Changes v Bombers

[pjcrows]

If Walker - Pods - Jenkins - Betts combo plays well and beats Essendon then Lynch won't automatically get a gig IMO.

 

[StonesThrow]

Yeah pretty stupid. Hope he gets thrashed on the training track.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

IMO Wright needs to stay in the team, he adds another bow to the midfield and has the ability to play a few roles. He also is just a really good footballer as he makes good decisions doesn't make many mistakes. I think the coaching staff really like him as well.

EDIT: Had the 5th most touches on the weekend (21) at 85% (2nd among players with more than 9 touches)

agreed. He hasn't had the best year but adds a fair bit to our team and is a pretty clever player.

 

[Tex Danger]

Another 8 point game.

Showdown will be another 8 point game as will be the Friday night game against the hawks.

not sure you can call them 8 point games as we won't be competing for their spots. Will be hard to earn 4 points though that if we can get in either game will be huge in us making the 8.

Honestly though, with where we are at winning 1 would be awesome but given our record against top 4 teams this year the most important thing is that we at least keep in the contest all game. It is clear that we are not a top 4 challenger but are a top 8 contender. We are clearly (or at least should be) ahead of the next pack from 11 onwards but being in that top 8 fringe means nothing if we can't even compete with the higher teams. Losing those games won't be cause for uproar, being uncompetetive will be though.

 

[mattymac]

Ken hell Crouchie.

 

[Amato]

I think Matty Crouch will come out after that game. Just didn't have a good game and can keep working on it in the 2's.

Cameron to come in for M. Crouch and Kerridge to return to the midfield. Martin stays on as sub.

 

[FR0GGY]

Sub rule sucks, stuffs 1 player around every week. Gillon, make your mark and get rid of it!

 

[mcday]

Sub rule sucks, stuffs 1 player around every week. Gillon, make your mark and get rid of it!

The AFL is terrified of being liable for injuries, and I am under the impression that they think that not having a sub increases the chance of a player being forced to play through injury. So I very much doubt that they'll get rid of it.

 

[Smithalicious]

Sub rule sucks, stuffs 1 player around every week. Gillon, make your mark and get rid of it!

Hate the rule! Should be 4 bench players with an extra sub in case of injury. If a player is subbed out "injured" they have to miss the following week.

Would reduce the sub being used as a tactical choice and give those players concussed or truly injured that extra week to reduce their likelihood of long term injury.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Bloody hell Crouch.... Cameron for Martin/M.Crouch by the looks of it then.

 

[King Elvis]

Jaensch is a defensive liability. Brown and Laird have shown much more at a younger age. Having 3 small defenders doesn't bode well for us - what team has 3 genuine small forwards? I say bring Henderson back in for Jaensch when he's ready to play that rebounding half-back role.

Jaensch is making himself very hard to drop, but my ideal backline would be;

Truck/Talia
Brown/Laird
Hendo/Smith

That gives you a backline that's very strong defensively, against talls and smalls, that's very potent offensively as well.

 

[azza77]

Hate the rule! Should be 4 bench players with an extra sub in case of injury. If a player is subbed out "injured" they have to miss the following week.

Would reduce the sub being used as a tactical choice and give those players concussed or truly injured that extra week to reduce their likelihood of long term injury.

Then what happens if a key player like a Dangerfield or a Walker for example is subbed out with a bad corkie or something of the like that is only a 1 week thing? That would then still tempt coaches to play players injured, or result in teams being forced to play with 1 down on the bench and not use the sub as they still want the player available for next week.

It's a tricky situation to deal with and one that doesn't really have a solution that will benefit all outcomes to be honest.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Looking forward to Saturday night. Haven't had the chance to have a look at Adelaide yet this year.

Expecting you lot to kill us.

 

[Bay62]

I get it that players like Truck and Pods aren't going to be part of our next premiership team, so it seems like a good idea to leave them out and get games into younger players.

However they are not just in the team because they are better or more experienced than the younger ones. They are partly there to teach the younger ones. Everyone knows that Truck is coming to the end of his career. One reason for selecting him each week - despite his slowness compared to an alternative player - is to squeeze as much knowledge and on-field coaching out of him and into the likes of Talia, Brown and Laird as quickly as possible while he is still able to.

I don't want us to finish eighth and lose in the first week either. But I can understand why they continue to play Truck despite his limitations.

They'll never admit it but in many ways we are in a transition season and of course finishing as high as possible during that time is important to teach the younger players good winning habits. It's just that it also gets us a crap draft pick.

 

[FR0GGY]

Looking forward to Saturday night. Haven't had the chance to have a look at Adelaide yet this year.

Expecting you lot to kill us.

nah your lucky we play well one week and bad the next, its your lucky week its our turn to play bad!

 

[Smithalicious]

Then what happens if a key player like a Dangerfield or a Walker for example is subbed out with a bad corkie or something of the like that is only a 1 week thing? That would then still tempt coaches to play players injured, or result in teams being forced to play with 1 down on the bench and not use the sub as they still want the player available for next week.

It's a tricky situation to deal with and one that doesn't really have a solution that will benefit all outcomes to be honest.

Hmmmm....... it is a tricky one. How about all players with injuries checked by AFL doctors instead of club doctors?

Just hate the sub but if you ever did receive an injury or two your team was most likely to lose.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

If Walker - Pods - Jenkins - Betts combo plays well and beats Essendon then Lynch won't automatically get a gig IMO.

Lynch is an automatic selection when fit.

Was bog in his only full game this year.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Jaensch is making himself very hard to drop, but my ideal backline would be;

Truck/Talia
Brown/Laird
Hendo/Smith

That gives you a backline that's very strong defensively, against talls and smalls, that's very potent offensively as well.

Need 7 defenders so mj can come off the bench

Ps missing Otten.

Smith to midfield.

 

[huludicidal]

Jaensch is making himself very hard to drop, but my ideal backline would be;

Truck/Talia
Brown/Laird
Hendo/Smith

That gives you a backline that's very strong defensively, against talls and smalls, that's very potent offensively as well.

I agree, but I'd throw Otten in there too. Realistically we're going to play with 7 defenders most of the time. Otten has been an absolute rock since returning. Criminally underrated on this board.

 

[Schulzycrow]

Should be 4 on the bench. Already you have teams ending games with only two on the bench so the whole it makes it fair is just bollocks. 4 and one or two others from the emergency list that can sub on for game ending injuries nothing more.

 

[Schulzycrow]

Need 7 defenders so mj can come off the bench

Ps missing Otten.

Smith to midfield.

Absolutely agree. Need to get Smithers into the midfield ASAP. Would be in major AA contention atm.

 

[mcday]

Should be 4 on the bench. Already you have teams ending games with only two on the bench so the whole it makes it fair is just bollocks. 4 and one or two others from the emergency list that can sub on for game ending injuries nothing more.

If that were implemented, you would have team faking injuries left and right.

 

[Schulzycrow]

If that were implemented, you would have team faking injuries left and right.

There would be ways to police it and if the penalties for doing so were enough clubs wouldn't do it.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

If that were implemented, you would have team faking injuries left and right.

Not if they had to sit out the following week!

 

[mcday]

Not if they had to sit out the following week!

Then you have the issue of people playing through injuries. If someone had a minor-ish injury that isn't worth sitting out a week, but at the same time is bad enough to limit their play, they'd be forced to play through it rather than being subbed out. The AFL is terrified of being blamed for injuries (See the bizarre sliding/bump legislation they've introduced over the past few years). So, again, I find it very hard to believe they'll make any major changes like the ones suggested above.