Our bottom 4-6

[TheMightyAchilles]

in the last few weeks it is the last 4-6 that are letting the team down. Tenace is not one of them, has been handy.

Hogan, Varcoe, Byrnes, Gillies did not impose an influence on the game
Stokes is below par

it is here that the team has dropped off

harley is def in his last year, Milburn will continue on

 

[catempire]

Problem is when you have 4-6 players out of your lineup, the next tier are really under the pump to perform because the quality around them isn't as high as it usually is.

Actually think Hogan has been pretty good. Quiet early last week but wet-sailed it. Did some nice things again today including setting up goals late.

Have been disappointed with Byrnes, Varcoe and Stokes lately. In particular I think their defensive efforts have been down and this is something that shouldn't suffer no matter the quality around you.

Byrnes didn't score again today and his purple patch of a month or so ago is a distant memory. Wouldn't be surprised to see him get a "freshening" in the VFL at some stage when we start to get players back.

 

[cats2rise]

1. the players you mentioned wouldnt all be in the bottom 4-6.
2. two of them have played a few games only.
3. they are called 'bottom 4-6' players because of that...
4. Who else would you have in? Please give me your ins and outs...

 

[The Riddler]

Hogan's been pretty good I thought. And wasn't that Gillies 2nd or 3rd game? He can be forgiven for getting lost in the pack.

If anything it's the poor disposals of the established players who have let us down in recent times. Nothing to get too concerned about just yet however, we've still got time to fine tune.

 

[bulletproof]

I rate Hogan. Think he'll make it, has done some nice things under pressure two weeks in a row. I am mortified by Stokes's seemingly never ending downward trajectory. I loved that little guy but gee i am running out of patience. Brynes is as ever a worry. Varcoe is having a tough patch but i think he'll fight his way out of it. Gillies is very promising, love the way he handballs with vision and precision, but we don't want an 18yo defender in a Prelim Final. Tenace is neither here nor there. Not a problem, not a solution.

My biggest concern in all of this is that the players who are out are mostly tall, Ottens, Scarlett, Taylor and the weakest players in the team are small, a balancing act is needed.

 

[rocker_oz33]

leave gillies out its his first year and after another pre season and more game time taking harls spot can only be good for him and the team.
l have noticed that stokes has been getting a bit better last 2 weeks still not where he should be but better from the month before hand.monty has really dropped off close checking will do that to an ok AFL player.varcoe the last few weeks looks like he has been swaped with rooke and rooke playing the lead up marking player and trav to play defencive forward role.which dont get the pill as much but in the grand skeam of things the leser know players need to stand up come finals.

 

[Tuggacat]

I was thinking about the poor form of stokes, Byrnes and Varcoe before I saw this thread. I can't think of the solution though - any good efforts in the VFL worth rewarding? Is DJ back playing in VFL and if so could he free up maybe Bartel to play further forward?

 

[Ninty]

Tenace is the first to be dropped from them, IMO.

Hogan hasn't done much wrong, give the gun kid a break.

Byrnes and Varcoe have had a decent year, but obviously quiet the last few weeks.

Scarlett number one (Gillies) will be good.

Stokes is a bit down on form, but I think he still works harder than Byrnes and Varcoe recently.

 

[patdman]

Tenace is the first to be dropped from them, IMO.

Hogan hasn't done much wrong, give the gun kid a break.

Byrnes and Varcoe have had a decent year, but obviously quiet the last few weeks.

Scarlett number one (Gillies) will be good.

Stokes is a bit down on form, but I think he still works harder than Byrnes and Varcoe recently.

Tend to agree with all of the above...except I feel that Varcoe works the hardest of the 3, but the output generated from that work leaves a little to be desired.

 

[Reg Hickey]

Tenace is the first to be dropped from them, IMO.

Hogan hasn't done much wrong, give the gun kid a break.

Byrnes and Varcoe have had a decent year, but obviously quiet the last few weeks.

Scarlett number one (Gillies) will be good.

Stokes is a bit down on form, but I think he still works harder than Byrnes and Varcoe recently.

Couldn't agree less with the bolded bit. I was a big Stokes fan, but late last year and this year I've been very disappointed. He's not working nearly as hard as he used to to create space or defensive pressure.

 

[Porps is a star!!]

I've seen your last few games (yesterday's obviously) and I thought Hogan looked quite good, Also Varcoe seems more up to it than byrnes, thats just from the outside looking in..

 

[goodoldcats]

vorcoe hasn't been the same sense he missed a game to shoulder injury. he has had problems in the past and he might have lost a little bit of confidence. In saying that everytime varcoe and hogan get the ball something seems to happen. stokes is a worry

 

[Turbocat]

There is a reason why they are fringe players. They capable of playing well with better players around them but struggle in depleted sides.

I heard the stat yesterday that Stokes was 3rd on our goal kicking list. Mmm , I say that is worrying stat as he hasn't looked like kicking a bag since the start of the year.

Varcoe is still a fringe play , maybe he always will be but he does have the ability to contribute at an elite level in 5 minutes of footy.

Byrnes has dropped his confidence. There was a bit of play last week , when he had the ball , running on to his left and he really should have taken the responsibility of kicking the goal but he didn't. He gave to Ling , in a worse position but Ling was still capable of nailing the goal. Lucky.

I thought Hogan was good yesterday , he is worth persisting with.

Still to early to make a fair comment on Gillies. He will be a lot better when he gets more used to his team mates

 

[Cattery]

in the last few weeks it is the last 4-6 that are letting the team down. Tenace is not one of them, has been handy.

Hogan, Varcoe, Byrnes, Gillies did not impose an influence on the game
Stokes is below par

it is here that the team has dropped off

harley is def in his last year, Milburn will continue on

Don't see it as a huge problem, when/if we have a full squad to choose from at least four of the first six named most likely won't be getting a game.
Tenace, Hogan, Gillies and one of Byrnes or Varcoe will be going around with the VFL squad.

As Reg Hickey points out above, Stokes work rate has dropped alarmingly recently, but he probably has enough runs on the board to survive, so for mine the 22nd spot comes down to Varcoe and Byrnes, although I'm sure the selectors will have Wojcinski in their calculations as well.

Both have dropped off badly the last few weeks, and my fear is that whichever one of them [ probably Varcoe at this point ] makes the cut he'll be a weak link under the pressure of finals football.

 

[winty]

vorcoe hasn't been the same sense he missed a game to shoulder injury. he has had problems in the past and he might have lost a little bit of confidence. In saying that everytime varcoe and hogan get the ball something seems to happen. stokes is a worry

Interesting point.

 

[kriso182]

I thought Hogan was good. Had a great last quarter.

Had 21 touches and three tackles for the game.

 

[jobear]

in the last few weeks it is the last 4-6 that are letting the team down. Tenace is not one of them, has been handy.

Hogan, Varcoe, Byrnes, Gillies did not impose an influence on the game
Stokes is below par

it is here that the team has dropped off

harley is def in his last year, Milburn will continue on

I'd have to disagree with you about Hogan - I think he's shown poise under pressure the last few weeks, and I think he's going to be the real deal. As for Byrnes - he's either really up or really down, there's no in-between. Varcoe has been okay but maybe needs to take his chances more (like he was doing earlier in the season). Stokes is down on form no doubt about that. I went down to Skilled early yesterday to watch the VFL and I thought Djerrkura played well, so he could be an option. I can also see some promise in Adam Varcoe (or Travis Junior as I like to call him), but I doubt he's anywhere near ready for AFL just yet.