Preview Changes: R11 vs Collingwood

[SydCrow]

Gotta keep Fish in the team. Leave Hartigan to peel the oranges. Liked Berg's game - he leads well and hits the contest. Scholl and mini-Berg deserve another crack. I thought mini-Berg was supposed to be quick? He didn't look particularly fit.

 

[Mego Red]

Especially this....completely stagnant, slow forward line the past two weeks - Walker the chief culprit and the Berg did show something. Not sold on Murphy & Stengle in the same team though...both too small, and neither are particularly good at crumbing the ball, nor are fleet of foot.

Honestly, our forward line was a complete embarrassment without Walker.

If nothing else, he ensures that the structure remains and players are where they're meant to be.

We can shit on him, but I'm not sure I can support a team that is as bad as we were against North, and the lack of leadership in the forward line was a big part of that.

 

[Bob Neil]

Let's just alternate these two teams for the rest of the season and compare and contrast their performances...

Young Guns (24 & Under)
FB: Sholl - Butts - Doedee (C)
HB: McPherson - McAsey - Hamill
C: O'Connor - Keays - Jones
HF: McHenry - Himmelberg - Davis
FF: Stengle - Fogarty - Murphy
FOLL: O'Brien - Milera - Schoenberg

Experienced Campaigners (25 & Over)
FB: Brown - Talia - Kelly
HB: Laird - Hartigan - Gibbs
C: Smith - Crouch (Brad) - Atkins
HF: Mackay - Lynch - Seedsman
FF: Knight - Walker - McAdam
FOLL: Strachan* - Sloane (C) - Crouch (Matt)

*Aged 24 but subbing in for ECs

 

[Bearded Clam]

What the hell did Murphy do to get a one week suspension against Viney?

Shhhhhhh... who cares... as long as Murph doesnt get to play the next game we should all just accept it..

 

[Miss Vanessa]

Honestly, our forward line was a complete embarrassment without Walker.

If nothing else, he ensures that the structure remains and players are where they're meant to be.

We can sh*t on him, but I'm not sure I can support a team that is as bad as we were against North, and the lack of leadership in the forward line was a big part of that.

Yep. Whatever you feel about Walker, he is still clearly our number one forward. Have we even remotely looked like a football team outside of the games/halves/quarters where he’s been on song? He is fighting a losing battle as a forward in our team at the moment. While his seeking body contact with his opponent for the contest and one armed marking attempts are infuriating, as soon as he forgets about those things and just attacks the ball he still looks great. In a team playing with zero game strategy and ranked 17th for Inside 50s - GWS, hang your heads in shame - he’s still equal in output for goals per game to players such as Harry McKay and Jordan De Goey and slightly better than Eric Hipwood and Todd Marshall, who are the beneficiaries of way better ball movement and way more opportunities.

Yes, Tex is a shadow of his former self, but he still needs to lead the forward line...despite those bloody one armed efforts. Dear god they do my head in.

 

[WeedsMullet84]

Yep. Whatever you feel about Walker, he is still clearly our number one forward. Have we even remotely looked like a football team outside of the games/halves/quarters where he’s been on song? He is fighting a losing battle as a forward in our team at the moment. While his seeking body contact with his opponent for the contest and one armed marking attempts are infuriating, as soon as he forgets about those things and just attacks the ball he still looks great. In a team playing with zero game strategy and ranked 17th for Inside 50s - GWS, hang your heads in shame - he’s still equal in output for goals per game to players such as Harry McKay and Jordan De Goey and slightly better than Eric Hipwood and Todd Marshall, who are the beneficiaries of way better ball movement and way more opportunities.

Yes, Tex is a shadow of his former self, but he still needs to lead the forward line...despite those bloody one armed efforts. Dear god they do my head in.

Can't agree with this more. The amount that Tex gets shat on by troglodytes in these forums is disgraceful. He ranks up there with the best of the game year in, year out, even when he's not scoring 60 goals a season. There's a reason why Champion data still rated him as elite across the 2018/2019 seasons, as they take into account many more facets to a game that just possessions. He's more than just a 'duhhh catch ball, kick goal' type forward, and his score involvements are usually among the highest in the comp. How on Earth anyone can put any of our forwards under the microscope the last couple of seasons is beyond me, when the forward entries, both quality and quantity, have been atrocious.

Crows supporters are a fickle bunch, and it reeks of Boomer discontent with the modern game...

 

[Bob Neil]

Can't agree with this more. The amount that Tex gets shat on by troglodytes in these forums is disgraceful. He ranks up there with the best of the game year in, year out, even when he's not scoring 60 goals a season. There's a reason why Champion data still rated him as elite across the 2018/2019 seasons, as they take into account many more facets to a game that just possessions. He's more than just a 'duhhh catch ball, kick goal' type forward, and his score involvements are usually among the highest in the comp. How on Earth anyone can put any of our forwards under the microscope the last couple of seasons is beyond me, when the forward entries, both quality and quantity, have been atrocious.

Crows supporters are a fickle bunch, and it reeks of Boomer discontent with the modern game...

Respectfully disagree. I think the game has passed Tex by and that he's simply worn out (physically, mentally or both).

We should not be picking Tex in the side and my logic is as follows:

1. We need to play someone capable of being a 2nd ruckman to give O'Brien a chop out
   • ROB can't ruck the entire game
   • ROB's our only ruckman (and a key asset on our list) and we shouldn't run him into the ground over the course of a season;
2. Tex is incapable of being that 2nd ruckman so we must pick Himmelberg (or failing that Frampton or even Strachan) in that role;
3. With Himmelberg in the side there is simply no room to play both Fogarty and Walker.
   • They're basically carbon copies being glacially slow, slightly under-sized KPFs who don't take many contested marks and provide zero forward pressure. We cannot survive opposition teams walking the ball out of our forward line with all three of Himmelberg, Walker & Fogarty playing...(and probably Lynch but that's a separate issue)
4. Therefore if it can only be one of Tex or Fogarty the answer is simple - it must be Fogarty.
   • Fogarty is the future; Tex is past it.
   • We need to play Fogarty into form, fitness and confidence so that he can be our spearhead for the next ten years.
   • Tex continues to slide and even without the context of points 1-3 he simply doesn't produce AFL level output on a consistent basis.

 

[SellarStardom]

It's easy, play FOG as a HF/Mid and leave Walker and Himmelberg in the forward 50

 

[Mutineer]

Can't agree with this more. The amount that Tex gets shat on by troglodytes in these forums is disgraceful. He ranks up there with the best of the game year in, year out, even when he's not scoring 60 goals a season. There's a reason why Champion data still rated him as elite across the 2018/2019 seasons, as they take into account many more facets to a game that just possessions. He's more than just a 'duhhh catch ball, kick goal' type forward, and his score involvements are usually among the highest in the comp. How on Earth anyone can put any of our forwards under the microscope the last couple of seasons is beyond me, when the forward entries, both quality and quantity, have been atrocious.

Crows supporters are a fickle bunch, and it reeks of Boomer discontent with the modern game...

My guess is "boomers" would be quite a sizeable minority on the Adelaide board and indeed Big Footy in general....And I doubt the majority of posters that are "shatting" on Tex and other Crows players fall into the boomer category.

 

[WeeBlake]

I'm pretty much willing to give up anything other than pick 1 for him. And I mean ANYTHING.
I wonder if they need a Chairman? Or CEO?

I’d give up pick 1 for him (Rankine)

 

[Scorpus]

Injury list as of Friday, August 7

Brodie Smith – Knee contusion (test)
Will Hamill – Concussion (TBC)
Brad Crouch – Hamstring (1 week)
Rory Sloane – Hand (1 week)
Wayne Milera – Foot (2 weeks)
Jordan Gallucci – Achilles (season)

 

[Bearded Clam]

I’d give up pick 1 for him (Rankine)

+1

 

[Jack is Back]

I’d give up pick 1 for him (Rankine)

I am in fierce agreement.

Rankine is Pick One quality but two years older. He will not be a small forward for too long, he will be a De Goey forward/mid. He is the closest we will get to Macca 2.0.

I would swap Pick One for any of the first 8 picks in the 2018 draft .

 

[Bearded Clam]

Injury list as of Friday, August 7

Brodie Smith – Knee contusion (test)
Will Hamill – Concussion (TBC)
Brad Crouch – Hamstring (1 week)
Rory Sloane – Hand (1 week)
Wayne Milera – Foot (2 weeks)
Jordan Gallucci – Achilles (season)

TBC on hamill... id be happy if he was left out for a month to make it certain that he is over it and 100%.

absolutely no reason whatsoever to risk him. Last thing we need is one of our most promising youngsters to end his career playing in this pathetic lightening carnival excuse for a season..

 

[Golumless]

I’d give up pick 1 for him (Rankine)

I'd be hesitant to, especially with a SA based KPF available and around that mark.

Mind you, I suspect GC would want more than pick 1.

 

[Bearded Clam]

I'd be hesitant to, especially with a SA based KPF available and around that mark.

Mind you, I suspect GC would want more than pick 1.

Youre right.. they’d want 3 firsts like geelong with Kelly..

 

[Mutineer]

I am in fierce agreement.

Rankine is Pick One quality but two years older. He will not be a small forward for too long, he will be a De Goey forward/mid. He is the closest we will get to Macca 2.0.

I would swap Pick One for any of the first 8 picks in the 2018 draft .

You might not once you see Braeden Campbell play but there's no way Sydney won't match.

 

[Golumless]

Youre right.. they’d want 3 firsts like geelong with Kelly..

Quite probably. If I was GC I'd be wanting both our 1sts at a minimum.

 

[Cap]

It's easy, play FOG as a HF/Mid and leave Walker and Himmelberg in the forward 50

I genuinely want to know where the clubs sees Fog.

he doesn't appear to be a stay at home contested marker, but that is what he seems to be getting played as.

 

[Finn Jim]

Hello Crows supporters,

After weeks of hoping for you guys to get in the win column I'm afraid I have to suspend my support for the week. That being said, Collingwood is as vulnerable as they come; our board is trying to say "it's the crows" while trying to forget we also said "it's just freo". In short, you guys have a shot.

But as to why I'm here: will Crocker be playing? Reading this thread I see a lot of calls to drop him. That's too bad, I was really hoping he'd develop with his second chance. 100% heart in that bloke. Any chance this round?

 

[Golumless]

Hello Crows supporters,

After weeks of hoping for you guys to get in the win column I'm afraid I have to suspend my support for the week. That being said, Collingwood is as vulnerable as they come; our board is trying to say "it's the crows" while trying to forget we also said "it's just freo". In short, you guys have a shot.

But as to why I'm here: will Crocker be playing? Reading this thread I see a lot of calls to drop him. That's too bad, I was really hoping he'd develop with his second chance. 100% heart in that bloke. Any chance this round?

Possible, but unlikely. Murphy is out with a suspension, which gives Crock a shot, however both McAdam and Stengle will be back this week and I'd be surprised if we axed McHenry.

 

[FR0GGY]

Hello Crows supporters,

After weeks of hoping for you guys to get in the win column I'm afraid I have to suspend my support for the week. That being said, Collingwood is as vulnerable as they come; our board is trying to say "it's the crows" while trying to forget we also said "it's just freo". In short, you guys have a shot.

But as to why I'm here: will Crocker be playing? Reading this thread I see a lot of calls to drop him. That's too bad, I was really hoping he'd develop with his second chance. 100% heart in that bloke. Any chance this round?

Not too sure if he’ll go round this week, he came in late as smith missed.
He did one nice thing but that was about it but was playing in our forward-line which doesn’t see many entries.

 

[GrommoT]

Hello Crows supporters,

After weeks of hoping for you guys to get in the win column I'm afraid I have to suspend my support for the week. ...

Don't mind too much if you guys can do your job to keep GWS out of the Top8, that would be great thanks.

 

[Sidthehat]

Honestly, our forward line was a complete embarrassment without Walker.

If nothing else, he ensures that the structure remains and players are where they're meant to be.

We can sh*t on him, but I'm not sure I can support a team that is as bad as we were against North, and the lack of leadership in the forward line was a big part of that.

I know structure is awful and Hart terrible with the forwards but (and I ask this as a Pom who has not played the game), shouldnt a load of 20yo+ be able to arrange themselves a little bit defensively so there's not an easy kick down the middle as happened a number of times against North?

 

[Mutineer]

I know structure is awful and Hart terrible with the forwards but (and I ask this as a Pom who has not played the game), shouldnt a load of 20yo+ be able to arrange themselves a little bit defensively so there's not an easy kick down the middle as happened a number of times against North?

Not if it's against the Coach's instructions re set ups. We are about the only team in the AFL that don't aggresively look to switch the play regularly to break the oppo zones down, we're a high kick down the line type of team it seems especially with forward entries. Oppo defenders must rub their hands with glee when they see they're playing Adelaide next up.