Preview Changes: R18 2019 vs Essendon

[Burtonsgottago]

Stengle clearly didn’t handball enough last week.

Not backwards to a flat footed team mate about to get tackled, anyway

 

[King Elvis]

Who the * knows

Why the * do we insist on trying to shoe horn players into different positions, ahead of the guys who actually play them?

what the *

 

[Bovo]

In: Corporate Box tickets
Out: Dignity

enjoy. I loved doing corporate to port games so I did not have to care as much about the result. But have a great time.

 

[TRP1996]

Dancing with your sister feels great?

If finals feels like dancing with your sister, what does a premiership feel like? ******* your cousin?

 

[Bicks]

Lynch has been out 6 weeks. He isn't catching anyone

And neither is Stengle.....Tom Lynch is an absolute elite runner by the way.

 

[GreyCrow]

And neither is Stengle.....Tom Lynch is an absolute elite runner by the way.

Ahh , are you saying we have elite runners?

I think Essendon has us for speed which is why I dont think Lynch is going to be much benefit to balance that. I agree Stengle is never going to be a quick player but in the balance of selection I keep Stengle over Lynch having a run in the SANFL

 

[Bicks]

Ahh , are you saying we have elite runners?

I think Essendon has us for speed which is why I dont think Lynch is going to be much benefit to balance that. I agree Stengle is never going to be a quick player but in the balance of selection I keep Stengle over Lynch having a run in the SANFL

Not me, Lynch over Stengle is a no brainer.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Fourth-oldest Crows team ever and the oldest since round 16, 2006. The difference between then and now is that we were actually contending for a flag whereas we're currently a middle of the round team merely making up numbers. This team missed its chance in 2016-17 (I consider 2016 as much as a missed opportunity as 2017) yet the coaches seem to think we're in contention when results illustrate we are a fair way off it. Our youngsters don't need to play 22 games a year, but they need to get some game time to ease their way into the AFL and not to have all of them rushed in at once in a couple of years when the 2016-17 core all retire. Stengle needed to play again in a more high-pressure game rather than a training run to really get him a good taste of the highest level.

 

[Elite Crow]

Fourth-oldest Crows team ever and the oldest since round 16, 2006. The difference between then and now is that we were actually contending for a flag whereas we're currently a middle of the round team merely making up numbers. This team missed it's chance in 2016-17 (I consider 2016 as much as a missed opportunity as 2017) yet the coaches seem to think we're in contention when results illustrate we are a fair way off it. Our youngsters don't need to play 22 games a year, but they need to get some game time to ease their way into the AFL and not to have all of them rushed in at once in a couple of years when the 2016-17 core all retire. Stengle needed to play again in a more high-pressure game rather than a training run to really get him a good taste of the highest level.

That’s ****ed

 

[Elite Crow]

I’m watching the Gold Coast game and it’s approaching half time and I can’t recall a Mackay possession. How does he keep getting a game?

 

[Thetrader15]

Dancing with your sister feels great?

Blighty thought so

 

[hey shorty]

I’m watching the Gold Coast game and it’s approaching half time and I can’t recall a Mackay possession. How does he keep getting a game?

He ended up with 18 didn't he ?? Not sure how.

 

[Jack is Back]

I am not surprised with the change. If Lynch comes in, the obvious player to miss is either Stengle, Knight or Murphy. I would have opted for Knight but he does offer different qualities than our three small forwards (Betts, Murphy and Stengle).

I have rarely if ever been surprised by our selections this year, we believe in Evolution not Revolution. Don takes a logical approach and picks the team he expects to have the best chance of winning each week.

Moving Milera into the midfield is not a new thing, the signs were there at the start of the season despite his excellent form off half back in 2018. We have nibbled at playing Brodie Smith in the midfield this year, he has often been moved onto the wing in the fourth quarter plus a few squirts as an inside mid. Many posters have been calling for these changes since Don arrived and I see this as a good thing. Unfortunately Milera has had an interrupted year with minor injuries and he doesn’t have the tank to play as a full time mid.

The irony is that these moves have been to the benefit of Bran Nue Mackae. IMHO Butts, Sholl and Hamill are not ready yet (although I really like all three of them). McPherson is very close but after finally getting a solid run of games in the Twos he misses with sickness last week.

My concern this week is we have too many players under an injury cloud (Brown, Keath, Smith) or underdone (Lynch, Milera, Greenwood). My greatest long term concern is we focus too much on winning the next game rather than building a side that can challenge for the flag. It’s all about Evolution.

 

[Scorpus]

Fourth-oldest Crows team ever and the oldest since round 16, 2006. The difference between then and now is that we were actually contending for a flag whereas we're currently a middle of the round team merely making up numbers. This team missed it's chance in 2016-17 (I consider 2016 as much as a missed opportunity as 2017) yet the coaches seem to think we're in contention when results illustrate we are a fair way off it. Our youngsters don't need to play 22 games a year, but they need to get some game time to ease their way into the AFL and not to have all of them rushed in at once in a couple of years when the 2016-17 core all retire. Stengle needed to play again in a more high-pressure game rather than a training run to really get him a good taste of the highest level.

We are the new North Melbourne

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Our fourth oldest team ever and we haven't even been able to squeeze Douglas, Jacobs and Gibbs in there.

I'm confident we'll break that record

 

[Sanders]

Our fourth oldest team ever and we haven't even been able to squeeze Douglas, Jacobs and Gibbs in there.

I'm confident we'll break that record

The age of the team seems to suggest Don might be feeling the pressure more than an inherent philosophy

 

[Bicks]

This weeks AFL team selections by average age & games played:
Adelaide : 26 yrs 9 months - 117.3 games
Essendon : 24 yrs 11 months - 81.5 games
Richmond : 25 yrs 7 months - 110 games
Port Power : 25 yrs 11 months - 109.9 games
Carlton : 25 yrs 0 months - 97 games
Gold Coast 24 yrs 0 months - 77.9 games
GWS : 25 yrs 9 months - 95.9 games
Collingwood : 25 yrs 7 months - 110.1 games
Fremantle : 25 yrs 3 months - 93.7 games
Sydney : 23 yrs 6 months - 72.6 games
Brisbane : 25 yrs 3 months : 101.5 games
North Melbourne : 26 yrs 2 months - 114.8 games
Geelong : 26 yrs 5 months - 122.5 games
Hawthorn : 26 yrs 9 months - 126.9 games
Melbourne : 25 yrs 0 months - 81.6 games
West Coast : 25 yrs 6 months - 106.2 games
St.Kilda :24 yrs 4 months - 68.5 games
Western Bulldogs : 24 yrs 10 months - 88.4 games

 

[StonesThrow]

One of the few times I've actually laughed out loud on a forum. Thanks sellarstardom and Deanus. Highlight of the football year.

 

[Sanders]

Just realised you're running at a greater than 5:1 like-to-post ratio

That might be a site record

Marty disagrees

 

[AFC979810]

Our club believes success means making the finals. I believe it'sabout premierships.

Just making finals is like dancing with your sister. It feels great and all, but it doesn't mean a lot

This would have been more relevant if we weren't entering into a Grand Final as heavy favorites 21 months ago. Our club hired Phil Walsh and he constantly stated from the beginning that it was all about 2017.

Honestly -I am not sure why people are upset this year. The new AFL has shown that the a team hitting their straps at the right time of year with continuity in their side is every chance of winning the flag.

We have absolutely no reason not to play an older side and try and win the flag. Our core group is on the wrong side of 29 and this year we had ZERO benefit to finishing down the ladder.

This is an absolutely huge match for us. If we win we could be one game out of 3rd (if results go our way) with our next two games against the 17th and 16th teams. With the way our season is set up - we should not have a concern at all about 2020. All in.

 

[1970crow]

I don't consider 'select the same 22 every week, injury allowing, while bringing in youngsters for one game and then dropping them regardless of performance, while underachieving perennial disappointments stay in the side,' - to be a plan.

Not a plan, but certainly a philosophy.

 

[1970crow]

I had to laugh at Hart tonight when discussing Milera and Smith in the middle, “we like a bit of speed in there”.

Really since when? Since you’ve worked out the same set up you’ve had for the last 3 years isn’t going to cut it? Since you were embarrassed by a s**t side?

This pisses me off. They guys are paid a s**t load to be gurus and yet they are clueless and take years to get what some of us got years ago. That’s why lines like “the coaches know best” is a joke. s**t coaches are just s**t coaches.

They’re an incompetent but comfortable group that rate each other highly. It’s no different to the attitude at board level.

 

[1970crow]

I bet he has won a few coaches awards in his time

He sure has, best trainer or some similar type accolade. Sadly has never translated to a top 15 b&f on votes per game. Great trainer, very poor AFL footballer. That he’s played so many games is an embarrassment to all coaches at our club that picked him, except Neil Craig.

 

[1970crow]

Would we miss much moving Murphy to the backline and releasing Mackay...to the SANFL?

That would improve our side.

 

[thebirdman 24]

Just saw the change - ridiculous. We know Knight will fall of a cliff again after his initial recall energy wears off and he actually plays a decent team. He or Mackay should have made way.