Our defence - 1st Qualifying Final?

[Scott Van Persett]

I will be interested to see how Bock comes back from a long layoff with a fractured vertebra. A further knock in that position could aggrevate the surrounding muscles, his fitness may be a little suspect and his endurance may not be up to AFL standard.

I'd prefer a 100% fit Stevens than 80% fit Bock

However, I think we have to best rehab team to get him in as good a shape as possible

 

[Eggzoi]

Thompson's had a bad couple of weeks but I still think he is one of the best players in our team. He's 7th on our goal kicking tally, 1 behind Kenny Mac and Biglands and 2 behind Bode. His disposal has been a bit off this year but nothing horrible and better than some, his aggression has been very well contained (although I think he plays better when he has a bit of agro in him, worth a free kick the other way a game) and not to mention he is one of the hardest workers off the ball.
To think of dropping him while saying that S. Stevens and Massie and Bode have been playing far too well to be dropped is to me lunacy.

 

[birdmanptr]

I'd just put a best 22 together, and let a lineup sort itself out.

My best 22:

Bassett, Edwards, Bode, Doughty, Shirley, Hudson, Torney, McGregor, Welsh, Johncock, Perrie, McLeod, Burton, Rutten, Ricciuto, Reilly, Hart. Biglands, Goodwin, Hentschel, Mattner, Bock

And lined up:

Johncock Rutten Hart
Bassett Bock McLeod
Mattner Shirley Reilly
McGregor Perrie Hentschel
Welsh Ricciuto Burton
Hudson Goodwin Edwards

Biglands, Torney, Doughty, Bode

.

What is the latest these guys have to play to be footy hardened for a tough finals campaign?

I say round 19 at the latest

 

[DaveW]

So, with the major round looming upon us, and key players returning from injury in the not too distant future, how are we going to incorporate 10 AFL standard defenders into our back 6?

The candidates: Rutten, Bassett, McLeod, Johncock, Torney, Massie, Stevens, Bock, Hart, Mattner.

Eight of those played yesterday, so it's certainly not a matter of culling them down to six!

Bock and Stevens are fighting for the one spot. Not a lot between them at this stage. At full fitness I'd lean towards Bock.

Hart's replacement is harder to pick. Perhaps Massie is the most likely. But there's every chance injury or suspension will make the choice for us. If not, there's a month or two's worth of form ahead to judge from.

 

[birdmanptr]

One thing is for sure you will have to be spot on to get a game in this years finals, Graham Johncock going down so early in last years prelim as he went in under some doubt.

Things will be a lot clearer this week when the ruckmen are picked as i am sure Mattty Clarke is fit

 

[raikkonen]

Thompson's had a bad couple of weeks but I still think he is one of the best players in our team. He's 7th on our goal kicking tally, 1 behind Kenny Mac and Biglands and 2 behind Bode. His disposal has been a bit off this year but nothing horrible and better than some, his aggression has been very well contained (although I think he plays better when he has a bit of agro in him, worth a free kick the other way a game) and not to mention he is one of the hardest workers off the ball.
To think of dropping him while saying that S. Stevens and Massie and Bode have been playing far too well to be dropped is to me lunacy.

While I agree he is a good player, he is undisciplined. Consistently giving away stupid free kicks, and turns over the ball a number of times - quite a lot more noticeable than anyone else. Stevens has played a key role in our defence while Bock has been out and Massie has had his best year in ages, if not ever. Bode has been awesome this year, better than scotty.

 

[The Crows Truth]

While I agree he is a good player, he is undisciplined. Consistently giving away stupid free kicks, and turns over the ball a number of times - quite a lot more noticeable than anyone else. Stevens has played a key role in our defence while Bock has been out and Massie has had his best year in ages, if not ever. Bode has been awesome this year, better than scotty.

any stats to back that up?

 

[- PC -]

I've got a headache

 

[maccas_no1]

I've got a headache

It's nice to have this sort of headache not one I would be complaining to much about

 

[Eggzoi]

Mark Ricciuto Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1.083
Scott Thompson Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1.15
Or 1 free kick difference every 14.18 games.

Some others
Rhett Biglands Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1.07
Brent Reilly Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1
Brett Burton Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1.18

 

[Alex99]

IMHO, and that's not worth much but there are only 2 player who could consider themselves walk up starts at this point of the season Ben Hart and Ian Perrie.

We are only 6 days away from round 15 and it’s time the selectors simply said we are going to be picking player on form, as the saying goes possession is 9/10th of the law and Scott Stevens has that CHB spot over Nathan Bock

If someone is not in the side at this stage they should be working there buts off and hoping a player get injured or losses form as no one player has don’t anything wrong to get dropped.

The selectors have to look at settling the side down for a good run into the finals, if that means some player whom would consider themselves to be first selected miss out and have to play SANFL, then so be it. The main objective is to the win the premiership.

Player in form get selected from now on, simple as that

 

[The Crows Truth]

Mark Ricciuto Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1.083
Scott Thompson Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1.15
Or 1 free kick difference every 14.18 games.

Some others
Rhett Biglands Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1.07
Brent Reilly Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1
Brett Burton Avg Free kicks against per game 2006: 1.18

Cheers

Blind Freddy can see Thompson will be playing for us come September - no question

 

[macca23]

Cheers

Blind Freddy can see Thompson will be playing for us come September - no question

He will be. He's in our best 22 every day of the week and twice on Sunday!!

 

[glengowan]

My best 22 for the finals:

FB: Johncock Rutten Bassett
HB: McLeod Hudson Torney
C: Reilly Goodwin Mattner
HF: Perrie McGregor Van Berlo
FF: Hentschel Ricciuto Burton
R: Biglands Shirley Edwards
I: Doughty Thompson Clarke Massie
Emg: Hart Stevens Bode

 

[Stiffy_18]

My best 22 for the finals:

FB: Johncock Rutten Bassett
HB: McLeod Hudson Torney
C: Reilly Goodwin Mattner
HF: Perrie McGregor Van Berlo
FF: Hentschel Ricciuto Burton
R: Biglands Shirley Edwards
I: Doughty Thompson Clarke Massie
Emg: Hart Stevens Bode

Hudson at CHB?!?!?!

Ben Hart is a walk up start for us. There is no way he doesn't make the best 18 let alone 22.

Keep dreaming.

 

[birdmanptr]

Hudson at CHB?!?!?!

Ben Hart is a walk up start for us. There is no way he doesn't make the best 18 let alone 22.

Keep dreaming.

Did the club not say earlier this year that there is no walk up starts ou only lose your spot if you are injured or in poor form and some one is ready to take your spot.

Mattner missed a game and Massie took his spot and played ok and when Mattner was right to go missed out cause they said we will not drop Massie cause he played ok?

 

[Vader]

Taking the 22 who played against Sydney as the baseline, my changes would be:

IN: Hart
OUT: Torney

IN: Bock
OUT: Stevens

*** Bock is by no means a "walk up starter". He has a lot of work to do before he can justify taking Stevens' position.

IN: Van Berlo
OUT: Skipworth

IN: Perrie
OUT: Bode

IN: Hudson
OUT: Maric

*** Like Bock, Hudson has to earn the position.

Actually, I'm far from convinced about the Bode/Perrie swap too. I really like the balance our forward line has at present and am not overly happy with the idea of dropping a hard tackling crumber in favour of another tall.

 

[maccas_no1]

Hudson at CHB?!?!?!

Ben Hart is a walk up start for us. There is no way he doesn't make the best 18 let alone 22.

Keep dreaming.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[maccas_no1]

Taking the 22 who played against Sydney as the baseline, my changes would be:

IN: Hart
OUT: Torney

IN: Bock
OUT: Stevens

*** Bock is by no means a "walk up starter". He has a lot of work to do before he can justify taking Stevens' position.

IN: Van Berlo
OUT: Skipworth

IN: Perrie
OUT: Bode

IN: Hudson
OUT: Maric

*** Like Bock, Hudson has to earn the position.

Actually, I'm far from convinced about the Bode/Perrie swap too. I really like the balance our forward line has at present and am not overly happy with the idea of dropping a hard tackling crumber in favour of another tall.

FFS Torney will not get dropped for the finals, his form is excellent and is a vital part of our backline.

 

[Vader]

FFS Torney will not get dropped for the finals, his form is excellent and is a vital part of our backline.

So is Hart.

 

[glengowan]

Hudson at CHB?!?!?!

Ben Hart is a walk up start for us. There is no way he doesn't make the best 18 let alone 22.

Keep dreaming.

IMO Hudson would make a perfect CHB. He's big and strong and athletic. A better player than Stevens and a smarter player than Bock.

For me it was out of Hart and Torney for that one spot. I chose Torney. Massie can be run through the midfield so that's why I added him to the bench. I could have moved Johncock or McLeod to the forward line in place of van Berlo and placed Hart in the back line, but those two have been so good back there I'd be reluctant to change. Unfortunately in a full strength team I could not find a place for Hart.

 

[adelaide_girl]

Put this in the wrong bloody place - must be my pregnant brain

I am going to completely go against popular concensus here, but why would you upset a winning fomula, these lads although at the begining of the season would not have been anyones first choices have done the job Craigy has asked of them, and in my opinion passed with flying colours.

All of the guys who will be up for selection are not just coming off of 1 game type injuries - other than porps, they have all been long term injuries, which need match fitness.

We still have 7 rounds to go before we can even worry about finals, and winning form is good form lets worry about Hawthorn this week and not show the cockiness others have shown in other years. The footy gods at present are smiling would hate them to cast their wrath on us through jumping the gun.

At the moment we are soundly beating all that is put up against us, but changing a winning formula especially when we don't need to is frought with danger. there has never been and I in team, and at the moment we have all the makings of a champion team opposed to a team built on reputation. These guys coming back after long term injuries need match fitness, sorry to say no automatic selections on reputations for mine. Do the hard yards the 22 we have at the moment have done them.

 

[maccas_no1]

So is Hart.

Very true but both will play come finals time.

 

[jo172]

My best 22 assuming form and fitness

FB: Basset Rutten Johncock
HB: Mcleod Bock Hart
C: Burton Goodwin Doughty
HF: Hentshel Perrie Reilly
FF: Ricciuto Welsh Thompson
1R: Biglands Shirley Edwards
INT: McGregor Mattner Clarke Massie

EMG: Stevens VanBerlo Bode

This assumes that Bock, Perrie and Welsh will be able to recover their best form and fitness, if not then Stevens comes in. I also assume Hudson will not play this year. Torney and Knights can consider themselves unlucky not to make the best 25.

 

[- PC -]

I am going to completely go against popular concensus here, but why would you upset a winning fomula, these lads although at the begining of the season would not have been anyones first choices have done the job Craigy has asked of them, and in my opinion passed with flying colours.

If you go by this then players relax, by offering names you continue the drive for a place by those still in the side.

We still have 7 rounds to go before we can even worry about finals, and winning form is good form lets worry about Hawthorn this week and not show the cockiness others have shown in other years.

Testify sister