Strategy Do we play Naitanui in the Semi Final?

[Dylan82]

I'm surprised no-one has posted this already.


It's time to pull the trigger on this. If we are in the business of winning premierships and our most influential player has been in full training for almost a month - get him in.

If you query what his influence might be, this is the average difference in team performance in recent seasons with Naitanui in and out of the team:



Do you want to see the midfield win more contested ball? Get him in.

Do you want to see the opposition struggle to spread from stoppages? Get him in.

Do you want to see the forward press return to the high pressure unit that it was? Get him in.

Do you want to see an end to fadeouts late in games? GET HIM IN!


Now these are outputs from all performances, regardless of if they are good or indifferent. His mere presence on the field improves the team.

And should he play well - then we become statistically the best team in the competition.




The time is now or never for this season. With GWS injuries the perfect opportunity has been presented.

The last two weeks have shown anything is possible, now let's make some real history.

Get Naitanui in, scare the daylights out of the competition and win three more matches.

 

[QS]

the dice.
roll them.

 

[avishka5]

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

I'd do a similar graph for all the reasons to bring Butler back in but they don't make graphs that big

 

[squashface]

dice

 

[dajesmac]

****, that is some good research.

 

[BrotherDodge]

Hell yes. Saving him for next year is loser talk when we're in a semi-final. We might as well have tanked against Adelaide and taken the draft pick.
Sure, there's a chance he doesn't have much influence. But...what if he comes back into the side and bosses it right away, serving it to Mitchell and Shuey on a silver platter? Suddenly we're balls-deep in this premiership race.
And just imagine if we don't pick him due to match fitness, win our way to the grand final and then get destroyed in the ruck by Callum Sinclair as Naitanui watches from the sidelines. It's too horrible to contemplate.

 

[Freight Train]

they see the MC rollin'

they not hatin'

 

[Mick63]

Hard to argue with any of that.

Who gets the tap on the shoulder? Vardy or Petrie?

Or LeCras, Partington or Duggan makes way?

 

[Quinz]

Doesn't take marks tho

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Hard to argue with any of that.

Who gets the tap on the shoulder? Vardy or Petrie?

Or LeCras, Partington or Duggan makes way?

Vardy is the obvious out

NN is only going to be able to ruck 50% at best - so Petrie is going to have to do a power of work

A Naitanui selection would also rule out Rioli - can't have two blokes who can't run

 

[Marlin01]

I'd like to know if NN has taken part in any actual football games. We've had a bye and then half the squad didn't play on the weekend, there's been opportunity for two practice games. Has anyone heard if the club held games and if NN played in these?

 

[Mick63]

I'd like to know if NN has taken part in any actual football games. We've had a bye and then half the squad didn't play on the weekend, there's been opportunity for two practice games. Has anyone heard if the club held games and if NN played in these?

I wouldn’t have thought mate, it would have been in the media for sure.

It is interesting that he is training so intensely though. I can’t figure out if the club is keeping everyone guessing, or if it is for morale for the playing group.

If the ‘save him for 2018’ rhetoric is what the club is truly thinking: why even risk him at training? Innocuous mishaps at training have caused significant injuries over the years. LeCras in 2012 springs to mind.

 

[domo]

Play him! Not since Woosha was dropped that time would there be any such drama and chaos. We just had that history making Shuey kick. Let's keep it going. Drop Bambi bring in the braided Lion!! Imagine the histeria!!

 

[eagles rule]

We need to give Nic a run to build his match fitness with only 2 games to go before GF..

 

[Eaglespur]

Who goes out? Barrass?

 

[FKASC]

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/do-we-roll-the-dice-with-nic.1175581/

 

[Brave Sir Robin]

Love reading your posts Dylan82.

 

[eagles rule]

Who goes out? Barrass?

That is the dilemma , I would leave Vardy out ..

 

[FKASC]

Who goes out? Barrass?

Vardy.

Petrie is marking everything in the forwardline and is straightening us up a lot.

 

[avishka5]

Straight from Ollie wine's play list

 

[Seluro]

That's pretty compelling stuff. Flick this over to Simmo asap.

 

[FatPizza]

That's compelling.... Assuming Naitanui can miraculously play at his best after not playing for an entire year...

 

[Brave Sir Robin]

All of those figures tend to suggest that in 2015 we just had no idea how to play without Naitanui, and that since then we have closed the gap having had to plan for life without him.

Also suggests to me that even when he was playing last year he definitely wasn't anywhere near 100%, just by comparison with the year before.

That's a very positive sign if the bloke can get back to 100% fitness.

 

[BrotherDodge]

That's compelling.... Assuming Naitanui can miraculously play at his best after not playing for an entire year...

Vardy has been a soldier this year, but even his best form is no better than a mediocre Naitanui game.