Preview 2025 AFL Season - Round 5: St Kilda v GWS (Sunday April 13, 3.20pm - Norwood Oval)

[Hubnester]

Now that we've had a few hours to soak in that last great win and some salty Korny tears, we look forward to what promises to be our biggest challenge of the season yet.

Selection will be interesting this week.

Will Keeler retain his spot, or does he need a rest after a physical few weeks? Do we give Boyd a run in his old stomping ground?

Does Steele get up for this one? Or do we give him plenty of time to recover and trust the kids to keep impressing?

King should be nearing closer to a return as well, but this may still be too early. Butler and Henry will be keen to get back into the team after a run or two in the VFL, but who would deserve to go out of the team to make way?

 

[Greshyum]

Been a while since I last posted, will definitely have to change my profile name which I'm not sure I can. Might have to make a new account.

Managed to get to the PA game, just happened to be in Adelaide and was awesome to get the win. PA fans were plenty salty which was great .

Anyway main reason I'm posting is that I'll be here for gather round but the game has sold out, if anyone has spare tickets please let me know.

 

[Gavinmitchell11]

Ross will figure them out and give us the best possible chance. That’s the luxury of having a great coach, we’re a chance in every game.

 

[gubby88]

This is going to be a great match. smaller ground so should really suit our pressure. boys need to be on mentally this week to bring the pain!

 

[The Punter]

We have a pretty good record against the Giants. Yes, I know we've lost the last two, but in the final we were towelled up and lost by <checks notes> 4 goals, and last year we finished all over them. Before that I think we had won four in a row.

Either way its a free hit.

King in if available for Keeler. Just on Keeler, here's Rhys Stanley's first three games (all wins too):



Stanley played his 210th game on the weekend. I don't see an obvious alternative, so if King doesn't come up, give Keeler another week.

Steele in for ... who bloody knows. But someone is going to be stiff.

 

[g_TRAIN]

Henry needs to come in at some stage; he's too good for the VFL, and Butler is in our leadership group.

Suddenly, with Hall and Collard coming through, we have the luxury of small forwards.

We can probably play one more but not both.

 

[feelthepou]

Butler in the twos setting standards from the leadership perspective isn't the worst outcome. Sure his dash, pressure and execution would be useful but I'd be brining in Henry before him (not exactly like for like) for his ability to chain up higher up the ground.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

I think Hally probably comes out for Butts. Unfair I know.
Ari might be a weapon if it’s a smaller ground.

 

[SainterinSydney]

Danger game for GWS coming off a training run against West Coast. If we bring the heat, we could get them.

 

[nobhead]

I think Hally probably comes out for Butts. Unfair I know.
Ari might be a weapon if it’s a smaller ground.

No way hall or collard get dropped butler will have to bide his time until hall or collards form drops off or there's an injury .steele is the only change i'd make if fit for byrnes,travalgia can do his role and steele into the middle and if they wanted to ease henry in he can be the sub for hastie.keeler stays if king not ready.

 

[jumperfan]

They’re definitely gettable. If they have one of their catastrophic quarters where they let us run all over the top of them we have enough firepower to make it hurt.

 

[Murraj1966]

Feels like a free hit but 4-1 and you have to start thinking about win loss columns and September action

Of the 2 Adelaide games i felt like we’d fare better against the Giants so I’m hoping we give them a red hot crack after a restful week in Adelaide.

Living in a city from 1997 so play like a team from 1997

 

[Bill Crouse]

I think Hally probably comes out for Butts. Unfair I know.
Ari might be a weapon if it’s a smaller ground.

I hope you are wrong about Hall. Butler might be a better pressure forward, but I would much rather Hall for his kicking inside 50.

 

[hotdish]

Ross mentioned in the presser how we were dominated in the air, especially in the second half and that we were a bit small... Even if King isn't anywhere near full fitness, his output will be far superior than Keeler's and they will manage his TOG around ~85%

We are really susceptible down back this week. Wilkie always takes Toby Greene, but i'm guessing he will have to play on Jesse Hogan and Caminiti takes Cadman. That leaves three big question marks:

• Toby Greene (Assume they give Webster first crack)
• Darcy Jones (does anyone have the speed on the fast break to take him DJ is elite in terms of spring speed and repeat sprints)
• Stringer (Stocker took him last time we played Essendon)

 

[Dard Ball Get]

Ross mentioned in the presser how we were dominated in the air, especially in the second half and that we were a bit small... Even if King isn't anywhere near full fitness, his output will be far superior than Keeler's and they will manage his TOG around ~85%

We are really susceptible down back this week. Wilkie always takes Toby Greene, but i'm guessing he will have to play on Jesse Hogan and Caminiti takes Cadman. That leaves three big question marks:

• Toby Greene (Assume they give Webster first crack)
• Darcy Jones (does anyone have the speed on the fast break to take him DJ is elite in terms of spring speed and repeat sprints)
• Stringer (Stocker took him last time we played Essendon)

Put Garcia on Jones. Smash the midget

 

[Saintos The ITK]

No way hall or collard get dropped butler will have to bide his time until hall or collards form drops off or there's an injury .steele is the only change i'd make if fit for byrnes,travalgia can do his role and steele into the middle and if they wanted to ease henry in he can be the sub for hastie.keeler stays if king not ready.

Fair comment Nobhead although I think Monty is contributing more than Trav

 

[ScrappyDo]

Idiots everywhere.
.Gather round
.Player development
.Max isn't ready
."We don't wack them"
.Show some effing faith

Keeler plays, EOS

 

[bird_man]

Steele for Hastie if he is fit.

Henry and Butler are just gonna have to wait at the moment I think.

King for Keeler if fit. I’m not keen on Boyd coming in, just too slow.

 

[Hayes4PM]

IN: King, Steele.

OUT: Keeler, Jones.

Bit harsh on Jones but so far Windy is performing and Garcia is more consistent defensively. Would love us to not do anything too much with King and try plonking him deep forward, ease him back into a full game of running and let Sharman and Owens be the more mobile options.

Steele, Macrae, Windy, Garcia to be the main centre bounce rotation. A bit dour and defensive but Macrae has been pretty good sending us forward so far early in the season and Steele looked like he was enjoying sharing the contested responsibility with another genuine stoppage mid.

I give us a fair sniff on this one, as Ross said a few weeks ago "they seemed hungry tonight, let's see if they're still hungry", the group has been backing it up with work rate. We'll have our moments at least.

 

[g_TRAIN]

I'd go Steele for Hastie and Henry for Keeler.

I like Keeler, but I'd give him a chance now to start working on the lessons he's learned over the last three weeks.

Henry is a good mark for his size and the extra speed would help against GWS.

Edit: Personally, I can't see King being fit in time—hopefully, I'm wrong. I'd even give him a run in the VFL rather than set him up for failure by playing him underdone. If it's good enough for others, it's good enough for him too.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

I want Keeler in to keel it so I can use my gif.

 

[TheNewEnsign]

I think Hally probably comes out for Butts. Unfair I know.
Ari might be a weapon if it’s a smaller ground.

Yeah I think Hall out for Butler, Tobie for Steele if he's fit.

I'm very bullish on both Tobes and Maxy long term and it's always a delicate balance of development vs competitiveness. Feel like for this one we need to load up on experience.

Maybe Henry for Hastie.

 

[The Punter]

We shouldn't get smaller.

 

[g_TRAIN]

We shouldn't get smaller.

My opinion is that our smalls are better than the talls we could bring in.

We're dead last in the competition for contested marks anyway; however, I think the style we're playing accommodates that.

 

[The Punter]

My opinion is that our smalls are better than the talls we could bring in.

We're dead last in the competition for contested marks anyway; however, I think the style we're playing accommodates that.

That's my opinion too, but it would be lunacy to play just your six best forwards if they were all smalls. If there is a time when our tallest forward on the ground is Owens, then we have a problem. I think we need to keep Keeler for structure (if King not fit), and as I've posted somewhere, his numbers are comparable to Stanley's start in the ones.