Preview R4: Changes vs. Gold Coast Suns (Match of the Round!!!)

[ams4crows]

We may need to sacrifice Worrell to play on King and have Curtin as the lose interceptor, a lot to ask of a young player but we don't really have many 198cm plus athletic beasts on the list to go with that monster GC forward line

 

[Mutineer]

Current form was the argument when they selected Himmelberg ahead of Thilthorpe. BF smashed them over it.

Now you're suggesting that they should pick current form over talent when it comes to Nank vs Milera?

This is the point I'm making. BF picks & chooses when players should be picked on form or talent, with zero consistency, as it's based entirely on who happens to be the board's favourite at that particular point in time.

Milera was quiet this week, but he was good vs Essendon. Players should not be dropped after 1 bad game (and Milera wasn't even bad against Norf - quiet yes, bad no).

You might be convinced Milera has more talent than Nankervis but I'm most certainly not, and currently it's really no contest.

Here's their relevant 2nd year stats for comparison.

Nankervis

Luke Nankervis of the Adelaide Crows AFL Games Played Stats

Luke Nankervis of the Adelaide Crows AFL games played and stats.

www.footywire.com

Milera

Wayne Milera of the Adelaide Crows AFL Games Played Stats

Wayne Milera of the Adelaide Crows AFL games played and stats.

www.footywire.com

 

[Eagleboy2011]

You might be convinced Milera has more talent than Milera but I'm most certainly not, and currently it's really no contest.

Here's their relevant 2nd year stats for comparison.

Nankervis

Luke Nankervis of the Adelaide Crows AFL Games Played Stats

Luke Nankervis of the Adelaide Crows AFL games played and stats.

www.footywire.com

Milera

Wayne Milera of the Adelaide Crows AFL Games Played Stats

Wayne Milera of the Adelaide Crows AFL games played and stats.

www.footywire.com

Am I reading that correctly? Did you mean Nank?

 

[Redline]

I beg to differ. It sends the message to our players that we care about player welfare.

We're not Geelong, but Tex's situation is VERY similar to Hawkins' - in that he needs to be managed to ensure his aging body can get through the full season.

If Tex is injured he shouldn't play but if he is fit then its madness. No one made him play on so the welfare issue seems a bit weak.

If he is to sore then that's a concern after three rounds. He will cop it from everywhere and rightly so if he sits it out. If he is even slightly competitive he will want to play and I am sure he will.

Geelong were regular finals contenders so getting Hawkins right for September made sense. We are not at that point. We need to win enough games to make it. Then maybe worry about a rest.

 

[jenny61_99]

In: Butts, Nankervis, Taylor
Out: Borlase, Milera, Rachele

B: Laird, Butts, Keane
HB: Michaelanny, Worrell, Hinge
C: Sholl, Dawson, Cumming
HF: ANB, Fogarty, Peatling
F: Keays, Thilthorpe, Walker
R: OBrien, Soligo, Rankine
I: Nankervis, Crouch, Curtin, Draper
Sub: Taylor

How did Butts play on the weekend? I reckon I'd give Borlase another shot.

 

[Eagleboy2011]

wow Thats a good percentage by GC.

 

[GROTTO]

wow Thats a good percentage by GC.


View attachment 2267657

They have kept the opposition in both their games to 8 goals or less in 2025.

 

[Vader]

If Tex is injured he shouldn't play but if he is fit then its madness. No one made him play on so the welfare issue seems a bit weak.

If he is to sore then that's a concern after three rounds. He will cop it from everywhere and rightly so if he sits it out. If he is even slightly competitive he will want to play and I am sure he will.

Geelong were regular finals contenders so getting Hawkins right for September made sense. We are not at that point. We need to win enough games to make it. Then maybe worry about a rest.

He shouldn't be playing regardless. This is all about managing him, to make sure that he's still playing good football at the end of the season.

We have a 5-day turnaround between the GC and Geelong games. The last thing we need is Tex playing in hot/steamy conditions in QLD, and having only 5 days to recover for the next game.

Tex should not be boarding any flights to QLD or WA between now and the start of September.

 

[Vader]

wow Thats a good percentage by GC.


View attachment 2267657

It doesn't hurt that they've played Melbourne & West Coast.

They should be a much improved team this year, like us - but there's not a lot to be taken away from their first 2 games, given the complete lack of opposition.

This is clearly our biggest test of the season so far.

 

[Vince in Tassie]

It doesn't hurt that they've played Melbourne & West Coast.

They should be a much improved team this year, like us - but there's not a lot to be taken away from their first 2 games, given the complete lack of opposition.

This is clearly our biggest test of the season so far.

Yep, they beat Demons by 10 goals, North beat Demons by 10 goals, we beat North by 6 goals.
But of course, it's never that simple.

 

[Coopers]

Yep, they beat Demons by 10 goals, North beat Demons by 10 goals, we beat North by 6 goals.
But of course, it's never that simple.

Melbourne also almost beat GWS.

Who knows. I'm not sure GC are "flying" any more than we were after our first two games.

 

[Cromulant]

Melbourne also almost beat GWS.

Who knows. I'm not sure GC are "flying" any more than we were after our first two games.

On a wet shocking day at the G.

Conditions brought the Giants, who had a lot of key players missing, down a few pegs.

 

[Scorpus]

Rachele out for 4-6 weeks with fractured ribs

 

[GROTTO]

Rachele out for 4-6 weeks with fractured ribs

That would pencil in his potential return around the time of the Showdown.

 

[Cromulant]

Yeah damn, the guy has had a ripper start to the year.

 

[MrBarry]

Rachele out for 4-6 weeks with fractured ribs

Never understood the teeth bashing over Rachele backing into contests.... That injury could have been avoided.

 

[PeterSalt]

Injury Update: Josh Rachele

Rachele was injured in a marking contest in the first quarter of the Round Three game

www.afc.com.au

 

[StickerMan]

Pedlar for Rachele
Nank for Milera or Sholl

 

[MRB37]

Rachele out for 4-6 weeks with fractured ribs

Lachie Murphy, come on dowwwwwnnnnnn!

 

[1990crow]

Lachie Murphy, come on dowwwwwnnnnnn!

He didn't even play forward in the sanfl though

 

[Eddie Murphy]

We've trained Taylor in a forward role all summer. He clearly showed he was at the level last year and that spot in the team has now opened. Simply has to be him.

 

[Eddie Murphy]

OUT: Rachele (inj), Borlase, Milera
IN: Taylor, Butts, Nankervis

Whether we can hold out til Round 7 vs Freo to rest Tex or not is up to our strength and conditioning team.

 

[davos44]

I get why this is being suggested but I don't like it. Gold Coast are a major challenger this year and we shouldn't be picking and choosing games. I think it sends a poor message to the group that should of been removed over summer.

Sure it's a long flight but he is professional AFL footballer. He is also not Tom Hawkins and we are not Geelong.

If the other argument is forward structure which I think has merit, why do so many people lose their minds over Kane Cornes / Jono Brown comments.

Kane deliberately says things to stir up controversy, of course he was going to say "drop Tex" after 1 game. He also said Sam Mitchell has destroyed Hawthorn for cutting too deep on a rebuild at the start of 2023 (like dumping Kyle Hartigan was ever a bad call).

Your point is really valid that he's a professional and we should be going into every game with our best 23.

I just think that the GC game is droppable (or at least taking a conservative approach on) considering we have 14 games before a bye and Gold Coast have 2 byes in that time.

We should do the same with Hawks in Tas and Dogs at Ballarat. If we win 1 of the 3 were golden.

 

[jo172]

Nankervis deserves the in.

Won't squeal too much if it's any of Cook, Pedlar or Taylor given the specific nature of the role to be played.

Will squeal if it's 4.

 

[OccamsRazorRay]

It'll be Draper on and rotate smalls through the fwd line. I actually thought Sholl had a quiet game compared to last week. Seems to struggle with consistency, and definitely had issues with the physicality of the game yesterday. I'd have no issues with Sholl making way for Nank, who is taller and would suit a bit better against a faily tall/physical GC team. If Tex doesn't make the trip then for me it's an easy one with Rachele/Tex out and Draper/Nank in, Pedlar to sub.