Preview Round 16 - Bombers vs Swans - Saturday 02 Jul @ 1:45pm MCG

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Last night I felt like soup and dug some French Onion out of the freezer. Ended up demolishing two serves. Coz it was cold I plonked a couple of nips of brandy in each.

Reheated the soup and then used an oven proof bowl and floated some sour dough toast covered in raclette cheese. Placed in a hot oven until the cheese was volcanic and dripping down the side of the bowl.

Not a toastie, but a great treatment of toasted cheese.

This morning I am left with regrets. The roof of my mouth is blistered. I have to make more chicken stock today so I can do a repeat of the FO soup tomorrow. Also have to buy some more Raclette and maybe some Gruyere.

So stuff you Bombers BF Board. I will be set for the game tomorrow.

 

[The King!]

King plenty of other blokes are best 22 in ability as well. He has been under whelming in comparison to his ability for a few weeks as have a few others and need to be held to the same account as a Clarke or a Taylor or a Ronke. To say they are not best 22 or not contracted or depth at best while they are busting their gut in the reserves and giving their best for the club only to be s**t in at selection rather than rewarded is a s**t reflection on what the club is trying to achieve. As a group.

Maybe so, but i don't think Jmac has underperformed like others here seem too, slightly off maybe, but he has been better than plenty of others

 

[BloodySwan]

Maybe so, but i don't think Jmac has underperformed like others here seem too, slightly off maybe, but he has been better than plenty of others

Yeah Jmac's stats are down compared to the first half but he's been great all year round. Always felt Jmac was an auto in for me and it was always going to be a tough call

 

[caesar88]

No.
It was Horse picking the future.

The club invested pick 5 on Campbell, see his potential and want to get his career moving. Clarke won’t be here next year. The Swans want Campbell here for the next decade.

Which is ironic, because I genuinely think the best thing for Campbell's career right now is to be in the VFL learning to play up around the ball. Not in the AFL side getting only a dozen touches off a flank or pocket.

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Don’t get me started playing blokes completely out of position.

Campbell is not a small pressure forward. He played his best at juniors as a HF with an elite boot, hitting team mates in F50 and blasting long range goals. Hope that's where he is played.

Re. small pressure forward (who doesn't necessarily need to be a direct threat in front of goal - Sam Wicks), when did this become a specific role anyway. I'd argue teams like Lions and Dees just play their most threatening in front of goal forward line and get them all to do their job without the ball, helped out by a hard working midfield. Pre Wicks, who actually did this role for us anyway? It's almost like it was created to justify the continual selection of guys like Wicks and Bell.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Which is ironic, because I genuinely think the best thing for Campbell's career right now is to be in the VFL learning to play up around the ball. Not in the AFL side getting only a dozen touches off a flank or pocket.

Hard as a cats head, skilled and composed and wilfully played out of position.

The game before he was dropped he dobbed a crucial set shot from outside 50. He did not even smile. Instead he trotted back to position with his fellow defenders. The grim expression never left his face.

 

[caesar88]

Hard as a cats head, skilled and composed and wilfully played out of position.

The game before he was dropped he dobbed a crucial set shot from outside 50. He did not even smile. Instead he trotted back to position with his fellow defenders. The grim expression never left his face.

I don't see how it's best for him and I can't say he's improved even one iota since basically his first game. Why we're not giving him a chance to actually better himself is beyond me.

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Which is ironic, because I genuinely think the best thing for Campbell's career right now is to be in the VFL learning to play up around the ball. Not in the AFL side getting only a dozen touches off a flank or pocket.

Respectfully disagree. Campbell is not really a high possession mid, certainly not at this stage of his career. He's the sort of player who will turn a game with a dozen or so high quality acts. So far has not been allowed to play this role but surely now is the time. Like Logan, too much talent to spend too much time in seconds playing against semi pros.

 

[SwansProudly]

Hope you can make it training session @ MCG
Date: Friday, July 1
Time: Gates open 2:15pm, training commences on field at 2:30pm with photo opportunities on field from 3:00pm. Event concludes at 3:30pm.
Venue: MCG – enter via GATE 1
Wet Weather: Event will proceed in wet weather

 

[sr20]

As most have said, I think Clarke is stiff, and could have done a role this week, but that's the coaches call.

Campbell you can see both points - play him in the 2s and build confidence, or get used to playing at the top level.

The positive is - with Rampe, McCartin x 2, Blakey, Florent, Fox and Lloyd as the 7th, he shouldn't be required to be spending much time down back, and can spend time in the Mid/Fwd rotation, where most of us think he's best suited.

 

[caesar88]

Respectfully disagree. Campbell is not really a high possession mid, certainly not at this stage of his career. He's the sort of player who will turn a game with a dozen or so high quality acts. So far has not been allowed to play this role but surely now is the time. Like Logan, too much talent to spend too much time in seconds playing against semi pros.

The bolded makes me think you actually do agree haha. I want to see him around the ball more but let's face it there's not much opportunity for that in the senior team. I'd rather him bide his time in the reserves playing the role he's best suited to, than continue to meander and stagnate in the seniors in a role that does him no favours.

 

[Jewelsbon]

hmm i've seen this script before 2 weeks ago. Big opportunity game to get a break on the chasing pack or get into top 4. Don't * this one up Swans.

Yep, soon as the Lions did us the solid last night I thought the same thing.
Milestone game + great opportunity = Swans stuffing up!

I'll be in panic mode if the Saints get up tonight!

 

[Wheresbuddy]

The bolded makes me think you actually do agree haha. I want to see him around the ball more but let's face it there's not much opportunity for that in the senior team. I'd rather him bide his time in the reserves playing the role he's best suited to, than continue to meander and stagnate in the seniors in a role that does him no favours.

In reserves he plays as a hybrid mid. He actually got drafted playing a HFF, pinch hitting a little across the midfield. Campbell much more value to us in the role he played as a junior currently given we have plenty of hybrid mids. I see no point to his development racking up 30-40 possessions in the VFL for a role he is unlikely to play for us in the short to medium term.

 

[caesar88]

In reserves he plays as a hybrid mid. He actually got drafted playing a HFF, pinch hitting a little across the midfield. Campbell much more value to us in the role he played as a junior currently given we have plenty of hybrid mids. I see no point to his development racking up 30-40 possessions in the VFL for a role he is unlikely to play for us in the short to medium term.

Is he actually playing HFF though or is that wishful thinking/an assumption based on there being no Clarke/Wicks/Ronke? Every time I saw him last week he was starting in the back line and won most of his possessions on the half back flank...

If he is in the front half then I think that's a good thing.

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Is he actually playing HFF though or is that wishful thinking/an assumption based on there being no Clarke/Wicks/Ronke? Every time I saw him last week he was starting in the back line and won most of his possessions on the half back flank...

If he is in the front half then I think that's a good thing.

I think many of us are hoping Horse will give him a chance as a HFF. Playing as a lockdown defender does not give him a chance to use his skills, although I thought he actually gave it a decent go. Last week he popped up on a wing at times, a role that perhaps he's not ready for. I suspect you're right in your assessment of him not getting a proper go in the front half given our obsession with the mythical lock down (non goal kicking) small. With none of Wicks, Bell or Ronke in the side, surely this has to be the week........

 

[the hypnotoad]

I'd take anyone over BT.

yes indeed ...

 

[the hypnotoad]

Horse picking Campbell over Clarke was Horse picking favourites again

nah ... campbell is the present but more the future, clarke is treading water
clarke is tough and has his place when needed but mostly his place is not best 22
he's ahead of taylor
campbell and mcinerney when fit and right are ahead of both clarke and taylor

 

[Bloods86]

Respectfully disagree. Campbell is not really a high possession mid, certainly not at this stage of his career. He's the sort of player who will turn a game with a dozen or so high quality acts. So far has not been allowed to play this role but surely now is the time. Like Logan, too much talent to spend too much time in seconds playing against semi pros.

He was a forward who started playing more mids in the year before he got drafted. How is he expected to learn how to get more of the ball unless you give him mid time somewhere? If we want him as a mid sooner rather than later, then he has to get time at that in reserves currently. If we're happy for him to progress more slowly, but still have an impact at senior level, then play him in his majority pre-draft role of being a forward (he spent time deep as a leading forward as well as off half-forward distributing and kicking long goals) - I think we agree on that. Some occasional wing/centre bounce work, and exposure at forward stoppages where he is to seek his own ball, instead of defending someone else, will help his development into a mid.

 

[Bandicoot]

No live coverage of the game where I am this week, so I’m entirely reliant on Bigfooty game day comments to keep me informed.

Don’t let me down team.

I want lots of pointed commentary every time Lloyd buggers up a kick-in, or we bomb to a triple-teamed Buddy.

So, if you can get internet, go to afl.com.au and if I remember correctly the "match centre" gives you multiple options to listen to it via whichever radio station you want to listen to

 

[Wheresbuddy]

He was a forward who started playing more mids in the year before he got drafted. How is he expected to learn how to get more of the ball unless you give him mid time somewhere? If we want him as a mid sooner rather than later, then he has to get time at that in reserves currently. If we're happy for him to progress more slowly, but still have an impact at senior level, then play him in his majority pre-draft role of being a forward (he spent time deep as a leading forward as well as off half-forward distributing and kicking long goals) - I think we agree on that. Some occasional wing/centre bounce work, and exposure at forward stoppages where he is to seek his own ball, instead of defending someone else, will help his development into a mid.

Do you think there's any chance he could develop into a Toby Greene type forward, without the knob attitude of course? Just that we have so many young guys competing for midfield time. It would be good for him to become elite in another role.

 

[momentbymoment]

My view is that Campbell and Guilden have very similar qualities, but unfortunately for Campbell, he drew the short straw and got shunted back in defence.

 

[momentbymoment]

Do you think there's any chance he could develop into a Toby Greene type forward, without the knob attitude of course? Just that we have so many young guys competing for midfield time. It would be good for him to become elite in another role.

I agree with this thought but can you really seperate the knob from the Greene? What would be left?

 

[Bloods86]

Do you think there's any chance he could develop into a Toby Greene type forward, without the knob attitude of course? Just that we have so many young guys competing for midfield time. It would be good for him to become elite in another role.

I think we need to prioritise who we most want in the mids long term. I don't see anything to suggest that Campbell couldn't be a great mid one day, since he was warming up to that position when drafted at no.5. I don't think he's going to be a JPK/Parker type that's first to the contest and gets 30-40 touches, but the outside burst and delivery much like Warner (obviously still differences between the two, but most like for like out of our current mids). Probably not as good at the contest, but better delivery/use.

Now where it gets tricky is if we want to give Sheldrick, Roberts etc mid time. But I don't think there's a rush there. More than happy for Campbell and Gulden to get first dibs on any mid time at senior level, and have them stay in reserves for now. Sheldrick can also be used as a small forward if needed/demanding selection. Plus, it's not like we don't know if Campbell can play up forward, it's just we haven't given him much of a chance. And many of our great mids started off there, slowly working their way into more bounces/stoppages. So that's where I'd like to see Campbell.

As for others competing - Florent should be at half back / in defence from now on. Stephens will probably stay on a wing, and hopefully kicks on there.

 

[mattpolo8]

Just went to the open training. I know it's a muck around but boy Braeden Campbell's boot is amazing.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Luck and good management by our recruiters has landed us a few elite field kicks.

Blakey, Gulden, Buddy, Campbell and J Mac would seem our top 5. Thoughts?