Opinion Round 2 Changes vs. Geelong

[JamFrank]

I agree with that JamFrank. The issue with Geelong is their midfield has been on decline for years, at the end of last year they lost midfield depth in the prime 23-27 age range (Varcoe, Christensen and Hunt) and the senior players they've picked up don't fix that problem.

Most of Freo's midfield is in that prime age bracket, only older blokes being Mundy and Pearce.

I would also argue that we're now beginning to see the decline of their backline, too.

 

[Freo Dr]

Sorry for the intrusion guys, but Johnson has been cleared to play.

Do you expect you will tag him or Selwood?

Lyon is fairly predictable with this - he will tag Johnson as per all our recent games against Geelong if SJ is playing and Crowley will be giving Clancee all his tips. Selwood is hard to effectively tag because he plays inside so much. SJ more outside and easier to shut down. Clancee was throwing his considerable frame around against Port and is faster and generally better skilled than Crowley and my guess Ross will be happy for Clancee to be sometimes looser on his player as long as he is getting it as well.

 

[clogged]

I would also argue that we're now beginning to see the decline of their backline, too.

Yeah, it was odd to see Enright turn it over. Always been one of my favourites from them. I'd surprised if he played that poorly two weeks in a row.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

I agree with that JamFrank. The issue with Geelong is their midfield has been on decline for years, at the end of last year they lost midfield depth in the prime 23-27 age range (Varcoe, Christensen and Hunt) and the senior players they've picked up don't fix that problem.

Most of Freo's midfield is in that prime age bracket, only older blokes being Mundy and Pearce.

And those older blokes, Mundy and Danyle were in the best players on the ground against Port.
It also looked like the umpiring was onto Selwood's ducking too.

 

[Agenfrida]

Yeah, it was odd to see Enright turn it over. Always been one of my favourites from them. I'd surprised if he played that poorly two weeks in a row.

We can only hope.

 

[Lach72]

I agree with that JamFrank. The issue with Geelong is their midfield has been on decline for years, at the end of last year they lost midfield depth in the prime 23-27 age range (Varcoe, Christensen and Hunt) and the senior players they've picked up don't fix that problem.

Most of Freo's midfield is in that prime age bracket, only older blokes being Mundy and Pearce.

And Neale and Sutcliffe have played in a GF 18 months ago and are coming up to 50 games experience

 

[Scham]

Lyon is fairly predictable with this - he will tag Johnson as per all our recent games against Geelong if SJ is playing and Crowley will be giving Clancee all his tips. Selwood is hard to effectively tag because he plays inside so much. SJ more outside and easier to shut down. Clancee was throwing his considerable frame around against Port and is faster and generally better skilled than Crowley and my guess Ross will be happy for Clancee to be sometimes looser on his player as long as he is getting it as well.

From memory I think SJ would have a fair height advantage over Clancee wouldn't he? In which case Clancee would get exposed when SJ goes forward?

 

[Frank J Moose]

Can someone explain how Johnson's hit was careless and not intentional.

One week into the new system and they interpret it how they want.

I could have understood (but disagreed with) intentional and low inpact but calling it careless is a joke.

It was a cowardly snipe. He is a complete tool.

 

[yoong]

Can someone explain how Johnson's hit was careless and not intentional.

One week into the new system and they interpret it how they want.

I could have understood (but disagreed with) intentional and low inpact but calling it careless is a joke.

It was a cowardly snipe. He is a complete tool.

I believe after all the criticism last year, they oversteered and swung too hard the other way and became too lenient. No one got suspended under the new system yet yah?

Hopefully it'll settle down to a more reasonable middle as the season go on.

Edit: ok I didn't read the full mrp report. Shaw and Deledio pinged for 1 week each. Stevie J lucky to get off.

Or, I see it as him trying to get himself suspended to avoid playing us, messed it up, got fined and STILL have to play us. Can't even get that right ;-)

 

[democritus]

From memory I think SJ would have a fair height advantage over Clancee wouldn't he? In which case Clancee would get exposed when SJ goes forward?

True enough, but if SJ goes forward who's going to be kicking it to him? With our ruck stocks and on ball brigade we should have the upper hand in the midfield, taking Stevie away is robbing Peter to play Paul. A lot of responsibility falls on selwood's shoulders/head and Duncan (solid without being spectacular) and Caddy (bullocking, but inconsistent) to match it with Fyfe, Barlow, Mundy and Neale.

I'm more concerned about Taylor gobbling up every bomb into the forward 50. If Mackie plays (which seems likely) Pav could be doubled teamed by him and Lonergan. Rivers would likely take our resting ruck and seems to generate a fair bit of play in that role. I think it's important to bring I'm Tabs for this reason. Make Taylor accountable and we probably win this one. For the aforementioned reasons above, the supply should be good but we need to capitalise on it, Tabs is the man.

So...

Ins: Taberner, Mzungu
Outs: Suban, Mayne

De Boer to go H.A.M as sub again

 

[Alfonz]

Agree with earlier post about careless vs intentional. If SJ's act was not intentional, then what is? Absolutely farcical ruling. Always will be as long as they have these stupid subjective terms like careless, reckless (I think this is gone now?), intentional, etc.

If the MRP wanted to get him off, at least grade it as intentional + low impact.

System also seems strange that a deliberate trip, accidental trip, and gutless snipe can all get the same $1000 fine.

 

[Docker82]

Agree with earlier post about careless vs intentional. If SJ's act was not intentional, then what is? Absolutely farcical ruling. Always will be as long as they have these stupid subjective terms like careless, reckless (I think this is gone now?), intentional, etc.

If the MRP wanted to get him off, at least grade it as intentional + low impact.

System also seems strange that a deliberate trip, accidental trip, and gutless snipe can all get the same $1000 fine.

Not sure I like fines as punishment either. Let's say you are a rookie and you're paid 50k or so for the year. That's one weeks wage gone. Yet for guy earning 700k it wouldn't be much really. Perhaps they could do,it like cricket where they get fined a percentage of their match fee.

But honestly system punishes the same for intential stuff as accidents. IMO delidio should've got off, Stevie J should've got a week. Clear cut intentional and medium impact whilst delidio was careless (if that) and similar impact. Yes it was high but hit the bloke milliseconds earlier/later and it isn't. I'd say differnt if the incident was intentional but it clearly wasn't.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I believe after all the criticism last year, they oversteered and swung too hard the other way and became too lenient. No one got suspended under the new system yet yah?

Hopefully it'll settle down to a more reasonable middle as the season go on.

I wonder which Freo player they will be more reasonable for

 

[Vintage]

I think the SJ thing was a bad look, and I would have graded as intentional and low impact... but I don't really think you need guys being rubbed out first time for that - first instance should be a fine, and then look at rubbing them out for a game.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

For me, pending Mayne's fitness, it has to be:
IN: Mzungu, Taberner
OUT: Suban, de Boer (Mayne)

 

[sherrif]

I dont think Clancee is a good match up for either Selwood or Johnson in the air. I think we will go with the taller De Boer as tagger. Mayne will probably not be up for selection. If he is not injured then Ross might want him to play in defence to help cover Geelongs height. I think Clancce will gt the chop in a surprise move due to the fact I cant see a natural match-up for him.
C.Pearce, Suban out Mzungu and Tabs in is my tip. Perhaps Duffield might be the surprise sub looking at team balance if Mayne plays. If he does not Crozier plays as sub and Mayne, joins C.Pearce and Suban as the outs.

 

[smokingjacket]

Just listened to Lyon's interview on SEN and it sounds like he's keen to play Mayne and Taberner in the same team, this week if available.

With this in mind and considering Sheridan is playing Mzungu's role as the the hard running link up player, Sheridan goes out despite improving a great deal in the second half, simply because he's not as good at it as Muz.

Out: Suban, Sheridan
In: Taberner, Mzungu

 

[clogged]

Just listened to Lyon's interview on SEN and it sounds like he's keen to play Mayne and Taberner in the same team, this week if available.

With this in mind and considering Sheridan is playing Mzungu's role as the the hard running link up player, Sheridan goes out despite improving a great deal in the second half, simply because he's not as good at it as Muz.

Out: Suban, Sheridan
In: Taberner, Mzungu

That'd be a pity but I see the logic in it. I still think Sheridan deserves a longer run at it. He's doing well and improving.

I dont think Clancee is a good match up for either Selwood or Johnson in the air. I think we will go with the taller De Boer as tagger. Mayne will probably not be up for selection. If he is not injured then Ross might want him to play in defence to help cover Geelongs height. I think Clancce will gt the chop in a surprise move due to the fact I cant see a natural match-up for him.
C.Pearce, Suban out Mzungu and Tabs in is my tip. Perhaps Duffield might be the surprise sub looking at team balance if Mayne plays. If he does not Crozier plays as sub and Mayne, joins C.Pearce and Suban as the outs.

I agree Pearce is at risk of being dropped, but if the club is putting resources into him as a tagger (as well as Crowley mentoring him) I think there's a fair chance he'll get more than a one week run at it.

 

[sherrif]

Just listened to Lyon's interview on SEN and it sounds like he's keen to play Mayne and Taberner in the same team, this week if available.

With this in mind and considering Sheridan is playing Mzungu's role as the the hard running link up player, Sheridan goes out despite improving a great deal in the second half, simply because he's not as good at it as Muz.

Out: Suban, Sheridan
In: Taberner, Mzungu

In my opinion Sheridan played significantly better than Duffield who doesnt have a natural match-up when look at Geelong's forward line. I think Sherro might be the match-up for Motlop, obviously just my point of view.

 

[smokingjacket]

That'd be a pity but I see the logic in it. I still think Sheridan deserves a longer run at it. He's doing well and improving.

Agreed. However for the reasons you mentioned earlier, Geelong at Skilled Stadium isn't the game to give players a run in the team to see if they can make it consistently. You go to your A-grade professionals, the ones you know you can rely on. The only other player Sheridan could replace in this scenario would be de Boer, which would make him the sub and unfortunately Sheridan has shown on a number of occasions that he needs a bit of time to work himself in to the game.

There will be plenty of opportunities for Sheridan to play when we look to manage our squad with an easier run. Right now we need to set our season up.

The only qualifier I'll make is that we've spent the off-season looking for more run and Sheridan can certainly do that, but then you need to drop a mid or HBF, which would be one of Barlow, Duffield or Sutcliffe all of which IMO are no chance of getting dropped because Sheridan doesn't yet offer the ball winning ability of Barlow, the disposal of Duffield or the defensive quality of Sutcliffe. Maybe C.Pearce if they want him to do a run with role? I'd be surprised if Ross drops Clancee after one decent but not outstanding tagging game. Maybe if they use Mzungu in a run with role on Johnson and Sheridan plays the same role as last week. My guess is my first post though.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

So if Mayne stays
In: Tabs, Gu
Out: Subes, De Boer
(Sub: Mayne)

 

[smokingjacket]

In my opinion Sheridan played significantly better than Duffield who doesnt have a natural match-up when look at Geelong's forward line. I think Sherro might be the match-up for Motlop, obviously just my point of view.

Motlop would absolutely torch Sheridan in defensive 50. Tommy might have him on the spread but I haven't seen anything in him yet that would suggest he's a capable of playing a lock down role at HBF-ish. Plus we'd miss Duffs ball use too much.

 

[clogged]

Agreed. However for the reasons you mentioned earlier, Geelong at Skilled Stadium isn't the game to give players a run in the team to see if they can make it consistently. You go to your A-grade professionals, the ones you know you can rely on. The only other player Sheridan could replace in this scenario would be de Boer, which would make him the sub and unfortunately Sheridan has shown on a number of occasions that he needs a bit of time to work himself in to the game.

I don't really buy the "it's Geelong" thing. If he's in the team, in form, fit and ready to go, select him. He's not a child anymore. He'll face younger opponents than him at the Cats.

And unlike Mayne, De Boer, Taberner and Mzungu he ran out a full AFL game, and did some handy things. If Mzungu and Taberner come in for someone it should be those in bad form (Suban) or those who had limited minutes (Mayne, De Boer).

I'd much rather a guy who we know can get through a full game than one who has a niggle or has had limited game time. I think that's the best way to have a side deliver consistent performances.

 

[Moo]

No. Mzungu takes Suban's spot.

It's De Boer or Mayne for Taberner...who you picking?

Don't go asking me to put my cow bells on the line.....it puts at risk my reputation as a care free, maverick, online commentator

Firstly ...I'd really like to know if anyone is overly sore - we need em fit and firing.

Otherwise we need to smash them in the middle, Zu in helps - I just think De Boer is a player who is going to tackle and run hard. Lot of running power in Tommy, Zu & De Boer.

A lot depends on where Zu plays ....it might be back and then we could be looking at Zu for Duff, Tabs for Suban and just rotate the mids harder?

 

[StingBitten]

Geelong were terrible yesterday but having Stevie J stay in the side is a big plus. With no Crowley to torment either Selwood/Johnson I imagine they'll have a level more freedom against us than they've had recently. I'm sure Fish Pub will play his role well but he'll have his work cut out for him... the only way we can get over them is to have a quicker and more effective midfield.

That means Fyfe/Mundy/D. Pearce continuing to be awesome.
Means Barlow/Hill/Neale need to get their finger out.