Opinion 2024 Round 1 Team

[Alwaysacrow]

I'm not sure where to post this but is there an updated injury list on BF or on AFC website that I haven't seen yet? I'm most interested in knowing about Curtin and TT and any other info I can get.

 

[crows dude]

I'm not sure where to post this but is there an updated injury list on BF or on AFC website that I haven't seen yet? I'm most interested in knowing about Curtin and TT and any other info I can get.

Nope

Just from what you read on twitter etc. we know Murray out with acl. Schoenberg has started running: the rest should be all good to go for trials.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I'm not sure where to post this but is there an updated injury list on BF or on AFC website that I haven't seen yet? I'm most interested in knowing about Curtin and TT and any other info I can get.

We rarely hear about this stuff in preseason

Seems to be kept under tight wraps, not sure why. Maybe they just want positive vibes out there while they're selling memberships

Most Crows' fans would have no idea Curtin is injured

The last sentence of the press release prior to our first trial game usually gives a summary of all the bad news that's occurred during preseason

 

[crowholder]

We rarely hear about this stuff in preseason

Seems to be kept under tight wraps, not sure why. Maybe they just want positive vibes out there while they're selling memberships

Most Crows' fans would have no idea Curtin is injured

The last sentence of the press release prior to our first trial game usually gives a summary of all the bad news that's occurred during preseason

It was interesting with Dawson's interview "Dan Curtin was really looking good". Backs up the injury reports and most people would not pick it up.

 

[Alwaysacrow]

It was interesting with Dawson's interview "Dan Curtin was really looking good". Backs up the injury reports and most people would not pick it up.

I took note of that. Sounds like he's in rehab. Hopefully it's not too bad just precautionary. Like what's already been said we probably won't know until the 1st pre-season match.

 

[AFC979810]

When we were utterly woeful Butts was one of our few steady performers. Seemed like a promising KPD lock.

Was it just relativity at play?

Or has he regressed?

I think its a combination of both.

Defensively I think there was a big regression in 2023 in his 1 on 1 defending. In 2023 he was ranked 47th in 1on1 defending in the AFL after being ranked 12th in 2022 and 7th in 2023.

Offensively is where the true relativity shows. In 2021 he averaged 10.5 disposals, 3.05 rebound 50's compared to 8.4 disposals and 2.8 rebound 50's.

In his best season (2021) he was surrounded by donkeys and made to look a lot better than he was.

In 2021 we averaged 41.1 rebound 50's and our top 6 in rebound 50's (averages per game) were:

Brodie Smith - 6.57 (611)
Tom Doedee - 4.33 (273)
Luke brown - 4.27 (273)
Jake Kelly - 3.20 (241)
Andrew McPherson - 3.06 (228)
Jordan Butts - 3.05 (166)

Our top 6 averaged 24.48 rebound 50's per game - 59.5% of our teams R50's for only 1,792 metres gained.

Compare that to the backline in 2023:

We averaged 39.4 rebound 50's a game and our top 6 were:

Brodie Smith - 4.85 (518)
Mitch Hinge - 4.82 (412)
Josh Worrell - 4.67 (333)
Wayne Milera - 3.77 (314)
Nick Murray/Keane - 3.30 (244)
Chayce Jones - 3.0 (338)

Our top 6 averaged 24.41 rebound 50's per game - 62% of our teams R50's. Our back 6 combined for 2,159 metres gained.

Its no surprise that we are using him less and less, but if is key defending returns to what it was in 2021 - he will be one of the first picked every week - especially now that our offensive balance in the defensive 50 is so much stronger.

 

[Samcro24]

Hard to say as I think preseason games will be important this year.

B: Worrell ~ Butts ~ Michalanney
HB: Milera ~ Keane ~ Hinge
C: Jones ~ Dawson ~ Soligo
R: Obrien ~ Laird ~ Crouch
HF: Rachele ~ Walker ~ Pedlar
FF: Rankine ~ Fogarty ~ Thilthorpe
B: Smith ~ Keays ~ Nankervis ~ Curtin
S: Cook/Dowling

Depth: Murphy, Berry, Sloane, Ryan, Sholl, Gollant

I'd be happy with this.

Hard to see them not picking Murphy and Sloane though. Nank, Curtin, Cook/Dowling the most likely to drop out.

I'm going to say Curtin is injured, and they'll do this:

B: Worrell ~ Butts ~ Michalanney
HB: Milera ~ Keane ~ Hinge
C: Jones ~ Dawson ~ Soligo
R: Obrien ~ Laird ~ Crouch
HF: Rachele ~ Walker ~ Pedlar
FF: Rankine ~ Fogarty ~ Thilthorpe
I: Smith ~ Keays ~ Murphy ~ Sloane
S: Nankervis

 

[Samcro24]

B: Laird ~ Keane ~ Michalanney
HB: Milera ~ Worrell ~ Hinge
C: Nankervis ~ Crouch ~ Keays
R: O'Brien ~ Dawson ~ Soligo
HF: Rachele ~ Walker ~ Pedlar
FF: Rankine ~ Fogarty ~ Thilthorpe
I: Smith ~ Jones ~ Curtin ~ Murphy
S: Sloane/McHenry

E: Butts ~ Gollant ~ Berry ~ Ryan

Laird back (aint gonna happen), but how else do you get more midfield minutes into the likes of Soligo and Pedlar?

Butts out, Worrell to play key back. Curtin 3rd tall (if fit).

I'm not starting Sloane unless he produces a Tex/Crouch type renaissance. Sub at best. Or McHenry who has had an impact there.

I wish McAdam stayed, complements that forward line, a small who can play tall. The rest are one or the other.

It's a strong 22, depth looks a bit meh until a couple of players emerge.

 

[conVINCEd]

Laird in the backline really doesn’t interest me - he doesn’t have the speed or foot skills for the way we want to play.

 

[Mostyn]

Laird in the backline really doesn’t interest me - he doesn’t have the speed or foot skills for the way we want to play.

Wasn't he a multiple time All Australian?

 

[crows dude]

Laird in the backline really doesn’t interest me - he doesn’t have the speed or foot skills for the way we want to play.

Laird is 30 years old now. We have a group of young players who need to start seeing more midfield time. A result of this is that laird will need to spend much more time out of the midfield. And his only other spot is in defence. He is a 2 x AA defender. He has not made one All Australian as a midfielder.

 

[Samcro24]

Laird in the backline really doesn’t interest me - he doesn’t have the speed or foot skills for the way we want to play.

I don’t think pace is an issue, disposal maybe. It isn’t going to happen anyway. I just don’t like the Crouch/Laird combo when there’s others coming through.

 

[Golumless]

I think its a combination of both.

Defensively I think there was a big regression in 2023 in his 1 on 1 defending. In 2023 he was ranked 47th in 1on1 defending in the AFL after being ranked 12th in 2022 and 7th in 2023.

Offensively is where the true relativity shows. In 2021 he averaged 10.5 disposals, 3.05 rebound 50's compared to 8.4 disposals and 2.8 rebound 50's.

In his best season (2021) he was surrounded by donkeys and made to look a lot better than he was.

In 2021 we averaged 41.1 rebound 50's and our top 6 in rebound 50's (averages per game) were:

Brodie Smith - 6.57 (611)
Tom Doedee - 4.33 (273)
Luke brown - 4.27 (273)
Jake Kelly - 3.20 (241)
Andrew McPherson - 3.06 (228)
Jordan Butts - 3.05 (166)

Our top 6 averaged 24.48 rebound 50's per game - 59.5% of our teams R50's for only 1,792 metres gained.

Compare that to the backline in 2023:

We averaged 39.4 rebound 50's a game and our top 6 were:

Brodie Smith - 4.85 (518)
Mitch Hinge - 4.82 (412)
Josh Worrell - 4.67 (333)
Wayne Milera - 3.77 (314)
Nick Murray/Keane - 3.30 (244)
Chayce Jones - 3.0 (338)

Our top 6 averaged 24.41 rebound 50's per game - 62% of our teams R50's. Our back 6 combined for 2,159 metres gained.

Its no surprise that we are using him less and less, but if is key defending returns to what it was in 2021 - he will be one of the first picked every week - especially now that our offensive balance in the defensive 50 is so much stronger.

I have no idea where you pulled the 1v1 numbers from because AFL stat pro paints a different picture. Butts wasn't particularly great 1v1 in 2021 or 2022, posting an ~30% loss rate - the best are around 10%. However, Butts got isolated a lot. This is something he did improve on in '23 going down to a 26% loss rate, though we also protected Butts better.

That said, you've kind of skirted around the nail, which is Butts isn't a good enough defender to be a pure shutdown type and isn't good enough of a ball user to be a rebounder. He's firmly in footballs twilight zone.

 

[Faaarrk]

I don’t think pace is an issue, disposal maybe. It isn’t going to happen anyway. I just don’t like the Crouch/Laird combo when there’s others coming through.

He’s not best 22 anymore but if they pick him then his only spot should be on the bench relieving Crouch when he needs a rest. Having them both in the midfield will handicap us.

You’re right though, it isn’t going to happen. It is easy to see them picking Crouch, Dawson and Laird to start with Sloane first back-up.

 

[Golumless]

I don’t think pace is an issue, disposal maybe. It isn’t going to happen anyway. I just don’t like the Crouch/Laird combo when there’s others coming through.

Teams do need clearance winners and both are reliable and high volume ones. Especially ones who are trying to negate the inside midfield and hit teams on the outside.

 

[Scorpus]

B Michalanney - Keane - Worrell
HB Hinge - Butts - Milera

R O'Brien - Laird - Rachele
C Soligo - Dawson - Jones

HF Pedlar - Walker - Rankine
F Keays - Fogarty - Thilthorpe

I Curtin - Edwards - Taylor - Nankervis
S Ryan

Injured: Schoenberg, Murray

Updated after training reports so far

B Michalanney - Keane - Worrell
HB Hinge - Butts - Milera

R O'Brien - Laird - Rachele
C Soligo - Dawson - Jones

HF Pedlar - Walker - Rankine
F Keays - Fogarty - Thilthorpe

I Curtin - Cook - Nankervis - Ryan
S Taylor

Injured: Schoenberg, Murray

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I've thought before that Laird could have stints down back but as time goes by I tend to agree with conVINCEd

The game has evolved. The players we're trying to develop down back seem to be hybrid types who can play small & tall, plus offer run, rebound and intercept qualities. And are long, penetrating kicks.

Not sure Laird fits that group now in terms of playing style though he obviously was a ball magnet there and a pretty good interceptor for his size to be fair

 

[WaynesWorld19]

I can't say I disagree with this assessment .....I do think Rachele will have higher CBA's than 10% though

 

[Scorpus]

I've thought before that Laird could have stints down back but as time goes by I tend to agree with conVINCEd

The game has evolved. The players we're trying to develop down back seem to be hybrid types who can play small & tall, plus offer run, rebound and intercept qualities. And are long, penetrating kicks.

Not sure Laird fits that group now in terms of playing style though he obviously was a ball magnet there and a pretty good interceptor for his size to be fair

Laird used to play as a loose small defender in an era when teams would stack their defense with spares

The game has evolved beyond that and with age Laird is going to be a less effective stopper than he once was, and he was never great at that aspect to begin with

 

[Big Dub]

He’s not best 22 anymore but if they pick him then his only spot should be on the bench relieving Crouch when he needs a rest. Having them both in the midfield will handicap us.

You’re right though, it isn’t going to happen. It is easy to see them picking Crouch, Dawson and Laird to start with Sloane first back-up.

Laird came second in our b&f last year and was rated as elite for disposals, clearances and tackles. I think that he's pretty comfortably in the best 22.

 

[crows dude]

He’s not best 22 anymore but if they pick him then his only spot should be on the bench relieving Crouch when he needs a rest. Having them both in the midfield will handicap us.

You’re right though, it isn’t going to happen. It is easy to see them picking Crouch, Dawson and Laird to start with Sloane first back-up.

Ok now thats over the top.

Laird is for sure in our top 22. Hes in our best 10. I do believe though that he does need to spend more time out of the middle. He will be fine rotating mid, back, bench

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Laird in the backline really doesn’t interest me - he doesn’t have the speed or foot skills for the way we want to play.

I’m with you , think our defence is going to be super dynamic

He’s a decent mid combined with our current mix , if one or 2 of the younger brigade break out eg Soligo Rachele Pedlar I don’t mind our midfield at all

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I can't say I disagree with this assessment .....I do think Rachele will have higher CBA's than 10% though

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That be lower than 2023

Can’t see that

 

[Golumless]

I’m with you , think our defence is going to be super dynamic

He’s a decent mid combined with our current mix , if one or 2 of the younger brigade break out eg Soligo Rachele Pedlar I don’t mind our midfield at all

He's more than a decent midfielder in our current mix, and is only getting underrated here because bigfooty gets rather stupid when it comes to veterans.

Laird is a walk-up A-grade mid and has been for the last three years.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I've thought before that Laird could have stints down back but as time goes by I tend to agree with conVINCEd

The game has evolved. The players we're trying to develop down back seem to be hybrid types who can play small & tall, plus offer run, rebound and intercept qualities. And are long, penetrating kicks.

Not sure Laird fits that group now in terms of playing style though he obviously was a ball magnet there and a pretty good interceptor for his size to be fair

Agree

We have some really dynamic versatile types down there like max hinge milera etc and even Nank