Preview Round 7 2021: Richmond Vs Western Bulldogs 30/04 MCG 7:50pm

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This is a really good post I reckon, but also raises some interesting questions...

We cannot just gift games, especially not based on name (so MRJ needs more time to prove he's ready), but on the flipside should we continue to gift games to Aarts because we simply don't have a like for like replacement playing better than him? Because right now, Aarts playing is him being gifted games.

On performance alone, Aarts should not have been back in the side at all after being dropped following the QF loss to Brisbane. It wasn't just that game last year, and it wasn't just the Melbourne game this year, he just clearly isn't quite at the level and especially not in a premiership side looking to go again.

Right now he is being gifted games.

The question thus is, are we keeping him in solely for our preferred structure/system and is it hamstringing us?

Surely we could just bring in a better AFL level footballer (Ross could have been in the side sooner) who may not play the same position, and just restructure where necessary. I get that we play a system but we're 3 wins 3 losses, the system is having issues and could benefit from having its best possible players playing.

Caddy may or may not be cooked, he may or may not be in the bad books with Dimma due to attitude things we don't know about, but forgetting those things, if we are simply not selecting him because his role is now "defensive winger" and Pickett & McIntosh are ahead of him, then we are ******* kidding ourselves. Can you imagine how much better we'd look as a team right now if we had Caddy - a proven AFL level player - sitting in that forward line instead of Aarts? Again, I get the current issues with Caddy might be part of the reason he's out, but system shouldn't stop us playing our best, AFL level players.

For mine, this week Aarts should absolutely have been dropped. RCD was a forced in and probably still wasn't otherwise going to be considered, Ross was kind of a forced in too but he should probably be thereabouts anyway, has shown he has the goods at the level. I'd have brought in CCJ for Aarts. Support for Nank, another strong target forward to stretch a pretty small defence, and get to practicing two rucks again.

I know we are recent triple-premiers and we should trust the coaches, but surely we can still make mistakes, and continuing to play Aarts is one of them.

Aarts is being gifted games because we are obliged to pick him due to injuries to prestia and now Lambert.

Benny gale got gifted games when he was a kid and we were obliged to pick him. There's probably been dozens of others. That's life.

Actually I reckon with a crystal ball we would have done better with caddy than Aarts last week but the truth is caddy is struggling to get a game and oppos run off him. I think his day's are numbered but I would like a game againt a s**t team playing him forward and seeing if he can make it.
 
I had them all come out on Facebook, I am completely shocked at that mob. They've literally embarrassed themselves this week. They've easily gone into the number 1 hated team. They've acted like a massive bunch of absolutely tossbags after beating us. They've done SFA.

Last time I saw a fanbase in that state of disbelief was after the 16 granny. Dees haven't even made the finals the soft utensils.
 

Grrr

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Aug 16, 2009
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mildura
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We could easily play one of our mids down forward in front of Aarts and bring in another in form player from the VFL. Problem is, other than CCJ there isn't anyone knocking the door down. They have either been injured or suspended, Cumberland, Dow, Ralphsmith, Nyuon, Garth, Miller. Getting miles into their legs, Stack and MRJ, or been tried and they have lost a bit of faith in Naish, Martyn (temporarily), Egg, Chol. Caddy has dropped down the order for the same reason Aarts won't be there in the long run, good footballers but not enough pace for the postions they play.

Name another player right now besides perhaps Naish and CCJ (who unbalances the team especially against the quick Dogs or would be playing), who's form warrants promotion.
 

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Oshka

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Mar 5, 2021
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Who was the leading goal kicker the last time these two teams met?

a) Jack Riewoldt
b) Tom Lynch
c) Aaron Naughton
d) Jake Aarts
 

Oshka

Club Legend
Mar 5, 2021
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6,875
AFL Club
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For those who guessed d), you are correct.

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