Changes for this week

[The Zebra]

I reckon these guys are in contention to come in:

Grima, Ross, Sansbury

Are these guys are in contention to go out:

Watt, Brown, Swallow


Would love to see Lower - but given the pre-season I see zero chance of him coming straight back into the team after suspension. Doubt very much Jesse will play this week. Hansen's foot injury may be fake, but either way he will not force out Brown given Brown's game on the week and the fact they will be viewed as offering pretty much the same thing. And by the sounds of it McMahon was pretty average in the twos.

Given that, I think we need at least 1 change and that is IN: Grima Out: Watt. We need to strengthen our midfield depth with guys who play proper midfield rather than only supplementing it with guys like Power, Thomas and Campbell who are supplementing it away from what should be their designated role. I think all three add something, but our midfield looks bare.

Hawthorn have three tall forwards in Franklin (who hardly plays tall), Roughhead and Boyle. I am sure they will be reluctant to drop Watt because he is a back-up plan for Franklin, but Firrito, Pratt and Petrie all remain options and getting the midfield right is more important.

I would also be tempted by Ross for Brown, but it is a big ask for a guy like Ross to be thrown into a midfield role on debut for this kind of game, and we need someone who will play a lot of minutes in there.

For the first tim in my life, I think Eddie might be the answer. Can run in the midfield all day, blitzed i the VFL on the weekend, and can hurt around the goals. But he can only come in as a replacement for Brown if Grima plays. Brown actually did some good contested ball and tackling things on the weekend, he got to where the ball was in dispute are provided a bit of pressure - and we will lose that if it was a straight Eddie swap - but with blake also in the midfield it will give us more run and grunt.

So,

IN: Grima, Sansbury

OUT: Watt, Brown



FB: Harding Firrito Gibson

HB: Pratt Petrie Rawlings

C: Harvey Simpson Grima

HF: Thomas Jones Grant

FF: Edwards Thompson Campbell

R: McIntosh Harris Wells

I: Hale Swallow Power Sansbury

Backline Match-ups:

Petrie - Boyle
Firrito - Roughhead
Gibson - Franklin
Pratt - Osbourne
Harding - Rioli

 

[Z_K]

Sansbury wasn't picked for praccie games, NAB cup or even close to round 1 or 2. I hear he played well, but if he is the type we rush in madly to fill a hole, we may aswell give it away. And I reckon Grima would still be short some k's in the leg's. I like Blake, but not sure adding a one paced midfielder to a set-up already including Simmo, Swallow and Harris is the best possible thing right now.

All I know is that we are too top heavy and lack ball carrying midfielders. It's our biggest weakness. So playing a slow, soft 6'5 giant on a wing is the most utterly pointless positioning I think I have seen. Not his fault, because he tried on the weekend, but christ, he's gone from not getting a game to free reign and more midfield minutes that Wells. Spare me.

Out: Brown

In: Whoever.

 

[Lidge]

I doubt Laidley will drop both Brown & Watt. I reckon he'll use one of them to fill a hole (even as loose man) in defence.

I'm also expecting to see JWS named in the squad to get us all excited.

Out: nil
In: Smith, Ross & Hansen

Final line up, anyone's guess.

 

[scooby1279]

Out: Watt, maybe swallow if Smith is ready.
In: Scott Thompson.

 

[munsonned]

Backline Match-ups:

Petrie - Boyle
Firrito - Roughhead
Gibson - Franklin
Pratt - Osbourne
Harding - Rioli

Gee their Forward structure looks good. It will be hard to negate them all game, particularly if they are rotating them around.

I have faith in the backline to do a good job but i think it will come down to 2 areas.
* How well our forwards are doing and can we score heavily (and may i say that our structure looks pretty good too)

and secondly

* The midfield matchups. Hamish really needs to take the game by the scruff of the neck this week and give us first option.

 

[NICK_ROOBOY83]

I doubt Laidley will drop both Brown & Watt. I reckon he'll use one of them to fill a hole (even as loose man) in defence.

I'm also expecting to see JWS named in the squad to get us all excited.

Out: nil
In: Smith, Ross & Hansen

Final line up, anyone's guess.

That sounds about right.

 

[Moti]

Swallow? Don't think so.

Brown out Smith in should be the change.

 

[scottywiper]

I'd gamble on Smith, his genuine class will compensate for a lack of match fitness. Probably at the expense of Brown.
I'd look at Grima, McMahon and Ross as well.
Having Blake in the midfield rotation couldn't hurt.

 

[The Zebra]

Sansbury wasn't picked for praccie games, NAB cup or even close to round 1 or 2. I hear he played well, but if he is the type we rush in madly to fill a hole, we may aswell give it away.

Good game in the VFL praccie match leading up and then great game on the weekend from what I have read and heard. Great games don't mean much for Eddie, but while it seems he hasn't reached the pre-season heights of the past, it wouldn't take long for a man as athletic as him to get to a superior fitness level than most people out there. Jesse Smith is a million times better, but if he is not ready then the option are Ross, Davies and Urquhart. To beat the Hawks we need a hard running midfield and Davies and Sansbury will be the only ones that slot into that role. Sansbury can be more dangerous.

And I reckon Grima would still be short some k's in the leg's. I like Blake, but not sure adding a one paced midfielder to a set-up already including Simmo, Swallow and Harris is the best possible thing right now.

That is why you also add Sansbury and lose Brown and Watt from the 22.

Midfield rotation will be: Harris, Simpson, Swallow, Grima, Wells, Harvey, Sansbury and Hamish with Rawlings as the tagger and Power, Campbell and Thomas rotating through.

I really think Wells has turned a concur and with him, Harvey and Sansbury running in there (and Campbell and Thomas in stints) we have some genuine pace coming through the midfield to complement some strong ball wnning ability and the long kicking of Grima.


We are a midfielder short (and that is counting Brown as a midfielder which is pushing it). The defence can handle thing without Watt - drop Watt and Brown and add Grima and Sansbury and we increase the depth, pace and grunt of our mid-field.

 

[BZAROO]

Out: Hale

This guy makes Brown look good!

 

[Carnthe]

The only change I would make would be if smith was ready to return... in that case:

OUT Watt
IN Smith

 

[RoyalBlue]

In: Hansen(fitness), Grima
Out: Brown, Swallow

Combination of what I want, Brown out for Hansen, and what I suspect Laidley will do, Grima for Swallow. Laids love Blake and will move a moutain to bruing him.

 

[1jasonoz]

Power out, JWS in.

 

[Zondor]

The only change I would make would be if smith was ready to return... in that case:

OUT Watt
IN Smith

Exactly.

 

[Billy Bones]

Swallow? Don't think so.

I was puzzled by that also.

He gives us a great contest at ground level and usually assures we get the stoppages we so very badly need.

I think he does a lot of good scrapping stuff that goes unappreciated.

Blake Grima should probably show that he can string some games together before warranting serious consideration.

I'd like to see Smith and Hansen in, but I think Smith may be the only change. If any defender should go out it should be Watt.

 

[Urmoe]

I think they might bring in Williams for Dew this week. Im worried, he could kick a bag.

Roughhead, Franklin, Boyle, Williams under a roof at the dome could be too much for us to handle. Chuck in little fellas like Rioli, Stokes and other crumbers and we have our hands full.

This will be a massive test for our midfielders. If we go defensive they will get the ball out of the midfield, I have no doubt. If they get the ball out of the middle easily we are fukced. No defense can hold all those forwards, one of them is bound to have a day out if they get 50% of possession or more.

 

[rooboy_88]

I dont think that JYD will want to make too many changes.

B: Pratt Firrito Gibson

HB: Power Petrie Smith

C: Campbell Harris Harvey

HF: Grant Jones Ross

F: Thomas Thompson Edwards

R: Mcintosh Wells Rawlings

I/C Hale Harding Simmo Brown


Out: Swallow, Watt

In: Smith, Ross

I feel that we are 1 tall too many in the backline and with the inclusion of Smith, he can give us some run and penetrating kicks to the next passage of play.

It was either Watt or Brown and with Browns stats and traffic controlling, I feel JYD will give him the nod.

I also feel we are too slow in the centre and ineffective with simmo, rawlings, and swallow. Simmo and rawlings wont ever get dropped so I feel Swallow is under the pump atm.

the likes of flash and smith can get in the midfield rotation and harding can come on to play a HBF role.

The inclusion of Ross allows for a bit more pace in the side and can allow matty to play in the midfield more.

Hansen is a query so the club would feel a game down at werribee before an AFL berth is the go.

 

[Billy Bones]

Pratt could cover Williams easily. Rioli is going to take some thinking, Jesse Smith would be a good option as he could kill him in the air on the rebound.

Stokes

Who?

If they get the ball out of the middle easily we are fukced.

All the more reason that Swallow must be included.

 

[Event Horizon]

Can't see how we can afford to lose both Brown and Watt, given their talls up forward. That would rob us of any flexibility in case one or more match ups aren't working. One change this week is an absolute maximum I would think.

Possible matchups in our backline would be Gibbo on Franklin, Firrito on Roughhead and Petrie on Boyle. That leaves Pratt and Watt to play on smaller types.

I agree with NorthBhoy that we need more ball carrying midfielders in the side. Probably two more. Grima is probably not the answer for those roles. Ideally we need Smith and Sinclair or Urquhart, but Gavin isn't in form at the moment to make his debut. I hear Ross played in the midfield all day, so he could be another one to consider for the fast midfield role in weeks to come but not this week.

I reckon if JWS is ready, he will replace Brown. If not, we may have to go with an unchanged side.

 

[Lidge]

I was puzzled by that also.

He gives us a great contest at ground level and usually assures we get the stoppages we so very badly need.

I think he does a lot of good scrapping stuff that goes unappreciated.

.

No doubt he gives us a contest and can win a clearance but turnovers by foot is killing him.

Over the 1st 2 rounds, his disposal efficiency is only 60%.

That's where he is at risk of being dropped.

 

[Scribe]

No matter what combination you guys come up with for your back 6, it'll be a stretch. You're going to need 2 smaller players to cover Rioli & Stokes, a mid for Williams/Hodge/Lewis and 3 talls for Roughie/Boyle/Buddy.

I wouldn't suggest Jesse Smith plays on Rioli or Stokes if he's just coming back from injury. Play Harding there as he's got the pace and would enjoy the role. The other one could be Sansbury, or possibly Campbell/Thomas if you're prepared to sacrifice some indigenous magic in front of your sticks to negate ours (this game should be a ripper )

Power or Pratt takes the mid, Gibbo/Petrie/Firrito take the talls. Keep Brown as a back-up tall.

I reckon we've got more headaches with covering your forward line in the absence of Croady, particularly if you go super tall.

Thompson (Campbell?)
Edwards (Gilham)
Jones (Murphy)
Grant (Brown)
Harvey (Ladson)
Hale/McIntosh (Birchall)

If you guys get first use from Hale/McIntosh, and rest the other ruck in a forward pocket, we're going to struggle big time to match you in the air. With the roof closed, in ideal conditions, that'll be a massive advantage for North.

 

[Billy Bones]

No doubt he gives us a contest and can win a clearance but turnovers by foot is killing him.

Over the 1st 2 rounds, his disposal efficiency is only 60%.

That's where he is at risk of being dropped.

No doubt about that, his first round effort was very bad in particular.

However, I'd confidently estimate that his willingness to get to a contest and create a scrap stopped near on a dozen Richmond forward thrusts on Sunday afternoon.

If pace through the middle is one of our greatest deficiencies then surely the ability to hold up opposition thrusts and create stoppages is a valuable asset we can't afford to ignore?

 

[Ragtime]

Thought Brown was OK this week, but don't know what we would do with him against the Hawks!

In my opinion Hale has been shocking the first two games - kicks high floaters into the forward line giving the forwards no chance. Shocking kick for goal and if Hamish is below par at any time during the game, Dean resorts to Drew rather than Hale, therefore hurting our defensive match-ups! A double negative for us!

He is not strong enough, or an accurate enough kick for CHF. He does not impose himself in a contest!

I also think we need Blake in our midfield - we need a midfielder with a penetrating and accurate kick as well as some dash. He would complement what we don't get, given the kicking powers of Simpson, Rawlings and Swallow. Swallow also needs to find something in a hurry!

I would like to see Blake and Jess Smith come in this week to add a bit of class and pace. We are missing Jess Sinclair's run at the moment.

 

[Lidge]

In my opinion Hale has been shocking the first two games - kicks high floaters into the forward line giving the forwards no chance. Shocking kick for goal and if Hamish is below par at any time during the game, Dean resorts to Drew rather than Hale, therefore hurting our defensive match-ups! A double negative for us!

.

How's this for a match up that Clarkson won't have thought of, or be able to cover?

Hale to switch roles with McIntosh this week

Hamish at CHF and Hale in the ruck? The Hawks don't have the strongest ruck combo, and Croad is out.

I'd be happy with that.

 

[Event Horizon]

How's this for a match up that Clarkson won't have thought of, or be able to cover?

Hale to switch roles with McIntosh this week

Hamish at CHF and Hale in the ruck? The Hawks don't have the strongest ruck combo, and Croad is out.

I'd be happy with that.

Although there is some merrit in that, I don't recall Laidley ever playing H forward for a decent period of time over the last 12 months.

I suggested several times last year that we try that, perhaps even from the first bounce in some games, where the opposition ruckman isn't a threat to us, yet they lack some talls down back. I would like the look of a forward line of Thompson, H and Edwards much better than with Hale in there. Petrie is another option for the forward line this week, if Watt or Brown can take Boyle.