Preview Changes: R7 v Carlton

[conVINCEd]

What gets Poholke a game ahead of a fit Murphy at this stage? Murphy is likely to miss but I don't see what Poholke has done at AFL level that gets him ahead of Murphy.

Fair point and I really like Murphy but he hasn’t played in several weeks and with Betts likely to join Knight and Gallucci in the side we have enough small fowards and Poholke can play through the midfield. Not sure if Murphy can play through the centre.

If Sloane returns then Poholke is likely out anyway.

 

[Shaz2012]

Do we even have any other available tall defenders who are remotely viable as AFL players?

I liked Harry Dear back there in the SANFL. Not exactly a lock down defender though.

 

[Bicks]

Fair point and I really like Murphy but he hasn’t played in several weeks and with Betts likely to join Knight and Gallucci in the side we have enough small fowards and Poholke can play through the midfield. Not sure if Murphy can play through the centre.

If Sloane returns then Poholke is likely out anyway.

Won the Northern Knights B & F in 2016 playing almost exclusively as a midfielder, his clearance work was exceptional on the occasions I saw him live and don't forget with a December birthday he was giving age away to most of the lads..

 

[conVINCEd]

Won the Northern Knights B & F in 2016 playing almost exclusively as a midfielder, his clearance work was exceptional on the occasions I saw him live and don't forget with a December birthday he was giving age away to most of the lads..

Nice. He’s a talent.

 

[CrowBloke]

Of course you play him if he's fit but as I said he had hamstring awareness.
If he's not 100% why not rest him for the Carlton game.
Tex has been carrying injuries for a couple of years now, perhaps we do need to better manage his well being this whole season.
When there's a niggle, err on the side of caution.
Instead of rushing back players who are keen to return, get them right and don't let them dictate playing injured.
Playing Sloane injured against Collingwood may have taught us a long needed lesson.

Has the penny finally dropped? Are we seeing the start of proper injury and list management.
We have the young replacements eager to step up and play while getting valuable games experience which will serve us well in the future.
Hopefully they might even begin to manage Sauce's workload throughout the year, then I'll really believe.

I wasn't saying we don't need Walkers leadership every week.
It just so happens he's not fit and having a weeks rest will allow him to freshen up for the showdown.
Coincidently, it is the next game. His leadership and presence will be sorely needed for that encounter.

I'm not sure what you think I was saying to provoke such a long response with which I'd agreed before anyway.
My point was Carlton or not, Showdown or not, regardless of the opponent, if he's fit he plays.
If not fit, hopefully he won't play ie hopefully Pyke & Co won't go into any game carrying any players, especially when our depth has stepped up in Tex's and others' absences.
We're hoping the same thing.

 

[CrowBloke]

Seedsman I always liked but his season is something else !!!

Yeah, what a bonus his form has been.

 

[AFC979810]

Won the Northern Knights B & F in 2016 playing almost exclusively as a midfielder, his clearance work was exceptional on the occasions I saw him live and don't forget with a December birthday he was giving age away to most of the lads..

I see a lot of young Steele Sidebottom with him. He is one I think we really need to pump games into this year. Still a very slight frame so will need a couple more preseasons to build muscle. Will become a very good player in 2020.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Will we bring in an extra tall defender given the size of Carltons forwardline ??

Can always throw Gov back.

 

[CrowinNT]

Hopefully they might even begin to manage Sauce's workload throughout the year, then I'll really believe.
.

Totally agree with this.
Have to get more games into ROB
No use being late in the season with a burnt out Jacobs.

 

[LC40]

I'm not sure what you think I was saying to provoke such a long response with which I'd agreed before anyway.
My point was Carlton or not, Showdown or not, regardless of the opponent, if he's fit he plays.
If not fit, hopefully he won't play ie hopefully Pyke & Co won't go into any game carrying any players, especially when our depth has stepped up in Tex's and others' absences.
We're hoping the same thing.

A lot of my posts are that long...except this.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

I'm not sure what you think I was saying to provoke such a long response with which I'd agreed before anyway.
My point was Carlton or not, Showdown or not, regardless of the opponent, if he's fit he plays.
If not fit, hopefully he won't play ie hopefully Pyke & Co won't go into any game carrying any players, especially when our depth has stepped up in Tex's and others' absences.
We're hoping the same thing.

You wonder if our depth would have stepped up last year if we had tested rather than carrying injuries in the team!

 

[Golumless]

Fair point and I really like Murphy but he hasn’t played in several weeks and with Betts likely to join Knight and Gallucci in the side we have enough small fowards and Poholke can play through the midfield. Not sure if Murphy can play through the centre.

If Sloane returns then Poholke is likely out anyway.

That is the biggest thing that stops this, though Gallucci could be used as more of a midfielder to cover.

 

[1970crow]

But with all the others scans found damage. This time no damage was found. Also how much training did Smith do?

Wasn't it no "significant" damage.

 

[Linekers Ears]

Will we bring in an extra tall defender given the size of Carltons forwardline ??

GIven the weather forecast, should we go tall?

"Medium (60%) chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening"

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Can always throw Gov back.

I would stick to our three talls

Talia to Levi Casboult
Otten to the inexperience Harry McKay
Set Doedee the challenge of going to Curnow

with this in mind I would not be surprised if Carlton make a structural change and drop young Harry McKay and go into this game with only 2 talls up forward

 

[hey shorty]

I would stick to our three talls and give Doedee a challenge of going to Curmow

Would he have played in U18s with him ?? Might have some experience

 

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

I would stick to our three talls

Talia to Levi Casboult
Otten to the inexperience Harry McKay
Set Doedee the challenge of going to Curnow

with this in mind I would not be surprised if Carlton make a structural change and drop young Harry McKay and go into this game with only 2 talls up forward

I hope Doedee plays on Curnow. Would be a good comparison between him and Lever as Lever got absolutely smashed one-on-one by Curnow last year.

 

[footy4ever]

I would stick to our three talls

Talia to Levi Casboult
Otten to the inexperience Harry McKay
Set Curnow the challenge of going to Doedee

with this in mind I would not be surprised if Carlton make a structural change and drop young Harry McKay and go into this game with only 2 talls up forward

FTFY

 

[CrowBloke]

You wonder if our depth would have stepped up last year if we had tested rather than carrying injuries in the team!

Unfortunately, we'll never know if they would have stepped up back then, given the chance.
I don't support carrying senior players into a game if they're injured, especially a final. I don't mean someone with a bit of bruise-like soreness. That will run out during a game. I mean a chronic injury, like with Tex's foot problem last year which made him such a passenger in the GF.
Our depth has been tested this year because of the spate of hamstring injuries (wtf??) and they have performed well above my expectations. We're fifth at 4-2 with a team missing anywhere from 3 to 6 of our best 22, with unexpected wins against Richmond (5-1 and looking very strong) and Sydney. We could easily be 2-4 and floundering around 14th spot.
We shouldn't underestimate the impact of Gibbs who's enjoying career-best stats (surrounded by a better side), the handiness of Fogarty as a tall forward if needed, the surprisingly good form of Murphy (before injury) and Gallucci, CEY's improvement, the rise of Milera and the amazing effectiveness of Doedee. Seedsman has stepped up a big notch as well.

My biggest hope is that we have a fully fit, full-strength squad to choose from for our last 6-8 Minor Round games with hamstring injuries a bad memory, by which time (finals) Smith might be available too. By then, Milera and Doedee will be even better so that a match-unfit Smith won't even be risked. What a luxury! Hopefully Pyke will pick the best, strongest/fittest, most enthusiastic team players regardless of contracts or reputation.

 

[Bazz_27]

Would he have played in U18s with him ?? Might have some experience

They both played at the falcons so i'm sure they would have played against each other at some point although curnow missed a bit of footy in his last year

 

[CrowBloke]

P.S. re:

My biggest hope is that we have a fully fit, full-strength squad to choose from for our last 6-8 Minor Round games

Means some worthy players will miss out, unfortunately, but here's a hypothetical: suppose Sloane is playing poorly by his own standards and has a niggling achilles giving him grief, slowing him down, with a Final to play. Regardless of the status of his contract, we have enough depth now not to pick him and be confident that his replacement will do better than an injured Sloane.
That was not the case last year when Betts and Sloane had appendectomies and Gov and Smith were injured.
(I was very happy when Pyke said: "We'll see how he trains tonight and what his movement is like and make sure we're not guided by his desire to play, versus his injury, but I'll be confident with him.")

 

[CrowBloke]

Have to get more games into ROB

Agree strongly, plus it would give his confidence a boost.

 

[footy4ever]

This game is making me nervous.

Carlton/Gibbs, Carlton first time at AO will play out of their skins in the AO atmosphere, Carlton have never lost 7 in a row(apparently), Tex is a monty to sit this one out, Eddie will probably join Tex in the stands, Sloane will be rusty if he plays, possibly no Kelly, guys probably coming back from hammies. We're a 10 goal better side than Carlton but jeez I hope we turn up with some respect and not with big fat heads like against Collingwood, or play shit like the second half against the lowly Gold Coast. We need to smash this one.

Get the selection right guys and CC Pykey.

 

[CrowBloke]

... and CC Pykey

??

 

[footy4ever]

??

include him in the email, inform him, let him know...