Changes Vs Carlton Rd 6

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Nov 11, 2010
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Leppa will probably swing the axe I think. Disappointing game in every aspect.

In: Harwood, O'Brien, Leuenberger, Merrett?
Out: Bewick, Taylor, Andrews, Staker.

Merrett, Harwood, and Leuenberger into out side just makes it looks more experienced. Merrett, Harwood and Adcock down back makes it look more stable down there.

Redden needs to continue today's form. Cutler needs to stand up and just do some damage with his run. Robbo I thought was excellent.

Martin moves forward as a big body who can take a contested mark, something we're really lacking. Leuenberger gets his chance to redeem himself in the ruck against Cameron Wood.

Bewick and Taylor need to go back to the reserves for couple of weeks. Andrews only dropped for team balance. Staker out injured.

Missed the Rockliff incident, guessing he won't play next week?

Adcock Merrett Gardiner
Harwood Clarke Beams

Cutler Redden Robertson

Zorko Martin Robinson
Green McStay Rockliff

Foll: Leuenberger, Beams, Rich
Int: Paparone, Golby, Christensen
Sub: O'Brien
 
Oct 31, 2013
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Merrett wont play you'd think with us travelling to Melbourne, Rocky walked out during the game. As long as there is no break you'd think he would play.

Staker, Taylor and Bewick you would think are certain outs
 
Pending injury and availability...
Maybe O'brien or Aish for Rocky
Luey or Merrett for Staker

I'd play with minimal unforced changes against Carlton. Draw a line in the sand RE: the minimum standards required, especially against another lowly ranked team and see how the players react. If after next week the trend from certain players continues then a measured example needs to be made of a few of them.
 

royboys4eva

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Andrews was about the only good thing from tonight. Berger has to play if he can't get a game in this rubbish side he might as well retire. If Harwood gets through reserves tonight well then he would have to come in. Aish i guess. Maybe O'Brien would be handy as sub as you know he would at least get 10-12 touches in 30-40 mins. Really isn't anyone else. Just going to have keep playing guys like Green and McStay who are lazy and don't have the work ethic.
 
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Andrews has potential but it's a tough ask for him to keep playing FF to ruck as a skinny lad. He's had his taste of AFL footy but I would be looking to bring in some mature bodies the next few weeks to try and build a foundation for the rest of the year. Berger still not taking marks at NEAFL level is a major concern though...
 

John_Proctor

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I forgot Lester. Get him back into the side and utiliize the one strong attribute in his game - winning a contested ball. Our clearances are disgrace. How can we be so bad week after week.

Not just week after week... Years.

I like andrews - keep him.

Martin and leuie are not forwards. The only option I see for both in the same team is martin as a rover... Martin is a better performed ruck recently so I'd have him in first choice.
 
Ramble incoming...

In: Harwood, Merrett, Leuenberger
Out: Bewick, Staker, Taylor

Time to go a bit taller against the Blues I think. Leuenberger may (probably) will never make it as a forward but with Staker out again it's worth a proper go. When Martin needs a rest Leuey can go into the ruck and Martin can have a rest and play a very high half-forward role. Martin playing deep forward seems completely pointless, I'd imagine this way he'd still cause some chaos and draw a defender out of our forward 50.

McStay can play as the third tall which is really what he'd be playing as in an ideal world. Andrews is worth persisting with - if he totally blows up then send him back down but he offers something and the experience will be valuable.

Bewick has been very poor for the most part and Taylor looks like he needs to reset. We've felt too small and given we're not utilising our speed due to poor ball movement I don't think we'll lose a heap there. Harwood comes in to give us more drive from HB.

I wouldn't mind Aish coming back in but sounds like he might be in strife from the NEAFL game. If Merrett's good to go it'll be a gigantic boost for us.

With not a lot in reserve I'm mostly thinking of matchups. The ones that are up in the air for the Blues seem to be Henderson and Jamison. I'd imagine Jamison will come back but Henderson was awful and came off with a niggle so hard to know. Assuming they'll be in we should be able to hold them on paper, our two KPDs taking Jones/Henderson and Gardiner covering the resting mid. Casboult coming back might complicate things a bit there.

In the forward line we should be able to stretch them for size, just need our mids and smalls to actually mop up. Big if.

I'd play Green as the sub.

Really not a heap to work with but being an armchair coach does help a little bit. We at least know Carlton will give us chances, if a few things fall our way the issues between the ears might start to lessen.
 
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I'd be bringing Leuey in to play 80% ruck and moving Martin forward to be the big body in the goal square. Merrett will hopefully be back to give us some much needed experience and confidence down back. Harwood would also be straight back in if fit. I'd drop Green as well. He needs a rocket. Redden can have a rocket as well. He should be kicking on but he is just in cruise control.

In: Leuey, Harwood, Merrett, Dawson
Out: Staker, Green, Redden, Bewick

Get McStay playing down back or make him work up the ground more. He is lazy.
 

Ray Button

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One possibility from left-field I would try is Bourke in for Gardiner. Bourke's one and only game in Round 23 last year was fairly impressive - he looks like a footballer and take the right decisions. Last night Gardiner was on a bigger opponent and was constantly left behind in leads, and rarely got into a position to spoil. He hasn't looked right since he hurt his shoulder, and given the opposition deluge last night his paltry possession count coupled with his lack of spoiling is damning.

I'd also be tempted to reinstate Leuenberger, but as the main ruckman since his impact up forward is minimal. He can ruck damn well. I'd play Martin as a key forward or even a key back to get some muscle into those areas. I know he's better as a ruck, but I think this setup would be the better combination for our current needs. We desperately need more experience and hardness both forward and back.

Last night we won the hitouts hands-down, but lost the clearances, especially the stoppages where the opposition made better use of their numbers around the ball. Time and time again Martin actually hit the ball down to one of our midfielders who was then immediately set upon by the opposition and dispossessed. We seemed to lack a good in-and-under midfielder - hence Lester could also be reinstated in this role instead of his failed defender role.

Out would go Staker (injured/ineffective), Gardiner and quite possibly Rockliff if he is still concussed or can't fly.
 
One possibility from left-field I would try is Bourke in for Gardiner. Bourke's one and only game in Round 23 last year was fairly impressive - he looks like a footballer and take the right decisions. Last night Gardiner was on a bigger opponent and was constantly left behind in leads, and rarely got into a position to spoil. He hasn't looked right since he hurt his shoulder, and given the opposition deluge last night his paltry possession count coupled with his lack of spoiling is damning.

The coaches review of Bourke from the reserves games make it sound like he is a long way off. Gardiner had a bad game, but so did 90% of the team.
 
Oct 31, 2013
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Adcock - Clarke - Gardiner
Paparone - Cutler - Harwood
Redden - Beams - Rich
Robinson - McStay - Dawson
Zorko - McGuane - Christensen
Luey - Martin - Rockliff

Robertson - Golby - C.Beams

Lester

Out Taylor, Green, Bewick, Andrew, Staker

in Dawson, McGuane, Leuey, Lester, Harwood
 

Last of the Roys

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OUT = Green, IN = O'Brien - I agree Green looks overweight / unfit compared to last year, not sure if O'Brien can play a forward pocket role but for all his (mostly) unrewarded effort in the reserves over the last year and a bit I would give him a go.

OUT = Staker, IN = Leuenberger - assuming Merrett is still injured (otherwise it would be time to throw him forward again), Leuy needs to come in to the forward line. I don't care what people have thought of him there previously - we desperately need experience in there and we need to give him an extended chance at the role (something he has never previously had).

OUT = Paparone, IN = Maguire - it depends on how we match up with them down back, but gee we needed a bigger more experienced defender against Gold Coast yesterday. Maguire was shocking in the seniors a few weeks ago, but I think he is someone that often needs a bit of time to get his confidence back. Paparone is not a defender - he should be playing wing or half-forward flank. Regardless of his stats, he is not helping us down back.

OUT = McStay, IN = Lester - Lester can rotate into the middle as well as playing a leading forward role. Right at this point in time I am well and truly beyond sick of McStay cruising through games on his good natural ability but with very little intensity.

OUT = Rocky, IN = Harwood - Along with Lester, Harwood can rotate into the middle. I assume Rocky will need the week off, although I think Harwood must come in regardless (perhaps in place of Green instead of O'Brien with Lewy Taylor going into the forward line).

Yeah it is more than a bit like shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic, but we need all of the help we can get to stabilize the ship right now. Otherwise things could get incredibly ugly (e.g. 100+ point losses).
 

Crawb

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Let's just start selling spots in the team to random rich people with lots of $$$. This season is dead, half this team won't even get close to finals. May as well get ourselves out of debt at least.
 
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