Roast Dropping Keplar was a mistake!

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Not sure how bringing Clarke in was a mistake, he played better than our other tall bloke.....

 

[Schauermann]

Dropping Kepler is always a mistake...

 

[free at last]

Mistake playing a clearly injured Pav too.

 

[sammm]

Ross loves his one liners. He probably should have remembered "the future is now".

Freo had a real chance tonight and this season. The game was in your hands tonight. To gift a bloke a game for experience sake is ... interesting. Not doubting he is a good coach. Would probably admit it was the wrong call.

I wonder why a coach would gift a player a final to help him with preseason?

and does he admit when he is wrong? haven't heard that as yet?

 

[sammm]

Mistake playing a clearly injured Pav too.

Unfortunately he the same at the Saints.

 

[332docker]

Like for like - wouldn't have made much of a difference IMO...

 

[PaulRoos]

Interesting to read that some think Kepler not playing was a bad move ...

When he wasn't named I was shocked, he's been very good and is exactly the kinda player who you take into a final .... big Zac gave a way soft frees and his height wasn't really any benefit.

I like what Lyon said - "we are a no excuse club, we were beaten by a better side" - ZACKERY Ross.

 

[PaulRoos]

Oh btw, well done Dockers, you rose as a force this year under Lyon. There lies a good future and culture .... A Prelim next year will be your target. Hoping you can achieve that or more.

 

[DockerLand1]

Like for like - wouldn't have made much of a difference IMO...

I disagree, Bradley would have offered up far more in the forward line where Pav clearly needed some assistance. Bradley would have also been far less likely to give away those very costly free kicks.

 

[EastcoastDocker]

kep woulda present well to the wing and HF leaving pav deeper.

why change a side that had its best win of the year the week before? Its not like kep didnt contribute either

 

[PapaJ]

I disagree, Bradley would have offered up far more in the forward line where Pav clearly needed some assistance. Bradley would have also been far less likely to give away those very costly free kicks.

Agree, but in end it was a bit of a hedged bet. Sandi was also stuffed and needed a genuine ruck backup to help him. I said earlier that I don't think it worked, but I'm inclined to think it was still the right move. Put it this way, it was Clarke who played in the center square a few times where we got a few clearances which kept us in a game in which we were shot.

Overall I'll concede that Clarke just wasn't good good enough, but that's an easy call in hindsight. All we can hope is that his future development is the better for it.

 

[DockerLand1]

Agree, but in end it was a bit of a hedged bet. Sandi was also stuffed and needed a genuine ruck backup to help him. I said earlier that I don't think it worked, but I'm inclined to think it was still the right move. Put it this way, it was Clarke who played in the center square a few times where we got a few clearances which kept us in a game in which we were shot.

Overall I'll concede that Clarke just wasn't good good enough, but that's an easy call in hindsight. All we can hope is that his future development is the better for it.

I agree Papaj. The previous week ( even though we had our greatest win ) I felt that Kep was not strong enough in the centre square ruck. Hindsight is a beautiful thing but it certainly looked as if Pav was less than fit. Hopefully, Clarke will have a strong off season and work into a strong key forward player. One that does not give away silly free kicks.

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Didn't Kep cop a bit of a kock last week and got benched with concussion?? Or was that a few weeks back?

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Didn't Kep cop a bit of a kock last week and got benched with concussion?? Or was that a few weeks back?

Concussion? That's a hell of a kock.

Sandi's?

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Nvm, think it might've been vs North? even.

 

[Andy Brennan]

Can see why Lyon did it, traded better forward structure for more ruck support... didn't work out though.

 

[yakka man]

In hindsight was the mistake dropping Kepler? Or including Clarke? Clarke seems to have lost the spark that made him damaging last year. For a guy who is very fit he just wasn't running, chasing or presenting against Adelaide. He really needs to bulk up.

 

[Latro]

In hindsight was the mistake dropping Kepler? Or including Clarke? Clarke seems to have lost the spark that made him damaging last year. For a guy who is very fit he just wasn't running, chasing or presenting against Adelaide. He really needs to bulk up.

His best games last year was as the number 1 ruck.

Converted basketballers don't make the best forwards. Just look at Tippett.

 

[yakka man]

His best games last year was as the number 1 ruck.

Converted basketballers don't make the best forwards. Just look at Tippett.

Not the best comparison. Tippet still kicked 34 goals this year despite sufferring multiple concussions. I'd be very happy if Clarke could do the same.

 

[Latro]

He gets most ogre his goals out jumping defenders he is not a smart forward.

 

[yakka man]

He gets most ogre his goals out jumping defenders he is not a smart forward.

But jumping is a strong basketball trait which is the point. Tippet is a better forward than he is a ruck and he has kicked both 55 and 46 goals in a season and was on track for more than 34 if he wasn't knocked out so often. Clarke needs to add more weight so he doesn't get thrown around all the time and can hold his marks.

 

[Freo Dr]

Agreed and being at the game I kept seeing moments where Clarke needed to clunk marks on leads (had front position and height) but couldn't. Kep would have taken a few of those at least but probably fared much worse when in the ruck.

Sandi was tired, should have spent time forward but didn't.

I guess the remaining question is why not play Griffen - good in ruck and better contested mark at this stage than Clarke. Maybe not the desired structure going forward but could have worked that game.

 

[Quay Club]

I guess the remaining question is why not play Griffen - good in ruck and better contested mark at this stage than Clarke. Maybe not the desired structure going forward but could have worked that game.

Unfortunately Griffen had a hamstring strain which is why he didn't play for the Sharks today.
I think Kep was a bit sore as well so it may have been a forced change, hopefully Zac will take something out of it and improve over the pre season and bulk up a bit more.

 

[Seppo]

Agreed and being at the game I kept seeing moments where Clarke needed to clunk marks on leads (had front position and height) but couldn't. Kep would have taken a few of those at least but probably fared much worse when in the ruck.

Sandi was tired, should have spent time forward but didn't.

I guess the remaining question is why not play Griffen - good in ruck and better contested mark at this stage than Clarke. Maybe not the desired structure going forward but could have worked that game.

Griffin has an injury and didnt even play WAFL so it was up to Clarke or Kepler. If i was on the selection committee pre-game, i would have chosen Clarke over Kepler for the better support in the ruck.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Or Kep wasn't fully fit.
Playing Kep would have meant we went into the game with four injured players.
Pav, Hill, Ballantyne and Kepler.