Resting Players - Dead Rubber?

[Taylor]

because we want to win week 1 and earn a week off & home prelim

That's what I'm worried about. If we rest players, win that game and front up for the prelim against Hawthorn/Sydney our players will have played two games in four weeks.

 

[Alfonz]

We should definitely rest a few. All this talk of not wanting to flirt with form or whatever, what a load of nonsense. The team is so well drilled that it doesn't matter who plays, as far as keeping to our gameplan.

Give a rest to some/all of Balla, Fyfe, Mayne, Mundy, Clarke, Walters, Barlow, Hill. If Balla plays, I think it would be very silly. Give Crozier a game.

There's also the option to rest them during the game by playing say Fyfe as a permanent forward.

It is effectively a meaningless game. The only significance of this game will be from any injuries we suffer.

 

[coldlunch]

That's what I'm worried about. If we rest players, win that game and front up for the prelim against Hawthorn/Sydney our players will have played two games in four weeks.

agreed, we should be going all in to win the first week of finals.
st kilda next week should be a lead in to that game. i'm not convinced that resting more than 1 or 2 players is of more benefit than keeping momentum.
if we win that first week, we get to rest the WHOLE team and set ourselves up with a home prelim. that should be the aim.

 

[Taylor]

We can't maintain a match fit team missing a fortnight a month.

 

[coldlunch]

We should definitely rest a few. All this talk of not wanting to flirt with form or whatever, what a load of nonsense. The team is so well drilled that it doesn't matter who plays, as far as keeping to our gameplan.

Give a rest to some/all of Balla, Fyfe, Mayne, Mundy, Clarke, Walters, Barlow, Hill. If Balla plays, I think it would be very silly. Give Crozier a game.

There's also the option to rest them during the game by playing say Fyfe as a permanent forward.

It is effectively a meaningless game. The only significance of this game will be from any injuries we suffer.

the problem i have with this is you've just turned a 40-50pt non contest into a potential shit-fight, where the players you didn't rest are far more exposed to the risk of injury and could be spent before next week.

you could also argue the reverse though, i guess. that making the Saints game a more even contest is beneficial practice/experience. there are pros/cons to both.

 

[FyfesBoot]

Looks like it will be Milne, Kosi and Blakes retirement game. Emotion could be high for the Saints.

No tomorrow for these blokes. We should rest Ballas and anybody else likely to be drawn into MRP country.

 

[Borry]

The bench at one stage of the third quarter contained Pav, Fyfe and Ballas as well as Suban who was subbed off.

In Ross we trust. He is managing players quite well whilst making sure we are not taking the foot off the pedal.

 

[Schauermann]

When needed players should be rested. Ballas somehow an obvious one, but think in most cases it should be up to club doctors and fitness staff to make a call on players. Think it is difficult to judge who really needs a rest as an outsider...

 

[rgauci]

Yeah i think we've taken Fyfe, Mundy out of the heat for quite large portions of the game the past month. Good observations made already that they were played forward and back. Sometimes its better to take your best team, obtain a lead, and be allowed to coast then expose our 10-15 weakest to a tough contest.

We need 22 fit and firing, not just the 3-5 we rest. In saying that i'd rest anyone who can't train this week. Anyone needing light duties. So hopefullly only 1-2.

If we get to play on Etihad against Geelong a week later we'll be laughing having this experience.

 

[JungleMuffinFTW]

We should definitely rest a few. All this talk of not wanting to flirt with form or whatever, what a load of nonsense. The team is so well drilled that it doesn't matter who plays, as far as keeping to our gameplan.

Give a rest to some/all of Balla, Fyfe, Mayne, Mundy, Clarke, Walters, Barlow, Hill. If Balla plays, I think it would be very silly. Give Crozier a game.

There's also the option to rest them during the game by playing say Fyfe as a permanent forward.

It is effectively a meaningless game. The only significance of this game will be from any injuries we suffer.

Perhaps the time to rest a few lads for the sake of it was vs GWS or Melbourne. Your'e not going to rest lads the week before finals unless there is a valid reason.

The week before finals, you want your players bang on and ready to rip. There's nothing to gain by resting a player that is fresh.

Slight tangent, but I think Harvey played it beautifully a few years back before the Hawthorn final. Gave the cream a breather, the 2nd tiwer lads got a look in and we also got a look at their setup while keeping our cards up our slave. The dunce muppets on here will never appreciate it, but that shit was pretty. Takes a ballsy coach to make such a mercurial play so close to finals, with such a young and inexperienced team.

 

[PapaJ]

Perhaps the time to rest a few lads for the sake of it was vs GWS or Melbourne. Your'e not going to rest lads the week before finals unless there is a valid reason.

The week before finals, you want your players bang on and ready to rip. There's nothing to gain by resting a player that is fresh.

Slight tangent, but I think Harvey played it beautifully a few years back before the Hawthorn final. Gave the cream a breather, the 2nd tiwer lads got a look in and we also got a look at their setup while keeping our cards up our slave. The dunce muppets on here will never appreciate it, but that shit was pretty. Takes a ballsy coach to make such a mercurial play so close to finals, with such a young and inexperienced team.

Always thought that was the best move ever made by Harvey.

 

[clogged]

We can't maintain a match fit team missing a fortnight a month.

Used to happen in the old final five system. First missed week one, won in week two, missed week three, GF was week four. Under that system first won more often than it does these days.

 

[mattis117]

I think you will find its a 3 week campaign...

You know, that's not necessarily a good thing! Could be LWL

 

[sportsmaniac89]

What is this?

No!

This talk of resting players is absolutely ludicrous. Unless a player is in enough bother to miss a game, we need to be playing out best squad so that we can go into the finals in tip top shape.

Also if we rest players and then lose to St Kilda, that would be unforgivable.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Don't mean to be a wet blanket but over the past four games Ballantyne has been in his best form of the season, career best even.

It would be risky to flirt with that form.

Plus, I don't like this but it's looking like we could be up against Hawthorn not Geelong in week 1.

 

[Mockcockpit]

Why would we even consider resting players if 2nd spot is still possible? Geelong and Brisbane play the same time as us. If Brisbane win they can still play finals. Unlikely as it is while there's still a chance you don't go playing ducks and drakes with your team

 

[pavsbootlace]

The cobblers who do this particular brand of cobbling haven't chosen to rest anyone yet, (except possibly Hill a couple weeks ago). Why would they start resting players now? I doubt they'll flirt with form this close to the big dance.

I suspect that continuing to practice and improve the gameplan is seen as more important.

 

[Pusswah]

Perhaps the time to rest a few lads for the sake of it was vs GWS or Melbourne. Your'e not going to rest lads the week before finals unless there is a valid reason.

The week before finals, you want your players bang on and ready to rip. There's nothing to gain by resting a player that is fresh.

Slight tangent, but I think Harvey played it beautifully a few years back before the Hawthorn final. Gave the cream a breather, the 2nd tiwer lads got a look in and we also got a look at their setup while keeping our cards up our slave. The dunce muppets on here will never appreciate it, but that shit was pretty. Takes a ballsy coach to make such a mercurial play so close to finals, with such a young and inexperienced team.

Yep, that was one of the things he definitely got right, a beautiful move.

 

[Pusswah]

Also, **** York Park.

 

[kp junior]

How'd we go last year when we travelled 2 weeks in a row?

 

[Purple Jesus]

How'd we go last year when we travelled 2 weeks in a row?

We were also pretty cooked last year from memory and had a few carrying injuries. Also lost McPharlin early.

 

[BananaOnTheRun]

We were also pretty cooked last year from memory and had a few carrying injuries. Also lost McPharlin early.

also a six day turnaround between the two finals. that was a big factor.

 

[couldhavebeen]

jungle Muffin I totally agree with you lets face it St Kilda are saying goodbye to some of their stalwarts of the last decade and will throw everything at us including the Kitchen Sink for the win .

The last thing we want is Clarke or Sandi to be injured as we don't have a replacement for them all our reserves have been used.
In saying that Sandi needs a run so I would say Clarke out and Hannath gets another game .
Mundy ,Hill , Barlow , D. Pearce and Fyfe are not any sorer than anybody else ,with the hamstring tightness for Suban we will be resting one already so Crozier can come in for him and Clancie can give Barlow a rest .
Mellington can replace Ballas or Walters depending on Walters knee or ballas shoulder .
So for those that want to temp fate ,what would you suggest .
Mcpharlin needs to prove that his body is right for finals but again watching him training after every one else but Clancie and Simpson had left the track he was only doing straight runs from goal line to goal line so he has a lot of boxes to tick before he will pull on a jumper or jump on a plane to anywhere and Ibbotson was not in any condition to even carry his bags to his car .

The finals start in 2 weeks and short of a miracle we will travel the first week so lets accept that as a given .
The Saints game is just to mark time and see how some of the guys pushing from the WAFL are tracking .

The outs should be Suban , Clarke , Ballas, Walters , Barlow
The ins should be Clancie , Sandi , Crozier , Mellington , Schloithe(Michie 's replacement)

 

[ozzie69]

It would be a shame if we can't get a game into all of Clancee, Macca, Sandi and Ibbo. If these guys do make it, then four senior guys can get a rest and the second tier fill-ins can get another run.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

The good news is , Ross has been in this position before and knows exactly what to do.