Preview Changes vs West Coast

[macca23]

Firstly, I was having a discussion with Slippery Pete, there is no need for you to butt in.

Seconly, Kerridge also played a ripper game against GWS and deservedly received 5 votes in the coaches award which meant that both coaching panels had him in the best few players on the ground that day.

When (if) he returns to the Crows line-up he will display similar form to Brad Crouch (were you one of the many posters saying Brad should remain at Westies ).

There is plenty of room for Lyons, Grigg and Kerridge. Both Jaensch and Vince were pathetic last week. Bernie's only mention in the coaches award this year was below Kerridge against GWS. The fact that we can be happy with the occasional good game from Vince and Porplyzia is an indication of why we have slipped so far this year. Didak's last game for Collingwood was much better than anything that Jaensch, Vince or Porplyzia have served up this year. Did you notice how Didak went in a season defining match for Collingwood tonigh?.

Sorry, your lordship. I didn't realise that your opinions were in a closed shop. Rather they appeared to be in an open public forum.

Just to answer you on the Crouch comment, on the contrary. I would have played him 1st game of the year and every game he was fit to play. We have a big investment in him and the ceiling on his potential is high.

Where I disagree with you - and I hope you are right and I am wrong - I just don't see Kerridge being in the same class as Crouch. I see Crouch as being a gun and Kerridge as a handy AFL player. Time will tell.

Agree with you on Jaensch, disagree with you on Bernie. Yes, he is playing below the level of his B & F year, but what he is giving still justifies his spot IMO although he is treading a fine line.

As for your Collingwood comment, whether they state it openly or not, they are re-building. There's no flag there this year. They beat Carlton, who are well and truly a bottom 8 side.

 

[cmndstab]

The thing with Kerridge is his one really good game came when he was played up forward and dominated. We are struggling up forward with mid-sized players. Why not give him a go there for a couple more weeks to try to figure out if it was a once-off performance or if he has it in him to do that again?

 

[macca23]

The thing with Kerridge is his one really good game came when he was played up forward and dominated. We are struggling up forward with mid-sized players. Why not give him a go there for a couple more weeks to try to figure out if it was a once-off performance or if he has it in him to do that again?

Wright played that role last week and kicked 4.

Who do we drop for Kerridge to be given that opportunity, given that Henderson and Porps both played well last week?

 

[Slippery Pete]

Wright played that role last week and kicked 4.

Who do we drop for Kerridge to be given that opportunity, given that Henderson and Porps both played well last week?

Henderson.

 

[cmndstab]

Perhaps it doesn't happen this week, but there will be a chance there soon enough. That's the role I'd like to see him come back into.

It could end up being any of Henderson, Porplyzia, Riley, etc. Even Jaensch could go out for Kerridge if we restructured a bit (and unless Jaensch's form improves, it will be necessary to do so).

 

[macca23]

Henderson.

He had 25 disposals last week, Pete. He was never going to be dropped this week.

Jaensch is the one that should have been given the flick IMO, and that would have opened it up more for Grigg than Kerridge IMO.

 

[Slippery Pete]

He had 25 disposals last week, Pete. He was never going to be dropped this week.

Jaensch is the one that should have been given the flick IMO, and that would have opened it up more for Grigg than Kerridge IMO.

Fair call.

I would be pretty frustrated if I was Sam Kerridge right now.

 

[Jack is Back]

Where I disagree with you - and I hope you are right and I am wrong - I just don't see Kerridge being in the same class as Crouch. I see Crouch as being a gun and Kerridge as a handy AFL player. Time will tell.

Agree with you on Jaensch, disagree with you on Bernie. Yes, he is playing below the level of his B & F year, but what he is giving still justifies his spot IMO although he is treading a fine line.

It would surprise almost everyone if Kerridge ended up a more influential player than Crouch but he will become a very good AFL footballer.

The challenge for the AFC is to accept the pain that goes with providing a substantial number of young players those first 50 games after which they should be reallt impacting on games.

We do not have any top 5 draft picks at the moment (some would argue that Crouch would have been top 5 but it would be more like 5 - 10 if his draft was uncompromised) and we won't be getting any in the near future. We have no superstar father/son picks in our squad. We have to do everything thing right to be able to have a crack at the title in the next 5 years. At the top of the list is giving games to all the young players who deserve a chance (Griggs, Lyons and Kerridge) rathwer than more experienced players who may be rated slightly above them at the moment.

At the start of last season I indicated the futility of pumping games into Doughty, Johncock and Callinan. I'm willing to make the same call on Porplyzia, Vince and Jaensch. They will play some good games and some poor games but they will not be key factors in winning our next flag.

The notion of the "best 22" is overhyped. There are only a few players who will make a big difference if they are replaced by the next best player in line up. Our list from 12 - 35 is very even, would it be devastating if Vince woke up with a cold this morning and was replaced by Mackay, Lyons or Grigg (although the last two might be a bit tired).

I believe that the only "critical players" for the last 9 matches are Dangerfield, Sloane, Thompson, Jacobs, Talia, Smith and Douglas (our guns) Rutten and Jenkins (critical to our structure). If fit, I would always play Brown, Laird, Grigg, Crouch, Kerridge, Lyons and Lynch. If the last 6 spots go to the most in form of the remaining players. We will still be very competitive and arguably as good as the team today.

 

[macca23]

The notion of the "best 22" is overhyped. There are only a few players who will make a big difference if they are replaced by the next best player in line up. Our list from 12 - 35 is very even, would it be devastating if Vince woke up with a cold this morning and was replaced by Mackay, Lyons or Grigg (although the last two might be a bit tired).

I believe that the only "critical players" for the last 9 matches are Dangerfield, Sloane, Thompson, Jacobs, Talia, Smith and Douglas (our guns) Rutten and Jenkins (critical to our structure). If fit, I would always play Brown, Laird, Grigg, Crouch, Kerridge, Lyons and Lynch. If the last 6 spots go to the most in form of the remaining players. We will still be very competitive and arguably as good as the team today.

Actually, there is a lot of merit in your suggestion above, given that IMO sensibly there is a snowball's chance in hell of us winning the flag this year.

However to go down the path that you have suggested above requires the club to publicly acknowledge through the coach that it is out of the finals race, and that it will be concentrating in its team selection on next year and beyond.

I can't see Sando saying that until it becomes mathematically impossible for us to make the final 8. However if, and when that day comes, I would have no problem with the selection process that you have suggested above, as that tries to get something positive out of the rest of the year.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Actually, there is a lot of merit in your suggestion above, given that IMO sensibly there is a snowball's chance in hell of us winning the flag this year.

However to go down the path that you have suggested above requires the club to publicly acknowledge through the coach that it is out of the finals race, and that it will be concentrating in its team selection on next year and beyond.

I can't see Sando saying that until it becomes mathematically impossible for us to make the final 8. However if, and when that day comes, I would have no problem with the selection process that you have suggested above, as that tries to get something positive out of the rest of the year.

I called for this approach a few weeks back when our chances of winning the flag were effectively cooked. At best we can sneak into the 8 & could be helped by the Dons saga.

Having said that I can appreciate Sando is still trying to do his best to make the finals, so as long as he starts getting games into the youngsters once if our season has near the final nail in the coffin, I'm OK. Mind you if we lose tonight, I reckon the time may be right to look to next season.

 

[Elite Crow]

macca23 you are making the assumption that playing Grigg etc means you have less chance of winning. I think we all agree Grigg instead of Jaensch is an obvious move. I know I sound like Vader when making call such as this, and that thought makes me ill, but Jaensch is never going to amount to a quality afl footballer.

Laird has been one of our better players since coming into the side.
Brown has replaced Doughty easily.
Lynch is one of our more effective forwards.
All Crouch needs to do is maintain last weeks form and he will be in our top 4 mids for the year.

Lyons should never have been dropped.
Kerridge is an interesting one, because in my opinion he could play the VB role and become the better footballer but whilst VB is captain he won't be dropped no matter how badly he's playing.
We also need to fit in a fit Shaw. We need his versatility, height and pace.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

He had 25 disposals last week, Pete. He was never going to be dropped this week.

Jaensch is the one that should have been given the flick IMO, and that would have opened it up more for Grigg than Kerridge IMO.

Yep, Jaensch is the one you would think would have made way for Grigg this week - given his form for the Legs. Would also allow Hendo to move into the forward line/wing, rather than play in defence ... but AFC see Hendo as a backman (according to Harper).

Still would have played Lyons ahead of Thompson as IMO he is injured & needing a rest.

Kerridge will be handy player. I have no issue dropping him for another youngster, as he was in need of a rest. He should come back in after some solid SANFL form before the year is out.

 

[King Elvis]

No surprise I'm with EC on this - I don't believe playing our young guns over underperforming senior players will weaken our side; I think it'll do the opposite.

Look at Collingwood - they want to win, but they're using this year as a platform for next year.

We need to do the same, or we'll constantly be waiting for the next year or two, because we're only planning for the short sighted 'now.'

 

[BigLefty]

I cant see why there's too much criticism for dropping Kerridge when they did. After his 6 goal haul his next 2 games he had just 10 possessions. From memory we then rested him, which was probably the right call, given his games back at Sturt soon after were pretty ordinary also.

Lyons not finding his way back in is the one I have a problem with. His form never wavered, then after his rest he's continued his domination in the SANFL.

 

[Mattrox]

No surprise I'm with EC on this - I don't believe playing our young guns over underperforming senior players will weaken our side; I think it'll do the opposite.

Look at Collingwood - they want to win, but they're using this year as a platform for next year.

We need to do the same, or we'll constantly be waiting for the next year or two, because we're only planning for the short sighted 'now.'

I do agree that we need to trim off under performing players. We do need to build our team for next year. But those suggesting drop Vince or Porps are short of the mark. No, they are not setting the world on fire but they have also been contributing well.

Rielly and Mackay have been severely below par. Mackay needs to prove he is better than the others to fight back into the side.

Jaensch is next in line for being dropped.

As far as the post season goes, I reckon we are better off trimming off the bottom end, riding out the draft pain this year and trying to mitigate it with a trade or FA signing to fill a gap.

The young guys are looking promising and are certainly no worse than Jaensch, Henderson etc etc.

 

[King Elvis]

Contributing well shouldn't be the pass mark.

And I think we need to stop viewing it as who deserves to be dropped, and more who deserves to be brought in.

Lyons is the obvious example, he should be in the side - so pick the player at the bottom of the best 18 - even if he's contributing well - and drop him.

We need to change our thinking from 'he doesn't deserve to be dropped,' to 'will bringing in player X improve our side?' - when that happens, we'll become a ruthless footy Club, and not a bunch of mates playing together.

 

[rocket18]

I feel to many on this board give our senior players credit they don't deserve. Most of these players have proven that they are not able to deliver when it matters most - finals. Over the last five or six years these players have let us down.

If these senior players have a run of poor form - they should be dropped. They are proven NON PERFORMERS in the big games.