Analysis 2020 List, Game Plan and Best 22?

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Oh right, cheers Horse

We don't need to rush 7 debutants...I love a young kid playing but we don't need a whole side of them...

Wasn't it you that actively WANTED to NOT play these kids this year?

A couple at a time please, it protects them
 

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We don't need to rush 7 debutants...I love a young kid playing but we don't need a whole side of them...

Wasn't it you that actively WANTED to NOT play these kids this year?

A couple at a time please, it protects them

Recent draftees coming into the system with just a few shortened scratch matches for form, yes. 20 year olds who have a year's worth of pretty impressive NEAFL performances behind them prior to this year, I have no reservations with. I'd be pushing for Stoddart, Bell etc to get games too over the recent draftees if I thought they were any good.
 
Recent draftees coming into the system with just a few shortened scratch matches for form, yes. 20 year olds who have a year's worth of pretty impressive NEAFL performances behind them prior to this year, I have no reservations with. I'd be pushing for Stoddart, Bell etc to get games too over the recent draftees if I thought they were any good.
Its been mentioned before..
with the list sizes likely to be reduced at the end of the year... Guys like Stoddart, Bell, Amartey, Ling, Foot, Wicks need to prove themselves to still be here next year. Theres not much opportunity with no reserves footy.. so with a team already with Blakey, Rowbum and McLean (all 2nd year players), its hard to play more young guys. At least the above mentioned players are 1-2 years older than the 2019 draft crop - and its likely their last chance. I was a bit bummed for the Wicks, Lings, Foots and Maibaums that they didn't get the call up

Im sure the coaching staff are weighing up the options, the pros and cons.. develop draftees / see what 2nd & 3rd year players have / treat this year as purely development / aim to play finals etc..
I reckon the first goal is to play finals. apart from the obvious, theres no better way to develop youngsters
I also reckon the club has a decent idea of who will make it and who won't already.
 
It is still game 6 of 17. So there is still time for Ling.

He missed most of the last two seasons with injuries, barely able to train or play NEAFL.

Recently he has been doing full training and played two scratch matches. So it is still a ok start for him. (Even if he is not playing AFL by round 6.)
I’m really hoping for the best for Ling - as we desperately need emerging young talent on the list.

But he’s been fit this year & still doesn’t appear close to selection.
 
It is still game 6 of 17. So there is still time for Ling.

He missed most of the last two seasons with injuries, barely able to train or play NEAFL.

Recently he has been doing full training and played two scratch matches. So it is still a ok start for him. (Even if he is not playing AFL by round 6.)
Given his injuries if Ling makes the 22 on the last round and puts in a good performance it'll be enough to get another year
 
Well well well, here we are, 6 rounds in and with a completely decimated list.

No Heeney for the rest of the year, and no point holding out for Kennedy, we have at least 2 months without him.

Funny enough Parker was playing in the forward line until Kennedy went down (that should make Ceaser somewhat happy)

What do we want to see from the team from here, who are we hoping steps up and takes some responsibility, and how are we feeling about our current situation.

I really feel this is a chance for Blakey (if he doesn't get dropped, which he should) to really take some responsibility in the team. He can be something special but has been showing not much.

I don't know what the coach is going to do with Parker, though I think it would be interesting if he took Heeney's spot, let's face it, we don't have a forward right now other than Papley. So if Parker goes forward our midfield will potentially be Florent, Rowbottom, Hewett, and maybe Warner. Don't know if anyone else can go as an inside mid. We have a few more outside mids, Stephens is basically a must in right now, and I'll be interested to see if Warner stays.

Do you think, maybe Mills goes into the mid to take over for Parker, or am I now throwing too many pieces around.

I think Hayward has potential down back, I like his kicking and I think he could be the clean disposal we're looking for down there, though will see if he can play two games in a row.

Dawson needs to step up, haven't seen much of his potent kicking nor his marking. Just seems really out of it, I don't think it's work rate but I don't know.

Fox has kept his spot, and I think COR has as well. We must bring in Oconnor or Wicks with our 2 long term injuries.

I want to see what Elijah Taylor can do, big time. I don't know if he's ready, but he could be such an amazing prospect if it all fall into place for him.

I also want to see Gould. I think it's hard to remember he's gone from a dual all australian as captain of the team to a boy amongst men. It'll take time for him to develop a new craft and to deal with people the same size as him. His kicking highlights are nice, and I'm very interested to see how he is going in the reserves ( I understand that he was struggling).

Papley is always a dream, while the rest of the forward line is a bit dysfunctional.

Maybe Grey is going to move in the midfield?

Interesting to see how we go from here.
 
If Taylor can’t get in now he may as well retire

I just want to see competitive footy and attacking footy which I think we have seen every round bar 1

I’d rather see young guys with promise play ahead of players who aren’t part of the future
 

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Not sure if we are going to be in a position to promote any of our Cat B players?

From memory you get some salary cap benefit however you still have to pay the player as well as pay match payments for the rookie listed player and perhaps a pay rise (senior list). Given this, I am not sure whether we are in a position to or not.

Certainly both Naismith and Heeney can both go on the LTIL now, just don’t know if we are able given the current financial predicament.
 
These are interesting times.

I think you have Mills and Parker in the midfield. Debut Maibaum or Gould. Blakey as a marking forward (or maybe Allir comes back and rucks and rests forward ?) and bring Wicks in. Dawson for mine plays his best footy off halfback. Fox *gulp* holds his place for now. So it might be another two debutants this week v the Gold Coast.

It will soon get to the point where the other team will need to allocate a couple of players to us each week so everyone can get a game.
 
Well well well, here we are, 6 rounds in and with a completely decimated list.

No Heeney for the rest of the year, and no point holding out for Kennedy, we have at least 2 months without him.

Funny enough Parker was playing in the forward line until Kennedy went down (that should make Ceaser somewhat happy)

What do we want to see from the team from here, who are we hoping steps up and takes some responsibility, and how are we feeling about our current situation.

I really feel this is a chance for Blakey (if he doesn't get dropped, which he should) to really take some responsibility in the team. He can be something special but has been showing not much.

I don't know what the coach is going to do with Parker, though I think it would be interesting if he took Heeney's spot, let's face it, we don't have a forward right now other than Papley. So if Parker goes forward our midfield will potentially be Florent, Rowbottom, Hewett, and maybe Warner. Don't know if anyone else can go as an inside mid. We have a few more outside mids, Stephens is basically a must in right now, and I'll be interested to see if Warner stays.

Do you think, maybe Mills goes into the mid to take over for Parker, or am I now throwing too many pieces around.

I think Hayward has potential down back, I like his kicking and I think he could be the clean disposal we're looking for down there, though will see if he can play two games in a row.

Dawson needs to step up, haven't seen much of his potent kicking nor his marking. Just seems really out of it, I don't think it's work rate but I don't know.

Fox has kept his spot, and I think COR has as well. We must bring in Oconnor or Wicks with our 2 long term injuries.

I want to see what Elijah Taylor can do, big time. I don't know if he's ready, but he could be such an amazing prospect if it all fall into place for him.

I also want to see Gould. I think it's hard to remember he's gone from a dual all australian as captain of the team to a boy amongst men. It'll take time for him to develop a new craft and to deal with people the same size as him. His kicking highlights are nice, and I'm very interested to see how he is going in the reserves ( I understand that he was struggling).

Papley is always a dream, while the rest of the forward line is a bit dysfunctional.

Maybe Grey is going to move in the midfield?

Interesting to see how we go from here.

IMO pieces need to be thrown around. Now is the time to do it. So many blokes are out of form it's unbelievable (See: Cunningham, Hayward, Gray, Blakey, Ronke, L. Taylor, Dawson, Aliir, O'Riordan off the top of my head), and we've got so many injuries to key players (Buddy, Kennedy and Heeney would be just about our three best players.) At the very least, do it for a week. Shake the living hell out of this side.

Some of the key moves I would make would be:

Wicks > Warner. TheMase makes some good points that there are complications around getting cat b guys into a side, but who gives a ****. Do whatever is necessary to get this kid into the team. The situation is too dire to be leaving a kid capable of 40 possessions and kicking mini-bags without a chance at getting a senior place. Even with the midfield set-up I'd like, I don't see a place for Warner. He's a tough but chunky mid who I can't see having too much of an impact in any role outside of as the leading inside bull. So don't see the point of him in the team at this point. If we're gonna have a high half forward who can make a few contests and maybe hit the scoreboard, Wicks is our man.

Use Aliir better. I rate Aliir but it's pretty clear his strength is when he is the loose man intercepting and reading the play. Obviously that is a challenge, particularly in an under-siege defence as ours. But there are other players in the competition who are less about holding their opponents accountable and more about attacking for their team in defence. (See: McGovern, Haynes, Howe, Sicily etc.) We need to figure out a way to help Aliir become this asset for us. The way I would do it is make sure there is always another tall in the back-line, be it Brand, or Melican when fit, or try a Maibaum or O'Connor. This would then free up Mills to move to the midfield, and Aliir to play Mills' role.

Mills to the midfield. That phrase has almost become a meme at this point, but I'm jumping on the bandwagon now. If only because we have absolutely nothing to lose. He is 1cm shorter than Kennedy, he's hard as nails, he doesn't shirk a contest. What the hell, get him in there.

Parker to the forward line. I don't think I even need to speak on this one anymore. It's only exacerbated now that Heeney is out and Parker is his most obvious like-for-like replacement there.

Rowbottom the main man. He is playing nearly full-time midfield now which is good, props to Horse for trusting a 19 year old with this. But I think he can go even further and let Rowbottom be the leading mid in there. That is, the guy we entrust to get first hands to it. We've set up this year to have either Parker or Kennedy go to the ball drop, and Rowbottom and Florent skirt to the outside for the handball receive (that would never come because Smack Dick.) The exception was round 1, when Naismith was dominant and Florent was roving quite a few of his taps. It might seem like a crazy idea to give this responsibility to a second-year player, but I think Rowbottom would be up for the challenge, he's got all the right qualities, and look around the comp and see what other blokes his age or younger were doing - Rowell, Worpel, Walsh, Taranto, Smith etc. What's the worst that can happen? He's not ready and learns a valuable lesson. Let him try it for a few weeks.

All five can be done this week, IF Horse is willing...
 
Horse suggested today that after r8, we could be seeing 5 day turn arounds. From what Ive heard, theres a lot of coaches calling for 5 or 6 on the bench.
Id love to see this.. could offer opportunities for some guys to play 40-50% game time.. Could really suit players like, Ling, Gould, E Taylor, even Oconnor. and would open up spots for players like Foot, Wicks, Maibaum
 
When Reid's fit* we should move him to full back permanently.

When we currently have no tall forwards?
Would be an odd things to do right now.

We are desperate for someone to target coming out of defence, even more so now with Heeney out for the season.
 
When we currently have no tall forwards?
Would be an odd things to do right now.

We are desperate for someone to target coming out of defence, even more so now with Heeney out for the season.
Long term we need the extra tall in defence. Not concerned about winning anymore games this year and feel he can offer a lot for us down back
 

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