Preview Changes V North Melbourne

[Cap]

If we are going to play Graham, we may as well forfeit and get the players a week of rehab

Sorry, but that is a load.

Graham would be more than useful...especially compared to McKernan.

 

[PrideOf]

As a side note, our extra incentive for beating North should be that we go above Port Power once they've been belted by Geelong. You know, the God's gift to football, we've got 40,000 members but still use bay covers, Melandkoshie-in-charge Port Power.

 

[Paladin]

Crouch had a lot of time on the bench for Westies i would give him another week to find fitness in the SANFL. No need to set our young guys up to fail.

We need a small forward and Pup found a lot of the ball on the weekend his pressure could be vital at Etihad.

In Petrenko
Out Wright

 

[cmndstab]

In: Crouch
Out: Porplyzia
Sub: Wright

 

[Heafy83]

Id love to see Crouch in this week, however I'm not sure who we drop. Yes Wright was disappointing but we bring Crouch in for him and we lose a lot of experience and a hardened body. If Crouch is to come in I feel it has to be at the expense of one of the youngsters however unfair that is. So for me probably a Laird. I would prefer to go in unchanged and have Crouch have another week at Westies.

I really want Porps to stay. He showed very good signs yesterday. He hands were clean and his contested marking was strong. I think if we can string a few games together for him we will get the old porps back. Would love Wingnut back in the team too but no one really deserves to be dropped for him. I think its better we leave him at the dogs to really fight for his spot (+ the dogs really need him )

 

[King Elvis]

Sorry, but that is a load.

Graham would be more than useful...especially compared to McKernan.

McKernan is showing signs of why he's worth persisting with.

He isn't playing complete games yet, and I agree that his intensity isn't good enough; but if we can keep him in the side and keep working with him, if we can get it all to click, then it'll be more than worth the effort.

Give him another month or so for mine - this month is a big one, structurally, we need him, and when the month is done, we can gauge whether his performances are improving, or whether we're wasting our time.

 

[Cap]

I can't see them dropping Laird, the guy is effectively our best lockdown small defender.

oh, and does anyone else wonder if he is indeed 19...looks 15.

 

[Cap]

McKernan is showing signs of why he's worth persisting with.

He isn't playing complete games yet, and I agree that his intensity isn't good enough; but if we can keep him in the side and keep working with him, if we can get it all to click, then it'll be more than worth the effort.

Give him another month or so for mine - this month is a big one, structurally, we need him, and when the month is done, we can gauge whether his performances are improving, or whether we're wasting our time.

how long before "signs" aren't enough?

James Sellar showed many signs....he is now good enough to play for Melbourne...but only just.

 

[Heafy83]

I can't see them dropping Laird, the guy is effectively our best lockdown small defender.

oh, and does anyone else wonder if he is indeed 19...looks 15.

I thought this myself. Imagine how built he will be when he hits puberty....... he's already a little nugget

 

[Big Gazoongas]

Here we go again with the mediocre card.............. and the "I'm a better fan because I am a tough judge".

Fair enough if you don't rate his game, but the "accepting mediocrity" card is old and worn out. Most didn't expect even this much from Smac and given he has had no time in the Seniors pretty much last year he hasn't had much opportunity to develop his game. An inexperienced player standing up to be counted but comes up with some deficiencies is a lot different to a gun player continually being played despite mediocre form.....

Im a fan that is a realsit, rather than people like you pumping his tyres over nothing. Whether you like it or not, right now, he is mediocre.... he rucks well and thats it.
You rate his performances so far, well good for you.

Standing up to be counted, surely you are taking the piss.

Cast your mind back to the game against Geelong at the cattery last year. His second efforts and work off the ball were abysmal, and they still are. You make excuses for a bloke that has been in the football system for the best part of his football life and he is well below acceptable level as an AFL player. If we had a slightly better option he would not be playing.
This is now his 5th season for a total of 26 games, there are very good reasons why Smack has been playing on the SANFL and very little in the AFL.

Now compare him to a bloke like Jenkins who has been in footy for about what 3-4 years. While Jenkins isn't a ruckman he has developed much better than Smack.

I hope Smack becomes the player he could be but if what we say last night, and on other occassions, regarding his work ethic and rate off the ball is the norm don't hold your breath.

 

[spexau]

Smack won't be dropped as he's far too important to our structure in allowing Jenkins to be a full time forward. Laird won't be dropped either. Our defense has looked so much better with him and Brown down there toweling up the opposition smalls.

I love Porplyzia as a specialist sub. He doesn't have the fitness to go 100% for a whole 120 minutes but for 40 minutes he can. We might go unchanged this week but I could see Wright being replaced with one of Petrenko, Henderson, Callinan or Crouch.

 

[Mattrox]

If we are serious about fast tracking Crouch, he will come in. There are now some genuine tough choices.

Porps I thought did quite well as sub, I got to see a fair bit of the 2nd half and was reasonably pleased. He reads the play well, that mark and goal where he was alone in forward 50 was great. A more structured defence may not allow this very often, but Porps has the ability to find this space.

On the radio call, I thought Wright sounded like he did well, but what you hear are 2 different things.

Kerridge seemed to play his role well. He did enough to earn his spot IMO. It would be harsh to drop him.

Of the whipping boys, I think they all stepped up a notch. (Dougie has been good all year so it was good to see him almost BOG).

Smac seemed serviceable. I think the benefit to him in the side can be seen in Jacbos increased output and JJ's forward work. He might not be setting the world on fire, but does more than enough FWD in Ruck and around the ground to take a load off Sauce's shoulders. If JJ could take 2nd ruck and compete well then I'd say Smac out..... Or with Walker back next year, he and Lynch can be fwd and we can afford JJ to play ruck more often even if he was being beaten as long as he was developing. But as I see it right now, we have no choice. We need to set a Fwd structure in place so we don't look make-shift or we will be torn apart. So far Lynch and JJ are doing well.


Laird, Lyons and Brown locks for the season for mine.

Kerridge needs games, but I have a feeling will be competing with Wright.

Smac to play 2nd ruck until JJ learns the craft ..... or JJ becomes a genuine KPF and we get in a better 2nd ruck option next season if Smac's development doesn't go to plan.

I don't think anyone deserves to be dropped. However, we need to be building a side. Wright getting a run in the SANFL can't hurt at all. If he smashes it, then he can come in again. This will give Kerridge an extra game or 2 or more.

Out: Wright
In: Crouch

 

[Mattrox]

Im a fan that is a realsit, rather than people like you pumping his tyres over nothing. Whether you like it or not, right now, he is mediocre.... he rucks well and thats it.
You rate his performances so far, well good for you.

Standing up to be counted, surely you are taking the piss.

Cast your mind back to the game against Geelong at the cattery last year. His second efforts and work off the ball were abysmal, and they still are. You make excuses for a bloke that has been in the football system for the best part of his football life and he is well below acceptable level as an AFL player. If we had a slightly better option he would not be playing.
This is now his 5th season for a total of 26 games, there are very good reasons why Smack has been playing on the SANFL and very little in the AFL.

Now compare him to a bloke like Jenkins who has been in footy for about what 3-4 years. While Jenkins isn't a ruckman he has developed much better than Smack.

I hope Smack becomes the player he could be but if what we say last night, and on other occassions, regarding his work ethic and rate off the ball is the norm don't hold your breath.

I'm in furious agreement about JJ.

But Jacobs coming into form at the same time as Smac coming into the team is surely not pure coincidence. I think that what we lose by having Smac in over someone else is made up for many times over by Jacobs playing better. With our mids getting better supply out of the ruck, we are a much more dangerous side.

I don't really see to many more options with Walker out. Our KPF stocks are depleted and I think we look better with JJ up forward full time now.

Come the end of the season, if Smac has developed his game more, then we have options. Remembering he is still young, we could keep him and develop him further or his trade value has increased. I can see how playing him is a win-win.

But the "Accepting mediocrity" line is just plain point scoring. It is impossible to have a team full of stars. Some players in a 22 will be just above average consistently but play a role that helps team structure. So far Smac is about average, but as you point out he has limited game time and hardly has had the opportunity to develop, and by the sounds of it at Souths he wasn't played properly to enchance his game for AFL. He will get that chance this year and if he can't continue to improve then I'd say he might find himself at another team of in the SANFL.

 

[Wood_Duck]

Funnily enough our number one ruckman has spent 7 games doing nothing but get beaten in the ruck. Bit hard to be too tough on Mckernan for doing nothing but compete in the ruck.

 

[fairfooty]

Sorry, but that is a load.

Graham would be more than useful...especially compared to McKernan.

Not judging by his performance for Sturt on Saturday he wouldn't. Barely held his own in the SANFL IMO. I was prepared to give the bloke a go but on that lacklustre performance for the first time I'm beginning to worry if he'll ever be AFL standard.

 

[Vader]

Crouch should come straight in. The question is who he replaces..

Porps was putrid against the traffic cones, but played really well when he was subbed into the game against the Saints. Wright was pretty ordinary against the Saints, but played well against the Traffic Cones. Neither have exactly been in scintillating form all season. Could go either way - and I wouldn't be upset, disappointed or surprised no matter which of these players gets dropped.

 

[weekend at bernies]

In: Crouch
Out: Porplyzia
Sub: Wright

What?? Porps looked to be gettting his touch back. came on and did some good things, dont discourage that effort.

 

[Heafy83]

Good news this morning with Jenkins not needing scans on that knee and will play against North

 

[Campbell's Chunky]

Crouch should play but no one is really screaming out to be dropped as people mention. You could drop Matty Wright but unsure what it'd achieve - maybe he'll find a bit more of his touch from last year down at North where he can bully around and find some confidence???

McKernan I would say hasn't been too bad. He has basically taken over Josh Jenkins role, and JJ has taken over Walker's role so would be a bit silly to drop McKernan and have no key forwards.

 

[Elite Crow]

Good news this morning with Jenkins not needing scans on that knee and will play against North

That's a relief, you hear stories of players playing out games only to find they've done their ACL.

 

[pext]

Crouch has to come in FFS. It must be our number one priority to fast track his development. Another week in the SANFL would be criminal negligence.

We also need another forward. We look too static at times and midfielders are being left without an option forward of the ball too often. Callinan, Petrenko or Hendo, I don't care who as long as they present and make space for JJ.

Any outs will be unlucky. Lyons, Wright, Porps and Laird would be the candidates based on prior weeks sub behavior.

 

[Vader]

Anyone calling McKernan's effort yesterday "good" or "better than mediocre" is kidding themselves. He was rubbish. The problem is that with Walker & LJ gone for a long term, he's virtually irreplaceable from a structural perspective. The only other option we have is Angus Graham - and I suspect that replacing McKernan with Graham would be akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, a nil-all draw at best. We really have no choice but to keep playing him and hope that he manages to come good. I suspect it's a forlorn hope, but it's all the hope we have.

 

[spexau]

Anyone calling McKernan's effort yesterday "good" or "better than mediocre" is kidding themselves. He was rubbish. The problem is that with Walker & LJ gone for a long term, he's virtually irreplaceable from a structural perspective. The only other option we have is Angus Graham - and I suspect that replacing McKernan with Graham would be akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, a nil-all draw at best. We really have no choice but to keep playing him and hope that he manages to come good. I suspect it's a forlorn hope, but it's all the hope we have.

We have a choice but it would be a silly decision to make. He's a better ruckman than JJ but a worse forward. He actually makes good decisions by foot and hand but has a tendency to fluff the kick with his weird action. His importance is that he's 196cm and mobile and demands a tall defender. Graham would demand the defender but couldn't play the lead up forward effectively. The huge area McKernan has improved this year is his frees against.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...2=2&pid2=3134&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=P&fopt2=2012

He's halved it from 2.7 FA a game in his 6 games last year to 1.3 which means he's at least concentrating on his game more. He's actually up on ALL areas of his game compared to 2011 and 2012. He is improving but just not drastically enough for people to care. Fortunately for him he's our best 2nd forward option at the moment and will be given a large string of games which can only help his development.

 

[OldCrowBloke]

Remember a former coach lamenting the lack of work Tex did off the ball?
He was 10 times more intense than Smack, which is the big problem we are now facing. Smack did some things in getting/using the ball that were OK, but once the ball is out of his reach he becomes a three-toed tree sloth.
If Sando can find a way to inspire more effort, Smack could be important to us, but it is a HUGE if.

 

[Jack is Back]

Virginia, there is no Santa Claus .....and the Crows won't win the flag this year (unless all the teams above us, and a few below us, are decimated with injuries).

When Brown (11), Crouch (3), Jenkins (19), Lynch (17), Kerridge (6), Lyons (6), Laird (3) and Shaw (14) have 40+ games we will be genuine contenders. Thank god Brodie Smith (40) and Daniel Talia (40) are already there.

We must play Crouch this week. Who does he replace? He is an inside midfielder and will not replace Dangerfield, Thompson or Douglas.

It's either Wright or Lyons and although I think Wrighty has developed well over the last three years he will never be an elite midfielder.

Out - Wright (and all those calling for Callinan and/or Johncock)
In - Crouch