Changes dogs v GWS

[lachy]

He is older now and not currently in form in defence. Although it isn't ideal I'd much prefer it then Lobb going forward. I dare say Jones would add more forward then Buku. I fully expect Gardner to come in as the forward/second ruck though.

Gardner is not even good at that role in the VFL, might as well play Buku in that role in the AFL though he is poor at it, he is still way better than Gardner

 

[Mojorisin]

Gardner is not even good at that role in the VFL, might as well play Buku in that role in the AFL though he is poor at it, he is still way better than Gardner

I don't disagree with you but don't the coaches will agree.

 

[Turtleman3]

Did he do his hammy by smacking the ball into the private box for the goal?

Was that McNeil or West?

 

[maddog37]

Was that McNeil or West?

B Williams

 

[dogwatch]

I agree with you, but let me me put this to you - how do we consistently kick a winning score when Naughton is our only real forward threat?

Good question. I'll have a crack at it ...

• Firstly, a misconception: Naughton isn't our only real forward threat. Of the 18 goals kicked on Sunday he only kicked 3 (although he created opportunities to kick 6 or 7!) and no other goals came from a KPP. The other 15 goals came from the smaller forwards and midfielders/wingers. Even if Naughton has an off-day, if we can kick 15 goals that is a winning score most weeks.
• A winning score is simply any score more than we concede, as Nomad12 implied. So keeping opponents to a modest score is part of the answer. This means maintaining a stable and solid defence. If we start taking key pieces of our defence away we end up being destabilised at both ends of the ground instead of just one end. And I'd say that Lobb is our #1 tall defender at the moment. Apart from the problems we've had with conceding easy goals due to our aggressive press, our defence is starting to settle and understand each other. Dale, JJ and sometimes Bramble for rebound, Jones and Lobb as KPFs, Cleary a reliable and improving small defender with good disposal. JOD or Khamis as the interceptor / 1%er.
• We still need a second tall KPF target. Khamis is not and never will be that (but he could perhaps be a third). JOD wasn't a raging success but was useful. However MC seem to think he's better suited in defence and I tend to agree. The problem is, so is Khamis. It may be that Khamis gets squeezed out. In due course, hopefully just after the bye, Croft becomes an option but at the moment he looks a long way off. We shouldn't forget that he was impressive pre-season and was under consideration for a debut before getting injured. If he finally gets some continuity in the VFL he could come along quicker than expected, but I still wouldn't see that being likely before the bye.
• So pending Croft becoming a candidate and Darcy returning who can fill that second KPF role? I've got five options:
  • Lachie Smith - not a natural forward but he'd solve the other part of the equation as to who gives English an occasional chop out. He's industrious and relatively mobile for a big bloke. If Naughton gets all the attention and he averages 1.0 to 1.5 goals it would be worthwhile.
  • Tim English - a very un-Bevo solution but Smith and English could reverse roles. English has been a useful goalkicker in the past but he hasn't kicked a goal yet this year and has taken less than his usual quota of CMs so I think this would be a low likelihood option.
  • Bont - do we rob Peter (the midfield) to pay Paul (the forward line)? Maybe. If we get Treloar and Harmes back and the younger midfield/wing (Richards, Freijah, Davidson, Williams, Sanders) continue to fire alongside Libba and Kennedy then it's an option. And we can always switch it around if circumstances demand Bont's presence in the guts. Bont would be a real threat because he can score from anywhere inside 60 and he creates goals too. He'd be a defensive coach's nightmare. A bit like Johnno used to be.
  • Gardner - this is much more the sort of thing Bevo would do. Main advantage is he can chop out in the ruck. I wouldn't do it, but Bevo might.
  • O'Donnell - we've seen what that would be like already. Not brilliant but serviceable. If he played forward I'd see him more suited to a third tall role than as one of the two KPF targets.
• There's a further option. And that is we go with only one KPD, a bunch of smalls and a couple of taller mid-size players like Poulter and Khamis. Khamis could be the occasional ruck change along with whoever else is tall enough or has a decent leap (remember they only have to neutralise the opposing ruck in the 10% of game time they spend there.) A small, fast, harrassing forward line is a Plan C that could be worth trying at some stage.
• And finally a wild card: get somebody at the MSD whenever that is. Not sure who is available and who is tearing it up in the state leagues but names do keep coming up.

 

[dogwatch]

BoM predicting some rain on Saturday.



The good news is it won't be very cold because there'll be cloud cover.

There could be around 25mm of rain in Victoria on Friday. This will probably move through southern NSW/ACT on Saturday. Hopefully it will have blown through before the match starts at 7:30pm. If so, it will probably be good playing weather (fine with light winds) but maybe a bit damp underfoot.

Might suit the small and medium sized ground players more than the aerial specialists.

 

[TiAn_]

If you don’t think Bev will give Gardner a run as forward/ruck then let me remind you about Zaine Cordy

21

Zaine Cordy

Age

29

Ht

195cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

180.4

3star

D

8.1

2star

K

6.4

3star

HB

1.7

1star

M

2.9

3star

T

1.9

3star

MG

180.4

3star

D

6.8

2star

K

3.8

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.8

4star

’s first half of 2022…

 

[lachy]

If you don’t think Bev will give Gardner a run as forward/ruck then let me remind you about Zaine Cordy’s first half of 2022…

It's not about whether I think he will, he has form, but like the Zaine Cordy experiment I would be highly surprised if it is not doomed to failure

 

[Unnamed1]

If you don’t think Bev will give Gardner a run as forward/ruck then let me remind you about Zaine Cordy’s first half of 2022…

Or 2016...

 

[JohnnySteel]

Praying for Buss.
Not expecting big things but he needs to start getting a taste.

 

[TiAn_]

It's not about whether I think he will, he has form, but like the Zaine Cordy experiment I would be highly surprised if it is not doomed to failure

I think Gardner is probably slightly better equipped than Cordy at least. Hasn’t played AFL in 20 odd months though.

 

[bobs head soup]

It's crazy to even consider but at this point I'd move Jones forward before Lobb.

I could half agree, if it wasn't for the 2nd Ruck part of the role. Surely that's a bridge too far for LJizz these days

 

[weltschmerz]

I could half agree, if it wasn't for the 2nd Ruck part of the role. Surely that's a bridge too far for LJizz these days

Naughton's shown himself to be a decent second ruck.

 

[bobs head soup]

Naughton's shown himself to be a decent second ruck.

He's attended a total of 5 centre bounces over the past 4 seasons.

Asking him to do it regularly week in, week out whilst being the main man forward and recovering from glandular fever isn't the answer for mine

 

[Mojorisin]

I could half agree, if it wasn't for the 2nd Ruck part of the role. Surely that's a bridge too far for LJizz these days

It'd have to be Naughton rucking forward, Freijah or other mid around the ground and Lobb in defence. English rucks majority of the time anyway so would only be around 20% game time, Naughton could take the very few centre bounces that English would miss out on.
Bevo has form with this sort of ruck set up in the past so whilst not attractive is a live possibility.

Also in previous weeks JOD and Buku have been second ruck not Darcy so if a defender does move forward they could always bring up Buss to allow for that same ruck set up.

 

[doggie dog]

Was that McNeil or West?

McNeil's 2nd goal...I thought.
The camera cut away pretty quick, but it looked like he pulled up lame.
Now he is injured.... just seeing if it connected.

 

[Bulldog Brent]

McNeil's 2nd goal...I thought.
The camera cut away pretty quick, but it looked like he pulled up lame.
Now he is injured.... just seeing if it connected.

Yep I saw that on replay. Must’ve twinged it when running towards the open goal.

 

[Anja_Nees]

I think Hynes is worth persisting with, had a few good moments against the Saints.

If he’s just going to be replaced by someone like Baker or Poulter I would keep him.

Was still a bit behind the pace but showed some very slick hands and after seeing how well Sanders has come on I would rather blood the future stars.

 

[Anja_Nees]

McNeil's 2nd goal...I thought.
The camera cut away pretty quick, but it looked like he pulled up lame.
Now he is injured.... just seeing if it connected.

I thought he was in trouble at the time. Immediately reached for his leg.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Because we have adequate enough depth in KPD to cover we have literally nothing on the wing hence Arty Jones attempted to play a couple of games there to start the season

The wing has been an issue since Hunter left and Davidson has been comfortably the best option. Has a massive tank and great speed.

I think Naughton with a fleet of smalls and cameos from English and Bont might have to do.

 

[Foxman98]

The wing has been an issue since Hunter left and Davidson has been comfortably the best option. Has a massive tank and great speed.

I think Naughton with a fleet of smalls and cameos from English and Bont might have to do.

Disagree for this week with their intercepting talls going smaller given none are actually decent goal kickers as well would be very poor

 

[doggiesin08]

Disagree for this week with their intercepting talls going smaller given none are actually decent goal kickers as well would be very poor

West has taken Himmelberg to the cleaners on the past and he can be exposed 1-1. The other defenders are guns though.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Disagree for this week with their intercepting talls going smaller given none are actually decent goal kickers as well would be very poor

I’m sure they’ll throw Buku or O’Donnell forward as support but in terms of a recognised key forward to replace Darcy it’s only really Lobb. They might move him but I get the feeling they’d rather keep him back.

 

[Foxman98]

I’m sure they’ll throw Buku or O’Donnell forward as support but in terms of a recognised key forward to replace Darcy it’s only really Lobb. They might move him but I get the feeling they’d rather keep him back.

You can get away with it next week against Port given their lack of height and quality defenders but just don’t think it’s smart having either of the first 2 on Taylor whereas I think Lobb for this week in particular can keep him occupied

 

[X_box_X]

I'm in the keep Lobb in defence camp, even if Hogan doesn't play.

It's clearly his best position and I still fancy our chances to generate scoring shots with JOD in the fwd line. I'm not as confident keeping GWS' forwards quiet if Lobb doesn't play in defence.