Discussion Changes for Round 22 (Essendon at TD, Sunday Twilight)

[wheels4]

With birss replacing Mini and doing a good job i can't see mini coming back in but his performances have been good and warrants selection. but who do you drop for him; Eddy, Birss, Clarke, Jones, C.Gardiner, Gwilt. None of them have been playing to poorly except Gardiner so him Eddy or Gwilt are under pressure. If Gwilt and Raph play forward as the 3rd lead up option they should rotate and both stay in team.
Luke Ball is likely to come back in, if he does who can you drop again. Hard choice, X.Clarke is pushing for selection aswell. Can't see Mike Gardiner ever playing again along with L.Fisher.
Armitage has been playing well in the ressies wonder if he will get called up, unlikely though.
What i think the ins an outs should be.

INS: Ball (if fit)
OUTS: Charlie Gardiner

No need to change much as it has been working but gardiner has been hopeless we have given him his last chance and he should be de-listed at years end.
Xavier Clarke might not get into the team unless injury or poor form to others same with McQualter.
Unlucky for Mini as he was playing well but i dont think he can come straight back in for anyone

Post your Ins and Outs

 

[Squizz]

Agree that Mini might be unlucky, but wouldn't surprise to see Birss dropped despite performing well.

I'd want to see X for Chucky and Ball maybe for Eddy. Eddy has done nothing wrong but he had limited game time so maybe he's getting tired with all the chase-downs and harrassing?

With Gwilty doing a job up forward, I think only one of Raph and Chucky should be in the team as half-forwards. Roo, Kosi, Raph, Gwilt, Milne, Schneider as the forward 6 with Blake/Gilbert/Goddard/X to pinch hit if Kosi goes into the ruck (assume they will never drop Kosi regardless of how he is plyaing).

 

[SaintsSeptember]

With birss replacing Mini and doing a good job i can't see mini coming back in but his performances have been good and warrants selection. but who do you drop for him; Eddy, Birss, Clarke, Jones, C.Gardiner, Gwilt. None of them have been playing to poorly except Gardiner so him Eddy or Gwilt are under pressure. If Gwilt and Raph play forward as the 3rd lead up option they should rotate and both stay in team.
Luke Ball is likely to come back in, if he does who can you drop again. Hard choice, X.Clarke is pushing for selection aswell. Can't see Mike Gardiner ever playing again along with L.Fisher.
Armitage has been playing well in the ressies wonder if he will get called up, unlikely though.
What i think the ins an outs should be.

INS: Ball (if fit)
OUTS: Charlie Gardiner

No need to change much as it has been working but gardiner has been hopeless we have given him his last chance and he should be de-listed at years end.
Xavier Clarke might not get into the team unless injury or poor form to others same with McQualter.
Unlucky for Mini as he was playing well but i dont think he can come straight back in for anyone

Post your Ins and Outs

Crazy to talk about X not making the team. He is better than several others and selection is not simply based on keeping the players who go OK.
The cats played OK when Ablett was out but I didn't see him playing VFL while waiting for someone else to stuff up and give him a spot.

I would prefer X for C Gardiner and Ball for Eddy.
Eddy will be a gun and I think I will pick him for my next years dream team but this year his effectiveness is limited.
If Mini back in , Raph out.

 

[The Punter]

C Gardiner shouldn't be dropped for a small, non-marking target. Our two losses since the break have been caused partly by foward line structure, or lack there of. If he is dropped, then so be it, but only for a McEvoy or Allen.

Ball and X Clarke need to some in, and are clearly upgrades from Birss and Eddy.

 

[Squizz]

Agree about the forward structure Punter, but that's because we have been exposed with only one marking target during some games.

We now have four talls in F50 at the same time, and its not needed when we are trying to cover a pace deficiency and players out of form (such as Kosi who needs fleet of foot around him).

X can provide a marking target (hardly a slouch in this area). Charlie is a lead-up forward and doesn't often mark at full stretch anyway - the one in the goalsquare (which was disallowed) is the first I've seen from him in a long time.

 

[Kildonan]

I wonder if we can find a place for Michael Gardiner. He was woeful in Perth against WCE, but he had played some nice footy for us earlier in the season. He has a fair bit more pace about him than King and he has a knack of falling back a kick behind play and marking the ball when the opposition looked to have made a break for it. Those quick double turnarounds can provide us a few goals in this modern style of footy.

Is he worth losing an extra midfielder over?

We missed Ball badly the first week of his injury, but we have adapted and no-one has found us out yet (been able to stop our new midfield structure).

Xavier would be a nice inclusion.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Ball and Xavier are the obvious ins if at all possible, with Mini being unlucky this week. I think we'll need Mini's tagging ability in the finals, but not against Essendon.

I think it's okay for Eddy to be dropped. He is showing signs of tiredness after a long season, and hey, if he'd been told at the beginning of the year he'd have 9 games for his first season, I think he'd have been pretty darn pleased.

The other player to go, I feel, is Chuck. Chuck isn't necessary - he's a 190cm forward, when we already have Raph and Gwilt, who are both 188cm, in that role. I feel it'd be criminal for Birss to be dropped right now, but hey, it's the Cursed, so who knows. Eventually Mini will have to come in again, but we'll base that on form after this week, I reckon.

 

[The Punter]

In the GT era, you needed three smalls and three talls. Famously in Round 8, 2004, we kicked 23 goals from six goalkickers: Gehrig, Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Hamill, Milne & Guerra. In this example, Hamill counts as a small.

Now I think you need two talls, two mid-sized players, and two smalls. C Gardiner gravitates between the first two groups.

Riewoldt, Koschitzke & C Gardiner rotate through the first group. R Clarke, Gwilt and C Gardiner rotate through the second group. Milne, Schneider and Eddy rotate through the third group. Koschitzke also rotates through the ruck, R Clarke and Gwilt can and have rotated through the back half, and the smalls can and have all rotated through the midfield.

If you replaced C Gardiner with a small, that would leave either Kosi and Roo on their own, or with the help of the sub-190cm Raph or Gwilt. With our structure working well at the moment, I would only replace Chuck with Allen or McEvoy. McEvoy also gives us another player who can ruck, Allen gives us another option down back, as does a Matthew Ferguson.

Having said all that (and about to say something again), the fewer changes the better. We only had one sickness-related change on the weekend, and it's beginning to show. I just think Ball and X Clarke are too good to leave out.

 

[Squizz]

I wonder if we can find a place for Michael Gardiner. He was woeful in Perth against WCE, but he had played some nice footy for us earlier in the season. He has a fair bit more pace about him than King and he has a knack of falling back a kick behind play and marking the ball when the opposition looked to have made a break for it. Those quick double turnarounds can provide us a few goals in this modern style of footy.

Saw big Gardi in the basement coming in with Fraser, and chuckling away together (life is obviously good unless Gardi is a better joke-teller than I thought).

Must get on the park this week for Casey. Was always going to have some soft tissue stuff coming back from feet fractures, but needs to get some more runs on the board career wise.

Would also be more than handy (if he's up and going) in case of injury.

 

[footyfan_25]

Riewoldt was not at the recovery session this morning .. is this usual for a Monday session for him?

 

[Squizz]

Think he was on light duties last week too.

Knee tendonitis doesn't just go away - needs a period of rest which we can't afford.

So he just needs to manage it - based on his last 8-9 weeks "whatever he is doing, keep doing it".

 

[St DAC]

In: Ball, X
Out: Eddy, Jones.

Like for like. Both are upgrades. Birss stays in for tagging/midfield/forward roles. He should never have been out anyway.

The young blokes haven't done too much wrong, but it can't be argued that Ball isn't better than Eddy, and X isn't better than Jones. On that basis the changes need to be made.

 

[TassieSaint]

In: Ball, X. Clarke, Gehrig/McEvoy
Out: Charlie Gardiner, Eddy, ???

First two are no-brainers and need to come back.

I think this is our last chance to test out another FF option. Kosi is in diabolical form, and should thank his lucky stars no ones been kicking big bags at Casey to force him out. I've had a think about this though, and honestly, structure aside, I doubt either of these two players would have any less impact on the game than Kosi or Chuck. I think we should give either the fresh and ready to go G-Train or the future superstar Big Ben a run to earn their spot, because if we could find another tall target who can actually kick goals we would be a much much better side.

 

[gilbert the best]

In: Ball, X
Out: Eddy, Jones.

Like for like. Both are upgrades. Birss stays in for tagging/midfield/forward roles. He should never have been out anyway.

The young blokes haven't done too much wrong, but it can't be argued that Ball isn't better than Eddy, and X isn't better than Jones. On that basis the changes need to be made.

I think your spot on if ball and x are both fit
c gardiner at the moment is pretty important to our forward structure and lucky for him will more than likely keep his place

 

[Sainters08]

I've heard this is a ticketed match, is that correct?

 

[mad-saint-guy]

I think we should give Gards one more chance to prove his worth for the finals. I still think he's capable of being far more effective than King.

OUT: C.Gardiner, Eddy, Jones
IN: M.Gardiner, Ball, X.Clarke

B: Blake, Hudghton, S.Fisher
HB: Gram, Gilbert, Dempster
C: Montagna, Goddard, Dal Santo
HF: Schneider, Riewoldt, X.Clarke
F: Gwilt, Koschitzke, Milne

Foll: M.Gardiner, Ball, Hayes
Int: Birss, R.Clarke, Harvey, King

 

[St DAC]

So you'd play Kosi as a FF only? And use Gwilt/Raph as the lead up forward?

 

[Persevering Saint]

I don't get the fascination with dumping Jones? He's been pretty darn good. Reckon he's cemented a spot, imo.

 

[HoldenMCaulfield]

I've heard this is a ticketed match, is that correct?

Yes - all Essendon home games are fully ticketed (irrespective of the expected attendance).

 

[St DAC]

Because he can't kick a football properly. And his decision making is suspect.

There's nothing wrong at all with his endevour, effort, chasing, tackling, that's all first class. But his disposals suck. And he regularly handballs to a teammate under pressure. that makes him a liability.

X does all that off the ball stuff, but can kick a football accurately. That makes him an upgrade on CJ.

 

[Sainters08]

thought so. Thanks.

Tried getting tickets for any level for me and two mates.

All I can get is Level 3 Row T

looks like it will be jam packed.

 

[_Interpol_]

Because he can't kick a football properly. And his decision making is suspect.

There's nothing wrong at all with his endevour, effort, chasing, tackling, that's all first class. But his disposals suck. And he regularly handballs to a teammate under pressure. that makes him a liability.

X does all that off the ball stuff, but can kick a football accurately. That makes him an upgrade on CJ.

Lol nah mate, cj has bene doing ultra well. his poor disposal is more of a misconception these days. works hard runs hard and tackles hard.. x hasnt played AFL LEVEL since round 8, massive factor

less changes, the better

OUT: C Gardiner / S Birss
IN: L Ball / A McQualter

Mini deserves his spot, and the only reason birss wasn't playing was because mini was taggin well. Unfortunate for birss, but handy to have as an emerg. Charlie is not much chop, and with raph and gwilt up forward, we have enough 'talls'. I like gwilt up forward, finally finding his feet. Raph is still making massive errors that results in goals, all this from the forward line.. but he will get there, keep trying raph, you're getting better!

 

[TassieSaint]

Mini deserves his spot, and the only reason birss wasn't playing was because mini was taggin well. Unfortunate for birss, but handy to have as an emerg.

Was Van Berlo playing on Sunday? I'm pretty sure I saw him get some cheap handballs in the last quarter, so I presume he locked his keys in the car and turned up at 3 quarter time? Or perhaps someone tagged him completely out of the game?

Birssy took on someone who was averaging over 32 disposals in his last 3 weeks and absolutely killed him. He should never have been dropped and when he was he was BOG or close for about 10 games in a row in the twos, finally gets his call up, spanks a player in red hot form and people want to drop him? I will be absolutely spewing if he doesn't play next week.

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Was Van Berlo playing on Sunday? I'm pretty sure I saw him get some cheap handballs in the last quarter, so I presume he locked his keys in the car and turned up at 3 quarter time? Or perhaps someone tagged him completely out of the game?

Birssy took on someone who was averaging over 32 disposals in his last 3 weeks and absolutely killed him. He should never have been dropped and when he was he was BOG or close for about 10 games in a row in the twos, finally gets his call up, spanks a player in red hot form and people want to drop him? I will be absolutely spewing if he doesn't play next week.

I'm with you Tassie.

He has a massive engine as well.

Presented for the ball countless times yesterday despite his leads not being honoured.

I'd still have him in the team.

 

[HoldenMCaulfield]

I'm also with TassieSaint on this one !

There is no way that Birss should be dropped. He has been great in all those weeks playing for Casey, never giving up despite a rather dodgy omission in the first place and his intensity, courage and spirit on Sunday were phantastic.

I think that Ball should not be played next week anyway (no need to risk him too early when not necessarily needed). I would, however, suggest to bring in X Clarke and also Gehrig to have a last test for two further forward options (Gehrig is, as I understand, top fit and could be the surprise card come finals time).