Preview Round 6: Collingwood vs Essendon - Anzac Day Clash - Tuesday 25th April 3:20pm - Preview, Changes and Thoughts

[Don Won]

With our selection policy I dont think we can really refer to ourselves as a young side any more. Would be pushing 25-26 average the last few weeks.

Outside of Hobbs, who has been neglected for someone younger than him, who have you got coming into the side that makes us younger?

 

[Foxx]

Obviously it's Caldwell to replace Merrett in the middle tagging Daicos.
Davey into Caldwell's forward position.

But I also wonder if Hobbs disposal might still be an issue too.

 

[Megabattimus]

With our selection policy I dont think we can really refer to ourselves as a young side any more. Would be pushing 25-26 average the last few weeks.

Our average games played is still pretty low:



Source: Footywire.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Looks like Richmond have watched our game last week.
Are we good, because we showed teams how to beat Melbourne, or are we s**t because Melbourne aren't good?

 

[Megabattimus]

Looks like Richmond have watched our game last week.
Are we good, because we showed teams how to beat Melbourne, or are we s**t because Melbourne aren't good?

Nah, Melbourne are good. I'd put them with Collingwood and Geelong as the only teams I'd call legitimately good this early in the season.

 

[GoDons76!]

Not sure what the knock on Hobbs is, or is it Setterfield that bigger bodied mid that is going better at the moment, and we don’t want to loose to much leg speed if we played both I just thought it was a straight swap for Merrett and Hobbs. Everyone is saying Caldwell in the middle, ok but leaves nonplan for Daicos, I hope I’m wrong. We need to start winning these games if we are going to improve, watching the Dees tonight so far, we didn’t do anything that special last week!

 

[TheGrizz]

I thought earlier in the week that Hobbs might struggle to get in. It seemed odd that we would replace Merrett from outside the team when Caldwell probably has first rights for that spot being in the team already and showing some good form.

Then it basically comes down to who you'd rather forward in place of Caldwell, and Daveys pressure is likely a key difference.

Hobbs is stiff, but Scott did say that he wasn't going to pick young players only to bounce them out straight away. Hobbs has also only played 2 games in the VFL. I suspect he may well be the sub as it would seem odd to not pick him at either level this week.

 

[Albertross]

Nah, Melbourne are good. I'd put them with Collingwood and Geelong as the only teams I'd call legitimately good this early in the season.

The Dees have only played 2 teams that most of us would have penciled in for finals, in Brisbane, which should have been a far larger win for the Lions than what it was if not for the power outage, and the Swans, who they destroyed. Not convinced by them at this stage.

The Cats had a horrendous 3 1/2 games, then it clicked and they've looked formidable since. Not looking forward to next week. Still, they were junk early.

IMO, from your list, only the Pies have been consistently good. Where is the love for the Saints? I can't stand their BF clan, but considering their outs, they have been super impressive.

 

[boncer34]

With our selection policy I dont think we can really refer to ourselves as a young side any more. Would be pushing 25-26 average the last few weeks

That's still not that old though. 25 years 244 days last week, still had us 8th overall and within a year of almost all teams "younger".

Technically older than Melbourne but 14 blokes 25 and under for us compared to 11 for them. Amusingly still younger than North.

 

[Megabattimus]

The Dees have only played 2 teams that most of us would have penciled in for finals, in Brisbane, which should have been a far larger win for the Lions than what it was if not for the power outage, and the Swans, who they destroyed. Not convinced by them at this stage.

The Cats had a horrendous 3 1/2 games, then it clicked and they've looked formidable since. Not looking forward to next week. Still, they were junk early.

IMO, from your list, only the Pies have been consistently good. Where is the love for the Saints? I can't stand their BF clan, but considering their outs, they have been super impressive.

I won't believe in the Saints until at least the byes. A 5-1 start doesn't impress me when they did the same thing last year...only to fall off so badly that they missed finals and sacked their coach. Also, I've never liked Ross Lyon and think it's ****ed they took him back after he abandoned them after the 2011 season. He's almost single handily responsible for a decade plus of s**t coaches, s**t performances, and utter mediocrity. And yet during the build-up to their 150th anniversary game, there he was on Fox Footy in a pre-taped segment talking about how much the club means and all this s**t. Add in the off-field stuff he's done and it's all just so *******...gross.

 

[andleanback]

Not sure I understand why Davey is in and not Hobbs (given we lost Merrett). Great experience for Davey though. Hobbs could be a pretty flexible sub but then so is Hind.

Not hard to figure out caldwell takes merretts spot, Davey takes caldwells spot in the forward line. We want lots of speed for the counter attack which is when collingwood are vulnerable when they push up high and the likes of Daicos don’t defend.

 

[ant555]

I don’t mind playing the 3 small forwards. Really hype up the pressure.

On the other hand hobbs is really been left out in the cold atm. Are we going to lose him

My view on this is simple. If his character is at the level of him wanting to go because he can not push past a few players in his second year then he is not the guy we want going forward . I doubt very much it is his character .

 

[andleanback]

My view on this is simple. If his character is at the level of him wanting to go because he can not push past a few players in his second year then he is not the guy we want going forward . I doubt very much it is his character .

Yeh I know that. But at the same time, players want to play and I guarantee a few list managers were on the phone to Marty park tonight. You can have strong character but still want to play afl but aren’t through lack of opportunities. The other thing is he’s out of contract, different story if he was in contract but then asked to be traded. Plenty of players who are of high quality have asked for a trade due to lack of opportunity

 

[ant555]

Yeh I know that. But at the same time, players want to play and I guarantee a few list managers were on the phone to Marty park tonight. You can have strong character but still want to play afl but aren’t through lack of opportunities.

Clubs will ring but if it is his attitude then it is the same selfish culture we have had around the club for too long. We will go nowhere if that is the culture we want to accept. Players want to play but young blokes also know when the side is winning it is hard to get in. He will know that. If we keep winning and he wants to walk then we move onto the next bloke.

 

[TheGrizz]

Yeh I know that. But at the same time, players want to play and I guarantee a few list managers were on the phone to Marty park tonight. You can have strong character but still want to play afl but aren’t through lack of opportunities. The other thing is he’s out of contract, different story if he was in contract but then asked to be traded. Plenty of players who are of high quality have asked for a trade due to lack of opportunity

That would hold weight for me if he didn't basically play every game last year, and he hadn't started this year injured.

Like he has played 2 VFL games correct?
And missed the AFL round 1 due to a poorly timed calf injury. Its only round 6, if he is still not in the teamcome round 10 or 11 then maybe we start to worry.

 

[andleanback]

Clubs will ring but if it is his attitude then it is the same selfish culture we have had around the club for too long. We will go nowhere if that is the culture we want to accept. Players want to play but young blokes also know when the side is winning it is hard to get in. He will know that. If we keep winning and he wants to walk then we move onto the next bloke.

I don’t think it’s selfish to want to play afl. At the same time I think hobbs is the type of bloke who’ll put his head down and make sure he keeps putting his name up for selection by dominating in the vfl. And once he gets in the side he’ll do everything in his power to keep his spot.

 

[andleanback]

That would hold weight for me if he didn't basically play every game last year, and he hadn't started this year injured.

Like he has played 2 VFL games correct?
And missed the AFL round 1 due to a poorly timed calf injury. Its only round 6, if he is still not in the teamcome round 10 or 11 then maybe we start to worry.

Yeh definitely I agree. At the same time clubs will be coming for him. He’ll get his chance at some point and once he’s in, he’s the type of player who’ll make sure he doesn’t lose his spot.

 

[TheGrizz]

I hope that Draper and Phillips are watching Gawn and Grundy absolutely monster Richmond tonight.
Its basically making the most of you ruck advantage 101 at the moment.

Gawn and Grundy are either hitting to a set play at the stoppage, or if the ruckman doesn't think it will work, they just out-muscle them and boot it.

 

[Megabattimus]

My hope is that we get on top of them early and force them to send Frampton to the backline. Phillips and Draper will easily monster Kreuger from there.

 

[TheGrizz]

My hope is that we get on top of them early and force them to send Frampton to the backline. Phillips and Draper will easily monster Kreuger from there.

They will have to ruck Frampton at some stage (Kreuger can't ruck the whole time).

Either way, Frampton or Kreuger won't have the strength to consistently compete with Phillips and Draper if they decide to throw their weight around like Gawn/Grundy have tonight with Ryan and Miller.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Still unsure about the Weid for Jones swap. Weid is more capable of sticking a mark and having shots on goal, but in the absence of that Jones runs non-stop and wears out a good defender and is more crafty in bringing the ball to ground/passing to advantage. Pros and cons.

Reckon since it isn't wet and they're a little short down back, you'd take the marking/shots option and back in the smaller forwards to make do with what they've got, so can see the rationale behind it. The trick is Weid's following through and making good on his part.

 

[fishardansin]

I think people are making too big a deal about Hobbs non inclusion. Its pretty legitimate to bring Davey in and play Caldwell or Perkins through the midfield rather than just bringing in another midfielder. If our preference is to do that then Davey is a better forward than Hobbs.
Anyway its not worth getting that worked up for. Merrett's only gone for a week.

I would have picked Hobbs even if Merret played. We have a terrier in Parish, but he's a Jack Russell, we need a bull terrier too.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

That's still not that old though. 25 years 244 days last week, still had us 8th overall and within a year of almost all teams "younger".

Technically older than Melbourne but 14 blokes 25 and under for us compared to 11 for them. Amusingly still younger than North.

Not old but no longer young. We aren't selecting for the future anymore. Probably the first time since early 10's we've selected exclusively to play our most mature side without balancing the side for an eye to the future. Fair enough at 4 & 1 but it's time to stop framing us as developing.

 

[boncer34]

Not old but no longer young. We aren't selecting for the future anymore. Probably the first time since early 10's we've selected exclusively to play our most mature side without balancing the side for an eye to the future. Fair enough at 4 & 1 but it's time to stop framing us as developing.

Based on what though? Not picking Hobbs?

 

[BuffDog]

Nothing wrong with having our youth develop in the VFL, you only have to look at Van Rooyen at Melbourne who finally got his chance and looks to be grasping it.

The difference is that the good sides have really strong VFL programs to allow that kind of development and it looks like we’re finally catching on to that.