Changes Round 5 vs Hawks

[threenewpadlocks]

Bevo to surprise everyone by first rucking Ryan Gardner

 

[Mofra]

Lobb as CB ruck then runs back to defence, Emmett to come in and share duties with Croft around the ground, Darcy to take F50 ruck duties.

The other options look a bit worrying. Lobb to ruck (he's put his had up) - he's actually pretty good - and bring in a tall(ish) defender, Coffield named in the bests at VFL level but he's slow, I'm not sure who he goes to.

Darcy is an excellent ruck but his value forward of the ball is too high.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Bevo to surprise everyone by first rucking Ryan Gardner

Well he spent time rucking in the preseason last year.

And another left field candidate - Davidson took some ruck contests in the VFL for Richmond.

Seriously hope we are past Bevo’s ruck experiments but the little devil on his shoulder would be rubbing his hands right now.

 

[Northern Dogs]

I'd like to see:
In : Emmett, L Kennedy, Hynes
Out: English, Jones, McNeill

Rucks Lobb, Croft and Emmett gives us options. L Kennedy as a defensive minded midfielder who can run all day to shadow Newcombe who always does well against us, Hynes to replace McNeil.
Good opportunity here to blood a couple.

 

[Libbaaaa]

Chol absolutely shredding Gardner last year still gives me chills. Also of note Sam Darcy didn't play last year.

 

[AFDogs]

OUT: English, Jones

IN: Treloar, Emmett

 

[W W Biscuit]

Taking an overarching look at who, if fit, would probably make our best 23...

Out: Liberatore, Richards, Treloar, Weightman, English, Jones

That's actually a bit of a decimation - 3/4 of a starting midfield, our ruck man, and our two best small forwards. It's the quality that's missing. It was easier to cover Bont and one or two others at the beginning of last year, IMO. Now, we have a critical mass of elite talent missing. Any team is going to struggle with those types of players out.

 

[doggiesin08]

Lobb as CB ruck then runs back to defence, Emmett to come in and share duties with Croft around the ground, Darcy to take F50 ruck duties.

The other options look a bit worrying. Lobb to ruck (he's put his had up) - he's actually pretty good - and bring in a tall(ish) defender, Coffield named in the bests at VFL level but he's slow, I'm not sure who he goes to.

Darcy is an excellent ruck but his value forward of the ball is too high.

In the GWS game Darcy was often the 2nd ruck for CBs but then would just push deep forward and Lewis moved up to do the around the ground work (and got monstered by Riccardi). It wouldn’t surprise me if we did the same this week with Emmett/Croft after Lobb/Darcy do the CB work.

It’s easy to imagine Lobb as ruck, Emmett/Croft on the wing and Williams in the backline on Gunston. As soon as there’s a break in play Emmett/Croft are now the ruck, Lobb pushes back and Williams pushes up to the wing.

 

[Bald Headed Flog]

Saw Bont get a good hitout in a ruck contest against Essendon, so I assume we'll go with him as number 1 ruck this week

 

[Doggy]

It’s the fact Timmy is dropping back and helping defencively or getting forward as an additional tall that we will desperately miss.

I’m as positive as anyone about how well we’ve started but coming smack bang into 4 real contenders playing great footy (Hawks v Geelong was outstanding) with these specific injuries is a disaster for us. I don’t care who the coach is, losing Richards, English, Libba absolutely guts our midfield. The reality is that they simply aren’t replaceable given our game style this year.

I’d give Emmett a run for the experience (looks a real talent), and it’s a great chance for Smith to get some exposure, but if we beat any of the next 4 teams I’ll be very surprised.

Geelong should have won yesterday with a very green ruckman. Yes Edwards is talented but has barely played.

Libba might be back next week, who knows if the others are 2 weeks (best case).

Might be able to scrap 2 wins, especially the last 2

 

[Anja_Nees]

Taking an overarching look at who, if fit, would probably make our best 23...

Out: Liberatore, Richards, Treloar, Weightman, English, Jones

That's actually a bit of a decimation - 3/4 of a starting midfield, our ruck man, and our two best small forwards. It's the quality that's missing. It was easier to cover Bont and one or two others at the beginning of last year, IMO. Now, we have a critical mass of elite talent missing. Any team is going to struggle with those types of players out.

All true, but last year we were effectively missing Treloar and Weightman all year, with JUH awol as well and we went significant stints without Bont and Darcy.

We’ve been covering the loss of top end talent for a while.

I suspect it’ll just mean our remaining mids will have to take up the slack (less Bont forward etc) and our talls will have to share the load. I think we’re as well equipped as any team to deal with it.

 

[Spiritof82]

Geelong should have won yesterday with a very green ruckman. Yes Edwards is talented but has barely played.

Libba might be back next week, who knows if the others are 2 weeks (best case).

Might be able to scrap 2 wins, especially the last 2

Libbas the big one we need back, provides leadership and motivation for the team, something that was non existent in the second half last week, it was more like a lunchtime school kids game where players were just running in circles and making things up with no one to direct them on the ground

 

[Golden_6]

I don't mind Lobb rucking if he's following a key forward into the ruck. The Hawks played Reeves & Meek on the weekend and split their game times 48%/52% so if they keep the same structure then that option doesn't really work.

Chol (73%), Lewish (81%) & Gunston (89%) only played together for 43% of the game so that does give us some leeway where we can get away with just JOD & Buku as key defenders for decent portions of the game.

I'd probably roll with a Emmett, Croft & Lobb 1/3 split with Darcy an option if the younger boys aren't matching it physically. The problem is that our midfielders will have to play a little more defensive but they're probably already used to this with English.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

All true, but last year we were effectively missing Treloar and Weightman all year, with JUH awol as well and we went significant stints without Bont and Darcy.

We’ve been covering the loss of top end talent for a while.

I suspect it’ll just mean our remaining mids will have to take up the slack (less Bont forward etc) and our talls will have to share the load. I think we’re as well equipped as any team to deal with it.

I think it's looking at the bigger picture for the season though.

2016 we were destroyed by injuries too, and could have reasonably finished top 2/top 4 without them.

That we won the flag (with a less injured finals team than any H&A game) is a stuff of legend - nothing like winning 3 away games before the GF, two with travel - makes it an all-timer premiership, but it's not something that you can expect to happen every year.

We need to finish top 4 for the double chance, and ideally top 2 for having to avoid to win a likely interstate qualifying final, or prelim, to make the GF.

These injuries - to these 8 pointer top 2/top 4 swing games, are critical. And it's frustrating.

We don't merely want to "cover" for the injuries, we want to the best team playing so we can enter the finals on top of the ladder (or near to it), playing our best footy.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

I don't mind Lobb rucking if he's following a key forward into the ruck. The Hawks played Reeves & Meek on the weekend and split their game times 48%/52% so if they keep the same structure then that option doesn't really work.

Chol (73%), Lewish (81%) & Gunston (89%) only played together for 43% of the game so that does give us some leeway where we can get away with just JOD & Buku as key defenders for decent portions of the game.

I'd probably roll with a Emmett, Croft & Lobb 1/3 split with Darcy an option if the younger boys aren't matching it physically. The problem is that our midfielders will have to play a little more defensive but they're probably already used to this with English.

We don't even necessarily need to play a tall on Gunston. Geelong were arguably better when they rotated their defenders to get Stewart on Gunston, even though Stewart isn't what you'd consider a traditional tall.

As others have, someone like Williams covering in defence as a psuedo-tall isn't the worst idea against this Hawks team (though you wouldn't do it with other teams that have their 2nd ruck actually spending time in the forward line, unlike the Hawks here as you pointed out). You wouldn't do it against our own forward line where Croft, Naughton and Darcy all start the game in attack, even if Croft is playing only 60% TOG or whatever.

I don't necessarily like the idea because Williams has had a great start to the year playing more half-forward than any other year in the time he's spent on the wing - his career has slowly improved as he's become more less of a half-back wing, to wing, to half-forward wing over the last 5 years - but it's acceptable.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Lobb moves into the number 1 ruck spot.
Buss or Coffield come back in to replace Lobb down back.
Gags in for Ed Richards

20

Ed Richards

Age

26

Ht

188cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

2.5

3star

T

2.4

4star

CL

0.7

3star

D

11.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

5.3

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

2.5

3star

CL

1.1

3star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.8

4star

HB

4.8

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

And I hate to type it, but VDM in for Arty.

 

[Anja_Nees]

I think it's looking at the bigger picture for the season though.

2016 we were destroyed by injuries too, and could have reasonably finished top 2/top 4 without them.

That we won the flag (with a less injured finals team than any H&A game) is a stuff of legend - nothing like winning 3 away games before the GF, two with travel - makes it an all-timer premiership, but it's not something that you can expect to happen every year.

We need to finish top 4 for the double chance, and ideally top 2 for having to avoid to win a likely interstate qualifying final, or prelim, to make the GF.

These injuries - to these 8 pointer top 2/top 4 swing games, are critical. And it's frustrating.

We don't merely want to "cover" for the injuries, we want to the best team playing so we can enter the finals on top of the ladder (or near to it), playing our best footy.

I’m only talking about our ability to cover players for the next 3-4 games until a few are back. If we had to do it all season it would obviously hurt.

I don’t think there’s anything we could have done to prevent most of them (maybe the hamstrings but even then who knows). It’s just hard luck.

 

[go_sports_team]

Lobb moves into the number 1 ruck spot.
Buss or Coffield come back in to replace Lobb down back.
Gags in for Ed Richards
And I hate to type it, but VDM in for Arty.

I'd take VDM over McNeil... I also hated typing all of that

 

[Mofra]

In the GWS game Darcy was often the 2nd ruck for CBs but then would just push deep forward and Lewis moved up to do the around the ground work (and got monstered by Riccardi). It wouldn’t surprise me if we did the same this week with Emmett/Croft after Lobb/Darcy do the CB work.

It’s easy to imagine Lobb as ruck, Emmett/Croft on the wing and Williams in the backline on Gunston. As soon as there’s a break in play Emmett/Croft are now the ruck, Lobb pushes back and Williams pushes up to the wing.

I think we'll consider a split between CBA ruck and an around the ground ruck. Emmett isn't ready but might be a decent option to chop out forward/back/ruck. The guy is an elite runner, like Croft, and getting involved in transition is one way to nullify the Hawks ruck influence.

 

[Anja_Nees]

I think we'll consider a split between CBA ruck and an around the ground ruck. Emmett isn't ready but might be a decent option to chop out forward/back/ruck. The guy is an elite runner, like Croft, and getting involved in transition is one way to nullify the Hawks ruck influence.

My biggest concern is relying on a lot of inexperienced players (with Sellwood, Dolan, Jaques, Croft etc already in the lineup).

Might not have much choice of course, and the only way some of these young talls will get a game at the moment is injury anyway. Still, a debutant against Meek etc will be tough.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

My biggest concern is relying on a lot of inexperienced players (with Sellwood, Dolan, Jaques, Croft etc already in the lineup).

Might not have much choice of course, and the only way some of these young talls will get a game at the moment is injury anyway. Still, a debutant against Meek etc will be tough.

I think too many inexperienced players isn't a good thing, we're already running fairly young as it is, I'd be holding off on an Emmet debut for as long as possible and using the Lobb/Croft/Darcy combo.

 

[Anja_Nees]

I'd take VDM over McNeil... I also hated typing all of that

I would too. VDM was actually pretty good first half of last year, has some mubgrel and can kick the ball more than 35m.

 

[BigFloppa]

Can anyone tell me the age/games played profile of our team last weekend and the Hawks team that played?

 

[BEaston]

Can anyone tell me the age/games played profile of our team last weekend and the Hawks team that played?

 

[RWnBluey]

Can anyone tell me the age/games played profile of our team last weekend and the Hawks team that played?

Don’t know about the Hawks but we were:
Average age 25.2 years
Average games played 83.5