Preview Changes vs Freo

[mistylake]

19 touches at 52% and 2.4 isn’t a good game from Douglas - it’s another ‘nearly’ game.

He was one of the best on in that game until injury.

 

[Vader]

There's an article on The Advertiser's website today, reporting an interview with Mark Ricciuto. Roo pretty much confirms that Walker's selection is a case of hitting the panic button. Here are some selected quotes:

“Walker’s back because he has to play,’’ Ricciuto told Triple M.

“Hawthorn had been on the radar, or even after the (round 14) bye, so it’s at least a week earlier than what they had planned.

“But you’ve got to change your plans when you’ve got so many injuries like the Crows have now.’’

Ricciuto described Sunday’s clash as “massive’’ for the Crows, saying if they lose their first match at the new Perth Stadium they are “well out of the eight and in huge trouble’’.

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/spor...e/news-story/a9ff2112cebbf4f6e348a14fb02a7b98

Walker has been rushed back ahead of schedule, cutting his "mini pre-season" short. They did this because the losses of Lynch & Laird, combined with Adelaide's ladder situation, made it imperative that he do so. He has not returned because he's magically returned to full fitness. They hit the panic button.

 

[Bazz_27]

19 touches at 52% and 2.4 isn’t a good game from Douglas - it’s another ‘nearly’ game.

Better than Gibson.. I really don't get the douglas hate, he isn't supposed to be any more than a forward that occasionally rotates through the midfield however he has spent more time as a mid this year than we would ideally like. He isn't a mid but a very handy mature head in our forward line with the ability to get on his bike.

 

[hey shorty]

There's an article on The Advertiser's website today, reporting an interview with Mark Ricciuto. Roo pretty much confirms that Walker's selection is a case of hitting the panic button. Here are some selected quotes:


https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/spor...e/news-story/a9ff2112cebbf4f6e348a14fb02a7b98

Walker has been rushed back ahead of schedule, cutting his "mini pre-season" short. They did this because the losses of Lynch & Laird, combined with Adelaide's ladder situation, made it imperative that he do so. He has not returned because he's magically returned to full fitness. They hit the panic button.

The one bit I don't get is this new stadium is rock hard, it'll catch out the slightly underdone guys.

And if he pulls up lame and can't play next week it'll be for nothing.

 

[Vader]

Better than Gibson.. I really don't get the douglas hate, he isn't supposed to be any more than a forward that occasionally rotates through the midfield however he has spent more time as a mid this year than we would ideally like. He isn't a mid but a very handy mature head in our forward line with the ability to get on his bike.

He's been playing really well, which is why he's currently sitting 4th amongst Adelaide's players in the AFLCA Award. Some people are just agist, and want to see every player aged 30+ shuffled off into retirement ASAP, in order to make room for the kids. Douglas certainly doesn't deserve this treatment - he's playing constently well, and has been one of our best players so far this year.

 

[Vader]

The one bit I don't get is this new stadium is rock hard, it'll catch out the slightly underdone guys.

And if he pulls up lame and can't play next week it'll be for nothing.

They're definitely risking short term gain for long term pain. I'm not even sure how much "short term gain" there will be either, given that he still hasn't completed the mini pre-season and was absolutely awful last time he played.

 

[Bazz_27]

The one bit I don't get is this new stadium is rock hard, it'll catch out the slightly underdone guys.

And if he pulls up lame and can't play next week it'll be for nothing.

The way i read it he is more likely to be able to run the game out and have a lowish TOG % than he is to get injured. As someone mentioned earlier his last game he played when he wasn't 100% he launched a bomb over 50m....

 

[jenny61_99]

Anyone else nervous about playing on the hardest deck in the AFL with our injury history?

Good news is: It doesn't appear to matter WHAT deck we play on at the moment...

 

[baldandbroke]

There's an article on The Advertiser's website today, reporting an interview with Mark Ricciuto. Roo pretty much confirms that Walker's selection is a case of hitting the panic button. Here are some selected quotes:


https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/spor...e/news-story/a9ff2112cebbf4f6e348a14fb02a7b98

Walker has been rushed back ahead of schedule, cutting his "mini pre-season" short. They did this because the losses of Lynch & Laird, combined with Adelaide's ladder situation, made it imperative that he do so. He has not returned because he's magically returned to full fitness. They hit the panic button.

I agree the button was hit ... but they are probably right in hitting it. Hope they hit it hard.

 

[CrowBloke]

Yeah it could be a coincidence that we get more injuries including to our remaining leaders, lose a couple of games making this an absolute must win game and suddenly Walker is magically cherry ripe and ready to go before schedule

Sarcasm unwarranted --- I didn't take a derisive tone with you.
What "schedule"? We've both said plenty about the Club's lack of transparency wrt to injuries and recovery time, then you complain that Walker's coming back before the Club's (alleged) predicted time. Why believe them, about that?
Why not think of it as good news? Seriously.
Btw, fitness staff do not have a pain-detecting or player-ready device. When Walker's foot was still sore pre-GF, do you think they made him play? They would've said "How's the foot, mate?" and he'd have said "Yeah, a bit sore but I'm good to go".
Walker's playing on Sunday might be a similar case ie "You ready, Tex?" --- "Yep, no worries".
It was unexpected, for sure, but neither of us knows if Walker is "cherry ripe", or not.
The risks/consequences of playing a sore or injured Walker are greater than a single loss to Freo. I'd like to think that Pyke is not that dumb. Walker, too, since it's his body's soundness that'll be on the line.
On top of that, Tex might have thought he needed the game against Freo as good prep to play the Hawks 6 days later.

 

[mick500]

WTF , you are kidding ?

Nah, not kidding, they both signed contracts at the end of last yr. Not sure on the basic details on either of them but I'm sure the info is available on line somewhere, like for how long etc.

 

[Squiba]

He was one of the best on in that game until injury.

I'm not a Douglas fan boy but credit where it is due, he played well until he went off.

Although I believe that Douglas lacks accountability for a mature player in our side, far bigger problems with Dmac, Sauce and Atkins right now imo

 

[Vader]

Nah, not kidding, they both signed contracts at the end of last yr. Not sure on the basic details on either of them but I'm sure the info is available on line somewhere, like for how long etc.

Otten was only given a 12-month contract. He's out of contract at the end of this year. Our lack of depth in the talls department may mean that he gets another contract - depends on what futures the club sees for Dear, Keath, and Himmelberg.

Hartigan is a fixture in our best 22, and there's no pressure coming from the SANFL on his position (sorry, Keath supporters). Hartigan is contracted until 2020, and this makes perfect sense.

 

[CrowBloke]

Drugs Are Bad Mackay? , Cap's post is reasonable:

But it was also extravagant.
I have no doubt that if Laird and lynch werent out they may have kept him out. But things change and he is needed.
Its hardly panic, it realising we don't have the flexibility we thought we did amd adjusting accordingly.

PLUS Tex would have some say in it, too. For all we know, Tex might have said he's ready to go.

What you are describing is literally panic
We're not bringing Tex back based on his own recovery and fitness levels. Other factors have forced our hand and rushed us into urgently filling the leadership vacuum.

The highlighted sentence is an example of your certainty about something you couldn't possibly know, for certain.
Maybe it's just a matter of writing style eg "I doubt that we're ... bringing Tex back based on his own recovery and fitness levels" is fair.
If Tex plays poorly, or worse, sits on the bench after a quarter because he's re-injured something, then you're probably right. If he plays well enough to impact the game and we win, then bring on the Hawks.

 

[feenix67]

Otten was only given a 12-month contract. He's out of contract at the end of this year. Our lack of depth in the talls department may mean that he gets another contract - depends on what futures the club sees for Dear, Keath, and Himmelberg.

Hartigan is a fixture in our best 22, and there's no pressure coming from the SANFL on his position (sorry, Keath supporters). Hartigan is contracted until 2020, and this makes perfect sense.

I think it's pretty clear what future Dear has at the AFC

 

[Vader]

I think it's pretty clear what future Dear has at the AFC

You're probably right. If that's the case, then Otten's chances of getting a 2019 contract are that much better.

 

[mick500]

Otten was only given a 12-month contract. He's out of contract at the end of this year. Our lack of depth in the talls department may mean that he gets another contract - depends on what futures the club sees for Dear, Keath, and Himmelberg.

Hartigan is a fixture in our best 22, and there's no pressure coming from the SANFL on his position (sorry, Keath supporters). Hartigan is contracted until 2020, and this makes perfect sense.

Both contracts make sense if you are chasing mediocrity. Otten being signed and him wanting to stay shocked me given his age and the fact he has been shown time and time again he rates about 26th on our list and won't get a game unless we are missing about 4 players. Hell we are missing more than that and he's still not getting a game.

And Hartigan makes sense in that the club rates him in the best 22 and this contract will take him through until he's 30. Then 1 yr contracts once you hit 30 as Adelaide and others like to do.

Im just comparing it to the poster making the point about Mackay never being dropped and being a Crow for life and us settling for mediocre players. While we are in a premiership window. Or we were.

Maybe if we had the guts to get rid of those mediocre players for draft picks or a player and a draft pick we would be in a better position now. Who knows.

But we all know the crows have a history of mediocrity and being satisfied with that.

 

[Next Gen Rookie]

Keeping shit players in the AFL side isn’t how good Clubs work either.

"Henderson would never get a game at a strong club like Hawthorn"

 

[mick500]

"Henderson would never get a game at a strong club like Hawthorn"

They aren't a strong club like they were previously. I also doubt he would get a game back when they were winning premierships.

 

[hey shorty]

"Henderson would never get a game at a strong club like Hawthorn"

Plenty of average players playing in good clubs. With the dilution of talent that's no surprise, but of course we only tend to look closely at our own.

 

[hey shorty]

They aren't a strong club like they were previously. I also doubt he would get a game back when they were winning premierships.

Ryan Schoemakers played, so yes, yes he would have

 

[CrowBloke]

I wish OA was made shorter and wider to get closer to the MCG dimensions.

Yeah, or find somewhere to train on that is closer to the MCG's dimensions.
It would be easy to mark the oval shorter. Wider would probably cost millions (and won't happen) but might pay off in the long run. They should've done it as part of the upgrade. Too late.
Would it be possible to mark each AO wing even a metre wider, or does the fence have to be a certain distance from the boundary? Maybe the solution is to train and field a side that can cope with the wide wings of the MCG ie bit shorter, bit fitter/faster?
Since 1997, 12 of the premiers were non-Melbourne based teams (including Geelong) and they all won Flags on the MCG.

 

[Vader]

Both contracts make sense if you are chasing mediocrity. Otten being signed and him wanting to stay shocked me given his age and the fact he has been shown time and time again he rates about 26th on our list and won't get a game unless we are missing about 4 players. Hell we are missing more than that and he's still not getting a game.

And Hartigan makes sense in that the club rates him in the best 22 and this contract will take him through until he's 30. Then 1 yr contracts once you hit 30 as Adelaide and others like to do.

Im just comparing it to the poster making the point about Mackay never being dropped and being a Crow for life and us settling for mediocre players. While we are in a premiership window. Or we were.

Maybe if we had the guts to get rid of those mediocre players for draft picks or a player and a draft pick we would be in a better position now. Who knows.

But we all know the crows have a history of mediocrity and being satisfied with that.

I just don't buy this mediocrity crap. These players would have been forced out years ago, if we actually had someone better to replace them. We haven't, and (with the possible exception of Mackay), we still don't.

 

[CrowBloke]

Anyone else nervous about playing on the hardest deck in the AFL with our injury history?

Not until you mentioned it!
Maybe some rain will soften it up a bit?

 

[mick500]

I just don't buy this mediocrity crap. These players would have been forced out years ago, if we actually had someone better to replace them. We haven't, and (with the possible exception of Mackay), we still don't.

They aren't mutually exclusive ideas tho? We can be settling for a few mediocre players due to the fact there's no one better available?