Preview R9: Changes v Gold Coast

[Maddogmetro]

It is possible that the AFC is giving the struggling players and senior players one more chance to show form, without a high risk of a loss?

Don't perform for this one = gone.

It may be a test game to bring in the young guns next week if seniors can't perform against an injury devastated side. Can only hope this is the case.

 

[Golumless]

It is possible that the AFC is giving the struggling players and senior players one more chance to show form, without a high risk of a loss?

Don't perform for this one = gone.

It may be a test game to bring in the young guns next week if seniors can't perform against an injury devastated side. Can only hope this is the case.

So we're helping struggling senior players with a free downhill ski against the Gold Coast?

**** me, what's the point of doing that?

 

[Samcro24]

It is possible that the AFC is giving the struggling players and senior players one more chance to show form, without a high risk of a loss?

Don't perform for this one = gone.

It may be a test game to bring in the young guns next week if seniors can't perform against an injury devastated side. Can only hope this is the case.

Would be better to give fringe/upandcomers a chance to perform without high risk of a loss.

But nah, this is afc & this is why we are stuck mid table.

 

[pjcrows]

Yea, we rest the youngster- not the 33 yo veteran.

We aren't resting Brad. He's been dropped.

 

[Tex200]

It is possible that the AFC is giving the struggling players and senior players one more chance to show form, without a high risk of a loss?

Don't perform for this one = gone.

It may be a test game to bring in the young guns next week if seniors can't perform against an injury devastated side. Can only hope this is the case.

Nothing more certain than VB, Thommo and Douglas all playing well.

Gets Them off the hook for a month - then we won't want to drop experience when there's a chance of sneaking into the 8.

 

[ftmch]

All those wanting to join Takeovers party say I.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

How deflating must this be for CEY, Wigg etc. performing week in week out for the 2's and get overlooked for Charlie Bucket with his golden ticket.

 

[pjcrows]

How deflating must this be for CEY, Wigg etc. performing week in week out for the 2's and get overlooked for Charlie Bucket with his golden ticket.

Wigg is as raw as they come and will be the traveling emergency. I'm sure he's not too deflated.

 

[lincsPJ]

So bloody obvious, stick with a young guy coming back from injury who we hope will be the future of our team

the same young guy who didn't follow team instructions and waltzed around the centre square looking for easy ball like he was playing at unley oval on a saturday arvo?

the club has their reasons for every decision. not all will be correct in hindsight, but bigfooty doesn't know half of the shit that goes on down there behind the scenes.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Douglas should've been dropped…where are the elite standards

VB should be nowhere near an AFL team…again no elite standards.

Wigg's progress screwed over…I hope like hell VB or Douglas are late withdrawals.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Douglas should've been dropped…where are the elite standards

VB should be nowhere near an AFL team…again no elite standards.

Wigg's progress screwed over…I hope like hell VB or Douglas are late withdrawals.

Elite standards has become a catch phrase

 

[Glenno23]

 

[Mike Smyth]

AFC selection - LOL.

Should we have expected anything less. Pity B Martins still not on our list.

 

[Glenno23]

Elite standards has become a catch phrase

Nah

 

[skoobydoo]

Ok VB. Time to do a DMc and surprise us all with anything near justification for your inclusion.

If you can do that, good for you. But as a former captain and senior player, you'd better give us something worth having

And he may just do that against a decimated GC. Then what? What of the future?

 

[Anzacpaul]

Elite standards has become a catch phrase

Reminds me of "Port Adelaide Football"

 

[pjcrows]

Elite standards has become a catch phrase

How so?

 

[huludicidal]

Ok firstly, M Crouch is being listed as "soreness". Let's take that on face value - I certainly don't think a game against a completely ravaged Suns outfit is a game we should be carrying a sore midfielder into. Lyons in for him is therefore undoubtedly the correct call. Jarryd has played well in all but one half of footy this season (the first half against Sydney) and this is a completely logical like-for-like swap. Tick.

I personally don't have a problem with B Crouch being dropped. He's been absolute puke at AFL level in the games he's played this year. Puke. Sure, he's our future and I get that. But he's not getting it done and sometimes the answer is not "just keep playing him". The coaches have clearly decided that he needs to go back and work on some things. That's fine.

Now obviously the main problems lie outside of M Crouch out for Lyons and B Crouch out. VB in is not as ridiculous to me as many others are banging on about. I've been a huge critic of the use of Henderson as basically a Laird replacement over the past 2 weeks. Hendo spent a lot of time on Motlop last week - how did that turn out? He's not a defender's pubic hair, and I think Pyke may have finally worked this out. VB goes to half back, and it's important for everyone to realise that Laird is going to be back in Round 10, and barring some injury carnage, VB will be back in the reserves - this is a one week rental because Pyke has finally realised that you can't replace Laird with Hendo in defence. Hendo goes to a wing. As much as I dislike VB as a footballer in 2016, I think this makes us less leaky.

Now, the main issue from here is that we're down an inside mid, and we were already struggling at the clearances. This means that somebody from within the 22 is going to be spending a lot more time at the clearances than they normally would. I think this workload will be distributed pretty evenly amongst the likes of Cameron, Douglas, Betts, Smith, Atkins and Seedsman. Smith is probably the most intriguing of those options, so maybe there's even a plan in place to chuck him in there for a full game. He couldn't possibly play worse than he did against Geelong, so I'd get behind this if it happens.

Many wanted 1, 2 or all of Douglas, Thommo and Seedsman dropped this week. For me, Thommo was probably always going to stay in to get some confidence back against his bunny team. I must admit I'm pretty surprised that BOTH of Dougie and Seed survived after their disgusting respective fortnights, but perhaps they can regain some mojo this week. If either go missing again, they're getting dropped for GWS, it's that simple.

So the 2 changes in isolation aren't a complete disaster for me, but I feel like if we were going to make those 2 changes, we probably needed to also drop someone like Seedsman, Hendo or Milera for CEY to balance it all out (for the record, I would've been really pissed off if we dropped Milera, and I guess we all knew that Hendo's 100 odd dream team points would get him another gig, despite the fact that he played like utter Brenton Sanderson style shit). Dropping Douglas or Thommo in addition to both Crouches going out of the team would've left us too thin at the clearances.

M Crouch and Laird will be automatic ins for the GWS game (health permitting), with VB an automatic out (assuming Laird is in). B Crouch will have 2-3 weeks at the lower level to get his shit together. Apart from VB, guys like Henderson, Lyons, Milera, Seedsman and Douglas all well and truly have their spots on the line this week and I'm sure they're well aware of it. Wigg, CEY, Gore, Grigg and Menzel are the others in the frame.

If we take into account that we aren't able to field a full strength side this week, and also factor in the huge issues we've had in covering Laird over the past fortnight, I reckon this team looks ok. Take VB and whoever fails out of the blokes on the chopping block out of the side next week for Laird and M Crouch, and it's a pretty good looking side again.

 

[Mike Smyth]

Yea, we rest the youngster- not the 33 yo veteran.

Whose got money on B Crouch to be the next out the door?

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Nothing more certain than VB, Thommo and Douglas all playing well.

Gets Them off the hook for a month - then we won't want to drop experience when there's a chance of sneaking into the 8.

Exactly.

The combination of SANFL byes and an easier AFL run will ensure the guys who have failed us in so many finals will do so again this year.

Pyke MUST find some balls and actually make some hard calls for the future.

 

[Anzacpaul]

Whose got money on B Crouch to be the next out the door?

I'd have my money on CEY. Will make a prediction he'll be playing for Fremantle or St Kilda next year. #prophet

 

[1970crow]

Nothing more certain than VB, Thommo and Douglas all playing well.

Gets Them off the hook for a month - then we won't want to drop experience when there's a chance of sneaking into the 8.

I wouldn't be so sure about Thommo. He'll probably still struggle until he gets a rest.

 

[FR0GGY]

3 year deal, the Mackay effect.

Do we still want to sign Jenkins?

 

[TheLeftFist8]

If VB goes anywhere near the midfield we've lost the plot (if we hadn't already).

 

[Glenno23]

I'd have my money on CEY. Will make a prediction he'll be playing for Fremantle or St Kilda next year. #prophet

Maybe that's not such a bad thing?