Preview Changes & Pre-match Discussion - Round 6 vs. Essendon, MCG ANZAC Day Sun 25/04 @ 3:20pm

[jonmacTrag]

So what? I'm discussing this week. Whether or not he was lucky to not be dropped a few weeks ago is irrelevant.

This is just the first few gusts ahead of the storm front Timmy.

As the season lengthens and the kids form and fitness suffer from the stress of too early an introduction to full senior football their performances will drop.

Then the full fury of the keyboard warrior shall be unleashed.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Glass is always half empty. No fun in life being negative. The VFL list we are building sounds extremely exciting...with Poulter McMahon Tohill and others also showing form.

Yep. The key is that these guys show enough to be best-22 players. Macrae has looked the part at AFL level on debut. Poulter has a VFL BOG already in two games. Rantall had one last week and debuts today. Henry has debuted and although it wasn’t great, he has shown he definitely has tools. McInnes is coming from a way back after surgery, but the club have more tape on him and have spent more time with him than anyone has with any 2020 draftee.

If we can get Murphy a good block of games, and Kelly can stay healthy and find his feet down back, that would be over half a dozen spots locked up in our future 22 before Nick Daicos even arrives.

 

[jonmacTrag]

Yep. The key is that these guys show enough to be best-22 players. Macrae has looked the part at AFL level on debut. Poulter has a VFL BOG already in two games. Rantall had one last week and debuts today. Henry has debuted and although it wasn’t great, he has shown he definitely has tools. McInnes is coming from a way back after surgery, but the club have more tape on him and have spent more time with him than anyone has with any 2020 draftee.

If we can get Murphy a good block of games, and Kelly can stay healthy and find his feet down back, that would be over half a dozen spots locked up in our future 22 before Nick Daicos even arrives.

Agreed - if we can finish in the top 2/3rds with our personnel situation and slot in 2 or 3 of our older recruits into positions whilst blooding the majority of the list we will have had an appropriately effective season.

 

[Roverjg]

Ruscoe and WHE back in after poor games at VFL level. Why do we continue to reward mediocrity!!!
Good to see Murphy and Rantall get a game, so wish both boys well. Feels like a debut game for Murphy as well, because we have hardly seen him.
All in all, a ordinary looking team, but can only use what is at the clubs disposal, player wise. Wouldn't surprise me to see us drop this game, quite convincingly.

The lack of selection integrity is a big issue. How some players can play poorly for several seasons and not be dropped and others are dropped after one game. There is no reward for effort. Unfortunately we know what we are going to get with WHE, Ruscoe and Brown

On SM-N975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Brodzingwood]

It is a shift for us with Rantall who played one good vfl game and he is straight into the side yet we have traditionally made players play 3-4 in a row to get a game. Shows me that it is an easy side to crack into at the minute and not settled on a certain player for each role, need these young blokes to grab and take their opportunity

 

[mike123]

You are clearly not watching closely enough. Chasing and contesting is something Cox generally does well. I have often been surprised by his pace for such a big man when running to intercept a pass or harass a defender.
It's harder to judge WHE's pace when he is standing still with his hands on his hips watching his opponent kick a match winning goal.

Cox gets pushed of the ball quite easily in contests and whilst Cox might put effort into his chases there more often than not ineffectual.

That wasn’t WHE’s opponent.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

The lack of selection integrity is a big issue. How some players can play poorly for several seasons and not be dropped and others are dropped after one game. There is no reward for effort. Unfortunately we know what we are going to get with WHE, Ruscoe and Brown

On SM-N975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

But Ruscoe is exactly the type player who is "dropped after one game" (or two) that you are referring to.

 

[pablo disco bar]

Why ruscoe?

Rather sier...poulter anyone tohill

 

[stormskye]

Why ruscoe?

Rather sier...poulter anyone tohill

Crocker?

 

[vinnievavoom]

Cox had issues with his eyes for much of the season last year after surgery. It was only fixed later in the season.I'd love to know what ailment is affecting Hoskin Elliott or C Brown. Perhaps we'll find out one day.

To me, that's just another excuse and is arbitrary. Karreem Abdul-Jabbar, wore goggles all his career. I know he hadn't pleaded poor eyesight when he played badly. What was Cox's Ailment when he was dropping marks yesterday and last week in the VFL? He was terrible.

I'm not convinced with Cox and never will be. He is more of a liability than a weapon. Much prefer a smaller forward in his place, so we have can structure our forward line with several leads, and options open for our midfielders. This is much harder to defend. With Cox in place, they go long to one focal point and it is predictable and easy to run out of defense once Cox drops it if he cant cant reach the contest. You have to lob it on top of his head and the pass needs to be pinpoint otherwise he just lacks the ability to hold off defenders, and then sometimes he drops it anyway. Better to pinpoint your passes to several leading options.

 

[soreplums]

Does anyone know if reserved seat club members can still get access to tickets today, or is it too late?

 

[jmac70]

Why ruscoe?

Rather sier...poulter anyone tohill

Give him a chance mate, might surprise today.

 

[vinnievavoom]

Why ruscoe?

Rather sier...poulter anyone tohill

Because it appears as though Buckley picks guys based on their personalities. On Rantall's selection for this Anzac day, he announces to the team.. “When I’ve observed you over the last four to six weeks, I see a kid who has a smile on his face, who is more settled in his own skin and we’re seeing that translate into your training and playing performances,”
Ruscoe is always smiling and is a pretty jovial fellow...
Apart from that... I don't really understand myself...

 

[pablo disco bar]

Give him a chance mate, might surprise today.

We speak

 

[The Royal Sampler]

It is a shift for us with Rantall who played one good vfl game and he is straight into the side yet we have traditionally made players play 3-4 in a row to get a game. Shows me that it is an easy side to crack into at the minute and not settled on a certain player for each role, need these young blokes to grab and take their opportunity

Is that true though? I would say we simply haven’t had players play 3-4 good ones in a row since Scharenberg was working his way back from injury, and prior to that we’re talking Malthouse era since we’ve had a solid VFL team forcing players to knock the door down.

 

[Zzorse]

What was Cox's Ailment when he was dropping marks yesterday and last week in the VFL? He was terrible.

You'd think he'd want to improve his marking over the years but he hasn't. In the ruck he jumps too soon. Etc. Etc. Etc. He could write an autobiography called "Sometimes a Good Game". But nobody would read it.

 

[gouki88]

It is a shift for us with Rantall who played one good vfl game and he is straight into the side yet we have traditionally made players play 3-4 in a row to get a game. Shows me that it is an easy side to crack into at the minute and not settled on a certain player for each role, need these young blokes to grab and take their opportunity

I think he'd been impressive in the previous reserves games, they just weren't publicly accessible