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I did say that from an earlier post
2019 Training Reports
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I did say that from an earlier post
Serious question who on our list is going to bring the physicality, team play that supports our skilled players?
I think Conca is one, Banfield another but you need them on all fronts.
Especially since we have so many kids, inexperience, it's the one glaring weakeness for this year.
I think Conca is one, Banfield another but you need them on all fronts.
Especially since we have so many kids, inexperience, it's the one glaring weakeness for this year.
If stephen hill is fit and hasn’t performed in pre season then his past AFL experience comes into consideration for his selection. It is obsurd to think that AFL performance doesn’t count for Rd 1 selection.
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That's the choice of the selectors and Hill is close to A grade. He isn't a fringe player. I was referring to giving priority to players who have previous AFL experience over younger players.
According to my Ross Lyon wisdom generator when I type in "Stephen Hill Round 1?" it comes back "you don't run group ones in a country maiden"
Personally I think the biggest mistake we've made in recent years is to overestimate the importance of pre-season form for Round 1 selection considering how those games are played with far less intensity than regular season games. It's important to remember even with our low finish in 2018 we beat the team that went on to win their premiership by more than 60 points in a preseason game despite the fact West Coast appeared to a field a strong side on paper for that game.
I would have lost count of the number of times I had my hopes for a player raised after a preseason, game only to see them not reach my expectation for the season proper. Anyone remember Daniel Gilmore or Brett Peake? Gilmore once had a preseason game where he had more than 25 possessions while playing predominately ruck. He went on to do nothing that year. Brett Peake used to consistently run hard and look great in preseason games, but then his disposal would let him down in the season proper once more pressure was applied.
Id much rather an assessment was made by the selection committee about where a player was at in regards to a combination of their previous form and what they have done overall in the preseason than use games where some teams seem to be running through the motions as the basis for Round 1 selection.
I would have lost count of the number of times I had my hopes for a player raised after a preseason, game only to see them not reach my expectation for the season proper. Anyone remember Daniel Gilmore or Brett Peake? Gilmore once had a preseason game where he had more than 25 possessions while playing predominately ruck. He went on to do nothing that year. Brett Peake used to consistently run hard and look great in preseason games, but then his disposal would let him down in the season proper once more pressure was applied.
Id much rather an assessment was made by the selection committee about where a player was at in regards to a combination of their previous form and what they have done overall in the preseason than use games where some teams seem to be running through the motions as the basis for Round 1 selection.
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Lyon and the match committee chose a number of senior players over youth for the early rounds.
Play him in the ruck to get some form?
The problem was those selections were based on preseason form rather than potential of a player which was a mistake. When look at the four most debated selections for round 1 2018 Ballaz, D.Pearce, Kersten and Suttcliff were all done as a way of rewarding training and effort in preseason games. In other words they were selected because RTB wanted players to earn their way in or out of the team.
Danyle Pearce I know for a fact started his preseason the day after his exit interview in 2017 and was beating his previous running bests by miles that preseason. So he was rewarded for effort. Kersten was picked ahead of Cox because he played better in preseason games especially the second derby. Suttcliffe was picked because he had done well in preseason games in a shutdown role. Ballaz had trained well and had a great game against west coast.
My point is actually that we have selected our round 1 team based on what you arguing for which is every player has to earn a place in the team over the preseason ,with the last few selection decisions based on preseason form not previous form and that has been a mistake. Id rather we had taken into account players potential and gone for Cox over Kersten or HUghes over Sutty.
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SHill Shall
Club Legend
Was watching SHill in the 2014 derby the other day. Was so much better then, than what he’s delivered in 2017/18.
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So fringe best 22 players with AFL experience received games ahead of younger players.
I'd rather players with greater potential too however your example of Cox over Kersten in completely unfair. Cox IMO will be a better player but his preseason for both Freo and Peel was substandard. He was shirking contests. Both me and Salim had witnessed during a pre season game which he struggled to even get into.
As the season went on his form improved and he was worthy of AFL selection
Hughes had a hand injury and didn't do much ball work. Come preseason and early Peel games his form didn't warrant selection.
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SHill's beginning to 2017 was as top shelf as you're ever going to get. It's hard to think too many more complete individual games than the one he produced in the upset win over the Bulldogs.
He then got injured for a fair period, he came back ok, but injuries have been a constant factor for him since.
I know all of the above in regards to Hughes and Cox. Thats my point. Neither deserved to be selected looking at the criteria you've outlined in this thread and all of Ballaz, Kersten, D>Pearce and Suttcliffe did deserve their selection. That's why I think preseason games where the intensity is so much less than regular games should only play a minimal role in round 1 selection in my view as the second tier players often play well in those games, but then fall away in the season proper when the intensity in games rises. However, if you take into account previous form or even glimpses of promise shown overall rather than comparing players based purely on their most recent form then less of the fringe afl players would have been selected in freo's round 1 2018 team.
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A bit different from previous seasons, I think we have more players on our list who deserve to be on the list and be considered for games. The list transitions have taken place and we have lost a fair bit of mediocrity. In terms of older players, the most contentious are Sandilands and Ballantyne, for slightly different reasons. I am fine with either of those two to get games, but they need to perform if they do, or bring in the understudies.
Last year I was fine with the idea of playing the older players early because we had so many new players coming in who could benefit from more acclimatisation to the club and the game plan. But that doesn't hold anywhere as much for this season.
The selection philosophy I would like to see the season begin with is "pick the team most likely to win the game". We are in a phase where we need to start building a winning culture based around a stable core of players and a well drilled game plan.
If this was 2018 I would be advocating getting early games into Valente, Schulz, Bewley and even Sturt and Carter. But here we are in 2019, and I only want those guys in (early in the season) if they are going to make it more likely we will get a win, and Bewley is looking like the only one to fit that criteria at this stage.
Last year I was fine with the idea of playing the older players early because we had so many new players coming in who could benefit from more acclimatisation to the club and the game plan. But that doesn't hold anywhere as much for this season.
The selection philosophy I would like to see the season begin with is "pick the team most likely to win the game". We are in a phase where we need to start building a winning culture based around a stable core of players and a well drilled game plan.
If this was 2018 I would be advocating getting early games into Valente, Schulz, Bewley and even Sturt and Carter. But here we are in 2019, and I only want those guys in (early in the season) if they are going to make it more likely we will get a win, and Bewley is looking like the only one to fit that criteria at this stage.
SHill Shall
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Agree - had forgotten that blistering start. Its been downhill (excuse pun) since the injury.
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Brad Hardie should stop bagging out Lyon and apply for the senior coaching position.
Those that can, do. Those that can't, become commentators.
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I think any media that bags anything Freo in WA is going to get ratings and support.
All too often, I hear West Coast supporter friends jump at any opportunity to criticise Lyon. But those same ones think Fyfe is no good since his broken leg, Sandilands is over-rated and should be long gone and they didn't really even give the Eagles much chance last year until they had won the premiership ... now they are all excited about 2019. That is, they are very much directed by the media they watch and listen to.
They probably aren't much different to any other team supporters, but my point is, there are plenty of them who love to hear bad news about Freo. Brad Hardie is just one of the many WA sports media commentators who is paid to please the majority of his audience ... that not being Lyon/Freo supporters.
Yeah I think we are a little to “nice” across most lines - especially our back line. Most top teams have one or two players across each line that you know will hit hard and instigate some niggle.
For us, the players you named should be good. I also liked Cerra’s last game against the Pies where we dumped De Goey into the ground. Jordan tried to wrestle Adam to the ground, but Cerra showed strength and kept his feet whilst smirking at him. Was great to see. He also got into some niggle with Pendles at a stoppage before big Cox cleaned him up.
Others that could bring that hard edge include: Hogan, Luke Ryan (maybe), Schultz looks like a pesty Ballantyne type, Crowden, and I would hope that living together sees Cox and Duman back each other up. But yeah, it’s slim pickings for who our physical players will be. Would be awesome if one of Hamling, AP or Logue could bring a bit of fear to our back line. People will say it’s old fashioned, but most the top teams still have these players.
I didn't mind Nyhius tackle with intent, but with a little more duty of care, Swita we haven't seen enough of yet.
But we have plenty of Tarzan plays like Jane types, our 2013 team was a ripper, just need to get the balance right between
skill and brawn.
