times and get Kangas towards the end of the season.

 

[Pessimistic]

Shoe has already been on ball a lot more than people think

 

[cryptor]

Would like to see:

OUT: Hodge (inj), Hill (omit), Duryea (omit)
IN: Langford, Willsmore, Brand

Langford back into the guts to give us a hope in hell at winning some contested ball. Simple.

Willsmore is in form and Hill simply is not. I give Hill a pass on his physical side because if he did that stuff all the time he'd spend more time in rehab than on the field. But he's not even playing well with his strengths so Willsmore deserves a go. Can play the role on the wing delivering into 50 and gives us a bit more height around the ground.

Duryea out for Brand might seem like it's not like for like but hear me out. Brand is coming in to take the second forward so that Gibson can be freed up to play Duryea's role which he hasn't been playing all that well this year. This change is the most important. Only having Frawley as a tall KPD down back this year has resulted in our defence panicking and flooding the ball drop which has left us terribly exposed to oppo forwards getting easy ones out the back. With 2 tall defenders plus Gibbo able to get free things will be far less hectic down back.

 

[crazywildhorse]

This is Richmonds 2016 GF, they are going to go mental. Unfortunately I think we're going to struggle to win this one again. I really hope we can limp successfully through the first half of this season.

 

[Easy Slips Catch]

Agree that team balance requires us to play another tall KPD and Brand is a better choice than TO. Last year we played Stratts, Birch, Gibbo, Lakey and Chip down back, plus a mid rotated through defence. Doc played the seventh defender pretty well. I just think he has plateaued. We need our middle aged guys to step it up a gear and I dont believe he has one. He just does not do enough and Stratts is our principal shut down defender.

If our second tier guys dont lift we are buggared.

 

[Main Man]

This is Richmonds 2016 GF, they are going to go mental. Unfortunately I think we're going to struggle to win this one again. I really hope we can limp successfully through the first half of this season.

Surely not, unlike previous years where they have beaten us when they were in reasonable form, this year they have been putrid and are also missing Cotchin + Rance probably their two best players.

We played them at a similar stage of the season in 14 when they were in similar form and we pumped them, admittedly we were going better than we are now but even with our below par form we should be winning this.

I mean look at what Port did to them.

I'm also expecting some form of response from our players.

 

[Brishawk]

Think Brand and Langford will be our only ins on account of the short break between box Hill and Friday's game. Only question will be Who is out. Hodge is one but who is the other? Hoping not Chip!

 

[Main Man]

Think Brand and Langford will be our only ins on account of the short break between box Hill and Friday's game. Only question will be Who is out. Hodge is one but who is the other? Hoping not Chip!

The noise coming out of Waverly and in the media is that Chip is unlikely.

I'd be playing Brand either way.

 

[Brishawk]

The noise coming out of Waverly and in the media is that Chip is unlikely.

I'd be playing Brand either way.

Stratton owes Chip more than a coffee for that hit! He better play a blinder on Friday!

 

[killerspud]

I think Frawley will be ok, but would love Sphanger to come in regardless

Once again you speak wisdom Glace - In the 2014 GF Spangher along with Lake meant two KDP freeing up Gibson. Same deal in 2015 with Frawley and Lake - I think the obvious move here is to give Frawley / Spangher combination a go that allows Gibson free to do his thing.

Also think Schoey needs to come in to play CHF (sorry Sicily but we already have a better version of you in Gunston)

Finally I think its time we unleashed the Hill Hartung and Smith all on the ground running game - Haven't seen the three of them on the ground together - and they need to run and run and run all the way to the final siren

 

[lickmerocks]

Hill

Once again you speak wisdom Glace - In the 2014 GF Spangher along with Lake meant two KDP freeing up Gibson. Same deal in 2015 with Frawley and Lake - I think the obvious move here is to give Frawley / Spangher combination a go that allows Gibson free to do his thing.

Also think Schoey needs to come in to play CHF (sorry Sicily but we already have a better version of you in Gunston)

Finally I think its time we unleashed the Hill Hartung and Smith all on the ground running game - Haven't seen the three of them on the ground together - and they need to run and run and run all the way to the final siren

Hill Hartung Smith will only ever work if we have others doing the grunt work as all 3 are very much outside players relying on us winning the tough inside balls.

Until we get the hunger back for the contest in the guts we could have Usain Bolt on a wing and it wouldn't matter.

 

[OzJohnnie]

Shoe has already been on ball a lot more than people think

The guy is a damned superstar.

 

[Fluro Boots]

Brand would have a good matchup on Vickery. Stratton on Jack and Gibbo helping out both while minding a random Richmond spud.

 

[threesixpio]

Would like to see:

OUT: Hodge (inj), Hill (omit), Duryea (omit)
IN: Langford, Willsmore, Brand

Langford back into the guts to give us a hope in hell at winning some contested ball. Simple.

Willsmore is in form and Hill simply is not. I give Hill a pass on his physical side because if he did that stuff all the time he'd spend more time in rehab than on the field. But he's not even playing well with his strengths so Willsmore deserves a go. Can play the role on the wing delivering into 50 and gives us a bit more height around the ground.

Duryea out for Brand might seem like it's not like for like but hear me out. Brand is coming in to take the second forward so that Gibson can be freed up to play Duryea's role which he hasn't been playing all that well this year. This change is the most important. Only having Frawley as a tall KPD down back this year has resulted in our defence panicking and flooding the ball drop which has left us terribly exposed to oppo forwards getting easy ones out the back. With 2 tall defenders plus Gibbo able to get free things will be far less hectic down back.

This actually isn't that crazy

 

[detox]

This actually isn't that crazy

Two debutants in a such an important game?

Yes it is.

I'll back Hill in

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[threesixpio]

Two debutants in a such an important game?

Yes it is.

I'll back Hill in

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

It's ever so slightly loco but not batshit. I am a fan of Hill but Willsmore is showing great signs and might deserve a go

 

[becalm]

Would like to see:

OUT: Hodge (inj), Hill (omit), Duryea (omit)
IN: Langford, Willsmore, Brand

Langford back into the guts to give us a hope in hell at winning some contested ball. Simple.

Willsmore is in form and Hill simply is not. I give Hill a pass on his physical side because if he did that stuff all the time he'd spend more time in rehab than on the field. But he's not even playing well with his strengths so Willsmore deserves a go. Can play the role on the wing delivering into 50 and gives us a bit more height around the ground.

Duryea out for Brand might seem like it's not like for like but hear me out. Brand is coming in to take the second forward so that Gibson can be freed up to play Duryea's role which he hasn't been playing all that well this year. This change is the most important. Only having Frawley as a tall KPD down back this year has resulted in our defence panicking and flooding the ball drop which has left us terribly exposed to oppo forwards getting easy ones out the back. With 2 tall defenders plus Gibbo able to get free things will be far less hectic down back.

Langford for Hodge.
If Willsmore comes in will probably be for Lovell.
If Frawley does'nt come up, Brand comes in.
Brand may come in for TOB if Frawley is OK.
Hill will stay.
The side already has enough inexperienced players in the side, will not want more.

 

[tige19]

Jesus if we lose to the Tiges we lay as well pack it in, this Tiger team is rubbish.

I'm in the Dallas corner, bring him in! The issue is we can't have an overload of outside players so Billt is at BHH again.

KB will finally get a crack at it and I think everyone is happy about it, he is the prototype modern day KPD so it's vital he gets up to speed.

Anything less than a 6 goal win would be disappinting

 

[Gralin]

Once again you speak wisdom Glace - In the 2014 GF Spangher along with Lake meant two KDP freeing up Gibson. Same deal in 2015 with Frawley and Lake - I think the obvious move here is to give Frawley / Spangher combination a go that allows Gibson free to do his thing.

Also think Schoey needs to come in to play CHF (sorry Sicily but we already have a better version of you in Gunston)

Finally I think its time we unleashed the Hill Hartung and Smith all on the ground running game - Haven't seen the three of them on the ground together - and they need to run and run and run all the way to the final siren

All three runners played the crows game

 

[TazHawk15]

Brand and Langers in for Hodgey and Chip are pretty much certain.

Any other selection change will be very interesting indeed.

 

[cryptor]

Two debutants in a such an important game?

Yes it is.

I'll back Hill in

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I'm operating under the theory that our slump is effort/hunger based. It's early in the season and our senior players simply don't even realise their intensity and hunger isn't yet at the level of standard they've set in the past.

Willsmore is obviously putting in a great effort every week and Brand showed his desperation in the NAB challenge.

Between these young kids I'm looking for one to do something that you'd look back at the end of the season and say "that goal saving run down by Brand/Lovell/Howe/etc was where our season turned". Because when the senior players see that desperation from a newbie it's more powerful than seeing it from a Rioli or Stratton.

And in addition to that I think it might help Howe. The most disappointing thing about Howe at AFL level so far is that he doesn't play the same way as he does in the VFL. At Boxhill he is the man and he plays with confidence. At AFL I think he takes "play your role" a little too literally because he seems stifled and unwilling to do anything we all know he is capable of perhaps for fear of stepping on a senior players toes. With Brand and Willsmore joining the fun along with TOB and Sicily the team starts to look a bit more comfortable across the park for Howe. Same thing used to happen to me and my brother when we'd play up a grade in juniors. We'd dominate in our regular team but when asked to fill in for a higher grade or age level we'd unintentionally play below our natural game for fear of getting in the way. Because it felt like that team "belonged" to the more experienced players. We wouldn't go for the same ball or make the same leads we normally would. That changed for the better when a few more less experienced players than me also got a call up and by comparison I felt I belonged enough to do that stuff.

 

[TyHawk]

Last night on 360 I thought Jordan handled himself really well and admitted that he's only played one good game for the season, Robbo actually pushed and progged at him which was really interesting viewing, even calling is 'soft' and Jordy seem to get a bit touchy saying that Crows, Eagles or Doggies wouldn't be thinking that but also said its fair enough what people think of them after been 'embarrassing' themselves last week.
Then, that emotional hack of a clubs main man well balanced response?? " bring it on, everyone thinks Hawks are gonna win and that's the way we like it"!!! What a utensil head, as if it's a school yard or something, they are the worst club in the land who don't know where they belong and I hope Clarko's Hawks are the ones who give Dimma the arse! No matter what, we got this...surely.