Strategy Changes Round 2 Fremantle vs. Sydney

[TheMcManusNose]

At the risk of being told he can't defend for the 1000th time (neither can anyone else apparently), the only season we have made finals with a broadly similar list was one where Brodie played a ton on ball.

 

[DocT]

There's no way we start favourites haha

Squiggle says:

	Tip	Win %	Margin	Updated
s10		58%	8 points	1 hour ago
Aggregate		56%	6 points	1 hour ago
		63%	10 points	4 days ago
		62%	10 points	1 hour ago
		61%	8 points	2 days ago
		60%	7 points	21 hours ago
		59%	11 points	6 days ago
		59%	8 points	3 hours ago
		58%	9 points	3 hours ago
		58%	7 points	5 hours ago
		57%	6 points	20 hours ago
Punters		57%	6 points	2 hours ago
		56%	6 points	16 hours ago
		56%	6 points	2 days ago
		55%	5 points	3 hours ago
		54%	2 points	2 days ago
		53%	4 points	6 days ago
		53%	3 points	5 days ago
		51%	0 points	6 days ago
		55%	4 points	2 days ago

 

[stax on the mull]

A sub not being your 9th defender and being selected to impact the game .

Fair point. Chapman came on earlier due to Switkowski's injury and played half forward for a while from what I could observe via the TV, then went to defence in the last quarter when Cox was forward.

The avalanche of goals in the last 15 minutes really looks bad on the defenders but Geelong shifted it so easily to the outside from contests and their kicks going to their forwards weren't pressured so their forwards were able to direct where they preferred the ball and often got it because they were in the better marking positions. The forwards only have to be one step clear in those situations whereas the defender is trying to read the direction the ball is coming and a quick sideways handball gets them out of position.

 

[Mainy66]

Ins: The 2 players we could have drafted if we didn’t get an injury prone middle aged footballer coming home for lifestyle purposes.

 

[Dirty_banchez]

I'm dropping Reidy for Voss.

Jacko to play first ruck.

 

[Lach72]

So, is Serong a watch here? Only had 77% TOG.

Might explain him being at FF for a fair while

 

[Docker82]

So, is Serong a watch here? Only had 77% TOG.

Might explain him being at FF for a fair while

I think our senior players need to be put under the pump as much match committee and coaches. It’s not really the sh** players that shouldn’t be playing anyway that need to lift. We’ll probably drop Reidy and hopefully Worner and pick who we should’ve picked in the first place - we’ll also replace Banfield when injured players return. That won’t solve jack.

For a lot of the last quarter we had our first choice mids in there getting smashed. Time for those guys to take some responsibility and actually wrestle a game back when the going gets tough. It’s not that dissimilar to the last quarters last year - today it just happened to be the first and second quarters as well.

This board loves to pretend it’s the fault of the bottom six and blame them. It’s about time we start blaming our ‘match winners’ that aren’t making the impact on games their reputation and/or stats suggests they should be.

 

[Freomaniac]

At least we beat GWS to a flag

2057 i will be 63 years old.

Anyone else planning on sticking around to then

I am born in September of 1987. So... I will just turn 70 years old. LoL

 

[DockerDerek]

I have been saying for a while that our list is massively overrated outside our best team being available. Teams that play and win finals and flags are older , more experienced and have decent depth across the ground available in the twos ...we have none of those things.

Furthermore I dont think our game plan under JL has ever consistently stood up under pressure or in clutch moments?

Tend to agree with this.

• Midfield is thin and lacking in depth - we wanted Johnno and Ras to come through but they haven’t to date and both are in 4th year. Fyfe and O’Meara past their prime.
• Forward line potency more potential than real at the moment. Most of the forwards bar Treacy have some good points but also their limitations. Not commenting on Bolton yet, seems like a possible stuff up with injury management. Why did he have to play the indigenous and community games? Amiss not the same player as in 2023.
• Defence looks good on paper. Cox is a worry fitness wise. Smaller defenders not a strength besides Clark. I thought Walker would be better than he actually is.
• Ruck is not a strength without Darcy.
• Wings are okay but not much hurt factor.
• Lack of superstars/gamechangers.

 

[Freomaniac]

Even Cox has done it before.

Cox is only 194 cm and could pinch hit

 

[FreoRicci]

At the risk of being told he can't defend for the 1000th time (neither can anyone else apparently), the only season we have made finals with a broadly similar list was one where Brodie played a ton on ball.

Who plays defensive on ball? Brayshaw and maybe NOD today, but JOM and Serong are so slow and their defensive workrate sucks.

Brayshaw was most on Fremantle side with 6 tackles.

Highly rate Atkins. Sure Geelong have Dangerfield, Duncan, Selwood in days past but Atkins has always been there. Today got 12 tackles. Had more effect on the game with those tackles and 12 disposals than JOM did with 31 and Johnson with 27.
Thoroughly miss a strong defensive hard but. Someone that goes in and get dirty. Have none of those with this ‘clean’ ‘good looking’ midfield.

 

[FreoRicci]

I think our senior players need to be put under the pump as much match committee and coaches. It’s not really the sh** players that shouldn’t be playing anyway that need to lift. We’ll probably drop Reidy and hopefully Worner and pick who we should’ve picked in the first place - we’ll also replace Banfield when injured players return. That won’t solve jack.

For a lot of the last quarter we had our first choice mids in there getting smashed. Time for those guys to take some responsibility and actually wrestle a game back when the going gets tough. It’s not that dissimilar to the last quarters last year - today it just happened to be the first and second quarters as well.

This board loves to pretend it’s the fault of the bottom six and blame them. It’s about time we start blaming our ‘match winners’ that aren’t making the impact on games their reputation and/or stats suggests they should be.

This game it was clearly the leadership.
The Rott down back with compounded by how unfit and awful Pearce and Ryan were. Cox was a non factor.

The only player that can walk from that guy with head up high is Brayshaw. Clueless at to why Serong wasn’t on ball for the whole half. Went in the third and surprise surprise the game turned

 

[Boppo]

Hang on a sec, Neale was goalless until halfway through the last quarter. He was not belting Pearce.

Yeah he was. He missed a few sitters. Pearce had no pre season so needs the run.

 

[JammoMonty]

First one to drop is Walker after that effort. That annus horribilis switch to Ryan. There were a number of times where he looked to be going in second gear. Same issue in the IAS game except 4 pts are on the line. Didn’t think Wagner was that bad. Worner had some ok moments but Draper is better one on one defender and has been training as defender on small forwards. We were too tall in the backline.

Reidy to swap with Voss. Reidy was supporting LJ and gives nothing when up forward.

Bolton in for Switta (injured). Perhaps Walters if fit to sub.

Out: Worner, Walker, Reidy, Switta
In: Voss, Bolton, Walters, Chapman

Draper to play lock Lockdown on a small forward.

The best from the Peel game can be sub.

Never been a fan of Walker. Has zero game awareness and lacks direction with ball in hand. Runs to a complete stop and is either run down or hands it off to a teammate under as much pressure as he is. Never recovered from 2022 semi final. IMHO
Despite his size Chappy can play small and replaces him.

Worner can FRO.

Reidy has had opportunities and as someone who talked him up it has been disappointing. Voss is to pinch hit.

Banners just doesn’t have it. 34yo Walters to replace him.

Bolton walks straight in even with a niggle.

Even on limited mins I’d throw Fyfe back in the midfield to add some muscle.

 

[s_wd6]

Never been a fan of Walker. Has zero game awareness and tends to be in two minds with ball in hand. Runs to a complete stop and is either run down or hands it off to a teammate under as much pressure as he is. Never recovered from 2022 semi final. IMHO

Nah he recovered. Played well after coming back from his knee but has slowly gone backwards. He put up a lot of good games last year, specifically in the first half.

All I’ve seen from him this year is lazy sloppy disposal

 

[JammoMonty]

Nah he recovered. Played well after coming back from his knee but has slowly gone backwards. He put up a lot of good games last year, specifically in the first half.

All I’ve seen from him this year is lazy sloppy disposal

I have as much time for him as I did for Logue

 

[s_wd6]

I have as much time for him as I did for Logue

Logue hadn’t even played enough games to determine he was a spud by the time he was Walkers age now. Not even comparable.

 

[summerthebat]

Can't believe I'm saying this but dropping Amiss needs to be considered.

He's had six shots in the last four games, had a terrible pre-season and is ultimately the easiest blanketed forward in the competition. Cox forward has clearly been considered and he managed to at least take a contested mark in the forward line. Pearce, Cox, Draper & Chapman are all competent/good tall defenders, but Chapman & Cox are probably the only two with scope to play in a different position.

Amiss just can't beat good defenders, a run in the WAFL might help his confidence & body.

Worner just simply can't be in our best 35 players surely.

I don't know how much Bailey Banfield I've got left in me, he's the biggest momentum killer in our team. The selection committee still believe he's about to put it all together at 27 years of age.

I thought Walker defended really well but christ his disposal under pressure.

 

[JammoMonty]

Logue hadn’t even played enough games to determine he was a spud by the time he was Walkers age now. Not even comparable.

Didn’t need many games to see he was spud

 

[go_the_dockers]

So, is Serong a watch here? Only had 77% TOG.

Might explain him being at FF for a fair while

Serong played forward a lot, and Luke Ryan did not look fully fit. (Ryan did not play a practice match, so hope it just cobwebs)

Can't believe I'm saying this but dropping Amiss needs to be considered.

He's had six shots in the last four games, had a terrible pre-season and is ultimately the easiest blanketed forward in the competition. Cox forward has clearly been considered and he managed to at least take a contested mark in the forward line. Pearce, Cox, Draper & Chapman are all competent/good tall defenders, but Chapman & Cox are probably the only two with scope to play in a different position.

Amiss just can't beat good defenders, a run in the WAFL might help his confidence & body.

Worner just simply can't be in our best 35 players surely.

I don't know how much Bailey Banfield I've got left in me, he's the biggest momentum killer in our team. The selection committee still believe he's about to put it all together at 27 years of age.

I thought Walker defended really well but christ his disposal under pressure.

Cox only went forward after Reidy was subbed out to maintain 3 talls.

Amiss is taking the best key back each week, I think you give him a shot vs Sydney and Eagles, and see how we go from that point. If Darcy comes back, and Voss is in form, then you can have the discussion.




--------


In reality, they will only make 1 or 2 unforced changes.

Switta v Bolton is an easy one.
If Voss plays well for Peel, I would give him a shot.
If Walters is fit and plays well you bring him in for a defender.
Start Chapman

I can't help but feel we need to strengthen the midfield, I don't think we really replace Young with a mid which left us a bit thin.

 

[Bringbacktheeighties]

9 defenders selected. Who is on the selection panel?

Not even a versatile 9. Chappy has shown he has the potential to play other positions but hasn't been trialed and was on the bench.

Worner is a nothing player, makes errors and doesn't even have burst speed to provide something in attack. Punch in contest in the goal square when Cameron is coming to contest.. moronic.
Pearce made some criminal errors and was beaten handily from the first bounce.
Ryan looked at sea and couldn't keep the ball in front of him on at least two occasions which cost us goals.
Wagner fumbled, and missed targets by hand.
Draper handballs to team mates under pressure when he isn't under pressure. He did this last season and did it at least four times today, all of which we had easy options to move the ball forward.
Walker... have been a supporter. As Taylor mentioned on the game day thread. He has a great ability to put the ball in dangerous positions.
Cox and Jordan were mostly solid.

9 defenders! And we select a ruck and didn't play his as first ruck! If we are going to select him he has to be first ruck. If not, select Voss to play second ruck. This was peak foolishness.

Sharp bombed long and missed two Amiss leads wide open and the Murphy lead.
Johnson long bombed and Amiss had five meters on his man 4 times. Treacy was ignored by Johnson 3 times and one was the simplest of kicks to 30m out.


A fait bit of dumb football today.

I thought I saw the same thing with Reidy.

It looked like we decided to give Jackson more ruck time due to losing centre clearances with Reidy, then we have to watch Reidy be our third tall instead of Jackson.

Lost the whole point of Reidy playing. I know the comments have been let’s not see Reidy play again but we didn’t even gain the advantage of Jackson playing forward.

Based on the game plan that eventuated imagine if it was Voss sitting forward and not Reidy.

 

[Bringbacktheeighties]

Not to mention he didn't even play the number 1 ruck role today. Bring Voss in. At least he might offer SOMETHING up forward.

That was absolute dumb coaching watching Reidy play forward.

 

[Joao]

When the whole team gets smashed, forwards always look terrible. Judge them when the rest of the team is competitive.

 

[Bringbacktheeighties]

I know their has been plenty of comments about Erasmus , Brodie not showing enough.

But what is their mindset like and what are they being told after they watch us replace Young and Fyfe with Worner, Banfield.
So we can push O’Driscoll on ball and lose the impact he had as a wing and occasional midfield burst player.

Saw this last year with Darcy out. Just replace the missing player with the same type of player who is currently not playing or if you move someone from their current position it’s because you are not getting value out of them in their current position- which is usually a move during the match.

 

[Bringbacktheeighties]

Outside of a forced injury change I don’t expect to see major changes. Don’t recall wholesale changes by JL before.

You would hope we change Banfield and Worner and start Chapman. Do something about Reidy.

I think the whole team will be more energised this week. Usually when you see most of the team just off and sluggish it means we got our preparation wrong.

That’s on the coaching. I assume the players turned up lethargic lacking energy due to the lead up training and preparation choices by coaching and fitness.