Review NAB Cup Round 4. Vs. Sydney at Blacktown.

Sunny_ · Mar 11, 2012

Fixture just released recently, we're up against the Swans in Blacktown.

Ins and outs? Surely this is the time where we bring in a more senior team?

Not sure if Ablett will get a run, but guys like Hall, Matera, Bennell, Lynch need to play. Perhaps the players who have played every NAB Cup thus far will get a rest or be subbed out at the half? IE: Swallow or Zac Smith.

Personally I hope Swallow keeps getting full games. He's just starting to come alive after warming up in the first 2 games. Easily BOG for us in round 3.

Caddy needs to play the full game. Gun player!

Sunny_ · Mar 11, 2012

Interesting to note Bluey's comments about the game against GWS. He said he was trying to settle the team down, but isn't doing the players any favour by throwing in so many kids into the side.

Hopefully this week will be a good chance to get some senior boys in! Especially against a team like Sydney.

supernova_ · Mar 11, 2012

Sydney are a tough physical side, we did beat them in the NAB last year

Im not sure resting is needed, bring our best full strength side in as possible for me.

Caddy, Bennell I want see full games next week. Matera, Hall not so concerned with these players if they are in or out at this stage, or half games.

Lynch and Day to come back in? Day was listed as 1 week, so might inevitably come back through the 2's come season proper.

So may be the Dixon/Lynch/Fraser/Brennan show up forward for the first few weeks.

Will Stanley get a run? Or is he still on bad terms with the club and the suspension etc...Surely he can get a spot seeing he was available for this game but was not selected.

Hopefully we get to see one last glimpse of O'Meara as well.

Sunny_ · Mar 11, 2012

Just put the Swallow discussions in his own thread.

TheSunGod · Mar 11, 2012

Will this game be televised?

WrongUn · Mar 12, 2012

The club must play as close to our Rd1 team as injuries allow and use the game structure and plan that is to be used in the H&A season. Bock & Stanley must be left out and let the best 22 starting team run out the full game. Only 1 sub if needed as per a normal H&A game.

The club, it's players and most importantly it's supporters need to see where the team is at in the final pre-season hit out before Rd1. I'm guessing a hell of a long way behind the Crows who are in amazing pre-season form.

Sunny_ · Mar 12, 2012

GCSuns said:
The club must play as close to our Rd1 team as injuries allow and use the game structure and plan that is to be used in the H&A season. Bock & Stanley must be left out and let the best 22 starting team run out the full game. Only 1 sub if needed as per a normal H&A game.

The club, it's players and most importantly it's supporters need to see where the team is at in the final pre-season hit out before Rd1. I'm guessing a hell of a long way behind the Crows who are in amazing pre-season form.

Well said.

I forgot that we're back to normal rules this week.

Need to get some bash and crash into our 22 that haven't played many minutes yet. Stanley and Bock out, but Day and Lynch should be sliding back in. Would be rapt to see a team like this...

FB: Weller, Warnock, Brennan
HB: Taylor, May, Harbrow
C: Bennell, Rischitelli, Iles
HF: Caddy, Lynch, Hall
FF: Hickey, Day, Matera

R: Smith, Ablett, Swallow

Int: Prestia, Hunt, Shaw

Sub: Brown

That team is far stronger than anything we have put on the park this pre-season, and we should be able to put it forth if the injury list from last week is correct. They have a week off next week, so I cannot see why Bluey will be resting players who have played every NAB thus far. IE: Swallow, Smith, Prestia, etc.

There appears to be some structure issues with the younger players, or so is my understanding. Hopefully that will be fixed by senior players coming into the side.

SUNS · Mar 12, 2012

Hunt is doubtful for the match against Sydney. But this was only said immediately after the Giants game, so a lot could change between then and next week

Sunny_ · Mar 12, 2012

SUNS said:
Hunt is doubtful for the match against Sydney. But this was only said immediately after the Giants game, so a lot could change between then and next week

Ah! That's right, I recall you saying he was getting iced up after the game? He has yet to play a full game, but has played a few minutes so far. Wouldn't be surprised to see him rested I guess. Bring in Sexton for him maybe?

SandyToes · Mar 12, 2012

Brown will start back for sure
Possibly the weakest backline in AFL history...which says more about experience than potential.
However, having said that, last years plan where we bolstered defence in the hope of limiting opposition scores has to be countered this year by using our mids and forwards defensively
My weekly horror watching opposing mids sit back and wait for the inevitable rebound out of our forward line surely has been addressed for 2012

supernova_ · Mar 12, 2012

Sunny_ said:
Ah! That's right, I recall you saying he was getting iced up after the game? He has yet to play a full game, but has played a few minutes so far. Wouldn't be surprised to see him rested I guess. Bring in Sexton for him maybe?

I would rather O'Meara for Hunt

Will be the last time we see him for 12 months!

Would also like to persist with Dixon over Lynch at the moment. Lynch has the luxury of being a couple years younger and already has a contract extension. Put the heat on Dicko to perform or be traded. Cant keep throwing the kids in and out, I think they need solid 4 week blocks in the side, particularly for KP players in Dixon and Gorringe who have performed before and all the potential in the world.

Just need to string the consistency together, and keep reminding that they are only very young in key position age/experience. Remember Travis Cloke probably one of the premier CHF in the game at the moment was a bit of an unco spud until he hit about 23/24. Sure we dont have that luxury, but need to persist with them as it is proven that the tall key positions dont really come into their own until about that age as it is the hardest position on the field to play in.

Day/Lynch/Gorringe are 19
Smith/Dixon are 21 or 22 I believe?

SUNS · Mar 12, 2012

Sunny_ said:
Ah! That's right, I recall you saying he was getting iced up after the game? He has yet to play a full game, but has played a few minutes so far. Wouldn't be surprised to see him rested I guess. Bring in Sexton for him maybe?

Oh my. Sexton was a very inspiring on Saturday. His 3 bounces and a banana kick goal on the weekend really went under the radar with no TV coverage, but it made my mouth water!

Sunny_ · Mar 12, 2012

Would probably rather see Sexton in over O'Meara.

O'Meara's done his game time I would think. With the rules being back to normal we can only take in 22. Only one sub, so cannot easily change him over at the half.

Sexton continues to improve the more he plays and gets used to AFL speed. Since he can actually play this year, be good to have him in.

supernova_ · Mar 12, 2012

Sexton is about 75kg dripping wet, I would rather someone else take a spot in the 22.

WrongUn · Mar 12, 2012

Agree, Russell, Toy, Hutchins all deserving of a shot this week before Sexton or O'Meara in the 22... Given up on Horsely being given a pre-season game, bizarre situation with the club not saying boo about him.

Sunny_ · Mar 13, 2012

Where has Hutchins been all pre-season? I didn't think he was that bad last year, but he and Wilkinson have been unsighted all NAB Cup. Guess they've fallen a little behind in the pecking order? Especially with Weller really settling into the HB flanker position (which I guess would have been Wilko's), May really stepping up and Brennan floating back. You would think the defence is quite settled.

Would love to see Toy get some game time actually. Mentioned on Twitter that he's raring to go if selected.

Russell has probably played out all of his minutes at this stage. I think he's played every game? Wouldn't be surprised to see him rested.

WrongUn · Mar 13, 2012

Current Gold Coast SUNS Player Injuries

Harley Bennell - Ill - Available

Michael Coad – Hamstring – Available

Sam Day – Hip – Available

Tom Lynch - Foot - Available

Brandon Matera – Adductor – Available

Jaeger O'Meara - Leg - Available

Danny Stanley – Back – Available

Josh Toy – Arizona – Available

Taylor Hine – Ankle – Available

Aaron Hall – Hamstring – Test

Steven May - Shoulder - Test

Rory Thompson – Adductor – 3-4 weeks

Trent McKenzie – Knee – 4-5 weeks

Tom Nicholls - Match Conditioning - 4-6 weeks

Players Unavailable

Nathan Bock - AFL suspension - Round 3

Danny Stanley - Club suspension - Round 3

Sunny_ · Mar 13, 2012

I have to question some of those 'injuries'.

Hall has been tweeting that he will definitely be fit for round 1, and most likely this week.

For the sake of match practice, we MUST include Harley, Hall, Matera, Lynch and possibly even Day. They need to play the full game, too.

Paul Roos was saying that ideally you want your core players to have played 220-240 minutes of the pre-season.

So far, Harley has played 120ish. Hall 80, Lynch 80, Matera 0. Not nearly enough.

If Hine or Coad get a game ahead of any of these I'll blow up.

supernova_ · Mar 13, 2012

Sunny, apologise in advance and dont mean to pick on you, but how many forwards do you want to play?

Hall has been lively, but has he got the tank at this stage to see a whole match out? As well as Matera, Lynch also? Are the underdone fitness wise. If so, dont play them, make them come back through the 2's.

I dont want to see gold passes at this club, exactly like Bluey has said, the only locks at this stage are Ablett and Bock. I dont want 19 year olds having gold passes while others have put the work in and have been injury free.

But thats just me

So for me that means no Matera, no Hall, no Lynch, if they are coming back from injury, then in my mind they come through the 2's and work for their spot.

Sunny_ · Mar 13, 2012

Haha, I'll play them all!

Seriously though, by all reports Lynch has had a huge pre-season. He's been a name thrown around a little, so I would be hoping to see him in. Not sure at whos expense though. Dixon maybe?

Matera and Day might be a bit underdone with fitness. Matera did have a fairly interrupted pre-season. Not sure about Day or how he went over in the US.

Hall definitely has the engine to run out a game. He can play anywhere on the ground too, not just as a forward. Easily in our best 22 I would have thought. Just because he got a slight hamstring strain at training doesn't rule him out of the side at this stage.

supernova_ · Mar 13, 2012

Sunny_ said:
Hall definitely has the engine to run out a game. He can play anywhere on the ground too, not just as a forward. Easily in our best 22 I would have thought. Just because he got a slight hamstring strain at training doesn't rule him out of the side at this stage.

Are you sure with Hall? Hasn't he just played 2 x Halves of 2 Games?

At this stage, Dixon is putting the effort in and his body is holding up and I would have him in instead of Lynch at this stage.

Matera HAS to come back through the 2's in my eyes also.

Sunny_ · Mar 13, 2012

From what I remember reading, Hall was running out games in the TSL with relative ease. I know the jump up to AFL is definitely a big one, but given his bigger body, experience and the way he ran out the last quarter against Brisbane in the first round (that being his 4th I think?), I'm not too worried about his match fitness.

Looking back on it, I can agree with you on Matera. I recall he played his way up to form in the 2s last time he got injured. Had some off games, but by the time he came back into the seniors he was going very well. That last game against the Hawks was one of his best for the year. Maybe a similar course of action wouldn't be bad. I just like seeing him play.

Sunny_ · Mar 13, 2012

Aaron Hall
@BigFootySUNS thanks guys, trained yesterday, I'll train tomorrow and if I get through fine, I will be playing #fingerscrossed

I love it when the players talk to us on Twitter. Huge fan girl moment.

Thermo · Mar 13, 2012

Doing some damn fine twitter work Sunny.

Sunny_ · Mar 13, 2012

Some comments from Hunt.

"I don't think 'Bluey' is concerned. What went wrong is easily fixable," he said. "I don't think there needs to be too much more emphasis at training on working on our skills. Whatever needs to be fixed is easily fixable

The Suns return to New South Wales on Saturday for a clash against the Sydney Swans at the Blacktown International Sportspark. And Hunt expects McKenna to pick a team as close as possible to full strength.

"We want to put in a really strong performance before the start of the season, but at the end of the day we want to be ready for round one."

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