Prediction changes v Sydney

[Arcassius]

Neale's 50th against Sydney - will be interesting to see how he plays

 

[democritus]

Interesting that with all this talk of Sydney's marking power, statistically speaking I believe they are currently the lowest ranked team for marks inside their forward 50.

Reid is close to being dropped, but has been playing down back anyway. Tippett hasn't done much of note. Franklin has been very good but is almost playing as a high half forward/midfielder.

I think we are actually well equipped to handle their height. Whilst Silvagni really shut down Buddy for most of the final last year as soon as buddy reverted back to kicking goals on the run he took the game away in a matter of minutes. With a more mobile backline and the ability of a player like Mayne to swing down back I'm not too worried. This is a battle of the midfields.

 

[The Anchorite]

Look I hate to be that guy, but yesterday we put neither the "que" nor the "queue" in the rack - it was the ****ing "cue", and when we went to put it in the rack we'd shoved it so far up West Coast's backside that they found themselves mounted up there in the Freo pool room alongside the Steves' statement of key management principles and the head of the grizzly Kep wrestled to the death that time.

 

[purplepassion82]

Didn't Johnson play on Gorilla forward Ken Doll from Geelong just only 2 weeks ago? Thought he did a stellar effort then. Couldn't he do that again this week on Tippett?

 

[Righteo]

Didn't Johnson play on Gorilla forward Ken Doll from Geelong just only 2 weeks ago? Thought he did a stellar effort then. Couldn't he do that again this week on Tippett?

Our midfield completely dominated so supply for T-Hawk was limited but he looked exposed whenever he found himself 1 on 1 or defending on the lead, gave away a few holding frees and probably should have given away a few more. I'm never going to consider MJ a legitimate KPD but that's probably just me.

 

[sij1981]

Reid has been really bad this year and may even be dropped

Maybe reason to move to Freo.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

Maybe reason to move to Freo.

We don't want him.

 

[democritus]

We don't want him.

Wasn't he re-signed on a 5 year mega-contract at the end of 2012? Dat salary cap must be near breaking point. I'm tipping Hannebery to head back to Victoria at the season's end.

 

[JamFrank]

Biggest problem with this game is who to put on buddy. I've watched most of Sydney's games this season and the dude is killing it. He's not much of a lead up forward; can't take a mark out in front of him to save his life: has to be on the chest, and even then it'll bounce straight off 50% of the time. But it's everything else he does. He tackles like a maniac and is excellent with the ground ball. When he does have it, I've seen three players try and tackle him unsuccessfully, leaving a few spare Sydney players who he can just handball to around him. And his goal kicking radar is on this season.

We've seen in the past that you can keep him quiet for majority of the game, only for him to turn up and kick four majors in one quarter.

The only solice I have is that at subiaco, compared to the scg, he will find it harder to get to as many contests as he normally does.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

Biggest problem with this game is who to put on buddy. I've watched most of Sydney's games this season and the dude is killing it. He's not much of a lead up forward; can't take a mark out in front of him to save his life: has to be on the chest, and even then it'll bounce straight off 50% of the time. But it's everything else he does. He tackles like a maniac and is excellent with the ground ball. When he does have it, I've seen three players try and tackle him unsuccessfully, leaving a few spare Sydney players who he can just handball to around him. And his goal kicking radar is on this season.

We've seen in the past that you can keep him quiet for majority of the game, only for him to turn up and kick four majors in one quarter.

The only solice I have is that at subiaco, compared to the scg, he will find it harder to get to as many contests as he normally does.

McPharlin will beat him in the air, I think he is the man for the matchup.

 

[Jezzitizle]

To be honest being one tall defender short has been a benefit i think as we seem to have become quicker at moving the ball from the back and more attacking.

Ibbotson has become better as the weeks keep going with his intercept marks, how good was he. Zacks backline pack marks weren ot bad also if only now doing it in forward line is possible.

Interesting selection times ahead. Crozier was a bit undecided in his decision making process, I would rather have suban as sub and bring muzungu.

Mcpharlin and johnson might be rested some matches

 

[JamFrank]

McPharlin will beat him in the air, I think he is the man for the matchup.

My point is it doesn't matter if you beat him in the air. I personally don't think McPharlin has the strength to bring him down when he has the ball. As someone said, Sydney have one of the lowest marks inside fifty count going around, yet they still get the job done, and by big margins. Partly this is because Tippett doesn't seem to be in the best form in regards to contested marking, but Franklin's ground ball work and recovery from constests is pretty incredible.

 

[MarkP]

The structure has changed considerably since we last played.

Reid is back. Rohan is forward and so is Heeney.

The forward line is now not 4 talls but 2 talls with pace around them. To be fair Rohan plays quite tall, is quite tall though not true KPP height, anyway but it is a lot like Hawthorns forward structure and we are back to more slingshot football if you want to use the vernacular.

Basically Tippett shares the ruck with Pyke and they swap out a bit in the forward line with Tippett being in there the bulk of the time.

Our pace has improved overall with the re-inclusion of Harry and Lloyd will love the open spaces, he is a master of the uncontested footy and his use of the ball sublime. I am also keen to see how you treat Jack because Lyon has always Crowley'ed him.

The wildcard is Heeney. He is a handful already up forward as he brings mongrel, contested footy skills and pure skill to the team. He would be in our top 5 for disposal efficiency and is truly dual sided. Yeh yeh he was a steal at 18, COLA, Academies, AFL lovechild blah blah....whatever. I cannot recall a kid come in and tear it up like this. He is special

Regardless of how you view the Swans etc be thankful as football fans the system managed to grab him for AFL and keep him. He is a beautiful athlete and would have excelled at any contact sport.

Anyway Buddy is in form and the team was exceptional against Port. Parker should be free of the concussion and is a beast. Going to love him and Fyfe going head to head as they usually do.

Looking forward to this contest so we can see who will be early favourite for runner up to the Hawks this year

 

[RUNVS]

Biggest problem with this game is who to put on buddy. I've watched most of Sydney's games this season and the dude is killing it. He's not much of a lead up forward; can't take a mark out in front of him to save his life: has to be on the chest, and even then it'll bounce straight off 50% of the time. But it's everything else he does. He tackles like a maniac and is excellent with the ground ball. When he does have it, I've seen three players try and tackle him unsuccessfully, leaving a few spare Sydney players who he can just handball to around him. And his goal kicking radar is on this season.

We've seen in the past that you can keep him quiet for majority of the game, only for him to turn up and kick four majors in one quarter.

The only solice I have is that at subiaco, compared to the scg, he will find it harder to get to as many contests as he normally does.

On the flip side though at Subiaco he might find more room and more one on one contest than he could at the SCG.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

On the flip side though at Subiaco he might find more room and more one on one contest than he could at the SCG.

Thats true, however we also have plenty of outside runners and on a big ground they do thrive.

 

[Freodoc]

Mcpharlin and johnson might be rested some matches

True, but not this one.
Think maybe a lower ranked team that involves travel as well?

 

[JamFrank]

I'd say the ball needs to live ~70% of the time in our forward line to win this one. Sydney's forward line is just too dangerous. Like I said before, it's not their marking players that are dangerous, it's when the ball hits the deck, they just find ways to score. Buddy and Heeney were excellent last week at turning a 50/50 ground ball contest into a goal.

Compare that to the efforts of Taberner and Clarke, and even Pav on the weekend; we need to dominate possession and not give the ball back.

When Walters wasn't in the forward line, we looked very slow and rather uncreative.

 

[Boppo]

AFL 360 lauding the Dockers tonight.

 

[yoong]

As per all our recent matches with Sydney, it's all going to be won or loss in the midfield. If we win most of the midfield battle and limit their inside 50, our defense is good enough to take care of themselves.

I'm worried about scoring though. Port is a high scoring team but they managed to hold them back to only 44 points. We still don't have ballas this week, and I don't think chucking deBoer forward will do the trick this week. We have to bring crozier in, but I'm not sure that's the answer. Pav, Tabs and Sonson will all need to fire for us the kick a winning score.

 

[Mr Fonebone]

Game on a 1 hour delay on FTA on Saturday. Bit disappointing

 

[FreoGirl]

Neale's 50th against Sydney - will be interesting to see how he plays

like a veteran

 

[downthecorridor]

Ibbo as spare man and filling the hole in front of buddy and Tippett as well as taking all those intercept marks may end up being highly pivotal. More often than not when he does this we go back very quickly the other way on rebound. On the other hand Sydney need to contest with our 3 bigs and arguably the best small forward who plays up the ground too. One of freos greatest strengths I feel is the ability to constantly rotate our mids forward and vice versa.

 

[FreoGirl]

Look I hate to be that guy, but yesterday we put neither the "que" nor the "queue" in the rack - it was the ******* "cue", and when we went to put it in the rack we'd shoved it so far up West Coast's backside that they found themselves mounted up there in the Freo pool room alongside the Steves' statement of key management principles and the head of the grizzly Kep wrestled to the death that time.

I want what you've been taking lol

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Look I hate to be that guy, but yesterday we put neither the "que" nor the "queue" in the rack - it was the ******* "cue", and when we went to put it in the rack we'd shoved it so far up West Coast's backside that they found themselves mounted up there in the Freo pool room alongside the Steves' statement of key management principles and the head of the grizzly Kep wrestled to the death that time.

Someone had to say it.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

I want what you've been taking lol

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