Scorpus
Moderator
- Apr 16, 2014
- 58,085
- 150,276
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Moderator
- #1
Right. Fresh off the devastation that was that Grand Final, it's time to make some ridiculous knee-jerk changes to the team that will never happen.
One can dream, I guess.
B Doedee- Talia - Brown
HB Laird - Hartigan - Seedsman
C Gibbs - B. Crouch - Milera
HF Lynch - Walker - McGovern
F Betts - Jenkins - Menzel
R Jacobs - Sloane - M. Crouch
I Hampton - Gallucci - Greenwood - Knight
Now here are some long notes about these changes that you can choose to read, or you can just skip it and start complaining about how this will obviously never happen or how it's too soon, etc.
1. I am assuming Lever and Cameron are gone, and we actually succeed in trading in Gibbs. I am also assuming no other trades (we're not good enough at trading) and no injuries aside from Smith's year-long ACL
2. If Mitch McGovern is injured, he should never be replaced by a slow tall forward ever again. Otten is only a replacement for a key tall like Jenkins or Walker in the event of injury. He is not good enough to play otherwise.
3. Sorry to all the haters, I was right on David Mackay. His good finals form was for nothing because he played like garbage when it mattered. This bloke should genuinely never play for the Crows ever again. Especially as we have players ready to go who play his position. It's inexcusable to continue letting this spud on the field for the AFC, in fact it's a disgrace. Back in a kid to do what he does.
4. If we get Gibbs, it's clear who he pushes out: Richard Douglas. He's just not good enough. Gibbs slots in immediately to Douglas' position and we are a much better side. Plus we will continue to see Greenwood develop and that will make Douglas even less important.
5. Menzel replaces Cameron. The guy has talent, he has the defensive work ethic to replace what Cameron provided, and he can also be a more consistent offensive weapon. Sure, he doesn't have the pace of Cameron, but we can compensate through better ball users under pressure in the midfield.
6. Smaller, more attacking defence. I think the days are gone where you can play 4+ lockdown defenders. Lever is gone, and I'd also drop Kelly, merging their positions into Doedee who we finally back in and debut. Kelly has really emerged to become a decent player but he's just not tall enough to play on monsters, not quick enough to curb smalls and not attacking enough to provide anything moving up the ground. I think the most successful defences these days have mostly rebounding players as their medium and smaller defenders. That's where I think we should be headed, which is why I'd swap in Doedee, and also use Seedsman as a Smith replacement. I'm not sold on Seed as a wingman, but he's played good football on the half back line. Plus he's a hell of a lot better than Mackay in distributing the ball. Hampton also comes in to rotate from the midfield to half back in support.
7. No more Atkins. He's proven time and again he doesn't have what it takes to play pressure football. He comes out for Gallucci, who we back in as an extra midfielder with hardness through the wings. It also gives us more flexibility to rotate him into the center.
8. Deeper midfield with more players that can play multiple roles. I think we suffered from having Atkins, Mackay, Knight and others in the team who could only play outside football. By dropping Mackay and Atkins for Hampton and Gallucci while also adding Gibbs and retaining Greenwood, we'd have a great mix of inside and outside talent that's interchangeable between these positions. Players like Hampton are fairly decent distributors but harder at the football. Milera is the only player I'd play who is pure outside, as his disposal and decision making is elite. Knight gets retained as I think he's a valuable stopper, decent distributor and can play finals football.
9. Jenkins. This guy cannot play finals football, but who else do we have? Not sure I'd want to roll with an extra small and play just Walker and McGovern. And Otten, while he has been serviceable, I don't think is the right replacement.
10. Are we dropping too much experience? No. Gibbs comes in as a senior player for Douglas. Menzel and Hampton have AFL experience. Milera is developing but not a first year player. The only real debutants are Doedee and Gallucci, who have been in the system for 1-2 years now.
11. This should help address the issue with too many soft utensil outside ball winners who melt under finals pressure (Atkins, Mackay), not enough distribution from the backline to adequately play our attacking football (Kelly), and a ludicrously tall forward line that loves to let the opposition rebound (Otten).
Final changes:
Out: Otten, Lever, Cameron, Atkins, Kelly, Mackay, Douglas
In: McGovern, Doedee, Menzel, Milera, Hampton, Gallucci, Gibbs
One can dream, I guess.
B Doedee- Talia - Brown
HB Laird - Hartigan - Seedsman
C Gibbs - B. Crouch - Milera
HF Lynch - Walker - McGovern
F Betts - Jenkins - Menzel
R Jacobs - Sloane - M. Crouch
I Hampton - Gallucci - Greenwood - Knight
Now here are some long notes about these changes that you can choose to read, or you can just skip it and start complaining about how this will obviously never happen or how it's too soon, etc.
1. I am assuming Lever and Cameron are gone, and we actually succeed in trading in Gibbs. I am also assuming no other trades (we're not good enough at trading) and no injuries aside from Smith's year-long ACL
2. If Mitch McGovern is injured, he should never be replaced by a slow tall forward ever again. Otten is only a replacement for a key tall like Jenkins or Walker in the event of injury. He is not good enough to play otherwise.
3. Sorry to all the haters, I was right on David Mackay. His good finals form was for nothing because he played like garbage when it mattered. This bloke should genuinely never play for the Crows ever again. Especially as we have players ready to go who play his position. It's inexcusable to continue letting this spud on the field for the AFC, in fact it's a disgrace. Back in a kid to do what he does.
4. If we get Gibbs, it's clear who he pushes out: Richard Douglas. He's just not good enough. Gibbs slots in immediately to Douglas' position and we are a much better side. Plus we will continue to see Greenwood develop and that will make Douglas even less important.
5. Menzel replaces Cameron. The guy has talent, he has the defensive work ethic to replace what Cameron provided, and he can also be a more consistent offensive weapon. Sure, he doesn't have the pace of Cameron, but we can compensate through better ball users under pressure in the midfield.
6. Smaller, more attacking defence. I think the days are gone where you can play 4+ lockdown defenders. Lever is gone, and I'd also drop Kelly, merging their positions into Doedee who we finally back in and debut. Kelly has really emerged to become a decent player but he's just not tall enough to play on monsters, not quick enough to curb smalls and not attacking enough to provide anything moving up the ground. I think the most successful defences these days have mostly rebounding players as their medium and smaller defenders. That's where I think we should be headed, which is why I'd swap in Doedee, and also use Seedsman as a Smith replacement. I'm not sold on Seed as a wingman, but he's played good football on the half back line. Plus he's a hell of a lot better than Mackay in distributing the ball. Hampton also comes in to rotate from the midfield to half back in support.
7. No more Atkins. He's proven time and again he doesn't have what it takes to play pressure football. He comes out for Gallucci, who we back in as an extra midfielder with hardness through the wings. It also gives us more flexibility to rotate him into the center.
8. Deeper midfield with more players that can play multiple roles. I think we suffered from having Atkins, Mackay, Knight and others in the team who could only play outside football. By dropping Mackay and Atkins for Hampton and Gallucci while also adding Gibbs and retaining Greenwood, we'd have a great mix of inside and outside talent that's interchangeable between these positions. Players like Hampton are fairly decent distributors but harder at the football. Milera is the only player I'd play who is pure outside, as his disposal and decision making is elite. Knight gets retained as I think he's a valuable stopper, decent distributor and can play finals football.
9. Jenkins. This guy cannot play finals football, but who else do we have? Not sure I'd want to roll with an extra small and play just Walker and McGovern. And Otten, while he has been serviceable, I don't think is the right replacement.
10. Are we dropping too much experience? No. Gibbs comes in as a senior player for Douglas. Menzel and Hampton have AFL experience. Milera is developing but not a first year player. The only real debutants are Doedee and Gallucci, who have been in the system for 1-2 years now.
11. This should help address the issue with too many soft utensil outside ball winners who melt under finals pressure (Atkins, Mackay), not enough distribution from the backline to adequately play our attacking football (Kelly), and a ludicrously tall forward line that loves to let the opposition rebound (Otten).
Final changes:
Out: Otten, Lever, Cameron, Atkins, Kelly, Mackay, Douglas
In: McGovern, Doedee, Menzel, Milera, Hampton, Gallucci, Gibbs
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) how young/slight he is. I know you can see his talent, no arguments there, but lets make this a case for further discussion next year. * the humble pie, I wont make you eat it
