Changes vs Essendon

[Dez!]

In: McDonald, Sylvia, Jurrah, Bail, Morton

Out: Grimes (inj), Spencer, Cheney, Jones, Jetta

Didn't really want to drop Jetta but Bail was BOG for Casey and someone has to make way.

Geez those are some strong ins though, that's something to get excited over.

 

[master bate]

In: McDonald, Sylvia, Bail, Morton
Out: Grimes (inj), Jetta, Bartram, Cheney

FB: MacDonald Frawley Garland
HB: Bruce Rivers Bail
C: Davey Moloney Trengove
HF: Watts Bate Sylvia
FF: Green Dunn Bennell
Foll: Jamar McDonald Jones
Int: Spencer, McKenzie, Morton, Scully

McDonald replaces the injured Grimes through the middle, Sylvia in for Jetta who I like but has had 2 quiet weeks in a row. Jetta can have a repreive if the skipper isn't right. We need more run and class out of the back half - that's why Morton and Bail come in for Bartram and Cheney. Bartram just too quiet and didn't smash an opponent today. Cheney had some great spoils but gives nothing attackingly and still needs improvement.

Up forward I don't think Jurrah is ready yet. For the rucks, Spencer battles, we knew that coming in today, but geez he won some beautiful hit outs (including hitting it forward!) which led to us doing well in the clearances. I feel like we should stick with him (as the other options of Miller/Dunn/Newton aren't great). I'd back Spencer against Bellchambers which would allow Jamar to go forward/more run when he's against Ryder.

 

[melbournemartin]

Can we ban master bate for complimenting Spencer please?

He's an embarrassment to our club and to all the much more talented kids who don't get drafted.

 

[Darksidepoints]

Can we ban master bate for complimenting Spencer please?

He's an embarrassment to our club and to all the much more talented kids who don't get drafted.

The kid has nothing going for him except height. Slow, weak and clumsy.

 

[Fairtex]

As purely a ruckman he did his Job. Deserves one more week. Gave Jamar a decent rest...without him stressing about getting back on because we're getting smashed in the middle.

 

[Bartram_Class]

Mind you, wouldn't have been an easy game for Spencer to return to. Getting monstered by McEvoy wasn't a great sign though.

Dez' changes look alright bar Jurrah, who I agree with MB in thinking will have another week in the 2s, however Bailey has shown he is reluctant to make wholesale changes. Sylvia is probably the only certain in.

 

[LITTLE STINGA]

B: Bartram, Frawley, Bruce
HB: Davey, Morton, Bail
C: Green, Moloney, Trengove
HF: Sylvia, Bate, Bennell
F: Watts, Jurrah, Dunn
FOLL: Jamar, McDonald, McKenzie
IC: MacDonald, Jones, Scully, Garland

 

[melbournemartin]

As purely a ruckman he did his Job. Deserves one more week. Gave Jamar a decent rest...without him stressing about getting back on because we're getting smashed in the middle.

With Jamar out of the ruck, we have no one to kick to from kickins. Spencer isn't the worst pure ruckman going around but after the centre bounce, he's a liability. I'd have Paul Johnson in over him any day, at least he can provide a contest around the ground.

We've got the 2nd best ruckman in the league at the moment and he was sitting at full forward while this spud was costing us where the ball was. Am I the only one that thinks that's crazy?

 

[master bate]

Can we ban master bate for complimenting Spencer please?

He's an embarrassment to our club and to all the much more talented kids who don't get drafted.

The much more talented kids who don't get drafted aren't 203cm. Spencer has horrible moments, but which back up ruck option would you prefer - PJ, Dunn, Miller, Newton?

Imagine the scenario next year if we are pushing finals. PJ and Newton have been delisted and the Hampson trade fell over, our second round pick couldn't do the deal. We are still going with Dunn/Miller/Martin even Fitz combination of second rucks. We're in 9th place and Jamar goes down a month out for finals. We have to bring in someone as the 4 back ups can't win the hitouts required and aren't exactly dominating up forward. With Gawn battling away in VFL ressies it's got to be Spencer. He's bulked up after a preseason and can actually hold his ground these days, he still can't kick but is marking more and getting involved in the play.

The point is half a dozen AFL games as a back up ruck to Spencer would be an investment instead of a waste. It affects the team slightly, but Geelong have dominated games over the last few year without Ottens and with ruckman doing pretty much what Spencer did today.

 

[The Dr]

Assuming the skipper is fit:

IN: McDonald, Sylvia, Bail, Newton

OUT: Grimes, Jetta, Spencer, Macdonald

Bail to replace Grimes on the HBF, Sylvia and McDonald in to boost our midfield (smashed the past couple of weeks) and Newton (yes Newton) in for Spencer. Spencer was an embarrassment today and I'd much rather Juice filling in here and there for Jamar, while also giving us some sort of target when he goes forward.

 

[LITTLE STINGA]

Up forward I don't think Jurrah is ready yet.

Why? Did you go to the game yesterday. He IS ready. Our forward line was a joke today even though Dunn and Watts did show some more good signs. We need all the quality we can get in the forward line.

Spencer is a joke. He is useless at ground level, can't take a mark and his kicking is not up to Under 10's standard. If he plays next week we are serioulsy tanking.

 

[Fairtex]

how did Jurrah play yesterday?

 

[Gazza_11]

Just when we're looking like being full strength Grimes gets injured

 

[d33my]

Not sure if this is the right thread for this, but what are peoples feelings on one N. Jones?
Got a bath today from Dal, I am unsure if he has the pace to be a tagger? That's where hes been played lately.
However, I do think his disposal and ability to break a tackle have improved significantly.
Should he be dropped?

 

[LITTLE STINGA]

Not sure if this is the right thread for this, but what are peoples feelings on one N. Jones?
Got a bath today from Dal, I am unsure if he has the pace to be a tagger? That's where hes been played lately.
However, I do think his disposal and ability to break a tackle have improved significantly.
Should he be dropped?

Once Grimes and Gysberts come back from injury.

 

[Fight For It]

I'd have Paul Johnson in over him any day, at least he can provide a contest around the ground.

Geez, did people watch a different game from me? I thought Spencer did the best out of any back-up rucks we've played so far this year. Was involved in the link up from defence a couple of times, and seems to use his body a bit more than the previous times he's played (which is what he was doing in Casey too).

I thought he beat McEvoy on the day (and indeed he did get more hitouts), and I thought it was a definite improvement from the complete liability he was playing at the start of the year.

Also he took a saving mark in defense, even if it was somewhat negated by following it up with a poor disposal.



To say Johnson is better around the ground is madness, when this year he has shown time and time again a complete inability to mark, keep his feet or prevent his opponent from running circles around him....

 

[LITTLE STINGA]

how did Jurrah play yesterday?

Played very well especially in the second quarter when he tore the game apart. Could have kicked more than 3 but gave a few off.

 

[Supermercado]

Spencer gets plums, but I'd rather see him slopping it up for the rest of the year than see Jamar run into the ground playing on his own every week. If it gets really bad (even worse) then get Johnson or Martin in there, but there's no need to flog Jamar to within an inch of his life every week from now on.

 

[Andy_Mac]

The much more talented kids who don't get drafted aren't 203cm. Spencer has horrible moments, but which back up ruck option would you prefer - PJ, Dunn, Miller, Newton?

Imagine the scenario next year if we are pushing finals. PJ and Newton have been delisted and the Hampson trade fell over, our second round pick couldn't do the deal. We are still going with Dunn/Miller/Martin even Fitz combination of second rucks. We're in 9th place and Jamar goes down a month out for finals. We have to bring in someone as the 4 back ups can't win the hitouts required and aren't exactly dominating up forward. With Gawn battling away in VFL ressies it's got to be Spencer. He's bulked up after a preseason and can actually hold his ground these days, he still can't kick but is marking more and getting involved in the play.

The point is half a dozen AFL games as a back up ruck to Spencer would be an investment instead of a waste. It affects the team slightly, but Geelong have dominated games over the last few year without Ottens and with ruckman doing pretty much what Spencer did today.

It’s an interesting conundrum. Spencer as you say is a budding pure ruckman: he has good height, his core strength will (in bucket loads) come and what I love most of all is his courage. He is everything I want Stef Martin to be. He almost recklessly throws his body at the contest. But as we know his skills are disgraceful and he is truly a liability around the ground.

BUT what do we do… Gawn is a long long term prospect, Fitz I have high hopes but needs better endurance and strength so will take time, PJ is a Muppet, Martin needs to be traded to a club in need of a KPD and Meesen is finished. As for Newton, Miller and Dunn they are band aid solutions that whilst we develop we shouldn’t be doing.

As a side note how good was Watts without Miller in the side. I like the look of Dunn, Bate and Sylvia at HF with Watts (in time) out of the goal square flanked by Jurrah and Wonna.

For changes:

In: McDonald, Sylvia, Jurrah, Morton
Out: Grimes, Jetta, Jones, Cheney

 

[Gazza_11]

Being a bit nifty here.

In: Fitzpatrick
Out: Spencer

In: Bail
Out: Grimes

Out: Cheney
In: McDonald

Out: Nathan Jones
In: Sylvia

Out: Rivers
In: Jurrah

Out: Jetta
In: Morton

And possibly Newton in too.

 

[DVD Player]

So is Sylvia certain? Thinking of DT here

 

[DemonBlood]

Fitzpatrick in for Spencer.
Gawn to slot in the side aswell in the next few weeks, im pretty sure he is nearly over his injury.

 

[BigSexc]

Being a bit nifty here.

In: Fitzpatrick
Out: Spencer

serious?

 

[saj_21]

Fitzpatrick in for Spencer.
Gawn to slot in the side aswell in the next few weeks, im pretty sure he is nearly over his injury.

Fitzy needs so more games at Casey, Gawn is still 2 weeks away from playing any football, i doubt we wil see him this year.

Bail and Sylvia definitely should be in this week. I would love to see Jurrah in but may need another week or two at Casey.

 

[BigSexc]

fitz and gawn should not be playing in the 1st team for AT LEAST another 3 years!! they are both skinny and have no skills!!! may not even make it!!
i cant stand it when people say "oh ah gawn and fitzy are gonna be guns!!", odds are they wont be! definitely not this year.

You people are blinded by the draft!!! these players would do no better than Spencer!!! worse even!!

Both players were drafted for hight and athleticism NOT football smarts or football skills.

@saj_21 to say that fitz needs more games at casey is the ****ing understatement of the century!! HE NEEDS A COUPLE MORE YEARS AT CASEY!!!!!

FFS!!!