Opinion Qualifying Final Changes vs. Sydney

[free at last]

Poor griffo can't take a trick with untimely injuries.Hopefully we win on Saturday and he should be good to go PF day.

 

[malpaso]

We where all scathing re Clarkes game but I remember David Parkin saying that after a severe concussion you feel right but the brain just can't keep up with the decision making.Zac did suffer a severe head knock and a seizure a couple of weeks ago.

Yeah very good point and we should all take that into consideration. I remember what Jordan Lewis looked like in his first few games back a couple of years ago, wasn't pretty.

 

[Righteo]

Shattering news for Griffin, don't think he's ever played a final before? Maybe he did with Adelaide but the bloke bleeds purple. What a shame.

Show us what you can do Zac...

 

[The Anchorite]

No Zac, no Jack. Sandi to do it all with chop outs from the other Zac.

 

[StingBitten]

Sandi sole ruck. This way both Taberner and A. Pearce can play.

 

[Beetlebum]

ZacD is designed for ruck work, his main skills are jumping and punching the ball, thankfully in that order.

 

[Kram]

Shattering news for Griffin, don't think he's ever played a final before? Maybe he did with Adelaide but the bloke bleeds purple. What a shame.

Show us what you can do Zac...

Played in an EF in his first year at Adelaide.

 

[apuchar]

It has to be Dawson or Taberner, unless Clarke was told to rest up.

He was awful.

he must have been told to rest up for the second half of the season then

 

[Max Connors]

I'm thinking that Zac Clarke could be used as a shutdown on Reid. Same build and mobility.
Reid was one of the reasons that Sydney got back into the game against us earlier in the year, and IIRC, RTB put Clarke on him in the last which curbed his influence (I will have to re-watch the replay to confirm).

 

[Kram]

If we had Harves as coach still I reckon he would put Pav into the ruck.

 

[freoextra]

As per everyone else I was really unimpressed with Zak's game but if he does not play as the other ruck then Sandi cant go down to full forward and really stretch their defence.

I think we have no option but to play Zak (hope it was concussion that made him so useless last game).

 

[apuchar]

If it is wet, we will probably only need one true ruck in those conditions as Sandi will be unlikely to take many marks up forward anyway . I hope Dawson, if he groins are ok or taberner play.

 

[freoextra]

We where all scathing re Clarkes game but I remember David Parkin saying that after a severe concussion you feel right but the brain just can't keep up with the decision making.Zac did suffer a severe head knock and a seizure a couple of weeks ago.

And Moller comes from the clouds to debut on Saturday after a dazzling 45 hit outs in the Peel final - well he can dream cant he

 

[Kram]

Absolutly gutted for Griff.....

Someone check if his number 1 fan Silent Alarm is ok!

 

[sproketman]

We where all scathing re Clarkes game but I remember David Parkin saying that after a severe concussion you feel right but the brain just can't keep up with the decision making.Zac did suffer a severe head knock and a seizure a couple of weeks ago.

Agree wholeheartedly. Also it's likely that the club knew that Griffin would be unavailable and Clarke was specifically advised not to over exert himself (people should remember that we effectively threw the game on the weekend, little should be read into the performance of any senior player) because we needed backup for Sandi. Hannath and Moller don't cut it in regular season games.

I have been down on Clarke's performances all season, and would prefer Griffin in the team at this stage, but Clarke still has plenty to offer.

 

[Big Animal]

Fyfe can go ruck himself

 

[apuchar]

Agree wholeheartedly. Also it's likely that the club knew that Griffin would be unavailable and Clarke was specifically advised not to over exert himself (people should remember that we effectively threw the game on the weekend, little should be read into the performance of any senior player) because we needed backup for Sandi. Hannath and Moller don't cut it in regular season games.

I have been down on Clarke's performances all season, and would prefer Griffin in the team at this stage, but Clarke still has plenty to offer.

why didn't they rest him then?

 

[salim malik]

why didn't they rest him then?

As Parkin said the player concerned can tick all the boxes but the brain does not react quickly enough under full game pressure. Its a maybe explanation for his poor performance.

 

[sproketman]

why didn't they rest him then?

Because he hadn't played at senior level for 8 weeks and we need a second ruckman for finals.

After his meek efforts against Hawthorn I wouldn't have played him for the rest of the year, but we don't have that luxury.

 

[StingBitten]

As per everyone else I was really unimpressed with Zak's game but if he does not play as the other ruck then Sandi cant go down to full forward and really stretch their defence.

I think we have no option but to play Zak (hope it was concussion that made him so useless last game).

I think it was in early 2013 when Griffin did his ACL and Sandi was out for most of the year when Lyon walked past Clarke and told him 'you need to step up'.

From memory he really did.

Those exacts conditions need to be recreated and Clarke will come out firing.

 

[Freoforever86]

If it's raining, play tabs instead of a 2nd ruck then and extra mid.
Tabs & Dawson to help out Sandi. Dawson to just follow Tippett in.

If dry I feel we might have to go with Clarke & Tabs exclusive fwd

 

[Belnakor]

We where all scathing re Clarkes game but I remember David Parkin saying that after a severe concussion you feel right but the brain just can't keep up with the decision making.Zac did suffer a severe head knock and a seizure a couple of weeks ago.

doesn't explain why he was weak as water earlier in the season.

Clarke also has a terrible finals record. he averages 8 possessions for a full game.

I wouldn't be picking him

 

[E Shed]

Alex Pearce to play forward and give a chop-out when Sandi rests with Dawson to ruck in the backline. Play Brady Grey and he can jump over the top 3rd man up, guy has an insane vertical leap!

 

[calaisking]

The coach added fellow small forward Hayden Ballantyne would be available for selection but was no certainty to be picked, given he has not played since round 16 after having surgery to repair a torn pectoral.

"Hayden's every chance, but he's no guarantee," Lyon said.

If Hayden isn't selected, can he play for Peel in the finals, even though he hasn't played for them all year?

 

[Wizard]

The coach added fellow small forward Hayden Ballantyne would be available for selection but was no certainty to be picked, given he has not played since round 16 after having surgery to repair a torn pectoral.

"Hayden's every chance, but he's no guarantee," Lyon said.

If Hayden isn't selected, can he play for Peel in the finals, even though he hasn't played for them all year?

Yes he can.