Preview R2: Changes vs. Western Bulldogs

[beartoo]

9 our SANFL side playing any kind of practice game?

Ideally would be a good time for Finnbar to compete well as he'd be a good replacement for Toby. McAndrew isn't capable of playing 100% tog and we should be trying to avoid TT in the ruck unless it's dire. So we either bring in ROB who doesn't offer anything around the ground or Finnbar who might be an extra marking target. Not sure anyone else can do it.

Paying South at 2.10 Saturday at Magain.
Will be interesting as South played well to beat North yesterday. Only one sample, but Souyh looked a better side than last year.

 

[NSolis]

I think they definitely would like to drop Murray, I just don't know what they do instead. Thilthorpe not rucking was very successful - he had a great game with higher ToG than normal, and the main ruck also did well. If you take Murray out you have to pick someone else in that role (ROB, Maley?) or give up that success.

No question it was a bad game but I don't think he's being picked on the merit of his impact around the ground. I suspect they'll give it a couple more weeks and see if he can be a little more influential.

 

[NTRabbit]

Bond out for Nankervis, our defensive rebound was again abysmal and overpicking defensive and safe players highlighted that. Plus, Bond made a lot of mistakes and generally had a poor game.

Based on the one game, you'd say Rankine back in for one of Ah Chee, Pedlar, or Soligo

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Butts 95% time on ground
N Murray 94%
Bond 90%

You need some set-and-forget defenders that just stay on there and don't take up rotations and bench time.

Allows you to rotate your mids / half forwards / runners more often.

I suspect Bond stays. Did some good things, alongside some kicking errors.

Laird (unpopular opinion) was decent. Very clean on the ground and in the air. A couple of kicking howlers dominate his game rating but I doubt the coaches will place much stock in them.

I'm worried that Pedlar will go out for Rankine.

 

[Scorpus]

It was one of the worst debuts of all time. 2 possessions, 2 clangers, dropped marks, fumbled it 4 times. He was ddominated at every level.

He was so bad they just sat him on the pine for 3/4 of the game.

He was towelled up in the ruck too. Darcy Cameron took it clean out of the air multiple times

 

[NTRabbit]

The selection or non selection of Toby Murray has been made exremely problematic by our list management failures in the ruck area.

Although he's yet to take on one of the really good ruckmen, it's pretty clear that McAndrew is first choice, but it has to be McAndrew + 1, and the +1 option is limited to 3 players, 2 who aren't really up to the AFL level yet if ever (Murray, Maley) and 1 we want to avoid rucking at all costs due to the new knee threat (Thilthorpe)

Least worst option is going to have to be the go, which is carrying either Murray or Maley in the hope that one of them gets there.

 

[Cyclonus]

Hopefully the AFL website updates our player photos soon, still using last year's for most of them, including photoshopping Ah Chee's and Maley's heads on Crows bodies

 

[Scorpus]

Sam Berry looked okay in that one ruck contest

 

[Bearded Clam]

Bond out for Nankervis, our defensive rebound was again abysmal and overpicking defensive and safe players highlighted that. Plus, Bond made a lot of mistakes and generally had a poor game.

Based on the one game, you'd say Rankine back in for one of Ah Chee, Pedlar, or Soligo

Ah chee???

Faaark me.. give the bloke a chance to gel with his team mates!!…

It doesnt happen overnight.

 

[Mostyn]

I guess I'd give Soligo a week in the twos to get time in his legs, and swap Finnbarr and TMurray.

 

[Footypie32]

Difficult selection which is a credit to those who played
Only T Murray really would go out on overall performance but that fundamentally changes our structure and it looks like we've decided Thilthorpe's ruck days are over.

N Murray and Butts will be required full time vs Darcy and Naughton, so can't have Nick Murray relief ruck even in pinches.

Fog would be a terrible centre square ruckman but is that what we need to go with? Sacrifice those handful of minutes.

Rankine in, T Murray out

That's actually interesting. With the new centre bounce rules, would the Dogs be willing to risk Darcy versus Fog the wrecking ball?

 

[AFC979810]

TMurray - nothing bar those 2 Thilthorpe clearances (who needs pornhub) changed my mind on the 4 talls. Would be tough to drop a first gamer who didnt do too much wrong, but i just dunno. This would require a structure change, and it would be a surprise if we did it.

Didn't do too much wrong?

He had 32% TOG. He dropped marks and fumbled the ball when it came near him. 2 touches, 2 clangers.

Shit - I could have sat in a forward pocket and run away from the ball and had as much impact as Ibis. Its easy to not to too much wrong when you spend 70% of the game sitting on the bench literally doing nothing.

Your comments dont surprise me - I mean - you think Hipwood is a ruck.

 

[AFC979810]

Difficult selection which is a credit to those who played
Only T Murray really would go out on overall performance but that fundamentally changes our structure and it looks like we've decided Thilthorpe's ruck days are over.

N Murray and Butts will be required full time vs Darcy and Naughton, so can't have Nick Murray relief ruck even in pinches.

Fog would be a terrible centre square ruckman but is that what we need to go with? Sacrifice those handful of minutes.

Rankine in, T Murray out

Time to start thinking about team management right? Think we need to rest Dawson, TT, Fog, Rachele, Cumming, Keays, Peatling this week. Gotta start thinking about the finals - right?

 

[pjcrows]

If Soligo is ready for the minutes, I'd drop Berry for Rankine.

 

[NTRabbit]

If Soligo is ready for the minutes, I'd drop Berry for Rankine.

He doesn't look at all ready though

 

[NTRabbit]

Ah chee???

Faaark me.. give the bloke a chance to gel with his team mates!!…

It doesnt happen overnight.

There's a first choice player to return, and Ah Chee was one of the bottom performers of those playing in broadly the same area, he has to be considered

 

[rabidcrow]

Yeah, this is fundamentally the dilemma.

If we don't want to use TT as the chop-out, we need to play Turray (or Maley?).

But can the team carry someone getting 2 possessions and spending only 30% time on ground (or whatever marginal improvements to those numbers you'd expect from Turray getting over first game nerves or from playing the slightly more experienced Maley)?

Maley could do the job - but also only hurray

I think Toby Murray gets another crack. Hate seeing players dropped straight after their debut. If he doesn't show anything next week, then we make a decision.

Would love to drop Laird for Rankine, but we all know it will be one of Soligo or Pedlar.

Rankine going to play backline small defender? I guess we could push Cumming back but he was impressive. Suspect it’s Peds

 

[Footypie32]

Rankine going to play backline small defender? I guess we could push Cumming back but he was impressive. Suspect it’s Peds

Drop Laird. Michalanney starts on the ground. Pedlar goes to the bench.

 

[Golumless]

Yeah, probably

In: Rankine
Out: Soligo (or Bond).

Harsh to either, but Sog would probably benefit from a mini-preseason of sorts and Bond just seems the first one out in this lineup.

 

[davos44]

Soligo better for the run.

I think it will be Rankine in for Turray.

Pedlar out for rankine and ROB in for Turray could happen. It was such an even contribution last night.

 

[amaz199]

Didnt know where to post this but you're welcome

 

[Cromulant]

There's a first choice player to return, and Ah Chee was one of the bottom performers of those playing in broadly the same area, he has to be considered

God you talk nonsense.

Hes not going anywhere.

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

3 options to bring Rankine

Drop Turray and find other players to cover the ruck minutes

Drop Bond and roll Cook or Cumming to half back . Ah Chee and Neale-Buolen cover the wing

Drop Soligo and give him mini pre-season. Although he probably get to the right fitness level faster if we play him

 

[FR0GGY]

We aren’t dropping soligo, he wouldn’t have played last night if we weren’t confident on him.

 

[beartoo]

The pile on against Laird continues. Game high 34 possessions and did good things down back. Couple of howlers. So what? He wasn't Pat Malone.