Preview Changes: R10 vs Western Bulldogs, Saturday May 20, 1.40pm ACST @ Eureka Stadium (Ballarat)

[Milo Cyrus]

Well nicks brought it up before the geelong game but said it was too tempting to have a crack at a top team on their home deck.

Let's hope we can convert a bit better this week.
We leaned on Tex last time around for goals.

Life on Mars: Resurgent Crows stun Dogs in Ballarat thriller

The Western Bulldogs and Adelaide played out a cracking contest in Ballarat

www.afl.com.au

 

[Trigger13]

Well nicks brought it up before the geelong game but said it was too tempting to have a crack at a top team on their home deck.

Yes. But the buck stops with Burgo and co when it comes to this stuff. My point is I trust the decisions of the club a lot more than I once did, purely because of Burgo and the people around him.

 

[FR0GGY]

Yes. But the buck stops with Burgo and co when it comes to this stuff. My point is I trust the decisions of the club a lot more than I once did, purely because of Burgo and the people around him.

So much for being a port supporter

 

[Gtowncrow]

Also kicked 70 goals since he returned from suspension in round 4 last year... just a lazy 2.5 goals per game. In the top few score assist players in that time for the comp as well. I am not sure why anyone still worries about his age, Tex is playing the most consistent and best footy of his career since 2021.

Everyone has called Hawkins career over since he turned 30 and yet he has also played the best footy of his career since then and looks like will go around another season. Tex could still have 2-3 quality seasons left at AFL level, if we manage him properly like we are doing by resting him this year.

Jeremy Cameron is extending Hawkins career. Different forwards. Different roles.

There's the template for AFC. We need a mobile CHF to allow Tex to park nearer to goal. I don't think it's FOG. Maybe Gollant? Maybe TT? Maybe it's HH!!??

 

[Gtowncrow]

Let's hope we can convert a bit better this week.
We leaned on Tex last time around for goals.

Life on Mars: Resurgent Crows stun Dogs in Ballarat thriller

The Western Bulldogs and Adelaide played out a cracking contest in Ballarat

www.afl.com.au

What a beauty he kicked late in the 4th. Clutch goal!
...game winning!

 

[conVINCEd]

What if we had an injury in the first 5 minutes?

Sometimes you just need to accept he’s done something dumb rather than try and justify it or bat it away, you end up falling flat on your face

Then Lynch would’ve got the jab and come on then.

What’s the difference?

 

[BACCS]

Jeremy Cameron is extending Hawkins career. Different forwards. Different roles.

There's the template for AFC. We need a mobile CHF to allow Tex to park nearer to goal. I don't think it's FOG. Maybe Gollant? Maybe TT? Maybe it's HH!!??

Hawkins was having good seasons post 30 before Cameron arrived

 

[Crow till I die]

I can see in Gollant a case of the one that got away. He is going to blossom into an absolute A grader. Mark my words, other clubs will be looking very closely at him. The fact that we have a few riches in the tall forward lineup doesn’t mean he should be overlooked.
I am hoping for him to have somewhat of an impact, say a dozen disposals and two or three good quality goals.
Get around him Crows fans or one day he will be putting on the goals for Hawthorn or some other team.

Is he a bit of a Gunston type player if we are looking at his projected peak? Not a big key forward, but a medium forward that knows where the goals are and is clever

 

[George Kramer]

Then Lynch would’ve got the jab and come on then.

What’s the difference?

Why haven’t we done it again and why has no other club followed suit?

 

[davos44]

I find it interesting how often this board call for players to be rested as if they know how tired a player is, only for that player to play and perform the same week. There is no point speculating whether a player should or will be rested. Why? Because Burgess is all over it. Tex was rested this week because it is the optimal time to rest him. End of story.

I think combined all of us know more than Darren Burgess

 

[Vader]

Also kicked 70 goals since he returned from suspension in round 4 last year... just a lazy 2.5 goals per game. In the top few score assist players in that time for the comp as well. I am not sure why anyone still worries about his age, Tex is playing the most consistent and best footy of his career since 2021.

Everyone has called Hawkins career over since he turned 30 and yet he has also played the best footy of his career since then and looks like will go around another season. Tex could still have 2-3 quality seasons left at AFL level, if we manage him properly like we are doing by resting him this year.

Resting Walker, with the aim of prolonging his career and maximising his output in the games he plays this year, is entirely a good thing - and most people here would support it.

Resting Walker in a game where Thilthorpe is also MIA (due to injury), is not such a clever idea.

The idea of resting him is sound, the implementation of that rest - not so much!

 

[WeeBlake]

Is he a bit of a Gunston type player if we are looking at his projected peak? Not a big key forward, but a medium forward that knows where the goals are and is clever

I am still not convinced. Every time I see him run he looks like the slowest non-ruckman on an AFL list. Maybe his marking (which is truly next level) is enough, but he’d need an athletic set of forwards around him.

 

[bigman]

Resting Walker, with the aim of prolonging his career and maximising his output in the games he plays this year, is entirely a good thing - and most people here would support it.

Resting Walker in a game where Thilthorpe is also MIA (due to injury), is not such a clever idea.

The idea of resting him is sound, the implementation of that rest - not so much!

I agree with much of what you say Vader but when Tex starts to prop and look behind him and feel for players you often know that mobility or injury is an issue. I noticed on Sunday he started to do this more frequently and fortunately the Saints defenders did not play him well.

Maybe he has been carrying an injury and it got to the point where it was just not possible to play to the level he requires. His overhead marking has certainly not been as good this year. it does give us the chance to see a younger forward line in operation without Tex's input and direction. We may not like what we see but it might determine how we draft and trade at years end.

 

[Golumless]

Tex is unique for us..he has absolute footy smarts and knows how to position himself in a contest and really can take strong contested marks. Plus he can roost the ball a damn long way - one of the best field kicks in the AFL.

If Fog was more athletically mobile and had even more footy smarts, he would surely be the long term Tex replacement as he has the strength and the kicking ability. I agree with your McGovern analysis as Gollant is a strong mark and a decent set shot but does not have the presence of Tex or Fogarty. Still, if he can keep improving, he could become a dangerous medium forward for the next 5-10 seasons

The thing is when talking about Tex replacement, it's already sorted who that'll be (providing we don't anything stupid). Thilthorpe, and is why I'd argue as much as he is a bloody good player, we probably won't miss him when he goes if Riley can remain healthy.

Fog could get there, but I think we'll end up using him as a deeper forward as a Thilthorpe partner.

I can see in Gollant a case of the one that got away. He is going to blossom into an absolute A grader. Mark my words, other clubs will be looking very closely at him. The fact that we have a few riches in the tall forward lineup doesn’t mean he should be overlooked.
I am hoping for him to have somewhat of an impact, say a dozen disposals and two or three good quality goals.
Get around him Crows fans or one day he will be putting on the goals for Hawthorn or some other team.

That is a very likely occurance, especially if Welsh potential is real.

Gollant is a good prospect in a situatuon where good isn't good enough to get a gig.

 

[cleanhands]

Tex is unique for us..he has absolute footy smarts and knows how to position himself in a contest and really can take strong contested marks. Plus he can roost the ball a damn long way - one of the best field kicks in the AFL.

If Fog was more athletically mobile and had even more footy smarts, he would surely be the long term Tex replacement as he has the strength and the kicking ability. I agree with your McGovern analysis as Gollant is a strong mark and a decent set shot but does not have the presence of Tex or Fogarty. Still, if he can keep improving, he could become a dangerous medium forward for the next 5-10 seasons

CTID I would have Fog as athletically mobile as Tex maybe not currently, as I think he is hindered by his knee

 

[Ciao Giacomo]

I believe that TT will become the quintessential Centre Half Forward. He has the endurance to burn out the big key defenders and the marking skills to slaughter a smaller, more mobile defender. Fog to play closer to goals and then a third, mobile, marking forward playing in the pocket (Gollant, McAdam or Welsh)

 

[Trigger13]

So much for being a port supporter

Haha. Probably a good time to admit that I’m starting to see the pendulum swing our way when it comes to overall lists. As much as I rate Port’s young midfielders (and Bergman), I’m now in the camp that our list is better spread for talent. And I also think Pedlar and Soligo can be as good as any of Port’s young mids. I haven’t been this excited for years. Always happy to put my hand up when I’m wrong.

 

[Crow till I die]

CTID I would have Fog as athletically mobile as Tex maybe not currently, as I think he is hindered by his knee

not sure..Tex has a bigger tank than fog athletically and he moves differently (is better laterally than fog). To me Fog is a classic full forward. Tex is every bit a centre half forward that can play full forward. Can Fog play CHF and roam????

Thilthorpe should be that CHF that does all that. If he can get his hand consistently right in terms of clunking marks and crashing packs, he will be next level for us as he can roam all over the place like Reiwoldt did

 

[cleanhands]

not sure..Tex has a bigger tank than fog athletically and he moves differently (is better laterally than fog). To me Fog is a classic full forward. Tex is every bit a centre half forward that can play full forward. Can Fog play CHF and roam????

Thilthorpe should be that CHF that does all that. If he can get his hand consistently right in terms of clunking marks and crashing packs, he will be next level for us as he can roam all over the place like Reiwoldt did

I remember a running receive goal down the wing which Tex wouldn’t have been able to pull of

 

[Crow till I die]

I remember a running receive goal down the wing which Tex wouldn’t have been able to pull of

when Tex was 23?

I remember him on wing V the dogs in the elimination final running down the wing and spotting up cameron with a spearing 50+m pass for the match winning goal...could Fog do that?

 

[cleanhands]

when Tex was 23?

I remember him on wing V the dogs in the elimination final running down the wing and spotting up cameron with a speaking 50+m pass for the match winning goal...could Fog do that?

3x……… I don’t think we’ve scratched the surface with Fog yet

 

[cleanhands]

when Tex was 23?

I remember him on wing V the dogs in the elimination final running down the wing and spotting up cameron with a speaking 50+m pass for the match winning goal...could Fog do that?

if I recall no-one was chasing Tex

 

[Houston]

when Tex was 23?

I remember him on wing V the dogs in the elimination final running down the wing and spotting up cameron with a speaking 50+m pass for the match winning goal...could Fog do that?

Yes.

 

[footy4ever]

It was incompetent. Embarrassing. We don't need retcons to try to make buffoonery seem better- its not fans fault they ****ed it up.

Yawn ad nauseam.

 

[BACCS]

if I recall no-one was chasing Tex

Only because Fletcher Roberts fell over in the marking contest against Tex