Changes vs Fremantle

[CowboyFromHell]

Strauss probably dropped to accomodate Watts in the backline.

I don't even know anymore.

How Bail is Best 22 astounds me.

With Clark, Sylvia, Viney and Grimes, just to name a few, back in the side he isn't best 22. It's just what we have to work with now.

 

[Dez!]

Bail gives us run, something Strauss isn't doing much of yet. Bail is fitter and can spread, something we will need plenty of over in Perth. If it was anywhere else you would think Strauss keeps his spot but I see the logic behind the changes.

He also gives us an abundance of shit decisions, we have enough of those already in our team.

Get f***ing Bail and McKenzie out.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

He also gives us an abundance of shit decisions, we have enough of those already in our team.

Get f***ing Bail and McKenzie out.

Not arguing those points at all, but he does give us run, he can find the footy and he has a knack of getting himself into a position to kick goals, even if he misses more than he gets them. With the injuries he has he is worth another run on the bigger Paterson's Oval.

 

[Dez!]

Not arguing those points at all, but he does give us run, he can find the footy and he has a knack of getting himself into a position to kick goals, even if he misses more than he gets them. With the injuries he has he is worth another run on the bigger Paterson's Oval.

Strauss kick ball. Strauss hit target.

Bail kick ball. Bail miss target.

Run should mean jackshit if the bloke providing it is just going to f*** it up anyway which he will, I didn't want to jump off the Neeld bandwagon yet but I'm losing more and more faith every day with the things he says and the selections he makes.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

Strauss kick ball. Strauss hit target.

Bail kick ball. Bail miss target.

Run should mean jackshit if the bloke providing it is just going to f*** it up anyway which he will, I didn't want to jump off the Neeld bandwagon yet but I'm losing more and more faith every day with the things he says and the selections he makes.

Problem is that Strauss can't actually get the ball to kick it at the moment. I see what you're saying but it took Strauss almost a half to get his hands on it. That's not really good enough. Wouldn't mind seeing Bail's DE as I don't think it would be as bad as most think it is.

Not losing faith with Neeld here as the selection makes sense for a bigger ground.

 

[Tulip]

Problem is that Strauss can't actually get the ball to kick it at the moment. I see what you're saying but it took Strauss almost a half to get his hands on it. That's not really good enough. Wouldn't mind seeing Bail's DE as I don't think it would be as bad as most think it is.

Not losing faith with Neeld here as the selection makes sense for a bigger ground.

If we're going to play people like Bail and Nicholson, I'd hope we have Dawes, Gawn and Watts in the 50 to crowd it out and make a few options.

You just know it'll be Dawes, Gawn and a heap of empty space.

 

[RandB]

I can handle the Bail selection in the interim I suppose but he should really have better physicality for a player who has been in the AFL system this long. He's lucky he can run because he can't tackle and has all the physical pressure and strength of a brownie. His ball use is average as well.

Neeld seems to like him though so he has to make the most of it.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

If we're going to play people like Bail and Nicholson, I'd hope we have Dawes, Gawn and Watts in the 50 to crowd it out and make a few options.

You just know it'll be Dawes, Gawn and a heap of empty space.

You would hope we do that but you're right, when these guys get their hands on the footy they rarely have more than one option to go to unless someone works hard to run into space over the back.

Looked up Bail's DE and it's running at 56%, so I take Dez!'s point that he misses targets more often than not, but Strauss is averaging 8 touches and only 1 tackle for a bloke playing in the backline. He isn't making a great case for keeping his spot.

 

[Tulip]

You would hope we do that but you're right, when these guys get their hands on the footy they rarely have more than one option to go to unless someone works hard to run into space over the back.

Looked up Bail's DE and it's running at 56%, so I take Dez!'s point that he misses targets more often than not, but Strauss is averaging 8 touches and only 1 tackle for a bloke playing in the backline. He isn't making a great case for keeping his spot.

Strauss is a prime delist candidate unfortunately, hasn't taken his chance and will be up against it to get another one for a few more weeks.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

I can handle the Bail selection in the interim I suppose but he should really have better physicality for a player who has been in the AFL system this long. He's lucky he can run because he can't tackle and has all the physical pressure and strength of a brownie. His ball use is average as well.

Neeld seems to like him though so he has to make the most of it.

He's laid 15 tackles so far this year in 6 games. To put that into perspective Matt Jones, for example, has laid only 21 in 8 games from more game time around the footy. So while he may not be the most physical player on the planet he still makes the effort to put some pressure on and lay some tackles.

I sound like I'm being a huge Bail apologist here and I'm not really as I see where everyone is coming from, just think he cops a bit of undeserved stick from our supporter base sometimes. I still think he has plenty to offer our side going forward.

 

[Dez!]

Problem is that Strauss can't actually get the ball to kick it at the moment. I see what you're saying but it took Strauss almost a half to get his hands on it. That's not really good enough. Wouldn't mind seeing Bail's DE as I don't think it would be as bad as most think it is.

Not losing faith with Neeld here as the selection makes sense for a bigger ground.

Bail only averages 11.2 possessions a game this season from his six games compared to Strauss' 8.7 possessions a game from his three games, with Strauss' foot skills (and pace) he is the superior choice regardless of the ground.

Also in the games they've played together this year, Strauss averages more possessions.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

Bail only averages 11.2 possessions a game this season from his six games compared to Strauss' 8.7 possessions a game from his three games, with Strauss' foot skills (and pace) he is the superior choice regardless of the ground.

Also in the games they've played together this year, Strauss averages more possessions.

Harsh on Bail though as he has been the sub in at least one game but neither of them exactly flatter us with their stats this year.

I'm really not trying to disagree with you Dez as I think Strauss has a lot to offer the club but he simply can't get his hands on the footy and he is playing in a backline that sees more footy than any other. He is doing less than Bail at the minute.

 

[RandB]

He's laid 15 tackles so far this year in 6 games. To put that into perspective Matt Jones, for example, has laid only 21 in 8 games from more game time around the footy. So while he may not be the most physical player on the planet he still makes the effort to put some pressure on and lay some tackles.

I sound like I'm being a huge Bail apologist here and I'm not really as I see where everyone is coming from, just think he cops a bit of undeserved stick from our supporter base sometimes. I still think he has plenty to offer our side going forward.

2.5 tackles per game is neither here nor there Tbh. How many get broken due to lack of strength? It's a major problem for many of our players though admittedly. I just think Bail isn't in the game enough. IMO his physicality sums up our development. In no way do I mean to single him out though. Just disappointed with where he is at.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

2.5 tackles per game is neither here nor there Tbh. How many get broken due to lack of strength? It's a major problem for many of our players though admittedly. I just think Bail isn't in the game enough. IMO his physicality sums up our development. In no way do I mean to single him out though. Just disappointed with where he is at.

I'm with you on that. He certainly isn't an in and under type of player or the guy you will see on the bottom of the packs, and his development has stagnated since a good year in 2011. But I think he is worth persisting with. His kicking is average but he covers the ground well, is good overhead and adds some outside pace to a slow midfield. Like many he still goes in and out of the game but there is something there to work with. He has more of a crack at the minute than someone like Blease though.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

It's weird that Neeld seems to love Bail yet he's gone backwards at an alarming rate under him.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Strauss is a prime delist candidate unfortunately, hasn't taken his chance and will be up against it to get another one for a few more weeks.

Got a two year contract last year I think, thank God - has torn up VFL level, he NEEDS an extended run at it.

Has much more value then Lynden Dunn at the moment, Dunn looks a great kick - but he can't make a decision to save himself.

I'm really disappointed Strauss is out, he's done some really good defensive jobs and used the ball well.

He's played his role, hope he gets another crack soon.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Got a two year contract last year I think, thank God - has torn up VFL level, he NEEDS an extended run at it.

Has much more value then Lynden Dunn at the moment, Dunn looks a great kick - but he can't make a decision to save himself.

I'm really disappointed Strauss is out, he's done some really good defensive jobs and used the ball well.

He's played his role, hope he gets another crack soon.

Yep. Another mind boggling decision at the selection table. I'm glad there is minimal changes this week though. But Bail is seriously on shaky ground. Soft player who doesn't find the footy and besides the odd half decent tagging role, really provides f*** all. Needs to be delisted at seasons end.

Strauss needs to be given time in defence. I'm assuming he got dropped due to Watts going back. Play Watts at CHF and leave Strauss to do a job on one of Freo's endless small forwards. Our backline is going in way too tall against Freo. Neeld has no idea on how to pick a side. Clarke is literally the only tall forward named in the F50 for Freo. We have 5 talls in the backline!!!! I seriously have had enough of Neeld and the team he picks. He gets it wrong nearly every week!

 

[Dez!]

Yep. Another mind boggling decision at the selection table. I'm glad there is minimal changes this week though. But Bail is seriously on shaky ground. Soft player who doesn't find the footy and besides the odd half decent tagging role, really provides f*** all. Needs to be delisted at seasons end.

Strauss needs to be given time in defence. I'm assuming he got dropped due to Watts going back. Play Watts at CHF and leave Strauss to do a job on one of Freo's endless small forwards. Our backline is going in way too tall against Freo. Neeld has no idea on how to pick a side. Clarke is literally the only tall forward named in the F50 for Freo. We have 5 talls in the backline!!!! I seriously have had enough of Neeld and the team he picks. He gets it wrong nearly every week!

Watts, Garland, Frawley and to an extent Dunn can all play small and with Walters out that's a significant hit, so I'm not too worried about the back line.

 

[Tulip]

Watts, Garland, Frawley and to an extent Dunn can all play small and with Walters out that's a significant hit, so I'm not too worried about the back line.

Watts, Frawley and Garland can all theoretically play on smalls, and whilst I wouldn't mind one, it's a bit ridiculous to play them all in defence when the oppo forward line has some of the best FP's in the league.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Watts, Frawley and Garland can all theoretically play on smalls, and whilst I wouldn't mind one, it's a bit ridiculous to play them all in defence when the oppo forward line has some of the best FP's in the league.

They all 'can' play on smalls - but the thing is that their athletic advantages are mitigated on the smalls... wouldn't we rather have them use their advantages on players that are a similar size Neeldy?!?

 

[Tulip]

They all 'can' play on smalls - but the thing is that their athletic advantages are mitigated on the smalls... wouldn't we rather have them use their advantages on players that are a similar size Neeldy?!?

Exactly.

Frawley, Garland and Dunn would do this week. Why not play some attacking footy for once, drop players like Strauss in there and try and play to win by rebounding rather than playing not to lose.

 

[The Dr]

Yeh true but Strauss has class in his kicking, and I think like Tapscott if you give him a few games he might start grow into a role and settle down, just too much in out for a select few of our guys, Strauss being one of them, just doesn't allow them to get consistency.

I agree with you mate. I would love to see Strauss given a few games in a row to get comfortable, rather than being in and out of the side. I still think he can be a good player for us.

 

[Crusty Demon]

They all 'can' play on smalls - but the thing is that their athletic advantages are mitigated on the smalls... wouldn't we rather have them use their advantages on players that are a similar size Neeldy?!?

Agree 100%! Watts, Frawley, Dunn, Garland and Sellar can ALL play on talls. They are all far too tall to play on Freo's small players. Fyfe, Mayne, Ballantyne, de Boer and Barlow are all named in the F50 for Freo. They will run rings around our backline that's named. And let's not forget that they will most likely have around 30 more F50 entries than us. We have to play Nicho and Jetta down there, and Strauss should have been played as well. Freo really don't have any talls that can really damage us down forward(unless McPharlin moves down there). We should have gone in very small in the backline, and maybe moved Sellar and Watts down forward to give Dawes some support. I think I've been happy once this season with the team named.