Preview Round 14: Hawthorne vs Essendon, York Park, Sunday 20/06/2021 @ 3:20 PM AEST

[Bombers36]

I'd like to see us be super super cautious with Draper, bring back 2MP and let him and Phillips both play whoever does best stays in the following week then Draper comes back. Jones has been good but 4 possessions not enough so he's the tall the I'd take out for 2MP. Think at this stage we might see;-

OUT: McGrath, Zakka, Jones
IN: Cahill, Ambrose, 2MP

Team:

Francis Stewart Laverde
Heppell Ridley Hind
Redman Langford Cox
Perkins Waterman Ham
Stringer Hooker Tippa

Phillips Parish Merrett

Bench: Guelfi Cahill Ambrose 2MP
SUB: Cutler/Gleeson

 

[Mr Bultitude]

Giving the poos and wees a touch up will be nice catharsis after last night's game.

 

[eth-dog]

We did try to bring in another genuine tall at the end of last year. If we had succeeded at that we would have two “genuine” talls instead of pushing 193cm marking types to lockdown on 195cm key forwards.

BZT is obviously limited though, and Francis and Laverde playing that match-up is evidently preferred over bringing him into the side. Being a “genuine” tall isn't enough.

And I mean, our senior coach was a defender in his day, and made his name as a coach of defenders. Even now he does the craft session with the KPDs each week. He knows what he’s looking at far better than you or I do.

And we have a different gameplan to last year.

Of course Truck knows what he wants. I'm just curious to see what would happen if we actually played two key defenders instead of the singular one with blokes playing taller than what their ideal match up would be.

So does Phillips

Nope

I'd like to see us be super super cautious with Draper, bring back 2MP and let him and Phillips both play whoever does best stays in the following week then Draper comes back. Jones has been good but 4 possessions not enough so he's the tall the I'd take out for 2MP. Think at this stage we might see;-

OUT: McGrath, Zakka, Jones
IN: Cahill, Ambrose, 2MP

Team:

Francis Stewart Laverde
Heppell Ridley Hind
Redman Langford Cox
Perkins Waterman Ham
Stringer Hooker Tippa

Phillips Parish Merrett

Bench: Guelfi Cahill Ambrose 2MP
SUB: Cutler/Gleeson

Phillips was monstered by Chol. Ambrose had 5 touches. Draper's missed the last 10 games and played a scratch match last week. We have been playing it super super cautious but at the end of the day he's our #1 ruckman and should come in.

We have a week off here. Guys like Jones and Perkins can get the necessary recovery before the Hawthorne game

 

[Gabe251]

Play Draper. Play Cahill to replace zaka. Flip maybe goes and we bring in Bryan.

Play anybody who the future is with. That's what this year is about.

 

[Lore]

And we have a different gameplan to last year.

Of course Truck knows what he wants. I'm just curious to see what would happen if we actually played two key defenders instead of the singular one with blokes playing taller than what their ideal match up would be.

I’m not talking about last year’s game plan, that makes zero sense. I’m saying that Truck would probably like to run your suggested defensive set up and spent the off-season (at the end of 2020) chasing Daniel Talia and Bachar Houli to make it work.

Obviously that was about building a team for this year having already suggested to Laverde, Stewart, Hurley and Ambrose in exit interviews that they switch ends and knowing we were in need of another KPD since I don’t think Truck rates Hooker that much as a defender anymore either.

If you want to talk idealistic defensive structures and shoehorning a genuine tall into the side you’d probably get more support if you suggested Reid. BZT is nearly 23 and is clearly regarded as depth, they aren’t going to rearrange half the field to fit him in. But they’d probably do it for Reid if they thought he was ready.

 

[Duckworth]

Out: McGrath, Zakka, Phillips (Ambrose)
In: Wright, Draper, Smith

B: Redman, Laverde, Ridley
HB: Heppell, Stewart, Hind
C: Ham, Merrett, Cox
HF: Perkins, Stringer, Jones
F: Wright, Hooker, AMT

R: Draper, Parish, Langford
I: Smith, Francis, Guelfi, Waterman
Sub: Cutler

The last time Wright came into the side Waterman went out. I think the only way to keep all of those beefy forwards in the side is for Stringer, Perkins and Waterman to pick up more midfield minutes. Without this happening, we are playing with too few midfielders.

 

[cAsEy_18]

I'd like to see us be super super cautious with Draper, bring back 2MP and let him and Phillips both play whoever does best stays in the following week then Draper comes back. Jones has been good but 4 possessions not enough so he's the tall the I'd take out for 2MP. Think at this stage we might see;-

OUT: McGrath, Zakka, Jones
IN: Cahill, Ambrose, 2MP

Team:

Francis Stewart Laverde
Heppell Ridley Hind
Redman Langford Cox
Perkins Waterman Ham
Stringer Hooker Tippa

Phillips Parish Merrett

Bench: Guelfi Cahill Ambrose 2MP
SUB: Cutler/Gleeson

Super super cautious as in...wait another 8 weeks?
He could've played last night. Potentially even last week as well.
A bye round, so next game not for another 2 weeks. He'll be fine.

But the big problem is we're out of smalls.
Can talk about guys like Draper, 2MP etc... all we like - but we have to replace Zaha and McGrath with 2 smalls/running types, and we simply don't have them.

Cahill really is the only one.

 

[eth-dog]

I’m not talking about last year’s game plan, that makes zero sense. I’m saying that Truck would probably like to run your suggested defensive set up and spent the off-season (at the end of 2020) chasing Daniel Talia and Bachar Houli to make it work.

Obviously that was about building a team for this year having already suggested to Laverde, Stewart, Hurley and Ambrose in exit interviews that they switch ends and knowing we were in need of another KPD since I don’t think Truck rates Hooker that much as a defender anymore either.

If you want to talk idealistic defensive structures and shoehorning a genuine tall into the side you’d probably get more support if you suggested Reid. BZT is nearly 23 and is clearly regarded as depth, they aren’t going to rearrange half the field to fit him in. But they’d probably do it for Reid if they thought he was ready.

I'd be happy for it to be Reid if they thought him ready. I just think Zerk, who has really only played the one bad game this season against Collingwood, deserves a decent crack at it. As you said, Zerk is nearly 23 and for me it's sink or swim time with him. If we give them the next 5 games and it doesn't work out, that confirms it. If we give them the next 5 games and it works better than our current structure, fantastic.

 

[Ati Tude]

Smith might be available too. I don't see any point playing Ambrose ahead of Jones. If Jones struggles against Hawks, maybe consider dropping him, but he gets the bye to freshen up and let him play against weaker opposition and hopefully regain some confidence.

 

[TheWeapon]

Out: Zaka, Phillips, McGrath, (ambrose)
In: Draper, 2MP, Smith, Durham (sub)

May be a bit tall with both rucks back in which case Hooker could be rested and next best available mid added in (Snelling/Cahill)

 

[vass44]

OUT: McGrath, Zakka, Waterman, Phillips
IN: Smith, Ambrose, 2MP, Draper

Team:

Francis Stewart Laverde
Heppell Ridley Hind
Redman Parish Cox
Stringer Ambrose Ham
2MP Hooker Tippa

Draper Langford Merrett

Smith Guelfi Perkins Jones
SUB: Waterman


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[Duckworth]

I'd be happy for it to be Reid if they thought him ready. I just think Zerk, who has really only played the one bad game this season against Collingwood, deserves a decent crack at it. As you said, Zerk is nearly 23 and for me it's sink or swim time with him. If we give them the next 5 games and it doesn't work out, that confirms it. If we give them the next 5 games and it works better than our current structure, fantastic.

No way will we give up 5 games of continuity with our preferred back 6 to find out something we already know about BZT. He’s depth.

 

[andleanback]

I'd be happy for it to be Reid if they thought him ready. I just think Zerk, who has really only played the one bad game this season against Collingwood, deserves a decent crack at it. As you said, Zerk is nearly 23 and for me it's sink or swim time with him. If we give them the next 5 games and it doesn't work out, that confirms it. If we give them the next 5 games and it works better than our current structure, fantastic.

I agree it is sink or swim time for bzt, but at the same time I’d give him a 1 year extension anyway. He’s good depth to have, you take him off the list and we don’t have many options down there if injuries hit.

 

[Halftimehero]

We might have to throw the new kid in already or do we give Johnson a go? Doesn’t really deserve it.

 

[Megabattimus]

We might have to throw the new kid in already or do we give Johnson a go? Doesn’t really deserve it.

Can teams move players from the Cat B rookie list to the Cat A rookie list during the season? If we can, it might be worth doing it with Tom Hird and giving him a run in the seniors.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Halftimehero]

Can teams move players from the Cat B rookie list to the Cat A rookie list during the season? If we can, it might be worth doing it with Tom Hird and giving him a run in the seniors.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

There is a list spot a available, we moved Hurley to the inactive list so we could use 2 picks in the mid season draft but we only used the 1.

 

[eth-dog]

No way will we give up 5 games of continuity with our preferred back 6 to find out something we already know about BZT. He’s depth.

Our preferred back 6 is struggling to contain forward lines. He's played 15-odd games and you've already dismissed him as only depth. Hasn't even played the equivalent of a full season and hasn't exactly disgraced himself whilst there

 

[Bombers_95]

Out: Phillips, McGrath (inj), Zaharakis (inj), Ambrose
In: Draper, Smith, Wright

Ridley Stewart Laverde
Hind Francis Heppell
Ham Parish Cox
Stringer Jones Smith
Tippa Hooker Wright
Draper Merrett Langford
Perkins Redman Guelfi Waterman

 

[Duckworth]

Our preferred back 6 is struggling to contain forward lines. He's played 15-odd games and you've already dismissed him as only depth. Hasn't even played the equivalent of a full season and hasn't exactly disgraced himself whilst there

Our preferred back 6 is struggling because the midfield and pressure up the ground have been stretched. The back 6 isn't struggling because it's missing BZT. It's a fact that he is depth. Francis returns from injury, BZT comes out. It's not me dismissing him, it is what the selection panel is telling us.
Your plan to restructure the whole backline for 5 games will do nothing to improve the continuing development of the back 6, and develop their cohesiveness as a unit. According to Rutten, the backline spending more games together is a priority.

 

[JT_the_Man]

I’ll hold off on what changes I want until I know who is available.

The only thing I’m certain of is that Draper comes in for Phillips.

 

[Vindicater]

Chance of Smith and Snelling being available?

 

[Mikevk123]

In- P.Wright, D.Smith, N.Cahill
Out- P.Ambrose, D.Zaharakis, A.McGrath

B N.Hind J.Stewart J.Laverde
HB J.Ridley A.Francis D.Heppell
C N.Cox D.Parish B.Ham
HF J.Stringer H.Jones D.Smith
F A.Waterman C.Hooker A.Tipungwutti
FOLL: S.Draper K.Langford Z.Merrett
INTER: M.Redman, P.Wright, M.Guelfi, N.Cahill
Sub: M.Guelfi

 

[Don35]

Should be winning this very comfortably. Not holding breath

 

[Macca18]

This game better be staying at the MCG - crowd or no crowd. Not Tasmania or anywhere else.

We've been on the road 6 of the last 12 weeks. Enough now, we've played our part.

9 of our last 10 games are scheduled in Victoria (apart from Gold Coast in Round 22) and I hope it stays that way... but yep, it's a rapidly evolving situation.

 

[citizen-erased]

The more we can get our future best side in, the better.

In: Draper, Wright, ???
Out: Zaka, McGrath, Phillips
Guelfi to sub
Is Dev 100% ready after the bye? If not, really not sure who can come in. Durham perhaps?