Call me crazy but...

[The Big League]

Is there any merit in dropping Cloke this week and bringing in Reid?
Reid can play at either end of the ground and is a beautiful kick.

Without sounding arrogant I am pretty sure we will win, so why not drop Cloke to try and get some hunger back into his game while also giving Reid a shot?

 

[NatheM]

Not crazy, wouldn't be surprised if we dropped Trav.
It wasn't a game for the big men, but at least minson had a crack when it was his turn, Travis didn't and rarely have I seen him throw his wieght around.
He's still got a lot to learn in terms of using his body.

 

[jonesy86]

Reid needs to improve and eventually take Leigh Brown's position.

 

[DoubleO7]

Is there any merit in dropping Cloke this week and bringing in Reid?
Reid can play at either end of the ground and is a beautiful kick.

Without sounding arrogant I am pretty sure we will win, so why not drop Cloke to try and get some hunger back into his game while also giving Reid a shot?

 

[shawthing09]

I would like to see Ried in but for Presti who doesn't have a match up anyway and as it is a long season and due to his age I think we should take every oppertunity to rest him we get.

I also think it's important we get some consistancy into Reid settling into a position he has really been all over the place the last couple of years. Moved to defence, called up to the seniors and played foward, or played at both ends in the same game. I think due to his goal kicking and the greater need at the moment it's worth just letting him settle into the backline before trying to use him as a swing man or utility. Let him get one possie right before we try and build on that.

As for Trav I think later in the game he tried playing less of a lead up role, he looked promising against st kilda playing deeper to goal. It's a role he will still take some getting used to if that is infact what we are doing. Better to take the chance against Melbourne to try give him a good hit out and play him into form. I don't think hunger is an issue personally.

 

[shawthing09]

The top end of his field kicking is beautiful, long low precission passes. He has a slightly inconsistant field kick which is at times made worse by being an inconsistant decision maker but he has the ability to be a very good field kick.

 

[HFF]

Yep, you must be crazy.

 

[Old Spice]

The top end of his field kicking is beautiful, long low precission passes. He has a slightly inconsistant field kick which is at times made worse by being an inconsistant decision maker but he has the ability to be a very good field kick.

Crazy.

No, I'd love to see Reid get a run against Melbourne.

 

[The Big League]

The way I see it is, we play Melbourne this week followed by St Kilda.
Drop Cloke for Reid and have Reid play across the wing or at half back, get him involved in the game

Get his confidence sky high because I think he is the best equiped to go with Riewoldt the next week. Our defense is excellent at 3rd man up to spoil but where Roo always kills us is on the lead. I think Reid can go with him.

As for Cloke, I would bring him back into the seniors for the Saints game, if he is worth his salt he will be so embarrased about being dropped that he will come out desperate to make an impression.

 

[DoubleO7]

I find his field kicking to be a little erratic at times. On the matter of his goal kicking, well it ain't pleasant, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Scodog10]

The idea has some merit because Travis had no influence on the match whatsoever and at one stage he was outbodied by Dylan Addison who's a midfielder ffs, so a move to the reserves could provide a much needed wake up call.

 

[Frankie23]

ORRRRRRRR...........

We can leave Trav IN the team and let him kick 5 goals on one of the worst defence's in the league!

He has played well against Melbourne in the past

 

[Histrionics]

ORRRRRRRR...........

We can leave Trav IN the team and let him kick 5 goals on one of the worst defence's in the league!

He has played well against Melbourne in the past

This.

No point in dropping him. It's one game. Let him find his form against Melbourne.

 

[The Big League]

We kicked 18 goals this week and Cloke kicked 1 from a 50 metre penalty that put him on the goal line.
I know he works hard, and I know he plays further up the ground but lets be serious guys there is something not right with him at the moment, and i'm not basing that on just this week.
If Trav plays poorly against Melbourne, then what? Leave him in the team against the Saints and hope he miraculously plays a blinder and wins us the game?
I know Travs a favorite, and I love him to, but we cannot afford passengers this seasons.

 

[the woodsmen2010]

We kicked 18 goals this week and Cloke kicked 1 from a 50 metre penalty that put him on the goal line.
I know he works hard, and I know he plays further up the ground but lets be serious guys there is something not right with him at the moment, and i'm not basing that on just this week.
If Trav plays poorly against Melbourne, then what? Leave him in the team against the Saints and hope he miraculously plays a blinder and wins us the game?
I know Travs a favorite, and I love him to, but we cannot afford passengers this seasons.

Great post..

 

[Greening Magic]

We kicked 18 goals this week and Cloke kicked 1 from a 50 metre penalty that put him on the goal line.
I know he works hard, and I know he plays further up the ground but lets be serious guys there is something not right with him at the moment, and i'm not basing that on just this week.
If Trav plays poorly against Melbourne, then what? Leave him in the team against the Saints and hope he miraculously plays a blinder and wins us the game?
I know Travs a favorite, and I love him to, but we cannot afford passengers this seasons.

Well if memory serves me correct he had 7 scoring shots against Saints in NAB cup and made Dawson look like a school boy so won't be any miracle.

Dropping Travis Cloke is simply short sighted and he will play a big role in whether we take that extra step this year. He is vital to our structure. If he has a poor season then I don't think a flag is possible.

 

[The Big League]

I actually don't think it's short sighted, infact i see it as a long term solution.
Sending Trav back to the reserves against Melbourne can only be a good thing for a few reasons.

1. If we smash them without Trav then it shows that the old Rocca defence of "he takes the best defender so our small forwards can get into the game" is absolute rubbish. I mean look at Roo, Fev, Brown, Pav they all take the best defender and still dominate.

2. If we smash them with Trav in the team and even if he kicks 5 is 5 goals against Melbourne really a barometer of how well a player is traveling.

3. Trav is a proud guy, going back to the reserves would be embarrassing for him, you had better believe if they recall him for the Saints game he is going to go out there with something to prove.

I can only see positives from it.

Anyway, just my 2 cents, WTF do I know

 

[PieBeast]

The idea definitely has some merit but i would have thought that Dawes would be a better replacement.

 

[The Big League]

Yeah, Dawes is an option, but i prefer Reid because I think if we give him a role against Melbourne and he does well then he can play on Roo next week.
1 on 1 Roo will out muscle him, but Reid is tall enough and quick enough to get him on the lead.

 

[bucksisbest]

Reid has strictly trained and played as a defender for a while now.
If a tall forward is dropped and needs to be replaced in that position it will be Dawes.

 

[The Big League]

I'm not so sure (in regards to bringing in a forward for Cloke), only considering the opposition. I think we have more than enough players to cover for Cloke without bringing a forward.

Play Reid off the half back flank and push Heater into the midfield.

Brown & Fraser could easily cover for a missing Cloke.

 

[PieBeast]

Yeah, Dawes is an option, but i prefer Reid because I think if we give him a role against Melbourne and he does well then he can play on Roo next week.
1 on 1 Roo will out muscle him, but Reid is tall enough and quick enough to get him on the lead.

I've got a feeling Harry O is itching to have a crack at Roo.

 

[Greening Magic]

I actually don't think it's short sighted, infact i see it as a long term solution.
Sending Trav back to the reserves against Melbourne can only be a good thing for a few reasons.

1. If we smash them without Trav then it shows that the old Rocca defence of "he takes the best defender so our small forwards can get into the game" is absolute rubbish. I mean look at Roo, Fev, Brown, Pav they all take the best defender and still dominate.

2. If we smash them with Trav in the team and even if he kicks 5 is 5 goals against Melbourne really a barometer of how well a player is traveling.

3. Trav is a proud guy, going back to the reserves would be embarrassing for him, you had better believe if they recall him for the Saints game he is going to go out there with something to prove.

I can only see positives from it.

Anyway, just my 2 cents, WTF do I know

You're saying that if we smash them without Trav it's a barometer for not needing him for our structure, but if Trav plays and kicks 5 it's not a barometer for his form? Don't think you can have it both ways.

We played Medders for most of last year because we know what he can bring to the team when he fires. Same applies here IMO.

We all have our different ways of looking at it and that's just the way I see it.

 

[The Big League]

I see what you mean, but what i'm trying to say is - Trav is not a match winner at the moment, if we smash them with him in the team and he kicks 5 it wont be because he is back to his best, it'll be because we are playing against the worst team in the AFL literally, and because the team will probably kick 25 goals.

 

[Greening Magic]

I see what you mean, but what i'm trying to say is - Trav is not a match winner at the moment, if we smash them with him in the team and he kicks 5 it wont be because he is back to his best, it'll be because we are playing against the worst team in the AFL literally, and because the team will probably kick 25 goals.

But why are we dropping him after Round 1 when Melbourne present Trav with chance to find form against "the worst side in the AFL"? (I'd like to think the Tigers could challenge them by years end)

What would it actually achieve?

If we bring in a forward and he performs well what would it tell us? Nothing because it's against Melbourne.

If we drop him and change our structure and we flog them what would it tell us? Nothing because it's against Melbourne.

I just don't see any reason why Cloke should be dropped at this stage and how we could benefit.

I don't think dropping Cloke would have crossed the selectors minds.