Game Day Preseason Game 1 - West Coast vs Adelaide, Sat 2/3 : It’s Melt Day

[Grahame]

Just wait til they bring in the extra team for Tasmania instead of just relocating the useless Kangas down there, and then we have to sit through byes throughout the season.

Yes, the curious thing in amongst all the talk of a 19th team is that there has been no mention of it causing a weekly bye - and the issues arising from it.

The season is already four weeks longer (Gather Round, mid season bye, end of season bye, Zero Round) than it was not that many years back. So will this simply add yet another week? Or can it be somehow partly dovetailed in with the other byes - covering the first seven rounds (Zero, plus R1-6) then another four (R12-15)?

Regardless there will still need to be byes around say R17 - when bodies are getting sore - how will that be determined? Am I being cynical to think Coll or Rich or Carl might get them?

This will also mean that for about half the season teams will have played unequal games (and adding in games Thur-Sun) thus for a good part of the fixture it's going to be really hard to accurately compare teams.

 

[Priddis Is Done]

So ground zero counts for points. At the end of the season, everyone's played the exact amount of games.

Cool, this coming weekend is round 1.

 

[mat11]

They aren't mutually exclusive.

Nobody is forcing Rotham to get the footy, stop, prop and kick sideways defensively like a crab... however he's never been an established player and for whatever reason the only time he's played in the AFL side is when he's playing a defensive 2nd/3rd tall, so i don't blame him for doing what has likely been drilled into him. His body shape and program was obviously adjusted to suit that role as well.

It's pretty common for new recruits to look the most exciting when they first join the club. Look at Duggans first season... it's still arguably his best year of footy. Looked like he'd be a weapon, now he's dull as dishwater these days. Yeo was very exciting off the HBF doing things on instinct when he first joined, thankfully he's still doing it, albeit not so much. Wellingham's debut season was very impressive and looked like it was going to be a joy to watch in our midfield, then never happened again.

Then you've got Redden and Jetta who didn't fall into line and play their new role when they came over, so they spent time in the WAFL instead, until they "adjusted".



It'll be interesting to see what happens with both Harley and Hunt. I feel like enough FB fan ire calling out Simpsons slow game plan over recent years might have changed the clubs coaching/thinking a bit. If Rotham had of been drafted in 2023 to the club, it'd be interesting to see how we would've developed him.

Fans might be calling out simmo's slow game plan but he sure as hell ain't listening. J.jones silky and lightning quick can't even break into the pre season games yet Gaff can, bloke must've run over simmos dog

 

[KERRPOW]

Pretty sure the work tipping comp won't get off the ground this year due to lack of interest. I've been running it since 2004.

Yep, the lead in this year has felt rushed/lacklustre.

 

[ghostbat12]

Fans might be calling out simmo's slow game plan but he sure as hell ain't listening. J.jones silky and lightning quick can't even break into the pre season games yet Gaff can, bloke must've run over simmos dog

Or….just maybe….thinking out loud here….throwing it out there….that perhaps….jones is injured?

And didn’t simmo basically confirm gaff’s rd1 spot is not assured.

But sure, maintain the rage.

 

[mat11]

Or….just maybe….thinking out loud here….throwing it out there….that perhaps….jones is injured?

And didn’t simmo basically confirm gaff’s rd1 spot is not assured.

But sure, maintain the rage.

Injured enough to play in wafl and freo practise match seconds?

No rage just common sense, clean out the deadwood

 

[ghostbat12]

Injured enough to play in wafl and freo practise match seconds?

No rage just common sense, clean out the deadwood

Hardly makes him capable of playing afl even preseason. Depends on minutes. When is a player available?

If we take your logic and he is fit, then playing practise match seconds means only his form is that bad, right?

Can’t have it both ways.

 

[mat11]

Hardly makes him capable of playing afl even preseason. Depends on minutes. When is a player available?

If we take your logic and he is fit, then playing practise match seconds means only his form is that bad, right?

Can’t have it both ways.

Or maybe we have a s**t coach who plays his favourites, what benefit does playing Gaff have over a young player like j.jones/burgiel/l.edwards for the future of west coast?

 

[ziad]

Or maybe we have a s**t coach who plays his favourites, what benefit does playing Gaff have over a young player like j.jones/burgiel/l.edwards for the future of west coast?

Or Gaff was played last season as he offered far more than l.edwards etc on the wing/midfield. This season is an open book.

 

[Feeling Groovy]

I would like to see Gaff replaced as much as the next person but Burgiel has been injured one after the other, as has LEdwards. Gaff, for all his faults, has been durable. Jones has generally been selected when fit.

I actually thought Gaff's game on the weekend was pretty decent given his recent (last year) form. The problem is, the game has gone so far past him, he offers little to nothing and we would be far better off with a more dynamic player. Not sure who that is but we have options. But last year at least, we played most young players who stayed on the park, were physically developed enough to at least not get killed and who showed something/anything - largely out of necessity due to injury. I don't think we can criticise Simpson and the selectors for playing Gaff (a senior player) in a scratch match to see if he can find form and offer something. I don't hold out much hope for that but that is what preseason is for. If he is still producing the same output as last year and gets more than a few games before being replaced, then sure, get the pitchforks out. But for now, I am not sure what people expect.

The Jones WAFL selection was a bit of a head scratcher but I assume it was to do with managing minutes or level of intensity given he has had some recent injuries. Or they know what they get wirth him and wanted to see a few other players preseason. I doubt he will be out of the team long, if fit.

 

[ziad]

I would like to see Gaff replaced as much as the next person but Burgiel has been injured one after the other, as has LEdwards. Gaff, for all his faults, has been durable. Jones has generally been selected when fit.

I actually thought Gaff's game on the weekend was pretty decent given his recent (last year) form. The problem is, the game has gone so far past him, he offers little to nothing and we would be far better off with a more dynamic player. Not sure who that is but we have options. But last year at least, we played most young players who stayed on the park, were physically developed enough to at least not get killed and who showed something/anything - largely out of necessity due to injury. I don't think we can criticise Simpson and the selectors for playing Gaff (a senior player) in a scratch match to see if he can find form and offer something. I don't hold out much hope for that but that is what preseason is for. If he is still producing the same output as last year and gets more than a few games before being replaced, then sure, get the pitchforks out. But for now, I am not sure what people expect.

The Jones WAFL selection was a bit of a head scratcher but I assume it was to do with managing minutes or level of intensity given he has had some recent injuries. Or they know what they get wirth him and wanted to see a few other players preseason. I doubt he will be out of the team long, if fit.

I think it is clear (well to me) that Jones is being eased back from injury. He is a half back flanker with dash not a wingman. I don't think he competes with Gaff.

 

[Feeling Groovy]

I think it is clear (well to me) that Jones is being eased back from injury. He is a half back flanker with dash not a wingman. I don't think he competes with Gaff.

Oh, I agree. I was more responding to a post above yours. I think Jones is being eased back and he is back flanker (or sometimes a forward) not a wing. That said, they could shuffle the team around to fit players in and exclude players. But he is no Gaff replacement.

 

[KERRPOW]

Gaff will get replaced if the others proce themselves capable

 

[THE A5]

Gaff needs to be replaced but I would also like the player pushing him out to be quick. Edwards has great poise but is slower than Gaff and also doesn’t have a tank anywhere close to Gaff. I actually want to Hunt moved in there. Ideally Chesser makes it on a wing but he seems so far off it and has looked the best when not on a wing

 

[ziad]

Gaff needs to be replaced but I would also like the player pushing him out to be quick. Edwards has great poise but is slower than Gaff and also doesn’t have a tank anywhere close to Gaff. I actually want to Hunt moved in there. Ideally Chesser makes it on a wing but he seems so far off it and has looked the best when not on a wing

I still think Hough would enjoy being on the wing

 

[Grahame]

I still think Hough would enjoy being on the wing

Hardly recognise him the other day - he has beefed up to become a lightly framed player.

 

[FKASC]

I think he's been a "good player", but when he was drafted it was hoped he would start off in defence and develop into a classy and hard midfielder. In his first year he showed signs that was potentially on the cards - but unfortunately he's stagnated and is really only a defender. Never really developed or had the midfield nous - which to be honest is partly our fault as we drafted him hoping he would have it but it was probably never his go.

I reckon he looked every bit a future mid in his first year. Hardly played any defence that year IIRC. Was mostly forward flank and mid. Played not too dissimilar to Long, with less forward nous.

Sack Simmo imo