Preview Round 18 Freo vs Hawks, 8.10 P.M (AEST), Saturday 12th July, Optus Stadium, Perth

[reubski23]

Win we basically cement ourselves in finals - lose we have to steal a game again Pies, Crows or Lions.

Huge game - no resting no-one literally had a bye a couple of weeks ago and then played North.

In Deer

Out Ramsdan (very unlucky)

Significant improvement needed from our mid-field not named Newcombe

 

[TylerDurden]

Dear/ Lewis and Scrim in.

It's sheep stations.

 

[Yardie]

Lewis for Ramsden. Butler (if fit) for Frenchie (or Seamus).

 

[unitedhawk2]

Do we really want to change a winning team?

 

[Argy]

Do we really want to change a winning team?

Yes!

 

[unitedhawk2]

Yes!

Sounds as reasonable to me as it did last week, when a few of us suggested bringing Dear in for (a very unlucky) Ramsden.

 

[Changa10]

Win we basically cement ourselves in finals - lose we have to steal a game again Pies, Cats or Lions.

Huge game - no resting no-one literally had a bye a couple of weeks ago and then played North.

In Deer

Out Ramsdan (very unlucky)

Significant improvement needed from our mid-field not named Newcombe

We don't play Cats.

Freo - Away
Port - Launceston
Carlton - Away but at the G
Adelaide - Away
Pies - Home
Dees - Home
Lions - Away

Assume you meant Crows?

This is a massive game for both teams. Serong can't handle a tag, so Worpel or Nash have to put time into him. I wonder whether Ramma was subbed early in part to be fresher for a bigger role v Darcy/Jackson combo?

Would love to see Lewis and/or Calsher back, but maybe one more week at home in Vic for them and then back for Port in Tassie?

 

[reubski23]

We don't play Cats.

Freo - Away
Port - Launceston
Carlton - Away but at the G
Adelaide - Away
Pies - Home
Dees - Home
Lions - Away

Assume you meant Crows?

This is a massive game for both teams. Serong can't handle a tag, so Worpel or Nash have to put time into him. I wonder whether Ramma was subbed early in part to be fresher for a bigger role v Darcy/Jackson combo?

Would love to see Lewis and/or Calsher back, but maybe one more week at home in Vic for them and then back for Port in Tassie?

Yes crows!

Will fix good pick up

 

[hr_23]

In: Dear, Scrimshaw
out: Ramsden, Mitchell

CJ sub
Ramma very stiff to miss he would be good to keep against Darcy & Jackson but Dear's form is too irresistable atm,
I would love to see Nash just pummel (legally) Serong at every opportunity he turns to custard when he has the pressure put on him,
Hawks by 4 goals

 

[scrim reaper]

Gunna stick my neck out with a bold prediction (bold because it's brought up every single week and never happens) but if there is ever a week to tag, surely you'd think off the back of:

• Our midfield being poor
• Serong being taken to the cleaners by Jordon
• Finn great game at BH

It would be at least considered.

Dear for Ramsden, Finn for Mackenzie.

 

[Sturty]

Dear, Scrimma & Lewis in
Please & thank you

 

[I got the outside word]

I think we ease the tall forwards in, it seems a bad idea to bring Dear and Lewis in at the same time but we have a chance to bring a player back each week.

Dear has a bigger block of games behind him so I think he comes in for Gunston (managed) then replace Ramsden the following week (who will be unlucky to lose his spot). This makes the decision on who to replace with Lewis quite difficult as Jack will come back in with him vs Port.

Scrimshaw I think is in an unfortunate position with the balance of the backline probably not requiring another tall.

Wiz - Dear - Chol
Ginni - Ramsden - Moore
Mass - Worpel - Morrison
Amon - Battle - Sicily
Hardwick - Barrass - Impey
Meek - Newcombe - Nash

McDonald - McKenzie - Jiath - Ward

Sub: Mitchell

The following week
in: Lewis, Gunston
Out: Ramsden, Mitchell with Mackenzie or Jiath to sub maybe?

I don’t even know anymore, the balance is making selection tough as there are players in the two’s that should be playing.

 

[ahhhhhh]

We have to bring Calsher in.

 

[TazHawk15]

Dear, Scrimma & Lewis in
Please & thank you

That’s the easy part, who comes out of the forward line for Dear and Lewis?

 

[cryptor]

I expect there will be plenty of upsets to top 9 sides in the run home that may make a win here less critical in retrospect, but as it stands this is just about must win.

Of our remaining games against top 9 sides - Freo (A), Crows (A), Pies (H), Lions (A) - this feels the most winnable. Though I do think we’ll have answers for the Pies next time.

There’s paths to top 8 and top 4 that don’t involve winning this game, but I think if we’re a genuine premiership threat this year we need to prove we can beat a contender on the road.

 

[unitedhawk2]

Gunna stick my neck out with a bold prediction (bold because it's brought up every single week and never happens) but if there is ever a week to tag, surely you'd think off the back of:

• Our midfield being poor
• Serong being taken to the cleaners by Jordon
• Finn great game at BH

It would be at least considered.

Dear for Ramsden, Finn for Mackenzie.

Should - but almost certainly won't - happen.

I'll argue the case for effective taggers till the cows come home but it doesn't seem like Sam's on board with using Finn in that role anymore.

I wonder how NWM would've gone with Finn tagging him.

 

[bigmaxi]

Meek will face dual rucks, do we keep Ramsden in and brings Dear for McDonald? Our forward talls are not plodding monsters, Dear and Chol are quick and defensively mobil. Lewis will need another week and the flight to Perth he doesn’t need. The rest I wouldn’t change, they can and will lift. It is Freos grand final and a game we must win.

 

[parsons nose]

Win we basically cement ourselves in finals - lose we have to steal a game again Pies, Crows or Lions.

Huge game - no resting no-one literally had a bye a couple of weeks ago and then played North.

In Deer

Out Ramsdan (very unlucky)

Significant improvement needed from our mid-field not named Newcombe

Who is this Deer, of whom you speak?

 

[ahhhhhh]

Out: Mackenzie, Ramsden (unlucky, but he's not Dear or Lewis).
In: Dear, Lewis

I know it seems odd structurally, but just do it.

Edit: I previously had Mitchell out, but forgot about Ramsden.

 

[SJT76]

I’d keep Ramsden to help with the ruck work.

Any changes more likely to be in the midfield, since our forwards put a score on the board with only a few chances

 

[GinniAndTonic]

I think we ease the tall forwards in, it seems a bad idea to bring Dear and Lewis in at the same time but we have a chance to bring a player back each week.

Dear has a bigger block of games behind him so I think he comes in for Gunston (managed) then replace Ramsden the following week (who will be unlucky to lose his spot). This makes the decision on who to replace with Lewis quite difficult as Jack will come back in with him vs Port.

Scrimshaw I think is in an unfortunate position with the balance of the backline probably not requiring another tall.

Wiz - Dear - Chol
Ginni - Ramsden - Moore
Mass - Worpel - Morrison
Amon - Battle - Sicily
Hardwick - Barrass - Impey
Meek - Newcombe - Nash

McDonald - McKenzie - Jiath - Ward

Sub: Mitchell

The following week
in: Lewis, Gunston
Out: Ramsden, Mitchell with Mackenzie or Jiath to sub maybe?

I don’t even know anymore, the balance is making selection tough as there are players in the two’s that should be playing.

No chance we manage gunners in a must win game! I have no clue why people keep suggesting it! He had a rest 3 weeks ago!

 

[madhawksfan]

As a poster above said, doubt we’ll bring in both Lewis and Dear this week. Ramsden would be very unlucky to be dropped/managed but we need Gunston this week to keep either Pearce or Ryan occupied.

Other than injuries/niggles the rest of the team should remain. Scrimma would be handy but unless he replaces CJ or Sicily then it throws out the balance.

Seamus back into the 22 and Frenchie to sub. This gives us another zippy player to help counter attack on a quick deck and help with covering their small and medium forwards. With Barrass and Battle we match up nicely with their talls.

Nash and Chol can share second ruck duties. Nash and Worpel to tag team Serong and give Ward more time on the ball this week as well as Moore and Watson.

Dimma TB Impey
Sicily JB Amon
Morrison Newk Mass
Moore Gunston Ginni
Watson Chol Dear
Meek Nash Ward
CMac Worpel CJ Seamus
Frenchie

 

[parsons nose]

I wouldn’t consider any of Lewis, Dear or Scrimshaw for such an important game. Worpel and Sicily will be better for the run against St.kilda, but serve to highlight the difficulties in coming in off an extended layoff. A situation exacerbated by having to jump on plane. Gunston plays. If we learnt anything from the loss to Gold Coast earlier in the season it was to bring your strongest team.

If Gunston needs a rest he can have one the following week against a lesser opponent at our fortress. Ramma has the attributes to go with the dangerous Jackson around the ground, he stays. Ward and Mackenzie will need to lift, but are still above HH and Butler in the pecking order.

 

[SSSSSS]

Out: Mackenzie, Mitchell
In: Dear, Lewis

I know it seems odd structurally, but just do it.

I think Lewis gets another week at BHH and no return trip to WA.

In: Dear
Out: Ramsden

 

[CD Xbow]

I wouldn’t consider any of Lewis, Dear or Scrimshaw for such an important game. Worpel and Sicily will be better for the run against St.kilda, but serve to highlight the difficulties in coming in off an extended layoff. A situation exacerbated by having to jump on plane. Gunston plays. If we learnt anything from the loss to Gold Coast earlier in the season it was to bring your strongest team.

Funny, the reason you state why they shouldn't play, is the reasons why I would bring them in. You want your best team. Both Lewis and Dear looked right to go. I'm not privy to how they are being managed in terms of game time, and the goals they need to meet but if they have met their physical goals then they should play. I can understand if Lewis is behind Dear a bit because of his long lay off.

Also it's not just about this game, it's about getting the forward line working properly for the finals. It's going to ne a real cracker when it starts to fire. Even better, the other teams won't have had a good look at it.