Prediction Changes: Round 3 Vs West Coast Eagles + pre-match discussion

[holybishop]

I'll say one thing about our forward line, at least opposition marking defenders aren't getting leather poisoning like they have in the past.

We certainly looked more dangerous with Walters at ground level. A sign that we've been one tall too many.

 

[Bicco]

You have to go with youth, Tabs has had a good career at Freo from where he came from.
The guys around 30 have to be leaders on their line, Tabs, Hughes, Wilson are foot
soldiers and we need players that can at least physically compete.

I don't disagree. However we need to send strong message that we're not rebuilding and giving games to youth just because. We aren't rebuilding anymore. We should be just about done and games should only be given to those that deserve it regardless of age.

 

[Dockernut]

The biggest change will undoubtedly come once we work out whatever the * is going wrong in the midfield.

-12 clearances per game this year.

Fix that and everything else looks a lot better. Centre clearances especially.

Find another midfield coach because Joel Corey is clearly not up to it. Find out whatever the * is causing us to get 20 more hitouts a game for 12 less clearances.

This.

Our problems this year are clearly stemming from the midfield. Either we no longer have the cattle or our current squad is down on confidence or both IMO. In any event, JL now needs to show some nouse and correct the trend or he and the rest of the coaching group will be on borrowed time with the members.

So, if that means moving Jaeger into a resting half forward/mid position and trialling a bull like Ras at the coal-face, then just try it. We should have tried SOMETHING different against last year’s spooners last night, but no, this insufferable conservatism at the selection committee table cost us again.

Wake the **** up Freo.

 

[Taylor]

Happy with the defenders.

Ryan, Pearce, Chapman
Young, Cox, Clark...........Wilson

Mids need a shuffle for contested ball competitiveness at the bounce.

Aish, Jackson, Brayshaw
Darcy, Serong, Switkowski...... Johnson, Hughes

Tabs having trouble running out games and making the sort of mistakes like he is hypoxic

O'Meara, Amiss, Frederick
Walters, Treacy, Schultz........ Henry

Out: Brodie, Taberner, Banfield
IN: Johnson, Walters, Treacy

Banfield back to sub

 

[go_the_dockers]

Happy with the defenders.

Ryan, Pearce, Chapman
Young, Cox, Clark...........Wilson

Mids need a shuffle for contested ball competitiveness at the bounce.

Aish, Jackson, Brayshaw
Darcy, Serong, Switkowski...... Johnson, Hughes

Tabs having trouble running out games and making the sort of mistakes like he is hypoxic

O'Meara, Amiss, Frederick
Walters, Treacy, Schultz........ Henry

Out: Brodie, Taberner, Banfield
IN: Johnson, Walters, Treacy

Banfield back to sub

Was Tabs preseason interuprted? Playing a different role?

His fitness was always a strength.

 

[s_wd6]

This.

Our problems this year are clearly stemming from the midfield. Either we no longer have the cattle or our current squad is down on confidence or both IMO. In any event, JL now needs to show some nouse and correct the trend or he and the rest of the coaching group will be on borrowed time with the members.

So, if that means moving Jaeger into a resting half forward/mid position and trialling a bull like Ras at the coal-face, then just try it. We should have tried SOMETHING different against last year’s spooners last night, but no, this insufferable conservatism at the selection committee table cost us again.

Wake the * up Freo.

We tried something different by inserting switta there and it was effective. Why we haven't tried Jackson there again is beyond me. Need a big body desperately.

 

[Perfect Purple]

We might as well omit Tabs from the lineup as he will suffer an injury somewhere in the game anyway and we will have to use our Sub prematurely to replace him as opposed to having some fresh legs come on when they’re most needed. It’s a given!

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I just cant agree with people pinning anything on Henry. Made a couple of bad decisions but who didnt? At least he tries to take the game on, move the ball forward and be creative. Who else is doing that at the moment? Isnt that what most of us are hating at the moment, stagnant ball movement?

His two games this year have been a marked improvement, he was even number 1 in pressure acts last week and he's starting to take some big hits now and not shirk contact. Henry has been the last of our problems the last two weeks which I'd have in no particular order to be:

• Getting annihlated out of the middle
• Forwards who have no idea where to run
• Forwards who cant hold a mark
• Stagnant ball movement (more last week than this week)

If we drop Henry before Hughes this club will have just about lost me

 

[freo1997]

Happy with the defenders.

Ryan, Pearce, Chapman
Young, Cox, Clark...........Wilson

Mids need a shuffle for contested ball competitiveness at the bounce.

Aish, Jackson, Brayshaw
Darcy, Serong, Switkowski...... Johnson, Hughes

Tabs having trouble running out games and making the sort of mistakes like he is hypoxic

O'Meara, Amiss, Frederick
Walters, Treacy, Schultz........ Henry

Out: Brodie, Taberner, Banfield
IN: Johnson, Walters, Treacy

Banfield back to sub

Treacy won’t come back in without playing a game this weekend.

Corbett or Sturt will be picked.

 

[Nolo180]

Hughes => Dizzy

Need a more attacking winger. After watching the replay u can see his teammates only use him when theres no other option. Theres no confidence coming from the team. Banfield gets treated the same way for good reason. They r there for pressure not ball movement.

 

[Belnakor]

We certainly looked more dangerous with Walters at ground level. A sign that we've been one tall too many.

Walters is brilliant at organising the forward line. Like telling spoons like banfield not to stand in the space the other forwards are trying to lead into. The moment he came on the fwd line looked more organised.

 

[Belnakor]

I just cant agree with people pinning anything on Henry. Made a couple of bad decisions but who didnt? At least he tries to take the game on, move the ball forward and be creative. Who else is doing that at the moment? Isnt that what most of us are hating at the moment, stagnant ball movement?

If we drop Henry before Hughes this club will have just about lost me

Couldn’t agree more. Henry has a good football brain. He instinctively knows where a ball can go and where it is dangerous. A lot of the time he takes the riskiest option and it doesn’t quite come off but he takes those risks.

Hughes can’t play football. He only has two modes : panic or slow motion. He either gets the ball and just randomly handballs it in a random direction or he gets the ball. Stops. Looks around. Takes a smoke break. Lets the opponent get their numbers back. Then kicks the ball 15m to a contest. He’s an absolute liability for good ball movement and the team.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I just cant agree with people pinning anything on Henry. Made a couple of bad decisions but who didnt? At least he tries to take the game on, move the ball forward and be creative. Who else is doing that at the moment? Isnt that what most of us are hating at the moment, stagnant ball movement?

His two games this year have been a marked improvement, he was even number 1 in pressure acts last week and he's starting to take some big hits now and not shirk contact. Henry has been the last of our problems the last two weeks which I'd have in no particular order to be:

• Getting annihlated out of the middle
• Forwards who have no idea where to run
• Forwards who cant hold a mark
• Stagnant ball movement (more last week than this week)

If we drop Henry before Hughes this club will have just about lost me

To play outside in the AFL you need good skills and decision making, or the ability to hit the score board, or elite running.

What does he offer? What does he bring to the best 22?
He is not great defensively, not a great runner, not elite skills.

He simply can't miss open players in the forward 50, as he doesn't bring much else to the table.

I have Hughes and Henry both out, but if I had to pick 1 it would be Henry.

Ideally O'Driscoll and Sturt come in for both of them, and they rotate the mids, plus Switta, Sturt and Frederick through the Wing role.

 

[Belnakor]

We tried something different by inserting switta there and it was effective. Why we haven't tried Jackson there again is beyond me. Need a big body desperately.

Swita was taking the approach you hit the pack at speed and roll the dice. It was really effective. We look slow as shit without him in there.

It didn’t help Darcy’s taps pretty much all went down the throat of the opposition.

 

[Pommie Docker]

I feel slightly calmer than last night, if not still the same level of dissatisfied with the result.

Question that I genuinely don't know the answer to, why did none of this putrid ball movement occur in preseason. My guess is that we never had Jackson, Darcy and Tabs in the same team and even in the friendlies. I also seem to remember we had a lot more Johnson in the midfield which made it less one dimensional.

I think we have to drop tabs and I would consider Jackson as well. On the basis that there is no point playing him till we can get the right balance.

I would then drop Brodie for Johnson to mix up the midfield.

Bring in sturt, Johnson and Tracy.

 

[Docker82]

No. 1 priority should be getting Luke Ryan out of the team.

No one in the AFL moves the ball slower. His ball use is a total liability and the opposition probably hope he gets 40 times a game.

Great intercept mark. Doesn’t offer anything else.

 

[Belnakor]

To play outside in the AFL you need good skills and decision making, or the ability to hit the score board, or elite running.

What does he offer? What does he bring to the best 22?
He is not great defensively, not a great runner, not elite skills.

He simply can't miss open players in the forward 50, as he doesn't bring much else to the table.

I have Hughes and Henry both out, but if I had to pick 1 it would be Henry.

Ideally O'Driscoll and Sturt come in for both of them, and they rotate the mids, plus Switta, Sturt and Frederick through the Wing role.

Honestly if you think that Henry should be dropped in front of Hughes I am not sure what game you were watching. Hughes didn’t miss any targets because he never took any dangerous options.

Federick would be on the verge of being dropped he was horrendous on the weekend. He can’t hold marks and gets pushed off the ball. He can’t play wing because his kicking is trash.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Honestly if you think that Henry should be dropped in front of Hughes I am not sure what game you were watching. Hughes didn’t miss any targets because he never took any dangerous options.

Federick would be on the verge of being dropped he was horrendous on the weekend. He can’t hold marks and gets pushed off the ball. He can’t play wing because his kicking is trash.

What does Henry bring to our best 22?

Hughes is at least good defensively.

 

[Nolo180]

If we traded 2 first rounders for a guy playing for Peel then Garlick, Walls, Bell, JLo, anyone that rubber stamped the trade has to go.

Drop Taberner, play Sturt, Amiss, Walters and Schultz inside 50. Jackson at CHF pushing on to the wings.

How fit is he? Can he play wing role? Interesting thought.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

To play outside in the AFL you need good skills and decision making, or the ability to hit the score board, or elite running.

What does he offer? What does he bring to the best 22?
He is not great defensively, not a great runner, not elite skills.

He simply can't miss open players in the forward 50, as he doesn't bring much else to the table.

I have Hughes and Henry both out, but if I had to pick 1 it would be Henry.

Ideally O'Driscoll and Sturt come in for both of them, and they rotate the mids, plus Switta, Sturt and Frederick through the Wing role.

Yeah I cant disagree more, his decision making is catching up and his running has improved out of sight. Plenty of other players are making poor decisions without being crucified.

In criteria I would rate highly for him he is:

• 6th in pressure acts
• 3rd score involvements
• 9th intercept possessions
• 10th worst for clangers
• 12th metres gained (though it looks like it's bugged because Ryan has 748.3 on average apparently)
• 4th on inside 50

Honestly, the fact you'd drop him before Hughes is just mind blowing to me. Hughes is adding absolutely nothing and emblematic of all our ball movement problems

 

[TheMcManusNose]

What does Henry bring to our best 22?

Hughes is at least good defensively.

Rather lose effectiveness defensively for any small scerrick of speed or ball use we can coax out of Henry.

 

[Nolo180]

No. 1 priority should be getting Luke Ryan out of the team.

No one in the AFL moves the ball slower. His ball use is a total liability and the opposition probably hope he gets 40 times a game.

Great intercept mark. Doesn’t offer anything else.

Our defence is the only thing working atm. Ryan forms a part of the wall back there. Hes not going anywhere.
He doesnt kick his long down the line high balls anywhere near as much when Lyon was here.
Yes he does need to hand off more to players like Clark & Wilson running past. But its not his fault if they arnt doing that.

 

[millsy]

Yeah I cant disagree more, his decision making is catching up and his running has improved out of sight. Plenty of other players are making poor decisions without being crucified.

In criteria I would rate highly for him he is:

• 6th in pressure acts
• 3rd score involvements
• 9th intercept possessions
• 10th worst for clangers
• 12th metres gained (though it looks like it's bugged because Ryan has 748.3 on average apparently)
• 4th on inside 50

Honestly, the fact you'd drop him before Hughes is just mind blowing to me. Hughes is adding absolutely nothing and emblematic of all our ball movement problems

I'll throw in that I reckon Henry played more forward last night. Minimal wing. I think he's more likely a wingman / needs space, so to contribute in a half forward role was a positive. Needs to add size and be stronger over ground ball, but he can be a long term player, surely we're not turfing him.

I'll also stick up for Hughes (slightly). I'm not saying he's undroppable, but he plays his role. Plenty others should shoulder ball movement blame well before him.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I'll throw in that I reckon Henry played more forward last night. Minimal wing. I think he's more likely a wingman / needs space, so to contribute in a half forward role was a positive. Needs to add size and be stronger over ground ball, but he can be a long term player, surely we're not turfing him.

I'll also stick up for Hughes (slightly). I'm not saying he's undroppable, but he plays his role. Plenty others should shoulder ball movement blame well before him.

I'm sure Hughes is playing his role and a lot of our ball movement problems are coaching given the talent we have coming off the half back line but Hughes can not move a ball on in an attacking manor to save his life, even if the gameplan is fixed. It is his single biggest flaw and probably our biggest problem at the moment.

 

[Belnakor]

What does Henry bring to our best 22?

Hughes is at least good defensively.

The last thing this team needs is more defence.