Changes Vs St.Kilda

[Asty]

Good question. Well seeing as I've been quite vocal in blaming Thompson when things are going wrong, it's only fair that he receives some credit for the recent turnaround. From what I've read (I still haven't seen the Richmond, West Coast or Freo games) I think there have been several factors at play. One is that players who have failed many times are not getting picked - Byrnes, Playfair, Gardiner, even King. This has meant that young guys with actual football talent are getting opportunities - Selwood, Tenace, Hawkins, Varcoe and so on. I think these young guys have reinvigorated the side, maybe influencing the more positive style of game as well.

Thompson especially I think does deserve credit for having faith in kids that to be honest I didn't think really warranted selection - Varcoe and Hawkins mainly, probably Selwood a little too. But all 3 gambles have worked. Perhaps he's getting a bit more aggressive in his coaching, who knows. But he's shown faith in 18 year olds and been rewarded.

Another aspect I think is that core players are back in their correct positions - Ling as a tagger, Ottens as a ruckman, Corey on the ball - and all 3 have had terrific seasons. Ling again is someone I've villified relentlessly, but he's been nothing short of brilliant. Ling 1 Partridge 0.

Finally I think perhaps the playing group has had a collective realisation about what was wrong and have actively changed it. The style is so much tougher and more relentless than what we've seen in recent seasons. The best part is that when games are up for grabs they are not trying to save them, but are taking risks to win them. Who dares wins and all that.

So yeah, it's two big slices of humble pie for me from Thompson and Ling especially. Very happy to be proven wrong too.

all good points but I think the main difference at this point is the style of play. Last year we played stop start chip it around football that made us look slow and gave teams time to push numbers back behind the ball. This year we are playing on at all costs and moving the ball quickly into the forwards before it gets blocked up hence we are kicking higher scores. Bomber talked about this change in style a couple of weeks back on the couch and said it took hours and hours of training in the off season to condition the players to play on like this. Additionally the fitness of the players has improved so they are outworking their opponents in defense also and are willing to run both ways.
Congrats to bomber for working out we need an attacking game plan (or at least a major change on the one that didnt' work for us last year) and then working and working at it over the pre-season.
Long way to go still but if they can keep playing this style the players are going to enjoy getting on the ground and we will make the top 8 (step up from last year)

 

[InsideRail]

No doubt a fit Chappy would need to come into the side. I would think he will replace Selwood. Whilst Selwood has been sensational (and no doubt leading the 2007 rising star) the coaching panel do not want to play him every game in his first year and will take this opportunity to rest him.

In future weeks (when we do get a few injuries) we may not have the luxury of being overloaded with selection possibilitites, and there maybe no choice other to play Selwood.

Whilst Stokes or to a lesser extent Varcoe seem the logical players to miss for Chappy, Varcoe's defensive efforts and the actual and implied pressure he creates causes turnovers and fumbles. Stokes, being a hard bodied, older more experience player than Selwood should retain his spot this week against a side that will no doubt apply a more defensive physical style, especially with flooding. Stokes was excellent against Port in the forward 50 stopages.

 

[bigdroppunt]

i know a few people will think im silly but i would think about resting mooney for a game it's a good idea to start rotating player's and rest em up a little hawkins in for mooney and chappy in for stokes.

Would love to see tomahawk play CHF under the pump cus mooneys not there fill the role and slot a coupple big fella !!!

Also i think the St Kilda defence will be stretched at best .

 

[WE Are Geelong]

Chapman is the only guy missing from the side currently that should be considered automatic in his re selection after injury. Whoever ends up making way will just have to wear it unfortunately for them.

I imagine it will be either a younger player and/or someone a bit sore who misses.

As for the team in general no one deserves to miss their spot after the last four weeks and I hope that is explained to whoever the unlucky person is who misses for Chapman's return if indeed they were actually fit to play.

 

[DanA]

i know a few people will think im silly but i would think about resting mooney for a game it's a good idea to start rotating player's and rest em up a little hawkins in for mooney and chappy in for stokes.

Would love to see tomahawk play CHF under the pump cus mooneys not there fill the role and slot a coupple big fella !!!

Also i think the St Kilda defence will be stretched at best .

They are just about to have the mid year break in a few weeks time and we are 1 loss away from dropping to mid table. If Mooney comes up sore after jarring his knee then by all means rest him but we should wait until we play Freo at Subiaco (round 16) before resting people.

At Round 16 we will have a good idea of were we will finish on the ladder, hopefully sitting on between 11 & 13 wins. If that is the case we could start looking at players that need a break. We are not in that position right now IMO.

 

[Partridge]

i know a few people will think im silly but i would think about resting mooney for a game it's a good idea to start rotating player's and rest em up a little hawkins in for mooney and chappy in for stokes.

It's not silly, but I'm not in favour of resting players. That's their job - so turn up for work. If you're a little sore from the previous week then suck it up and get on with it. We need Mooney out there every single week. No game is a foregone conclusion, so you can never afford the luxury of resting key players.

We still need to get over St.Kilda guys, it won't be a walk in the park.

 

[Solstice Raver]

I have been less than impressed with Enright recently, but just wondering was his game today that bad?? Did he muck things up or something? I think I would have Hunt out before him

I am not so sure it is a good idea to include Hawkins. He is not in any sort of form and including him would send a bad message to the rest of the playing group that some players get preferrential treatment.

Gone are the days....

 

[a.f.k.a.y.o.p.]

It's not silly, but I'm not in favour of resting players. That's their job - so turn up for work. If you're a little sore from the previous week then suck it up and get on with it. We need Mooney out there every single week. No game is a foregone conclusion, so you can never afford the luxury of resting key players.

We still need to get over St.Kilda guys, it won't be a walk in the park.

Spot on.
Dont flirt with form - ever.
No team is an easybeat - we can lose to anyone. Anytime.
If you dont bring your A-game.......ergo your A-Side.
It only takes a vital cog, aka Cam "Reformed Psycho" Mooney, to be missing to break our pattern of play.
Just hard to see who can go out for Chapman, who must come in. I only suggest Stokes due to the obvious advantages and changing like for like. But him or Selwood, and both should feel VERY unlucky to miss.
Four weeks ago I would have said Hunt and Enright..........but..........

 

[Ricketts]

Some of you lot need to think before you post your changes, glad you aren't on the selection panel. Some laughable changes being suggested really.

After 4 weeks of the football we have played no one will be dropped. That means no Hawkins, Harley VFL for one more, and Stokes, Tenace, S.Johnson and Varcoe won't be dropped.

However assuming Chapman is fully right to go he must come back in, being one of our best players. So the only real option is for Selwood to make way (for a rest, not dropped ). That or Hunt, but that would be extremely stiff given his last two weeks, forcing his way back into the side after being rubbish before he got dropped.

 

[tin can sam]

You'd have o look at our guys in groups, basically I think we sit like this.

Group 1
Bartel
Ablett jnr
Ling
Egan
Scarlett
Milburn
Mooney
Ottens
Corey
Wojcinski

Group 2
Johnson
Kelly
Enright
Mackie
Rooke
Blake
N. Ablett

Group 3
Selwood
Stokes
Varcoe
Tenace
Hunt

Group 1 are safe, pretty much for the year
Group 2 are looking the goods for a few weeks, assuming form isn't complete shit
Group 3 could make way for Chapman or Harley.

There is nobody inour side who deserves to be dropped, but you can't leave out Chappy.

I based these groups on how I believe Bomber is thinking, and not my personal bias, (wanted Tenace and Stokes above Enright, but Bomber wouldn't rate them that way.)

Personally, I'd leave out Varcoe(actually, if I chose the team I'd drop Enright, but that won't happen), and bring in Chappy.

Harley can wait until we lose some matches to return.

 

[sarah.13]

We are lucky to have this problem,but if 100% fit Chappy must come in.
Given that in all likelyhood it will be like for like it seems that Selwood will be the unfortunate one to go.It certainly won't be because of form because if that was the case no-one could be dropped.
I chose Selwood based on Bomber's policy of resting the younger players during the year.
I can't remember having hoped for some sort of minor injury to alleviate this dilemma in the past but what a good position to be in.( not that I hoping for someone to be injured)

 

[Alchera]

We have shocking injuries, but we haven't resorted to getting opposition players playing on permit for us!

Ooops - just a weekly brain fade - don't mind me

For some reason when I was writing that i got a visual of him in my head. Just a season behind most I guess

 

[Hood007]

Good to see ur looking at it objectively. Seeing as nobody should be dropped on form you'd think they would take the "horses for courses" attitude with selection. Meaning dropping a midfielder or a forward or someone who is a mixture of both...

 

[peter_ford]

In: Chappy, Harley, Hawkins
Out: Selwood, Stokes, Hunt

 

[peter_ford]

close enough