Preview Round 5: Brisbane vs Essendon, Gabba, Saturday 17/04/2021 @ 7:25 PM AEST

Aaaaaaaaaaaand the winner is?


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Hird05

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Mar 29, 2019
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Based on how we handled Stringer, I wouldn't be expecting Ambrose to be available for another couple of weeks.
Probably correct. The plus side with Ambrose over Stringer is he's generally unbelievably fit. Either way we are far better with him in over Bzt.
 

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Unpopular opinion but I wouldn’t be opposed to Jones having a rest and pushing Wright forward and chopping out for Phillips.


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9 day break, doubt Jones get rested.
 

fairbump_playon

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Jun 27, 2014
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I kind of feel like the past is the past. It's a delicate mix though. We can't have a team of noobs without the experienced players to teach them the ropes. On the other hand, we need to get games into the players such as BZT that have been on the list for a number of years to see whether they can make ie.

Hooker, Hurley, Zaka are not the future. Do we play them due to experience and guidence or do we throw the younger players to the wolves and see if they have what it takes? IDK!.

We do have a few players showing promise atm, i dont think dropping them is the answer.
I believe in coaches picking the best side they possibly can each week. I
dont think you need that much strategy about giving young guys games.

Firmly disagree with the idea to play kids just to have a look at them. Learning they have to knock the door down is an important part of their development.

It comes down to whether selectors can imagine a world where a youngster might offer more than an out of form veteran. Cox and Perkins for example haven’t been gifted games, they have simply been selected as Rutten’s best option at the time.

Worsfold was massively conservative IMO. No imagination. Kept going back to the same old well.
 

fairbump_playon

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I'd put the unicorn in the stable for Brisbane and bring him out again for ANZAC Day. Let's preserve our youngsters; he played a tough game against Sydney on a 5 day break. 8 day break to the Brisbane game and he should be cherry ripe for Collingwood. Maybe Jones too.
I would only rest him if his lanky unicorn horn is sore from poking it into the swans so hard. It’s actually a 9 day break so I would expect he can go another week or two. Confidence and hunger would be sky high. Agree with the concept but reckon there will be a better time to rest pre bye.
 
I wouldn’t be dropping Jones- his leading patterns and repeat efforts have been sorely missed from our forward line for years, and is exactly what is helping it function right now.
 

Hird05

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Ambrose is playing forward in the VFL now so has to earn his way in as a forward.
Thats all well and good but someone has to cover for Hurley and Stewart and I just don't think Bzt is the guy so I'd personally see Ambrose back. He knows the role well enough.
 
Thats all well and good but someone has to cover for Hurley and Stewart and I just don't think Bzt is the guy so I'd personally see Ambrose back. He knows the role well enough.
I would prefer Ambrose playing defence as well but right now that isn't what will happen.
 
Sep 29, 2016
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Resting our younger guys now would seem silly considering its a nine day break before Brisbane.

The time to rest them, if we were to, would be after the Carlton game in round 7, where we have 6 day break and have to travel to sydney for round 8 against GWS.
That would give them a week off then 4 games before the teams bye in round 13, then 8 games to end the season.

Of course this is all dependent on each player, if Cox/Perkins/Jones/Waterman look liking they are starting to be cooked you give them a break there and then. Alternatively, if they are absolutely flying and physically arent showing any wear and tear then you contemplate letting them keep going as well.
 

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Could be the last season we see Ambrose if he's been reduced to playing forward in the VFL.
He only returned from injury last week and on limited minutes... it’s not like the VFL is a permanent thing. None of our senior players are going back into the senior side straight from injury, Stringer, Zaka, Ambrose included, let alone after a couple of seasons rehabbing it.

Playing forward has also been slated all summer, along with Hurley forward, Heppell, Hooker, Stewart, Laverde back, Ham in the midfield...
 
Thats all well and good but someone has to cover for Hurley and Stewart and I just don't think Bzt is the guy so I'd personally see Ambrose back. He knows the role well enough.
Yes but the coaches are not seeing it that way.
 
Apr 6, 2008
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Is Ambrose playing forward as the role they have defined for him, or is it a case that if he's struggling physically, he can control where and when he goes a little more as a forward.

However, in our current predicament, we need another tall back. We actually need one taller than Ambrose, who would be very handy on leading forwards the way the game is changing this year. I am very concerned about Hipwood and Daniher next week. Two 200cm forwards and can lead and jump at the ball (one of them can jump to its highest point). With Francis, Laverde and Ridley or BZT. It is a bag waiting to happen.

They have been on the road three weeks in a row. Having only won one of those, following the surprising loss to Sydney in round 1. If they don't win against us they are back on the road to play Carlton here, who I expect will beat a battered Port in Melbourne. They could be looking at season over in round 6, after making top 4 last year and then trading in one of the top few forwards in the game. Sure they could win 12 out of the last 16 and finish in the bottom half of the eight, but there won't be a flag from there. They really have to win both of the next two games, against middle of the road (or worse) sides in Essendon and Carlton.

So, with that pressure on them, wanting to match the energy that Essendon has been playing with and the tall forwards that could really expose our short backline. The home crowd (with associated umpiring) and Brisbane have a bit of the flat track bully about them (not saying they don't have a dip when it is difficult but they do like to put weak prey to the sword) I am worried about an absolute smashing.

I wouldn't mind Rutten doing a bit of a Sheedy this week. Picking players like Reid and backing the youth in. Talk about how BOTH sides are 1-3 and talk it up like a mini elimination. Even if this year sees us end up with the ladder position we expect, get the kids out there playing games like it is a final. Maybe make a point about how we've moved on and play Cox on Daniher at stages. BRING THE HEAT.
 
He only returned from injury last week and on limited minutes... it’s not like the VFL is a permanent thing. None of our senior players are going back into the senior side straight from injury, Stringer, Zaka, Ambrose included, let alone after a couple of seasons rehabbing it.

Playing forward has also been slated all summer, along with Hurley forward, Heppell, Hooker, Stewart, Laverde back, Ham in the midfield...
I dunno, it just seems weird that he would be returning through the VFL playing as a forward if he was going to be playing as a defender in the AFL, keeping in mind that Ambrose is nearly 30 so not like he's going to be afforded the time to learn a new position like the much younger Stewart and Laverde. Maybe there's some deeper wisdom behind it but I don't see it, I get the feeling that Ambrose has been stamped as not part of our next team (which is fair) and will probably spend this year in the 2s before being told this was his last contract.
 
Oct 6, 2020
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I wouldn't mind Rutten doing a bit of a Sheedy this week. Picking players like Reid and backing the youth in. Talk about how BOTH sides are 1-3 and talk it up like a mini elimination. Even if this year sees us end up with the ladder position we expect, get the kids out there playing games like it is a final. Maybe make a point about how we've moved on and play Cox on Daniher at stages. BRING THE HEAT.
Reid would get absolutely destroyed if we played him against Brisbane. He's not ready yet.
 

Hird05

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Yes but the coaches are not seeing it that way.
Yeah I'm aware of that. Ethan has already stressed that and I've read the training reports. Personally it doesn't make a lot of sense having Hooker, Jones, Wright, Waterman availabe and trying to fit in Ambrose when we are short another tall back until Reid is ready. I reckon he's our best lockdown tall still. Bzt is a long way off. If Stewart or Hurley were fit it would be different. I get it the answer is a hard no but still think hes the guy. I mean it's not like he's a gunna hit the scoreboard like Hooker.
 
I dunno, it just seems weird that he would be returning through the VFL playing as a forward if he was going to be playing as a defender in the AFL, keeping in mind that Ambrose is nearly 30 so not like he's going to be afforded the time to learn a new position like the much younger Stewart and Laverde. Maybe there's some deeper wisdom behind it but I don't see it, I get the feeling that Ambrose has been stamped as not part of our next team (which is fair) and will probably spend this year in the 2s before being told this was his last contract.
Ambrose is only 6 months older than Heppell and is younger than Hurley, so it's not unique to the younger players. All three also have prior AFL experience in the positions they moved to over the summer, having started their careers forward and at half-back respectively.

I think many of the positional changes over the pre-season were about letting the kids take their preferred roles and putting senior players and depth wherever needed to support.
 
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