Changes vs Port Adelaide

[Scary_Foot_9]

Doesn't feel like we are picking our best possible 22 once again (had this feeling going into the Melbourne game). I guess he wants to play the kids. I'll reserve judgement until after the game.

Well you can't play players who are injured unfortunetly.

 

[doggies ftw]

Bonts and Picken are huge outs, but Stringer and Crammers are huge ins. Those two will have to do a bit of midfield work I reckon to cover the load, but luckily we will have one of Rough and Minno alongside Boyd. Such an exciting team in, we've got Minno and Rough tag teaming the ruck again with some really good ball winners. Even if we are lacking a bit inside the contest from recent weeks, Koby, Wallis, Dahl and Jong can still be quite a decent inside set up, with the likes of Hrovat, Macrae, Stringer, Crameri, Boyd doing a bit on the inside as well to help out. And then our run on the outside is where this team shines, quite a few big targets down forward as well, the likes of Grant and Dickson should get mismatches at times. Just going to take the game on from the first bounce, and Port might do the same, should be an absolute ripper.

So excited to see McLean, absolutely love this kid. His inclusion should also allow Hrovat to play nearly a full game in the middle, he's due a big one. I just think McLean is going to add so much to this side, we lack a genuine small forward to take advantage of those opportunities and just finish off the work. Helps that his brilliant in the air too, he's going to start making a big impact on this team within a few weeks. Ballsy going in with all 3 of Dale, McLean and Webb, just such a ridiculously young team. Dale should probably be sub I reckon, although Dale and Webb are both due a bit of a break out game, been going really solidly lately and you can tell theyre building.

Cant wait for this one, no expectations as long as we come out and give it a crack. Going to be a ripper and if we win...

 

[the conch]

Picken out hurts a lot more than Bont IMO. Bont has barely been going. Picko has been red hot. In saying that, I'm REAL excited to see Bont after nearly a 3 week break against the Lions at Etihad. I think that night Bont will remind everyone about the irresistible force that he is.

I was beginning to think Picken was indestructible.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

I was beginning to think Picken was indestructible.

 

[the conch]

We tend to look at players in isolation - grant is best 22 or he isnt, on his own merits. But who is he pushing out of the team? Stringer Crameri, Boyd, Dickson are our pure forwards, and I reckon Bev wants a resting ruck and resting mid spot in there as well.

I reckon Hunter will be given every opportunity because he is capable of playing mid/forward. In fact I think Bev sees almost 100% of our mids capable of being rested forward, including Picken and Wallis, but maybe not Libba.

So that leaves Grant competing for a pure forward spot and its very hard to see him grabbing one of those spots on a permanent basis.

Grant was used on the wing effectively

 

[the conch]

This is my concern with Grant. It is always coulda, woulda, shoulda. Every week we talk about how he nearly kicked a lot of goals or nearly played a whole game. When he actually does something more than a brief cameo then i will think about him for best 22. Higgins teased us for years, Jones for a few years less and now Grant is doing the same. I swear this guy can have a whole career based only on "potential" without ever actually delivering anything. I want him to succeed but he has been around long enough to deliver in more than a lot less than a whole game.

BM didnt work for Grant at all and he hit injuries just when he was showing something.
Bevs got him playing more to his abilities in the team context. Against GWS he showed endeavour getting to contests and team oreintated footy smarts.
With Bevs confidence his form and goal kicking will pick up and he will be a weapon. Best teams got to have a range of weapons in order to stretch the opposition.

 

[the conch]

i'd be fine if he had it in the pocket or on the snap. set shot, no thanks. running into and open goal, no thanks.

Yet his field kicking and decision making are good and his hands are excellent

 

[House_of_Dahl]

So we're going to play three first years.

Gulp.

I'd be guessing two of them will share sub duties (baring injuries)

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

Our side will feature 3 TAC Medalists (best on ground in the TAC Cup Grand Final), all 17 other sides will have only 4.

 

[Dry Rot]

Our side will feature 3 TAC Medalists (best on ground in the TAC Cup Grand Final),

Who are they?

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

Who are they?

McLean, Macrae and Wallis.

 

[ossie_21]

A little bit worried knowing that we have 12/22 with under 50 games & only 3 with over 100 as compared to 6/22 with less than 50 & 9 over 100. But if we at least put up a good showing we will have a lot to look forward to, sneak a win and boy oh boy wowweeeeee

 

[Dry Rot]

McLean, Macrae and Wallis.

Thanks.

On Wallis, I was never a fan until this year. He's playing some ripping footy this year.

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

Our side will feature 3 TAC Medalists (best on ground in the TAC Cup Grand Final), all 17 other sides will have only 4.

Edit: Forgot Steele Sidebottom was back from injury, its 5. Still its a crazy anomaly.

 

[Doggy Dan]

Edit: Forgot Steele Sidebottom was back from injury, its 5. Still its a crazy anomaly.

If I was a head recruiter, I'd be looking for players that stood up in big finals as well. An anomaly, but perhaps no coincidence.

 

[Struggle]

Very, very confident this week for some reason.

 

[immortalmike]

Very, very confident this week for some reason.

Still not sure I can consider myself confident but I certainly feel better than the Melbourne game.

 

[Dry Rot]

If I was a head recruiter, I'd be looking for players that stood up in big finals as well. An anomaly, but perhaps no coincidence.

IIRC the Pies rate that highly.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Nobody likes boring tables. That's why I made a graphic!

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Nobody likes boring tables. That's why I made a graphic!

This is more fun than it really should be. North and Port (two of the most experienced teams in the league) in their round 8 game for reference.

 

[HiReception]

This is more fun than it really should be. North and Port (two of the most experienced teams in the league) in their round 8 game for reference.

That's great, but who are the "Bullogs"?

 

[d0gs]

Have we debuted the most players in the comp this year? Loving the faith being put on the young players at the moment and they are holding their own. Think it will be a really good game on Saturday, Port are a bit off at the moment with a few pretty averages performances and with Minson in will really tie up the midfield battle.

 

[BoydOHboyd]

Have we debuted the most players in the comp this year? Loving the faith being put on the young players at the moment and they are holding their own. Think it will be a really good game on Saturday, Port are a bit off at the moment with a few pretty averages performances and with Minson in will really tie up the midfield battle.

Think I saw somewhere the Tigers have had 4, McLean will be for our fourth too I think

 

[fronkalicious]

Have we debuted the most players in the comp this year? Loving the faith being put on the young players at the moment and they are holding their own. Think it will be a really good game on Saturday, Port are a bit off at the moment with a few pretty averages performances and with Minson in will really tie up the midfield battle.

Gold Coast i reckon:

Saad
Miller
Garlett
Wright
Brooksby
Schade
Glenn

 

[go you pups]

Ports midfield will **** all over us this week, need huge games from Macrae, Dahl and Wallis if we're going to win, Bont and Picken out kills us there.

We will be relying heavily on keeping the ball in our forward half to kick a score, need a huge selfless game from Crameri pushing upfield to help us out. Stringer needs to kick a bag and Dickson/Boyd to bob up again.