Preview R2: Changes vs. Western Bulldogs

[MRB37]

If O'Brien played this week would his output realistically be worse than Murray last week?

I imagine it'll be like when we played Sauce and ROB together and even though ROB was playing better Sauce got all the ruck minutes because of seniority. ROB ain't playing 32% TOG if he's selected.

 

[Ham]

Not in AFL.

Way too short.

Fair enough, saw in the SANFL reports he was best on for last and one of the best the game before.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

If O'Brien played this week would his output realistically be worse than Murray last week?

The question is if ROB played this week, would his output for 30% of the game be more useful than Soligo or Peatling, who allow us to keep our midfielders fresher?

 

[crows dude]

If O'Brien played this week would his output realistically be worse than Murray last week?

Would be much better

 

[crows dude]

Not in AFL.

Way too short.

Same height as Nick Murray.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Same height as Nick Murray.

Who is also not an AFL ruckman, but a defender.

 

[FR0GGY]

Same height as Nick Murray.

Borlase listed as 192 Murray listed as 195

 

[spenze]

Borlase listed as 192 Murray listed as 195

Pffft, facts.

 

[Samcro24]

Borlase listed as 192 Murray listed as 195

It’s the neck

 

[119others]

If we don't want to play Woz on Croft, we could use Max on either Croft or Naughton... particularly if not playing deep. He played on Jezza.

max on jezza? are you sure? i know hinge did at the cattery

 

[Syd Crow]

It’s the neck

It's the arms....

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

max on jezza? are you sure? i know hinge did at the cattery

Yes, I'm sure as was watching the game at Adelaide Oval live.

 

[119others]

English had a massive 4th qtr vs Lions and ran all over their ruckman. Played 85%. Clearly risk playing only Mc A against him unless TT plays 30% in the ruck

ROB in for either Soli, Pedlar or Peatling wouldnt surprise me at all.

 

[1970crow]

Pffft, facts.

Some people are so literal.

 

[Gtowncrow]

I wonder if Toby Murray got a game last week because the McAndrew experiment result was so uncertain.

Darcy Cameron

14

Darcy Cameron

Age

30

Ht

204cm

Wt

103kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

6.0

1star

K

3.3

1star

HB

2.7

2star

CL

0.3

2star

HO

5.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

CL

0.5

3star

HO

3.5

5star

D

6.0

2star

K

3.3

2star

HB

2.7

3star

CL

0.3

2star

HO

5.3

5star

is a quality opponent and we didn't really know how our rookie would both compete and endure against him. At 32% TOG, it really looked like a backup selection against it all going wrong.

But...

McAndrew was great and more than met expectations. He looks like a lead ruckman.

The selectors must have thought so too. He's going it alone this week and although I can't see what the chop out option is, he's being given the sole responsibility to nullify an elite opponent.

Come on Lachie!!

 

[Golumless]

I wonder if Toby Murray got a game last week because the McAndrew experiment result was so uncertain.

Darcy Cameron is a quality opponent and we didn't really know how our rookie would both compete and endure against him. At 32% TOG, it really looked like a backup selection against it all going wrong.

But...

McAndrew was great and more than met expectations. He looks like a lead ruckman.

The selectors must have thought so too. He's going it alone this week and although I can't see what the chop out option is, he's being given the sole responsibility to nullify an elite opponent.

Come on Lachie!!

Considering the rumour that Murray was in until his back spasms, I don't t think that's the case. Heck, if we were so worried about a rookie, we play ROB.

We probably did it to stop Thilthorpe from being needed as a ruckman. Though I do suppose it's possible we bring in ROB as a last minute in. Something I know this board will go apocalyptic on, but personally, I'm also all in favour of.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Considering the rumour that Murray was in until his back spasms, I don't t think that's the case. Heck, if we were so worried about a rookie, we play ROB.

We probably did it to stop Thilthorpe from being needed as a ruckman. Though I do suppose it's possible we bring in ROB as a last minute in. Something I know this board will go apocalyptic on, but personally, I'm also all in favour of.

Did hear on the radio Thilthorpe had a few runs as a mid. But id refuse flat out to put TT in the centre ruck. Its an asinine risk of injury we just dont need. Id even sacrifice the tap and rove to a losing ruck before puting TT in there.

 

[Hodgy]

I’m genuinely torn on selection this week. The two options would have been to bring in ROB to play the 35 minutes that Murray did purely as a second ruck and to rest or manage Soligo for 1 week for Rankine, or alternatively the way we have gone with resting Murray and using Tillthorpe as 2nd ruck. The advantage with the way we have gone is that we effectively replace Murray’s 30 minutes with a full game of Rankine so it’s probably the correct decision. This also allows us to manage Rankine minutes as well as the last thing we want is a hamstring issue from him coming off no game time at all.

Either way it is imperative that we start getting Tillthorpe out of the forward line and more into a ruck or a ruck/rover roll where he can influence the game more. He is such a talent that we simply can’t afford to have him stuck forward like we saw in the two finals, with the ball never even getting to him.

 

[Hodgy]

Did hear on the radio Thilthorpe had a few runs as a mid. But id refuse flat out to put TT in the centre ruck. It’s an asinine risk of injury we just dont need. Id even sacrifice the tap and rove to a losing ruck before puting TT in there.

I know a lot of people under estimate the importance of the ruck, but I would challenge anyone to watch the first 9 minutes of the 3rd quarter last week objectively, and not agree that McAndrew getting a clean hand to the ball led to us getting 9 straight clearances.

I’m personally very happy for Tillthorpe to be used as a midfielder, however the true facts are that in general rucks don’t get more injuries than forwards. Gawn, Cameron, Grundy and Xerri have been very durable.

 

[Mutineer]

I know a lot of people under estimate the importance of the ruck, but I would challenge anyone to watch the first 9 minutes of the 3rd quarter last week objectively, and not agree that McAndrew getting a clean hand to the ball led to us getting 9 straight clearances.

I’m personally very happy for Tillthorpe to be used as a midfielder, however the true facts are that in general rucks don’t get more injuries than forwards. Gawn, Cameron, Grundy and Xerri have been very durable.

You do realise there has been a rule change regards ruck contests? All those players you named as durable haven't been competing under the 2026 ruck rules in previous years.

 

[thebirdman 24]

I called for Bond to come out but don’t mind him getting a couple more games.

If he can get those dodgy kicks out of his game, he might be alright. I’m not convinced about his long term future though.

 

[triggyscrewedus]

I called for Bond to come out but don’t mind him getting a couple more games.

If he can get those dodgy kicks out of his game, he might be alright. I’m not convinced about his long term future though.

Bond will become an integral part of our back line with his hard edge and grit. He's being underrated at present but given time his game will develop to a tidy role player, he's clearly trying to develop more attack into his game and with that comes learnings.

 

[Golumless]

Did hear on the radio Thilthorpe had a few runs as a mid. But id refuse flat out to put TT in the centre ruck. Its an asinine risk of injury we just dont need. Id even sacrifice the tap and rove to a losing ruck before puting TT in there.

The injury risk is pretty minimal. If you're going to do an ACL/PCL as a ruck, it probably wasn't far from going anyways. It's the structural risk that has me worried.

After all, it's much easier to get an uptick in ball movement and general offensive play if your star CHF is used at CHF for 90% of the game.

Either way it is imperative that we start getting Tillthorpe out of the forward line and more into a ruck or a ruck/rover roll where he can influence the game more. He is such a talent that we simply can’t afford to have him stuck forward like we saw in the two finals, with the ball never even getting to him.

What ass-backwards commentary is this? Yes let's take a potentially hall of fame/generational key forward out of the forward line and play mid/ruck for... reasons. CHF and being the lead KPF is the position Thilthorpe will exert the most influence over a game.

Also Thilthorpe played ruck for the longest he did all season against the Hawks in that semi final (noting ROB only played 74% of time). Another of the brain dead moves our panic-stricken coaching box made in that game as all it did was take our star KPF out of the forward line for more than a third of the the game, factoring in the extra bench time that being a 2nd ruck brings.

 

[spenze]

Can see ROB giving away multiple free kicks as our ruck

 

[Cromulant]

What ass-backwards commentary is this? Yes let's take a potentially hall of fame/generational key forward out of the forward line and play mid/ruck for... reasons. CHF and being the lead KPF is the position Thilthorpe will exert the most influence over a game.

Also Thilthorpe played ruck for the longest he did all season against the Hawks in that semi final (noting ROB only played 74% of time). Another of the brain dead moves our panic-stricken coaching box made in that game as all it did was take our star KPF out of the forward line for more than a third of the the game, factoring in the extra bench time that being a 2nd ruck brings.

Didnt seem to bother us too much last year when we were scoring freely and moving the ball quickly.

I wouldnt be going calling people's comments ass-backwards before looking deeper into yours.