Changes for next week

[bus24]

No. Sturt has the bye this week. We can drop him the week after!

I thought Sturt had enough indecision on Saturday

 

[crow87]

Well I wold have Porplyzia in our best today. He had a dirty game or two recently but was solid today, starting to look fit again, the week off has helped him.
Marty Mattner Please Craigy, just play him on te wing and I will live for 5 years longer. Also Marty, please just spend a day(s)/any free time kicking to a mate/trainer with your right foot until you can do it confidently in a match. He's been fiured out, opposition have figured him out and a change of position will only help so much if he's as predicatable as he has been. However, he's obviously under instruction not to cough the ball up, but sometimes it would be better just to sink the boot into it 3 steps earlier... or just before the stutter and rabbit in the headlights moment.

 

[crowman_23]

In: Goodwin, Burton, Douglas

Out: Bassett (Inj.), Shirley, Bock

IMO we do need a bit of a shake up to show noone is safe and we need to perform every bloody week. I am a big Bock fan but he looks very slow and we need to lose one of the talls from the forward line for mine. It was between Bock, Stevens and McGregor and for mine both McGregor and Bock look very, very slow at AFL level but Kenny can take a good pack mark and is usually a pretty decent set shot, so Bock got the cut.

I'm dropping Shirley to make way for Douglas who shone in the SANFL and deserves a crack. Half hoping Adelaide actually attack a game for once. It was between Mattner and Shirley and I wouldn't mind seeing Mattner have a run with role. I personally think he should be played on the wing but everyone complains about his poor defensive skills, so give him a run with role, force him to shut a man down, maybe Hodge. Would probably get smashed but hey, lets see what he's got.

I still feel on paper we have a very strong line-up and one that really should still be winning a lot more than they are losing. When you have blokes like Shirley and Bock getting dropped it is still a fair side, and losing Bassett will be a big loss for us.

There will be many key match-ups against the Hawks but I'm sure that will be discussed in a lot more depth throughout the week.

 

[pjcrows]

In: Goodwin, Burton, Douglas

Out: Bassett (Inj.), Shirley, Bock

IMO we do need a bit of a shake up to show noone is safe and we need to perform every bloody week. I am a big Bock fan but he looks very slow and we need to lose one of the talls from the forward line for mine. It was between Bock, Stevens and McGregor and for mine both McGregor and Bock look very, very slow at AFL level but Kenny can take a good pack mark and is usually a pretty decent set shot, so Bock got the cut.

I'm dropping Shirley to make way for Douglas who shone in the SANFL and deserves a crack. Half hoping Adelaide actually attack a game for once. It was between Mattner and Shirley and I wouldn't mind seeing Mattner have a run with role. I personally think he should be played on the wing but everyone complains about his poor defensive skills, so give him a run with role, force him to shut a man down, maybe Hodge. Would probably get smashed but hey, lets see what he's got.

I still feel on paper we have a very strong line-up and one that really should still be winning a lot more than they are losing. When you have blokes like Shirley and Bock getting dropped it is still a fair side, and losing Bassett will be a big loss for us.

There will be many key match-ups against the Hawks but I'm sure that will be discussed in a lot more depth throughout the week.

Bock won't be dropped and surely doesn't deserve to be. McGregor our only tall forward? We would be murdered.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

In: Goodwin, Burton, Douglas

Out: Bassett (Inj.), Shirley, Bock

Bock had five shots at goal today in a fairly low scoring game, kicked two, should have got four. Overall a below average game but was much better than Welsh and was slightly better than McGregor. With Bassett out injured I don't think any of our talls will be dropped anyway.

If both Goodwin and Burton come up as you suggest I imagine the two dropped players will come from Doughty, Shirley or Massie. Or Douglas will remain in the SANFL.

 

[crowman_23]

I realise it won't happen. Deep down I don't even really want it to happen. I think I just want some sort of shake-up to make the players really on their guard. They probably are in all honesty but my honest assessment when watching today was that there weren't too many that were desperate to win every contest.

I am actually a big Bock fan but it does frustrate me that he seems to be so slow. Looks ok on a lead but when it comes to chasing and pressuring he is non existent. Once I would have said drop Scott Stevens but I see him having a lot of value to the side. I think I prefer Bock in the backline and Stevens up forward though.

I also agree that Welsh is conintually pretty ordinary as a forward and should be the first of the forwards dropped. But he also just has that look to me where he can be very threatening. Does have pace, can crumb and usually kicks straight so I just see him needing to be in the side. I actually don't blame our forwards when we play bad, I do honestly believe a lot of the supply they are getting is very poor.

Whether both Goodwin and Burton come in I have no idea at this early stage in the week. I hope they do but it is pretty hard to tell this far out. But I agree three mids won't come in so I think Douglas would probably miss out.

I know my previous post has no hope of happening but it was more or less just throwing some ideas out there. Something of some sort does need to happen though, not necesarily dropping players how ever, but we need to bring out the desire of these players and get them to focus all energies into winning every contest and not getting beaten by their opponents.

 

[pjcrows]

I realise it won't happen. Deep down I don't even really want it to happen. I think I just want some sort of shake-up to make the players really on their guard. They probably are in all honesty but my honest assessment when watching today was that there weren't too many that were desperate to win every contest.

I am actually a big Bock fan but it does frustrate me that he seems to be so slow. Looks ok on a lead but when it comes to chasing and pressuring he is non existent. Once I would have said drop Scott Stevens but I see him having a lot of value to the side. I think I prefer Bock in the backline and Stevens up forward though.

I also agree that Welsh is conintually pretty ordinary as a forward and should be the first of the forwards dropped. But he also just has that look to me where he can be very threatening. Does have pace, can crumb and usually kicks straight so I just see him needing to be in the side. I actually don't blame our forwards when we play bad, I do honestly believe a lot of the supply they are getting is very poor.

Whether both Goodwin and Burton come in I have no idea at this early stage in the week. I hope they do but it is pretty hard to tell this far out. But I agree three mids won't come in so I think Douglas would probably miss out.

I know my previous post has no hope of happening but it was more or less just throwing some ideas out there. Something of some sort does need to happen though, not necesarily dropping players how ever, but we need to bring out the desire of these players and get them to focus all energies into winning every contest and not getting beaten by their opponents.

I agree, but dropping Bock when we'll already be down a defender (Bassett) is suicide. It doesn't give us any fleixibility, not that we have any anyway If you want to shake them up, drop Welsh.

 

[crowman_23]

Yeah. Could drop a lot of players on today's performance but the way Craig usually does it there won't be many changes. I don't really care what happens I just want to have a real showing against the Hawks. They have proven so far this season that they may be the real deal so I want to see what we have against them. It's usually this type of game where we hit back hard, and it will be critical to win for us to stay in the eight, so I just hope we get a switched on Adelaide this week.

 

[hey shorty]

Outs - Mattner, Shirley, Bassett, Doughty
Ins - Goodwin, Burton (if both fit), Douglas, Pfeiffer

If those 2 are not fit then Vince gets a crack and Maric as well, using Griff as a tall forward. Not sure why some people are calling for Bock to be dropped, he gave us alot more than any other tall forward yesterday. Dougy has to be rewarded for tearing us apart on the weekend and Darren might give us a spark off the wing.

I for 1 am sick of Mattner's lack of decision making, he spins more circles than a teenager driving a commodore in an Elizabeth carpark and for that he has to go, pity Sturt have the bye this week . Shirley didnt do his job yesterday and while Dogga gets alot of the ball he never really does anything with it. I stuck with Welshy because he might decide to show up this week and kick a few, as he tends to do on alternate weeks.

The thing with Hawthorns backline is that theyre not overly big, great rebounders but not overly tall. With Boyle doing his hammy yesterday you would think Croad will go forward to try and stretch our defence which leaves them a tall option short down back. Put Johncock or Douglas up forward to skirt the packs ala Neon Leon yesterday and we might give them some trouble. But in saying that, Craigy is never 1 to make wholsale changes, why would he this week.

 

[bus24]

I for 1 am sick of Mattner's lack of decision making, he spins more circles than a teenager driving a commodore in an Elizabeth carpark and for that he has to go,

Crate skiing in an Elizabeth carpark > Spinning in circles

Although it's actually better on a backstreet

 

[Alex99]

In: Gill, Douglas, Maric

Out: Bassett (injury), Doughty, Welsh (both omitted)

I am not sure if Nathan Bassett will come up, if he doesn’t I would play Nick Gill along side Ken McGregor in the forward line and move Nathan Bock back to CHB.

Our midfield sucked last week against the West Coast and someone has to be held accountable; unfortunately it’s Michael Doughty and he should go back to the SANFL. Richard Douglas played his way back into the side with a sublime performance for Glenelg and needs to be rewarded with an opportunity to play on the wing.

Last week performance was dreadful and Neil Craig need to send a message that everyones place in the side is on notice and drop someone (if not more), take Jericho, Douglas, Vince and Hinge out of the equation IIRC no one has actually been dropped this year for a poor performance this year, most have dropped out because of an injury.

Drop someone and send a bloody message that last weeks performance was simply unacceptable.

 

[Gets!]

In: Gill, Douglas, Maric

Out: Bassett (injury), Doughty, Welsh (both omitted)

I am not sure if Nathan Bassett will come up, if he doesn’t I would play Nick Gill along side Ken McGregor in the forward line and move Nathan Bock back to CHB.

Our midfield sucked last week against the West Coast and someone has to be held accountable; unfortunately it’s Michael Doughty and he should go back to the SANFL. Richard Douglas played his way back into the side with a sublime performance for Glenelg and needs to be rewarded with an opportunity to play on the wing.

Last week performance was dreadful and Neil Craig need to send a message that everyones place in the side is on notice and drop someone (if not more), take Jericho, Douglas, Vince and Hinge out of the equation IIRC no one has actually been dropped this year for a poor performance this year, most have dropped out because of an injury.

Drop someone and send a bloody message that last weeks performance was simply unacceptable.

Couldn't agree more.

The last thing I want to see on thursday on the Crows website is 'Craig names unchanged lineup'.

 

[bus24]

Couldn't agree more.

The last thing I want to see on thursday on the Crows website is 'Craig names unchanged lineup'.

Too much faith IMO. It can be a good thing, but it can also be a negative.

This is why his matchday performances can be open to criticism. He makes moves to late, because he has too much faith in a guy to do his job.

Admirable, but not always the best for the cut throat nature of an AFL footy club.

 

[CarnCrows]

I agree, but dropping Bock when we'll already be down a defender (Bassett) is suicide. It doesn't give us any fleixibility, not that we have any anyway If you want to shake them up, drop Welsh.

Agreed.

My "wish list" team.

In: Maric, Douglas, Goodwin, Burton
Out: Basset (inj), Welsh (too inconsistent), Massie (unlucky), Griffin (Hard call - but we NEED to try out Maric before it is too late!)

FF: Douglas Roo McGregor
HF: Thompson Stevens Burton
C: Knights Goodwin Van Berlo
HB: Mcleod Bock Torney
FB: Mattner Rutten Johncock
1R: Hudson Shirley Reilly
INT: Maric Porplyzia Edwards Doughty

Roo takes Welsh's spot at FF. Burton is critical as is often mis-matched. Douglas has shown he can kick goals. Stevens & Bock swap as Bock is needed on Franklin. Ive kept Mattner as his height may be needed down back. Either Massie or Torney will have to make way, it just came down to personal preference.

 

[Smoooothy]

In: Goodwin, Douglas

Out: Bassett, Mattner

agree

maybe it's time to give nick gill a go too, maybe at the expense of someone like dogga?

 

[hey shorty]

Cant drop Massie this week, I thought he was pretty good yesterday. Anyone who does get dropped for poor form will count themselves unlucky, Craigy hasnt done it before so why would he change his mind. Torney cant go either, in fact I would be shocked if any of the backline bar Bass went out, maybe Stevo.

 

[relapse]

You didn't watch/haven't been watching.

He was dreadful, and he always is when we play this crapshack brand of defensive footy.

He isn't a 3rd defender that Craig tries to make him. Watching from directly behind in the 2nd quarter while Jones tore him a new one rammed that home quickly.

Very slack defensively. He'd give him a good 10 metres before deciding that he probably should chase and spoil.

I agree, just play mattner on the wing and give him a license to run and kick long into the forward line, I am sick of seeing him second guessing his natural instinct and end up handballing or stressing about where he is going to kick the ball too. The guy made his name as an attacking wingman, let not take him away from his bread and butter. He obviously doesnt suit playing in the backlines.

 

[relapse]

I think it's time for Maric to come in

Our options are

Griff up forward and Maric in the ruck or we can bring in Nick Gill and see how he does.

 

[KUNG FU]

Not many people are asking the question: Who is replacing Bassett? The lack of a 3rd tall defenders was a crucial loss for us on Sunday. We have one of two options.

1) McIntyre comes straight in
2) Bock or McGregor go to the backlines and we bring in a tall forward

I like the look of McIntyre, but he's just come off injury and I'd prefer to move Bock to the backlines (I was wrong about him up forward full-time), bring Maric into the ruck and send Griff forward. He would really stretch Hawthorn's backline. Goodwin and Burton are automatic inclusions if they are ready. But I bet that they will err on caution with one of them. Dougie would be an automatic in if Goodwin wasn't already coming in. If he does, I think maybe Massie (undeserved) or Doughty (unlikely) would miss out.

In: Goodwin, Maric
Out: Bassett, Welsh (omit)

B: Johncock, Rutten, Stevens
HB: Torney, Bock, McLeod
C: van Berlo, Shirley, Knights
HF: Reilly, Stevens, Ricciuto
F: Porplyzia, McGregor, Griffin
R: Hudson, Thompson, Edwards
IC: Maric, Goodwin, Mattner, Doughty

Can Mattner please actually play wing this week?! Stevens and Bock would still rotate, but keep Stevens forward more. Shirley tags Mitchell.

 

[hey shorty]

If our midfield has the same accountability as they did last week then Mitchell, Hodge, MCglynn and Co will run riot. If Shirls is to play he has to be a lot tighter. Mattner has to play on the wing or he doesnt play at all and Bock does go back. As I said they are not a tall defence so we need someone to exploit that. Who that will be I have no idea.

 

[slappy]

OUT:

If not, I think it's time we dropped inconsistent players ( Bock or Stevens ) to send a message to the group.

stevens and bock were both used in roles they are not suited to, its pretty harsh to drop them for it. stevens cant play on really tall players as we all know and bock is just filling in up forward. he has only ever kicked goals against undersized opponents like the dogs and its obvious he is our best option at chb (remember 2005).

perhaps the finger should be pointed at people who are barely 50% fit like roo? watching roo yesterday was as painful as extracting barbwire from your arse ... so ive heard that is.

and mattner is a big problem because between his onesidedness and the fact that other teams have worked out just how long he takes to get into his kicking stride, he is getting nailed regularly.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Griffin - Has burst onto the scene and has impressed big time, but boy he struggled today. Tried hard, but really struggled. Time for the lad to go back to the SANFL. He should do well.

We must have been watching a COMPLETELY different game! I thought Griffin was terrific in first half and ran out of gas in the 2nd half. He was sensational with some of his work against Cox in the actual ruck contests. If anything, his first half yesterday told me that he is in for one ripping career.

 

[ShearMagic9]

We must have been watching a COMPLETELY different game! I thought Griffin was terrific in first half and ran out of gas in the 2nd half. He was sensational with some of his work against Cox in the actual ruck contests. If anything, his first half yesterday told me that he is in for one ripping career.

He did pretty well in the ruck, but around the ground he was hopeless. Fumbles galore.

 

[slappy]

We must have been watching a COMPLETELY different game! I thought Griffin was terrific in first half and ran out of gas in the 2nd half. He was sensational with some of his work against Cox in the actual ruck contests. If anything, his first half yesterday told me that he is in for one ripping career.

umm cox dominated the hitouts and threw griff around like a rag doll, cox got a heap of the ball and was regularly their link man out of defence which griff couldnt stop. all up cox destroyed him ... how on earth you say he did well is beyond me.

it was good to try griffin against cox but it was painfully obvious it wasnt working. which begs the question why he wasnt tried up forward to at least give worsfold a headache or hell even to stop seaby down back.

 

[NikkiNoo]

Slappy - I saw Griffin beat Cox at the centre bounces. Cox was better around the ground as he has the muscle to push our giraffe around. I was quite impressed with Griff just like Stiffy said before and I think he cause some major headaches at centre bounces for Cox.