Preview Round 9 - North Melbourne vs GWS Giants, Saturday 19th May 2018, 1.45pm, Blundstone Arena

[Land of the Giants]

I usually wait until our opponent for next week has played before publishing these previews, but regardless of what happens today with North, I don't think it will make any difference.

We'll be out of the eight by the end of today, and probably continue sliding for a while yet. The bottom has fallen out of the team psychologically, and what's alarming is there's no apparent solution.

It's obvious we have serious problems up front. Our scoring power has halved in the last month. Rounds 1-4, we averaged just over 14 goals per game; rounds 5-8, just over 7. What happened? It's more than injuries, we've just dropped a fit former#1 draft pick to the NEAFL to find some form (and he didn't even score a point yesterday).

We're playing like a team whose premiership window has come and gone, and trying to re-build. We seem in danger of going the way of the Suns (and their own NEAFL team, which contained 11 senior players, went goal-less yesterday, 12.24.96 to 0.4.4. Yep, 36 scoring shots to 4 ).

Watch the presser. Usually Leon says something insightful but yesterday there was nothing. Flat as a tack. He re-iterated our efficiency with the ball is still "not up to AFL standard". But yesterday's line-up had well over half the team from last year's PF. How has such a basic skill fallen away so precipitously?

It all seems to have happened so quickly.

Our best chance for the rest of the season is probably toughing it out until the bye and then reloading. Kelly and Deledio are not that far away; Buntine was probably our BOG in the NEAFL. Greene - still unclear, no sign of Adam Kennedy, and we won't have Scully back until at least the return match against the Eagles in Round 16 (the Eagles in Perth, Richmond at Spotless, Port in Adelaide - won't that be fun?)

As for North next week, I booked this trip following the Collingwood win after too many Captain Morgans (those 1.8 cans do wonders for your confidence - perhaps sending a couple of cartons to 1 Olympic Boulevard might help ).

You know what? Despite it all, I'm still going to Tassie.

Here come the Giants.

 

[Colonial]

My 1st game this year.

I may have to drink...

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[Aussie18]

I usually wait until our opponent for next week has played before publishing these previews, but regardless of what happens today with North, I don't think it will make any difference.

We'll be out of the eight by the end of today, and probably continue sliding for a while yet. The bottom has fallen out of the team psychologically, and what's alarming is there's no apparent solution.

It's obvious we have serious problems up front. Our scoring power has halved in the last month. Rounds 1-4, we averaged just over 14 goals per game; rounds 5-8, just over 7. What happened? It's more than injuries, we've just dropped a fit former#1 draft pick to the NEAFL to find some form (and he didn't even score a point yesterday).

We're playing like a team whose premiership window has come and gone, and is trying to re-build. We seem in danger of going the way of the Suns (and their own NEAFL team, which contained 11 senior players, went goal-less yesterday, 12.24.96 to 0.4.4. Yep, 36 scoring shots to 4 ).

Watch the presser. Usually Leon says something insightful but yesterday there was nothing. Flat as a tack. He re-iterated our efficiency with the ball is still "not up to AFL standard". But yesterday's line-up had well over half the team from last year's PF. How has such a basic skill fallen away so precipitously?

It all seems to have happened so quickly.

Our best chance for the rest of the season is probably toughing it out until the bye and then reloading. Kelly and Deledio are not that far away; Buntine was probably our BOG in the NEAFL. Greene - still unclear, no sign of Adam Kennedy, and we won't have Scully back until at least the return match against the Eagles in Round 16 (the Eagles in Perth, Richmond at Spotless, Port in Adelaide - won't that be fun?)

As for North next week, I booked this trip following the Collingwood win after too many Captain Morgans (those 1.8 cans do wonders for your confidence - perhaps sending a couple of cartons to 1 Olympic Boulevard might help ).

You know what? Despite it all, I'm still going to Tassie.

Here come the Giants.

Watch the presser. Usually Leon says something insightful but yesterday there was nothing. Flat as a tack. He re-iterated our efficiency with the ball is still "not up to AFL standard".
Recruiters should draft footballers not atheletes. Finals are won by footballers in September not 3k time trials in January.

 

[Giant Pete]

Haynes should never take a risky kick again. I can’t believe the coaches give him license to.

Without Davis and DeBoer:
Shaw Keefe Tomlinson
Haynes Corr Griffen
Whitfield Shiel Taranto
Langdon Cameron Lloyd
Bonar HH Reid
Lobb Cogs Ward
Cumming Finlayson Hopper and ...... ??

 

[Determinant]

Haynes should never take a risky kick again. I can’t believe the coaches give him license to.

Without Davis and DeBoer:
Shaw Keefe Tomlinson
Haynes Corr Griffen
Whitfield Shiel Taranto
Langdon Cameron Lloyd
Bonar HH Reid
Lobb Cogs Ward
Cumming Finlayson Hopper and ...... ??

Please not HH, he needs to go back to NEAFL and figure what he is doing.
2 handed punching an uncontested mark and refusing to take a shot are worse than anything Jono was doing.
I don't doubt he has promise, but requires delivery and so far all that's been sent is the bill

 

[Giant Pete]

Please not HH, he needs to go back to NEAFL and figure what he is doing.
2 handed punching an uncontested mark and refusing to take a shot are worse than anything Jono was doing.
I don't doubt he has promise, but requires delivery and so far all that's been sent is the bill

At least he is mobile though. Who else can we put in?? Patton is so far off it atm.

 

[Orange Agent]

Dropping Patton was nothing more than trying to make a statement and it has backfired. Put him back in the ******* goal square and get us back to normal programming.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

I think it might be time to throw out the manual and play fit people who are in some sort of touch this week. I think we will turn it around but it will take time..
I agree Himmelburg joins Pattin in the NEAFL. We need both of them, but in form. I dont know what Dawson did wrong in the Saints game but it has to bad if he's not considered.
Jezza and Lobb need to play, but it's reality neither will be at at their best. Lobb will get better with game time time and Jezza's toe has to sort itself out at some point. if necessary Finlayson or another tall back can try a different role.
Buntine or Tim Mohr look like better options than Keefe to me.
It's too early to know if Kelly or Deledio are back, I'm assuming Toby isn't. I wouldn't be rushing them regardless. We do need some run though.
Whitfield needs to be on the wing for me and Tommo probably goes back there as well.

 

[Determinant]

At least he is mobile though. Who else can we put in?? Patton is so far off it atm.

Matt Flynn been playing mostly as a fwd in NEAFL and would mean we don't need Keefe for ruck backup

 

[Giant Strides]

Well, what we've been doing hasn't been working. I agree with the comments on HH - he just looked so vanilla out there and really didn't influence anything much. Not really keen on Keeffe to be honest as either ruck or KPD, and I don't think Flynn is really ready. Our three big issues are disposal efficiency (which just comes down to individual skills, training & confidence), lack of run (without Wilson, Williams, Scully, Deledio & Kelly) & poor forward set up (no Greene & out of form talls).

Against Goldie, I'd be tempted to go back to Dawson as at least a big bodied true ruckman, and - in a nod to the past - use Lobb as a forward & relief ruck. See if he can take some contested marks close to goal. As others have said, HH can join Patton in NEAFL finding some touch. Norths have three true KPFs and quite mobile at that, which makes Tommo a liability as second KPD, so Mohr to come in for Davis (presumably out for such a big head knock) - he's had to deal with the same s**t in NEAFL as Davis has been in first grade. Buntine for MdB if the coaches think he's regained fitness - 39 disposals suggests he had a good run, but it is NEAFL after all. Maybe that will give us some run and class from defence.

The forward setup hasn't worked, so I'd really love to see Bonar given a chance playing as third tall, bringing tackling & pressure. But I suspect Leon won't because we never debut away - and especially in Tasmania. Perryman perhaps another with a chance to come in for MdB, playing a utility role wherever required.

Forwards: Cameron, Lobb, Bonar, Griffen, Langdon, Lloyd, Reid
Ruck: Simpson
Mids: Ward, Coniglio, Shiel, Whitfield, Tomlinson, Taranto, Hopper
Backs: Corr, Mohr, Haynes, Finlayson, Shaw, Buntine, Cumming

Unfortunately, I don't expect the match committee to be as adventurous.

 

[Colonial]

At least he is mobile though. Who else can we put in?? Patton is so far off it atm.

Better than Keefe though

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[fridgeman]

So after that loss and a couple of possible exclusions because of injury it makes this weeks trip even harder
My team for the week
Tomlinson to play defence for Davis, my thoughts are too many talls in the team and possible for Mohr to make the trip as emergency but I think he would be too slow v the Roos forwards as they are too mobile. I think LC needs to challenge Haynes to play on the tall forwards and Wood will be a good test and can they please start playing a more permanent back 6 as I think that contributes to the amount of turnovers as well
With the 6 on the bench i am covering options but I expect one of Kelly/Deledio to play and 2 of the last 3 listed on the bench to play
I can't see Buntine playing after only 2 games back from his ACL

Shaw Tomlinson Finlayson
Griffen Corr Haynes
Shiel Ward Whitfield
Lloyd Cameron TT
Reid HH Langdon
Lobb Coniglio Hopper
Cumming Kelly/Deledio Bonar/Perryman/Buckley

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

We are going to get hammered. This will be another ugly score line. Can’t see us getting within 10 goals

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

We are going to get hammered. This will be another ugly score line. Can’t see us getting within 10 goals

I generally try to be optimistic, but a win feels very unlikely right now. Bookies have it even but I think there's some lingering perception North are a weak team despite the fact it's round 9 and all the evidence to the contrary.

I always expected to go down for the game, it was great last year. I've been going cold on the idea but feel like I have to now. Will book it today and take the winter woolies.

 

[Simmofreo]

Getting north at a bad time too. Looks like davis and deboar are definitely out.

This is a dead set injury crisis. We could be out of the 8 for the first time in a long time

Edit : we already are

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[Colonial]

Getting north at a bad time too. Looks like davis and deboar are definitely out.

This is a dead set injury crisis. We could be out of the 8 for the first time in a long time

Edit : we already are

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Long way to go with lots of players to come back.
Can still be in with a shot this year.

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[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Getting north at a bad time too. Looks like davis and deboar are definitely out.

This is a dead set injury crisis. We could be out of the 8 for the first time in a long time

Edit : we already are

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What can you do, except turn up and support. Maybe is was the booze but it seemed to me the orange army were in good heart on Saturday at least. They deserve a shout out.

 

[Colonial]

Replacements for Davis and Shaw?


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[Colonial]

We will be 2 games out of the 8 should we lose this.

We need to stay in touch. Must win.

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[Colonial]

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[dlanod]

 

[Giant Pete]

Better than Keefe though

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Keefe is a good matchup for Ben Brown.

 

[Giant Pete]

Tomlinson was terrible on Darling in that first half. He and Corr will get towelled up by Brown and Waite.

 

[Aussie18]

Tomlison needs to go back to a wing and HH defensive forward on Tarrant, they both played their best in last years finals in those rolls.

 

[Danny88]

Lots of doom and gloom here but I think if there is a lesson to be learned from the last two years is that it’s the form team come finals that wins. Long road to go and plenty of time to turn it around. If we go back the last few years the giants have regularly slumped leading up to the bye. I think we will try stay afloat till then and reload

For me I have Mohr in for Davis and perryman in for MDB.