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

[Ham]

I think Draper effectively replaced Rachele.

Played 64% forward half, low posession game with two goals.

Only attended 1 CBA as well.


The Essendon game Draper attended 13 CBAs, coming on late as sub. With a closer to 50/50 split across the field.



I am hoping this week Draper starts in the 22 and part of the midfield/CBA rotation.

yeah im happy to be wrong,

just noted Peatling had 3 CBAs in the first quarter and only 2 more for the match compared to 21 week prior
and 9 score involvements, compared to 4 score week prior
its great he can play multiple roles - and if Tex is rested we are missing two of our top score involvement players

also found it interesting from the interview, Nicks commented he's happy for oppo players to rack up 20 possessions to half time if we are still winning - history would back that up

 

[George CantStandYa]

yeah im happy to be wrong,

just noted Peatling had 3 CBAs in the first quarter and only 2 more for the match compared to 21 week prior
and 9 score involvements, compared to 4 score week prior
its great he can play multiple roles - and if Tex is rested we are missing two of our top score involvement players

also found it interesting from the interview, Nicks commented he's happy for oppo players to rack up 20 possessions to half time if we are still winning - history would back that up

Only 3? Do you have the rest of the numbers?

 

[FR0GGY]

Only 3? Do you have the rest of the numbers?

 

[FR0GGY]

yeah im happy to be wrong,

just noted Peatling had 3 CBAs in the first quarter and only 2 more for the match compared to 21 week prior
and 9 score involvements, compared to 4 score week prior
its great he can play multiple roles - and if Tex is rested we are missing two of our top score involvement players

also found it interesting from the interview, Nicks commented he's happy for oppo players to rack up 20 possessions to half time if we are still winning - history would back that up

Interesting just looked and peatling didn’t get a cba after half time, not sure at what point he stopped getting cbas in the second but it looks like he and Draper covered Josh.

 

[Cromulant]

Interesting just looked and peatling didn’t get a cba after half time, not sure at what point he stopped getting cbas in the second but it looks like he and Draper covered Josh.

His first half was enormous, reckon he had 15 or 16 touches in the first half alone.

 

[GreyCrow]

Interesting just looked and peatling didn’t get a cba after half time, not sure at what point he stopped getting cbas in the second but it looks like he and Draper covered Josh.

Hopefully its not a trend but it could be interpreted that Nicks saw the 8 point lead at half time and panicked/decided to leave the grunt boys in the middle

Soligo, Dawson, Rankine and Crouch looked like they carried most of the load

Yet looking at CrowCast Clearance footage 3 of those were the main offenders in letting North run free

 

[Crow_Magnon]

The other option is to bring Nank in, move Milera up to half-forward to replace Rachele as he can be a slippery customer at times, and isn't a great defender anyway. I'd still bring in Butts for Keane (or Borlase, who's solid, but dreadfully slow) for the King match-up also, and then move Draper into the 22, and replace his sub role with a Berry / Dowling / Taylor type (2 of these into the side if we rest Tex, which I think we will). Curtin to CHF as a direct Tex replacement. Reckon with the predicted weather and short turnaround for Geelong this makes the most sense.

 

[GreyCrow]

Nank is Mileras replacement and moving Milera wont work

Nicks likes his like for like and he likes Murphy as a fwd which replaces like for like Rachele

I am at acceptance

 

[George CantStandYa]

Think it’s Draper to Rach role, Nank to sub and that’s it.

Although I’d move Cumming to half back, Nank to wing and Milera sub.

There is no case for Murphy to play as he’s playing midfield in the SANFL, we don’t need a mid otherwise we play Draper there.

Murphy doesn’t kick goals and his style of forward has been taken over by ANB.

 

[Sizzlepack]

Some good analysis on the Suns' current profile in this piece: https://www.hpnfooty.com/thisweekinfootball/2025/04/02/round-4-2025/

 

[CrowBloke]

I was surprised, I thought he was going to say he wanted him to be an option on the other wing.
But he literally said he didn’t want him where the ball was.

Edit: Heard another snippet of this this morning and he literally said his role was to run to the boundary to create space to allow the halfbacks to come through.

Strange things happen in here.
Two people look at the same player in the same game do the same stuff and one will say:
"X was really good", while the other will say:
"Nah, X was terrible".

I appreciate your reply.
I do, but what you've said didn't clarify things for me at all.
I mean, "don't be where the ball is" ...??

 

[GreyCrow]

Strange things happen in here.
Two people look at the same player in the same game do the same stuff and one will say:
"X was really good", while the other will say:
"Nah, X was terrible".

I appreciate your reply.
I do, but what you've said didn't clarify things for me at all.
I mean, "don't be where the ball is" ...??

Dont clog up the space

BUT

Be an outlet option

I reckon many of us have played on grounds where 1 wing was the preferred side - it happens

But every now and then the full back would forget himself and kick the wrong side and give a stat to the shape keeper

I recall many a time running up and down - on my own - yelling for the switch pass - without much success

 

[1970crow]

View attachment 2270337

Great, back to the 4 man deep stoppage rotation, a real winning strategy.

 

[WheresGroomgone]

Should be banned for that

I agree but the joy was completely sarcastic.

As soon as Nicks in his presser said some guys are playing their best ever footy in the SANFL [one game] I assumed he was talking Murphy who amassed 26 disposals for what must be the first time in a number of years.

Lets all pray to Baby Jesus that he was speaking of Nankervis Schoenberg Pedlar Taylor Edwards or even Ned Atkinson!

 

[Golumless]

Nank is Mileras replacement and moving Milera wont work

Nicks likes his like for like and he likes Murphy as a fwd which replaces like for like Rachele

I am at acceptance

Yup, as always, it's structure above all with selections.

Mind you, if Murphy is in, it's most likely to be the sub with Draper moving into the forward line.

 

[GreyCrow]

Yup, as always, it's structure above all with selections.

Mind you, if Murphy is in, it's most likely to be the sub with Draper moving into the forward line.

Hope so

 

[Pugsley]

I think Laird is looking good down back, Nank is a very good player. We need him in the team too but who do we drop?


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Milera.

 

[CrowBloke]

also found it interesting from the interview, Nicks commented he's happy for oppo players to rack up 20 possessions to half time if we are still winning - history would back that up

It explains why he doesn't seem bothered we've had 72, 100 and 78 points kicked on us.
In a tough final against miserly defence, any of those could be a winning score.
I don't see how that's good for us.
This: "if we are still winning [to half time]" means he's ignoring (or just not seeing) that the game has not yet been won, and shutting down a half-time-20-possession player who's on a roll like that might be crucial to our winning the game, half a game later.

 

[George CantStandYa]

Yup, as always, it's structure above all with selections.

Mind you, if Murphy is in, it's most likely to be the sub with Draper moving into the forward line.

Murphy isn’t an impact player and would be an idiotic sub selection

 

[DJ75]

Think it’s Draper to Rach role, Nank to sub and that’s it.

Although I’d move Cumming to half back, Nank to wing and Milera sub.

There is no case for Murphy to play as he’s playing midfield in the SANFL, we don’t need a mid otherwise we play Draper there.

Murphy doesn’t kick goals and his style of forward has been taken over by ANB.

I hope this is right, but I fear Nicks will Nicks us all.

 

[CrowBloke]

Nank is Mileras replacement and moving Milera wont work

Nicks likes his like for like and he likes Murphy as a fwd which replaces like for like Rachele

I am at acceptance

Given up, you mean?

I am consistently disappointed by Nicks' fixed ideas and inflexibility.
The man's stubbornness has, and will, cost us development and growth.

 

[Scorpus]

Murphy isn’t an impact good player and would be an idiotic sub selection in any role

Fixed that for you

 

[George CantStandYa]

View attachment 2270337

And interestingly Peatling only attended 5 and had 3 centre clearances.

Crouch and Dawson combined for 47 and 3.

WTF, why wouldn’t Peatling be attending more?

 

[FR0GGY]

And interestingly Peatling only attended 5 and had 3 centre clearances.

Crouch and Dawson combined for 47 and 3.

WTF, why wouldn’t Peatling be attending more?

Well crouch isn’t flexible so he can’t play forward.
Dawson can but I guess crouch and peatling are too similar.

 

[Betts are off]

I'm not sure challenging ball movement is one of our strengths.

I think we are doing pretty good this year. It helps when we are so explosive offensively, add's pressure to their defenders/mids as they know if they stuff up there is a high chance the ball will sail back over their heads and through the goals.

Out of interest I checked out the team stats on Wheelo rating and there's some interesting categories that we are high up on to start the season.
#1 Disposals per opposition tackle
Bottom 4 for turnovers
#2 of Total possessions
#1 for Post clanger ground ball gets
#2 for center clearances (behind the Suns)
#1 for score off turnover
#2 score from stoppage (behind the Suns)
#1 for scores from defensive half
#2 for defensive 1 on 1 contests

I think its a little early to tell if these stats are a flash in the pan or the reality of the season. But it paints the picture of a team that wins more than its share of contests, protects the ball better then essentially every other team, and burns the opposition from their mistakes.