Review Round 4 vs Carlton @ Metricon Stadium (10.04.21 - 7:25pm)

There are a few mature agers we could look at to plug a short term gap. Normally clubs would look at a kid with the view for the future. We just need a seasoned big guy to compete now.
Corey Gault dominated the WAFL last year.

No. Stay right away. Don't be fooled into the Gault.
 

SnusCG

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Reilly O'Brien the other day had 19 touches and 34 hitouts

10 of those touches and 16 of those hitouts came in the last quarter without Witts on the ground.

He also went back and took two intercept marks that quarter.

I'm usually optimistic, but we're going to get smashed in the middle without Witts (or any ruckman) on the ground this year.
 
Sep 28, 2011
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Reilly O'Brien the other day had 19 touches and 34 hitouts

10 of those touches and 16 of those hitouts came in the last quarter without Witts on the ground.

He also went back and took two intercept marks that quarter.

I'm usually optimistic, but we're going to get smashed in the middle without Witts (or any ruckman) on the ground this year.
Depends how good the other ruckman is, also just means we will have to be more accountable at centre bounces and play man on man.

Against average rucks, it should be ok. Pittonet is a good hitout ruckman, but around the ground is where Burgess might have the advantage.

Hopefully we practice reading the other players taps this week.
 
Sep 25, 2012
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Reilly O'Brien the other day had 19 touches and 34 hitouts

10 of those touches and 16 of those hitouts came in the last quarter without Witts on the ground.

He also went back and took two intercept marks that quarter.

I'm usually optimistic, but we're going to get smashed in the middle without Witts (or any ruckman) on the ground this year.

You would hope our players recognise the opposition will have an unnaccounted giant lurking around packs for the next few weeks and will choose not to blaze away to contests at every opportunity and instead maybe use our speed and move it quicker.

But we’ve been saying that for 10 years so...
 

GC2015

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This Channel 7 story just went to air and it fills me with some confidence for Saturday night. The Lions basically conceded the rucking contest against Collingwood which resulted in them getting smashed in the hit outs but still won the clearances, and most importantly, won the game. Touk points out in the video that we're the second best team when it comes to clearances in the AFL this year so that must mean we're pretty good at winning it when the ball hits the deck. So if our mids are firing and we're winning the clearances, then we're a good chance to win.

You can also see in that video that Caleb Graham does have a large vertical leap, is able to hang in the air and seems to have some ability in the ruck:

84qwHHa.png


Burgo and Greenwood can pinch hit when Crab needs a rest.

Tom Fullarton is 4cms taller than Graham and only had three hit outs for the entire Lions-Pies clash compared to Grundy's 54. Ballenden chimed in for one extra hit out for the Lions but obviously it doesn't really matter if you win the hit outs if you're losing the clearances.
 
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I assume part of our ability to win clearances is because of Witts helping to neutralise the opponent ruck.

So much of our gameplan revolves around Witts. Even with how we exit D50 and go long down the line to force a throw in is because Witts is good in that area. I wonder if any of those tactics will change now.

The other concern with Burgess and Graham is whether they have the tank to run out the game as a ruck. They cover a lot of ground, more than they would as a fullback or full forward. I suppose that's where the backup in Greenwood comes into play.
 

Mini GF

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I assume part of our ability to win clearances is because of Witts helping to neutralise the opponent ruck.

So much of our gameplan revolves around Witts. Even with how we exit D50 and go long down the line to force a throw in is because Witts is good in that area. I wonder if any of those tactics will change now.

The other concern with Burgess and Graham is whether they have the tank to run out the game as a ruck. They cover a lot of ground, more than they would as a fullback or full forward. I suppose that's where the backup in Greenwood comes into play.

My plan takes care of that
Graham rucks in the back third
Greenwood middle third
Burgess attacking third
 

GC2015

Norm Smith Medallist
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I assume part of our ability to win clearances is because of Witts helping to neutralise the opponent ruck.

So much of our gameplan revolves around Witts. Even with how we exit D50 and go long down the line to force a throw in is because Witts is good in that area. I wonder if any of those tactics will change now.

The other concern with Burgess and Graham is whether they have the tank to run out the game as a ruck. They cover a lot of ground, more than they would as a fullback or full forward. I suppose that's where the backup in Greenwood comes into play.
It's a short term solution to have 2-3 undersized players in the ruck and we really only need them to step up once for us to beat Carlton so we can be where we should be going into round 7 against the Pies when we should get Zac Smith back. If we can just find a way to beat the Blues on Saturday then people will happily accept probable losses to the Bulldogs and Swans over the next two rounds, especially given our current rucking deficiency. With a win over Carlton, we'll go into the Bulldogs and Swans clashes either sitting inside the top 8 or just outside the top 8 with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Then we can get the ball rolling again in round 7 when we head to the G to face Collingwood with Zac Smith in the ruck. We just have to get the W on Saturday and all will be good.

I saw Robbo from AFL 360 tipped us. Don't know if that's a good omen but at least there are members of the media out there that think we can do it.
 

Coops93

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Hopefully it's a cracking game I want goldcoast to be successful before the afls love child gws I wish there was a Rowell vs walsh element to the game this weekend
That would be very exciting, I can't wait to see that.

We do play again later in the year, hopefully both are fit and flying for that.
 
Ace is no where near ready for AFL, he would get snapped in half

I’ll snap you in half ... knowing our luck if you bring Holman in he will kick six goals ...
 

Mt Isa Mustang

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I'm liking Graham to take the number 1 role, plus I think it will do a lot for his development, he may struggle with hit outs but he could then play as a kick behind the play in which he is well suited

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I think we need someone other than King to kick it to in the forward line.

With Wietering playing on Taberner, Jones absolutely killed Freo as he just zoned off the resting ruckman and chopped off everything for them last week.
We need Burgess up there to at least try and keep him accountable.
 

Jirik13

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This is really an intriguing game for me.

I would love SUNS to win just to see melts on Blues threads as 90% of their fans believe they got already 4 points in the bag.

I truly believe 8 days breaks will do us a world of good. Carlton have 6 days break and honestly I stopped watching their game against Freo at HT. It was unwatchable, Freo were absolutely terrible and Carlton not that much better. It was a slow game, below work rate/pressure compared to some other games including our game against Crows.

With Witts, I would be confident we win. With Graham/Burgess/Greenwood in the ruck, can we square the midfield battle? If we do we win. Pittonet is not a great ruckman so we definitely got a shot. If we get dominated in the middle it's over.

All players need to bring max pressure, contest from the beginning. No excuses. It's time to step up for many players based on Adelaide game performance. It's time to execute and limit errors in fatigue time and take our opportunities. Several times players forgot to lower their eyes. Ainsworth missing from 40m with 7min to go while Sexton was waiving his hands outside the square still haunts me.

It will be probably a very dewy surface after hot day on Sat. It will not be easy to mark the ball, some crazy fumbles, mistakes coming. The conditions should favour us. Bring the ball to ground in forward line and let small forwards do their job.

Looking forward to Collins/Ballard battle with McKay. Surely, Collins will play better and gets more help.

Jones and Weitering play great this year, so Walsh.

Go SUNS.

Note.
In the Heat Room podcast Boswell mentioned that the club think Murtagh is up to it and could ruck but his father passed away recently and Murtagh missed some training.
 
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Mt Isa Mustang

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Few interesting early season stats taken from the. stats insider website

We are second in the comp for +ve tackle inside 50 differential - need to continue bringing that pressure

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11th in set shot conversion percentage at 52%. Can think of a few absolute gimmies we have given away. Just new Macpherson last week was going to miss when he chipped it into the post. Need this closer to 60%. With King at 10 goals 2 behinds, he is doing his bit. Need everyone else to improve.


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Agreed, I think King, Corbett and Burgess should play, with Graham and Burgess splitting the ruck duty.

Another consideration is if Harry Mackay looks like he's going to kick a bag, then Graham could go back and Burgess becomes the #1 ruck.

But moving fwd, if Graham becomes a capable ruck option in defence, then we can rest Witts fwd which is super dangerous
I think we need someone other than King to kick it to in the forward line.

With Wietering playing on Taberner, Jones absolutely killed Freo as he just zoned off the resting ruckman and chopped off everything for them last week.
We need Burgess up there to at least try and keep him accountable.

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I mean for threatening to snap a Gold Coast poster in half on a Gold Coast board I think you got off pretty light.

Unless I've been lost in translation'd of course.

Supersuns sort this bloke out ;) Just ribbing SS's No offence to the rest of the board :)

As for the game itself? .... Its going to be a lot more competitive than people think. Carlton have shed loads to prove and the GCS have heaps of talent on the list.

I think it will be a high scoring game .... The ruck issues you guys have? Dew should just instruct the midfielders to rove off Pitto's ruckwork, you just need a guy to keep him honest in there, not necessarily "win" the hitouts.
 
Actually the more I think about it, you could turn this into a positive in a way ... Pitto cant really run, so if you put a mobile tall on him you may either hurt us on the spread or plug holes with him (defence or gut running into the I50 for extra numbers?
 
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