Preview R2: Changes v Port

[earlsta]

Don't be fooled by Gibsons's height. He's an attacking key defender that can still play on kp's.
Lever is more like him than Cheney.
Watch the game.

 

[Stiffy_18]

The issue with playing Talia, Lever and Hartigan is what happens when they play Westhoff up field and go with a small forward line (Gray, Wingard)? The beauty of someone like Jeremy McGovern is that he can cope on a genuine key forward, a resting ruckman and a mobile forward. Makes their defence very versatile.

Lever is mobile enough to go with him further up the ground. I am not too worried about that to be honest.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Lever is mobile enough to go with him further up the ground. I am not too worried about that to be honest.

Hartigan is also a great athlete, options are there now.

 

[GreyCrow]

Lake Frawley Gibson?
Hmm

Sounds like a lake in Canberra

 

[GreyCrow]

Lever is mobile enough to go with him further up the ground. I am not too worried about that to be honest.

I am slightly concerned but I will see how he goes. I like Lever I just worry Westhoff will test his endurance

 

[1970crow]

I'm fine with Van berlo out, but bringing Hartigan in is pretty clearly a panic move. Bolstering the defence when it was our demonstrably weak midfield that caused the loss isn't really a step forward.

We'll be seeing two bottom 10 sides playing off for little more than pride Saturday afternoon.

Ha, ha. Cheney is playing VB's role because he's quicker, more agile, better disposer, better overhead, better body on body. Ok, he can't run a 2.2km time trial in runners as quickly, but he can actually defend on a footy field. Can you believe how wrong your structure belief was? I hope you didn't spend too long discussing it, otherwise you might have looked a bit silly. But gee, you were very confident when you testified at me.

 

[BRL121]

I hope Seedsman and Smith can make use of the long ball out of defence and get over the back of their set up.

Saint Kilda did it well, it only fell down once their kicking started letting them down and they became predictable getting it out of HB in the last quarter. The last quarter every exit from the backline from them was to the Members side. Got no idea why they kept doing this. Port set up for this and put it back into their forward line.

Good summary. St Kilda were fast and impressive at breaking for 3 quarters. Their ruckman was mobile and fantastic: I'd like to get him! In the last, the first half was a stalemate, with St Kilda completely unable to exit their defence, before they later got tired and gave up and the inevitable happened. They got outlasted.

 

[Red mist]

We'd still be seeing two bottom 10 sides playing off for little more than pride Saturday afternoon, but I'd be a little more confident about the staff and their plans for getting us into a position to contend in 2018/2019

I agree. An aggressive top four opening isn't ready for a couple of seasons. Do you like the Coach.

 

[1970crow]

It's not going to change this season no, but I'd rather we spend the year with the right defenders playing the preferred setup and learning it going forward, leaving the midfield to stand on their own, and find out definitively who can, and who can't, instead of rushing to find stopgaps that minimise the impact of the weak midfield on results, knowing full well that the title cannot be won that way.

If we're going to have another losing season, let's at least make sure it's an actual learning experience, and with good draft picks at the end, rather than a press conference "learning experience".

That's what we've done. As Lever bulks up he will be able to play that, but right now he's young and agile, so can play smaller. It's hard to take anything you post seriously seeing as this structure you refer to is in your head based on your own idiotic bias. And what do you know if winning the title, you've backed in every selection decision for yonks until a favoured plodder is replaced by a player you don't like. Now you think they nailed it based on one game with a smaller backline that failed us last year as well.

 

[rocket18]

But you still do it every week!!!! And it's not even your opinion, "I support the selectors you guys are idiots" doesn't count

Took the words right out of my mouth, be great if these guys had an opinion - not just agree and defend every selection decision with they are best 22 cos the coach selected them routine.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Gibson is not a key defender. He never has been, never will be, and I wish people would stop perpetuating that ridiculous notion. He has always been a running third tall defender who could play tall in a pinch, like Cheney but vastly better.

Who is hawthorn's current chb?

I'll give you a clue - his last name is Gibson.

 

[1970crow]

You're looking at the wrong player, and misreading what I typed. The panic isn't dropping Van Berlo, the panic is replacing him with Hartigan. Take the bitch tinted glasses off for a moment, ta.

Your structure belief was wrong. You've never been a good judge, just let it go.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Isn't Gibson the same height (or similar) to Cheney?

Gibson is 1.89m

Cheney 1.87m

Gibson has had success as a kpp defender, whereas Cheney hasn't as not tall enough.

Can't believe so many haven't realised this after last season when Cheney's worst games were on kpp forwards & his best were in smallerplayers.

 

[BACCS]

Gibson is 1.89m

Cheney 1.87m

Gibson has had success as a kpp defender, whereas Cheney hasn't as not tall enough.

Can't believe so many haven't realised this after last season when Cheney's worst games were on kpp forwards & his best were in smallerplayers.

Gibson gets monstered by the genuine KPF's as well though, just like Cheney. However, they can play on the 3rd tallest forward as they are smart at reading the play and using their body.

 

[BACCS]

Your structure belief was wrong. You've never been a good judge, just let it go.

You could probably let it go as well, but that never happens on BF.

 

[pjcrows]

Tex "isn't 100% but will be fine".

Interesting to just flat out say that.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

I'm hoping the angry ginger gets a bit of one-on-one time with Gray…we should be hammering Gray and Wingard like Betts cops it every week.

 

[1970crow]

I actually expect him to do well at SANFL level. The pace of afl has passed him by but he should be too good for SANFL. The challenge will be for our selectors to ignore him going forward.

But he's not. He was average last year until he played loose (12 uncontested marks) and got a heap of touches. When in a contest where agility and speed is required he's crap and that won't change at SANFL level.

 

[Red mist]

There's still no denying at the end of the day we have a major midfield problem.

 

[pjcrows]

There's still no denying at the be of the day we have a major midfield problem.

We lack class and will miss Dangerfield, obviously.

 

[hey shorty]

There's still no denying at the be of the day we have a major midfield problem.

I think it'll get better. Crouch x2 will improve as the year goes on and Sloane won't be that bad again

 

[Red mist]

We lack class and will miss Dangerfield, obviously.

We may have taps to advantage with Sauce but good mids are going to read us like a book. I just feel like our only choice is to lock it in at times. Obviously we need Smith and Seed on the outside of the contest to be dynamic.

 

[1970crow]

You could probably let it go as well, but that never happens on BF.

His entire argument is based on a structure and player's attributes that he manufactured in his head. He was wrong and he's perpetuating this by claiming we've panicked. Teague admitted they probably erred last week in not going in with the extra tall. They get it wrong, they're not perfect. But I see you think they got it right again this week. Batting 1000 Baccs, you're a superb judge mate.

 

[GreyCrow]

We'd still be seeing two bottom 10 sides playing off for little more than pride Saturday afternoon, but I'd be a little more confident about the staff and their plans for getting us into a position to contend in 2018/2019

I cant come at that. I believe we are always in contention every year. Even my brother said '' oh the Crows should finish out of the 8 so we have a better draw next year and we can take advantage of that'' Smack wake up to yourself. Yes we will be better next year and the year after, but never ever not play to win it all this year

 

[1970crow]

There's still no denying at the end of the day we have a major midfield problem.

And you're suggesting the solution is to purposefully play a weaker defense? How bad they're going isn't rekevant to us putting our best defensive structure on the deck.

Oh, I think I get it, if the midfield was better we could afford to carry our favoured out of form plodders.