Changes v Richmond

[Dancing Potato]

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.

This. He's the ultimate momentum killer right now. He's a small chance to kick a bag but a pretty reasonable chance to totally kill us on the rebound.

 

[Crusty Demon]

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

Kent was good without being great too before coming back. Our backline isn't working. In fact it's been horrible. So we need to change. Wagner has been ok, but we need run and Hunt and Stretch will bring that. Frost just isn't needed against Richmond. Reiwoldt is the only tall, and if we go into the game with Frost, Lever and OMac it will be a big mistake. Frost, Lever and OMac aren't great users of the ball, so I'd put Gus back there where he did well late last season. If we go into this game with the same set up, we get smashed. Have to try something different. This is my suggestion..

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

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.

Lol. It’s not about trying. 50% of his ‘trying’ actually helps the team, footy isn’t just about what you do on the ball or with ball in hand

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

We’re basically assured to take a four goal lead at some stage in this game. The question is whether or not we’ll keep it

 

[Willo 17]

I am willing to suggest there will be minimal changes and we will get flogged, but then I think, no this is Melbourne, it just doesn't happen.

 

[Cannon82]

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

Not much of a correlation. Losing teams typically make more changes, so more changes = more losses. If your best team is available, you're not likely to make changes. Silly stat.

 

[demondavey]

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)

Now we're talking!

You actually advicate dropping Oscar McDonald?

That’s comical

 

[Cannon82]

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.

Tyson, Lewis and Vince aren't quick. Oliver actually has a bit of toe but is always in the middle of a contest. Jones isn't slow but he's not quick. Wagner I haven't paid much attention too, Harmes' pace is a fair way down on his list of issues, Melksham is gash and Hibberd also has a bit of toe.

If you're worried about pace, then Salem and Brayshaw would be two players I would say who are uncomfortably close to the pensioner's club in terms of speed.

 

[demondavey]

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.

Really? Who have we got that is kicking goals and hitting targets? Do we just roll the dice on Hannan, Balic, Hunt?

 

[demondavey]

Tyson, Lewis and Vince aren't quick. Oliver actually has a bit of toe but is always in the middle of a contest. Jones isn't slow but he's not quick. Wagner I haven't paid much attention too, Harmes' pace is a fair way down on his list of issues, Melksham is gash and Hibberd also has a bit of toe.

If you're worried about pace, then Salem and Brayshaw would be two players I would say who are uncomfortably close to the pensioner's club in terms of speed.

Salem isn’t bad, but as you say, the rest are rat pace.

We need Hunt.

 

[Cannon82]

We’re past the point of picking guys just because they try

Unfortunately I think we're stuck in a Sisyphean loop of playing honest triers and getting beaten due to lack of skill and then playing more skillful players and getting done for lack of effort. The McKenzie-Watts enigma.

 

[Jaras1]

All of a sudden I don’t feel that good about our list. We have some absolute rippers in Oliver, Trac, Gawn, Hogan. But then just so many players that I can’t see being part of a finals side - Harmes, Bugg, Wagner, Hannan, ANB. I reckon we are about 5 good players away still.

 

[Blackas87]

All of a sudden I don’t feel that good about our list. We have some absolute rippers in Oliver, Trac, Gawn, Hogan. But then just so many players that I can’t see being part of a finals side - Harmes, Bugg, Wagner, Hannan, ANB. I reckon we are about 5 good players away still.

Sounds like what everyone was saying about Richmond 3-4 years ago.

 

[demondavey]

To be honest guys, I don’t think anyone really has a best 22 right now. I mean we’ve got a serious issue at the club that’s been in existence for decades and decades. The remnants of the Bailey & Neeld days linger with Jones and Gawn. Jones is a great footballer and has flown the flag so long but he isn’t a leader. The poor guy was the only choice we had after we shafted James McDonald. He isn’t a natural leader. He was the only asset we had. He can’t inspire verbally and emotionally like Hodge, Selwood, Kennedy, Maxwell etc. I love him, but we have no leadership with him.

Gawn i love and I hate. Great footballer when he wants to be, but some of the fade outs he has and some of the moments he has that present an opportunity to say ‘look up to me boys’ just pass him by. Holding up a premiership cup in the pre season? Get serious.

We are urgently crying out for someone to just put up their hands and guide us. Goodwin I find passive and reactive, he doesn’t inspire me. At least Roos was passionate and had great management skills. The training camp fiasco looks like maybe elements of it just were not an overreaction. I just want some bloke in a team meeting or in a red and blue jumper that can lead this club out of the perennial hole and take us to the last day.

 

[booshboy]

All of a sudden I don’t feel that good about our list. We have some absolute rippers in Oliver, Trac, Gawn, Hogan. But then just so many players that I can’t see being part of a finals side - Harmes, Bugg, Wagner, Hannan, ANB. I reckon we are about 5 good players away still.

I've seen enough from Harmes & ANB to suggest they have a future on our list. I used to like Bugg but he's lost his way ever since he got rubbed out. Wagner has played some solid games at AFL level but he's depth at best. I've got confidence in our list, but I cant say the same about our coaching staff right now.

 

[BG32]

The coaching team worries me a lot more than the onfield team.

 

[Blackas87]

Our lack of marking targets has been a real worry. Id be happy to see both Pedersen and Weideman come in.

Weideman can stay in the forward 50 as thats where he plays best

Pedersen does his best work leading up the ground to the flanks and wings. When Lever and our back line a quickly getting the ball out of defence, Pedo is there attacking the footy. Not kicking to uncontested opposition.

Hogan can do whatever he wants. Make Rance run all over the ground, back into the 50.

Kick the ball into our 50 quickly, if we can't mark bring it to ground and let Kent and Garlett crumb and kick goals.

 

[Demons Advocate]

All of a sudden I don’t feel that good about our list. We have some absolute rippers in Oliver, Trac, Gawn, Hogan. But then just so many players that I can’t see being part of a finals side - Harmes, Bugg, Wagner, Hannan, ANB. I reckon we are about 5 good players away still.

Every team has hack players that won't amount to anything until they are premiership stars. Steven Armstrong won a ****ing flag.

Our list is fine. In fact it's great. The personnel is not the issue but how they are deployed. In any team, whether sport or business, you promote an individuals strengths and hide their weaknesses. This is best done by fitting them with other individuals who compliment their skillset.

I fear our approach of "every player is a midfielder" is stripping definition from each player's role and leaving them a bit directionless. For instance Harmes looks great when he is ravaging the 6th best defender, but not so good when taking on the no. 1 ruck then trying to burst through the oppo's best midfielders.

If we can tweak the team tactics the individual players will look better.

 

[Topkent]

Kent was good without being great too before coming back. Our backline isn't working. In fact it's been horrible. So we need to change. Wagner has been ok, but we need run and Hunt and Stretch will bring that. Frost just isn't needed against Richmond. Reiwoldt is the only tall, and if we go into the game with Frost, Lever and OMac it will be a big mistake. Frost, Lever and OMac aren't great users of the ball, so I'd put Gus back there where he did well late last season. If we go into this game with the same set up, we get smashed. Have to try something different. This is my suggestion..

Gus could be the slowest on the list, putting him in defence for frost would make us even slower.


After calming down for a few days I think 2 changes is enough, it's a change to the game style that's needed not the players. Simply shuffling out of form players makes no difference.

Not much of a correlation. Losing teams typically make more changes, so more changes = more losses. If your best team is available, you're not likely to make changes. Silly stat.

There is a correlation, losing teams were more likely to lose again by throwing the baby out with the bath water and in fact it was Roosy who came up with it saying 1 or 2 changes was the most he would like to me each week. Too many is too much of a change.


For mine it will simply be Hunt in for his pace down back and maybe a surprise like Baker

 

[schmuttt]

Gus could be the slowest on the list, putting him in defence for frost would make us even slower.


After calming down for a few days I think 2 changes is enough, it's a change to the game style that's needed not the players. Simply shuffling out of form players makes no difference.


There is a correlation, losing teams were more likely to lose again by throwing the baby out with the bath water and in fact it was Roosy who came up with it saying 1 or 2 changes was the most he would like to me each week. Too many is too much of a change.


For mine it will simply be Hunt in for his pace down back and maybe a surprise like Baker

I am very keen to watch Baker play but he isn't ready imo.

 

[Topkent]

I am very keen to watch Baker play but he isn't ready imo.

I don't think he would be either but I would be surprised if Goody threw up a shock to try and boost the team, has history a little with that

 

[LeverPuller]

Is it weird that I'm super chill about what happened Sunday? We got rolled, shit happens?

I feel like I'm in some post-Neeld bliss era where I'm just grateful we rock up feeling like we can win every week.

 

[Sellout Scully]

I feel a little sorry for Harmes. Been out of form but being played as a second ruck doesn't help. He's a HFF who can take a mark and kick a goal not a ******* ruck.

Sounds like that guy we traded to Port Adelaide

Bugg is a terrible kick for goal and also a terrible decision maker with ball in hand.

Not only this but I've noticed a few efforts in the past fortnight where he leads outside of 50 and goes for the one handed mark and drops it. In addition his decision making with the ball 60m from home tends to be terrible, the best example was that missed pass over the top to Garlett. He works hard to get himself in the right positions but my god when your execution is that shisen what hope is there.

Even in the Norf game where he kicked 4 goals he didn't register at all in the Coaches Votes or get in the top 5 in the 426 memorial trophy.

 

[Blackas87]

Is it weird that I'm super chill about what happened Sunday? We got rolled, shit happens?

I feel like I'm in some post-Neeld bliss era where I'm just grateful we rock up feeling like we can win every week.

I feel like we can win any game.

But there's no game I'm 100% confident with.

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

The coaching team worries me a lot more than the onfield team.

Yeah, I think all eyes are on them to fix the holes that are showing in the game plan, get some of our better playing with confidence again and get the selection match ups right. We have to see some change in the next month.

Players changes won't matter if we don't tweak the way we defend.