Preview Changes vs Freo

[mattwa]

So from my calculations, we have Freo, Collingwood, Sydney and the bye, before we potentially have Red and JJ back against Essendon. They are all winnable games with the exception of Collingwood, despite the optimists saying we should beat them because we some how fluked a win against them last year.

I think our game plan is tailor made to beat Collingwood as they are all about numbers at the contest and gamble on that. Our biggest strength is our contest work and being able to flick it out if there to space via hands which opens them up. Stylistically we are a bad match up for them with that but that's me ignoring our sh!t defense minus Jones. No JJ and Ed hurts top as they've got some wheels in that team

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Happy to see nobody calling for Hannan out, I am no fan of his but at the ground I thought he was actually quite good. Good energy, really critical option leading up to the flanks at times - but, of course, as a fringe role player at best he absolutely needs to take those opportunities.

Frankly, I see these injuries as potentially devastating to our season and I honestly don't know what to do - but I agree with most that the best option is the below:

IN: Gardner, O'Donnell
OUT: Jones (inj), TOB (inj)

FB: O'Donnell - Gardner - Duryea
HB: Vandermeer - Keath - Dale

C: Scott - Bontempelli - Williams

HF: Ugle-Hagan - Naughton - Daniel
FF: Weightman - Lobb - Hannan

R: English - Liberatore - Treloar

I: Baker - West - B. Smith - Macrae
S: McNeil

I could be convinced to drop Vandermeer for Cleary and then somewhat confusingly play him as a 'third tall' and JOD as more of a high defender. Vanders' positioning and defence is absolutely woeful but his speed back there is valuable given the injuries.

I don't particularly want Williams or Daniel playing as the 7th defender but Williams is probably the lesser evil.

 

[immortalmike]

Anyone else concerned about how “adamant” Bev was about not playing Naughton back “only as a last resort “. I can accept it if it is Bev’s judgment that he should play forward but why so strident. Who is he in a bitter argument with? Us, the rest of MC, someone in the footy media, the world in general? Chill. Leave some room for flexibility. The main objective is winning games of football, not every argument. Isn’t it?

Could be Naughton and his manager...

 

[immortalmike]

I want Bruce as far away from the backline and 22 as possible

I don't think he is as bad as many on here make out. His early rounds were better than anything Gardner or O'brien gave us.
He did have a pretty horrific injury so his admittedly shitful last game may have been impacted by that.

 

[Mojorisin]

Happy to see nobody calling for Hannan out, I am no fan of his but at the ground I thought he was actually quite good. Good energy, really critical option leading up to the flanks at times - but, of course, as a fringe role player at best he absolutely needs to take those opportunities.

Frankly, I see these injuries as potentially devastating to our season and I honestly don't know what to do - but I agree with most that the best option is the below:

IN: Gardner, O'Donnell
OUT: Jones (inj), TOB (inj)

FB: O'Donnell - Gardner - Duryea
HB: Vandermeer - Keath - Dale

C: Scott - Bontempelli - Williams

HF: Ugle-Hagan - Naughton - Daniel
FF: Weightman - Lobb - Hannan

R: English - Liberatore - Treloar

I: Baker - West - B. Smith - Macrae
S: McNeil

I could be convinced to drop Vandermeer for Cleary and then somewhat confusingly play him as a 'third tall' and JOD as more of a high defender. Vanders' positioning and defence is absolutely woeful but his speed back there is valuable given the injuries.

I don't particularly want Williams or Daniel playing as the 7th defender but Williams is probably the lesser evil.

I'm also not a fan but if you're going to bring guys up, no point dropping them a week later after a decent game when they will just get brought back again the following week like a yo-yo

 

[Dog 36]

I don't think he is as bad as many on here make out. His early rounds were better than anything Gardner or O'brien gave us.
He did have a pretty horrific injury so his admittedly shitful last game may have been impacted by that.

Bruce is coming back from knee injury and then ribs.

Needs some continuity IMO before we can make an assessment. He seemed to be getting better the more time he spent out on the ground.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Bruce is coming back from knee injury and then ribs.

Needs some continuity IMO before we can make an assessment. He seemed to be getting better the more time he spent out on the ground.

Bruce's comments on the video that was posted somewhere here were spot on, I thought - made some inexperienced mistakes to start, then went into fight or flight and struggled to get his confidence back and did some inattentive/overzealous things.

I just don't trust him without a solid anchor down there. He was OK enough before that game with Jones holding the fort and supporting him, but there's no way I'm playing him as a second KPD to Gardner or Keath in current form.

 

[scooter600x]

Happy to see nobody calling for Hannan out, I am no fan of his but at the ground I thought he was actually quite good. Good energy, really critical option leading up to the flanks at times - but, of course, as a fringe role player at best he absolutely needs to take those opportunities.

I could be convinced to drop Vandermeer for Cleary and then somewhat confusingly play him as a 'third tall' and JOD as more of a high defender. Vanders' positioning and defence is absolutely woeful but his speed back there is valuable given the injuries.

I don't particularly want Williams or Daniel playing as the 7th defender but Williams is probably the lesser evil.

Hannan was acceptable last week but history tells us one reasonable game in a row is his limit. Fingers crossed.

Vandermeer has to stay for mine. I didn't think he was terrible and we certainly need his pace. Cleary needs a go at it, probably at the expense of one of the big guys. Sophie's Choice as to which two of Keath, Gardner or O'Donnell you play.

I agree Williams and Daniel have been good up the ground and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I think McNeill is better than Baker, but I probably won't get a lot of support for that one.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Vandermeer has to stay for mine. I didn't think he was terrible and we certainly need his pace. Cleary needs a go at it, probably at the expense of one of the big guys. Sophie's Choice as to which two of Keath, Gardner or O'Donnell you play.

At the ground I found Vandermeer's positioning and general awareness to be quite poor and create a lot of work for our other defenders. I am not a fan generally though so perhaps it was confirmation bias.

I fear playing Cleary as the third defender might just take us back to the good old days of not being able to defend talls, especially with Jones out. I'm loathe to take height out of the back 7. It might end up being the right move but I think I favour JOD with two other KPP height defenders right now.

I think McNeill is better than Baker, but I probably won't get a lot of support for that one.

I think McNeil's best is better, but Baker is far more consistent. I liked McNeil's game last week but, much like Hannan, he has never really been able to put it together week-to-week. In a team lacking pace, neither Baker or McNeil did well/poorly enough to make a change IMO.

 

[doggies ftw]

I don't think he is as bad as many on here make out. His early rounds were better than anything Gardner or O'brien gave us.
He did have a pretty horrific injury so his admittedly shitful last game may have been impacted by that.

Yeah agreed I was about to say the same thing - I never thought Bruce would go well in defence, and admittedly his last game was just worse than anything else we’ve seen in a long long time and he had to be dropped.

But I actually think he has pretty clearly been our 2nd best defender across the first month of the season (which of course is depressing, but true nonetheless) His downside is massive but his upside is a lot higher than Gards so for now with no Jones I think we have to take that gamble.

I really hope we don’t, as I expect we will, go both Bruce & Gards - those two and Keath just sounds ******* awful, we can’t afford to kill our offensive movement that badly considering their not exactly sound defensively either.

Bruce & Cleary in for mine, back Bruce and Keath as the talls - Cleary & Williams as the mediums and VDM & Dale the run (change of role for Dale, tell him we want his run first & foremost, Cleary & Williams can be the distributors) JODs just not ready and I’d like him to develop at VFL, plus I don’t want 3 talls.

 

[BEaston]

In: Bruce, Cleary
Out: Jones, O'Brien

• Naughton back (until Jones returns).
• Williams back (until Richards returns).
• Bruce to the forward line
• Baker, Scott & McNeil to hold down the wings for the next 2 games.
• Macrae could fill in for some wing minutes too.

Duryea Keath Cleary
Williams Naughton Dale
Baker Libba Scott
West JUH Macrae
Weightman Bruce Lobb
VDM McNeil B Smith Daniel

Keath can't beat the oppo's 3rd tall, let alone their 1st. Honestly he should be seen as a tall rebounding back, he has no 1v1 defensive skills anymore but is actually OK at attacking running/positioning on the rebound (ball use is another question).

People will hate it but Gardner must come back in to play on oppo talls. He can at least kill an aerial ball.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

I reckon Lobb will turn it on against his old side.

 

[blagodellago]

I reckon Lobb will turn it on against his old side.

#bringbackthebleach


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[Ash1337]

Darcy, Gardner, Bedendo in.
Jones, O'brien, McNeil out.

 

[ringa5]

What happens next will define the club really.
Recruited Gardner, Bruce ,Keith,Lobb ,Dureya and Crozier all from other clubs.
Jones although recruit of the year,still a stop gap.
And only Gardner and now O'Donnell are of an age to take us forward.Haven't taken us forward or given a chance to Baku ,Cleary or Raak...Busslinger like O'Donnell raw.
Forward line is inaccurate but still not utilising strengths. Bombing the ball into the square only works if Naughton catches 90 percent.At the moment it's 5 or 10 percent.We all blame Lobb but clearly is lost in the forward line.Because of lack of symmetry. Weightman and Jamarra are natural forwards and deserve so much more.In regards to forward line positioning and function.Compare that with Geelong and Port Adelaide.
And that's why Naughton to the back line and reset the forward line and back line..Once that is right hopefully Jones is back .
And Darcy or Bruce are better served as forwards.Stop gaps in defence at best.Although Darcy is still raw and learning.
Won't happen and maybe they will
find strength from adversity.And probably go with Gardner ,Keith,Dureya and O'Donnell. With Richards and JJ back it might even work.
In so Keeping the same forward set up
Time will tell .And will define the clubs current hierarchy.

 

[doggiesin08]

What happens next will define the club really.
Recruited Gardner, Bruce ,Keith,Lobb ,Dureya and Crozier all from other clubs.
Jones although recruit of the year,still a stop gap.
And only Gardner and now O'Donnell are of an age to take us forward.Haven't taken us forward or given a chance to Baku ,Cleary or Raak...Busslinger like O'Donnell raw.
Forward line is inaccurate but still not utilising strengths. Bombing the ball into the square only works if Naughton catches 90 percent.At the moment it's 5 or 10 percent.We all blame Lobb but clearly is lost in the forward line.Because of lack of symmetry. Weightman and Jamarra are natural forwards and deserve so much more.In regards to forward line positioning and function.Compare that with Geelong and Port Adelaide.
And that's why Naughton to the back line and reset the forward line and back line..Once that is right hopefully Jones is back .
And Darcy or Bruce are better served as forwards.Stop gaps in defence at best.Although Darcy is still raw and learning.
Won't happen and maybe they will
find strength from adversity.And probably go with Gardner ,Keith,Dureya and O'Donnell. With Richards and JJ back it might even work.
In so Keeping the same forward set up
Time will tell .And will define the clubs current hierarchy.

Surely we’d be an attractive destination for a quality assistant coach to come in and take over the forward line. You get to have Naughton, JUH, Lobb, Darcy, Weightman, etc. at your disposal and a super low baseline to perform against.

Or is the issue that Bevo won’t give any room to actually have an impact?

 

[bobs head soup]

Bruce is coming back from knee injury and then ribs.

Needs some continuity IMO before we can make an assessment. He seemed to be getting better the more time he spent out on the ground.

That's fair but I just can't see him and Keath working in the same backline given our need for mobility/covering for others.

Reckon it's one or the other, although Bruce could easily prove the superior alternative over the next few weeks.

 

[Lee]

Week out before the game I feel like we will only go with the two force changes of Liam Jones

19

Liam Jones

Age

33

Ht

199cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.4

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

4.3

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

134.5

2star

D

7.6

2star

K

6.1

3star

HB

1.4

1star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.4

2star

MG

116.3

2star

D

9.4

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

and TOB Out.

I'd like to think only one of Bruce or Gardner gets selected, then James O Donnell or Luke Cleary comes in as that 3rd tall option.

Would be interested to see Bruce play forward whilst Naughton plays defence. Doubt we will see Darcy back in the AFL side straight away

 

[doggies ftw]

I think it’s probably time to start rebuilding the backline even if it’s not the absolute best thing we can do for this weeks result. To be completely honest what do we have to lose? The backline has been hecking s**t with 30 yos, can it really get any worse with some fresh faces? There’s the slight chance it may actually work out too, whereas going back to the same old s**t definitely will result in the same outcomes.

That means giving JOD & Cleary a proper run of it for the next month or two.

Cleary Keath JOD
VDM Gardner Dale
7th Doc

 

[Optimistic Dog]

Assuming the pies beat the crows, the results this weekend have favoured the teams outside the 8 with Freo and the Cats winning. This also will continue if the Suns beat the Hawks. In a tight run to the 8 the number of times you play WCE and North is important.

From the list below the bombers are the most advantage and the dogs, cats and swans the least. Add to list we also one of 2 teams the blues being the other who played Adelaide teams in the gather round at home so we have had the hardest draw. Could be the difference if we make or miss out.


WCE North
Crows 1 2
Bombers 2 2
Freo 2 1
Cats 1 1
Dogs 1 1
Suns 1 2
Tigers 2 1
Saints 1 2
Swans 1 1

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Assuming the pies beat the crows, the results this weekend have favoured the teams outside the 8 with Freo and the Cats winning. This also will continue if the Suns beat the Hawks. In a tight run to the 8 the number of times you play WCE and North is important.

From the list below the bombers are the most advantage and the dogs, cats and swans the least. Add to list we also one of 2 teams the blues being the other who played Adelaide teams in the gather round at home so we have had the hardest draw. Could be the difference if we make or miss out.


WCE North
Crows 1 2
Bombers 2 2
Freo 2 1
Cats 1 1
Dogs 1 1
Suns 1 2
Tigers 2 1
Saints 1 2
Swans 1 1

The difference for us will be the Gold Coast and Geelong game that we threw away.

 

[fred cook]

Surely we’d be an attractive destination for a quality assistant coach to come in and take over the forward line. You get to have Naughton, JUH, Lobb, Darcy, Weightman, etc. at your disposal and a super low baseline to perform against.

Or is the issue that Bevo won’t give any room to actually have an impact?

Maybe Bevo will see the light finally and have some decent assistant coaches around him in 2024

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[Doggies7]

Our biggest battle is going to be this bye fatigue that every team seems to be having. Isn't the stat only one team has one coming off the bye against a non bye team or something? Pies coming off the bye and might get rolled by the Crows (also off the bye) at the G which would be a pretty bad loss considering how rubbish the Crows have been away from Adelaide this season.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

Our biggest battle is going to be this bye fatigue that every team seems to be having. Isn't the stat only one team has one coming off the bye against a non bye team or something? Pies coming off the bye and might get rolled by the Crows (also off the bye) at the G which would be a pretty bad loss considering how rubbish the Crows have been away from Adelaide this season.

If we lose against Freo it is bye, bye

 

[Wabjub]

No big key forwards at Freo i'd imagine we bring in Gardy and JOD for O'Brien & Jones

I mean Freo do have 3 forwards at 195-201cm plus resting Darcy upfront aswell, he's 203. Float fyfe up at 191cm. Not short at all.

You'll have to match up McKay on Jackson. Corr and McDonald on amiss and treacy. It's even without factoring in Darcy and Fyfe up front.

Edit: I now realise I named north's backline.. that's what I get for not paying attention to the correct teams from your last game