Prediction Changes: Round 7 Vs West Coast Eagles + Pre-match discussion

[Spirit Level]

Treacy stays, he stretches the defence and allows Tabs and Lobb more looks at a 1 on 1. He offers a point of difference preferring to lead up which will be gold against a defence that historically has a field day against us with intercept marks from long bombs.

Cox out might kill us, hope he's ok to go next week.

No WAFL this week has ****ed us, we needed a match fit Tucker in this week without Cerra

 

[Square Peg]

18 possessions and 8 score involvements is miles away from an underwhelming performance.

Lobb is playing forward/ruck. We don’t really need a ruck unless Darcy is injured.

Maybe I have higher standards than you. We lose momentum every time he has a stint rucking. Saw it last week, saw it again last night.

 

[Bring back Drum]

18 possessions and 8 score involvements is miles away from an underwhelming performance.

Lobb is playing forward/ruck. We don’t really need a ruck unless Darcy is injured.

He is so much better for our structure & considering Meek only played 50% game time last game in with virtually no thought to him playing forward, to go with 7 possessions & 8 hit outs, Lobb is streets ahead.

Not to mention we weren’t expecting to have Lobb back for another week or 2 off a knee where he was in a brace for 4 weeks, he’s going pretty well.

 

[theGav56]

He is so much better for our structure & considering Meek only played 50% game time last game in with virtually no thought to him playing forward, to go with 7 possessions & 8 hit outs, Lobb is streets ahead.

Not to mention we weren’t expecting to have Lobb back for another week or 2 off a knee where he was in a brace for 4 weeks, he’s going pretty well.

Meek looks to be handy depth if Darcy is injured, but if Lobb is injured I’d be hoping we have a different strategy than bringing Meek in.

 

[Scham]

I’m confused, isn’t Sturt able to lead? I feel like I’m missing something.

 

[theGav56]

Maybe I have higher standards than you. We lose momentum every time he has a stint rucking. Saw it last week, saw it again last night.

Well, I’m sure the coaches would be all over that, so if you’re right, Lobb will be playing wafl I guess.

 

[Square Peg]

Well, I’m sure the coaches would be all over that, so if you’re right, Lobb will be playing wafl I guess.

I didn't say he should be playing WAFL. I said he's not far better than Meek

 

[Nodgey]

I’m confused, isn’t Sturt able to lead? I feel like I’m missing something.

Dunno. I guess the feeling is that Sturt doesn’t play “tall” like Treacy. But tbh I haven’t seen enough of Sturt to know either way. What I have seen though is Sturt outposition and outmark Hurley and Frost for goals.

FWIW I’m happy to retain Treacy but also won’t be devastated if he’s replaced by Sturt.

 

[Dockeroo]

The reason Lobb is getting a hard time is because he’s in the top 5 highest paid players on the list. Expectations from the fanbase are rightly higher for a guy in his late 20s, who is in the same pay bracket as the elite players in the competition. He should be contributing to victories to the same degree as Ryan, Brayshaw etc given his status in the squad. He hasn’t really done that in 2 years now.
Treacy is a rookie list 18yo key forward with 3 games under his belt.
Whilst I think Lobb is a good player I wouldn’t be giving him a free pass from criticising if he kicks 5 goals and 15 or 20 behinds this year from set shots, which is roughly what is current trajectory of performance is suggesting.

 

[Superkoops]

The reason Lobb is getting a hard time is because he’s in the top 5 highest paid players on the list. Expectations from the fanbase are rightly higher for a guy in his late 20s, who is in the same pay bracket as the elite players in the competition. He should be contributing to victories to the same degree as Ryan, Brayshaw etc given his status in the squad. He hasn’t really done that in 2 years now.
Treacy is a rookie list 18yo key forward with 3 games under his belt.
Whilst I think Lobb is a good player I wouldn’t be giving him a free pass from criticising if he kicks 5 goals and 15 or 20 behinds this year from set shots, which is roughly what is current trajectory of performance is suggesting.

He certainly isn’t immune to criticism.

The fact is a heap here want to replace him with Meek. Lobb had 18 possessions was involved in some positive forward transitions and took a couple good marks. His goal kicking hasn’t been great but they have generally been long shots and he is no orphan with bad goal kicking. I’d be giving Fyfe a harder time than him.

Some have even suggested dropping Lobb and keeping Treacy. Just madness.

Lobb shouldn’t get a free pass but after a disrupted pre-season and working his butt off in rehab he is afforded a couple of weeks to come good.

I was surprised Sturt was only given one week but perhaps JL felt needed more WAFL time.

 

[theGav56]

I didn't say he should be playing WAFL. I said he's not far better than Meek

You are saying, without evidence, that we lose momentum when Lobb goes in the ruck, and seem to be suggesting that a ruck is going to be an alternative to his role as a forward/ruck.

Lobb returning 18 disposals and 8 score involvements in the game, primarily in his forward work. Meek has game/career high 13 disposals and 0 goal assists.

Lobb and Meek aren’t competing for the same role.

 

[FreoRicci]

How far off is Hamling? Would be massive for this week. Sigh. Injuries costing us yet again.
Not opposed to playing Meek, Darcy and Lobb. Have one of Meek Darcy parked in the defence. Not a lot of options

 

[theGav56]

The reason Lobb is getting a hard time is because he’s in the top 5 highest paid players on the list. Expectations from the fanbase are rightly higher for a guy in his late 20s, who is in the same pay bracket as the elite players in the competition. He should be contributing to victories to the same degree as Ryan, Brayshaw etc given his status in the squad. He hasn’t really done that in 2 years now.
Treacy is a rookie list 18yo key forward with 3 games under his belt.
Whilst I think Lobb is a good player I wouldn’t be giving him a free pass from criticising if he kicks 5 goals and 15 or 20 behinds this year from set shots, which is roughly what is current trajectory of performance is suggesting.

The club matched his existing GWS contract to get him to move. Without checking, he seems to be performing at a similar level. His career high is 19 disposals compared to 18 yesterday, for example. For me that is a list management issue rather than a valid criticism of a player.

 

[Dockeroo]

He certainly isn’t immune to criticism.

The fact is a heap here want to replace him with Meek. Lobb had 18 possessions was involved in some positive forward transitions and took a couple good marks. His goal kicking hasn’t been great but they have generally been long shots and he is no orphan with bad goal kicking. I’d be giving Fyfe a harder time than him.

Some have even suggested dropping Lobb and keeping Treacy. Just madness.

Lobb shouldn’t get a free pass but after a disrupted pre-season and working his butt off in rehab he is afforded a couple of weeks to come good.

I was surprised Sturt was only given one week but perhaps JL felt needed more WAFL time.

Yeah FWIW I wouldn’t drop Lobb at all. But Id be hoping for a bit more from him. We haven’t seen his best since his first season really. He was underwhelming all last year too.
With Treacy, I’m on the fence. Happy to see Sturt come in if they think that’s best. I would be concerned about the feral WA media turning on Treacy if they perceive he’s getting gifted games and so for that reason alone a spell in the WAFL for him and allowing Sturt a run (who can lead just as effectively) might be good.

 

[One_Wing]

How far off is Hamling? Would be massive for this week. Sigh. Injuries costing us yet again.
Not opposed to playing Meek, Darcy and Lobb. Have one of Meek Darcy parked in the defence. Not a lot of options

Was 2 weeks away on the last injury update four days ago.

 

[Square Peg]

You are saying, without evidence, that we lose momentum when Lobb goes in the ruck, and seem to be suggesting that a ruck is going to be an alternative to his role as a forward/ruck.

Lobb returning 18 disposals and 8 score involvements in the game, primarily in his forward work. Meek has game/career high 13 disposals and 0 goal assists.

Lobb and Meek aren’t competing for the same role.

If you want to use statistics, he had three hit outs. I just looked that up, three. But I don't need stats to tell me he's a poor ruck, I just use my eyes.
Last time I checked, being able to ruck is one of the roles of a forward ruck

 

[Nodgey]

You are saying, without evidence, that we lose momentum when Lobb goes in the ruck.../QUOTE]
The eye test is enough for me. I texted my mates last week that it was game over if Darcy didn’t come back on after he hurt his knee. Luckily he was ok. This week Lobb was ok enough around the ground, but he’s no Darcy with his ruckwork.

 

[dockertor]

Meek looks to be handy depth if Darcy is injured, but if Lobb is injured I’d be hoping we have a different strategy than bringing Meek in.

Just the opposite IMO. Darcy forward earlier in the year was great, played the role much better than Lobb has since returning. Meek provided a more than serviceable option as ruck allowing Darcy to be a force up forward and as a second ruck option. A Meek/Lobb combination would be a lot weaker all round.

 

[theGav56]

Just the opposite IMO. Darcy forward earlier in the year was great, played the role much better than Lobb has since returning. Meek provided a more than serviceable option as ruck allowing Darcy to be a force up forward and as a second ruck option. A Meek/Lobb combination would be a lot weaker all round.

Unfortunately that set up has been exposed badly this year. But Darcy is handy resting forward, which is why the partnership with Lobb can work. Meek has been resting on the bench.

 

[CapitalA]

I’m confused, isn’t Sturt able to lead? I feel like I’m missing something.

Yeah it's probably 50/50 between Sturt and Treacy right now just because Treacy has the match fitness right now, if Sturt had more matches under his belt this year he would be clear in for next week.

 

[sumavich]

Darcy is a very passable big forward target. He takes marks, and kicks goals

 

[theGav56]

If you want to use statistics, he had three hit outs. I just looked that up, three. But I don't need stats to tell me he's a poor ruck, I just use my eyes.
Last time I checked, being able to ruck is one of the roles of a forward ruck

He is not a terrific ruck, but you are comparing him to Meek who was rested on the bench half the game rather than play him forward.

Three hit outs in how much ruck time? Did we win the clearance? Did he gain possession?

Lobb’s core value is not as a ruck, it is as a core part of our forward structure.

 

[Taylor]

Darcy is a better ruck and forward than Meek and Lobb.

Shame we don't have two of him.

Rohan showed what a tweener fast tall can do against the West Coast defense with fast ball movement, Sturt can bring the same game.

 

[theGav56]

Yeah it's probably 50/50 between Sturt and Treacy right now just because Treacy has the match fitness right now, if Sturt had more matches under his belt this year he would be clear in for next week.

There’s room for both those once they are ready.

 

[apuchar]

From the replay it seemed we played a bit more accountably when Lobb was rucking and were basically roving off Goldstein. Lobb was pretty good around the ground.