Preview R22: Changes vs. West Coast Eagles

[Southerntakeover]

I hate saying it but we can't carry Cook.

Why not?

We've seen some flashes this year, give him a few games. Rash is coming back into that spot at some point you'd think.

 

[Southerntakeover]

No, we need the percentage. Not too much managing for me.

There's no reason we can't manage players and smash them.

But really you're putting the secondary goal first. Beat Collingwood and percentage doesn't matter. Six day break, how do we best prepare for that game.

We've got a gift in terms of having this game now, we'd be crazy not to use it strategically.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Rest a few.

Tex, Isak, Curtin?

Give Edwards a Debut.

You do realise, all Clubs have a week off anyway, prior to week 1 of the Finals

Experimenting with kids at this juncture simply won't happen, unless it's role dependant

 

[Southerntakeover]

You do realise, all Clubs have a week off anyway, prior to week 1 of the Finals

Experimenting with kids at this juncture simply won't happen, unless it's role dependant

A bye three weeks later will certainly help us with the Collingwood game

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

In: Laird, Nankervis, Draper

Out: Smith, Tex (rested), Soligo (rested)

 

[davos44]

Out: Walker, Cook, Soligo, Worrell, Smith
In: Nank, Crouch, Borlase, Laird, Draper/Dowling/Pedlar

Might not be all of these but a combo perhaps.

 

[GI Joe]

I get why folks want to rest Tex, I personally don't think we should, as percentage is still very important to us to finish top 2, Geelong will be breathing down our necks. I would manage Tex's minutes next week plus we have also the pre finals bye.

Out Smith, Cook
In Laird, Nank.

Jones has had 4 games in a row as sub, he may need a full run in the Sanfl.

If so, then Edwards or Draper need a good game today, I would love to give them a hit out next week.

 

[Scorpus]

West Coast are abysmal without Harley Reid

We could keep them goalless the entire game and win by 150

 

[thebirdman 24]

Need to think about the Pies game with changes. They play on the first game of the round and we play the last (thanks again AFL). 5 day break vs 8 day break.

Tex is a certainty you would think. Keays might be one to think about as he was way off yesterday. Maybe give Murray’s knee a week off and play smaller?

 

[Gtowncrow]

I think Walker, Cook and Smith outs are pretty easy. I am guessing the ins will be Pedlar, Laird and Nankervis.

Wouldn’t be opposed to resting Curtin if there’s a feeling it would help him for finals. Only his second season. Same for Soligo or anyone else who needs it.

Biggest issue remains that we don’t have a ton of depth creating pressure - our fringe players like Pedlar, Cook and Smith are not offering a ton when they do come in, and Jones has been a modest sub at best. And there hasn’t been much interest in guys like Edwards on the fringes either.

Would be great to uncover 1 more best 22 level player before September.

Curtin will want a WA game for mates and family reasons.

 

[jamesclean]

Good post on the analysis on the free kicks.

I would love to see a free kick heatmap, they had quality free kick locations compared to us. (A lot were there tbh)

 

[Crow-eater]

I get why folks want to rest Tex, I personally don't think we should, as percentage is still very important to us to finish top 2, Geelong will be breathing down our necks. I would manage Tex's minutes next week plus we have also the pre finals bye.

Out Smith, Cook
In Laird, Nank.

Jones has had 4 games in a row as sub, he may need a full run in the Sanfl.

If so, then Edwards or Draper need a good game today, I would love to give them a hit out next week.

If we can't get a % boost without Tex against the Eagles, bigger questions need to be asked. We need him cherry ripe for Collingwood.

 

[ams4crows]

Controversial I would rest Thilthorpe over Tex this week. Need Thilthorpe cherry ripe to face Collingwood not another 6 day break after travelling to Perth.

If Tex needs a rest (which I don't think he does) I'd save it till North and give him two full weeks off before finals

 

[Bay62]

West Coast are abysmal without Harley Reid

We could keep them goalless the entire game and win by 150

And now Liam Ryan going into the concussion protocols so they won’t have him next week either

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Are West Coast that bad we can play Borlase against them?

Better off giving Toby Murray a game.

 

[ThePrideOf]

I would be resting a few including Tex.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

We need to manage players in need of a break & the club would be better across player workloads... keeping in mind there is a weeks break before finals.

I would go something like...

In: T Murray, Laird, Dowling, Draper, Nankervis
Out: Walker, Hinge, ANB, Smith, Keays

B: Bond, N Murray, Keane
HB: Cumming, Worrell, Milera
C: Soligo, Curtin, Cook
HF: Nankervis, Fogarty, Taylor
F: Rankine, Thilthorpe, Dawson
R: O'Brien, Peatling, Draper
I: Laird, Berry, Jones, T Murray
Sub: Dowling

Look to sub off ROB all going well to manage his minutes, using Thilthorpe & Toby Murray.

 

[Cyclonus]

I've done a ladder predictor with Cats winning out by 60 in each game, and us losing by 20 to Pies and beating WCE and North by 40. Cats pip us for 2nd.

Dial one of our wins up to 60, and we finish 2nd. It's going to be a game of inches.

Go Swans.

And - ugh - go the Paer.

The above is why we shouldn't rest heaps of players. Have to win and win well.

 

[spenze]

I get resting Tex but for everyone else, there is a week off in a month.

 

[huludicidal]

Are West Coast that bad we can play Borlase against them?

They just gave up 10 goals in a quarter to the almighty Dees and have literally won 1 game for the entire season, so, um, yes. Yes they are.

Borlase really only gets exposed if teams are pumping it in relentlessly (ie our midfield is getting smashed). He’s actually really solid when that’s not occurring (as long as his opponent lacks a bit of burst speed) and is a decent depth key defender. Never going to be best 22, but there’s plenty of worse defensive options getting regular game time around the league.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Why not?

We've seen some flashes this year, give him a few games. Rash is coming back into that spot at some point you'd think.

I meant we can't have an invisible player during the finals. Rash won't be ready. Fully expect they will announce his season is done before the end of the H&A.

 

[Mattrox]

I would want Tex rested.

Rest anyone with The General or a slight niggle.

I would persist with Cook to give him confidence.

No omissions. Smith came into consideration to give someone AFL experience if we need to draw on youngsters in finals.

Draper and/or Nank would be who I would consider the top of the depth chart to come in.

But I reckon we will actually go in unchanged.

 

[Coopers]

Maybe we do something a little out of the box? We could rest Tex, play Dawson in Texs role to give him a little bit of a rest from the crash and bash of the midfield, give DC a full game in Dawsons role and then give Cook one final chance with a full game on the wing?

I'd 100% be using this game to rest players as much as is reasonable, and get some time into DC in the mids.

And to give as much gametime as possible as we can to the fringe guys in our team, so that even with Max, Laird, maybe Rash back for a final, then the 2 or so of them that get picked are ready to go.

 

[Coopers]

You do realise, all Clubs have a week off anyway, prior to week 1 of the Finals

Experimenting with kids at this juncture simply won't happen, unless it's role dependant

You do realise, that I don't realise?

Even if I did, what's wrong with resting a lot of them? Rest 5 players, play all the kids.

 

[Mattrox]

Won't be surprised if we bring Crouch in. Need to test how well he fits in the system before trying him against someone like Collingwood.

We would not bring Crouch in. Berry is the guy now. Crouch in if injured. And I'm not sure this year is farewell completely.

We need back up as Draper develops and if Berry gets an injury.