Preview Changes vs Cats (Rnd4)-In: Melksham, Out: Sparrow(omitted)

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rhaz

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Weather looks rubbish for Sunday, be interesting to see how we go in our first game in the wet/wind.
 
May 3, 2014
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TMac's been good until the weekend, and he does deserve another week.

He's on notice though, would rather Mitch Brown or a half-fit Majak Daw than the dross he served up on Sunday.
At least you know Mitch Brown will put his body on the line. That one handed effort from TMac was pathetic.
 

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Oct 9, 2014
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I am happy with no change. I could see Melksham as a chance of coming in. It would have to be at the expense of one of the under 20 game players though.

He can use the ball well...
 

CTHORANGE

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At this stage the only way I'd be bringing in Melksham is if Fristch got injured. Melk is not nimble enough to apply the pressure that ANB, Spargo, Pickett and Sparrow have been, and we need all of that to stop fast rebound which then plays into our defensive set up.
 

Topkent

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Cats don't play fast rebound though they slow the game down, if anything we need more players who can pick off targets.
I honestly have no idea what the best option is
 

Crusty Demon

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Go in unchanged. Hibberd for Jetta maybe. We're top 1 or 2 in pressure acts in all categories, so don't go messing with a winning formula until we have to i guess..
 

Topkent

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Go in unchanged. Hibberd for Jetta maybe. We're top 1 or 2 in pressure acts in all categories, so don't go messing with a winning formula until we have to i guess..
Question though? If a bloke had 0 touches in the 3 games but Pickett Gawn and Lever had dragged them along you'd leave them in?

I'm all for developing a team and developing chemistry but you can't just blindly carry blokes because we win, when if GWS had kicked 6 goals in the last we'd be calling to drop 6 blokes.

Sparrows on high notice, it's all well and good to tackle and pressure but 1 goal and 27 disposals for the season is pretty ineffective.

If Melksham can hit 5 targets inside 50 how much is Sparrows 5 tackles really worth?
 

CTHORANGE

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Melk was handed games last year based on his 2018 form, he had a shocker last year. He has to play a couple of good games in the VFL surely before he gets a look in

I reckon Sparrow is doing what the coaches are asking so he deserves to keep his spot for now
 

Crusty Demon

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Question though? If a bloke had 0 touches in the 3 games but Pickett Gawn and Lever had dragged them along you'd leave them in?

I'm all for developing a team and developing chemistry but you can't just blindly carry blokes because we win, when if GWS had kicked 6 goals in the last we'd be calling to drop 6 blokes.

Sparrows on high notice, it's all well and good to tackle and pressure but 1 goal and 27 disposals for the season is pretty ineffective.

If Melksham can hit 5 targets inside 50 how much is Sparrows 5 tackles really worth?
I personally think everyone is playing their role. Our forward half pressure is #1 in the comp. Sparrow is a part of that. He's averaging 19 pressure acts a game (most of them in the front half) compared to Melksham 10 from last year. Sparrow averaging 4 score involvements a game so far compared to Melksham 3.5 from last year. Shots at goal is similar averages with Melk 1.6 to Sparrow 1. Tackles Sparrow 3.5(1 inside 50) to Melk 1.4(0.5 inside 50). Covid affected for Melk, but he hasn't set the world on fire since 2018 tbf.

Sparrow is on the short list for changes no doubt, but for me the one who is under the pump is Jones. Similar numbers to Melk last year. Not quite getting enough of the ball or scoring enough to makeup for his low pressure numbers. I think if anyone comes out for Melk, it should be Jones. But i can't see that happening until his 300th. Maybe make him sub next game and try Melk? I don't think we lose anything.

Jetta is the other one i guess. May had to go to Greene as Jetta couldn't go with him. He is however still in the elite category for 1on1's and one percenters and going at over 85% efficiency but Hibberd is quicker and provides more drive out of defence. I'm reluctant to change anything because i think they are all playing a role and 83 shots on goal to 49 suggests we are winning these games easily, just not converting as well as we should. We should have had 3 eight goal victories tbh.
 

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I think there is 3 spots fritch brown weed
Brown and Weed as two main keys, Jackson ruck forward with Gawn resting in the goalsqaure. Fritsch plays as a link up half forward similar to Tom Lynch at Adelaide. I think that works.
 

Crusty Demon

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Spargo Weid ANB
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with Jackson and Jones/Melksham running through there.

AVB/Sparrow/Tmac/Bedford/Chandler depth that can run through there.

I think this is probably our best forward 6 tbh. Jackson comes off the bench and pinch hits in the ruck etc. The advantage with Jackson is that he's very good below his knees, so he can play more mobile. ANB has been brilliant this season so far and keeps his spot. Melksham has to bide his time. Maybe takes Jones spot once his 300th is done and dusted but i think it has really good balance. If Brown can do what he does best and Weid can hit some form, then this has the potential to be very dangerous. Considering our back half is very strong and our midfield can win the ball and are starting to lower their eyes a bit more, the forward half is where our improvement will come.
 
Interestingly Gawn said on radio yesterday that every game this year the plan is for him to ruck 95% of the game and Jackson to stay as a forward. It’s just during the games Goodwin has made changes to use Max in different roles as it was needed.

If the plan is for Jackson to stay forward then I can’t see him keeping his spot when Brown and Weed return
 

Major Colvin

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Watched Geelong on Monday - I must say I'll be disappointed if we lose to them. Horrible style of play. Chris Scott reminds me of Goodwin in his inability to change strategy when challenged. They should be 0-3 so we should be going in quietly confident but also wary that they have a lot of talent. But their game plan is horrid.
 

space_cowboy

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Watched Geelong on Monday - I must say I'll be disappointed if we lose to them. Horrible style of play. Chris Scott reminds me of Goodwin in his inability to change strategy when challenged. They should be 0-3 so we should be going in quietly confident but also wary that they have a lot of talent. But their game plan is horrid.
I reckon that the limited interchanges has affected their old legs more that any other team. Since the first game of the season, they've looked slow.

Not saying that we'll beat them, but they're not the team that they were.
 
No Danger and no Rohan hurts them on the speed front though. I think when they get them back it’ll be different, thankfully that’s next week and not this.
 

Topkent

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I personally think everyone is playing their role. Our forward half pressure is #1 in the comp. Sparrow is a part of that. He's averaging 19 pressure acts a game (most of them in the front half) compared to Melksham 10 from last year. Sparrow averaging 4 score involvements a game so far compared to Melksham 3.5 from last year. Shots at goal is similar averages with Melk 1.6 to Sparrow 1. Tackles Sparrow 3.5(1 inside 50) to Melk 1.4(0.5 inside 50). Covid affected for Melk, but he hasn't set the world on fire since 2018 tbf.

Sparrow is on the short list for changes no doubt, but for me the one who is under the pump is Jones. Similar numbers to Melk last year. Not quite getting enough of the ball or scoring enough to makeup for his low pressure numbers. I think if anyone comes out for Melk, it should be Jones. But i can't see that happening until his 300th. Maybe make him sub next game and try Melk? I don't think we lose anything.

Jetta is the other one i guess. May had to go to Greene as Jetta couldn't go with him. He is however still in the elite category for 1on1's and one percenters and going at over 85% efficiency but Hibberd is quicker and provides more drive out of defence. I'm reluctant to change anything because i think they are all playing a role and 83 shots on goal to 49 suggests we are winning these games easily, just not converting as well as we should. We should have had 3 eight goal victories tbh.
It's a very good argument mate I don't disagree
 
I personally think everyone is playing their role. Our forward half pressure is #1 in the comp. Sparrow is a part of that. He's averaging 19 pressure acts a game (most of them in the front half) compared to Melksham 10 from last year. Sparrow averaging 4 score involvements a game so far compared to Melksham 3.5 from last year. Shots at goal is similar averages with Melk 1.6 to Sparrow 1. Tackles Sparrow 3.5(1 inside 50) to Melk 1.4(0.5 inside 50). Covid affected for Melk, but he hasn't set the world on fire since 2018 tbf.

Sparrow is on the short list for changes no doubt, but for me the one who is under the pump is Jones. Similar numbers to Melk last year. Not quite getting enough of the ball or scoring enough to makeup for his low pressure numbers. I think if anyone comes out for Melk, it should be Jones. But i can't see that happening until his 300th. Maybe make him sub next game and try Melk? I don't think we lose anything.

Jetta is the other one i guess. May had to go to Greene as Jetta couldn't go with him. He is however still in the elite category for 1on1's and one percenters and going at over 85% efficiency but Hibberd is quicker and provides more drive out of defence. I'm reluctant to change anything because i think they are all playing a role and 83 shots on goal to 49 suggests we are winning these games easily, just not converting as well as we should. We should have had 3 eight goal victories tbh.

Happy to drop/rest Jones and move his 300th back. Absolutely do not want him as a sub to make up one of those games.
 

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