Would probably give Harmes a reprieve if so.
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Would probably give Harmes a reprieve if so.
- Sep 22, 2008
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I probably wouldn’t, but I just can’t see us not playing him considering we brought him in. I do think he’ll improve and he’s not a bad sub option either, can come on play multiple roles and add some speed & pressure
threenewpadlocks
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I would understand if we brought in Harmes (or Macrae) for Gallagher. Gallagher showed signs, absolutely, but showing signs for the future and positively impacting games for today are two different things.
- Sep 22, 2008
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Can Harmes play the VDM role? It’s not like he’s playing as a traditional small forward, it seems to be more high half forward - Harmes is quick and can cover a lot of ground if that’s the key KPI for the role, and he somewhat has at least some ability with ball in hand.
BEVERIDGES SAFETY BANKET and WHY MACRAE IS OUT OF THE TEAM
Macrae's was an automatic wing selection during his first two seasons, before he pushed himself into a mid-field role. Effectively, forcing M. Boyd out of the middle to reinvent himself as a half-back flanker.
We don't have two automatic wingers. When Baker plays as he did yesterday than he picks himself. But on the other wing no one has made it their own. I can't see how Macrae is not a significantly better option on the wing than Poulter, Harmes, or Williams. What he lacks in pace he makes up for with a big tank, hardness and smarts.
As a mid-fielder Macrae is an out and out extractor. There is room for only one of those and Liberatore is ahead of him. Macrae is a walk up start in the middle for most other teams. Not for us. Not whilst Liber is Liber. And Treloar is Treloar. And we need to get midfield minutes into Sander, Gallagher, West, et al.
I don't be believe this is the problem Beveridge has made it to be. You play Macrae on the wing - he knows the role - he will have to run more to help out in defence but he has the tank in spades. His presence on a wing would give us a huge advantage in congested contests on the wing he occupies. His general nous, elite ball retention qualities and physicality will more than make up for the pace he lacks.
To my mind, the only reason this has not happened is because Williams is Beveridge's safety blanket. Williams plays on the wing not because he has made the position his own, but because he can play several alternative roles back or forward, tall or short. he is the break glass in case of injury or mismatches, like yesterday, with Coffield's injury, Williams is always the default option. And has been for the last 3 years.
If we are honest, if Beveridge were honest, this is a sub-optimal strategy. It hurts us as a team and may explain why so often Beveridge plays an extra at clearances and sacrifices our forward structure. In other words, the negative flow on effects maybe greater than we realize.
Having a safety blanket is understandable, but it is not optimal. Williams is not any quicker than Macrae. As a winger, Williams is a plodder with a long kick and the occasional effective side-step. In the 3 years he has played the position he has not had a game as good as Baker's yesterday. He only plays the position to give Beveridge comfort and flexibility. Based on that, Williams should be the substitute. But of course you can't have a permanent sub. For the benefit of the team, Beveridge needs to ditch his safety blanket and think more creatively by developing alternatives if and when injuries or mismatches occur - instead of sacrificing a better option so that he feels more comfortable.
Macrae's was an automatic wing selection during his first two seasons, before he pushed himself into a mid-field role. Effectively, forcing M. Boyd out of the middle to reinvent himself as a half-back flanker.
We don't have two automatic wingers. When Baker plays as he did yesterday than he picks himself. But on the other wing no one has made it their own. I can't see how Macrae is not a significantly better option on the wing than Poulter, Harmes, or Williams. What he lacks in pace he makes up for with a big tank, hardness and smarts.
As a mid-fielder Macrae is an out and out extractor. There is room for only one of those and Liberatore is ahead of him. Macrae is a walk up start in the middle for most other teams. Not for us. Not whilst Liber is Liber. And Treloar is Treloar. And we need to get midfield minutes into Sander, Gallagher, West, et al.
I don't be believe this is the problem Beveridge has made it to be. You play Macrae on the wing - he knows the role - he will have to run more to help out in defence but he has the tank in spades. His presence on a wing would give us a huge advantage in congested contests on the wing he occupies. His general nous, elite ball retention qualities and physicality will more than make up for the pace he lacks.
To my mind, the only reason this has not happened is because Williams is Beveridge's safety blanket. Williams plays on the wing not because he has made the position his own, but because he can play several alternative roles back or forward, tall or short. he is the break glass in case of injury or mismatches, like yesterday, with Coffield's injury, Williams is always the default option. And has been for the last 3 years.
If we are honest, if Beveridge were honest, this is a sub-optimal strategy. It hurts us as a team and may explain why so often Beveridge plays an extra at clearances and sacrifices our forward structure. In other words, the negative flow on effects maybe greater than we realize.
Having a safety blanket is understandable, but it is not optimal. Williams is not any quicker than Macrae. As a winger, Williams is a plodder with a long kick and the occasional effective side-step. In the 3 years he has played the position he has not had a game as good as Baker's yesterday. He only plays the position to give Beveridge comfort and flexibility. Based on that, Williams should be the substitute. But of course you can't have a permanent sub. For the benefit of the team, Beveridge needs to ditch his safety blanket and think more creatively by developing alternatives if and when injuries or mismatches occur - instead of sacrificing a better option so that he feels more comfortable.
threenewpadlocks
Brownlow Medallist
Unless we want to bring in two defenders, which is highly unlikely, Williams will swing back to cover Coffield and Richards, which he did after Coffield went off. That solves your problem, he'll be a defender next week and assuming he plays well, no reason he should get dropped if we were happy to pick Coffield in that role R1/R2 anyway.
- Aug 15, 2014
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JOD should eventually take Coffield's spot when he's healthy so in theory Williams will go back to the wing.
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Couldn’t disagree more. Doc was brilliant yesterday!! Garcia Macrae Lobb doc Clarke were best 5
threenewpadlocks
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Doubt we'd drop Williams and his 128 games of league experience after playing entirely adequately and to expectations just to see if we can fit in a second-year 12 gamer who has had more than a slightly interrupted pre-season. There's no harm on O'Donnell both developing and proving form in the reserves.
- Aug 15, 2014
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Where did I say we would drop Williams? He’d simple move back to drop he’s played for past couple of years.
- Sep 22, 2008
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Fair enough, like I said I only watched first half and wasn’t concentrating too much but just noticed the same issues I’ve seen with him previously, ie going to ground too easily, slow etc
Will take your word for it just not sure if he’s the right fit at the top level right now unless we’re absolutely desperate
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Few nice tackles and blocks from Macrae. Probably more important than disposal and clearance numbers. Work rate and 1%’s get him in the side this week imo.
I wonder what his KM’s for the match were?
Will be interesting come this Thursday when the teams are announced.
I wonder what his KM’s for the match were?
Will be interesting come this Thursday when the teams are announced.
- May 23, 2019
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Richards is also out. Williams would be covering his role.
He was too good for the level, that comes down to his experience, determination and footy IQ. I didn't see anything to suggest he has improved on his treacle pace of last year and think it'd be foolish to expect anything more then what he was last year, in all probability he has declined further. Small forwards would have an absolute day out.
- Aug 15, 2014
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I'm aware. I said eventually so this would be the ideal back 7 we would run with throughout the rest of the year.
So outs:
Ins
- Richards - concussion protocol
- Coffield - injury - was looking OK
- VDM - not good enough. Gallagher might have passed him already. García better - fumble too but gets the ball - if he stays fit you can not keep him out. Scott just a better player but must be injured. With Clarke and McNeil breathing down his neck. And Jones having attributes he doesn’t have - he is under huge pressure. Best thing for him is VFL and get his hands on the ball.
- Poulter - had a very poor game. Has had some good games. Bedendo was very poor in VFL so no pressure there. But Freijah looks special so game on.
Ins
- Duryea - Direct replacement for Red
- Keath - only tall available and JOD needs a game in the VFL. Buss didn’t even play VFL. Cleary just hasn’t lifted. Left field would be Friejah for an early taste - looks a star and at 191 (looks much bigger) played HBF and did well.
- Macrae - just too good to be in the twos in any team
- Baker - earned his start the right way by taking his opportunity
- García to sub - was outstanding in the twos
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Big fan of Vandermeer. But he should go back to the reserves for a while. At the moment he has cement hands and no disposal vision.
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Hi all,
Been a while. Life’s gotten in the way.
Just curious on thoughts of moving Macrae to a sweeping defender, ala Boyd circa 2015/16. With the evolution of our midfield, and the midfield of the modern game more generally, fear the game may pass him by.
Notwithstanding the 47 in the VFL but we know the gulf between A & V and Jacko was obviously pleading his case for a recall.
Handy ball user, reads the play well, tough as nails. Has a lot of Boyd about him.
Been a while. Life’s gotten in the way.
Just curious on thoughts of moving Macrae to a sweeping defender, ala Boyd circa 2015/16. With the evolution of our midfield, and the midfield of the modern game more generally, fear the game may pass him by.
Notwithstanding the 47 in the VFL but we know the gulf between A & V and Jacko was obviously pleading his case for a recall.
Handy ball user, reads the play well, tough as nails. Has a lot of Boyd about him.
Generation West
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Yep, that would be my preferred back 7 based on what I have seen so far this year and the upside of JOD.
I'm assuming Macrae comes in for you guys this week, but where do you think Bevo will play him?
- Nov 16, 2015
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I can’t see it.
Very one paced, not overly defensive, and is a slow ball user by foot.
At a time we’re trying to quicken up our ball movement, Macrae is one of the last players I’d send back to defence.
I loved how quickly Darcy took that kick for goal. The man was switched on and wanted his goal before the risk of a reversal.
Negative on this.
Macrae is good at what he does, but he's too cumbersome to play in defence without being a marking option. By the time Boyd moved there he was at the peak of his powers, could evade defenders, had amazing groundball skills and could dispose of the ball on both sides of his body. He also had the pace to defend on the lead.
Macrae has some great assets but he is totally one-sided, tends not to keep his feet in a contest, and is too slow to defend a lead.
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