Preview How will we line up in R1 v Brisbane Lions?

[Chris_6678]

We still have our full strength midfield & backline.... Just get the supply in there all will be sweet.

This new 6-6-6 will allow our young forwards to not get manhandled and also allow Darling to have a big game.

 

[Asapartyhat]

Rioli missed the first game last year.And Kennedy missed the first game last year farrrrrrrrk

 

[Forward Press]

Love this team selection, never play underdone players especially in Round 1. I'd rather we manage Rioli, Kennedy and Cripps and take our time bringing them in, as last year proved we should back our depth players to do their bit when an injury crisis hits.

Win, lose or draw, looking forward to what Oscar, Brander, Petch and Hickey do.

 

[squashface]

Wonder if Brander will be given the 2018 Venables treatment.

Arguably not as well performed as the other youngsters but the club sees his talent and want to pump games into him.

 

[its_dave]

Great opportunity for some future superstars. Great when we play some youngsters. It’s games played that turns them into high performing regulars

 

[ioppolo]

I'm excited for the youngsters. However last time our forward resembled something like this, it was against Essendon last year.

Our changes from the grand final side

Petrucelle - Lecca
O. Allen - Kennedy
Hickey - Lycett
Sheppard - Schofield
Brander - Cripps
Waterman - Rioli

That's a lot of experience lost.

 

[Onefortheages]

Wonder if Brander will be given the 2018 Venables treatment.

Arguably not as well performed as the other youngsters but the club sees his talent and want to pump games into him.

Kind of agree with you but also disagree. Thought Brander looked great playing a bit of a third tall role done back last game covering Sheppard when he went down. Got the agility and hands to play small but the size and marking to play tall.

 

[avishka5]

At first i thought we are going too tall and one of Brander/Waterman is excess but both blokes have great tanks and move well for their height.

 

[Godfather32]

Good lord we are doomed. Only proven goal kicker bar darling is Ryan but he’s still learning to be accurate.

Wce by less then 6 points going to be a real scrapper this.

I think wce have a younger less expirence fwd line than Brisbane...

Don't stress, Oscar will kick a bag of 7 or so and we'll win by 35, all good.

 

[TY24]

Well no, we don't actually play games in the off-season.

We do however train during the pre-season, sometimes at Optus, like this past Sunday.

........

We've only trained twice at Optus since the new year from memory.

There's every chance the Lathlain grounds are just as hard being new ovals.

 

[Patron]

So we are missing our best ruckman, best two small forwards, and best KPF. Should be a walk in the park...

rioli really hurts.

Midfield and defence will have to win it for us. Silver lining is we get some games into the kids and if we do pull off the win it's a brilliant outcome.

 

[WCErevival]

So we are missing our best ruckman, best two small forwards, and best KPF. Should be a walk in the park...

rioli really hurts.

Midfield and defence will have to win it for us. Silver lining is we get some games into the kids and if we do pull off the win it's a brilliant outcome.

Dont forget Gaff.

 

[Chris_6678]

I'm excited for the youngsters. However last time our forward resembled something like this, it was against Essendon last year.

Our changes from the grand final side

Petrucelle - Lecca
O. Allen - Kennedy
Hickey - Lycett
Sheppard - Schofield
Brander - Cripps
Waterman - Rioli

That's a lot of experience lost.

This is true but last year playing youth early got the team up and about and this will help us achieve back to back.

Petrucelle - Lecca - Lecca was pretty cactus last year but his leadership in the forward line will be lost.

O. Allen - Kennedy - Big loss but i really think Allen can do a Darling of 2011 and come out and look like he belongs.

Hickey - Lycett - Like for Like for me.

Sheppard - Schofield - Shep the better player

Brander - Cripps - Cripps also a big loss but also exciting to see what Brander can do.

Waterman - Rioli - Similar games played but massive loss of Class.

 

[Luuuc]

Hickey - Lycett - Like for Like for me.

Remains to be seen for me. Lycett's contribution was very important and underrated last season IMO.

 

[Biggie]

Differently

We will line up differently.

 

[Luuuc]

Differently is ok, just as long as we still line up arrogantly

 

[Chris_6678]

Remains to be seen for me. Lycett's contribution was very important and underrated last season IMO.

His aggression was top notch but his ruck work was so/so.

Hickey is a decent tap ruckman.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

I am really hoping that OAllen can play as he did in JLT. WIll definitely be good to see Petch using his pace.

 

[ioppolo]

This is true but last year playing youth early got the team up and about and this will help us achieve back to back.

Petrucelle - Lecca - Lecca was pretty cactus last year but his leadership in the forward line will be lost.

O. Allen - Kennedy - Big loss but i really think Allen can do a Darling of 2011 and come out and look like he belongs.

Hickey - Lycett - Like for Like for me.

Sheppard - Schofield - Shep the better player

Brander - Cripps - Cripps also a big loss but also exciting to see what Brander can do.

Waterman - Rioli - Similar games played but massive loss of Class.

Hickey I don't rate tbh. I think he's pus and his one redeeming quality is his isolated tap ability. Prove me wrong big fella

 

[MrWoollie]

Are you saying you dont think Petro will be picked for this game? Interested to know why, I think he is almost a given.

On the Masto debate, I couldn't find my Penthouse last night so grabbed the next best thing- the 2018 GF Footy Record for some 'relaxation'. Anyway, going through the season summaries for each team, I was interested to see that Masto was number 4 for marks behind Hurn, Gov and Darling. Highlights his important role as a release player.

It was just an opinion based on Kennedy, Rioli, Ryan, Vardy, Darling, Venables etc. all being available. With Rioli out, he gets a game. I love his pace and he also looks pretty skilled. An absolute bargain at the selection he was in the draft and another tick for the GC pick swap we did in 2017.
I think a side with Rioli, Ryan, Cripps and Petrucelle available has someone very unlucky. Hopefully Rioli is not long term and if we play him and Petrucelle in the middle a bit, then maybe there is a way.

 

[Doashuey]

Even with the 6 you named they take another forward as Vardy is part of the mids. Id say those 5 plus petro plus cripps are likely this year if he shows enough. With all forward available it is petro allen and waterman fighting for the last position unless Venners does nothing.

 

[wce4premiership]

Would have

This is true but last year playing youth early got the team up and about and this will help us achieve back to back.

Petrucelle - Lecca - Lecca was pretty cactus last year but his leadership in the forward line will be lost.

On averages he was top 10 for:

Inside 50s (9th)
Tackles (9th)
Goals (5th)
Goal Assists (6th)
Marks i50 (4th)
Clearances (9th)
Score involvements (7th)
Tackles i50 (5th)
&
Metres Gained (11th)

Now I'm not saying he was a superstar, but at the start of the season when Ryan was injured and Kennedy was out he played his best football for the year. He kicked some massive pressure set shots for us consistently when teams were coming for us.

He was basically a role player once JK, Darling, Ryan and Rioli were up and running, don't forget how good a year Cripps had as well! He wasn't a focal point, just a Mr. Fix it, plugging holes and creating space for others.

As you mentioned his leadership, good to note that at quarter time in the grand final he's seen approaching Lycett and coaching him, then moving on to another player off screen with coaching advice whilst others stood around shell shocked. He'll be missed around the club. Freo would kill for Ballantyne to have a season like that at their age.