Unofficial Preview Changes vs GWS

[35Daicos]

Despite not travelling how many would like, Allan won the pies best young player last year and is slowly building. Last year he was dropped for round 1 but to bad from. ?????
He doubled that this year. Round 2 selections don’t mean much.

You're the second person today I've seen bring up Ed Allan winning the Pies Best Young Player/Harry Collier Trophy in 2025. It's probably worth pointing out that Jakob Ryan won it in 2023!!

I'm hoping Ed can really lift himself and end up a quality senior player, but he's been very disappointing at that level so far, and he needs to do so much more.

 

[yeah man]

I tipped GWS

I mean this kindly Dave, but get a grip

 

[eddiesmith]

Exactly.
Why aren't we trying to systematically work out the personnel for our best inside midfield?
We play the yong players in roles that don't allow us to assess whether they are good enough for the role we need them to play.
We drop them when they don't play up to standard in a role peripheral to where we actually would need them to play.
How does this make sense?

Because we waste that position on the slowest player in the team who can lay a couple of tackles but can’t kick for shit.

 

[sr36]

Exactly.
Why aren't we trying to systematically work out the personnel for our best inside midfield?
We play the yong players in roles that don't allow us to assess whether they are good enough for the role we need them to play.
We drop them when they don't play up to standard in a role peripheral to where we actually would need them to play.
How does this make sense?

You know they train with and against each other in these roles? Coaches will know where they're at.

 

[sr36]

Try having 2 diesel cars

Have you tried doing what the Blues used to do - paying for Diesel with cash in a brown paper bag. You might get a better deal that way.

 

[nickyds35]

Pretty piss poor by the herald sun to plaster Jack Buller being dropped all over their website like it’s a big story.

15+ players get dropped per week, but making a big deal for a player that has only played 13 off games is horrendous.

 

[Swooop]

Like the look of the team this week, to take on a bit of a nemesis for us.

Clearly the backline looks stronger with more rebound, but that hasn’t been our problem.

Midfield roughly similar.

But the forward line look much cleaner and better organised.

The three talls, one very raw and lacking poise at this early stage of his career in a new side, no doubt a bit anxious playing in front of comparatively huge crowds and all; the other two, one just back from injury, but both misfiring - it just turned our attack into something of an amorphous, confused blob. Jamie being sick didn’t help.

It just has a really good balance about it now.

The two central keys with more space around them, Elliott hopefully re- energised, De goey wanting to lift after his last game, and Beau and Lachie doing their thing, it just feels more potent and streamlined.

Let’s now see if we can get going against these guys for a change

 

[Ted_Striker]

Like this weeks team...Looks a better balanced team at both ends of the ground......Good to see Steene get a game.
Parker a little unlucky as I don't think he did a lot wrong.....
But good inclusions.......Let's see if our forward line functions better tonight....
Go Pies.....

 

[sr36]

Like the look of the team this week, to take on a bit of a nemesis for us.

Clearly the backline looks stronger with more rebound, but that hasn’t been our problem.

Midfield roughly similar.

But the forward line look much cleaner and better organised.

The three talls, one very raw and lacking poise at this early stage of his career in a new side, no doubt a bit anxious playing in front of comparatively huge crowds and all; the other two, one just back from injury, but both misfiring - it just turned our attack into something of an amorphous, confused blob. Jamie being sick didn’t help.

It just has a really good balance about it now.

The two central keys with more space around them, Elliott hopefully re- energised, De goey wanting to lift after his last game, and Beau and Lachie doing their thing, it just feels more potent and streamlined.

Let’s now see if we can get going against these guys for a change

We weren't playing 3 talls up forward. This was the game time of our talls against Adelaide:

Cameron 82%
Membrey 77%
Buller 67%
McStay 62%

We might have 3 in the team, but we only play 2 tall forwards on the field.

Steene for Buller won't have an impact on space up forward unless it is do with Buller leading to the wrong spots. It just means that Buller's forward time will go to Steene or Cameron.

Weve improved our ruck. That's the change. If Steene/Cameron do anything good up forward and change things up forward that'll be an added bonus, as Buller wasn't looking like doing anything.

 

[gouki88]

Fogarty is the ultimate example of AFL heights being fudged. He was 192 when drafted, then 18 months ago they had him listed as 195 and now he’s back to 192

Why do I say this? Because last time I looked he was 195 and I was about to correct you before double checking

The listings are absurdly amateurish! How hard would it be to measure people each year?

 

[PiCkLeJuiCe]

I tipped GWS

I think the betting markets have it wrong. This is a coin toss.

Closed roof, fast surface will expose our treacle-like midfield. Our backs will have to work overtime (as they have in the past 2 games) to repel a barrage of I50.

I don't think a score of 70-80 points is going to be enough to win. We're going to have to find a way to kick 15+ goals tonight. Going to need more than 1 goal between Membrey and McStay.

 

[windchimes]

I think the betting markets have it wrong. This is a coin toss.

Closed roof, fast surface will expose our treacle-like midfield. Our backs will have to work overtime (as they have in the past 2 games) to repel a barrage of I50.

I don't think a score of 70-80 points is going to be enough to win. We're going to have to find a way to kick 15+ goals tonight. Going to need more than 1 goal between Membrey and McStay.

Is their midfield really that quick though?

Callaghan is only mildly quick off a few steps, Oliver isn’t exactly fast and old man Toby Greene isn’t killing anyone with pace these days. Bedford and Kelly are out.

It’ll be more that we need to just not get smashed in centre clearances and at the first touch.

 

[Rorzza]

Okay, we've now travelled full circle, this is Fly's A team, the team that got flogged by Brisbane and is taking us to the promise land in 2026.

Fly is banking on internal improvement from Roan, Long, Beau plus the fitness of Houston, Pendles and Degoo.

Fly will also tinker with game plan and personnel roles to fill the void of the 2025 loss.

Go Pies

 

[Peters_Nuts]

Tonight we win and we win well.

Pies by 31.

 

[unplugged]

Was the new policy to occasionally open the Marvel roof included for night games? I'm assuming it'll be shut anyway given the weather, but I was looking forward to seeing if the vibe changed with the roof open, albeit through a TV screen.

 

[No SPIN]

Because we waste that position on the slowest player in the team who can lay a couple of tackles but can’t kick for shit.

If he was as bad as you constantly allege Long would not have been selected in the AFL best under 22 squad in 2025.

 

[Chrispiesssss]

Our key forwards should have a good day. Inside marvel and Himmelberg is the Giants only KPD.

 

[Dtennent94]

I think the betting markets have it wrong. This is a coin toss.

Closed roof, fast surface will expose our treacle-like midfield. Our backs will have to work overtime (as they have in the past 2 games) to repel a barrage of I50.

I don't think a score of 70-80 points is going to be enough to win. We're going to have to find a way to kick 15+ goals tonight. Going to need more than 1 goal between Membrey and McStay.

Didn’t you hear that Taylor and Buckley are out? Every chance they combine for 2 or, dare I say it, maybe even 3 goals

 

[Abdul_The_Bull]

I am of the opinion that playing weakened sides are often danger games.
For some reason, sides seem to lift when they have some of their best players injured.

I suspect that's a combination of relieved pressure through limited expectation (underdogs) and the second string guys getting an opportunity and wanting to make the most of it. In any case, I agree, danager.....

 

[unplugged]

Our key forwards should have a good day. Inside marvel and Himmelberg is the Giants only KPD.

Ahh, yes. Our key forwards. All one of them.

 

[Vicky Park]

Hoping for a big game from JDG. When he’s ‘on’ we usually win (it’s a feeling - I haven’t checked the stats).

Not sure how the ins this week will help our constipated forward line, but expecting our clever coach (and coaches) to figure it out. Something something to do with Steene freeing up Cameron to do more up forward, and to help take the pressure off McStay?

I like Membrey, and I like what he brought to us last year, but I fear he may have hit the wall. The Saints didn’t want him after 2024, and to expect much more from him now may be unrealistic. But at the very least he can hold down a spot until the coaches think West is ready.

Pies by 18 points.

 

[Smackdos]

I know they cut the hawks up in opening rd and a similar game style will worry us tonight on a fast deck in Marvel but we are only missing Bobby from a full strength team coming off a bye and they are coming off a 6 day break without
Kelly, Green, Taylor, Buckley, Daniels, Bedford, Cadman, Jones

We need to bully them and get our season rolling.

 

[Peters_Nuts]

I know they cut the hawks up in opening rd and a similar game style will worry us tonight on a fast deck in Marvel but we are only missing Bobby from a full strength team coming off a bye and they are coming off a 6 day break without
Kelly, Green, Taylor, Buckley, Daniels, Bedford, Cadman, Jones

We need to bully them and get our season rolling.

If they move the ball fast tonight we’ll kill them on the turnover without their defensive pillars.

Shooter and Elliott could score 2+ each

 

[eddiesmith]

If he was as bad as you constantly allege Long would not have been selected in the AFL best under 22 squad in 2025.

lol, the squad…So no room in the team for the Turnover King? Surely if he was half as good as the ever shrinking loyal band of Turnover lovers claim, he’d be first picked?

 

[Rorzza]

Harry to Callaghan!