Ace In The Deck

[proboy]

IMO the coaches arn't revealing all of there cards. HT has been spanked two weeks in a row now and they havn't done anything about.
Are they waiting for tomahawk to be right so lonners can go back?
Or are they gunna pull something out of the hat and swap Lonners with HT if it happens again? Can HT go forward? Only time will time i spose

 

[polly63]

IMO the coaches arn't revealing all of there cards. HT has been spanked two weeks in a row now and they havn't done anything about.
Are they waiting for tomahawk to be right so lonners can go back?
Or are they gunna pull something out of the hat and swap Lonners with HT if it happens again? Can HT go forward? Only time will time i spose

Looks like there is one IC vacancy only for Taylor/Hawkins/Prismall/ Gamble/Varcoe/Byrnes to fight out, but if the improbable happened and we got rolled by NM in 2 weeks due to backline size issues I daresay Lonergan might be tried there when we meet them again in the GF.

More likely tho that a strategy change would occur, such as Ottens dropping back to assist. It's pretty clear that the coaching staff doesn't like messing with a super successful side and they are not holding back.

What a great position to be in, having those 6 waiting in the wings.

 

[JUBJUB]

IMO the coaches arn't revealing all of there cards. HT has been spanked two weeks in a row now and they havn't done anything about.

Perhaps you might want to look at the replay and you might notice Harry wasn't actually spanked.He gave away 1 goal from a free and had 1 kicked on him when he actually should've got a free.

 

[NEMINI]

who even cares if Hall did manage to kick 8 goals again, north still lost. It's one thing to have a guy kick a bag and they beat you but if someone kicks a bag and still loses who the bloody hell cares? Point is it takes more than one bag to beat Geelong.

 

[Vegas.]

Correct, the way Hale destoryed us on Sunday indicates that the whole 'only Buddy kicking straight can stop Geelong' theory is crap. Midfield is what it's all about. Stop them getting the ball down there too often, and Buddy can kick 10.0 and they will still lose.

 

[re cat]

IMO the coaches arn't revealing all of there cards. HT has been spanked two weeks in a row now and they havn't done anything about.
Are they waiting for tomahawk to be right so lonners can go back?
Or are they gunna pull something out of the hat and swap Lonners with HT if it happens again? Can HT go forward? Only time will time i spose

You haven't had much to say in 15 months

 

[rocker_oz33]

Correct, the way Hale destoryed us on Sunday indicates that the whole 'only Buddy kicking straight can stop Geelong' theory is crap. Midfield is what it's all about. Stop them getting the ball down there too often, and Buddy can kick 10.0 and they will still lose.

that's right and do better going forward sunday's game should of been a white wash with the of double in side 50's and back on topic with ace in deck l dont see the cats doing any thing diff the ACE might be tried by our opposition and be turn out to be a joker

 

[BigBadCam]

A few years ago, we weren't quite there, and we needed an 'ace in the deck' as you call it to beat the best teams. These days though, we are the superpower of the competition and nobody can or will beat us. Opposition teams are the ones who need an ace in the pack to try and beat us.

 

[Turbocat]

I could have sworn that he did not destroy us , in fact he failed to stop us beating them.

For mine , I say well done to Hale but 3 goals from umpires and a couple chest marks sort of reduces the power of his effect. He took a couple of ripper marks that would have beaten most , including Egan so I'm not so sure Harry did such a bad job. I think there is no doubt Harry is not to confident Man on Man especially if he is in front and there is little doubt that Sando and the others would have noticed this and will be worked on over the summer.

If they try the Hale/McIntosh thing again it might pay to be ready to drop Otto or Blake back , but only if we really feel the need. For mine being that tall does let us run the ball out and as long we contol the game I dont care how many an individual kicks. A fit Wojo would really hurt them with the twins towers.

Long term (next year on ), do we believe that we have the players at our club that will develop into another tall backman eg. McKenna, Simpson or do we have to trade another established player in to help or draft a guy to develop

 

[catempire]

 

[kicksome]

i agree with catempire

 

[thejester]

Long term (next year on ), do we believe that we have the players at our club that will develop into another tall backman eg. McKenna, Simpson or do we have to trade another established player in to help or draft a guy to develop

In the short term obviously we get Egan back, with Taylor replacing either Harley or Milburn (both of whom are in the twilight of their careers).

Long term I don't think Taylor will be a defender capable of taking power forwards - at 193cm he simply will never be big enough. He's more likely to fill a utility style role ala Milburn, or the third tall stuff that Harley does now. McKenna's a better height - 195cm - but it's too soon to tell how he will end up and at the very least he has a long way to go. Which means (as I've been banging on about endlessly in ever draft thread we've had) we need to draft a big KPP this year (read Jordan Lisle) to eventually replace Scarlett.

 

[Turbocat]

Nice one CE.
As someone who sees a lot of the VFL , will McKenna or S.Simpson become the capable tall for us , just in case Egan doesnt come up again?

 

[Rocco Jones]

You don't really need an ace in the deck when you already have blackjack (I don't mean Tenace).

 

[crosby123]

In the short term obviously we get Egan back, with Taylor replacing either Harley or Milburn (both of whom are in the twilight of their careers).

Long term I don't think Taylor will be a defender capable of taking power forwards - at 193cm he simply will never be big enough. He's more likely to fill a utility style role ala Milburn, or the third tall stuff that Harley does now. McKenna's a better height - 195cm - but it's too soon to tell how he will end up and at the very least he has a long way to go. Which means (as I've been banging on about endlessly in ever draft thread we've had) we need to draft a big KPP this year (read Jordan Lisle) to eventually replace Scarlett.

Eh? Scarlett is only 192cm. Just let Harry put some muscle on, eh. He's quick enough, just needs experience and upper body strength.

 

[Turbocat]

In the short term obviously we get Egan back, with Taylor replacing either Harley or Milburn (both of whom are in the twilight of their careers).

Long term I don't think Taylor will be a defender capable of taking power forwards - at 193cm he simply will never be big enough. He's more likely to fill a utility style role ala Milburn, or the third tall stuff that Harley does now. McKenna's a better height - 195cm - but it's too soon to tell how he will end up and at the very least he has a long way to go. Which means (as I've been banging on about endlessly in ever draft thread we've had) we need to draft a big KPP this year (read Jordan Lisle) to eventually replace Scarlett.

Thanks jester. So inspite of the kids we have , we still need more?
Not having seen a lot of the kids in this years draft, would there be anyone ready to play first year? I would guess not. Taylor is a more mature type and unless we found another player in the WAFL , SANFL or even GFL the kids from the TAC are going to take time. And as you have said , it may take once we draft another kid before we can even truely judge his worth. Thats why I would consider the option of getting a player that we like the look of , one thats allready in the system.
For eg. Mitch Brown or Will Schofield at WC. Both are tall players that should have meat on their bones , having been over with Worsfold for a couple of years. If Brown is like his brother he may well be good kid to get.

 

[catempire]

Nice one CE.
As someone who sees a lot of the VFL , will McKenna or S.Simpson become the capable tall for us , just in case Egan doesnt come up again?

I've only seen a few games this year, including the game just gone.

Simpson didn't get much of a look in because Hawkins and Carey were the focal points. He's a really nice size for his age though and in other games I've seen him lead, mark and kick well. Think he's better suited as a forward though.

McKenna I've seen less of. He is not as well built as Simpson but looks to be pretty mobile and can take a nice grab. He looks to be better suited in defence although he was swung forward in the second half on Saturday and I thougt he did very well. I think he'll be at least another 12 months off senior footy.

 

[thejester]

Pretty much.

I don't think we'd trade for kids already in the system as Bomber has previously stated we want to be solely responsible for player development, from the ground up. I don't think we need a kid to play straight away because (fingers crossed) Egan should be right for next season. In some respects I think it's amazing that we've done so well this year without him - as good as our others defenders are I don't think they have the athleticism or the size to go with the top flight power forwards when they're on song, whereas Egan does. So with him back and Taylor potentially taking Harley/Milburn's spot or acting as reserve we're looking alright.

I think we more need to draft with an eye for the long term. IMO the guys we've taken over the past two years (Hawkins, McKenna, the Simpsons, Taylor, perhaps a few of the rookies) will be the spine around which we'll start drafting a midfield in two-three years time, when our current window has closed. The obvious absence in that list is someone who will be an elite defender to replace Scarlett and eventually Megan. The good news is that this year KPP talent runs deep, so we should have a crack at the top-flight even with pick #16. As I've said before I've got a rager for Jordan Lisle - 196cm, 87kg, plays forward for his school (Carey) but spent most of the carnival down back and was eventually named AA CHB. Most phantoms have him falling to our first pick, as well. There's others, though - Jackson Trengove was being talked of as a Top 5 IIRC before he managed to completely **** himself at training and now looks like going lower, ala Varcoe in 05. We pick one of them up and we could have a ready made replacement for when a defender steps down in the future.

 

[Turbocat]

I've only seen a few games this year, including the game just gone.

Simpson didn't get much of a look in because Hawkins and Carey were the focal points. He's a really nice size for his age though and in other games I've seen him lead, mark and kick well. Think he's better suited as a forward though.

McKenna I've seen less of. He is not as well built as Simpson but looks to be pretty mobile and can take a nice grab. He looks to be better suited in defence although he was swung forward in the second half on Saturday and I thougt he did very well. I think he'll be at least another 12 months off senior footy.

Ok thanks CE. Any names in the TAC you have pencilled that you fancy, after Selwood I bow to your judgement.

 

[catempire]

Ok thanks CE. Any names in the TAC you have pencilled that you fancy, after Selwood I bow to your judgement.

Don't see any TAC anymore Turbo.

Also find that these days I'm enjoying the "now" too much to care a great deal about years down the track!

 

[Turbocat]

Thanks again jes

Pretty much.

I don't think we'd trade for kids already in the system as Bomber has previously stated we want to be solely responsible for player development, from the ground up.

I understand the sentiment but would two years at an AFL club be really that different than picking up mature players like Stokes or Taylor that have been in the care of potentially less qualified coaches and possibly influenced by less professional players? I really doubt any kid would be anything other than eternally greatful and be willing to listen to a group that has dominated the comp the last couple of years.

The only thing is how you would get them to our club. Bomber , for sure , hates the idea of trading his players away so it would only probably happen if one of our boys decided to leave.

Jordan Lisle

Jackson Trengove

The Trengrove kid sounds just like a Wells pick. Varcoe and Selwood both better value than where they where picked because of injury. How big is he?

 

[Turbocat]

Don't see any TAC anymore Turbo.

Also find that these days I'm enjoying the "now" too much to care a great deal about years down the track!

Fair enough. I'd say my contentment with our current status has effected me too. Its pretty hard to get the blood boilling when we win so often , and this has probably the effect of me posting far less.

 

[scottydeewah]

I dont agree that one power forward cant beat us when it comes to the Hawks. Mostly because their midfield/defensive zone makes them a lot harder to score against.

 

[polly63]

I dont agree that one power forward cant beat us when it comes to the Hawks. Mostly because their midfield/defensive zone makes them a lot harder to score against.

Trust your coaches to come up with a plan for the zone tactic - which incidentally will be nigh on impossible to maintain at the MCG for 4 quarters in a GF against a team like Geelong.

Remember when Adelaide was nearly unbeatable during the 2006 season? Coaches eventually learned that if you carry the ball forward you could stop the Crows fast defensive rebound. Result, they went from a 14/2 top of the AFL ladder position with the best percentage since West Coast in 1991, to subsequently missing the GF.

I'm confident that Bomber and the other coaches will have tactics worked out for all the possible contenders.

 

[thejester]

Eh? Scarlett is only 192cm. Just let Harry put some muscle on, eh. He's quick enough, just needs experience and upper body strength.

Scarlett's a freak talent who still sometimes get beaten by guys who have a bit of height on him - look at Brown last year.