Our best team - Round 1

[Passmore]

Hmmmm. Possibly. I kind of like the idea of having Hunter on a bloke that doesn't do the leading as much so that he can arrive at the contest after the ball has arrived and mop up once the ball hits the ground. That and the fact that as a third tall he is generally bigger than his direct opponent without losing anything in agility and pace.

With Grima out, we haven't got that luxury imo.

Scotty's our best defender, he needs to be on their best forward.

 

[GarnerSmash]

With Grima out, we haven't got that luxury imo.

Scotty's our best defender, he needs to be on their best forward.

Fair enough, but I'd still give Delaney first crack. We are going to need more than Hansen and Thompson as tall options down there anyway.

 

[Passmore]

I get the feeling that they will try to stretch us. Hille, Bellchambers, Ryder, Hurley and Carlisle are all tall options they might employ, with Crameri playing taller than he is too. They will have three tall backs in Pears, Fletch and Hooker as well.

On the flipside, carrying such tall timber will be to their detriment if we get on top in the middle. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how they name their team and see what Scott does. I'd prefer to go with the regulation set-up of Delaney/Grima, Hansen and then Hunter and Spud as other options down back.

I certainly hope they do go in like that.

If we can replicate the ball movement from Sunday we will blow them into next week.

 

[The Nostradamus]

I get the feeling that they will try to stretch us. Hille, Bellchambers, Ryder, Hurley and Carlisle are all tall options they might employ, with Crameri playing taller than he is too. They will have three tall backs in Pears, Fletch and Hooker as well.

On the flipside, carrying such tall timber will be to their detriment if we get on top in the middle. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how they name their team and see what Scott does. I'd prefer to go with the regulation set-up of Delaney/Grima, Hansen and then Hunter and Spud as other options down back.

Yep thats the setup i want also

B: McMahon L Delaney Thompson
HB: Wright Hansen Firrito

either atley/jmac on the bench

 

[Passmore]

Fair enough, but I'd still give Delaney first crack. We are going to need more than Hansen and Thompson as tall options down there anyway.

I just can't see Delaney playing.

Spud will take a tall (ish) forward if need be.

 

[GarnerSmash]

If we can replicate the ball movement from Sunday we will blow them into next week.

That's the thing, isn't it.

If we can it'll be great. We have been trying to do this all preseason but did get it to work for a quarter on Sunday. Fingers crossed we can continue to implement the handball through the zone AND combine it with an up in the contested/clearance work. That's the end game for us tactically and in reality will be nigh on impossible to stop if we get the players ready physically and skills wise to implement it regularly. I've got a feeling this will be a frustrating year at times because fully implementing this style of play will take time to come together. There will be times when we look a million bucks and other times when we struggle.

 

[GarnerSmash]

I just can't see Delaney playing.

Spud will take a tall (ish) forward if need be.

If so, we are really going to need to do a job in the middle.

 

[Gold_Cup_96]

I get the feeling that they will try to stretch us. Hille, Bellchambers, Ryder, Hurley and Carlisle are all tall options they might employ, with Crameri playing taller than he is too. They will have three tall backs in Pears, Fletch and Hooker as well. .

They could play 5 ruckmen and they still won't record an advantage at the hit outs. After that, the ruckmen become somewhat of a liability.

I think they will play Hurley and Hille and a rotating ruckman forward and we will go with Hansen and McIntosh/Goldstein only. I think they need to play 3 talls up forward to be any chance to win.

Perhaps Brad Scott might go with Thompson on Hurley? he could match Hurley for pace and strength and would beat him at ground level. This would allow Hansden to zone and the rucks to go forward.

On an unrelated note, I had a look at the Essendon board earlier today and noticed they have a 200 post thread dedicated to deciding whether to invite discussion from North supporters whilst in the same breath claiming that North supporters are obsessed with Essendon. Strange people. I think deep down they're worried and I think they have every reason to be that way.

 

[Benno_900]

Who played on him last year?

Defensive Matchups were ...

Grima vs Hurley (19 disposals, 7 marks, 4 goals)
Delaney vs Crameri (13 disposals, 3 marks, 1 goal)
Thompson (18 disposals) vs Resting ruckman (1 goal)
Firitto (12 disposals, 1 goal) vs Monfries (13 disposals, 4 marks, 3 goals)
McMahon (12 disposals) vs Zaharakis (29 disposals, 9 marks)
Rawlings (35 disposals) vs Jetta (12 disposals)

 

[Shinboner Schem]

Fair enough, but I'd still give Delaney first crack. We are going to need more than Hansen and Thompson as tall options down there anyway.

What if we have our resting ruckman as a loose man in defense, will that address the height issue?

 

[The Nostradamus]

What if we have our resting ruckman as a loose man in defense, will that address the height issue?

Hird wouldn't allow that and he would tell their ruckman to match up on ours.
We just need to play car keys and hansen in KPD and spud, hunter,wright and mcmahon provide the rebound

 

[Devil Fish]

Brett Deledio = The Strap-on.

 

[R00StaR]

Yep thats the setup i want also

B: McMahon L Delaney Thompson
HB: Wright Hansen Firrito

either atley/jmac on the bench

Just bring Hansen in imo, im leaning towards

B: McMahon Thompson Spud
HB: JMac Hansen Wright

From all reports we finally rebounded well on the weekend, with great ball movement from defence. Not sure why we'd want to change that too much.

Interesting just listening to Derm interview some Hawthorn bloke (not sure who) he ask why they didnt recruit a big defender. He danced around it a bit saying with Gibson and some other youngster they felt they had it covered. While they arent traditional type KPPers they rebound, which the Hawks are well known for.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Just bring Hansen in imo, im leaning towards

B: McMahon Thompson Spud
HB: JMac Hansen Wright

.

I don't like having thompson play as a KPD he is a great rebounder when playing as the 3rd tall defender. Your defence also means that spud will play on crameri which I reckon the bombers will love that as crameri would destroy spud in the air.

If we go in that short i reckon we will lose. Will be interesting to see what happens and i hope we make the right decision

 

[Husk]

Yeah but we plonk a ruckman at CHB.

We will be playing Tarrant, Petrie, Goldstein, HMac and Hansen. All 196+cm.

We then have Thompson and Firrito for the tweeners.

Thats more than enough tall timber in my book.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Yeah but we plonk a ruckman at CHB.

We will be playing Tarrant, Petrie, Goldstein, HMac and Hansen. All 196+cm.

We then have Thompson and Firrito for the tweeners.

Thats more than enough tall timber in my book.

Yep and then they plonk their ruckman at chf.... Plus I want thompson as the 3rd tall defender and not playing as a KPD. I want 2 KPD plus spud and hunter who will play rebounding roles plus 2 small defenders and then 1 more small defender on the bench who can rotate through

I hope your right but if your wrong i'll be the one saying I told you so...

 

[Digby Morrell]

Could grima be ok for round 1? If so he should get first crack at fb.

 

[Carnthe]

I can't see both Delaney and Hansen coming in to the side going by the way Scott has been setting up the defensive structures. I think we will try to run Essendon off their feet.

B: McMahon - Hansen - Firrito
HB: Macmillan -Thompson - Wright
C: Bastinac - Adams - Anthony
HF: Harper - Tarrant - Edwards
F: Harvey - Petrie - Thomas
R: Goldstein - Swallow - Wells
I: McIntosh, Cunnington, Greenwood
S: Atley

Emg: Pedersen, Mullett, Campbell

Goldy and H-Mac will follow Ryder in to defence.

Like the look of this side as well.

 

[Husk]

Yep and then they plonk their ruckman at chf.... Plus I want thompson as the 3rd tall defender and not playing as a KPD. I want 2 KPD plus spud and hunter who will play rebounding roles plus 2 small defenders and then 1 more small defender on the bench who can rotate through

I hope your right but if your wrong i'll be the one saying I told you so...

Well if they want to load up their forward line with talls it will only help our rebounding. Assuming we bring it to ground.

Personally I am not a fan of the 2 rucks, but if they intend to use them behind the ball rather than as an extra forward I think it has better chance of working.

 

[True North]

Will Hansen be ready/match fit for Rd 1?

B.Scott went into the Blues match coaching like the blokes on the park were his side.

 

[BowWow1978]

Here's mine:
BP: Firrito FB: L Delaney BP: Scott Thompson
HBF: McMahon CHB: Grima (if fit) HBF: Atley
W: Harvey C: Wells W: Bastinac
HFF: McIntosh CHF:Hansen HFF: Adams
FP: Edwards FF: Petrie FP: Thomas
Ruck: Goldstein R: Swallow RR: Greenwood

INT: Harper, Cunnington, Wright
SUB: Pedersen

Remember JZ is suspended. If Grima doesn't come up. Then Tarrant comes into CHB.

 

[TheKanga]

Here's mine:
BP: Firrito FB: L Delaney BP: Scott Thompson
HBF: McMahon CHB: Grima (if fit) HBF: Atley
W: Harvey C: Wells W: Bastinac
HFF: McIntosh CHF:Hansen HFF: Adams
FP: Edwards FF: Petrie FP: Thomas
Ruck: Goldstein R: Swallow RR: Greenwood

INT: Harper, Cunnington, Wright
SUB: Pedersen

Remember JZ is suspended. If Grima doesn't come up. Then Tarrant comes into CHB.

Decent lineup

I'd say Grima won't play in round 1, even if his injury is ok he would lack match fitness as he hasn't played since the round robin games.
I'd put Hansen at CHB and Tarrant at HF, Once Pedersen comes on as the sub he would play forward as well.

 

[BowWow1978]

Boomer will start in our backline.....with small stints in the guts and forward throughout the game (headache value and matchup). We have a serious problem down back and his speed/footy nous in vital back there. We need to start setting our forward structure up, for our future cannot/should not have Drewy and Boomer there.

If Boomer is named in the backline, I'll eat my hat. He hasn't played there in his previous 300+ matches, not sure why he would start there now.

Drewy has another 3-4 years as our best forward. He is ABSOLUTELY our future.

 

[BowWow1978]

Decent lineup

I'd say Grima won't play in round 1, even if his injury is ok he would lack match fitness as he hasn't played since the round robin games.
I'd put Hansen at CHB and Tarrant at HF, Once Pedersen comes on as the sub he would play forward as well.

Agree that Hansen will probably play at CHB, that seems to be where Scott has decided his future is. I disagree as I reckon he could be a gun CHF so I've selected him there.
I'm concerned with Tarrant at CHF but if pre-season is any indication, this is where he will play. This is part of the reason I've named H on a HFF. He will take allot of pressure off Tazza and give the opposition matchup headaches. Strange for such a big unit to have this postion, but he's done this during the pre-season and has looked dangerous leading up to the wing and also dropping into the 50. With the longer kicking/contested style that the forward press is serving up, I think this could work for us.

 

[BowWow1978]

He would have played today if he was best 22. He isn't injured.

Greenwood is clearly in our best 22 - clearly.