Preview NAB Challenge Round 3: North Melbourne v Collingwood (Wagga Wagga)

[Ahern2Boof]

Just under two weeks until our next hit-out against Collingwood in Wagga Wagga (God only knows why two Victorian sides are playing in regional New South Wales )

Brad Scott hinted that he would make up to 10 changes to the side that beat St Kilda by 44 points yesterday in Wangaratta. By this stage of the pre-season competition, we'll be down to six players on the bench and limited rotations, as opposed to eight and no limitations. With that in mind, who do you think should be named in our squad of 24? For me:

FB: Scott Thompson, Robbie Tarrant, Lachie Hansen
HB: Shaun Atley, Sam Durdin, Jamie Macmillan
C: Luke McDonald, Trent Dumont, Jed Anderson
HF: Daniel Wells, Drew Petrie, Shaun Higgins
FF: Lindsay Thomas, Mason Wood, Jack Ziebell
R: Todd Goldstein, Brad McKenzie, Andrew Swallow
I/C: Sam Gibson, Ryan Clarke, Mitch Hibberd, Aaron Black, Taylor Garner, Aaron Mullett

IN: Hansen, Durdin, Dumont, Wells, Goldstein, McKenzie, Gibson, Hibberd, Black, Mullett

OUT: Tippett, Cunnington, Harvey, Waite, Preuss, Wagner, Firrito, Wright, Ray, Turner, Fordham, Daw

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Looks good.

Would like to see more of Fordham and Wagner though.

But geez, that side looks quality.

 

[Horace]

What happened to Round 2 or have I missed something?

 

[NMFCARSENAL98]

Just under two weeks until our next hit-out against Collingwood in Wagga Wagga (God only knows why two Victorian sides are playing in regional New South Wales )

Brad Scott hinted that he would make up to 10 changes to the side that beat St Kilda by 44 points yesterday in Wangaratta. By this stage of the pre-season competition, we'll be down to six players on the bench and limited rotations, as opposed to eight and no limitations. With that in mind, who do you think should be named in our squad of 24? For me:

FB: Scott Thompson, Robbie Tarrant, Lachie Hansen
HB: Shaun Atley, Sam Durdin, Jamie Macmillan
C: Luke McDonald, Trent Dumont, Jed Anderson
HF: Daniel Wells, Drew Petrie, Shaun Higgins
FF: Lindsay Thomas, Mason Wood, Jack Ziebell
R: Todd Goldstein, Brad McKenzie, Andrew Swallow
I/C: Sam Gibson, Ryan Clarke, Mitch Hibberd, Aaron Black, Taylor Garner, Aaron Mullett

IN: Hansen, Durdin, Dumont, Wells, Goldstein, McKenzie, Gibson, Hibberd, Black, Mullett

OUT: Tippett, Cunnington, Harvey, Waite, Preuss, Wagner, Firrito, Wright, Ray, Turner, Fordham

You've forgotten Majak

 

[Horace]

No Jacobs?

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

What happened to Round 2 or have I missed something?

We don't play in Round 2.

 

[The Nostradamus]

I want to keep playing the 3Ts in defence. Keep building that synergy.

So something like this
B: Mullett Tippett Thompson
HB: McKenzie Tarrant Hibberd
C: Wells Ziebell Dal Santo
HF: Garner Daw Wagner
F: Turner Brown Wood
R: Goldy Swallow Jacobs
I: Black Clarke Hansen Mountford Dumont Nahas Fordham Durdin

In: Jacobs, Mullett, Mckenzie, Hibberd, Wells, Dal, Nahas, Mountford, Dumont, Hansen, Durdin, Brown and Black

 

[Horace]

We don't play in Round 2.

Strange system then. Oh, wait, its the AFL, why am I surprised?

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Strange system then. Oh, wait, its the AFL, why am I surprised?

Some teams play two and then get a week off.

Some play one then get a week off.

Some play three all in a row.

Braindead.

 

[boneofshin]

There will still be 8 on the bench and unlimited rotations for this match. It is only the final week that changes.

 

[Ahern2Boof]

There will still be 8 on the bench and unlimited rotations for this match. It is only the final week that changes.

Interchange: Rounds one and two – eight interchange and unlimited rotations per team (no substitutes). Round three – six interchange and cap of 90 rotations per team (no substitutes).

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-18/how-does-the-2016-nab-challenge-work

 

[The Filth Wizard]

I'm already booked in to the Garden City Inn to watch North in my old home town.

 

[kangaspurs]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-18/how-does-the-2016-nab-challenge-work

I'm fairly sure that by round 2 they mean any given teams second game.

 

[Ahern2Boof]

I'm fairly sure that by round 2 they mean any given teams second game.

Possibly. We'll find out in due time I guess.

 

[NorthernLights]

I'm already booked in to the Garden City Inn to watch North in my old home town.

I'm going too, the missus is a Collingwood supporter so we're gonna make a weekend out of it.

Anyone know if Dick Carey still runs a pub there? Might head in and say Gday.

 

[boneofshin]

Possibly. We'll find out in due time I guess.

The article is poorly worded, but that's what they mean.

 

[Augustine]

I may be going also. Should be fun.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

NMFC has nice connection with Wagga. Two of the 99 Premiership team came from there.

 

[giantroo]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-18/how-does-the-2016-nab-challenge-work

Does anyone know how many rotations we had over the weekend?

 

[naturally north]

Fazza2Jazza I'd play Majak in all three games, spelling Petrie or Waite over the next two games. Think those guys have been around long enough to afford missing a preseason game. Much more important to give those learning their craft maximum exposure.

 

[Jay-Z]

This is definitely our "Round 2". The first two "rounds" are spread over 3 weeks of 6 games. Then in the final week all 18 teams will play their final game and this is when the rules change. So using a Squad of 26, I'd go:

FB: Thompson, Tarrant, Macmillan
HB: Atley, Tippett, Mullett
C: Dal Santo, Dumont, Higgins
HF: Wells, Brown, Anderson
FF: Thomas, Daw, Wood
R: Goldstein, Ziebell, Clarke
I/C: Gibson, McDonald, Hibberd, Black, McKenzie, Garner, Hansen, Fordham

IN: Goldstein, Wells, NDS, Brown, Hansen, Gibson, Mullett, Black, Dumont, McKenzie, Hibberd

OUT: Cunnington, Swallow, Harvey, Petrie, Waite, Firrito, Wright, Preuss, Wagner, Ray, Turner


Gives us a look at our forward line post Waite & Petrie and the three of them Brown, Daw, Wood are clearly completing for 1 spot for round 1 (maybe 2 if we go 2 rucks + 3 fwds but I think that's unlikely).

Spud showed enough against the Saints to say not much has changed with him and he is clearly best 22. But the rest of the backline, particularly the talls is a concern to me and I want to see them different combinations trialed with the 3 T's + Hansen

Swallow is still one of the few who hasn't had a full pre-season so I reckon we rest him (and Cunners) for this and see how some of the young blokes go getting some clearances for themselves. I also reckon going in with a less than full strength midfield will give us a better look at our defence which only really got questioned in one quarter last week and was found pretty lacking IMO

Would also consider resting Higgins but he didn't play either Intraclub so might be good for him to play all 3

 

[the big lebowski]

Swallow is still one of the few who hasn't had a full pre-season so I reckon we rest him (and Cunners) for this and see how some of the young blokes go getting some clearances for themselves.

Thats precisely why they need to play Swallow imo.

He looked very rusty. He has two weeks to recover, so i think he needs to play.

 

[Jay-Z]

Thats precisely why they need to play Swallow imo.

He looked very rusty. He has two weeks to recover, so i think he needs to play.

Yeah I can see it both ways. A lot of our senior players have spoken about playing "at least 2" nab games when interviewed so I kinda expect Spitta to be in this group. As always it's a balancing act between spreading game time and getting everyone cherry ripe for Round 1

 

[giantroo]

Does anyone know how many rotations we had over the weekend?

There's my answer.


ONLY four sides complied with the AFL’s new rotations cap in the first week of the pre-season competition.

Carlton, Port Adelaide, Sydney and Richmond were the only teams to prepare themselves for the new rotations limit, which has been set at 90 for the 2016 season.

The remaining six teams — North Melbourne, St Kilda, Adelaide, Hawthorn, Fremantle and West Coast — took advantage of the ability to use unlimited rotations in the first three weeks of the NAB Challenge.

Using only 78 rotations, Carlton went to the bench less than any side over the weekend — a deliberate tactic according to first-year coach Brendon Bolton.

“That (strategy) was deliberate, we wanted to push our players today and make them endure,” Bolton said after the match,” he said.

“That’s why it’s hard to maintain the consistency when you limit the rotations like we did.”


Port Adelaide (82 rotations) and Sydney (90) also stayed under what will soon be the AFL’s new limit.

Richmond (91) attempted to do so, but were hampered by three players being forced from the field due to the blood rule and two more going off injured.

Carlton and Port Adelaide looked to have the most refined strategies in terms of rotations, going to the bench 15 and 16 times respectively in the opening term before rotating more frequently later in the match.

However, while some set themselves for the season ahead, a host of other clubs chose to take a different approach.

North Melbourne used 150 rotations in its clash with St Kilda in Wangaratta on Saturday, exceeding last season’s limit by 30 and this season’s maximum by 60.

Rotations were not recorded for Brisbane’s clash with Gold Coast in Burpengary.

HOW EACH CLUB USED ROTATIONS THIS WEEK

North Melbourne (150)

St Kilda (142)

Adelaide (138)

Hawthorn (134)

Fremantle (127)

West Coast (125)

Richmond (91)

Sydney (90)

Port Adelaide (82)

Carlton (78)

 

[muttley45]

^^ Trendsetters again, i expect the Bulldogs to outdo those numbers