Changes vs Port Adelaide

[Porps is a star!!]

Ok, on revisiting my post re: rutten It was fairly inaccurate. bear with me as I try to explain what I meant.

I was at the game and I remember on several occasions seeing Kossi running between wing and CHF (saints) and being 5-10 metres clear of truck, my major concern here is that it is the obvious tactic against truck to drag him off the last line, which had a snowball affect meaning Rievolt was spending more time in the 50, which in the end hurt us as Bock seems to me (please correct me if you think I'm wrong- I know you will) to be more confident around CHB than deep in the 50.

SO my major point which I doubt anyone could argue is that Rutten's speed is a slight issue at the moment, and as the game gets faster and more agile forward targets are introduced, he will become redundant?

Don't get me wrong I love Truck and what he has done for our Backline as our Rock is invaluable and I'm not saying drop him now or anything but maybe just swing Davis is and let him find his feet while we still have two of the best defenders going around.

 

[Truck Rutten]

This is just rubbish.

Burton was rushed back, that one I'll give you. Then again, Edwards was out so who would you have suggested they select instead?

Walker's form for the month before his dropping was crap. Even Burton's efforts on Sunday, which were covered in an inch thick layer of rust, were better than what Walker dished up in his last month of senior footy. People here like to sugar coat his efforts, saying that he's just 19 years old and that he had 6 or 7 tackles in a game. The reason he got so many tackles is because he was 2nd to the ball every single time it came into his area - if he was in decent form those tackles would have been shots on goal. Forwards are selected, first and foremost, to kick goals - pressuring the defenders is important but it is secondary to the importance of scoring. Walker was failing in his primary objective and has been sent back to the SANFL as a result. No doubt he has been given standards & objectives to meet and when he does so he will return to the senior team - whether that takes place in 2009 or 2010 remains to be seen, but it won't be this week and neither should it be.

Walker's games against the Hawks and the Kangaroos shat all over what Burton turned out on the weekend. What a bizarre thing to say

 

[Vader]

Walker's games against the Hawks and the Kangaroos shat all over what Burton turned out on the weekend. What a bizarre thing to say

Hawthorn, yes. Sydney & Essendon were embarrassing. He MIGHT have got a pass for the North Melbourne game, it was borderline.

 

[NTRabbit]

This is just rubbish.

Burton was rushed back, that one I'll give you. Then again, Edwards was out so who would you have suggested they select instead?

Walker's form for the month before his dropping was crap. Even Burton's efforts on Sunday, which were covered in an inch thick layer of rust, were better than what Walker dished up in his last month of senior footy. People here like to sugar coat his efforts, saying that he's just 19 years old and that he had 6 or 7 tackles in a game. The reason he got so many tackles is because he was 2nd to the ball every single time it came into his area - if he was in decent form those tackles would have been shots on goal. Forwards are selected, first and foremost, to kick goals - pressuring the defenders is important but it is secondary to the importance of scoring. Walker was failing in his primary objective and has been sent back to the SANFL as a result. No doubt he has been given standards & objectives to meet and when he does so he will return to the senior team - whether that takes place in 2009 or 2010 remains to be seen, but it won't be this week and neither should it be.

Then there's the other kids. Petrenko is doing nothing in the SANFL right now and certainly doesn't deserve selection. Likewise, Cook is miles off selection. Armstrong's form has been good, but not good enough to demand selection. Davis was BOG last weekend, but didn't have the runs on the board prior to that. Martin had question marks over him, but proved to be a fantastic selection when given his opportunity on Sunday - I expect him to retain his place this week. Sloane and the others are even further behind.

Shirley was not brought back from the graveyard. He has been selected on merit. If one of the youngsters could justify selection ahead of him then so be it - but none of them can hold a candle to him at present. Cook and Petrenko showed pre-season form which was good enough to force him out of the team. They've since dropped away and Shirley has been reinstated. If & when a youngster shows form worthy of selection, then Shirley's neck will once again be on the chopping block, but for now his position remains relatively safe.

The Crows have always made their selections on merit, selecting the best possible 22 players to represent us every week - be it round one or week three of the finals. Nothing has changed in this regard so far this year and I don't expect their selection policies to change as the remainder of the year unfolds.

That's pretty much it. I've said similar several times this year Vader, but I don't think anybody really wants to listen

It's all about the kids, damnit, play the kids! We have to play the kids if we want to get better, mothball everyone over 25!

 

[toddflanders]

would somebody please think of the children...

 

[Truck Rutten]

Hawthorn, yes. Sydney & Essendon were embarrassing. He MIGHT have got a pass for the North Melbourne game, it was borderline.

Might have got a pass? vs the Kangaroos:

Player K H D M HO T FF FA G B
Taylor Walker 9 2 11 5 0 4 0 0 1 2

In 60% game time of a low scoring flood-fest. Obviously it would have been nice if he'd have kicked a bit straighter, but it was still a pretty good game and by any measure vastly superior to Burton's very rusty performance against the Saints.

Not sure why you felt the need to mention the Sydney and Essendon games. All I was querying was your assertion that Burton's game against the Saints was better than any of Tex's in his last month of AFL footy.

 

[Coopers]

SO my major point which I doubt anyone could argue is that Rutten's speed is a slight issue at the moment, and as the game gets faster and more agile forward targets are introduced, he will become redundant?

Things move in cycles - as the game changes. The current tactics (and maybe rules!) currently do not favour the big gorilla forwards, so there are less of them left in the game, with the agile tall types preferred.

Now that teams are playing to break down the zones, truck is not finding himself under the ball and using strength as much. But who is to say that the defensive tactic that emerges over the next few years to fight the "play on really fast" zone breaking offense won't require a player like Rutten again.

So I don't think he's obsolete - talent will always be needed. The challenge is before him though to stay a force.

 

[frednerk33]

you know you can post different opinions in different threads. you keep typing this all over the place, and frankly if it were even true it still wouldn't be appropriate.

Sorry, you lost me, but I accept I'll check threads more carefully. Thanks for the prompt.

 

[frednerk33]

Rushing Burton back from injury and bringing Shirley back from the graveyard reeks of Craig falling back to old "safe" habits at the selection table.... Once we bow out in the first or second week of the finals the same questions will be raised all over again.

I half suspect Craigy and the coaching team and the selection panel have some insider knowledge and research player/team assessments and put thought into it. Wasn't this year touted to be a nothing out-of-the-8 year anyway ? (edit: bow-out statement retracted, I agree we probably will)

 

[Mad Fan of AFL]

Newsflash the nullify the opposition and do nothing in return era of taggers is finished.

St Kilda had 9 players get over 27 posessions, Shirley playing would have not changed anything. It would have stopped Martin playing who actually attacked the game offensively and did really well so I would argue that by Shirley being out it actually helped us more than hindered us.

Craig said publicly at the start of the year that Shirley had to find a new facet offensively to his game and he is yet to do this. Looks like Craigy has changed his tune because we are getting near to September.

totally agree!!!
yeah it looks that way

 

[DJ75]

ok so back on topic of changes for this weekend;

IN: Shirley Van Berlo Davis
Out: Mackay (inj) Douglas Stevens (inj)

Although if Porp is injured as well

Out: Mackay (inj) Porp (inj) Stevens (inj)
In: Shirley Van Berlo Davis

i.e. Douglas stays as the small forward.

Whilst I would like to see Walker play (I just think he would turn it on against these guys), I can't see him playing after not having a game at all last week end.

 

[J-Train]

Looks like Burger Jnr is back in for port so Shirls might be the man to go to him.

 

[Redline]

ok so back on topic of changes for this weekend;

IN: Shirley Van Berlo Davis
Out: Mackay (inj) Douglas Stevens (inj)

Although if Porp is injured as well

Out: Mackay (inj) Porp (inj) Stevens (inj)
In: Shirley Van Berlo Davis

i.e. Douglas stays as the small forward.

Whilst I would like to see Walker play (I just think he would turn it on against these guys), I can't see him playing after not having a game at all last week end.

I think you are fairly close there to what will happen. If it was up to me I'd play Walker though instead of Davis, not that I don't rate Davis but Walker deserves to be in there even more so if Stevens is out.

 

[Jars458]

If they play all of Burgoyne Hartlett and Thomas it would be good for us IMO as they would be underdone to some degree.

We should go the opposite way IMO and give Burton more time in the SANFL and both Walker and Davis can play.

 

[lunacy]

As much as I love Davis and can't wait to see him play AFL, I have a few fears with this game. No Edwards, no Mackay, we already have a depleted ruck, a rusty burton, and now it looks like stevens may be out. Again as much as I love Davis I dont think he has proven he can handle a key post. If Stevens doesn't play, Davis may well have to slot into a key position role.

On top of all that Martin is playing his second game. Whilst he was one of our best last week and certainly deserves another crack, its quite possible/likely he may struggle to produce the same output again.

Our side seems to be getting weaker and their side is getting stronger. They have 1 injury (Motlop).

Concerns...

 

[johnnypanther]

As much as I love Davis and can't wait to see him play AFL, I have a few fears with this game. No Edwards, no Mackay, we already have a depleted ruck, a rusty burton, and now it looks like stevens may be out. Again as much as I love Davis I dont think he has proven he can handle a key post. If Stevens doesn't play, Davis may well have to slot into a key position role.

On top of all that Martin is playing his second game. Whilst he was one of our best last week and certainly deserves another crack, its quite possible/likely he may struggle to produce the same output again.

Our side seems to be getting weaker and their side is getting stronger. They have 1 injury (Motlop).

Concerns...

Providing we come out to play and apply some pressure then their white flags will be up in an instant.

 

[Crows Feet]

Providing we come out to play and apply some pressure then their white flags will be up in an instant.

Hopefully ours too

 

[BACCS]

After being out for 12 or whatever weeks, S. Burgoyne won't be at his best obviously, and apparantley will only get 50% gametime. I'm not too worried about his influence on the game this week, if Burton's game last week is an indication of performance after rushing players back in. I still think it'll be a comfortable win for our boys.