Unofficial Preview Changes v Giants Round 7?

[X AE A12]

I'd like to see Fagan bring some more of our young depth through this week and see if we get more out of them than persisting with more senior guys that aren't in form right now.

Out: McCarthy /In: Matthieson
Out: Birchall / In: Witherden
Out: Lester / In: Answerth
Out: Martin / In: Ballenden

Out(if injured): Robinson / In: Cox

Mcstay won't get dropped but wouldn't mind a look at what Skinner can offer in the fwd 50 and up the ground as well. Long term I think it's time to move Mcstay back and give someone else an opportunity up forward. We can move Mcstay forward for minutes in matches to make it difficult for the opposition to match up, and tell him to play in front when he does, but otherwise he's better down back as a 2nd tall defender who can intercept and run with fwds pushing up the ground

Edit: Ballenden not available so Im putting Skinner in for Martin and Robertson for Robinson rather than Cox if he doesn't get up. Oscar and Mcstay can ruck.

 

[M Malice]

Answerth cant get a possession in the praccy match's...why would you promote him? Witherden if a backman needs to come in

Why did Fagan and co decide to take him down to the hub if he has been hopeless in the scratch matches?

 

[Mighty Lions]

Then why was he part of the touring squad?

He's there because he & Witherden are the (2) who would be the obvious replacements should an injury hit one or 2 of the small backs. His form is the reason he's not in the 22 right now.

 

[M Malice]

He's there because he & Witherden are the (2) who would be the obvious replacements should an injury hit one or 2 of the small backs. His form is the reason he's not in the 22 right now.

So of only 5 players who were taken to Sydney on top of last nights starting 22 they decide to take 2(1 of whom is badly out of form) as cover for the small backs.

I do like your sometimes accurate "insider" type feedback ML, but I can't see it with this one sorry.

 

[royboys4eva]

If CEY and Mitch Robinson are both out injured then I would unleash the beast. About time Rhys Mathieson got another run out. We as a club are going to have to make some tough calls at end of year on players who won't have much exposed form if they haven't been in the seniors. So give him a run around and see if he can make a difference - we definitely need his grunt work around contests after last night.

 

[jjami15]

The changes will be because of injury. Fagan and co have their best 22 and have to wait to see how Robbo and McCluggage pull up. Love the beast so hopefully he is the next in and I want to see Payne in sometime this year.

 

[Mighty Lions]

So of only 5 players who were taken to Sydney on top of last nights starting 22 they decide to take 2(1 of whom is badly out of form) as cover for the small backs.

I do like your sometimes accurate "insider" type feedback ML, but I can't see it with this one sorry.

Thats OK Jason. I dont agree with some of your posts either and find your reasoning somewhat confusing. Thats what this forum is for. No need for sorry.

 

[KissKiss]

Think I would like to see Eli or Dev come in over Matho. Think we need to see what they can do in the team

 

[Nunez]

Thats OK Jason. I dont agree with some of your posts either and find your reasoning somewhat confusing. Thats what this forum is for. No need for sorry.

I'm sorry you feel there's no need to say sorry.

 

[Hirsty23]

In: Skinner
Out: Martin

In: Answerth
Out: Birchall

Skinner by all reports clunked everything in pre season. Time to give him 5 or 6 games as a deep tall. It also allows Hipwood to play as a high half forward (i'd personally love to see him start some center bounces on a wing).

Birchall gets caught in posession too often and I think he can be exploited down back when playing on a more agile opponent. Answerth very stiff not to be in the team anyway, he's a talented kid who just gives us a bit of extra rebound/pace around the contest down back.

 

[Brizzys Squizzy]

Out birchall McStay McCarthy
In Answerth Skinner Christensen.

 

[Tom14]

Robbo has a corkie per Fagan so there is a chance he plays. Hopefully Clug doesn't have any lasting damage from his shoulder.

Looking at the team I'm not sure there are really any unforced changes we should be making. I'd have dropped Ah Chee prior to last nights game but he was pretty good. Stef and Oscar were pretty poor but I don't trust Skinner to do a better job.

 

[wantok]

Our backline was badly exposed for pace last night. One of Lester or Birchall has to make way for Answerth to provide balance and pace. Ah Chee is starting to find his feet and deserves perseverance.
I agree Linc is being too much of a marking option and not enough of a crumber and not applying enough forward pressure. I would bring in Dev Robertson and have him rotate with Tom Berry in that role and through the midfield.
Long term i would love to see McStay at CHB and Skinner up forward. I am sure McStay would flourish at CHB just like Leppa when moved. A backline of:
Answerth Andrews Gardiner
Rich McStay AhChee
Has nice balance of height , pressure and pace.
All that would be nice but the reality us that last night we got smashed in the Centre clearances in that horrible quarter and lost all momentum which was the reason our backline was exposed.Maybe we just need to be able to rejig our set up more readily when confronted. We're our coaches too slow to react?


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[Nunez]

I think we'd be kidding ourselves if we expect mass changes after four weeks of good work followed by a bad loss.

With that said, you'd have to think Fagan and co will have a lot to consider - is CEY going to be fit in 11 days to play GWS? If so he'd be in for Berry Jr. Is Birchall giving us enough/more than Witho? Do we need an extra tall?

Personally I'd be going with Witho over Birchall - birch just doesn't offer enough and Witherden absolutely needs the development in the 1s - he's a very good talent who hit a form slump and should be back in for another shot. I'd also look at getting a big bodied mid back in the team for the sake of blocking etc for Zorko and Neale to work their magic. Berry sr isn't at that level of defensive midfield work (and nor should he be given he's slowly transitioning into a full time mid) - we need CEY or Matho in that role.

In: Witherden, Ellis-Yolmen
Out: Birchall, Berry jr

 

[dlanod]

I agree Linc is being too much of a marking option and not enough of a crumber and not applying enough forward pressure.

This is the other problem with playing Charlie in space. Yes, he's dangerous there to a degree but it also deprives us of our best crumber and pressure forward in that congested space. I think it might be better to go more traditional with a McStay or McInernay up there until Charlie gets back into form.

 

[M Malice]

Birchall is coming off 3 seasons of consistent injury so you would expect him to take a fair bit of time to hit form, although at his age(32) and after such a long lay off he may never find it, certainly not looking like as good an in as our boy Luke Hodge was at the moment, would have been better off giving Hodgey another year.

 

[Ralphy2017]

Answerth cant get a possession in the praccy match's...why would you promote him? Witherden if a backman needs to come in

don't min

I tend to disagree, I am a massive fan of Payne and think this would be a perfect game for him, GWS have 3 taller forwards, Finlayson, Cameron and Himmelberg.
I would love to see Matho get a shot, we really missed another bigger body around the ball last night.

I am also keen on Payne, can't forget that tackle on Franklin in his first senior game in the JLT, no doubt his leg injury cost him a debut in 2018. Has good closing speed as well, but like a few of the young guys can make the odd error but appears to have upside. He won't play as I don't believe he was in the squad that went to Sydney for a few weeks. Agree with the other changes suggested but really should have happened last night with the 5 day turnaround Birchall and Martin should have been rested for last nights game. Always like to see a few of the young guys given a chance and accept that as part of their development will make the odd mistake, and with the possibility of even some 4 day turnarounds in a compresses season, we need to give some of the young guys an opportunity. Ballenden, Skinner, Ely Smith, Wooller exposed at some point this year, because last night highlighted will need more than 22 plus 2 or 3 peripheral players to go deep this year.

 

[DashinD]

I’m into the idea of Starc/Bailey/TBez rotating though Robbos wing spot.

 

[Ralphy2017]

Our backline was badly exposed for pace last night. One of Lester or Birchall has to make way for Answerth to provide balance and pace. Ah Chee is starting to find his feet and deserves perseverance.
I agree Linc is being too much of a marking option and not enough of a crumber and not applying enough forward pressure. I would bring in Dev Robertson and have him rotate with Tom Berry in that role and through the midfield.
Long term i would love to see McStay at CHB and Skinner up forward. I am sure McStay would flourish at CHB just like Leppa when moved. A backline of:
Answerth Andrews Gardiner
Rich McStay AhChee
Has nice balance of height , pressure and pace.
All that would be nice but the reality us that last night we got smashed in the Centre clearances in that horrible quarter and lost all momentum which was the reason our backline was exposed.Maybe we just need to be able to rejig our set up more readily when confronted. We're our coaches too slow to react?


On CPH1920 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Some good thoughts here. I would like to see Sam upfront and he was moved to the Rookie list this year and this is his final year so we need to have a look at him. McStay was moved forward around the time Payne came to the club and only my humble opinion but did not mark close enough when he was playing back. Having said that Lions were a lot weaker team back then as opposed to the current. I would rather see Payne given the same 80 or 90 games McStay has had and then judge who is the better option at CHB, but certainly can appreciate your view.

 

[Nunez]

I’m into the idea of Starc/Bailey/TBez rotating though Robbos wing spot.

I'd like Ah Chee on the wing, but he's more of a McCluggage than a Robbo so won't be able to provide that grunt. Definitely a role I see Tom Berry being able to fill in a few years time. Dev Robertson is another who could fill that role and maybe rotate with Berry off the forward flank?

 

[briztoon]

I'd like Ah Chee on the wing, but he's more of a McCluggage than a Robbo so won't be able to provide that grunt. Definitely a role I see Tom Berry being able to fill in a few years time. Dev Robertson is another who could fill that role and maybe rotate with Berry off the forward flank?

Dev will need to work on his forward skills. He’s very much an in and under, win the ball at the coal face mid.

He tests well for speed, but didn’t really use it as a junior.

 

[Nunez]

Dev will need to work on his forward skills. He’s very much an in and under, win the ball at the coal face mid.

He tests well for speed, but didn’t really use it as a junior.

Dev has been playing HFF and midfield in the scratchies.

 

[Dalions]

I'd like Ah Chee on the wing, but he's more of a McCluggage than a Robbo so won't be able to provide that grunt. Definitely a role I see Tom Berry being able to fill in a few years time. Dev Robertson is another who could fill that role and maybe rotate with Berry off the forward flank?

Wouldn’t mind bringing Starc up to the wing and Answerth into the team to replace him down back, he would be more of a like for like for Mitch and bring some grunt.

 

[martinson]

9 days to go. So depends who is available . I'm happy to give some of those out of favour a go but I'm at a bit of a loss as to who would be dumped.

McCarthy has a tough role which he generally plays well. Keeping him. I don't think Birchall was as bad as people are making out comparatively. We had a lot of players very much down on output last night. And some sore I'm tipping .

I'm happy enough with how we've been going . Many reasons why we weren't up to it last night.

 

[Dalions]

Win, lose or draw, I don’t really mind either way.
I am just hoping that Port come out fierce and beat up on GWS on Sunday.