Changes for next week.

[rgauci]

Well we have quite a task next week. Melbourne are in seemingly great form. Apparently Headland is a certainty to return and Haddrill is a possibility (i hope so we need him for Neitz).

Surprisingly good performances from Dylan Smith and Siegert have thrown the selectors a curveball. Even Grover played well in the backline.

The broken record emerges again, should Macca be dropped?

In my opinion i think Macca should take a holiday for Headland. This could possibly be the only change as i don't think Haddrill will be fit. Schammer showed glimpses of form late in the game and i think will do well next week. Smith was responsible for a few clearances and will probably get extra game time next week.

Though Johnson didn't get much of the ball, he is a better matchup for Jeff White than Sandilands. I think Longmuir will lead the ruck with Johnson in reserve. Mobility is a necessity against Jeff White who leads Melbournes ruck single handedly.

If Haddrill was to return Grover may have to make way. Other possible exclusions could be Walker, Webster, Smith, Schammer or Siegert. I chose Grover purely on where he played. Its hard to seperate the aforementioned.

 

[dugrene]

Next week's game creates a poser I've been chucking around a bit lately.

Ie. Do you always pick a team expecting that team to win ?. Last year against Cats in the rain we destroyed any chance of beating the toast in the Derby. All our players were fatigued. My belief was (at the time) we were not going to win. We could have taken a second string team leaving 4 or five players in Perth to be fresh for the Derby. Instead of losing two games we may have won one. The same could be said against Saints in Tassie (even though we nearly won) because we all saw the result of fatigue in the second half of the Derby in round 3 this year.

Who seriously believes we can beat Melbourne next week ?.

We should be blooding some more players and planning to ambush the maggies. Continue that senario until we can pull off two definite wins in a row. But travel mixed with our homeground advantage can be used together to increase our chances of making the eight. We must win every home game. That means having our best team at peak form for home games all the time bringing new players into the side waiting for that chance to win 3 in a row.

Time our team management stopped this ' we only look one week at a time' and start looking at team maintenance over a 3 week to 5 week time frame. By resting players for home games.

 

[Kenny_01]

What about Doddy... is he good to return?

We can't play McManus, Cook and Smith all in the same side. We already have Bell, JCarr and Hasleby who are vertically challenged in the midfield.

I think Headland and Dodd for McManus and Smith. Actually, keeping Smith in might be a good idea. Siegert played well but is he guaranteed another game?

 

[rgauci]

Interesting concept dugrene. But what happens when you drop a home game. I would be much more satisfied with approaching every game with the winning attitude. The team should naturally turnover fresh players with injuries and suspensions.

Since we have a little bit of depth this year. We should approach every game trying to win. We perhaps should of done that last year. We have Schoefield, Haddrill, Hayden, Polak and Dodd out injured at the moment. There will be natural turnover week to week.

I think the selection panel will only return players who are fully fit for that reason. MAaybe leave Haddrill out for another week until he's fit and firing. Though his inclusion would benefit us against Melbourne.

I forgot about Dodd, thanks for reminding me Kenny. I think Macca and Webster may miss out for Dodd and Headland. HBF and HFF for HBF and HFF. THough i really like Webster's game i think Siegert, Smith and Schammer are the only other possibilities to be dropped. Siegert and Smith played well in the last game and Schammer is just Schammer.

 

[LongBombFromOutside50]

I hope Webster isn't dropped.

I hope we go something like -
IN: Headland, Haddrill, Dodd
OUT: McManus, Siegert, Smith

Siegert, while he was alright on Saturday, still doesn't have the foot skills or pace to cut it at AFL level, IMO.

 

[dugrene]

Interesting concept dugrene. But what happens when you drop a home game. I would be much more satisfied with approaching every game with the winning attitude. The team should naturally turnover fresh players with injuries and suspensions.

Since we have a little bit of depth this year. We should approach every game trying to win. We perhaps should of done that last year. We have Schoefield, Haddrill, Hayden, Polak and Dodd out injured at the moment. There will be natural turnover week to week.

I think the selection panel will only return players who are fully fit for that reason. MAaybe leave Haddrill out for another week until he's fit and firing. Though his inclusion would benefit us against Melbourne.

I forgot about Dodd, thanks for reminding me Kenny. I think Macca and Webster may miss out for Dodd and Headland. HBF and HFF for HBF and HFF. THough i really like Webster's game i think Siegert, Smith and Schammer are the only other possibilities to be dropped. Siegert and Smith played well in the last game and Schammer is just Schammer.

Concept it is. And seeing the names mentioned as ins and outs in this thread reinforces the need for some lateral selections.

As for losing home games. IMO with our squad fresh we could nearly guaruntee every home game a winner this year. That should be the focus. By bringing in our fringe selections for away games they get more big game awareness and no doubt some will shine. By using away games as test games it could extend the carreers of some of our senior stars.

 

[rgauci]

Concept it is. And seeing the names mentioned as ins and outs in this thread reinforces the need for some lateral selections.

As for losing home games. IMO with our squad fresh we could nearly guaruntee every home game a winner this year. That should be the focus. By bringing in our fringe selections for away games they get more big game awareness and no doubt some will shine. By using away games as test games it could extend the carreers of some of our senior stars.

Well name some names. I can't get a full understanding of exactly what you mean unless you do.

 

[dominguez]

Next week's game creates a poser I've been chucking around a bit lately.

Ie. Do you always pick a team expecting that team to win ?. Last year against Cats in the rain we destroyed any chance of beating the toast in the Derby. All our players were fatigued. My belief was (at the time) we were not going to win. We could have taken a second string team leaving 4 or five players in Perth to be fresh for the Derby. Instead of losing two games we may have won one. The same could be said against Saints in Tassie (even though we nearly won) because we all saw the result of fatigue in the second half of the Derby in round 3 this year.

Who seriously believes we can beat Melbourne next week ?.

We should be blooding some more players and planning to ambush the maggies. Continue that senario until we can pull off two definite wins in a row. But travel mixed with our homeground advantage can be used together to increase our chances of making the eight. We must win every home game. That means having our best team at peak form for home games all the time bringing new players into the side waiting for that chance to win 3 in a row.

Time our team management stopped this ' we only look one week at a time' and start looking at team maintenance over a 3 week to 5 week time frame. By resting players for home games.

I understand your thinking but I completely disagree. You've got to have a red hot go every week. We have enough players who don't perform consistently interstate to start resting quality players for youngsters. If we were to rest players we may not be able to return from another shellacking against the pies. You can only get belted so many times before you go into your shell for extended periods of time, look at 2001.

I think the players thought that all we have to do is rock up at Subi and we'll win. That's why we went 6-6 at home last year. I don't think fatigue was the reason we lost the derby a fortnight ago. You don't run all over a side in the second quarter then have nothing left at the start of the third. The players thought we were cruising to victory and took their foot off the pedal.

Ofcourse we can beat Melbourne, but it will be tough. We have too many injured players to rest anyone who is fully fit. Our best side is good enough to match it with anyone, anywhere, aslong as they're mentally switched on.

 

[dominguez]

We can't play McManus, Cook and Smith all in the same side. We already have Bell, JCarr and Hasleby who are vertically challenged in the midfield.

I think Headland and Dodd for McManus and Smith. Actually, keeping Smith in might be a good idea. Siegert played well but is he guaranteed another game?

Not only are McManus, Bell, Hasleby, Cook, Smith and J. Carr short but they're not the quickest blokes going around. That's why as soon as they're fit Headland, Dodd, Browne, Schofield and Hayden should come into the side. Melbourne is one side which could definately expose our lack of pace. Lets hope Des is fit to play, most hamstrings take 21 days.

 

[rickjames]

we're always vertically challenged but more importantly speed challeneged... macca can go id rather have smith if we are trading like for like and smith gets the ball in close, he just cant kick on..... i loved when he copped it high but continued on playing as if it never happened, thast what you want to see

 

[dominguez]

Smiths 5 clearances in 39 minutes on the ground should be enough to keep him in the side.

 

[voodoo_86]

I actually thought Macca did alright against the blues.

But the writing must be on the wall, he is starting on the bench and isn't getting as much game time. Would still have to be one of the players considered to be replaced when injured players return.

 

[Undertaker]

Not only are McManus, Bell, Hasleby, Cook, Smith and J. Carr short but they're not the quickest blokes going around. That's why as soon as they're fit Headland, Dodd, Browne, Schofield and Hayden should come into the side. Melbourne is one side which could definately expose our lack of pace. Lets hope Des is fit to play, most hamstrings take 21 days.

Fully, totaly, absolutly 100% AGREE !!!! Even though it was a good win I thought we lacked pace. We need these guys in ASAP

 

[rgauci]

Not only are McManus, Bell, Hasleby, Cook, Smith and J. Carr short but they're not the quickest blokes going around. That's why as soon as they're fit Headland, Dodd, Browne, Schofield and Hayden should come into the side. Melbourne is one side which could definately expose our lack of pace. Lets hope Des is fit to play, most hamstrings take 21 days.

Though i agree also. You can't fit everyone into the 22. If everyone was fit I'd imagine only Headland of the group you mentioned would be a guaranteed walkup start. Schofield and Hayden most likely would make the cut. But Dodd and Browne most likely wouldn't.

 

[dugrene]

Well name some names. I can't get a full understanding of exactly what you mean unless you do.

The plan to manage the list which ensures our team is always cherry ripe for home games depends on who we play at home who we play the previous week and the weather conditions of the away games. Not to mention match ups.

The main engine room players like Bell, Haze, Pav, Med, Farmer etc could look forward to one rest weekend a season. Of course you would not rest the whole engine room at the same time.
But just like a good organization you take bits of equipment off line for critical maintenance and then bring it on line again for peak times.

I believe the big soccer clubs do it .

Once your team reaches the level of the toast in the 90's or Brizzy and Power more recently then you keep the engine running mostly at full power. Always with some thought to a bit of R&R for the marquee players once a year. That, with the mid season bye round should keep players fresh as posssible.

We have some good talent waiting to get a chance to perform. Resting players for away games would faciltate that chance. The team knows the plan no one is dropped but it gives new talent a chance to push into the team.

The idea of going out to win every game makes no sense. It is a stupid blokey attitude. We should be focussed on getting into the finals. That means winning all home games and only one (possibly 2) away games.

 

[rgauci]

The plan to manage the list which ensures our team is always cherry ripe for home games depends on who we play at home who we play the previous week and the weather conditions of the away games. Not to mention match ups.

The main engine room players like Bell, Haze, Pav, Med, Farmer etc could look forward to one rest weekend a season. Of course you would not rest the whole engine room at the same time.
But just like a good organization you take bits of equipment off line for critical maintenance and then bring it on line again for peak times.

I believe the big soccer clubs do it .

Once your team reaches the level of the toast in the 90's or Brizzy and Power more recently then you keep the engine running mostly at full power. Always with some thought to a bit of R&R for the marquee players once a year. That, with the mid season bye round should keep players fresh as posssible.

We have some good talent waiting to get a chance to perform. Resting players for away games would faciltate that chance. The team knows the plan no one is dropped but it gives new talent a chance to push into the team.

The idea of going out to win every game makes no sense. It is a stupid blokey attitude. We should be focussed on getting into the finals. That means winning all home games and only one (possibly 2) away games.

I understand it. Don't fully agree with you. I don't think players like Medhurst or Farmer really warrant a rest since their position isn't considered one of the hardest running positions in the game.

Pav needs to learn to pace himself. As evident in the eagles game. Had a cracker start to the game but faded out. Also contributed by the lack of talls in our forward line that day and several players being able to rotate through him. This guy is one of the few that might run himself into the ground by the end of the year. But he is known for his unbelievable engine. May get a rest come round 20-22 if we are certainties for the finals and is looking fatigued.

Bell is the only other that may warrant a rest. Only because of his age. I can't see a reason for Hasleby or J.Carr or anyone else for that matter needing a rest. There's a week between games, some players miss training sessions on a regular basis to be fresh for the weekend. That should be enough R & R for the majority.