Game Day Practice Match up in QLD v the reigning premier

[davos44]

Totally agree with Pedlar, his last 2 weeks have jumped him up massively. He looks really fit for the first time and has genuine power and speed. Last year I was close to writing him off but watching him last week especially was really encouraging.

I’m not sold on Milera at this point though, and after seeing Bond do such a good job on Cameron I would be playing Max and Nank (who was really exciting last night) further up the ground instead of Laird and Milera, and keep Bond in the Luke Brown role.

Bond should definitely stay in the side as there are so many dangerous small forwards around the league these days. We could have the perfect neutraliser if he keeps improving.

I love Nank's ability to evade a tackle, if he can get his disposal right (its not awful, just not damaging) he will be a lock every week.

I have pretty much dismissed Pedlar as a player but there is that glimmer of hope as a ground stretching half forward. I do hope he gets it right this year.

 

[1970crow]

I am not sure that has anything to do with my post mate. Just stating that it's odd that all offseason I have been hearing how bad his form was. In the preseason hitout and preseason game I watched - he looked pretty damn good.



I am not lauding him at all. Just saying that that there was a form discrepancy between his game against Brisbane and what I have been hearing the past two months.



Yeah - personally not a big fan of judging a players form on internal trials especially when its an incumbent 100+ game player that is trying to build for the season against another player that is fighting for their career.

Why is a form discrepancy odd though? Numerous players trial game didn’t match the description of their preseasons. I wouldn’t describe it as odd.

 

[George CantStandYa]

I am not sure that has anything to do with my post mate. Just stating that it's odd that all offseason I have been hearing how bad his form was. In the preseason hitout and preseason game I watched - he looked pretty damn good.



I am not lauding him at all. Just saying that that there was a form discrepancy between his game against Brisbane and what I have been hearing the past two months.



Yeah - personally not a big fan of judging a players form on internal trials especially when its an incumbent 100+ game player that is trying to build for the season against another player that is fighting for their career.

ROB has a history of performing when his place in the team is at risk, have I told you he was dropped in 2022 and 2024? Both times he responded by playing better.

Maybe the threat of McAndrew making it on the list and the legitimate competition he now has, caused him to lift especially after McAndrew beat him all preseason and in the internal trial 2 weeks ago.

 

[1970crow]

ROB has a history of performing when his place in the team is at risk, have I told you he was dropped in 2022 and 2024? Both times he responded by playing better.

Maybe the threat of McAndrew making it on the list and the legitimate competition he now has, caused him to lift especially after McAndrew beat him all preseason and in the internal trial 2 weeks ago.

His issue has certainly been that he’s complacent. It’s been a fairly common theme at our club, players ascend a certain level, lock their spot away and then settle for a couple of rungs less, knowing their spot won’t be in doubt for months and months. And even then, all it takes is a good game in an Eagles style walkover and the clock resets.

 

[Bearded Clam]

Some things never change

Keays took 5-6 rounds to get going last year..

Whats wrong with making him do that in the sanfl?.

Rash in.. keays out.

We need to play talent over scrappers.. especially when the scrapper is struggling to find form.

 

[Mutineer]

Keays took 5-6 rounds to get going last year..

Whats wrong with making him do that in the sanfl?.

Rash in.. keays out.

We need to play talent over scrappers.. especially when the scrapper is struggling to find form.

 

[Cromulant]

Keays took 5-6 rounds to get going last year..

Whats wrong with making him do that in the sanfl?.

Rash in.. keays out.

We need to play talent over scrappers.. especially when the scrapper is struggling to find form.

Holy hell that's a poor take

 

[Mostyn]

I'd be curious to see Keays used as a wing, and we use the sixth forward as a mid who pushes up to the contest.

That could work?

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I'd be curious to see Keays used as a wing, and we use the sixth forward as a mid who pushes up to the contest.

That could work?

Why ? They perfected his role last year , more the same please

 

[Golumless]

I'd be curious to see Keays used as a wing, and we use the sixth forward as a mid who pushes up to the contest.

That could work?

Seems a bit robbing Peter to pay Paul, seeing Keays is a pretty dangerous forward and we have other options.

 

[Mostyn]

Why ? They perfected his role last year , more the same please

Because we're struggling for a way to integrate Draper.

You have 7 forwards, 7 mids, 7 defenders and a ruckman. Two of the mids are wingmen, so you're left with 5 mids - Crouch, Dawson, Rankine, Peatling and Soligo.

If we went with a resting mid as the third smaller forward, and that mid pushed up to the contest, then we could put Keays elsewhere.

Anyway, it's just an idea, following on from the Draper discussion. There may be other ways to solve it - I just don't feel it will be "drop Crouch".

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Its odd.

All I heard for the past few months is how terrible ROB's preseason has been.

Then he smokes the lead ruckman for a top 4 side last year and draws even with the lead ruck for the side that won the flag.

It can only mean that McAndrew is Polly Farmer level

 

[adelaidecrows]

Its odd.

All I heard for the past few months is how terrible ROB's preseason has been.

Then he smokes the lead ruckman for a top 4 side last year and draws even with the lead ruck for the side that won the flag.

ROB is statistically a good ruckman. The issue is he struggles against taller ruckman and athletic jumpers and its argued he doesnt do enough around the ground to use his height. I think people just want him replaced by a newer shinier toy with little to no evidence of being any better, just because its more exciting. His form will dictate selection and if he falls away, McAndrew will get a gig. So im not sure why people are in a hurry to pack his bags. Got to remember McAndrew was delisted so there are flaws to his game.

 

[AFC979810]

ROB has a history of performing when his place in the team is at risk, have I told you he was dropped in 2022 and 2024? Both times he responded by playing better.

Maybe the threat of McAndrew making it on the list and the legitimate competition he now has, caused him to lift especially after McAndrew beat him all preseason and in the internal trial 2 weeks ago.

I am sure thats it. Had nothing to do with building into a season. Just magically flicked a switch on the 21st of February.

 

[AFC979810]

I'd be curious to see Keays used as a wing, and we use the sixth forward as a mid who pushes up to the contest.

That could work?

Terrible idea. You want your good users of the football on the wing.

Keays has the fitness to work on the wing, but as we saw when he was in the middle his disposal by foot when under pressure isn't great.

Turning the ball over from the wing position is far more damaging than turning it over deep inside 50.

The bloke was 2nd in our team for goals (34), 1st for Goal Assists (19), 1st for tackles inside 50 had his best season at AFL level whilst winning our best and fairest.

Suggesting moving him away from the forward line on the back of one quiet preseason is one of the worst ideas I have seen on Bigfooty.

 

[George CantStandYa]

I am sure thats it. Had nothing to do with building into a season. Just magically flicked a switch on the 21st of February.

Yep, just like he magically flicks a switch after he’s dropped or are you suggesting he purposely tanked his preseason, allowed himself to be beaten consistently at training and the internal trial?

 

[Mostyn]

Terrible idea. You want your good users of the football on the wing.

Keays has the fitness to work on the wing, but as we saw when he was in the middle his disposal by foot when under pressure isn't great.

Turning the ball over from the wing position is far more damaging than turning it over deep inside 50.

The bloke was 2nd in our team for goals (34), 1st for Goal Assists (19), 1st for tackles inside 50 had his best season at AFL level whilst winning our best and fairest.

Suggesting moving him away from the forward line on the back of one quiet preseason is one of the worst ideas I have seen on Bigfooty.

Settle down. It's just an idea. Keays often pushes up to the wing, and really uses his fitness to push up and back.

There's probably other solutions - I'm just suggesting options for a structure that could include Draper

 

[AFC979810]

Yep, just like he magically flicks a switch after he’s dropped or are you suggesting he purposely tanked his preseason, allowed himself to be beaten consistently at training and the internal trial?

Magic Switch eh?

Round 12 2024 - 35 hitouts, 3 kicks, 6 handballs, 2 marks, 8 tackles Dropped.

First game back Round 16 2024 - 34 hitouts, 2 kicks, 6 handballs, 4 marks, 5 tackles.

 

[George CantStandYa]

Magic Switch eh?

Round 12 2024 - 35 hitouts, 3 kicks, 6 handballs, 2 marks, 8 tackles Dropped.

First game back Round 16 2024 - 34 hitouts, 2 kicks, 6 handballs, 4 marks, 5 tackles.

So what you’re now saying is his form didn’t improve when he got back in, haven’t you said the opposite previously? You tricked me.

In my defence the game he returned against Geelong in 2022 clouded my memory.

You haven’t explained why he cruised through preseason and allowed himself to regularly be beaten. As a leader shouldn’t he be setting a better example? Or could it be he struggled with McAndrews height? That’s what it looked like in the trial.

 

[AFC979810]

So what you’re now saying is his form didn’t improve when he got back in, haven’t you said the opposite previously?

It did the back end of the season absolutely. He worked back into form. It wasn't just a switch.

In my defence the game he returned against Geelong in 2022 clouded my memory.

Yeah that was a hell of a response. Although he was probably dropped for being insipid against Carlton rather than an extended terrible run. Round 6 he got 2 Brownlow votes, 3 coaches votes, 47 hitouts, 17 disposals and 3 contested marks and then was dropped after round 8 (2 weeks later).

 

[Mostyn]

This feels like a weird debate.

One guy is desperate to impress, in order to maybe get a second chance. Another guy is doing a standard preseason, where he's working himself up to being ready for round one.

They're not the same thing, so you should take whatever happens in preseason with a grain of salt.

 

[George CantStandYa]

This feels like a weird debate.

One guy is desperate to impress, in order to maybe get a second chance. Another guy is doing a standard preseason, where he's working himself up to being ready for round one.

They're not the same thing, so you should take whatever happens in preseason with a grain of salt.

It’s only weird if you’re trying to defend your position.

Facts are ROB has had an average preseason and was regularly beaten by the new guy, who at the time wasn’t even on the list. No one just eases themselves into preseason letting themselves be constantly beaten.

ROB ain’t a jumper and that’s a fact.
McAndrew is much taller than ROB and can jump, that’s a fact.
ROB as a result struggled against the the extra height, that’s a fact.

What’s not a fact but instead is a theory, an excuse, that ROB a leader of the club just took it easy and set a bad example for the rest of the squad.

 

[1970crow]

Terrible idea. You want your good users of the football on the wing.

Keays has the fitness to work on the wing, but as we saw when he was in the middle his disposal by foot when under pressure isn't great.

Turning the ball over from the wing position is far more damaging than turning it over deep inside 50.

The bloke was 2nd in our team for goals (34), 1st for Goal Assists (19), 1st for tackles inside 50 had his best season at AFL level whilst winning our best and fairest.

Suggesting moving him away from the forward line on the back of one quiet preseason is one of the worst ideas I have seen on Bigfooty.

He did all that forward stuff whilst also doing a bit of midfield work late in the season.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

This feels like a weird debate.

One guy is desperate to impress, in order to maybe get a second chance. Another guy is doing a standard preseason, where he's working himself up to being ready for round one.

They're not the same thing, so you should take whatever happens in preseason with a grain of salt.

Wise counsel

In the past it was Himmelberg / Frampton putting in desperate to impress preseasons. The club was dazzled and it meant that Thilthorpe had to start in the twos

Maybe we're dialling down the idiocy?

 

[spenze]

I'd be curious to see Keays used as a wing, and we use the sixth forward as a mid who pushes up to the contest.

That could work?

I'd probably keep him off the wing as his disposal can be suspect. In a perfect world, your wingers should have very good to elite disposal.

It also negates his biggest asset which is his ability to run towards goal, people discount the JTG goals but I'd rather a person take a kick from 1 metre out straight in front than 30 metres on a slight angle. I'm not saying that is all he does (JTG) but his running allows us to have a small near the contest on most occasions.

If his kicking was better ( and he has tidied it up) yeah it'd be an idea for sure.