Preview Round 21 - Essendon Bombers vs West Coast Eagles - Saturday August 5th - 1:45 pm - Marvel (except for most of the characters from Spider Man) Stadium.

[citizen-erased]

WTF does Baldwin have to do?

Yeah
They're pretty tall up front with darling, allen and williams

 

[Vander18]

Seem to be in a minority but I thought Alwyn was fine last week - surprised he was dropped. Would love to have seen he, Menzie and Tsatas in the same forward line.

Let’s see what Tsatas can do….looks like he’ll play forward, that’s his best spot right now at AFL level. He has the ability to be clean at high speed- always a good trait for a small forward.

 

[ant555]

It's probably been said elsewhere previously and I've missed it, but reading this for the first time has me quite amazed. Where did he play as a junior?

If as a forward and we thought we could convert him, why wouldn't we draft an actual midfielder of decent size that we think could step up once in a professional system? Surely you'd have a far greater hit rate going down that path.

Played midfield and forward as a junior in Wagga but was never used as a midfielder in the GWS system or at Oakleigh. Pretty sure the quality of junior midfielders in Wagga was not overly high.

 

[ant555]

Selectors obviously think we can still make finals.

IDK, maybe he pulled up sore?

I would be disappointed if that was not the attitude inside the club despite the fact that personally I think we are going to come up short. They should 100% be thinking they can win the games . There would be something seriously wrong if they did not.

 

[MiguelM]

Need to keep tight on Yeo.

He had a good game last time from memory.

 

[Bjchan13]

Hopefully Davey sub. Needs as much game time at AFL level as possible to get comfortable.

 

[Kyptastic]

Don The Stat preview is out now

 

[Keystone agony]

Its not so much Baldwin

Its that they are reluctant to play Baldwin, Lav, Cox and Zerk in the same backline

Hes not bashing the door down so much that they would do that

If you want him in, you have to want Cox out and id rather we prioritise a more talented player

 

[eth-dog]

Baldwin is gone. Has to be.

 

[Vindicater]

Its not so much Baldwin

Its that they are reluctant to play Baldwin, Lav, Cox and Zerk in the same backline

Hes not bashing the door down so much that they would do that

If you want him in, you have to want Cox out and id rather we prioritise a more talented player

I'd rather we drop Laverde after last week's showing and role with Zerk, Baldwin and Cox.

 

[ant555]

Its not so much Baldwin

Its that they are reluctant to play Baldwin, Lav, Cox and Zerk in the same backline

Hes not bashing the door down so much that they would do that

If you want him in, you have to want Cox out and id rather we prioritise a more talented player

I think it is most likely Laverde keeping him out. He got dropped last time when Laverde came back in. If Lav or BZT where not playing I suspect he would be in.

 

[ant555]

Hopefully Davey sub. Needs as much game time at AFL level as possible to get comfortable.

The only reason he is not at the level is his body is not at the level. Until he goes through a couple of pre seasons he will have some shortfalls. Playing games right now does not change that IMO.

 

[Bjchan13]

The only reason he is not at the level is his body is not at the level. Until he goes through a couple of pre seasons he will have some shortfalls. Playing games right now does not change that IMO.

A lot of his almost moments offensively were to do with timing and the speed of the game IMO. Id look to build his confidence up by getting him used to the level through game time, and im ok with the shortfalls in the mean time. Physical development will absolutely help later with sticking tackles and applying consistent high pressure defensively.

 

[Hird05]

Pretty ok with the team. Hepp was pretty good. Lav was beaten sure but still a very good player

 

[Runk]

Genuinely thought Lav would be dropped this week. He was awful last game.

 

[dank420_]

Yeah one bad game in 2 seasons.

 

[Happyskeret]

Yeah one bad game in 2 seasons.

The game that probably cost us a finals berth.

 

[dank420_]

The game that probably cost us a finals berth.

Just that game? Just that player?

 

[andleanback]

Yeah one bad game in 2 seasons.

He’s had more than 1bad game in that time

 

[dank420_]

He’s had more than 1bad game in that time

Maybe so. So is the coach going to drop him with that in mind?

Seriously are people trying to bend their minds that much that dropping Lav was actually in the realm of possibility?

 

[boncer34]

The game that probably cost us a finals berth.

You don't reckon Wrights concrete hands maybe contributed? Or Parish butchering the ball early? It was only Lav?

 

[Keystone agony]

I think it is most likely Laverde keeping him out. He got dropped last time when Laverde came back in. If Lav or BZT where not playing I suspect he would be in.

For sure

But with No Cox right now id say he would be playing back aswell

 

[Keystone agony]

There is a weird love for Baldwin and a weird hate for Laverde on this board

And i feel the only reason for that is generally their age and experience

I didnt watch last week, but no club drops a guy like Lav after one bad game.

Id say hes a fair way off being dropped

 

[citizen-erased]

There is a weird love for Baldwin and a weird hate for Laverde on this board

And i feel the only reason for that is generally their age and experience

I didnt watch last week, but no club drops a guy like Lav after one bad game.

Id say hes a fair way off being dropped

i want all 3 in

Cox - Baldwin - Lav
Redman - Zerk - McGrath
Hind

i like the idea of that backline whilst Reid/Hayes develop and Ridley to come back in

 

[cAsEy_18]

My concern for our backline for most of the season is the lack of kicking ability/rebound that we actually have back there.

Obviously defenders need to be able to defend first and foremost, but then you need enough kicking ability as a collective from there to be able to transition the ball.

When I read people debating about guys like Kelly, Heppell, even Zerk and Laverde's position in the team, and then there's pushback on "Well, no, they're actually going okay, they defend well" etc.. Yes, that can be true, but when you've got that big of a collection of guys who are not 'creative' kicks, it's the mix that doesn't work.

We've relied on basically Redman and Ridley all year for our rebound, with McGrath providing some through his run more so than his kicking. But McGrath feels like he's dropped off form wise quite badly, and obviously Ridley is now out. It's genuinely just Redman now. No wonder we've had a couple of weeks of chipping it around, going nowhere fast in defense.

It's why I'm happy to see Cox back there, as he does have the ability to be an option and use the ball. But it's also why myself, like a lot of people, want to see Baldwin in - he is an underratedly nice field kick. It's not so much the "Lets weigh up Laverde/Zerk vs Baldwin" debate, its getting the mix of defenders right.