Preview Changes: Round 11 vs GWS

[Golumless]

I'd love to put on the glasses you've been wearing to see Galluci come anywhere close to being an A grade midfielder of the comp from what he's shown so far.

He's playing as what, predominately a small forward for the most part. Not exactly one that leads to any real consistency (and even then, in 5 attempts, he's already played one game in this role that is at a ridiculous level of production), so it comes down to glimpses that he does have and the tools he does.

What we've currently seen from Gallucci is:
explosive acceleration
showed scope to develop an acceptable to good level of accumulation. This may seem weird as he's not set the world on fire outside of the Suns game, but i'm talking more about SANFL. Despite having his season cut in half by an injury (got a block of 8, and then 6 games in the SANFL) the fact the back end of his last season was stronger in this regard is a huge tick that he'll develop this to a good level (1 out of 8 above 20 disposals prior to injury, 3 out of 6 above 20 disposals after).
Really good vision
Very strong defensively (already hit huge tackle numbers last season (5 +7 tackle games, 1 of those was 14), which also indicates desire/drive).
I'd say he has a high football IQ as well (the snap against Sydney being a standout moment, as well as he has rarely put a foot wrong when involved)

Really he's already half way to being an A grade in/out midfielder purely on having explosive acceleration as a tool. The rest is just getting the accumulation up to scratch which is just teaching him the position, keeping the defensive game up, him learning how to properly use his skill set (which for the most part he does well), and rounding out some other flaws.

 

[Mismatched]

Unfortunately the key word there is "close" losses

Not really, Richmond lost to us by 76 and the Saints by 67. Between rounds 6 and 16 last year, the tigers batted at 4 wins, 6 losses, with those 2x 10+ goal losses. They lost to Freo at the MCG FFS. They had a baaaad patch, whichever way you spin it.

Outside of those rounds though, they lost 1 game.

The difference I think is injuries, our side has been decimated. We just don’t look fit, especially against the stronger running sides. As was mentioned, Richmond’s issue was belief, in each other and their game plan. Once they got that, they were unstoppable. They also had their stars fit and firing.

If we’re going to genuinely turn this season around, we’re going to need Betts to find form and both Walker and Sloane to both get fit and also hit top form.

 

[dylan123]

On the flip side, it’s a really tough year to read. Richmond aren’t unbeatable, especially away from home, West Coast also haven’t beaten anyone of note outside of WA. Melbourne are up now, but can they sustain it? They flopped massively last year. Sydney have had some horrible losses at home. Geelong are similarly struggling, GWS are in danger of missing finals. Port are Port.

If we were to get our injuries right come August/September, I feel we’d be every chance of giving the premiership a red hot shot. Trouble is, I’m not sure “just making finals and hoping for a miracle” is the way to go.

Either way, I think without trying too hard, we’ll find ourselves in finals. As bad as we were on Sunday, if we run at 50% for the rest of the year, we finish with 12 wins and make finals, 11 would probably be enough too.

I think we still go about doing our best to get the injured guys fully fit and hopefully get some games into them in the second half of the season.

If we can get that without any further major injuries this year then there's no reason why we shouldn't have a proper crack at it. It's not easy to get a team that's capable of making it to the grand final which we did last year (and we were the best side for the H&A season). We've seen how often we lose pieces year in year out, we wait a year and we might be trying to do it without Sloane and Lynch. You then have guys like Betts being another year older and Jacobs declining further. That's 4 positions that are really hard to replace instantly (or at least the output) and likely requires players to grow in those spots which requires time. You do that then the other core guys start to get older and decline.

On paper, we're one of the best sides in the comp (best imo, as we were last year but just didn't come to play in the last week of September), we should be doing everything we can to just keep scraping wins and with any luck, get a top 4 position for the finals.

We're a month off getting Tex and Sloane back along with a role player in Knights. Another month and McGovern is back and we're close to full strength - excluding Crouch and Smith who's ETAs are anyone's best guess. Compare this side to last year and we've got Seedsman who has been a huge addition, Gibbs who covers Crouch, Doedee who has covered Lever, Cameron being the one spot that probably hasn't exactly been filled. Also have depth that have been given games this year so they're more ready to be called upon when required.

 

[conVINCEd]

I really hope the Gooch can be a quality player for us, especially as I've been watching with envy at Witherden and Hayward pretty much since they debuted.

Interestingly, Gallucci racked up 286m gained against the Demons from only 7 possessions (all kicks), which is pretty amazing as it was higher than Greenwood (21 possessions), Gibson (22) and Gibbs (19) - as well as Doedee (21).

He definitely moves the ball forward whenever he gets his hands on it.

 

[bluebob1]

I think we still go about doing our best to get the injured guys fully fit and hopefully get some games into them in the second half of the season.

If we can get that without any further major injuries this year then there's no reason why we shouldn't have a proper crack at it. It's not easy to get a team that's capable of making it to the grand final which we did last year (and we were the best side for the H&A season). We've seen how often we lose pieces year in year out, we wait a year and we might be trying to do it without Sloane and Lynch. You then have guys like Betts being another year older and Jacobs declining further. That's 4 positions that are really hard to replace instantly (or at least the output) and likely requires players to grow in those spots which requires time. You do that then the other core guys start to get older and decline.

On paper, we're one of the best sides in the comp (best imo, as we were last year but just didn't come to play in the last week of September), we should be doing everything we can to just keep scraping wins and with any luck, get a top 4 position for the finals.

We're a month off getting Tex and Sloane back along with a role player in Knights. Another month and McGovern is back and we're close to full strength - excluding Crouch and Smith who's ETAs are anyone's best guess. Compare this side to last year and we've got Seedsman who has been a huge addition, Gibbs who covers Crouch, Doedee who has covered Lever, Cameron being the one spot that probably hasn't exactly been filled. Also have depth that have been given games this year so they're more ready to be called upon when required.

 

[Golumless]

I really hope the Gooch can be a quality player for us, especially as I've been watching with envy at Witherden and Hayward pretty much since they debuted.

Interestingly, Gallucci racked up 286m gained against the Demons from only 7 possessions (all kicks), which is pretty amazing as it was higher than Greenwood (21 possessions), Gibson (22) and Gibbs (19) - as well as Doedee (21).

He definitely moves the ball forward whenever he gets his hands on it.

Gooch is no Andrew Jarman/Diesel Williams.

 

[Kraven]

Bring this bloke in. That face would be enough to win the game.

 

[BunjiMac]

Do you really think they don't go out there to win..really?

Where do you think their expectations come from?

If the fans are happy with acceptable losses, what do you think will happen with the players?

 

[bluebob1]

i dont often post like most of you but anyway i feel one of our biggest passengers is kelly. Cant kick, slows us down unless he has an easy kick and really cant defend as has showed this year ie. vs gray he is a potential liability in defense. I see a fair bit of criticism of Atkins but i see positive traits in him but to be honest apart from trying hard i dont see much in Kelly. How come he escapes the attention because tbh i think he is our worst player for the year even in the wins. I accept that Polhoke is worse but he has played 5 games (5 too many) and Mackay should have been terminated after last week like it seems like Hampton has been.

 

[AndysOtters]

On one hand I tend to agree with you.

Last year seemed to take a lot out of us, and to an extent it feels like the way the loss went down traumatized us. It was kind of like all the shit the players had put up with in the last few years had led to that moment and we failed. I’m talking the death of Bailey and then Walsh, the sacking of Sando, the Tippett departure, the loss of Dangerfield, multiple players struck down by appendicitis, the knee injury to Smith on the eve of the GF...

We’d done so well to be where we were, but then the GF finally broke us. The side was then battered from pillar to boost in the media, Lever left and dragged us through the mud, then Charlie left. Teague and Pods left. The side has seems very much burned out and functioning off fumes. Still good enough to play some decent footy, but struggling when genuinely challenged.

We almost need a down year, a reboot of such, where the players finish the season early, then get an extra 4-5 weeks of preseason to prepare. A bad year might also force a few tougher decisions to be made and a few hard truths to be realized. Send a few guys off for surgery before the season finishes so they’re tip top from the get go. Now that’s without even factoring in draft position.

On the flip side, it’s a really tough year to read. Richmond aren’t unbeatable, especially away from home, West Coast also haven’t beaten anyone of note outside of WA. Melbourne are up now, but can they sustain it? They flopped massively last year. Sydney have had some horrible losses at home. Geelong are similarly struggling, GWS are in danger of missing finals. Port are Port.

If we were to get our injuries right come August/September, I feel we’d be every chance of giving the premiership a red hot shot. Trouble is, I’m not sure “just making finals and hoping for a miracle” is the way to go.

Either way, I think without trying too hard, we’ll find ourselves in finals. As bad as we were on Sunday, if we run at 50% for the rest of the year, we finish with 12 wins and make finals, 11 would probably be enough too.

Spot on!

But you gotta ponder, with the way Premiers of recent have been going (Dogs, Richmond), you’ve got to buy in and dare to dream.

Roll the bones and gamble that future. AFC premiers 2019 with Smith for the Norm Smith in a simply sensation fairytale!

 

[hey shorty]

We've been down this road before. Effort is a non-negotiable. You're telling a bloke "You may be more talented then who I'm replacing you with, but he's going to bust his guts out and that's what I want to see from you every week if you want to keep your spot"

We've basically created a culture under Don that's says once you're in the 22 you're in the 22 and that's that.

When the SANFL guys showed a similar lack of effort it is a concern.

 

[hey shorty]

Where do you think their expectations come from?

If the fans are happy with acceptable losses, what do you think will happen with the players?

You can't believe that

 

[Bicks]

Have we seen Hamptons card stamped? Fair enough if so.



Yeah, it's probably a season or two too early for that, seeing I have him being an A grade mid around 2021.

I'm kinda half ready to write off 2019 and just focus on 2021 onwards, I've lost a fair bit of trust in our 28+ year old group.

Not too many seeing an A grade mid in Gallucci I wouldn't think, I'm certainly not, personally I think his best outcome is a best 22 type player and certainly not a top ten player list wise.

 

[Bicks]

I’m not confident Galluci will ever an an A grade mid. At this stage I’d take a B.

The issue is due to losing players below our plus 28 year olds, if we don’t have a crack in 2019, we won’t be having a crack for a number of years until the next crop come through.

I'm with you on that, absolutely.

 

[Shaz2012]

He's playing as what, predominately a small forward for the most part. Not exactly one that leads to any real consistency (and even then, in 5 attempts, he's already played one game in this role that is at a ridiculous level of production), so it comes down to glimpses that he does have and the tools he does.

What we've currently seen from Gallucci is:
explosive acceleration
showed scope to develop an acceptable to good level of accumulation. This may seem weird as he's not set the world on fire outside of the Suns game, but i'm talking more about SANFL. Despite having his season cut in half by an injury (got a block of 8, and then 6 games in the SANFL) the fact the back end of his last season was stronger in this regard is a huge tick that he'll develop this to a good level (1 out of 8 above 20 disposals prior to injury, 3 out of 6 above 20 disposals after).
Really good vision
Very strong defensively (already hit huge tackle numbers last season (5 +7 tackle games, 1 of those was 14), which also indicates desire/drive).
I'd say he has a high football IQ as well (the snap against Sydney being a standout moment, as well as he has rarely put a foot wrong when involved)

Really he's already half way to being an A grade in/out midfielder purely on having explosive acceleration as a tool. The rest is just getting the accumulation up to scratch which is just teaching him the position, keeping the defensive game up, him learning how to properly use his skill set (which for the most part he does well), and rounding out some other flaws.

Good post. He might not have to be an A grade player either. He needs to be in the top % of players playing his role. If he can get up there on stats like pressure, 1 percenters, tackles etc, then he doesn’t have to be an A grader. Couple role specific stats like those with what you have mentioned and he can be a vital part of our best 22 and one of the first players on the team sheet.

Gallucci has something. I am not sure I see an A grade mid (hope I am wrong). But that doesn’t mean he can’t be a vital and necessary part of our team. His X factor can be a serious weapon.

 

[Golumless]

Not too many seeing an A grade mid in Gallucci I wouldn't think, I'm certainly not, personally I think his best outcome is a best 22 type player and certainly not a top ten player list wise.

I'm more then happy to be in the minority here, as I did state later on, you are dealing with someone who already has the tools to become it (explosive acceleration/high iq/determined/good skills). Just a matter of development/rounding out, and if he is capable of (which I think he is).

It'll be slow, and I doubt he'll hit those heights before 2021, but I'm confident he'll get there.

 

[CrowBloke]

You absolutely can't. At some stage you have to hit 'em where it hurts. When have we ever dropped a big name player?

This.
I've got a few pages in here to catch up on, but I hope they 'drop' Jacobs for ROB (who's an interesting IN --- why name him, otherwise?). The official line can be that Jacobs is being 'managed', but I'd like to see him out at least until after the bye. Maybe out, full stop, if ROB shines?
I'd like to see Mackay out and hope that they've warned Atkins that he's next if he doesn't commit to tackling.

 

[CrowBloke]

You'd think that Hampton, Cheney and Dear would all be on thin ice at this point in time, as would Gibson and Signorello.

Agree with the others, but why Gibson?
Why's he "on thin ice"?
He was recruited for many reasons and a chance for our top-22 after 130 consecutive games at NM, until Hass got his incompetent hands on him.

 

[CrowBloke]

Not a single player held accountable for a poor performance again.

Hang on.
Isn't the final team announced 4.30p.m. on Friday?

 

[CrowBloke]

No Greene, good.

Yes.
None of our blokes need their faces rearranged by his sprigs.

 

[CrowBloke]

Effort is a non-negotiable. You're telling a bloke "You may be more talented then who I'm replacing you with, but he's going to bust his guts out and that's what I want to see from you every week if you want to keep your spot"

This, absolutely.
Jakovich told a good yarn on The Front Bar about playing under Malthouse. Carey had just given Jakovich a bath. Malthouse saved Jakovich for last (in team scrutiny post-game) and told Jakovich that he was 20, Carey 21 and that he was going to play him, often. Said something like
"If you don't find a way to beat him, I'll find someone who will".
I love that, but not a huge fan of Malthouse in his later coaching years; got too cocky/smug imo.

 

[Sanders]

He's playing as what, predominately a small forward for the most part. Not exactly one that leads to any real consistency (and even then, in 5 attempts, he's already played one game in this role that is at a ridiculous level of production), so it comes down to glimpses that he does have and the tools he does.

What we've currently seen from Gallucci is:
explosive acceleration
showed scope to develop an acceptable to good level of accumulation. This may seem weird as he's not set the world on fire outside of the Suns game, but i'm talking more about SANFL. Despite having his season cut in half by an injury (got a block of 8, and then 6 games in the SANFL) the fact the back end of his last season was stronger in this regard is a huge tick that he'll develop this to a good level (1 out of 8 above 20 disposals prior to injury, 3 out of 6 above 20 disposals after).
Really good vision
Very strong defensively (already hit huge tackle numbers last season (5 +7 tackle games, 1 of those was 14), which also indicates desire/drive).
I'd say he has a high football IQ as well (the snap against Sydney being a standout moment, as well as he has rarely put a foot wrong when involved)

Really he's already half way to being an A grade in/out midfielder purely on having explosive acceleration as a tool. The rest is just getting the accumulation up to scratch which is just teaching him the position, keeping the defensive game up, him learning how to properly use his skill set (which for the most part he does well), and rounding out some other flaws.

He’s miles and miles away from being an A grade mid. Not even close.

And that shouldn’t be an expectation on a late first round pick anyway

I’d be happy with a solid B grade, like a dougy but I see that as his absolute ceiling

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I really hope the Gooch can be a quality player for us, especially as I've been watching with envy at Witherden and Hayward pretty much since they debuted.

Interestingly, Gallucci racked up 286m gained against the Demons from only 7 possessions (all kicks), which is pretty amazing as it was higher than Greenwood (21 possessions), Gibson (22) and Gibbs (19) - as well as Doedee (21).

He definitely moves the ball forward whenever he gets his hands on it.

Good point.

I would like to see him spend bursts of the game on a wing, in addition to him running off the back of the square.

 

[Crow till I die]

Where do you think their expectations come from?

If the fans are happy with acceptable losses, what do you think will happen with the players?

Nah..if you have ever played sport at a decent level you would know that it just does not happen.

 

[Redleg Crow]

Good point.

I would like to see him spend bursts of the game on a wing, in addition to him running off the back of the square.

Yep. 7 games. Let's hold off a little on declaring his ceiling. Has shown some nice step and awareness.