Unofficial Preview Changes v North Melbourne

[catempire]

I'd like to try dropping Kolo instead, if we're going down that path. I don't see why he should be protected and so send a good senior defender into the VFL at his expense.

I don’t see him as protected but he has had a fantastic season. Poor yesterday. Zero chance to be dropped.

 

[Landgraft]

I don’t see him as protected but he has had a fantastic season. Poor yesterday. Zero chance to be dropped.

He's been given opportunity, Henderson hasn't. And personally while I rated Kolo very highly before the bye I don't think he's been the same in recent weeks.

I get the fact that he is probably going to stay in, but that wouldn't be my preference. I'd rather drop him and keep Hendo.

 

[Willo_]

Would love to see Chook play... The notion he needs to work on his spreading from the contest annoys the shit out of me, he is a contested ball winner with elite hands in close.. He will make the balance of our midfield change dramatically and instead of having Guth kicking the ball off the ground it can be feed out to Kelly or Danger on the burst..
Instant offence, quicker ball movement and our fwd line more space and room to move.

No brainer

 

[Mad_Hatter]

We should be working towards playing best 22 against Brisbane. That’s five changes from last night:

In: Stanley, Taylor, Dahlhaus, Parfitt, O’Connor
Out: Smith, Henderson, Atkins, Scooter, Bews

Rohan’s injury gives us the chance to make four of those “ins” easily this week.

My team exactly.
I'm not a scooter fan and I think he's woeful by foot BUT he does atleast provide some tackling pressure around the contest, of which we have so very very little other options. So I'd be ok with him staying, however I'm also happy to see him out.
Smith has shown nothing to suggest he's a better, or even equal, option than Stanley so Rhys comes back in as atleast we know his best is better.
Henderson comes out, it's either Harry or Hendo for me, both would be fine but history suggests Harry will produce in finals, Hendo... well he won't.
Bews out, there's nothing to suggest he's worth his position, small forwards provided no threat when he wasn't playing so he isn't locking down a dangerous opponent and he's so putrid by foot I'd rather he had a Domsy rule. I prefer MOC.
Atkins, he was ok against freo but he's been average at best for the 6 weeks prior, if he's in the side for defensive pressure then 4 tackles purely isn't enough and he's not stopping any half back run from the opposition so I don't see the point in him staying at the moment, I'd prefer Dahl and Parfitt who are more dangerous with the ball which also means their opponents must give them more respect instead of just running off them at every chance.

The biggest change I'd like to see is in our ball movement. I didn't mind how we set up to move it slower from the backline, get it across half back then go fast, but 1; we don't go fast anymore from that point, and 2; teams know that's what we do so peel back further to allow those short kicks but then allow nothing further. So let's just move it quicker, more overlap handball, more playing on and a bit more controlled risk. We aren't winning the flag with this current system so why not try something slightly different. We have a forwardline of fantastic 1 on 1 options so let's utilise that and make it a strength.

 

[catempire]

He's been given opportunity, Henderson hasn't.

There’s a reason for that. Henderson has been crowded out by Blicavs as they play similar roles. Kolo plays more on the mediums and has made a great fist of it. Against most teams there’s no matchup for Henderson with Blicavs and Taylor there where as Kolo can play on a De Goey or Stringer type.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Would love to see Chook play... The notion he needs to work on his spreading from the contest annoys the s**t out of me, he is a contested ball winner with elite hands in close.. He will make the balance of our midfield change dramatically and instead of having Guth kicking the ball off the ground it can be feed out to Kelly or Danger on the burst..
Instant offence, quicker ball movement and our fwd line more space and room to move.

No brainer

What I like about chook, and it seems to be something we are missing, is youthful hunger.

 

[Chinacats]

Well on form we lose this by about 8 goals. Kangaroos very hard at it and great forward pressure. Something Geelong don’t have.
In Taylor, o Connor, Dahlhaus ,
Out: hendo, Rohan, .......
If chook & narkle want it then big in VFL

 

[Landgraft]

There’s a reason for that. Henderson has been crowded out by Blicavs as they play similar roles. Kolo plays more on the mediums and has made a great fist of it. Against most teams there’s no matchup for Henderson with Blicavs and Taylor there where as Kolo can play on a De Goey or Stringer type.

I don't for a second buy into the idea that selection is built around direct matchups like that. Or even that Kolo is a great lockdown on those mediums tbh.

 

[MacStradbroke]

First out is Miers for me. Been invisible more often then not since the bye. Needs to drastically reduce the gap between good and bad. Had 2 or 3 touches at 3/4 time yesterday. Not good enough when you are playing close to the middle of the ground for large parts.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

The 22 for next round I want in the side

B: Henry, Blitz, Clark
HB: Kolo, Taylor, Stewart
C: Sels, Danger, Duncan
HF: Dahl, Sav Atkins
F: GAJ, Hawk, Rohan
Fol: Stanley, Kelly, Parfitt
Int: MOC, Chook, Menegola, Miers

Chook can only run out 3 quarters? Don't care. He was still getting enough contested possessions to tip that metric in our favour. The coaches have probably set him a benchmark and said 'you don't play unless you can cover Xkm in a match' or something that would be hard to backtrack on.

Clark back to the backline? Yep, as well as he has done in the middle and as strange as it sounds relying on an 18 year old, his speed of movement and directness of his attack provided drive off the backline that we have lacked ever since. The speed Clark moved the ball on forced our mids to work hard and this knocked on to faster entries into a less congested forward line. We have moved him to the middle hoping he is the one sending it inside 50 but it's so slow getting out the backline it makes the i50 entry a low % kick. I think particularly Rohan struggles with this because his main weapon, his speed, is pointless in a crowd. For me all other changes are valid and debatable but this one is a non-negotiable

I was hoping Smith was going to bring some hit outs but he's done. Thank him kindly for his service and respectfully move on.

If this looks familiar it should. It was our round 1 team. Time to reset

 

[Cattery]

IN THE MIX: Taylor, Dahlhaus, O’Connor, Stanley, Parfitt (?), Constable (?), Narkle (?)

IN THE GUN: Rohan (inj?), take your pick from today’s underperformers.

My thoughts:

- We are unsettling the backline every week by chopping and changing who’s in and out. Taylor, Blicavs, Stewart, Kolodjashnij, MOC and Henry is it for me. Sorry Hendo and Bews. Tuohy and Clark further up the field.

- In news that surprised absolutely nobody, S Selwood was exposed on a bigger ground. May play well at KP if he’s selected but I don’t want him in our finals B22. Parfitt or Constable in for him next week please.

- I still don’t know why Stanley was dropped after the Hawthorn game. Flawed as he is, he’s our best ruck option by a mile. Get him back in.

- Miers and Ablett both looked tired today...

IN: Taylor, Dahlhaus, O’Connor, Parfitt, Stanley, Narkle

OUT: Henderson, Bews, Smith, S Selwood, Atkins (all omit), Rohan (inj) / Miers (rest)

Been that way since the Adelaide game, when they started rotating players out to accommodate Bews.
The six you named were predominately the ones who had us at 11/2, why they felt the need to change things in that area is mystifying to say the least; time to show some b***s and stick to the setup that's going to be playing in September, or do they plan on rotating one out each in the finals as well.

Plus I like your confidence, omitting seven and bringing in six is a ballsy way to go.

My team exactly.
I'm not a scooter fan and I think he's woeful by foot BUT he does atleast provide some tackling pressure around the contest, of which we have so very very little other options. So I'd be ok with him staying, however I'm also happy to see him out.
Smith has shown nothing to suggest he's a better, or even equal, option than Stanley so Rhys comes back in as atleast we know his best is better.
Henderson comes out, it's either Harry or Hendo for me, both would be fine but history suggests Harry will produce in finals, Hendo... well he won't.
Bews out, there's nothing to suggest he's worth his position, small forwards provided no threat when he wasn't playing so he isn't locking down a dangerous opponent and he's so putrid by foot I'd rather he had a Domsy rule. I prefer MOC.
Atkins, he was ok against freo but he's been average at best for the 6 weeks prior, if he's in the side for defensive pressure then 4 tackles purely isn't enough and he's not stopping any half back run from the opposition so I don't see the point in him staying at the moment, I'd prefer Dahl and Parfitt who are more dangerous with the ball which also means their opponents must give them more respect instead of just running off them at every chance.

The biggest change I'd like to see is in our ball movement. I didn't mind how we set up to move it slower from the backline, get it across half back then go fast, but 1; we don't go fast anymore from that point, and 2; teams know that's what we do so peel back further to allow those short kicks but then allow nothing further. So let's just move it quicker, more overlap handball, more playing on and a bit more controlled risk. We aren't winning the flag with this current system so why not try something slightly different. We have a forwardline of fantastic 1 on 1 options so let's utilise that and make it a strength.

Precisely, apart from Elliott in round one I don't think we'd conceded more then two goals from any opposition small forward up to the point the MC felt their was a compelling need to bring him in.

Anyway for mine it would be,

Out. The MC, Smith, Bews, Henderson and Selwood S omitted (although the latter two weren't our worst yesterday) and Rohan (injured/omitted)

In. Taylor, Dahlhaus, Stanley, O'Connor and Constable.

 

[STPer18]

Kolo has had a great year, probably his best for the club, no coincidence he has his worst game of the year by some distance after we mess with the backline and bring Henderson back + Bews.

With finals just around the corner, we're perfectly poised to keep Henderson in while bringing back Taylor, allowing us the luxury of pushing Kolo up onto a wing. It's worked well before, right?

 

[afl genius]

With slow ball movement and mids not working hard enough, it wouldnt matter if we put the VFL side in we would get the same result

Exactly this, we wont kick more than 10 goals with this game plan, so it's all wasted talk. I'd be confident north would kick 12+ and beat us easily

 

[bulletproof]

First out is Miers for me. Been invisible more often then not since the bye. Needs to drastically reduce the gap between good and bad. Had 2 or 3 touches at 3/4 time yesterday. Not good enough when you are playing close to the middle of the ground for large parts.

Yep. Needs a week off and then a game in VFL.

 

[bulletproof]

Narkle and Constable must be pretty filthy. Punished for their perceived failings and we look the other way at the failings of the senior players.

 

[fpm84]

I like Hendo and I hope he’s at the club in 2020. He was perfectly adequate yesterday. But we can’t play three KPDs and clearly Blicavs and Taylor are ahead of him this season.

 

[thecatattack]

Surprised at so many people wanting Scooter out.

23 touches, 6 marks, 3 tackles and a goal against the Swans.

15 touches, 2 marks and 9 tackles yesterday.

His DE% wasn't great but he adds more than just that.

 

[thecatattack]

Also, Henderson wasn't as bad as people seem to think either.

15 touches with 7 contested @ 86%. 4 marks, 2 contested. 2 i50, 4 r50, 1 goal assist and 2 score involvements from a backman and his first game in the AFL since April.

IMO he at his best is in our best 22. We just need to see if he can play to his best.

 

[Cattery]

Narkle and Constable must be pretty filthy. Punished for their perceived failings and we look the other way at the failings of the senior players.

Careful, you'll be told that Constable is overrated and his possessions are of no worth, never mind the fact that "if" he butchered half of them he'd still have fourteen effective disposals a game, which is more then some others get in total.

 

[year of the cat]

Narkle and Constable must be pretty filthy. Punished for their perceived failings and we look the other way at the failings of the senior players.

Disgraceful the way they have been treated. Particularly Constable. And surely Narkle after a month of excellent VFL form deserves a call up. Atkins is doing bugger all - contributing zero on the scoreboard is just not good enough.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

Also, Henderson wasn't as bad as people seem to think either.

15 touches with 7 contested @ 86%. 4 marks, 2 contested. 2 i50, 4 r50, 1 goal assist and 2 score involvements from a backman and his first game in the AFL since April.

IMO he at his best is in our best 22. We just need to see if he can play to his best.

Henderson would have been in my votes if I could be bothered to do them. But I still think there's only room for two of Blicavs, Taylor and Henderson, and I'm far more inclined to back the guys that were getting the job done earlier in the year.

Good to know we can rely on him to come in and play a role in case of injury, but he's depth this year imo.

 

[Chinacats]

First out is Miers for me. Been invisible more often then not since the bye. Needs to drastically reduce the gap between good and bad. Had 2 or 3 touches at 3/4 time yesterday. Not good enough when you are playing close to the middle of the ground for large parts.

Good points. Agree

 

[Chinacats]

Disgraceful the way they have been treated. Particularly Constable. And surely Narkle after a month of excellent VFL form deserves a call up. Atkins is doing bugger all - contributing zero on the scoreboard is just not good enough.

I thought Atkins did a bit yesterday, but totally agree in the previous 7/8 weeks. Yeah doesn’t hit the scoreboard!

 

[Chinacats]

Also, Henderson wasn't as bad as people seem to think either.

15 touches with 7 contested @ 86%. 4 marks, 2 contested. 2 i50, 4 r50, 1 goal assist and 2 score involvements from a backman and his first game in the AFL since April.

IMO he at his best is in our best 22. We just need to see if he can play to his best.

Possibly but Harry has been good all year and we are too slow with our movement out of the back half. Touhy not providing much run. Need some run down there.

 

[Chinacats]

Careful, you'll be told that Constable is overrated and his possessions are of no worth, never mind the fact that "if" he butchered half of them he'd still have fourteen effective disposals a game, which is more then some others get in total.

We need a defensive running mid in the mould of lambert for Richmond. Constable & scooter could do it but they’re slow!