Prediction Changes Rd 13 vs Hoks

[Mojorisin]

Glad we get a look at our next small defender Free agent from Hawks.

 

[Doggy]

Agree and if I was another club I would be seeking him out

I expect him to seek a trade

Bet you said that last time too.

Good thing he had a backbone and I wouldn't be surprised if he rejects a move again

 

[Doggy]

Glad we get a look at our next small defender Free agent from Hawks.

Who's that

 

[RWnBluey]

The biggest out for the Hawks this week is Nathan Williamson

 

[BigFloppa]

I don't mind the team balance overall but the combination of Gardner and Cleary down back concerns me.

There hasn't been that much bed-shitting potential in one place since the great West Footscray diarrhoea outbreak of '73.

Have u watched Duryea at all this year?

 

[Struggle]

If Buss asks for a trade at the end of the year Dogs have no grounds to stop him. How does this continue to get games ahead of better players.

Sure we do. He signed a contract and has obligations to fill
Within every right to enforce that

 

[BigFloppa]

dardog

 

[my plums]

Glad we get a look at our next small defender Free agent from Hawks.

Seamus Mitchell?

 

[JohnnySteel]

We really need to invest in the future & back Buss in. We could’ve given him a good stretch of games which would’ve put him in a good spot for next year, pretty disappointed how we have handled this one, hope it doesn’t come back to bite us (he asks for a trade) after we have spent the time developing him.

...at least Jaques is an emergency, shows he is close to selection. Another worth investing games in, in an area of need.

 

[Spiritof82]

Sure we do. He signed a contract and has obligations to fill
Within every right to enforce that

We have another player that signed a contract to play football and that's worked out well (for the night clubs)

 

[In Repair]

and he couldnt be any worse than Duryea has been?

Wasn't this when we had the best list in the league?

 

[CarnTheScray]

Club isn’t serious at winning if it’s selecting Gardner. I understood it back in 2021-2022 when we had zero options, but now we do have options. Proven options and options that are the future. I just don’t get it.

 

[Doggy]

Club isn’t serious at winning if it’s selecting Gardner. I understood it back in 2021-2022 when we had zero options, but now we do have options. Proven options and options that are the future. I just don’t get it.

Have to have selection integrity ... something people have bemoaned in the past.

Now Gardner has warranted selection the past 5 weeks we don't want selection integrity anymore.

 

[dogwatch]

Pleased to see the selectors have retained faith in Cleary. His game against Geelong was his worst this year but prior to that he'd been good. JJ is a loss - perhaps Bramble will be given a bit more licence to run this week? Big game for Timmy.

That's ripping interchange bench. I'm guessing Dolan is sub.

MC is also dangling a carrot with the named emergencies. "Keep working boys. You're not far off a game."
Could be horses for courses after this week. Maybe give a debut to Jaques against a slightly less ferocious side.

 

[Bulldogs85]

Have to have selection integrity ... something people have bemoaned in the past.

Now Gardner has warranted welectiofor the past 5 weeks we don't want selection integrity anymore.

Some people only want selection integrity when it suits them

 

[Cookie]

No one wants a player to do bad but when you see Buss get demoted for nothing and get Gardner in, it’s pretty harsh.

Gardner has played over 50 AFL games and the vast majority of them were trash and totally undeserved.
Buss and Jones have been sent a very direct, clear message.

 

[JohnnySteel]

Dolan likely sub? Has had some success in that role before.

 

[dogwatch]

Gardner has played over 50 AFL games and the vast majority of them were trash and totally undeserved.
Buss and Jones have been sent a very direct, clear message.

Perhaps that very direct, clear message is:

Blokes will get picked on current form. If Gardy can work on his game and come back from being overlooked week after week so can you.​

 

[Pencil case]

What’s the point of having Gardner on the list if he’s been outstanding at VFL level (better than Jones and Buss), and can’t get a call up?

Back him in, he’ll surprise a few. He’s added an intercept element to his game this year, previously he’d spoil at every opportunity.

When he plays amazing tomorrow night there will be a few eggs to go around.

 

[JTCWBFC]

What’s the point of having Gardner on the list if he’s been outstanding at VFL level (better than Jones and Buss), and can’t get a call up?

Back him in, he’ll surprise a few. He’s added an intercept element to his game this year, previously he’d spoil at every opportunity.

When he plays amazing tomorrow night there will be a few eggs to go around.

Let’s be real though he wouldn’t be on the list if not for the excessively long contract

 

[Proffessor]

We won in Canberra vs GWS turning around a first quarter where we were the worse team and probably lucky not to be behind more by swinging Lobb forward and trusting Buss down back.

Since we dropped Buss we've been operating one short and I'm surprised it's taken us this long to go one tall again.

Focus should be less on Gardner specifically - we know what he is, a role playing utility tall who doesn't win/use the ball very well but is coachable and has decent athleticism and will compete whatever position he's playing. More what it means for team structure and flexibility.

Gives us far more flexibility if we want to use any of or other talls, English, Naughton, Buku, Lobb or even JOD in different posiitons, depending on the specifics of how the game plays out - we have slightly less flexibility with a different tall than Gardner.


Look I'm not pretending that Gardner is anything but a backup role playing big, but:

There is clearly evidence: 7th in our 2022 best and fairest. He's probably been a good AFL player over the course of a whole season in the not to distant past.

There is also clearly evidence: much improved VFL form in the last handful he's played, the reason why we felt comfortable picking him. 2 of this last 3 games have been excellent, the VFL thread includes people watching the games who have had to admit Gardy's played some good games.

Firstly, I hope Ryan Gardner plays well and justifies his selection this week.

However, I have to push back on the suggestion that Gardner gives us improved flexibility in comparison to the other alternatives, i.e. Buss and Jones.

I think we are less flexible with him in the side, which has incidentally been one of my main issues with his selection in the past because his presence in the side often led to the detrimental displacement of other more flexible players, e.g. Cordy and Keath, to accommodate his lack of flexibility as a defender.

The one area that I think Ryan does bring a potential advantage over the others is as a backup ruck. So, I'm hoping they employ him in that role.

 

[Sentinel]

Dolan likely sub? Has had some success in that role before.

Yes he will be sub

 

[Bald]

For those saying we have options aside from Gardner.

Who do we have in the VFL that plays down back (and is doing it well), and can also pinch hit in the ruck?

 

[weltschmerz]

For those saying we have options aside from Gardner.

Who do we have in the VFL that plays down back (and is doing it well), and can also pinch hit in the ruck?

And swap with Buku if things need a change

 

[Libbaaaa]

Bramble very lucky, hopefully can show some positives signs again.