Preview Changes v Sydney, Rd 8

[dee_mac]

Gus into the guts with Viney out. His natural position.

His natural position has changed. He's actually been coming good as wingman, especially defensively. Team gets more out of him there than in the guts

 

[Tulip]

FB: Hibberd May Lever
HB: Salem McDonald Rivers
C: Langdon Jordon Brayshaw
HF: Pickett Weideman Jackson
FF: Spargo Brown Neal-Bullen
RR: Gawn Petracca Oliver
IC: Jones Hunt Sparrow Melksham

That's how I'd probably roll into this one. Definitely can see us missing a few keys now. Was hard to fill that fourth bench spot. Stuck between Melksham and Bowey, with Jones a week-to-week proposition. Sparrow in should help with ground level pressure, even if his scoreboard and statistical impacts are low.

 

[GatesOfHell]

His natural position has changed. He's actually been coming good as wingman, especially defensively. Team gets more out of him there than in the guts

I disagree. Gus is just going at the moment. He’ll relish the opportunity to do the bullocking work in Viney’s absence. You need blokes with zip and neat skills on your wings. Langdon and Rivers the go.

 

[Meds]

Baker out for Sparrow. I'd love to see Sparrow in the Viney role. He's hard at it and can drift forward like Vin has done in the first half of the season, applies pressure and has a lot of upside I reckon.
Brayshaw out on the wing. He has performed the team role well - not as many disposals as people like but he gives us great structure and helps out the defence which we need with Tommo out.
If the Fritsch ban is upheld I'd bring in Petty for Tommo and leave TMac forward. Brown, TMac and Jacko the targets, with Koz, Nib, Spargo around them.
Chandler to replace Fritsch to give us some goals and more pressure up front.

So thats
Baker, Tommo and Fritsch out
Sparrow, Petty and Chandler in

Maybe Jones into the 22 for Melk for better mid/fwd balance.

 

[Meds]

I disagree. Gus is just going at the moment. He’ll relish the opportunity to do the bullocking work in Viney’s absence. You need blokes with zip and neat skills on your wings. Langdon and Rivers the go.

Every player has been drilled on a 2nd role. In this team, Gus is a wingman first, and half-back second. We played him inside-mid on the weekend because Viney out happened late and we didn't have proper inside-mid coverage travelling. He's obviously capable of getting 25+ touches and plenty of clearances but that's been our biggest problem for the last 5 years - individuals getting their share of the pill but without enough system to make it effective or provide coverage when the individual stuff doesn't work.
Sparrow having fewer touches, but playing the role like he has trained for, and that Oliver and Trac know he's going to, is more important than Brayshaw's better ball-winning ability

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Baker out for Sparrow. I'd love to see Sparrow in the Viney role. He's hard at it and can drift forward like Vin has done in the first half of the season, applies pressure and has a lot of upside I reckon.
Brayshaw out on the wing. He has performed the team role well - not as many disposals as people like but he gives us great structure and helps out the defence which we need with Tommo out.
If the Fritsch ban is upheld I'd bring in Petty for Tommo and leave TMac forward. Brown, TMac and Jacko the targets, with Koz, Nib, Spargo around them.
Chandler to replace Fritsch to give us some goals and more pressure up front.

So thats
Baker, Tommo and Fritsch out
Sparrow, Petty and Chandler in

Maybe Jones into the 22 for Melk for better mid/fwd balance.

Poor Weid We are giving Petty games ahead of him.

 

[stEdy]

Sparrow was excellent on Thursday night for Casey.

Deserves a shot in the guts with Viney out for who knows how long with his toe

 

[GatesOfHell]

Every player has been drilled on a 2nd role.

This is a good thing no doubt but no matter how well drilled a player is in a certain role at training, if he doesn’t have certain physical attributes for that position he’s eventually going to get found out. A wingman or outside player ideally needs line breaking and breakaway speed, which Gus doesn’t and never will have. IMO if he doesn’t play inside we are better off trading him out for a player that does fulfil this requirement. In a final or heaven forbid a grand final, it’s an area which could well cost us a win.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

The thing is Weid and Brown might actually have some decent chemistry with each other after rehabbing and playing together at Casey, would probably take longer for Brown and TMac to get on the same page, I'll be disappointed if Petty is the one to come in.

 

[Topkent]

This is a good thing no doubt but no matter how well drilled a player is in a certain role at training, if he doesn’t have certain physical attributes for that position he’s eventually going to get found out. A wingman or outside player ideally needs line breaking and breakaway speed, which Gus doesn’t and never will have. IMO if he doesn’t play inside we are better if trading him out for a player that does fulfil this requirement. In a final or heaven forbid a grand final, it’s an area which could well cost us a win.

This is just not true. Outside players have traditionally struggled in finals with the lack of space and time.

 

[schmuttt]

So now we are pulling apart the forward line that worked to fix the back line that worked.
It might well work but sh*t there's red flags everywhere here.

So you’d bring Petty in instead?

 

[Topkent]

So you’d bring Petty in instead?

Honestly I'm not sure. But shouldn't we find out if Petty can handle it?
It's a lockdown role so it's alot easier than replacing May.
Plus if Brown does a hammy do we then move Tmac forward again?

 

[schmuttt]

Honestly I'm not sure. But shouldn't we find out if Petty can handle it?
It's a lockdown role so it's alot easier than replacing May.
Plus if Brown does a hammy do we then move Tmac forward again?

We have two options, bring in Petty for Tomlinson or Weid comes in and TMac goes back. I can see the merit in both and tbh I’m probably leaning towards Petty now because as you say we find out if he’s any good if not TMac HAS to go back.

 

[Topkent]

We have two options, bring in Petty for Tomlinson or Weid comes in and TMac goes back. I can see the merit in both and tbh I’m probably leaning towards Petty now because as you say we find out if he’s any good if not TMac HAS to go back.

I just don't like the idea of a new backline and completely new forward line for a team working so well.
Weids not gonna come in and dominate, in fact he has never really at AFL level. So Tmacs finding his place down back while 2 key forwards are also finding their place.

Pretty happy with my decision to put money on the Swans.

 

[schmuttt]

I just don't like the idea of a new backline and completely new forward line for a team working so well.
Weids not gonna come in and dominate, in fact he has never really at AFL level. So Tmacs finding his place down back while 2 key forwards are also finding their place.

Pretty happy with my decision to put money on the Swans.

Campaigner have an opinion on who comes in and get off the ****ing fence

 

[GatesOfHell]

This is just not true. Outside players have traditionally struggled in finals with the lack of space and time.

Tigers - McIntosh, Bolton
WC - Jetta, Ryan
Dogs - Macrae, Hunter
Hawks - Hill, Smith

All either quick or skilful or a ideally a combo of both. All the way back to Peter Matera circa the early 90’s you don’t find too many premiership sides with plodders on the outside of midfield. At critical moments in big games on the MCG foot speed can and will kill you.

 

[Topkent]

Campaigner have an opinion on who comes in and get off the ******* fence

Petty back
Tmac and Weid forward
Brown can **** off
Happy champ mate.

 

[RandB]

I think we need to get senior games into Sparrow from a whole of season perspective, not just this week.

 

[AmericanAFL]

Petty back
Tmac and Weid forward
Brown can fu** off
Happy champ mate.

Sign me up for this.

 

[Topkent]

Tigers - McIntosh, Bolton
WC - Jetta, Ryan
Dogs - Macrae, Hunter
Hawks - Hill, Smith

All either quick or skilful or a ideally a combo of both. All the way back to Peter Matera circa the early 90’s you don’t find too many premiership sides with plodders on the outside of midfield. At critical moments in big games on the MCG foot speed can and will kill you.

McIntosh isn't that different to Brayshaw
Bolton isn't a winger. He's a small forward who plays at the centre bounce and drifts forward.

Liam Ryan the same

Brad hill hasn't played for the Hawks for 5 years

Brayshaw isn't my favourite player but hes not going to 'cost' us a GF. That's silly.

 

[Topkent]

Also Brayshaw back to the wing, Sparrow into the middle.

 

[GatesOfHell]

McIntosh isn't that different to Brayshaw
Bolton isn't a winger. He's a small forward who plays at the centre bounce and drifts forward.

Liam Ryan the same

Brad hill hasn't played for the Hawks for 5 years

Brayshaw isn't my favourite player but hes not going to 'cost' us a GF. That's silly.

I named the key wingman/outside mids from the past eight premiership sides (hence Hills inclusion). Clearly there’s a trend to a type of player there, which Brayshaw doesn’t fit into. No one thing specifically costs you a grand final win, but you do need as many pieces of the puzzle squared away to give you the best possible chance of winning it. Brayshaw on a wing sticks out like dog’s nurries to me as one of the clear ‘square peg round hole’ area of our 22 that could be better.

 

[Topkent]

I named the key wingman/outside mids from the past eight premiership sides (hence Hills inclusion). Clearly there’s a trend to a type of player there, which Brayshaw doesn’t fit into. No one thing specifically costs you a grand final win, but you do need as many pieces of the puzzle squared away to give you the best possible chance of winning it. Brayshaw on a wing sticks out like dog’s nurries to me as one of the clear ‘square peg round hole’ area of our 22 that could be better.

Sure, we have Bowey and Laurie waiting in the wings pardon the pun.

Speed and decision making isn't that important on the wing anymore. It's more about the ability to run end to end endlessly just to outnumber. It's why Langdons so good.
Brayshaws doing the running part.

 

[Jamurp]

News that we are challenging Fritschs suspension, so fingers crossed for that one.

 

[Islanda22]

Could we play Jackson back? TMac was great when he went back. Petty seems to be the logic if Weideman misses out again. Melksham was terrible once again, luckily Fritsch is suspended.

Under the microscope:
Spargo - 10 touches, kicked a goal but looked flat
ANB - 10 touches, no impact at all, caught with the ball a few times which stopped momentum at times.
Jones - 14 touches, battled hard, might be due for a stint at Casey.

Casey:
Weideman - Needs his chance at AFL level, kicked 4.3 with 17 touches, 10 marks.
Harmes - 27 touches, 2 goals, looks set to play v Swans
Sparrow - 31 touches, 0.3
Bowey - 23 touches
Chandler - 2.3, 17 touches

Ins - Weideman, Sparrow, Harmes
Outs - Tomlinson, Fritsch, ANB or Jones

B - Hibberd, May, Lever
HB - Salem, McDonald, Rivers
C - Langdon, Petracca, Brayshaw
HF - Pickett, Weideman, Spargo
F - Jackson, B Brown, Melksham
Foll - Gawn, Oliver, Harmes
Int - Baker, Sparrow, Jordan, Hunt
Sub - Jones or ANB