Preview Round 1: GWS vs Geelong, Sat 21 March @ 7:25pm, Giants Stadium

[Live in hope]

Bit of discussion about Zuthrie and Simpson here - neither are favourites of mine, but I think they both might perform better than many think they might, particularly if it’s played in wet conditions.

 

[Vdubs]

Bit of discussion about Zuthrie and Simpson here - neither are favourites of mine, but I think they both might perform better than many think they might, particularly if it’s played in wet conditions.

Is it meant to be wet?
Makes sense then that Stanley is out again?

 

[Spazz Cat]

ZG has plenty of talent.
Not seen much of SS, but if jhe's that talented, why is he always out of the team?

Simpson has had moments that have blown me away TBH.
The luxury Zuthrie has over Simpson is that Zuthrie will play the same position in the AFL as in the VFL.
Simpson plays as an inside mid in the VFL, he is never getting a game there in the AFL ever!
What needs to happen is for him to be played in the forward pocket in the VFL and for him to kick some goals.
Why play him in a spot where he'll never play???

 

[Vdubs]

Simpson has had moments that have blown me away TBH.
The luxury Zuthrie has over Simpson is that Zuthrie will play the same position in the AFL as in the VFL.
Simpson plays as an inside mid in the VFL, he is never getting a game there in the AFL ever!
What needs to happen is for him to be played in the forward pocket in the VFL and for him to kick some goals.
Why play him in a spot where he'll never play???

What about Parsons?
Played him as a small forward (a natural wing/hbf). He's not small.
At VFL, goes back to wing, hbf, lots of possessions.,looks a class above.
Lost confidence, looks as if he's banished.

 

[Spazz Cat]

Happened with Parsons.
Played him as a small forward (a natural wing/hbf). He's not small.
Lost confidence, looks as if he's banished.

Yeah what does he do. Doesn't play there at all, then gets a game at the top level and plays a position he doesn't know.
Parsons has to play HBF every game in the VFL IMO.
He's not gonna get a game in the AFL midfield/wing + he's just not a small forward.

 

[Live in hope]

Where is news on Duncan out for Simpson?
Nothing on AFL or Club site.

 

[bulletproof]

We have an extremely proud record of never ever being smashed (+ ten goals), I reckon since 2007, there would have been less than ten games we have lost by that margin. It is something to be proud of being competitive every week.

Anyhow I think that is going to change this week. I am expecting a heavy loss.

 

[Ray Donovan]

The main problem is GWS are very very good.

The rules are setup for sides who look to score and run. I'm not sure on the margin with shortened quarters but I would expect a 40 point drubbing

GWS in a canter don't have the firepower to match them

 

[BIGANT]

Is it meant to be wet?
Makes sense then that Stanley is out again?

Forecast says temp 24' & 40% chance light showers in the morning & early afternoon.Definitely a guide of ground conditions tonight will be to keep an eye on a big day of races at Rosehill - Golden slipper, track rating of soft6 atm.

 

[Jmac2225]

Honestly what did Stanley do to get on Chris Scotts bad side? I find him to be a very serviceable B grade ruckman who occasionally can lift and look like an A grader.

Surely heads and shoulders above Fort? Or am I under rating Fort from my limited exposure to him?

 

[Ray Donovan]

The truck taking Scott to the asylum should be ordered if he does that. I would have said "even Scott isn't that stupid" but we all know that's not true.

Back up the truck ?

 

[Ray Donovan]

Honestly what did Stanley do to get on Chris Scotts bad side? I find him to be a very serviceable B grade ruckman who occasionally can lift and look like an A grader.

Surely heads and shoulders above Fort? Or am I under rating Fort from my limited exposure to him?

Rhys Stanley for is 29 ( 133 games ) going into AFL season 11.

Season 6 at Geelong never locked down no.1 ruck lol

He is serviceable Geelongs ruck department has just been that bad of recent times.

Fort is better for the team in terms of going forward and being a natural footballer.

Stanley is an athlete but still has no idea how to use that to impact the game properly.

 

[Cataholic]

This isn’t 1980 anymore

Point remains. Bulk isn't everything.

Tuck played in a far more physically violent game than what we have now, so if the kid has talent just let him play on that merit.

Mackie has done it, Taylor too.

 

[calder_daddy]

Point remains. Bulk isn't everything.

Tuck played in a far more physically violent game than what we have now, so if the kid has talent just let him play on that merit.

Mackie has done it, Taylor too.

Sorry but I can’t disagree more, name another player of his size who plays around the mids and forwards at his size
A running half back is different and Taylor is KPD size.

 

[Down at K Park]

Is it meant to be wet?
Makes sense then that Stanley is out again?

Yeah cause an athletic, agile and fast ruckman with good size isn’t preferable in the wet compared to a rake thin, lumbering bean pole like fort. According to chris scott. WTF.

Fort simply isn’t afl standard. At least stanley has had some great games. I’d take inconsistency over being s**t any day though.

 

[Cataholic]

Sorry but I can’t disagree more, name another player of his size who plays around the mids and forwards at his size
A running half back is different and Taylor is KPD size.

I'm just saying that not every guy needs to be bulky.

 

[Jmac2225]

Rhys Stanley for is 29 ( 133 games ) going into AFL season 11.

Season 6 at Geelong never locked down no.1 ruck lol

He is serviceable Geelongs ruck department has just been that bad of recent times.

Fort is better for the team in terms of going forward and being a natural footballer.

Stanley is an athlete but still has no idea how to use that to impact the game properly.

I actually thought Stanley was a few years younger. Dissapointing he lacks the footy nouse to really reach his potential. He's showed in flashes he has the potential to go toe to toe against the best (early game vs Grundy last year) but at 29 yeah its hard to really see him reaching it for any sustained time.

Anyway I will keep a close eye on Fort now, hopefully he has some improvement in him after a full 12 months in the our system.

 

[Ray Donovan]

I actually thought Stanley was a few years younger. Dissapointing he lacks the footy nouse to really reach his potential. He's showed in flashes he has the potential to go toe to toe against the best (early game vs Grundy last year) but at 29 yeah its hard to really see him reaching it for any sustained time.

Anyway I will keep a close eye on Fort now, hopefully he has some improvement in him after a full 12 months in the our system.

Think fort is 26 no idea what's happening this season though.

New age though with mid-season draft and pickups you will see a lot of mature age guys with a shelf life of 5-6 years of footy smashed into the system.

(A) because they are cheap and experienced much easier to evaluate. Because they either step up and make it or don't. They aren't still learning to play or learning to become a young men in a lot of ways.

Yeah everyone gets the Stanley trap even me that game a few years back where he dominated for a half vs port adelaide. The broke his foot or something happened. That's the enigma and also the problem how long ? We know from St kilda he can't play forward.

As a backup or 2nd ruckman though agreed slightly to good to be running around in the magoos a bit like Zac Smith

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

You can't be serious.
Familiarity can bias opinions, I know, but BIG statement.

edit- VFL list, yes.

I'm deadly serious. I've seen Simpson do things that no other player on our list can do. besides maybe Parfitt. His skilset in traffic to dodge and weave around players in a radious of a 20c piece is second to none.

Simpson has had moments that have blown me away TBH.
The luxury Zuthrie has over Simpson is that Zuthrie will play the same position in the AFL as in the VFL.
Simpson plays as an inside mid in the VFL, he is never getting a game there in the AFL ever!
What needs to happen is for him to be played in the forward pocket in the VFL and for him to kick some goals.
Why play him in a spot where he'll never play???

Simpson is a wingman.

 

[Jmac2225]

Yeah cause an athletic, agile and fast ruckman with good size isn’t preferable in the wet compared to a rake thin, lumbering bean pole like fort. According to chris scott. WTF.

Fort simply isn’t afl standard. At least stanley has had some great games. I’d take inconsistency over being s**t any day though.

This was pretty much my initial thought re Fort however to be honest I think I've only seen him play 3 games and he wasn't horrible in Marsh 2 by any stretch.

 

[Purrfect pussy]

Reading the last few pages, bit surprised by some of the discussion between Zuthrie and Simpson.

No, Simpson is not the most talented player on our list, but he does have more talent than Zuthrie. Sam has been unlucky that when he made massive improvements last year, we had other players, playing similar roles, that are simply better than he is.

I really hope Sam gets a few games this year to show his talent because he is so much better now than when he was gifted games a few years ago.

 

[you pick one]

I think you’ll find they played our Best and Fairest winning ruckman

Best and Fairest winning ruckman,who is now averaging 4 HO a game since the abolishment of the 3rd man up,has Scott stuffed up or is Blits just not a ruckmans Ahole in the game today,he got soundly beaten that day in Brisbane in the ruck and had no influence around the ground,but low and behold we try it 2 games latter in the QF final against Grundy,how did that work out again.

 

[foxdog50]

Honestly what did Stanley do to get on Chris Scotts bad side? I find him to be a very serviceable B grade ruckman who occasionally can lift and look like an A grader.

Surely heads and shoulders above Fort? Or am I under rating Fort from my limited exposure to him?

I agree totally about Stanley... But it's worth giving Fort a chance, I'm not sure about straight up in round 1 but I suppose we have to give Fort at least 3 / 4 games as a Number 1 ruck to see how he goes...

But Constable not playing is another story

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Reading the last few pages, bit surprised by some of the discussion between Zuthrie and Simpson.

No, Simpson is not the most talented player on our list, but he does have more talent than Zuthrie. Sam has been unlucky that when he made massive improvements last year, we had other players, playing similar roles, that are simply better than he is.

I really hope Sam gets a few games this year to show his talent because he is so much better now than when he was gifted games a few years ago.

I said he was the most skilled player on our list, not the most talented.

 

[Purrfect pussy]

I said he was the most skilled player on our list, not the most talented.

Apologies! Well I don’t think he’s the most skilled either. Clark, Miers, Duncan, etc. I do agree with the bulk of your argument though. He does have a very strong skill-set.