Key Matchups

[keepzitreal]

Hey, I know, its Xmas eve, but Im at work doin an 8hr shift and its going slow as. So I started thinking about next season. Im excited!!


Here is a list of key matchups against all the teams, there are some ive missed, there are some which many will disagree with, but I look forward to your thoughts


ADELAIDE


Ricciuto – J Johnson

- Roo can hardly be stopped but it wont be so easy for him to push JJ off the ball.

McLeod – NLM

- Both very athletic, NLM a similar body type, good skills, pace and leap, should force McLeod to be accountable across half back rather than play loose.

Goodwinn – Stanton

Must have someone with a good Engine to run with Goodwinn. Stanton, whilst not accountable, will win a lot of his own, so if he can break even or even kick a couple, I think it could work in our favor

Edwards – Winderlich

- Winders could go with him and also get free a lot. Once again, a break even is a good result.

Burton – McPhee

- McPhee could go with him in the air and pace. Dunno if he has the tank, definitely think he could hold is own

I didn’t include Hentschel because his out for the year, couldn’t think of anyone else



BRISBANE


Black – Stanton

- Basically need someone with an engine to go with Black. Good learning experience for Stants, and his engine means he can hold his own with anyone.

Power – Monfries – Monfries will put pressure on him if his down back, mean he hopefully wont get so much of the ball with space

Lappin – Slattery

- Lappin has a more mature body and is an awesome player, think he definitely needs to be tagged, good opportunity for Slatts, he hopefully has an engine to run with him

Charman – Hille

- Typical big man battle. Charman hopefully takes it easy on him after his gesture last season

Bradshaw – Michael

- Dunno if Bradshaw will play close to goal, but if he does, Michael is the obvious choice. He wont be able to outpower his ex teammate but could probably find space. May need help from the likes of McPhee, Bradley and NLM cutting across.

Brennan – McPhee

- McPhee can match him athletically in the air which is where he could most hurt us. McPhee could probably play off him.

Hooper – Slattery

I rate this guy. His killed us previously and could do it again. Slatts could go with him

Brown – Fletch

If Browny is on his day, his gonna kill whoever. Fletch is the likely match up, wont make it easy for him in the air. Bradley is another option, but his got a lot to prove to me as a key defender.



CAR:LTON


Fevola – Michael

- He wont outbody Mal. Mal will have help

Strevens - Stanton

Betts - Slattery

Whitnall – Lucas

- Gotta make Lance accountable. If his at half back, Lucas will present wide, dragging him away from the corridor. Lance probably cant afford to play loose, but if he leaves, there is a big hole for Lloyd, Johns, Laycock etc

Simpson – McPhee

- I rate Simpson. McPhee can go with his mobility and athleticism

Waite – NLM

- Waite has a bit more size on him, but I think NLM is a smarter player. I think he can create a decent contest against him.

Murphy – JJ

- Crunch the little f*cker

Gibbs – Watson

- Leave the ball magnets against eachother and see who wins


COLLINGWOOD


Didak – McVeigh

- Dunno if Didak will be playin but McVeigh usually goes alright against him

Clement - NLM

- Clement is a gun and always kills us. Need someone with good pace and athleticism to keep him honest. NLM is my choice. Make Clement chase him but there are other options

Buckley - McPhee

- If Bucks is up forward, If McPhee plays tight he can beat him I reckon

Rocca – Fletch

- Dunno if Rocca will play closer to goal, if so then Mal goes to him, but Im confident Fletch can beat him with help from Bradley



FREMANTLE

Pavlich – McPhee

- McPhee can create the contest in the air and also go with him. If he plays tight and keeps him to a couple of goals it will be a win for us

McPharlin – Lucas

– Im guessin McPharlin will play CHB. Lucas just needs to drag him away from the forward line by presenting to the half back rebound

Black – Stanton

- Once again, the engine factor, must hurt them as much as they hurt us

Tarrant - NLM

- At Freo Tarrant will be more a lead up player. NLM has the pace to provide a contest when he does and hurt him on the rebound

Longmuir – Michael/Bradley

- If he plays close to goal, then one of these two. Mal will do good body to body, Keps has the mobility.


GEELONG

Moonee – Fletch

G Ablett – MJ

- Make the little f*cker hurt

- Don’t rate anyone else, but I hate Geelong, let them matchup on us


HAWTHORN


Mitchell – Hislop

- Need someone who can run with him and not get pushed off the ball. Would Hislop be up for this?

Hodge

– Dunno where Hodge will play. If his a defender, someone that will make him accountable, possibly Hird

Bateman – Dempsey

- Bateman aint huge and Dempsey could match him for speed and athleticism. I rate Bateman, his one we will need to clamp down on

Roughead – Michael

- If Roughy plays forward like last year, Mal should do a decent job

Franklin – Bradley

- Bradley has the athleticism and don’t think mobility will be an issue



MELBOURNE

Neitz – Michael

- Body to body, Mal will be alright

Bruce- McVeigh

- Bruce is deadly. Must have someone with good pace and and a mature body. McVeigh will keep him honest

Robertson – McPhee

- Athleticism factor

White – Hille


KANGAROOS

Harvey – Stanton

- Engine factor

Thompson –Michael

- Size factor

Wells – Dempsey

- The experience Dempsey will gain and something to strive towards


RICHMOND

Richardson – Fletch

- Fletch wont have to worry

Kingsley – Michael

- If his close to goal, body to body factor, Kent wont out-muscle Mal

Brown – MJ

- MJ will give him a good contest and should be able to push him off the ball too, after all his Mr Sunbury

Deledio – Stanton

- Engine factor

Pettifer – McPhee

- Pettifer is dangerous, Smokey will keep him honest


ST KILDA

Riewoldt – McPhee

- McPhee does alright against him. Will be able to play tighter with more support

Gherig – Michael

- Size Factor

DalSanto – Stanton

- Engine Factor

Hayes – Watson

- Ball magnet factor


SYDNEY

Hall – Michael

- Bradley gets him if he plays up the ground. Mal takes him inside 50. Lookin forward to his next confrontation with NLM. Its like a 4 game streak they have got into eachother

Goodes - NLM

- NLM did alright in RD1. Needs to play tighter but can go with him.

Kirk – Watson

- Kirk will no doubt try to neutralise our in and under player, but Watson should go alright

O’Loughlin – Fletch

- Fletch is one of the better matchups for Micky in the league

O’Keefe - McPhee

- athletiicism factor



WEST COAST


Judd - NLM

- Athleticism and pace factor. Let’s see what NLM can do against the best.

Kerr – Slattery

- Tag the crap out of this guy. He feeds their runners.

Cousins - McVeigh

- Tackle him hard every time he gets it. Need to stop him from running.

Lynch – Michael

- Size Factor

Hansen – Bradley

- Athleticism, mobility factor. Geez I hope Keps has improved

BULLDOGS

Coonee – Stanton

- Engine Factor

Gilbee - Lovett

- Make Gilbee accountable

Griffen – Monfries

- Make Griff accountable

Darcy – Michael

- I’m guessin Darcy will play deep, need a big body on him

Aker – McVeigh

– McVeigh needs to beat him. Hurt the little b*stard

Johnson – MJ

- MJ is an ideal matchup

Grant - Lucas

- If Grant plays CHB, just drag him away from the corridor



PORT


C Cornes – Lucas

- Once again, drag him away, make him accountable

K Cornes – Watson

- Let em go

Tredrea - Fletch

- Fletch will have so much more freedom with Mal around

S Burgoyne – Dempsey

- Let Dempsey see what he must aspire to

Pearce – Lovett

- Pace factor

Lade – Hille

 

[bomber_girl]

I'd play Bolton on Goodes

 

[Slattery_20]

If Fletch ends up playing on Richo, then why did we bother picking up Big Mal?
Mal -> Richo
McPhee -> Kingsley
Fletch - loose man

 

[Don77]

Interesting post keepzitreal- but I tend to think that good sides don't worry about matchups so much. We need to get back to the point that sides are more worried about matching us up rather than the other way round. Attack is the best form of defence as they say. For example which backlines in the league have the capacity to match up on a fit and firing Lloyd, Lucas and Johns forward combination with cameos from players like Gumbleton, Laycock and Ryder??

 

[keepzitreal]

I'd play Bolton on Goodes

Whilst Bolton has done a decent job on him in the past and on similar types such as Kouta, I just can't justify Bolton being a definite selection unless we have injuries or he has outstanding form at Bendigo. He just has the tendency to f*ck up too often and doesn't hurt the opposition enough. NLM did a decent job in Round 1 and he has only got better since then.

 

[keepzitreal]

If Fletch ends up playing on Richo, then why did we bother picking up Big Mal?
Mal -> Richo
McPhee -> Kingsley
Fletch - loose man

I know what your saying, but Wallace has that rotating forward line and we don't wanna move Mal out the last line. Now that they have Kingsley and Schulz is coming on I see Richo playing more of a CHF role, which is why I would think Fletch, playing at CHB, would more likely pick him up. If he pushes deep then Mal picks him up for sure

 

[keepzitreal]

Interesting post keepzitreal- but I tend to think that good sides don't worry about matchups so much. We need to get back to the point that sides are more worried about matching us up rather than the other way round. Attack is the best form of defence as they say. For example which backlines in the league have the capacity to match up on a fit and firing Lloyd, Lucas and Johns forward combination with cameos from players like Gumbleton, Laycock and Ryder??

Agree completely, but even the best teams must attempt to neutralise the oppositions key weapons. If we are playing attacking footy, confidence will be up and it will be a non issue, but we must accept the fact that there are fantastic players out there and we must use those who are best equipped against them

 

[Longy413]

Agree completely, but even the best teams must attempt to neutralise the oppositions key weapons. If we are playing attacking footy, confidence will be up and it will be a non issue, but we must accept the fact that there are fantastic players out there and we must use those who are best equipped against them

The best teams over the last 15 or so years also had the best backlines.

West Coast in the early 90's, Essendon in 2000, Brisbane and the like all had supreme backlines.

 

[Crave]

The best teams over the last 15 or so years also had the best backlines.

West Coast in the early 90's, Essendon in 2000, Brisbane and the like all had supreme backlines.

Bit of a line call though, as Brisbane had a devastating midfield unit also, as did West Coast. Although, if we werent carrying so many injuries into the 01 GF, Im convinced it wouldve gone down to the wire.

 

[Longy413]

Yeah, you're right.

Great teams are so good because they are very even. Perhaps the point should have been that having a solid defense is just as important as having a good midfield and forward line.

 

[Crave]

Yeah, you're right.

Great teams are so good because they are very even. Perhaps the point should have been that having a solid defense is just as important as having a good midfield and forward line.

Its ironic actually that the forward line hasnt needed to have an outstanding performance for that respective team to win the flag. If you go back as far as 2000, we had Lloyd and Barney kicking 4, then you look at the standout performances of other premiers, they have come from Wanganeen, Akermanis, I think Ellen and Jarman kicked bags for Adelaide's back to back GFs.

 

[Longy413]

Yep, you're right.

Some of the biggest bags in GF's have come from players on losing sides. Brereton, Kernahan, Ablett.

Although over the course of a season, a great forward line is worth its weight in gold.

 

[DaSawx]

It does pay to be even, WCE, Adelaide and Sydney have very good players all over the park.

If you draft well, fill all the holes and have a lot of very good players 26+ then you should be a very competitive team.

 

[Crave]

It does pay to be even, WCE, Adelaide and Sydney have very good players all over the park.

If you draft well, fill all the holes and have a lot of very good players 26+ then you should be a very competitive team.

I actually think WCE and Adelaide are pretty ordinary up front. They've had to rely on pinch hitters like Lynch/Hunter and Ricciuto/Hentschel to provide a focal point up forward.

 

[DaSawx]

I actually think WCE and Adelaide are pretty ordinary up front. They've had to rely on pinch hitters like Lynch/Hunter and Ricciuto/Hentschel to provide a focal point up forward.

Lynch and Hunter are very good footballers, Adelaide need to rely a little more, which could very well have been their downfall lately

 

[Crave]

Lynch and Hunter are very good footballers, Adelaide need to rely a little more, which could very well have been their downfall lately

If you're speaking about them individually, but compare our forward lines and we have them beat for firepower and talent.

 

[DaSawx]

If you're speaking about them individually, but compare our forward lines and we have them beat for firepower and talent.

We do have them covered, but they are handy players and is hardly the worst forward line, i'm backing up the point it pays to be covered well all over the ground.

We had the best forward line last year outside the 8 and scored the most points of any team outside the 8 yet still only won 3 games, that will change next year because our midfield will be wiser and our backline will straighten up unless Fletcher gets even more niggling injuries, even if it did occur we'd be better eqqiped