Preview Round 14 – Fremantle vs GWS Giants, Saturday 29th August 2020, Optus Stadium, 4.35pm

[Land of the Giants]

So, what did we learn from Round 13, apart from the aggressive tendencies of some ex-girlfriends in the West?

We still have a serious problem with inconsistency. This time, after yet another pathetic first half, someone finally found the keys to the engine, and we won the second half 6.1 to 4.3, more than doubling our score in the last quarter. The Eagles seemed to be tiring and if it hadn’t been for Jeremy McGovern, we might have gone on with it. But it was all a bit too late.

Well done Jake Riccardi. You showed plenty of composure on a solid debut, and played like you really wanted to be out there. Perhaps your intent was noticed by a few of your more illustrious team mates. We can only hope.

Where to from here? The equation is pretty simple. To have any chance of playing finals, we have to win all five remaining games, starting this Saturday against Fremantle, again in Perth. After that, it’s Carlton at Metricon, the Crows in Adelaide, Melbourne at the Gabba, and St. Kilda, supposedly somewhere in NSW. The good news is that all of these games are winnable. The bad news is that they’re also all losable.

The team can probably stay as it is for a while, although we need to replace Ward, who unfortunately sustained a compound fracture to a finger in the third quarter. We have a few options to replace him, so it shouldn't be too difficult.

But moving forward, we have to consistently show the belief and desire that was there in the last quarter.

It’s up to you Giants. You have to want it.

 

[dlanod]

Well that's our three shockers out of the way. Now for two or three solid wins. I don't know that we can string together five though - it feels like it's been a long while since we've done that.

 

[Colonial]

There was some fight, once again when a half had already happened, ffs.

In - Green, Flynn, Davis and MDB

Out - Ward, Mummy, Keefe, Caldwell.

The last 2 quarters were much better, very much over giving teams a 4 goal head start though and we need to fix our fwd entries big time.

 

[Pres]

Out - Ward, Mummy, Keefe, Caldwell.

Lol. No chance. Leon was on at half time singing his praises.

 

[Pres]

Sad Ward is injured but the reality is he has no position in this side any more. Pushed out of the midfield and his kicking is way too iffy to play HBF. And he's not creative like Williams or Ash.

Season effectively gone now. I'd be getting games into both Flynn and Cumming as both address key structural needs going forward.

 

[Pres]

Lol. No chance. Leon was on at half time singing his praises.

EDIT: Just watched the presser. Leon said that Mumford was "enormous" and "phenomenal".

 

[Colonial]

Lol. No chance. Leon was on at half time singing his praises.

I can hope

 

[Land of the Giants]

Sad Ward is injured but the reality is he has no position in this side any more. Pushed out of the midfield and his kicking is way too iffy to play HBF. And he's not creative like Williams or Ash.

We miss Ward's natural authority as captain.

 

[dlanod]

Both Jacobs and Mumford aren't of much use in the actual ruck these days, but at least Mumford isn't useless once the ball hit the grounds. Jacobs showed some adequate link up running (unlike Mumford) earlier in the year but that disappeared relatively quickly unfortunately.

 

[Danny88]

Mumford probably holds his spot. I would like to see Flynn have a run at the ruck position but don’t know if him as the primary Ruck is a good move so early after coming back from a knee as I haven’t seen him live.

anyone see any match footage this year of Flynn?

 

[Pres]

We miss Ward's natural authority as captain.

Agree 1000%

 

[Danny88]

Minimal changes for me. If Phil is right to go then he comes in. Maybe green if there is a sore midfielder

 

[Determinant]

Mumford probably holds his spot. I would like to see Flynn have a run at the ruck position but don’t know if him as the primary Ruck is a good move so early after coming back from a knee as I haven’t seen him live.

anyone see any match footage this year of Flynn?

I'd like to see both Flynn and Briggs in for Mumford and any of the talls.
Both can play forward, Flynn probably a better set shot.

Ward is out so Hately/Green most likely there

 

[Danny88]

I'd like to see both Flynn and Briggs in for Mumford and any of the talls.
Both can play forward, Flynn probably a better set shot.

Ward is out so Hately/Green most likely there

MDB might be in for ward. Who knows really.

I wouldnt want both in. Too risky when they haven’t had much match experience in 2020

 

[JC100]

Ward for Davis
Caldwell for MDB
HH for Flynn/Briggs

HH was lucky to keep his spot last week. Not providing a contact as a forward and brings little as a backup ruck.
Riccardi was super impressive last night. He brings something that we haven’t really had before. A key forward that leads at the ball and takes a strong contested mark. Patton hi ted at being able to do it but injuries got the better of him. Lobb could take a good mark but didn’t provide much else.
Straightens is up & provides structure for the other forwards to work from.

 

[Danny88]

Ward for Davis
Caldwell for MDB
HH for Flynn/Briggs

HH was lucky to keep his spot last week. Not providing a contact as a forward and brings little as a backup ruck.
Riccardi was super impressive last night. He brings something that we haven’t really had before. A key forward that leads at the ball and takes a strong contested mark. Patton hi ted at being able to do it but injuries got the better of him. Lobb could take a good mark but didn’t provide much else.
Straightens is up & provides structure for the other forwards to work from.

Two forwards with a combined one game experience is a big risk

 

[JC100]

Two forwards with a combined one game experience is a big risk

Agree but you can’t keep picking players that don’t contribute

 

[Kenjo]

Pardon the intrusion, but I was wondering if LC would consider injecting Williams in the midfield for his dash and creative ball use for the rest of the year? Or is he too valuable playing out of the backline?

 

[Danny88]

Pardon the intrusion, but I was wondering if LC would consider injecting Williams in the midfield for his dash and creative ball use for the rest of the year? Or is he too valuable playing out of the backline?

He does play a little through the midfield but our problem has been moving the ball from the back 6 and his presence back there is a huge help. I can’t see him having major minutes in the midfield cos of that. This being said, yes he will spend some time pushing up the ground imo

 

[Orange Agent]

Agree but you can’t keep picking players that don’t contribute

Harry does a lot of stuff in the fwd line that doesn't get noticed, but as a second ruck we may as well have played an extra mid. If this is now his role it's a real worry.

 

[Pres]

Harry does a lot of stuff in the fwd line that doesn't get noticed, but as a second ruck we may as well have played an extra mid. If this is now his role it's a real worry.

Might finally be time to give Briggs a shot and play he and Riccardi deep and Cameron more half forward/wing? Then he can relieve in the ruck.

Need to start getting a look at these blokes. The club has totally *****d up this season and desperately need to get something out of it for next year.

If they lose to Freo this week that should mean immediate hard calls on the likes of Mumford and Shaw who are at the end. Time to step aside.

I'd have a question mark on DeBoer under the same logic.

 

[Kenjo]

He does play a little through the midfield but our problem has been moving the ball from the back 6 and his presence back there is a huge help. I can’t see him having major minutes in the midfield cos of that. This being said, yes he will spend some time pushing up the ground imo

Thanks for the reply. So with Ward out for a month or so, does Coniglio play more midfield minutes then? Don’t understand LC’s thinking by plonking Coniglio in the fwd line.

 

[Danny88]

Thanks for the reply. So with Ward out for a month or so, does Coniglio play more midfield minutes then? Don’t understand LC’s thinking by plonking Coniglio in the fwd line.

He generally plays in the midfield predominantly. He does move forward cos he can kick the odd goal. He spends a lot of time on ball but is just a little off the pace and his disposal has been pretty average this year

 

[Giant Pete]

Thanks for the reply. So with Ward out for a month or so, does Coniglio play more midfield minutes then? Don’t understand LC’s thinking by plonking Coniglio in the fwd line.

DeBoer comes in for Ward.

 

[Danny88]

I think if MDB comes in he tags Fyfe. I’m not a fan of him as a forward