Preview Round 4 v Brisbane Lions - Sunday 21 February @ Hickey Park, 12:40pm

[brucetiki]

Once again the girls are on the road, as they travel to Bris Vegas to take on the Lions.

Can the girls bounce back from last week's disappointing performance? How will Brisbane go facing a tougher opponent that Richmond, Gold Coast and West Coast?

 

[John Who]

Wow, didn’t realise Brisbane has been having such a dream run in the first 3 rounds, having played 3 of the bottom-4 teams!

This is truly a crucial match, with a win and we’re right back in the Finals race. However, if another poor showing then our Finals chances are quite likely obliterated.

 

[Firewalker]

Brisbane are very similar to Freo in a lot of ways so it will be interesting to see what the team and coaching staff have learnt in a week.

The Lions are a very athletic team that bats very deep in the midfield and gets a lot of disposals. They have; Anderson, Bates, O’Dwyer, Svarc, Grider, Conway, Bodey and Dawes who all go through there and get a fair amount of ball, not many can match that in the league.

Another issue is the way Clarke doesn’t like to play with target key forwards it means defenders like Ebony Antonio last game and Lutkins in this one coming up are able to run around without having the responsibility of really playing tight on anyone and clean up the bomb kicks forward around the defensive 50, Lutkins killed them last year doing just that. They are not going to kick a winning score again this week if they don’t put any work into making sure Lutkins and Zielke (their designated user in the backlines) aren’t running around by themselves.

The Crows forward line relies so heavily on tackling pressure, locking the ball in and getting repeat entries and as soon as that’s taken away like against Freo it looked a toothless mess until Phillips went to full forward, Brisbane’s midfield is so strong playing Phillips permanently forward will not be in Clarke’s plans as we all know he doesn’t like breaking up the Marinoff-Hatchard-Phillips starting trio unless really pushed to like last week when the game was already gone.

It’s also quite ridiculous that Brisbane just keep on finding 6 footers to play in their forward line, they decide to add another in Smith to join Davidson and Wardlaw and she ends up with 3 goals against the Eagles, so that’s a problem the Crows undersized defence - who can be questionable one-on-one, will have to deal with.

 

[Coopers]

Hopefully Randall is back, she makes a huge difference, she just controls the play if it's within 20m of her.

The other thing we need to sort out is contested ball out of clearances. Felt like we won a large amount of those and hack kicked it straight to Freo players last week. Not sure how you resolve that, if it's the positioning of the forwards or the quality of the midfield ball gets.

 

[briztoon]

Brisbane are very similar to Freo in a lot of ways so it will be interesting to see what the team and coaching staff have learnt in a week.

The Lions are a very athletic team that bats very deep in the midfield and gets a lot of disposals. They have; Anderson, Bates, O’Dwyer, Svarc, Grider, Conway, Bodey and Dawes who all go through there and get a fair amount of ball, not many can match that in the league.

Another issue is the way Clarke doesn’t like to play with target key forwards it means defenders like Ebony Antonio last game and Lutkins in this one coming up are able to run around without having the responsibility of really playing tight on anyone and clean up the bomb kicks forward around the defensive 50, Lutkins killed them last year doing just that. They are not going to kick a winning score again this week if they don’t put any work into making sure Lutkins and Zielke (their designated user in the backlines) aren’t running around by themselves.

The Crows forward line relies so heavily on tackling pressure, locking the ball in and getting repeat entries and as soon as that’s taken away like against Freo it looked a toothless mess until Phillips went to full forward, Brisbane’s midfield is so strong playing Phillips permanently forward will not be in Clarke’s plans as we all know he doesn’t like breaking up the Marinoff-Hatchard-Phillips starting trio unless really pushed to like last week when the game was already gone.

It’s also quite ridiculous that Brisbane just keep on finding 6 footers to play in their forward line, they decide to add another in Smith to join Davidson and Wardlaw and she ends up with 3 goals against the Eagles, so that’s a problem the Crows undersized defence - who can be questionable one-on-one, will have to deal with.

We have more in our academy.

What we need coming through our academy is a genuine gun inside mid of Phillips stature.

 

[cmndstab]

We have more in our academy.

What we need coming through our academy is a genuine gun inside mid of Phillips stature.

I wonder if the plan will be to use Scheer in this role going forward. She looked as natural as can be playing there last weekend, and she's still super young.

 

[briztoon]

I wonder if the plan will be to use Scheer in this role going forward. She looked as natural as can be playing there last weekend, and she's still super young.

Seeing as I was talking about Brisbane, that’s unlikely.

 

[cmndstab]

Seeing as I was talking about Brisbane, that’s unlikely.

Me, reading comprehension?? Not likely!!

 

[radiojake]

There is something about the way Scheer moves with the ball that reminds me of Darren Jarman - like the physical movement of her body is reminiscent of him and i think she has potential to be as damaging when she gets the ball

 

[Scorpus]

Wow they actually kinda somewhat followed what I wanted for selection

IN: Munyard, Randall, Forth
OUT: Martin (injured), Biddell, Gould

Our role player talls have been dropped and I reckon we'll be much better as a result

 

[Firewalker]

Wow they actually kinda somewhat followed what I wanted for selection

IN: Munyard, Randall, Forth
OUT: Martin (injured), Biddell, Gould

Our role player talls have been dropped and I reckon we'll be much better as a result

Just confirms that Clarke doesn’t rate tall forwards at all, would’ve kept Gould in at least to take a tall defender, Lutkins is going to have a field day.

Randall so important and Munyard in is good as at least she’s someone that covers ground. Forth started to look to be slowing down last year and looks like yet another slow flanker brought into an already slow side, her being chosen over Newman isn’t the team moving in the right direction.

Not season over by a long shot if they lose this match but if it turns out to be a heavy loss like last game more substantial changes will need to be looked at especially in that backline.

 

[radiojake]

Just confirms that Clarke doesn’t rate tall forwards at all, would’ve kept Gould in at least to take a tall defender

yeah i must say at this stage I would have thought Gould's ability to take a contested mark or three in a match would have been enough to keep her in the side

 

[Scorpus]

Just confirms that Clarke doesn’t rate tall forwards at all, would’ve kept Gould in at least to take a tall defender, Lutkins is going to have a field day.

Randall so important and Munyard in is good as at least she’s someone that covers ground. Forth started to look to be slowing down last year and looks like yet another slow flanker brought into an already slow side, her being chosen over Newman isn’t the team moving in the right direction.

Not season over by a long shot if they lose this match but if it turns out to be a heavy loss like last game more substantial changes will need to be looked at especially in that backline.

Newman, listed as an emergency, would surely be better than Forth

 

[briztoon]

And we’re going taller, bring Indy Tahu in for her debut.

It appears we’re going for pace and height.

 

[cmndstab]

Shame about Martin's injury, she would have been valuable.

Don't mind Gould and Biddell being out. I think we've been too tall and too slow this year. Meanwhile, this is probably Forth's last chance to show she still belongs on the list.

 

[John Who]

Not really surprised to see 2 talls being omitted in exchange for more agile, running players. We really got creamed last round due to our lack of run in the middle, whether into attack or chasing back in defence. Looking forward to a more competitive showing at least, with Randall back in the side. Should be a good one today!

 

[Deaneus!]

Chelsea Randall likes to hurt people, those tackles, ouch

 

[jenny61_99]

Much better skills than last week. Need to take advantage of that on the score board.

 

[Deaneus!]

Scheer -> Phillips -> Randall

Randall with an almost screamer

Phillips off the ground

aye carumba

 

[CrowinNT]

Inaccuracy again

 

[jenny61_99]

Should be leading by 5 goals.

 

[pjcrows]

When Randall and Phillips play moderately well we are almost unbeatable. They're that good.

Need to capitalise. Not going to get 6 set shots on goal per quarter.

 

[Crow-eater]

Absolutely dominant, just didn’t convert it. That may come back to bite us.

 

[AdelaideFan14]

When Randall and Phillips play moderately well we are almost unbeatable. They're that good.

Need to capitalise. Not going to get 6 set shots on goal per quarter.

Running Scheer and Jones through the midfield more also was a big factor in the 1st quarter dominance. Just added extra poise in the contest.

 

[Dirty Bird]

From what I've seen in the past 2 quarters in Scheer makes me think she will be the difference this season going forward.

Phillips might get it more, but Scheer reminds me of McLeod in the way they're just 1 step ahead of everyone else (so yeah, the Darren Jarman comparison is probably more apt. Same footy smarts, not as fast as Bunji)