Opinion Round 22 Changes vs. Brisbane

[TheMcManusNose]

Well Lions worry me TBH - at home, saying fairwell to the last of their three-peat generation, we're missing our two best on-ballers. But if we're disciplined tight and play to our strengths we should still get the W.

As for Port, they're building nicely and will be red hot to knock us off in two weeks, they get Trengrove this week, one of their most important players - they'll get back to their confident fast attacking best this week at home vs Carlton with Monfries back in too, then come over to us chomping at the bit knowing they'll have every chance for our 4th spot coming off and extra 2 days break while we will be on 6 day turnaround and the longest flight in AFL ... I'm not saying we can't beat them, but I think we're going to have to pull off something special to get it done.

Still, back to cliches: A week is a long time in footy - lets just see how it pans out.

We had them for 3 quarters at their home ground, when they were playing their best footy of the year. Got run over in the 4th sure, but that was with an injury to Hill and they've had a lot more football since then.

That said, Barlow, Fyfe and 6 day break evens it up for mind.

 

[beetz]

Certainly, we shouldn't be that heavily reliant on 1 or 2 players (I don't think we are, at least not these two in particular). And this is definitely a game we should be winning.

Our on field future as a footy club being concerning/bleak if we lose this one, though, is a bit of stretch.

Maybe a slight exaggeration but I would hate to be the club that can't win without 1 or 2 stars like GC have been without Ablett.

 

[strobe00]

I don't think Hannath wouid work either, but we know which out of he and Clarke was better last year. Thankfully, with Taberner in the team Clarke is less important, so his lack of contribution won't affect the team as much. Hope Apeness comes through nice and quick or Clarke pulls his finger out. I don't care which. I'm not personally invested in who plays. They dropped one of my favourite players, in Suban, last week and I thought it was totally justified.
p.s Clarke's effort was ok last week.

I saw hannath play a few games in the bigs earlier this year and thought he was still a fair bit behind clarke.

Not just going on last year's form.

I agree. If we can get young apeness fast tracked as a forward-ruck then we have some genuine flexibility to upgrade our key position forward options without having to run too many talls, and hopefully without conceding the ruck too badly.

I'm not personally invested in clarke, believe me. But our alternatives aren't attractive at the moment really, as we'd need to seriously restructure our ruck setup or be going with even less effective key forwards than clarke is.

 

[apuchar]

I saw hannath play a few games in the bigs earlier this year and thought he was still a fair bit behind clarke.

Not just going on last year's form.

I agree. If we can get young apeness fast tracked as a forward-ruck then we have some genuine flexibility to upgrade our key position forward options without having to run too many talls, and hopefully without conceding the ruck too badly.

I'm not personally invested in clarke, believe me. But our alternatives aren't attractive at the moment really, as we'd need to seriously restructure our ruck setup or be going with even less effective key forwards than clarke is.

Not sure what you have seen in Clarke in the last 6 weeks that puts him ahead of Hannath (except mobility). He is a non-event as a forward and most of his taps go straight to the opposition. If you want to add to that he has very little football nous. Hannath's lack of pace is a liability but so is Clarke's (sometimes)complete lack of effort, dumb football and incredible softness around the marking contest. The only thing saving him from complete embarrassment is Taberner's inclusion into the forward line.
Clarke looks like he can be a bit more dangerous with Taberner in the team, so he can just wander around like a flanker. But in reality Taberners inclusion has just helped Pavlich (something Clarke couldn't do).
At times, Clarke is getting a game simply by default and when you consider his pathetic effort in the grand final, it annoys the hell out of me.
Having said that he appears to be the best option for now and no-one hopes more than me that he has a brilliant end of the season and I end up looking like a complete idiot (it wouldn't be the first time).

 

[StingBitten]

I think Sandi has one more year, maybe two left in him. That leaves 5 years where Zac Clarke becomes our full-time potential ruckman. The man was in simply astonishing form last year when Sandi was missing through the bulk of the year, and everything changed the minute Sandi returned. I don't believe Clarke is suited to the role he currently plays but we need him out there on the park as often as possible until Sandi retires or gets injured (remember there was a period when people were calling for the big man to hang the moonboots as he barely lasted more than a few consecutive games).

He's in it for the long haul and Hannath will become his lieutenant. I love Griffo and he bleeds purple but I think Clarke and Hannath are our future.

 

[apuchar]

I think Sandi has one more year, maybe two left in him. That leaves 5 years where Zac Clarke becomes our full-time potential ruckman. The man was in simply astonishing form last year when Sandi was missing through the bulk of the year, and everything changed the minute Sandi returned. I don't believe Clarke is suited to the role he currently plays but we need him out there on the park as often as possible until Sandi retires or gets injured (remember there was a period when people were calling for the big man to hang the moonboots as he barely lasted more than a few consecutive games).

He's in it for the long haul and Hannath will become his lieutenant. I love Griffo and he bleeds purple but I think Clarke and Hannath are our future.

I think Clarke and Moller are the future, if Moller can stay on the list long enough. I agree Clarke is not suited to his current role, I'm just not sure why he should keep getting a game while we are waiting for him to be of value in 2 years time. Are we playing him because otherwise he might leave?

 

[salim malik]

Any airport reports as to who is on the plane?

 

[free at last]

Good chance of showers for Brissy on Sunday.

Surely Crowley has to clamp down on Rockcliff,mayne or Croze to handley.
And Mz to keep Zorko honest.

 

[Freo Dr]

I agree. If we can get young apeness fast tracked as a forward-ruck then we have some genuine flexibility to upgrade our key position forward options without having to run too many talls, and hopefully without conceding the ruck too badly.

I'm not personally invested in clarke, believe me. But our alternatives aren't attractive at the moment really, as we'd need to seriously restructure our ruck setup or be going with even less effective key forwards than clarke is.

I saw somebody mention that young Apeness was getting drilled in ruck work the other day so I def. think he is being groomed to be a ruck forward switching between full forward and ruck I would think. So next year he might come in for some games where 211 or Pav misses with Clarke going to the first ruck, after that more permanent role as 2nd ruck to Clarke.

I will not bag out players but Hannath does have work to do on his mobility (upside is his marking and kicking). Moller has a lot of areas to improve - he will get his chances more next year for the Peel senior team with Keps gone and Taberner playing in the AFL side. He needs to take them. Griff not sure what has happened but really struggled in the Saints game. Cue in the rack this year for him and try again next year for games where 211 misses.

 

[clivenator26]

Good chance of showers for Brissy on Sunday.

Surely Crowley has to clamp down on Rockcliff,mayne or Croze to handley.
And Mz to keep Zorko honest.

Crowley will go to Hanley, nothing surer, Hanley's ball skills are incredible and he can run. Rockliff's an accumulator but his disposals hurt about as much as a cuddle from your mother. I'd expect we go head to head with Rockliff with Mundy, maybe Suban as well.

Zorko is one to keep an eye on, he is a barometer for them, agree Mzungu will keep an eye on him.

Their mosquito fleet is the only concern I have as down back we are hardly speedy Gonzales, but it should be wet anyway which suits us.

 

[beetz]

I saw somebody mention that young Apeness was getting drilled in ruck work the other day so I def. think he is being groomed to be a ruck forward switching between full forward and ruck I would think. So next year he might come in for some games where 211 or Pav misses with Clarke going to the first ruck, after that more permanent role as 2nd ruck to Clarke.

I will not bag out players but Hannath does have work to do on his mobility (upside is his marking and kicking). Moller has a lot of areas to improve - he will get his chances more next year for the Peel senior team with Keps gone and Taberner playing in the AFL side. He needs to take them. Griff not sure what has happened but really struggled in the Saints game. Cue in the rack this year for him and try again next year for games where 211 misses.

I agree with this. Never really moved well when he was playing. Although, I was watching the Peel replay from the weekend and he looked to have trimmed down a fair bit and was moving a bit better than I have ever seen him move. Some of the Peel watchers might be able to concur or debunk my comment..

 

[Centurions]

Good chance of showers for Brissy on Sunday.

Surely Crowley has to clamp down on Rockcliff,mayne or Croze to handley.
And Mz to keep Zorko honest.

Not sure why you would change Crowley from Handley when he belted him last time. Rockliffe got plenty of it and they only scored 3 goals for the game.

 

[beetz]

Brisbane should be more worried about clamping down on Crozier than Freo should be about Crozier clamping down on someone.

 

[_007_]

I think Clarke and Moller are the future, if Moller can stay on the list long enough. I agree Clarke is not suited to his current role, I'm just not sure why he should keep getting a game while we are waiting for him to be of value in 2 years time. Are we playing him because otherwise he might leave?

What do you, or anyone for that matter, see in Moller? Convince me, I want to believe, but I haven't heard many (read as: any) good things.

 

[Ragtooth]

Reports on twitter have suggested Max duffy has been dropped...? Freo flew 24 players over....haven't seen anything else apart from that.

 

[beetz]

Reports on twitter have suggested Max duffy has been dropped...? Freo flew 24 players over....haven't seen anything else apart from that.

It's a shame but expected.

 

[The Anchorite]

What do you, or anyone for that matter, see in Moller? Convince me, I want to believe, but I haven't heard many (read as: any) good things.

1. He is very tall
2. He is very young

 

[_007_]

1. He is very tall
2. He is very young

Throw him the Franklin special then. 12 years.

 

[apuchar]

What do you, or anyone for that matter, see in Moller? Convince me, I want to believe, but I haven't heard many (read as: any) good things.

I watched him live a few times last year and he is a very talented, mobile ruckman. He also has his moments as a forward option, but doesn't appear to be strong enough or consistent enough yet. When he is on-song he is also a reasonably competent kick for goal. He is very raw and can be a bit slack but if he works on those things I think he could be very good value. He is playing reserves at the moment just to guarantee he gets to play a full game in the ruck (i imagine). He had 45 hit outs and many second efforts and clearances last week according to WAFL watch so that is positive. Having said that, he will probably be delisted at the end of the year, knowing Freo.

 

[Square Peg]

What do you, or anyone for that matter, see in Moller? Convince me, I want to believe, but I haven't heard many (read as: any) good things.

From what I have seen (and that is no more than a few games)

Positives - natural athlete, agile and quick for a big guy, good leap
Negatives - needs big improvements in endurance and work rate, needs 10kg of muscle

 

[clivenator26]

We've taken 24 & Duffy dropped, so far that is the news.

 

[_007_]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Seppo]

Final changes:
In: Ballas, Ibbo, Suban
Out: Fyfe, Barlow, Duffy

 

[Simmofreo]

Final changes:
In: Ballas, Ibbo, Suban
Out: Fyfe, Barlow, Duffy

No deboar. But Ibbo in. Could we see sutcliffe in the middle. I like that

 

[clivenator26]

As an earlier poster said, I wonder if we will bring in Captain Jack Hannath for a big if Carlton get the win tonight, 2 emergencies have travelled.