Finknottle
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Yes Cameron is only a forward on paper. He's playing more of a roaming Brian roll. This is why Neale could be played this week with Hawkins.
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It would be interesting to see how it worked.
On the contrary, Art said something very similar at the end of last year. That’s what I was referring to. Not those exact words but certainly that he should be delisted with a year left on his contract.
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Don't mind this tbh
Scott has said that Cameron has quite a free rein to roam. Cameron needs to understand that if he does so, he needs to hold the marks, pick up the ball cleanly and get his disposal away quickly as the opposition midfield is faster than him.
Head, meet chopping block:
Hawkins 2024 is going to be the same as Mooney 2011. Hopefully Hawk can stay fit and if needed can be involved as depth for Jezza, but he doesnt have a clear path to best 23 at this point, and will almost certainly retire at the end of the year (it pains me to write that but it's how i see it going into this round, we've seen enough this year to work that out i think). There will still be opportunities for him to break the games record/kick 800 goals, but those opportunities now should be limited to Geelong home games and if needed for injuries. I dont think he should play this week, this game is too important now.
All that means Cameron should be put back where he belongs: in the forward line. Having him on a wing feels like playing Harry Taylor in the forward line all those years ago: a total waste of bloody time. Yeah he might look good in some games, but that doesn't mean that becomes his primary role. The game has moved away from having so many talls in the forward line: Melbourne, Collingwood, GWS, Sydney (among others) all play smaller more dynamic forward lines that can contribute to their defensive structure, transition and ability to apply pressure when not in possession of the ball in your forward line. Hawkins detracts too much from our ability to do all that at this point. Reshaping the forward line around Cameron/Rohan/Henry, a resting ruckman and then the smalls under that (who are the best in the game by far), is a clear path forward, and enables us to add some more grunt to the midfield by adding someone like Mannagh or Hardie without pulling other midfielders out to do it. It also might help us address the biggest issue we have had so far this year: Our lack of efficiency going inside F50. Without Hawk there, the temptation to bomb it in and hope he clunks it will be gone, and hopefully inspires more intelligent use of the ball to players that can actually lead up and mark.
Unlike others, i dont think we need to do much about the backline, they are all down on form but 3 weeks ago we looked incredible. Im backing Henry and Stewart to get back to form, and Kolo has been surprisingly good this year even in the loses. SDK back will help as well although he too needs to find some form.
It'll be interesting to see how Blicavs role evolves this year, as i dont believe he can hold down the midfield role he has had over the last few years. Maybe we use him more as a ruck to chop out for Conway and Stanley, or maybe he spends more time forward of the ball. But i think his midfield role would be better given to Holmes now. Guthrie is the other one with a big "watch and wait" sign above his head, given our midfield issues i dont think he can be dropped, but he'd want to find some form soon. Maybe it was a mistake not giving him a couple of games in the VFL to find some touch first.
Now for the one people on this board, weirdly, have latched onto: Mullin. He is the answer to a question nobody is asking. We dont need more good kicks off half back with bucket loads of athleticism. We need grunt midfielders who can apply pressure at stoppages and have enough game awareness to use the ball without turning it over. He does not do this. He may one day, but he doesnt now. Mullin is the cherry on top, the final piece of the puzzle, he is not the foundation for anything. He simply lacks the skills to be that player for us (beyond his kicking, which i admit is great). We recruited Hardie and Mannagh for a reason and they fill a role we desperately need filled right now. Mullin adds nothing we dont already have in spades. Since the fourth quarter of the Carlton game, every team we have played has kicked 4-5+ goals on us in quick bursts of momentum that we have failed to stop, this is a glaring issue that we have to resolve. That means midfield pressure and clearances, neither of which can Mullin help us with. I put MOC into that category as well, and with Duncan and later Danger to come back in, the obvious outs for me from last week are those two and 2E (Sorry Ireland) plus Neale.
IN: Cameron, Mannagh, Hardie, SDK, Duncan
OUT: Mullin, MOC, Neale, 2E, Dempsey (Managed, maybe 23rd man and sub to manage minutes)
Hawkins 2024 is going to be the same as Mooney 2011. Hopefully Hawk can stay fit and if needed can be involved as depth for Jezza, but he doesnt have a clear path to best 23 at this point, and will almost certainly retire at the end of the year (it pains me to write that but it's how i see it going into this round, we've seen enough this year to work that out i think). There will still be opportunities for him to break the games record/kick 800 goals, but those opportunities now should be limited to Geelong home games and if needed for injuries. I dont think he should play this week, this game is too important now.
All that means Cameron should be put back where he belongs: in the forward line. Having him on a wing feels like playing Harry Taylor in the forward line all those years ago: a total waste of bloody time. Yeah he might look good in some games, but that doesn't mean that becomes his primary role. The game has moved away from having so many talls in the forward line: Melbourne, Collingwood, GWS, Sydney (among others) all play smaller more dynamic forward lines that can contribute to their defensive structure, transition and ability to apply pressure when not in possession of the ball in your forward line. Hawkins detracts too much from our ability to do all that at this point. Reshaping the forward line around Cameron/Rohan/Henry, a resting ruckman and then the smalls under that (who are the best in the game by far), is a clear path forward, and enables us to add some more grunt to the midfield by adding someone like Mannagh or Hardie without pulling other midfielders out to do it. It also might help us address the biggest issue we have had so far this year: Our lack of efficiency going inside F50. Without Hawk there, the temptation to bomb it in and hope he clunks it will be gone, and hopefully inspires more intelligent use of the ball to players that can actually lead up and mark.
Unlike others, i dont think we need to do much about the backline, they are all down on form but 3 weeks ago we looked incredible. Im backing Henry and Stewart to get back to form, and Kolo has been surprisingly good this year even in the loses. SDK back will help as well although he too needs to find some form.
It'll be interesting to see how Blicavs role evolves this year, as i dont believe he can hold down the midfield role he has had over the last few years. Maybe we use him more as a ruck to chop out for Conway and Stanley, or maybe he spends more time forward of the ball. But i think his midfield role would be better given to Holmes now. Guthrie is the other one with a big "watch and wait" sign above his head, given our midfield issues i dont think he can be dropped, but he'd want to find some form soon. Maybe it was a mistake not giving him a couple of games in the VFL to find some touch first.
Now for the one people on this board, weirdly, have latched onto: Mullin. He is the answer to a question nobody is asking. We dont need more good kicks off half back with bucket loads of athleticism. We need grunt midfielders who can apply pressure at stoppages and have enough game awareness to use the ball without turning it over. He does not do this. He may one day, but he doesnt now. Mullin is the cherry on top, the final piece of the puzzle, he is not the foundation for anything. He simply lacks the skills to be that player for us (beyond his kicking, which i admit is great). We recruited Hardie and Mannagh for a reason and they fill a role we desperately need filled right now. Mullin adds nothing we dont already have in spades. Since the fourth quarter of the Carlton game, every team we have played has kicked 4-5+ goals on us in quick bursts of momentum that we have failed to stop, this is a glaring issue that we have to resolve. That means midfield pressure and clearances, neither of which can Mullin help us with. I put MOC into that category as well, and with Duncan and later Danger to come back in, the obvious outs for me from last week are those two and 2E (Sorry Ireland) plus Neale.
IN: Cameron, Mannagh, Hardie, SDK, Duncan
OUT: Mullin, MOC, Neale, 2E, Dempsey (Managed, maybe 23rd man and sub to manage minutes)
Fair summary. Not sure about the changes, though.
For whatever reason it seems Hardie's not in MC calculations. If he hasn't been able to crack the 22 up to now, it seems very unlikely with most of our players up and running.
They also look to be pumping games into Mullin where possible, though not to the level Clark is. Probably 50/50 to retain his spot?
Don't think they'll omit Tuohy again - surely that would just about be curtains if he missed a third (or fourth?) game in the first 11 rounds.
Would love to see Mannagh back in as much as Hardie, but I don't see MC dropping MOC for that...maybe Mullin?
Neale will probably be dropped, much as I don't like it and it does seems like a good week to give Dempsey a break (even though the management plan has back-fired a little, it's still important to give the younger players the odd break and if resting him is the difference between in a win and loss, we're in a world of pain).
No need to bring the Guinness this week then!
Finknottle
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People seem to be judging Mullin as though he's been at the club for several years. He played his 10th game of AFL last week up in Darwin. He looked ok to me. The previous week he came on after half time and was impressive in quelling the influence of Horne-Francis. Given his physical attributes and how quickly he has skilled up, he has as much upside as any player on the list. He can run fast, he can side step opponents. He makes most of our midfielders look like plodders. I cannot wait until he has had a solid run at AFL.
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rocker_oz33
TheBrownDog
Our mids are garbage
.We don't have many good ones ,but we can have more of them.
Not many of our forward types give chop out to the mids.eps at CBA.
So mannagh a good in IMO.
Adds something different...push the button.
rocker_oz33
TheBrownDog
Mullin was great vs port tagging.
Then played back pocket in the next game ...WTF.
Then played back pocket in the next game ...WTF.
23 disposals at 91.3% efficiency in his last VFL game
Don't know what else this kid has to do to get a game.
Rohan as sub in this scenario I like
After his efforts last week, I don’t think Scott is going to be thinking of creative ways to shoehorn Neale into the side - assuming Cameron and Hawkins are available.
Hawkins obviously will be back, as will Duncan
I think Jez might take another week off, so Neale probably stays in
SDK won’t be risked either
It’s clear those above want to pump AFL games into Clark. He’s too good for VFL already.
Mullin needs to stay in the team
In: Hawkins, Duncan
Out: Tuohy, MOC/Atkins
I think Jez might take another week off, so Neale probably stays in
SDK won’t be risked either
It’s clear those above want to pump AFL games into Clark. He’s too good for VFL already.
Mullin needs to stay in the team
In: Hawkins, Duncan
Out: Tuohy, MOC/Atkins
fpm84
Brownlow Medallist
If SDK doesn’t come up, who plays on Hogan? Kolo?
cats_09
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I know we are all thinking Hawkins will be back for Saturday afternoon, but does anyone find it a little weird there's been zero from the club about him breaking the games record?
When he was playing games #350 & #355, there was already a fair bit of noise, photos etc, but so far this week is crickets - is there a chance he's not playing this week?
When he was playing games #350 & #355, there was already a fair bit of noise, photos etc, but so far this week is crickets - is there a chance he's not playing this week?
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Good point. Hadn't even noticed.
But I'm still annoyed about last week and have avoided the media this week lol.
dazbroncos
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yeah... shes a bit quiet on that front.
With the Tuggers at home the week after, another week off aint off the board completely TBH
Close bookend to Rd 6 2007 for him too - he played.... all 350 odd games ago.
GO Catters
GWS back six last week was:
FB: Idun, Taylor, Himmelberg
HB: Whitfield, Buckley, Perryman
They now lose Buckley this week, you'd think Taylor/Himmelberg will take Cameron/Hawkins. Adding Neale into our mix could really stretch them.
dazbroncos
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they know we exist.... they used to communicate too....
But that was moons ago.. Tomm Peters used to engage the Cats official account.
GO Catters
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Depends where he is played when he comes on. Not sure what impact he can have in the dead zone of a forward pocket. Give him free rein across the wing that bursts forward could be worth a try …. As is not best 22.
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