Changes v Richmond

[Demonkings]

Had this discussion with a bloke yesterday and I completely agree.
Need experienced heads don't get me wrong but it didn't seem to help last week so yeah, the backline just looks bloody slow with those two in it.
Lewis was great against North and Bernie pretty good the first 3.
In - Hunt, Tyson, Pedo, Hannan
Out - Wagner, Harmes, Lewis, Melksham/Bugg

On the Vince and Lewis thing, it pretty much highlights to me how much our team lacks experience as a whole. In an ideal world we should only play one of them in the team, but we simply have such little playing experience across our 22 that we are really trying to compensate by playing a couple of blokes with close to 600 games experience between them.

Compare our team on the week end to Hawthorns and just look at the number of highly experienced senior players playing for them. McEvoy, Frawley, Stratton, Rioli, Breust, Smith and Puopolo are all in or around that 27-30 age bracket with around 150-200 games that means they are probably at their peak as footballers. Even guys like Shiels, Mitchell and Duryea are way more experienced than most of our players. Unfortunately, we only have Jetta, Garlett, Hibberd and Melksham in that age and experience bracket to qualify as mature seasoned footballers. Even Gawn (a bloke I’m sure most of us see as a cultural and on field leader of our club) is too young and really very inexperienced games-wise to qualify for that group!

This match has really hit home to me the reality of where our list is at. We have a massively talented but very young and inexperienced team. It highlights to me that the weakness in our team is a lack of players that have spent around 10 years on an afl list and are still performing to a high level. We are playing Lewis and Vince in the same team to try and compensate for that. We have a good team, but we won’t beat the best teams in all conditions until we are a lot more experienced and physically stronger.

 

[jhong]

Lewis will miss with a broken hand apparently

 

[Topkent]

Wait till we lose by 3 points and the media says its because we missed the experience of Lewis

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Wait till we lose by 3 points and the media says its because we missed the experience of Lewis

And how the preseason camp would have given us the maturity to overcome his absence

 

[Tulip]

How can anyone actually still have Melksham in the side? He's meant to be a forward and averages 2 tackles, 4 marks and hasn't even kicked a goal yet this year (0.7 fmd)

 

[Topkent]

How can anyone actually still have Melksham in the side? He's meant to be a forward and averages 2 tackles, 4 marks and hasn't even kicked a goal yet this year (0.7 fmd)

Because if you drop Harmes Bugg Melksham Lewis Wagner and everyone else you want we lose. There's a stat I remember seeing that every change decreases your chance of winning. I think it was like 4 or more and you win less than 10% of your games

 

[LeverPuller]

Lewis broken hand

 

[Topkent]

Also dropping people for inaccuracy can only fail. Last thing you want is someone lining up for goal thinking his spot is on the line with every kick

 

[Sando22]

Lewis broken hand

Thanks Sandra

 

[LeverPuller]

Thanks Sandra

At least she's always accurate. Gets a bad rap.

 

[mrmonkey]

On the Vince and Lewis thing, it pretty much highlights to me how much our team lacks experience as a whole. In an ideal world we should only play one of them in the team, but we simply have such little playing experience across our 22 that we are really trying to compensate by playing a couple of blokes with close to 600 games experience between them.

Compare our team on the week end to Hawthorns and just look at the number of highly experienced senior players playing for them. McEvoy, Frawley, Stratton, Rioli, Breust, Smith and Puopolo are all in or around that 27-30 age bracket with around 150-200 games that means they are probably at their peak as footballers. Even guys like Shiels, Mitchell and Duryea are way more experienced than most of our players. Unfortunately, we only have Jetta, Garlett, Hibberd and Melksham in that age and experience bracket to qualify as mature seasoned footballers. Even Gawn (a bloke I’m sure most of us see as a cultural and on field leader of our club) is too young and really very inexperienced games-wise to qualify for that group!

This match has really hit home to me the reality of where our list is at. We have a massively talented but very young and inexperienced team. It highlights to me that the weakness in our team is a lack of players that have spent around 10 years on an afl list and are still performing to a high level. We are playing Lewis and Vince in the same team to try and compensate for that. We have a good team, but we won’t beat the best teams in all conditions until we are a lot more experienced and physically stronger.

I came across a Hawthorn supporter at work today and he said Hawthorn were like this when they were still developing around that 06/07 period. Would have some great wins but would also have some horrible losses. He mentioned the elimination final against Adelaide followed by a semi final loss against North where they just didn't handle the conditions well. To memory North were coming off a 100 point belting against Geelong. Not fully excusing the loss we were awful. Also on experience Clarkson has Goodwin well covered Clarkson could adjust where Goodwin couldn't.

 

[schmuttt]

Also dropping people for inaccuracy can only fail. Last thing you want is someone lining up for goal thinking his spot is on the line with every kick

Melksham hasn't set the world on fire this year and if he is dropped I won't really complain, but he hasn't been as bad as people are making out. Is leading us for goal assists, does need to work on his pressure though. Bugg on the other hand is just a crap footballer who shouldn't be in the side. I'm not trying to scapegoat him because I have far higher expectations on other guys that were just as bad on Sunday, but Bugg is just so bad.

Also agree with you mate that Olivers game on Sunday was very ineffectual, he got so many useless handballs to guys <1m from him. In conditions like that just kick the ****ing ball forward mate (Unless he is coached to handball more which is straight up idiocy in those conditions).

 

[demondavey]

Wait till we lose by 3 points and the media says its because we missed the experience of Lewis

If we lose by 3 points all will know that it isn't because of Lewis. All sensible Demons supporters on BF that is. On the couch was on the other night and they actually made some decent points about him. Firstly, he is so one paced that anyone with some leg speed can expose him. Secondly, he is getting sucked into the contest whilst his opponent is happily sitting at the back, hence not playing smart and staying a kick behind, and thirdly, his tackling efforts were sub par.

If his out with an injury then it is definitely a good result for us.

Bernie Vince is also incredibly one paced but he is offering more than Lewis right now.

 

[demondavey]

We are far too one paced. We have Tyson, Lewis, Vince, Oliver, Jones, Wagner, Harmes, Melksham and Hibberd who are not fast. We need leg speed.

I am advocating for one or both of Melksham and Harmes out with Hannan and Balic in. That does leave us exposed experience wise however. Pedersen has to come in, it's pretty simple there. I think we can give Lever a spell as well. He is bereft of confidence and i'd like to see how we go without him. I'd like Jetta and Hibberd to go back to playing their style and i want Hunt in for the leg speed.

One of Hogan or Pedersen needs to stay in the 50 at all times.

 

[MarcMaverick]

At least she's always accurate. Gets a bad rap.

And she's pretty on the eyes too.

 

[BG32]

How can anyone actually still have Melksham in the side? He's meant to be a forward and averages 2 tackles, 4 marks and hasn't even kicked a goal yet this year (0.7 fmd)

I'd like to think it's Casey time for him this week

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Also dropping people for inaccuracy can only fail. Last thing you want is someone lining up for goal thinking his spot is on the line with every kick

In the case of Melk & Bugg it should be though

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

In the case of Melk & Bugg it should be though

I'm happy to carry one, and I don't see Melksham doing what Bugg is doing; running and jumping at the footy and at least creating the shots on goals or contests at ground level up forward. Melksham has to go, Bugg I think is worth persisting with.

 

[Crusty Demon]

I see Lewis, Fritsch, Wagner and Frost coming out. Richmond aren't tall in the F50 so no need for 3 talls and Wagner. We need some dash, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Hunt and Stretch come in. Tyson in means Petracca can play more F50 in replace of Fritsch who needs a spell IMO.

OUT

Lewis, Fritsch, Wagner and Frost

IN

Tyson, Hunt, Stretch and Pederson

Harmes, Melksham and Bugg on notice. I'd say Lever too but he won't be dropped..

 

[Blackas87]

Because if you drop Harmes Bugg Melksham Lewis Wagner and everyone else you want we lose. There's a stat I remember seeing that every change decreases your chance of winning. I think it was like 4 or more and you win less than 10% of your games

With so many players out of form this year, not just the Hawthorn game, we are going to lose anyway by keeping them in.
We need to reset the team with players that deserve a game from VFL form, and then produce a consistent lineup the following few weeks.

 

[Toump Ass]

Since coming into the side Tomas Bugg is averaging over a goal a game. They're fantastic numbers. And never mind his behinds: if he wasn't the worst set shot in the league, he'd be favourite for the Coleman. Inspired decision making as well- you never know what he's going to do. Why take the best option when you could just confuse EVERYBODY and do something totally unpredictable instead? No way we're dropping him now, if he feels like a rest he can show himself out the same way he did via Callum Mills' face.

 

[Toump Ass]

Melksham also stays for mine too... The Milkman always delivers on a Tuesday!!!

(No but seriously if I don't get to yell that out ANZAC EVE I'll be seriously disappointed)

Out: Oscar

Now we're talking!

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

I see Lewis, Fritsch, Wagner and Frost coming out. Richmond aren't tall in the F50 so no need for 3 talls and Wagner. We need some dash, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Hunt and Stretch come in. Tyson in means Petracca can play more F50 in replace of Fritsch who needs a spell IMO.

OUT

Lewis, Fritsch, Wagner and Frost

IN

Tyson, Hunt, Stretch and Pederson

Harmes, Melksham and Bugg on notice. I'd say Lever too but he won't be dropped..

Frost is one of the quickest players on our list. Also Wagner plays on smalls, as does Frost. Why would we drop them? Stretch certainly isn’t going to give us anything special and he was good without being great, from all reports, at Casey

 

[pjfairbairn]

I see Lewis, Fritsch, Wagner and Frost coming out. Richmond aren't tall in the F50 so no need for 3 talls and Wagner. We need some dash, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Hunt and Stretch come in. Tyson in means Petracca can play more F50 in replace of Fritsch who needs a spell IMO.

OUT

Lewis, Fritsch, Wagner and Frost

IN

Tyson, Hunt, Stretch and Pederson

Harmes, Melksham and Bugg on notice. I'd say Lever too but he won't be dropped..

Swap one of Frost/Wagner for one of Harmes/Melksham/Bugg and I'm with you.

 

[schmuttt]

I'm happy to carry one, and I don't see Melksham doing what Bugg is doing; running and jumping at the footy and at least creating the shots on goals or contests at ground level up forward. Melksham has to go, Bugg I think is worth persisting with.

We’re past the point of picking guys just because they try, Bugg kills the team with his misses and poor disposal around the ground.