Unofficial Preview Changes and Discussion - Dogs round 16

[Pride of lions]

People assume that a capacity for improvement is a “given” with some players, including experienced players, but not others. It borders on illogical to suggest that Mathieson, at aged 25 is not able to improve his game. A combination of personal learning and good coaching should be ensuring that he can improve. If he is not improving it is an indictment of our football department. He is LONG overdue for another shot in the Seniors, based on SUSTAINED good form in the Reserves. What does a bloke have to do?

100%! And let’s not forget he played a stack of games last year when Neale was out injured and he actually played some really good football. In fact I don’t think we lost a game when Neale was out, which is a fair effort. And he always puts his body on the line which is something we desperately need at the contest imo.

 

[Mikevk123]

In- Bailey, Prior, E.Smith
Out- Lyons, Robinson, Tunstill

B Answerth Andrews Starcevich
HB Rich Adams K.Coleman
C Mcluaggage T.Berry Prior
HF McCarthy McStay Bailey
F Hipwood Daniher Cameron
FOLL: Omac J.Berry Neale
I/C: Payne, Robertson, Ah’Chee, E.Smith

 

[3KZ is Football]

I don't disagree in principle.

However I haven't exactly seen evidence of that in reserves footage.

Instead it's what we expect of him by now, just more of it because he is definitely in that "better than VFL, not enough impact at AFL" league.

Cue the coaching department. The bloke is only 25.

 

[Lazza16]

Becomes a bit tricky when we have to fit in 5 talls. The team who has done it recently was Port Adelaide in 2020 I think - Dixon, Marshall, Georgiades, Lycett and Ladhams.

I'm starting to think we could try Hipwood on the wing. He'll be a nightmare match up for the mid-180 wingers with his height and ability to outmark them. But it will be a trade off for someone running away from him.

Good idea..... I mentioned the same about Hippy after Blicavs cut us up a few yrs ago kicking about 4 from the wing at the Gabba. Worth an experiment maybe this week or GWS or Essendon.

 

[martinson]

What I don't understand is why we cut Ah Chee , particularly against Melbourne , when he's the one bloke in the team who makes an absolute contest of it whenever the ball's in his vicinity. The one area where we got completely carved up. Prior is good in that area as well.

When I saw the team selections on Wednesday it did run through my mind that we were losing the plot and getting a bit delusional . Fage's presser confirmed. We can rectify and reset if we recognise we made a stupid blue . I'm not sure we do. His mantra is wearing a bit thin. What he should've said is that that performance is not indicative of who we are or of our form over time but is completely unacceptable.

Instead he made out that that Melbourne were totally awesome and that there wasn't much we could do. Loser's mentality.

Fages has been awesome over time so we give him a Mulligan but that presser spoke louder than the actual words.

 

[dlanod]

100%! And let’s not forget he played a stack of games last year when Neale was out injured and he actually played some really good football. In fact I don’t think we lost a game when Neale was out, which is a fair effort. And he always puts his body on the line which is something we desperately need at the contest imo.

I like Matho in for Neale if Neale is injured - it makes sense. I'd rather Lyons not be in our midfield mix as much but if we wanted a like for like replacement for him, Matho would be top of the list too. When you're replacing Zorko and Bailey however, adding in Matho takes a weakness and triples down on it.

 

[martinson]

I like Matho in for Neale if Neale is injured - it makes sense. I'd rather Lyons not be in our midfield mix as much but if we wanted a like for like replacement for him, Matho would be top of the list too. When you're replacing Zorko and Bailey however, adding in Matho takes a weakness and triples down on it.

I think Matho has had enough chances but when he has played he's always put in a solid effort and contributed something. He's made a compelling case for his reinclusion but I'm only hopeful anything's changed. Still if it's for Neale or Lyons it has to be him.

 

[spotthedog1]

I like Matho in for Neale if Neale is injured - it makes sense. I'd rather Lyons not be in our midfield mix as much but if we wanted a like for like replacement for him, Matho would be top of the list too. When you're replacing Zorko and Bailey however, adding in Matho takes a weakness and triples down on it.

Agree with the sentiment but I reckon Tommy B has moved past Matho when an inside role opens up

 

[3KZ is Football]

Remember Ben Keays

2

Ben Keays

Age

27

Ht

186cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.1

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.9

5star

G

0.4

3star

D

13.7

3star

K

8.7

3star

HB

5.0

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.7

4star

G

0.3

3star

D

13.0

4star

K

4.8

2star

HB

8.2

5star

M

1.4

2star

T

4.4

5star

G

0.4

3star

? We delisted him in 2019 and then …

Keays enjoyed a breakout 2020 AFL season, playing 16 games for the Crows. He finished 5th in the Malcolm Blight Medal and won the Players Trademark award.

He received competition-wide recognition with an impressive 2021 AFL season which was rewarded with a 2nd place finish in the Malcolm Blight Medal. [22] Keays shocked the AFL with an elite disposal average of 28.1 throughout the home and away season, as well as polling 11 votes in the 2021 Brownlow Medal. [23] In October of 2021, he signed a contract which would keep him at the Adelaide Crows until the end of 2024. - Wikipedia

All the same arguments against Keays are being made against Mathieson. Keays goes to Adelaide, new coaches and a sustained run in the Seniors and now he is flying. He would be a walk up start in our side now.

Perhaps Mathieson should leave too.

 

[On the quiet]

I hate 1 week debut then dropped, but we were stupidly inexperienced against Melbourne. Seriously, I saw the team list and went looking for my old betting account to throw money on Melbourne. I didn't in the end, which is a shame. It was easy money.

Can't drop Payne - he did well and needs games. Shouldn't drop Terry because he actually deserves to be played in the position he plays week in week out, and Lyons out offers that opportunity. How on earth anyone thought it was clever to bring in TBez to AFL level in a role he never plays is beyond me...
Matho - no. Just no. We need to move forward, and to guys who actually might have an AFL-level ceiling.

In Zorks Bailey AhChee
Out Tunstill Lyons Robbo

Still concerned that's too inexperienced but we don't really have any better options...

I wouldn't go for Eric on the wing but Jack Payne would be something else. He has extreme speed, tackling ability, marking.....I guess the only thing would be his tank.

At around 105kg (according to Lions website) no way he can play 4 Q on the wing, IMO if/when McStay leaves, Payne probably versatile enough with a preseason under his belt to take the third forward role. Eric is actually pretty fast for a tall, don't think he has lost any speed after ACL.

 

[BRAB]

I like Matho in for Neale if Neale is injured - it makes sense. I'd rather Lyons not be in our midfield mix as much but if we wanted a like for like replacement for him, Matho would be top of the list too. When you're replacing Zorko and Bailey however, adding in Matho takes a weakness and triples down on it.

Watching Lyons and Matho walk from contest to contest in tandem would be soul crushing

 

[FeastOrFamine]

Done waiting for our best footy to show up. We can keep talking about how we haven't played our best so far this year but nothing over the past few weeks has indicated to me that it's coming anytime soon.

Hopefully, it's just me being a pessimist and we come out like a house on fire against the Dogs but those kinds of losses can really destroy confidence. Let's see if we're as mentally resilient as we say we are.

 

[martinson]

Does anyone else think our players look stale ? It's been going through my mind for a few weeks.

It can't be physical . Just a mental tiredness from their roles and the gameplan. And the dam wall broke on Thursday when we just about gave up.

Sometimes everyone needs a freshen up and a bit of a change to keep them fully invested in anything.

Perhaps I'm imagining it but we've been playing a bit stale for a while . To come in after the bye and play like that makes you think they really let down over the bye and would like another one.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Done waiting for our best footy to show up. We can keep talking about how we haven't played our best so far this year but nothing over the past few weeks has indicated to me that it's coming anytime soon.

Hopefully, it's just me being a pessimist and we come out like a house on fire against the Dogs but those kinds of losses can really destroy confidence. Let's see if we're as mentally resilient as we say we are.

Let’s see what Fagan is made of at the selection table?

 

[FeastOrFamine]

Let’s see what Fagan is made of at the selection table?

If I'm being honest I don't think much will change. We'll drop the players on the outer like Tunstill and Terry and hang on to players like Lyons who are woefully out of form at the moment. I don't think we have the killer instinct necessary to win a premiership, and I think part of that is precipitated by our very friendly coach.

 

[LIONS08]

Remember Ben Keays? We delisted him in 2019 and then …


All the same arguments against Keays are being made against Mathieson. Keays goes to Adelaide, new coaches and a sustained run in the Seniors and now he is flying. He would be a walk up start in our side now.

Perhaps Mathieson should leave too.

So who’s spot in the midfield should Keays have taken? Have you watched many of the crows games? Matt Crouch is being forced out because he, Laird and Keays are very similar… just chuck it in the boot and rather poor disposal. I still feel Keays would be a liability in a top 6-8 team.

 

[Pride of lions]

Agree with the sentiment but I reckon Tommy B has moved past Matho when an inside role opens up

Unfortunately Tommy B is nowhere near being an inside midfielder at AFL level. Not sure he ever will be either.

 

[Gadzorks]

guts and determination isn't enough these days. vision, decision making........just skill is where it's at.

Matho is a beauty, there wouldn't be one person on this site that doesn't love what the guy brings but he has flaws in his game that we've seen over and over. Personally I think it's a failure of coaching.

I agree, but it's an important ingredient and we didn't see guts and determination in Thursday.

Fagan got a wake up call on Thursday.

It's the players turn.

A couple of reserves games and Mitch was trying hard on Thursday. Time for others to take the same medicine.

 

[Gadzorks]

Watching Lyons and Matho walk from contest to contest in tandem would be soul crushing

Can't be worse that what we saw on Thursday.

 

[Gadzorks]

Done waiting for our best footy to show up. We can keep talking about how we haven't played our best so far this year but nothing over the past few weeks has indicated to me that it's coming anytime soon.

Hopefully, it's just me being a pessimist and we come out like a house on fire against the Dogs but those kinds of losses can really destroy confidence. Let's see if we're as mentally resilient as we say we are.

It's destroyed the bigfooty lion's community confidence.

 

[FeastOrFamine]

It's destroyed the bigfooty lion's community confidence.

I didn't think one game could do that to me lmao, but here we are

 

[luthor]

In: Lester, Lester,Lester,Lester,Lester

Out: Answerth, Tunstill, T. Berry, Lyons, Robinson

There just has to room for a few more Lesters

That's better.

 

[3KZ is Football]

There just has to room for a few more Lesters

That's better.

This is the gift that keeps on giving. Father son??

 

[Cubs2Lions]

There just has to room for a few more Lesters

That's better.

Surely we need to add some more Birchalls to not make our team too predictable and stale as well

 

[Gadzorks]

Surely we need to add some more Birchalls to not make our team too predictable and stale as well

And as many Hodges as we can find