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

[donpyke92]

I thought Barnett halved a few contests that BW wouldn’t have.I’d give him another run.
Geez we looked better whenever Harley was around.Cripps,Cole etc didn’t you guys think to look around you when your looking at goal?? Harley cruises around 15-20m away unattended and he can thump a ball.

Do recall Hough, I think? Might be wrong.
Mark just outside f50...hesitation, H Reid asking for handball or kick it to me...could've easily kicked distance.
Houghy, sorry if not him, went back from 55ish & kicked top of square....defenders dream.
Maybe it's just a coaching thing, it was a scratchie, and they review and improve on it season proper.
Harley is a legitimate weapon, even as a rookie player, it seems.
You also mentioned Barnett. I took some good signs from watching him as well.
Gonna take a while, but the ride is going to be fun.

 

[Winky]

Sheed wing only imo, if at all. You dont need particularly fast guys on the wing, just someone who will run all day and can use the ball well, as long as they actually do the running(which I know isnt what Sheed is known for)

Rather have Sheed (if fit) than Gaff any day. You can’t have both in the same team but Sheed is way more damaging with kicking and attack than Gaff. He has to be fully fit though as last year the few games he played he simply couldnt keep up

 

[Free Agent]

Duggan and Cole played in our premiership. Schofield only came in to replace Shep.

Yeah I know they did but we had intercept marking even from our back flankers even with those two in.
Shep and Hurn where the main back flankers that year. Sheppard getting hurt just before finals doesn't take away what he did for us that year. Schofield was a decent intercept mark aswell and did great replacing Shep in the finals. It was a big reason why we won the premiership. We had good quality depth in our defence especially with contested marking and players ready to go the contest when they needed to.

 

[Cornelius Roy]

We were burnt on Gaff's wing again. It’s like a free hit running the ball out of defense for the opposition, switch to the space on Gaff's wing and Rankin and others are just too quick.

Who would have thought?

I certainly wasnt previously for this but I’m more and more turning around to the idea of pursuing Tim English as a free agent. I get his centre tap work isn’t great, but it’s better than the rookie rucks we’ve got.

Take a centre square of English, Reid, hewett and O’Sullivan into next year. Take the incredible upside English will give you as a big man around the ground we don’t have. Let Ginbey start at HBF and rotate through mid where he will win 1v1s unlike Cole, duggan and witho.

Let’s start moving forward with proper pieces rather than trying to fit square pegs in round holes.

 

[Yeahnahmate]

Yep we achieved that in a historical worst ever way, but hey, moral victory.

Yeah Lyon is definitely the answer. Good at getting middling clubs to compete, but shithouse at actually resembling any style that could actually win a flag.

His defensive, negative way of playing means that even if you have a decent side at your disposal you’ll always have a chance of getting done anyway as it’s more likely small margins and flaccid attack. Not only will we still lose similarly during the rebuild, but if we do get back up to contend our style will frustrate fans and players alike with that ridiculous battler horseshit he dishes up. Losing in even more boring ways sound appealing to you? Great, St.Kilda over performed last year, but I pity them if he’s still at the helm when they next have a window. Boo Ross Lyon booooooooooo

 

[WAFClatfd]

The clubs run by morons, they can't get anything right, no Ruckman at a bounce down Edwards competes, Harley gets on his bike and it looks good. Club website Chesser rucks. What an absolute joke. Professionalism, you don't get basic s**t like this wrong.

 

[Grahame]

I hope Bazzo can be the 3rd tall this year and play plenty of AFL, he was meant to be a bit of an interceptor type KPD, take out Witho or Cole so Hough can do their role instead of trying to be a 3rd tall. If we dont try to sit Bazzo on guys like Tex or Hawkins he should be ok. Id rather persist with Bazzo than Rotham.

Agree Bazzo definitely adds to the team. He now just needs a good run at it.

And I can’t see any point in even mentioning Rotham - his AFL days are gone. The best way he could assist the youngsters would be by helping make the Beagles more competitive.

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Agree Bazzo definitely adds to the team. He now just mentioning Rotham - his AFL days are gone. The best way he could assist the youngsters would be by helping make the Beagles more competitive.

As much as I’ve bagged Rotham u think he could go ok on a wing. Not as much contested footy to show him up. He would certainly give us more size and more legs than Gaff or Sheed.

 

[eaglevision]

As much as I’ve bagged Rotham u think he could go ok on a wing. Not as much contested footy to show him up. He would certainly give us more size and more legs than Gaff or Sheed.

I actually wouldn’t mind having a look at Waterman on the wing. Has shown he has the tank, good lead up player, can wheel around and distribute to a player in space. See if we can squeeze a bit of late career Richo out of him.

 

[Goroyals22]

As much as I’ve bagged Rotham u think he could go ok on a wing. Not as much contested footy to show him up. He would certainly give us more size and more legs than Gaff or Sheed.

He also has garbage disposal and can’t find the ball let alone shown any ability to run to create or where to run to defend.. perfect winger


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[stallon]

Honestly id rather we just moved on from Rotham, Waterman is a 3rd tall fwd option only. If we are desperate for a winger either persist with Edwards, or move one of the half backers out to let Bazzo play back there, then rotate our young mids through. Sheed isnt an option right now and Gaff we are trying to move on from, but he will still be there until someone really grabs hold of a wing spot.
Burgiel is another option for the future but seems he needs WAFL time.

 

[eaglesnutcase]

He also has garbage disposal and can’t find the ball let alone shown any ability to run to create or where to run to defend.. perfect winger


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Gaff or Rotham?

 

[navi_]

I actually wouldn’t mind having a look at Waterman on the wing. Has shown he has the tank, good lead up player, can wheel around and distribute to a player in space. See if we can squeeze a bit of late career Richo out of him.

Agree, Mason Wood was a tweener fwd turned wingman that goes alight.

 

[WCE_phil]

Rotham's issue is he is slow of mind. All the athleticism in the world but if you can't read the play and make good decsions you won't make it.

Particularly in his early years Masten was berated by almost everyone here as a poor kick. He was actually an excellent kick he just made poor decisions. It got better as his career went on and while he was a walking HTB at times in the latter half of his career of our midfielders he was our best at kicking to a leading forward.

The clubs defence has a major structural issue in that it is too slow and doesn't have enough quality ball users. IMO you just can't play Cole, Duggan and Witherden in the same backline. To my mind Witherden isn't afl standard (although he showed a heap of courage last year and performed at his best) but his weaknesses outweigh the benefits of having him in the side.

Hough is going to make a great hybrid third tall defender. Cole can play the shutdown role but he's purely a role player and whilst developing the side while he's not amazing I think Duggan's best use in the side is further up the ground. The club really is desperately short of 2 quality smaller defenders who have pace and whilst both being elite kicks is unlikely we desperately need at least one.

It's why I would throw a really big contract at McLuggage and see if we can get it to stick.

Also like others firmly agree we can't play Sheed and Gaff in the same side but if fully fit (it's worrying with Sheed), Sheed whilst slow still has offensive weapons, can kick goals and is a long, penetrating kick. Also whilst not a great centreman he is a very good stoppage clearance player.

 

[sharps24]

Honestly id rather we just moved on from Rotham, Waterman is a 3rd tall fwd option only. If we are desperate for a winger either persist with Edwards, or move one of the half backers out to let Bazzo play back there, then rotate our young mids through. Sheed isnt an option right now and Gaff we are trying to move on from, but he will still be there until someone really grabs hold of a wing spot.
Burgiel is another option for the future but seems he needs WAFL time.

Hough probably wants that wing spot and still see's his best position as wing going by his recent comments. Clubs turning him into a defender though. He's going pretty good down there and maybe just learning a different trade, biding his time until some of the more slow to come on recruits like Burgeil are AFL ready back there, and Gaff is put out to pasture. Personally I'd prefer Ginbey being trained up at half back and Hough released but its not super critical at this point and it can't hurt to persist with the Ginbey midfield experiment, if it does click for him that'll be fantastic for us given the physical attributes he brings to the contest.

 

[Dark Sharks]

Rothams problem is he's seemingly had every ounce of attack coached out of him.

Was a rangy wing/attacking HBF and turned into a defensive minded tweener spud who lacks confidence or any real attacking flair.

His agent did amazingly well securing his list spot for 2023 & 2024, but you'd think that luck is going to run out. Pity. The draft selection on it's own looked like it had promise.

 

[Goroyals22]

Gaff or Rotham?

Take your pick but was referring to Rotham


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[ghostbat12]

Rothams problem is he's seemingly had every ounce of attack coached out of him.

Was a rangy wing/attacking HBF and turned into a defensive minded tweener spud who lacks confidence or any real attacking flair.

His agent did amazingly well securing his list spot for 2023 & 2024, but you'd think that luck is going to run out. Pity. The draft selection on it's own looked like it had promise.

Excuses need to stop for rotham. pretty damn sure it isn’t “hey you are doing what we are coaching you to do, so you are dropped for not doing what we are coaching you to do”.

Can’t be both.

 

[Winky]

Rothams problem is he's seemingly had every ounce of attack coached out of him.

Was a rangy wing/attacking HBF and turned into a defensive minded tweener spud who lacks confidence or any real attacking flair.

His agent did amazingly well securing his list spot for 2023 & 2024, but you'd think that luck is going to run out. Pity. The draft selection on it's own looked like it had promise.

Spot on. He turned into a player without confidence who immediately stopped when he got the ball and kicked either to the side or back. He had the pace, size and kick to take the game on but obviously had been told to hold the game up and play safe. That's alright when you can set up a feed to elite kicks like Jedda and Shuey but we no longer have that type of player

 

[Astro7]

Yep, he was much harder at the contest in this game and wasn’t afraid to mix it up. He also dashed out of situations, settled with the footy and used his skills to hit up targets downfield.
He definitely started to look like he was getting more comfortable at AFL level and he wasn’t afraid.
The more he does it the more he’ll feel comfortable hopefully, and keep taking the game on because he’s got some skills and speed in his trick bag.

Agree with you and big birdy, safe to say Chesser is showing incremental improvement now - this is a good base to build on with each game, injury gods allowing (almost a sub clause written in to each post now?)...a green shoot perhaps?

 

[Astro7]

I think our defence needs another intercept marking gun or two. I miss Hurn with his reading the play and intercepting helping out the likes of Gov and Barrass.

Gov can still do it but Barrass can't as he is lock down on the key forward and seems not as quick as he used to be to help out with loose intercepting. If we go back in our premiership year we had a backline of Sheppard Hurn Schofield on the back flanks who were all great at intercepting with Gov and Barrass as keys and Jetta the quick run out rebound
Now we have no one on the flanks that can intercept in a marking contest.

Gov still is out main intercept defender with Barrass one on one lock down.
Our back flanks are now Witherden, Duggan and Hunt, Cole and Hough who is coming into the role but wouldn't say he is ready for intercepting yet. It's pretty grim. Hunts in the Jetta role. Witho Duggan Cole are killing us with lack of ability to take a good contested mark or fill the defensive gaps. This is why it's so easy for sides to beat our defenders and make it look easy.
We need to find some quality back flankers with the ability to intercept and read the play.

Let face it this season we are screwed in that regard. Who has the ability to be our Hurn and Sheppard down back. Yeo possibly with Rotham maybe.
For Rotham faults at least he can jump at a marking contest. Where's Bazzo at. We need to keep experimenting with the back flanks until we find someone that can do the role.

Witho Duggan and Cole can't be down back. Another Gaff situation brewing in defence with credits overtaking what needs to be done. Two of this lot needs to go spend some time in the WAFL or play in another position.

There seems to be a prevalence instead of marking the ball, to tap it down in front of you which often results in the oppo getting the ball, a 50/50 split or an Eagle gets ball and gets gang tackled flatfooted. Are we that bad at the simple skill of marking a ball?
Re - Duggan, Cole and Witho, am guessing as co-captain Duggo is not going anywhere?
Once again it says a lot about our list when it's suggested the co-captain should be relegated to the Wafl?

 

[Astro7]

Rotham's issue is he is slow of mind. All the athleticism in the world but if you can't read the play and make good decsions you won't make it.

Particularly in his early years Masten was berated by almost everyone here as a poor kick. He was actually an excellent kick he just made poor decisions. It got better as his career went on and while he was a walking HTB at times in the latter half of his career of our midfielders he was our best at kicking to a leading forward.

The clubs defence has a major structural issue in that it is too slow and doesn't have enough quality ball users. IMO you just can't play Cole, Duggan and Witherden in the same backline. To my mind Witherden isn't afl standard (although he showed a heap of courage last year and performed at his best) but his weaknesses outweigh the benefits of having him in the side.

Hough is going to make a great hybrid third tall defender. Cole can play the shutdown role but he's purely a role player and whilst developing the side while he's not amazing I think Duggan's best use in the side is further up the ground. The club really is desperately short of 2 quality smaller defenders who have pace and whilst both being elite kicks is unlikely we desperately need at least one.

It's why I would throw a really big contract at McLuggage and see if we can get it to stick.

Also like others firmly agree we can't play Sheed and Gaff in the same side but if fully fit (it's worrying with Sheed), Sheed whilst slow still has offensive weapons, can kick goals and is a long, penetrating kick. Also whilst not a great centreman he is a very good stoppage clearance player.

Jones in defence?

 

[eaglevision]

There seems to be a prevalence instead of marking the ball, to tap it down in front of you which often results in the oppo getting the ball, a 50/50 split or an Eagle gets ball and gets gang tackled flatfooted. Are we that bad at the simple skill of marking a ball?
Re - Duggan, Cole and Witho, am guessing as co-captain Duggo is not going anywhere?
Once again it says a lot about our list when it's suggested the co-captain should be relegated to the Wafl?

We seem to think we’ve still got the elite foot skills to chip-mark the length of the field. You could see the senior players halt momentum and use the plan that won our last flag. We have to stick to the new contested, move the ball forward plan and be smarter with our inside 50s when our F50 setup is totally different to what it once was. Harley was great but there was one F50 entry by Long where he gets the ball at pace, looks up straight away and hits a 30m bullet to a lead. Gone are the days when we had JK and peak Darling being able to take enough contested grabs with long high bombs in F50 with Lecca, Willie and Ryan crumbing and providing forward pressure. Quick ball movement and give Oscar a chance 1v1 before the defence floods his space or lowers the eyes like Long and Harley. I think Hewett will do this well too when he’s fit.

 

[Dark Sharks]

Excuses need to stop for rotham. pretty damn sure it isn’t “hey you are doing what we are coaching you to do, so you are dropped for not doing what we are coaching you to do”.

Can’t be both.

Hardly excuses kent, just a siggestion as to why he turned out the way he has, which is nothing like the attacking, exciting player we actually drafted. If we let him come in and play his natural game and continued to develop him that way rather than turning him into a lockdown defender, he might have turned out different.

He's still not AFL quality and he still needs needs to be delisted. Which he will.

Too many deadend players get gifted too long on our list unfortunately, last year should've been it for him.

 

[ghostbat12]

Hardly excuses kent, just a siggestion as to why he turned out the way he has, which is nothing like the attacking, exciting player we actually drafted. If we let him come in and play his natural game and continued to develop him that way rather than turning him into a lockdown defender, he might have turned out different.

He's still not AFL quality and he still needs needs to be delisted. Which he will.

Too many deadend players get gifted too long on our list unfortunately, last year should've been it for him.

His natural ability is driving down to next wafl game (Kent).

Have not seen that excitement at all. Even when he has the ball in backline with open paddock to do whatever he wants. Doubt coach instructions are to stand still.