Preview Hawks vs Dockers - Changes and Discussion

[Hawkforce]

It just wouldn't be a selection thread without someone calling for Murph's head.

Automatic Red card. Yet again calling for Murphy to be dropped when he's been one of our best players.

 

[Lord_Espos]

Agree with this.

This!

 

[Lord_Espos]

LOL at those advocating the dropping of Hooper. That is why you don't make the decisions

You got your Taylor in and we all know how that turned out.

Even better! This....!

 

[Lord_Espos]

You spin Murphy's stats however you want and then we can have an argument. Till then you opinion is completely worthless and you can crawl back to where you came from.

You are a peanut....

 

[Dewnior]

Word has it that Pavlich and Hill maybe rested but that is hearsay only - I think if there supporters had there way they would be sending a B team only, especially if it's going to be raining

Last time an opponent sent their B team to tassie we got towelled

 

[Alfonz]

I'm surprised at the suggestion Freo will rest a few players this weekend to make sure they are fully manned for the Carlton game the following week. They will then be putting all their eggs in one basket against Carlton to ensure a home final. It would be a poor strategy in my opinion.

There are different opinions amongst Freo fans, but I personally think we should just put out a B-side this week. Hawthorn are going to be too good no matter who we can put on the park. It might seem a poor strategy to put all our eggs in the Carlton basket, but I think its the only option. If we can't beat Carlton at home, we might as well not even bother with the finals.

I fear if we really try to take on the Hawks, we will lose anyway, and then we won't have achieved anything and will be at more risk of losing the next week. Some of our key players are in dire need of a break (Pavlich and Hill in particular), and the long trip to Tassie will do them no favours.

I'd expect the club will only make a few forced changes though.

 

[Dewnior]

I would bring in Rioli for Whitecross. Then drop Bateman for Young.

Bateman to Boxhill to regain form. Has been one of our most disapointing players this year Hopfully it would be the kick up the backside that he needs and he will explode in the finals.

hey Alex,

thought Bateman actually played okay on the weekend...starting to show some run, I'd be leaving him in.

Bateman's being playing a defensive 'run with' role this year which explains why he goes unnoticed. He was more noticeable against Melbourne after his opponent Davey went off injured in the 2nd quarter which meant he was freed up to play a different role.

 

[Glebehawk]

agreed Joonya...question is would we rather him be playing that defensive role or providing the run.

Let him loose I say.

 

[Neville Bartos]

Bateman is really important to the team in that he's the only guy that can run with most of the AFL's elite outside players. As we saw on Sunday, when he's actually allowed to play his game, his run and pace are so important. St Kilda would kill for him in their side for example.

 

[WWSD]

INS C.Rioli
OUTS B.Whitecross

C.Young misses out, cant drop peterson he was good!

EMG C.Young L.Shiels R.Ladson

 

[georgetown2]

Young is a must this week..we need a penetrating kick that can kick goals out from 50...last week it didn't matter due to the weather. I think the second out (whitecross will be one) will be based on match ups and might surprise us!!

 

[Hawk-in-syd]

Ins: Rioli, Young
Out WhiteX, Peterson

I love Peterson with his leap, defensive presure and X factor but he shirked a few contests and didn't put his head over the ball also not a great tank. Back to the twos and put ya head over it. I think he gets exposed a bit trying to protect himself because of his light frame. A preseason should help.

 

[Ram-Man]

IN: Rioli
OUT: Whitecross

Give Young another week off and bring him in for Collingwood. Brown to play back this week and hopefully stay there.

 

[hawkheart]

As most judges will agree, obvious change is

In: Junior
Out: Whitecross

I think no other changes based on form; any further changes will be a 'soreness' (rested) change. Either give Youngy another week out to be fresh for Collingwood (no further changes) or bring Youngy in and rest up Ossie. Ossie back in for the Pies based on injury / suspension / form.

 

[Changa10]

Birchall to a wing if Young is still out, or mid rotation from the bench if Youngy is back.

FF: Rioli - Roughead - Lewis
HF: Osborne - Franko - Burgoyne
C: Changa - Mitchell - Young
HB: Murphy - Gibson - Brown
FB: Guerra - Gilham - Stratton

R: Renouf - Hodge - Sewell

Bench: Birchall - Ellis - Skipper - Hooper

Lewis and Burgoyne play high forward/mid roles, and leave the other 4 in our forward line.
Outs - Petersen/Whitecross
Ins - Rioli/Young

I'm with Hawk-in-syd. Thought there were 3-4 occassions where I felt Carl didn't quite go as hard as he could have. Coming into finals footy we need players committed to the contest. Yes, he has had a great first year at the Hawks, and he's developed into one of my favorite players, but I really like the look of this above team.

Peto, go back to Box Hill, put your head over the footy, because you are part of the plan. Some tough calls as we are pretty well full strength, so there are always going to be some unlucky players who have to miss out.

 

[TIME IS NOW]

Does anyone know what Freo are doing this week? I don't think Sandilands is ready which is good and there is a handful of quality players that Freo are calling for a rest, such as Pavlich, Hill and Morabito.

Also will there other ruckman come under fire for breaking McGlynn's cheekbone?

6 weeks ago or had we beaten the Swans this would definately have been the game to rest many players. Fact is like you guys we are fighting for a home final.

No way Harvey will rest players now with the risk of coming 7th or 8th.

The media would call for his head if we rested players got rolled by Carlton and lost first final away from home.

I dont give us much chance against your mob. However i rate both teams faily similarly... now dont get all huffy puffy and say have we won a premiership blah blah blah, not an insult. Rather both teams i can say with confidence rely on a core 5-6 players to be firstly playing and then up and about.

Our core is completely abolished Barlow, Tarrant, Sandilands, Ballantyne and a struggling Pav.

Both teams with missing players are as they play without those players a borderline 8 side, for us probably slightly worse.

However with a fit 22 and best side out on the park i think both sides can and have proven to be able to mix it with the best sides and id consider top 4 sides.

I do hope they rest Pav, Sandilands again, Haselby and maybe one of the young guys. I just dont see that happening and regardless i dont see us winning.

What i do hope is we smash Carlton and smash them again in first week of finals, then just pray!

 

[cantos_tevez]

Like others have mentioned I think we should give Youngy one more week.

In: Cyril, Out: Whitecross

FWIW I think we'll beat whatever Fremantle team that comes to play. We have never lost to them in Tassie, including the time we played them in 2004. FFS how could any team have lost to us in 2004??

 

[Bear Goals]

I am prepared to cop criticism for this, but i think Peterson is a player which is all Icing and No Cake, he has all the skill and the X- factor, but seems to not be hard enough at the ball or contest, i think he could go missing in a final very easy, but in saying that he could also take 4 screamers and kick 4.

 

[killerspud]

I don't think Hooper, Peterson and Rioli can all play in the same side this year. All of them have a poor fitness base and can go missing from time to time. I'm sure in time they can all be elite outside mids/small forwards but we cannot carry all three this year.

For this reason either Hooper or Peterson must go out for Rioli.

Sorry Hawkinspired but I think this is crap - When Carlton have Garlett, Betts and Yarran going at the same time their forward line is lethal even without a Key Forward.

With Rioli spending more time in the midfield it means we lack pace, flair and inspiration in the forward 50 (on the odd occasion when one of our players actually goes in there). Playing All three of Rioli Peterson and Hooper makes it very difficult for teams to match up. It also means there is an awesome amount of forward pressure and a better chance of scoring as they are all reasonable shots for goal.

 

[Hawthorn4ever]

Bateman is really important to the team in that he's the only guy that can run with most of the AFL's elite outside players. As we saw on Sunday, when he's actually allowed to play his game, his run and pace are so important. St Kilda would kill for him in their side for example.

Agreed 100%, why the urge to minimise Batemans strenght is ridiculous.. get someone else to do the job...

We need Bateman and Young on the wings with their gut running and ricks into F50.

 

[Brant]

Agreed 100%, why the urge to minimise Batemans strenght is ridiculous.. get someone else to do the job...

We need Bateman and Young on the wings with their gut running and ricks into F50.

Why should Bateman be allowed to play to his strengths when nobody else is allowed to??

Seems it isn't just the Forwardline being screwed over by the game plan.

 

[killerspud]

I don't think Hooper, Peterson and Rioli can all play in the same side this year. All of them have a poor fitness base and can go missing from time to time. I'm sure in time they can all be elite outside mids/small forwards but we cannot carry all three this year.

For this reason either Hooper or Peterson must go out for Rioli.

Sorry Hawkinspired but I think this is crap - When Carlton have Garlett, Betts and Yarran going at the same time their forward line is lethal even without a Key Forward.

With Rioli spending more time in the midfield it means we lack pace, flair and inspiration in the forward 50 (on the odd occasion when one of our players actually goes in there). Playing All three of Rioli Peterson and Hooper makes it very difficult for teams to match up. It also means there is an awesome amount of forward pressure and a better chance of scoring as they are all reasonable shots for goal.

 

[Roby]

that's my point Roby, I'm not going to spin his stats - when you watch a game its hard not to notice some things he does poorly. Decision making with the ball, misreading the play, putting team mates under the pump.

His decision making has been excellent. Misreading the play, he still does occasionally but Gilham does it way more often now. Drop him. Putting team mates under the pump? Hardly does it, don't know what past histiory you're stuck in.

but I'll say it again, he has come a long long way and is improving. I'm not calling for him to be dropped, but to say he would make the B team of an all australian side is a bit far fetched mate...you're kind of exposing your lack of a clue here.

What do you grade defenders on? What do you grade a defence on, ultimately? Conceding goals? Murphy is in the top dozen. Better than Stratton. Do you know that? Who is lacking clues?

 

[Roby]

Who the hell are you to say anyone's opinion is worthless?? He has as much righ to express an opinion here as anyone else. Stats can be used to tell any story you wish. Murphy has improved immensely this year, but as Glebe rightfully said, he needed too. He still has moments you worry about, and to even suggest he'd be in an AA B team is ridiculous.

Murphy is in no danger of getting dropped, he is becoming a very handy player but still needs to improve some areas of his game.

Everyone has a right to express an opinion, whether they are worth consideration, well that is different matter. Anyway I said his opinion is worthless and this my opinion, doesn't my opinion count? Is it worthless?

He also just said that I am lacking clue, which is akin telling someone their opinion is worthless, didn't feel the need to call someone out on that?

 

[Roby]

You are a peanut....

... and you're a nut.