Preview Changes vs Swans

[azza77]

The most damning indictment on the crows gameplan, stretching back to the mid Craig era was that we simply haven't mastered the art of 'spreading' from the contest and as such all get sucked to the contest and have to work 2x harder to get out and chase etc and use handball to try and make up for it.

No to overly simplify but the 2012 anomaly was largely due to the game plan involving attacking long kicks and using the corridor coupled with a golden period of winning alot of the footy.

We need to look at players who understand this concept of gamestyle and start implementing it.

We never seem to have the cleverly/strategically-placed outside scavenger. The ball forever seems to bobble out to the opposition.

Could not ****ing agree more. This is the biggest thing for me and is frustrating as ****. We have all our numbers go head first into the contest. Despite this, we fumble around and still lose the contest, resulting in the opposition flicking the ball to a runner on the outside who has no one within 20m of them. He's then allowed to stream straight through the middle with 0 pressure and deliver a killer ball into the 50, which we will struggle to defend 9 times out of 10.

We didnt notice this as much in 2012 as we were actually getting first hands to the ball and winning the clearances, giving them no hope of getting the ball on the outside.

However, I've been saying it for ages now and I'm sure many others can see that the defensive of our midfield is ****ing deplorable. It's funny that everyoen heaps shit on VB for not stopping his direct opponent, but when you stop and look at the support he's getting around him, you'd probably have to stop and re-consdier your words.

I don't actually think our players know what the term 'spread' means or have heard of it in footballing terms to be honest. It's so non-existent. We have 5-6 midfielder crammed inside the centre circle at a time and then expect to win the midfield battle.

We are doing something critically wrong, and Im not blaming the players at all. Every one of the other 150 odd midfielders in the competition can spread at a contest and learn to defend their midfield zone, which actually gives their defence a chance when the ball does come into the 50.

Im looking at the coaches here. They have seriously ****ed something and have the guys playing chasey and not football.

 

[crowded house]

I know it's fashionable to belt LJ for lack of effort.

He's currently 11th on our list for average tackles and 12th for average 1% ers.

Given he basically plays as a key forward, I reckon there is a few other blokes to look at harder for lack of effort

I'm obviously very susceptible to suggestion because watching him on Saturday had me fuming, however now I'm finding excuses for him.

One of LJ's biggest problems is that he looks slow and looks like he isn't putting effort in, regardless of whether he is or not. It didn't help that when he did chase he chased very quick mid fielders and was coming from 10 metres behind.

That said, he MUST improve in the air and must provide a stronger contest in the forward 50. He's the kind of player who I think generally loses one on one contests (like the anti-Sloane) and needs to be in space to be effective (on the lead or slipped off his man).

I don't believe our 'tall' forwards can do any worse than last week and I don't think Jenkins can do any better.

These three need to be given a solid run and not dropped as a reaction. The next time they are dropped they should never be picked again because they've had their chance. I'm willing to sit with this structure for a few weeks to find out who can actually make it.

 

[azza77]

Move Jaensch to the spot that Porps has been playing and put Laird in his spot?


Would love to see Jaensch move behind the ball when we're struggling, not starting as a defender. Let him be loose and use the run/long kick rather than having to worry about an opponent.

ATM I'd be giving the Pods one last chance.

Out: Crouch (inj), Porps (omit), One-Way running
In: Laird, Lyons, Heart

Would actually love to see Jaensch given that quarter back role, similar to what Sam Mitchell does. It will require him to do less defending (even though he has been decent in this aspect so far) and will allow him to utilise his kicking skills all over the ground. He also has a decent amount of pace and could provide us with more outside run / line breaking ability.

There is no point stashing one of our best weapons in the back pocket to no avail. Anyone can stand in the back pocket and bomb the ball 50 metres high and 50 meters along the boundary line to a contest. He needs to be given more freedom to attack and take the game on.

 

[fabs33]

Could not ****ing agree more. This is the biggest thing for me and is frustrating as ****. We have all our numbers go head first into the contest. Despite this, we fumble around and still lose the contest, resulting in the opposition flicking the ball to a runner on the outside who has no one within 20m of them. He's then allowed to stream straight through the middle with 0 pressure and deliver a killer ball into the 50, which we will struggle to defend 9 times out of 10.

We didnt notice this as much in 2012 as we were actually getting first hands to the ball and winning the clearances, giving them no hope of getting the ball on the outside.

It was also less noticeable back then because our midfielder's first reaction was to get the ball going forward as quick as possible by means of a quick kick, now they're trying to hand pass out of congestion and turning the ball over to those opposition players waiting on the outside. It also means that by the time we finally reach our forward line it's been clogged up, which is why I suspect that our scoring efficiency upon entering inside fifty has dropped to appalling levels after being one of the best in 2012.

 

[Jack is Back]

Still baiting & trolling as always. Pathetic really.

Clearly the holiday did nothing to improve your sense of humour.

I thought you had deserted us so I took over your role calling for the delisting of players after round 1.

I kicked off with Martin and Porps last week (plus last year's left overs, Graham) and added Lewis Johnston, JPod and Truck this week. Feel free to add to list, there's plenty to choose from.

 

[fabs33]

Would actually love to see Jaensch given that quarter back role, similar to what Sam Mitchell does. It will require him to do less defending (even though he has been decent in this aspect so far) and will allow him to utilise his kicking skills all over the ground. He also has a decent amount of pace and could provide us with more outside run / line breaking ability.

There is no point stashing one of our best weapons in the back pocket to no avail. Anyone can stand in the back pocket and bomb the ball 50 metres high and 50 meters along the boundary line to a contest. He needs to be given more freedom to attack and take the game on.

Are you talking about Jeansch or Smith? Seems like these days anyone with a half-decent kick at our club has to spend more time defending then actually using their key talent.

 

[DangerSloane]

Are you talking about Jeansch or Smith? Seems like these days anyone with a half-decent kick at our club has to spend more time defending then actually using their key talent.

Next Grigg will be taking Trucks spot at full back!

Would actually love to see Jaensch given that quarter back role, similar to what Sam Mitchell does. It will require him to do less defending (even though he has been decent in this aspect so far) and will allow him to utilise his kicking skills all over the ground. He also has a decent amount of pace and could provide us with more outside run / line breaking ability.

There is no point stashing one of our best weapons in the back pocket to no avail. Anyone can stand in the back pocket and bomb the ball 50 metres high and 50 meters along the boundary line to a contest. He needs to be given more freedom to attack and take the game on.

Yeah this is exactly what I mean...hes not a defenders a**hole, but he is a perfect half back sweeper-uperer

 

[Vader]

Clearly the holiday did nothing to improve your sense of humour.

I thought you had deserted us so I took over your role calling for the delisting of players after round 1.

I kicked off with Martin and Porps last week (plus last year's left overs, Graham) and added Lewis Johnston, JPod and Truck this week. Feel free to add to list, there's plenty to choose from.

Could be a lot of changes this year, certainly more than we have seen over the last few years. Could be a few senior players retiring (Rutten, Porps and possibly (less likely) Pods & Thommo). Then there's the dead wood, which has been steadily accumulating for several years, partly due to GC & GWS, partly due to Tiprat penalties. We probably have 10-12 players who could go, how many actually do go depends on other factors (strength/depth of the draft, inbound free agents, ladder position, trade week) many of which are unknowns for now.

Sadly, I expect to see some of the dead wood players survive for yet another year wasted on our list, purely because it's not feasible to cull them all in the same year.

As for who those "dead wood" players are, I think everyone knows my thoughts on the usual suspects. In addition to the well known candidates, I think it could be a critical year for players like CEY, Lyons, Siggins & Atkins, who have all been around for a while now. We should get a better idea of where these players are at, now that we will be seeing them playing together regularly in the Crows' SANFL team.

Always a valid topic of discussion, but probably not appropriate for a thread about changes for this week's game against Sydney.

 

[BACCS]

Does anyone know if you have to wear collared shirts in members, as you do for the cricket?

 

[FullyBigKPro]

Does anyone know if you have to wear collared shirts in members, as you do for the cricket?

A tie and jacket as well?

 

[The Karma Bus]

Does anyone know if you have to wear collared shirts in members, as you do for the cricket?

No, footy season is like it was at AAMI..

 

[Kraven]

The Crows are ranked sixth in inside 50ms in Season 2014 – the equal- highest ranking of any team outside the top eight.

Does this say a lot?

 

[King Elvis]

Does anyone know if you have to wear collared shirts in members, as you do for the cricket?

No thongs.

 

[VSTone]

No thongs.

commando?

 

[AFC979810]

I know it's fashionable to belt LJ for lack of effort.

He's currently 11th on our list for average tackles and 12th for average 1% ers.

Given he basically plays as a key forward, I reckon there is a few other blokes to look at harder for lack of effort

Not to mention he has kicked almost 1/5 of our goals and taken the (equal) most marks inside 50.

LJ is never going to be a #1 forward, but he can become a very good 3rd key forward.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

The Crows are ranked sixth in inside 50ms in Season 2014 – the equal- highest ranking of any team outside the top eight.

Does this say a lot?

Yes our forward line has been shyte!

 

[Elder van Berlo]

The Crows are ranked sixth in inside 50ms in Season 2014 – the equal- highest ranking of any team outside the top eight.

Does this say a lot?

Sample size.

 

[Elite Crow]

Yes our forward line has been shyte!

and our delivery and coaching has been crap, entering forward 50 to an outnumbered forward line and allowing Polec run free was a recipe for disaster.

Did you read what Polec said after the game? Hinkley after the Geelong game saw how we butchered the ball going forward and decided to position Polec to pick up the slops. We took a qtr and 9 possessions later to react.

 

[mistylake]

Hold their head underwater

Love it.

 

[Tex200]

and our delivery and coaching has been crap, entering forward 50 to an outnumbered forward line and allowing Polec run free was a recipe for disaster.

Did you read what Polec said after the game? Hinkley after the Geelong game saw how we butchered the ball going forward and decided to position Polec to pick up the slops. We took a qtr and 9 possessions later to react.

Sando shaping to be a bit of a dunce I'm afraid

 

[Elite Crow]

Sando shaping to be a bit of a dunce I'm afraid

I don't know if he's a dunce, but I'd just like to see a piece of coaching that had some initiative or a master stroke. We've not seen any moves or tactics that have made you think, gees what a good move.

 

[mistylake]

LJ is a bludger - so was Tex. I'd keep him in the side for the majority of the year - especially ahead of Pods.

If our Coaching staff are any good, they'll be able to turn him around.

So they probably won't be able to.

That's a good point, Tex was in, Tex was out, Craigy wanted the 1%'s. Then Tex was a chasing machine even when there seemed no hope. Maybe LJ will learn to.

 

[Wright Away]

Ok this is what I would like.

Defence:
Out - Rutten
In - Hartigantospell - I am unsure about his suspension in SANFL, was that for this week and if so does it affect AFL team selection (I'd just play him to stick it to the SANFL) - He is a better match up for both big Sydney forwards sans Tippett.
Move - Jaensch the Stench - He racks up the ball but his defensive efforts make your testicles shrivel. Preferably move him elsewhere in the side and bring in Laird, or drop him off at the Animal Welfare League.

Midfield + Sub
Out - Porplyzretireattheendoftheyear, B.Crouch (When two legs collide)
In - BoBsled (to replace Porps as sub), Naughty boy Lyons (to replace Crouch)

Fowardline
Out - One of Poldsiadly, Lewsist Johnson and Shaun Mckernan's eye socket.
In - Petrenko or Cameron.

Most unlikely to occur:
CEY in for anyone.

 

[Tex200]

I don't know if he's a dunce, but I'd just like to see a piece of coaching that had some initiative or a master stroke. We've not seen any moves or tactics that have made you think, gees what a good move.

Sorry dunce probs a bit harsh - but I thought the same as you in q1 - why the hell was Polec just allowed to roam free across half back.

I banged on all last week on here about Port playing a loose man in defence against Carlton in q1 of that game (Westhoff), and that we needed to man up the 7th defender. Im just some punter on the Internet - how the hell could our head coach a) not plan for it and b) let it happen

 

[NTRabbit]

Who the hell is Bobsled?