Changes V Melbourne

[masai]

Just thinking aloud to myself, with the suspension and the injuries, is it good for the team to make more changes ?.

Yes some may not be in A1 form, but will dropping those players outweigh bringing in another couple, after 3 - 4 already have gone due to suspension / injury ?. Team unity ?.

 

[rgauci]

Surprised rgauci that you'd retain Macca who was very poor IMO, but drop Murphy who I thought was okay. A fine day is forecast for Melbourne on Sunday so I'd be tempted to play Murphy and Tarrant.

He made some costly errors but overall his game was OK. He definately contributed to the overall pressure across the field. Was chasing, tackling and providing pressure.

Pressuring Melbourne is super important, it will create turnovers, which we will need to capitilize on. Macca is actually a clever half forward who in the last 2 years has been able to hit a leading forward on the chest much to my surprise.

You can't deny his kicking skills have improved out of sight over the last few years. On his preferred foot under little pressure he will hit a target. Having someone like him roaming at half forward, will be beneficial against Melbourne.

The problem with playing Murphy and Tarrant is you don't give Sandilands much chop out. It was a balancing act including Warnock. Sandilands will be targetted after last weeks performance, White and Jamar are a different proposition to Blake and Mumford. We can afford to sacrifice a tall forward in that situation.

The other thing that swayed my decision, McManus can contribute to the midfield, Murphy can't.

 

[Sman-21]

Hinkley can stay for melbourne game alot of the guys in that team arent much bigger than him so he wont be so easily pushed around an scared out of contests.

After that he needs to go back to wafl as he is not ready for AFL yet

Mcmanus is worth keeping just to show youngsters type of effort required each week
imagine a team full of youngsters putting in his effort but with their skills.

 

[masai]

Mcmanus is worth keeping just to show youngsters type of effort required each week
imagine a team full of youngsters putting in his effort but with their skills.

I'll add to that, "imagine a team full of players putting in his effort but with skills".

Sman you are thinking along similar lines as me, you still need old heads alongside the youngsters.

 

[dominguez]

He made some costly errors but overall his game was OK. He definately contributed to the overall pressure across the field. Was chasing, tackling and providing pressure.

Pressuring Melbourne is super important, it will create turnovers, which we will need to capitilize on. Macca is actually a clever half forward who in the last 2 years has been able to hit a leading forward on the chest much to my surprise.

You can't deny his kicking skills have improved out of sight over the last few years. On his preferred foot under little pressure he will hit a target. Having someone like him roaming at half forward, will be beneficial against Melbourne.

The problem with playing Murphy and Tarrant is you don't give Sandilands much chop out. It was a balancing act including Warnock. Sandilands will be targetted after last weeks performance, White and Jamar are a different proposition to Blake and Mumford. We can afford to sacrifice a tall forward in that situation.

The other thing that swayed my decision, McManus can contribute to the midfield, Murphy can't.

Fair enough.

 

[dominguez]

How some people would want Thornton and Gilmore to be dropped amazes me.

Both stay in because of our injuries.

But...
I watched the tape yesterday and most of Thornton's disposals were by hand and many were to players in a worse position than himself. What's the point tearing through the middle at a million miles an hour then handballing to a team mate who is stationary with an opponent next to him? Just terrible decision making. Get the ball on the back fifty, run 20 then kick to half forward. Don't **** about.

Gilmore cost us atleast 2 possibly 3 goals directly from errors. He's on thin ice.

 

[Frigate]

RGauci has a good point on Macca that a lot of people don't see him contributing. You can add all the skilled players you want, but if they can't tackle and pressure the ball carrier you are in trouble.

Carr had 9 tackles, Hayden had 6 tackles last week.
Macca had 7 tackles the week before. So with two of our highest defensive mids going out (Hayden has played more in the midfield of late), who is going to step up and give us 6+ more tackles.
Crowley will, but we need more than that. Maybe Ma Johnson? Macca will certainly contribute in this area.

On Thornton, atleast he was breaking the lines and making things happen. How many of his possessions resulted in a score at the other end. It wrong footed their defence, and he took the game on, instead of kicking out to the wing and hugging the boundary for a stoppage 50/50.

Gilmore probably deserves more credit than I give him. I just don't think he has the vision or skills a lot of the time, but he does have good pace and he can break a tackle. With so many out he will start.

 

[Belnakor]

Theres tackles, and then there is tackles. We are looking for effective tackles.

 

[Archimedes]

OUT:
J.Carr (susp.)
Hayden (inj)
Grover (inj)
Dodd (inj)

IN:
Des Headland
Josh Head
Chris Tarrant
Robert Warnock

Team Formation

Thornton McPHarlin MiJohnson
Head Drum Gilmore
Ibbotson Palmer Mundy
Headland Tarrant Bell
Farmer Pavlich Murphy
R: Sandilands Crowley McManus
Int: Warnock Schammer Soloman Hinkley

O'Brien and Foster need at least another week in the WAFL.

Need to start playing Warnock, we look really fragile when Sandi is not rucking and have Mi Johnson/Gilmore rucking.

If we play Ma Johnson, M Carr etc we are going backwards.

Mayne needs to play at least 1 to 2 WAFL games before coming back in.

If Murphy doesn't perform than replace him the week after with Bradley. If we don't play him, then why recruit him. His WAFL form has been ok and he deserves at least 1 shot at the 3rd tall position.