Prediction R8: Changes vs Saints

[DaveLister]

Didn't feel like Hughes was ready to come in, He had played 1 good game at WAFL level then was the held over emergency.
He was bad, to the extent that he made others around him bad.
I don't like dropping players after 1 game in, so long as they still have potential but if anyone was to make way for johnson to come back in, on form it would have to be him.

I think Hughes has potential and I feel like he's a confidence player and dropping him after 1 game might be a blow.
However I think being a 'confidence player' in the back line isn't justifiable, maybe the Taberner treatment can fix him too.

 

[Docker82]

Honestly the best change would be a natural forward for either Hughes or Duman.

In reality I think we’ll see Johnson come in instead though and play forward.

 

[DaveLister]

Don't think we need Johnson back in.
McCartin is likely to miss, Bruce is out for a lot longer, Membrey isn't in full form after coming back from an injury and is on;y 188cm (although still a very good mark). Hamling and Pearce will be enough to counter Membrey and whichever poor kid is called in to be their full forward.

Walters in and Hughes out is my ideal changes

 

[freo1997]

Honestly the best change would be a natural forward for either Hughes or Duman.

In reality I think we’ll see Johnson come in instead though and play forward.

Hope Johnson stays out. Why do we persist with him?

I believe we need more firepower/natural forwards as well.

 

[E Shed]

I don't know that we have too many in the shed who can catch them the way Cox did. And that play in the 3rd where he turned around, saw Balla running down the other side and kicked it absolutely perfectly about 45M for Balla to run on to.
Ok he didn't do a lot else, but that was impressive.
And just on Cox, the kick from Cerra that gave him a run at the ball was perfect. Not on his head, take note people, out front so he could attack the contest.

The Crow has been really good at home against less pressure, he is one of the few who can kick the ball inside 50 with any degree of accuracy without floating it over the forwards heads.

Hughes was unfortunate to play his first for the year against the highest pressure we've faced. Deserves another chance.
There really isn't anyone on the pine I want to see come in.
No changes.

 

[Deathly]

Hope Johnson stays out. Why do we persist with him?

Because as long as he's on the list the club will be getting the most out of him on-field in his final year, they will want the next generation of defenders sponging up as much as they can from him. There's things you can teach off-field, but the lessons on-field in the heat of the moment really drill into your mind since they're genuine experiences you can properly reflect on and remember there and then.

Johnson has been good this year, I stick by what I said about him after the Derby. The forward / ruck role we had for him in that match didn't end up panning anywhere near as well for him as we would of liked. That was one bad game, but it was due to over-expectations of his now limited physical capabilities. You stick him in D50 and have him lead he's fantastic, you have him running around the ground it's going to be a disaster.

 

[Cobbler]

Not with our current forward line. Need to be realistic. I would be happy just to take the win. Even if its a 20-30 point win.

We’ll blitz them out of the middle and hit guys who are open. We won’t need to bomb long as the Saints pressure will last roughly 6 minutes.

Once the game opens up which will be early we’ll just lower eyes and hit multiple targets.

Guys like Cerra, Ballas, Langdon, McCarthy, Mundy, Matera are all a chance at multiple goals. Then Fyfe, Cox, Neale a resting Sandi may impact score too.

We’ll go home and think yay we have some sort of plan but the reality is the Saints will be nothing more then a training run opposition.

The only reason I’m saying 110-60 is because we have no forward line. This is getting Saints at a time where it’s easy kill.

 

[freo1997]

We’ll blitz them out of the middle and hit guys who are open. We won’t need to bomb long as the Saints pressure will last roughly 6 minutes.

Once the game opens up which will be early we’ll just lower eyes and hit multiple targets.

Guys like Cerra, Ballas, Langdon, McCarthy, Mundy, Matera are all a chance at multiple goals. Then Fyfe, Cox, Neale a resting Sandi may impact score too.

We’ll go home and think yay we have some sort of plan but the reality is the Saints will be nothing more then a training run opposition.

The only reason I’m saying 110-60 is because we have no forward line. This is getting Saints at a time where it’s easy kill.

Absolutely agree this works against the bullies/Gold Coast etc..

But we need the right team balance for when the game isn’t played on our terms which is when playing away or against a top 8 side.

 

[Cobbler]

Absolutely agree this works against the bullies/Gold Coast etc..

But we need the right team balance for when the game isn’t played on our terms which is when playing away or against a top 8 side.

Absolutely. We have too many defenders.

We’re also trialling Kersten in defence and have Logue to come.

Not sure what we do but I’ve already said Fyfe as a permanent forward has so much merit.

The biggest thing it allows is a shuffling of spots on the field opposed to feel the need to bring someone in.

 

[Squishy]

It would be a filthy move to only give Hughes or Cox only 1 game against Richmond at the MCG

 

[scon]

We're rebuilding and so it's beholding on our coaching staff to extract every molecule of development and improvement from the list.
I agree it would be filthy.
I'm a believer in giving a newbie or relative newbie clear KPI's as well as a declared number of games.

 

[freo_leo29]

Hughes marking is something we need in defense, its something our current defense is missing with AP always stuck on a man, I don't trust Hamling, Wilson, Blakely, Hill or Johnno to go back and take a intercept mark, Ryan I did trust but has been going the fist this season.

Hughes is someone I see who will add to our backline if we persist

 

[Freo Dr]

I don't know that we have too many in the shed who can catch them the way Cox did. And that play in the 3rd where he turned around, saw Balla running down the other side and kicked it absolutely perfectly about 45M for Balla to run on to.
Ok he didn't do a lot else, but that was impressive.
And just on Cox, the kick from Cerra that gave him a run at the ball was perfect. Not on his head, take note people, out front so he could attack the contest.

The Crow has been really good at home against less pressure, he is one of the few who can kick the ball inside 50 with any degree of accuracy without floating it over the forwards heads.

Hughes was unfortunate to play his first for the year against the highest pressure we've faced. Deserves another chance.
There really isn't anyone on the pine I want to see come in.
No changes.

Agree but my concern with Cox was he looked damn slow across the ground. Hope I am wrong and it was just first game against a fast side but was concerning. With Dixon+Tabs injured, Strndica still developing (skinny as) and Apeness being maybe slower than Cox is the one to persist with for now. We do at least need a contest in the forward line, cannot forward the oppo defenders to mark it as much as they did, need to at least get it to ground in our forward line. Cox's kicking was good ncluding his set shot - seemed better than last year.

 

[freo1997]

Agree but my concern with Cox was he looked damn slow across the ground. Hope I am wrong and it was just first game against a fast side but was concerning. With Dixon+Tabs injured, Strndica still developing (skinny as) and Apeness being maybe slower than Cox is the one to persist with for now. We do at least need a contest in the forward line, cannot forward the oppo defenders to mark it as much as they did, need to at least get it to ground in our forward line. Cox's kicking was good ncluding his set shot - seemed better than last year.

That set shot was 20 meters out directly in front. That’s ammos stuff.

We’ll see how it is in the following weeks. From what I saw two weekends ago his kicking was still not afl standard.

 

[_007_]

Out: Ballantyne and Hughes

In: Giro and Strnadica

Ryan Hamling Duman
Wilson Pearce Blakely
Tucker Fyfe Hill
McCarthy Cox Mundy
Matera Strnadica Giro

Sandilands Neale Cerra

Brayshaw Crowden Banfield Langdon

That'd be me.

 

[FreoRicci]

Absolutely. We have too many defenders.

We’re also trialling Kersten in defence and have Logue to come.

Not sure what we do but I’ve already said Fyfe as a permanent forward has so much merit.

The biggest thing it allows is a shuffling of spots on the field opposed to feel the need to bring someone in.

Why don't we trial that for a bit this week? Saints have nothing in the middle, throw
Cerra/Neale/Mundy/Brayshaw/Blakely/Banfield there and we ll be okay. Sandi will feed them perfectly.
Think the youngsters should get more game time, really establish their natural positions. Fyfe can rest forward, take some contested marks and a few goals will be handy. Him and Cox will go okay.
Find it puzzling why Ross doesn't put Fyfe forward often, even if he doesn't mark it he creates a contest and the ball spills for the smalls to get into. Ross really needs to be progressive. Dangerfield spent large parts of his gametime up forward. Scott backed his midfield. Martin kicked 6 ffs. Fyfe is capable of the same

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

...
Not sure what we do but I’ve already said Fyfe as a permanent forward has so much merit...

Fyfe would make a great CHF but I reckon he is the one who is reluctant to play permanently

Why don't we trial that for a bit this week? Saints have nothing in the middle, throw
Cerra/Neale/Mundy/Brayshaw/Blakely/Banfield there and we ll be okay. Sandi will feed them perfectly.
Think the youngsters should get more game time, really establish their natural positions. Fyfe can rest forward, take some contested marks and a few goals will be handy. Him and Cox will go okay.
Find it puzzling why Ross doesn't put Fyfe forward often, even if he doesn't mark it he creates a contest and the ball spills for the smalls to get into. Ross really needs to be progressive. Dangerfield spent large parts of his gametime up forward. Scott backed his midfield. Martin kicked 6 ffs. Fyfe is capable of the same

I wonder how much that has to do with Fyfe. I reckon Fyfe doesn't want to play the majority of his time as a forward; he much prefers the midfield. I also reckon that Fyfe would give clear feedback to Lyon if he thought he was being played forward too much.

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

After saying that, I agree with with you! It has always bemused me when people talk about Freo needing recruit a key forward when we have potentially the best CHF in the league playing ruck-rover.

Fyfe as a permanent CHF would be a 50 goal a year player. And just as importantly, he would help create goals for other forwards.

So in my fantasy world for this week: keep the 22 the same, but push Blakely/Hill/Cerra more into the midfield and send Fyfe to CHF & McCarthy to HFF. Fyfe would kick a couple, and attract defenders allowing guys like McCarthy more separation and therefore kick more goals too.

 

[Joao]

After saying that, I agree with with you! It has always bemused me when people talk about Freo needing recruit a key forward when we have potentially the best CHF in the league playing ruck-rover.

Fyfe is arguably the best midfielder in the league.

I have not seen anywhere near enough when he is forward of the ball to make me think he is that effective as a forward.
1.) He takes most of his forward marks drifting into packs
2) Anecdotally he takes most marks when he takes a midfielder forward and not when he has a genuine KPP on him
3) He is an average field kick and not really suited to inside 50 delivery (ala Riewoldt or Tex)
4) He is an average kick for goal

I am sure he would be a good forward but he is a great midfielder. Absolutely bonkers to play him there permanently.

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

Fyfe is arguably the best midfielder in the league.

I have not seen anywhere near enough when he is forward of the ball to make me think he is that effective as a forward.
1.) He takes most of his forward marks drifting into packs
2) Anecdotally he takes most marks when he takes a midfielder forward and not when he has a genuine KPP on him
3) He is an average field kick and not really suited to inside 50 delivery (ala Riewoldt or Tex)
4) He is an average kick for goal

I am sure he would be a good forward but he is a great midfielder. Absolutely bonkers to play him there permanently.

Absolutely he is a better midfielder today than he is a forward. He worked bloody hard to make himself into an elite midfielder. I reckon he could make himself into an elite key forward as well.
I don't believe that this is what he wants out of his career, so its all moot. But from a team point of view, its probably easier to recruit/develop an elite midfielder than an elite forward. (Note: I'm not saying that it is easy to recruit/develop an elite midfielder, just that its easier).

 

[Son of a Wizard]

Kersten and Johnson in for Crowden and Duman.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Joao]

Absolutely he is a better midfielder today than he is a forward. He worked bloody hard to make himself into an elite midfielder. I reckon he could make himself into an elite key forward as well.
I don't believe that this is what he wants out of his career, so its all moot. But from a team point of view, its probably easier to recruit/develop an elite midfielder than an elite forward. (Note: I'm not saying that it is easy to recruit/develop an elite midfielder, just that its easier).

Fair enough, I personally don't think he could get near the equivalent level of forward that he is mid and as such wouldn't recommend he try it even if he wanted to.

 

[heavho]

Out : dunman
In: Johnson


It should be as simple as that. If we fail to turn up and win against the saints then load up on the changes. Johnson brings in a load of experience down back even though he is near the end of his career.

This is a must win game after such a poor first half against the tigers. If we don’t win this we should not just look at the players but what else is happening internally with the club. Ross questioned players pre game and lead up to game day in his post match press conference against the tigers. Something else that needs to be questioned

 

[salim malik]

Fyfe is arguably the best midfielder in the league.

I have not seen anywhere near enough when he is forward of the ball to make me think he is that effective as a forward.
1.) He takes most of his forward marks drifting into packs
2) Anecdotally he takes most marks when he takes a midfielder forward and not when he has a genuine KPP on him
3) He is an average field kick and not really suited to inside 50 delivery (ala Riewoldt or Tex)
4) He is an average kick for goal

I am sure he would be a good forward but he is a great midfielder. Absolutely bonkers to play him there permanently.

This is all true but at the minute as good as Fyfe is in the midfield in means bugger all if we can't win the big games. We need to knock of the Richmonds of the comp. A half forward line of Bennell, Fyfe and Walters is what wet dreams are made of. I've been waiting for 2 long years to see that line up.

 

[Moo]

To me the most shocking thing is we're not experimenting with it.

Throw Fyfe forward against the Saints and give him pre-determined bursts onto the ball.

If it flops or it's easily countered ...great - tick and go back to small stints forward. However if he kicks 6 and/or suddenly our smalls are getting off the leash or Cam is finding space to lead into to because Fyfe is drawing a crowd - well then you can build on it.

This season isn't just about getting games into kids, it's also about refining roles.