- Joined
- Apr 29, 2012
- Posts
- 4,025
- Reaction score
- 13,263
- AFL Club
- West Coast
- Thread starter
- #101
Simmo's presser yesterday:
- Asked if McKenzie and Crippa got through training: Everyone trained. 6 day break means question marks on players regardless. We're going to give them every chance to perform and play. That said, we're always cautious about playing sore blokes. Another 24 hours - we'll be right [editorial note: wasn't convincing. Get ready for GINNERS.]
- Asked re Priddis: Looking good, once again - 6 day break - same as the other two boys. Hoping he'll come up.
- Asked whether it's tough to manage the 6 day back to backs: Yeah. We've come up against it quite a lot before, so we're used to it to a point. Last time we played the Tigers was a 6 day back to back break. Boys aren't too worried about it.
- Asked re no travel factor makes it easier to manage: Yeah, saves flying extra blokes and so forth. Not a big discussion; not something we haven't done before.
- Asked when the final call will be made on the sore blokes: I think we're pretty clear right now where we're at with it all, but we want to leave it another 24 hours to be sure.
- Asked re post-match review this week: I don't think we'll ever play a perfect game. All three games this year have been wildly different so far this year. Bit of a trend in the comp right now for really distinct styles of play from different clubs - which is exciting for the fans - but much harder to scout and to manage. Brisbane were so aggressive and attacking, Hawthorn are Hawthron [editorial note: campaigners], and the derby presents different issues again. I thought the Derby was a very combative game - to get through the contest and win it, and grind it out is good. Wasn't ideal that we didn't finish off our work, but for the most part I thought we played a pretty good style.
- Asked opinion of Tigers: I bloody love Claremont, cheers.*
- Asked opinion of the other, lesser Tigers: Expecting a good showing. Been a lot said about them in recent weeks, but they're getting a lot of stuff right. 15 marks inside fifty, getting good supply, there's a lot to like there. They're not far away. We're preparing for the Tigers at their best. They play Subi well, and I'm sure they're not afraid about coming here.
- Asked re Maric not playing/our prospects of taking advantage of their ruck deficiencies: Yeah, but they also produce good results in their stoppages and their midfield presence. They're getting good supply. I think they're pretty settled. Something we need to be aware of regardless of Maric's absence.
- Asked re contested ball being our main focus: Hard to go away from contested ball every week. Every club, every coach talks about it. The question is - what are you prepared to give up to win that battle? I think we've performed pretty well for a while now in that area. When we're down on contested ball, it's noticeable - we're not as good as when we win it. Obviously a focus of ours
- Asked what we're expecting from the Tigers: I'm anticipating them to feel the way we did last week, after the Hawthorn game and Freo after Gold Coast [editorial note: trololololol Freo 0-3]. They're going to play like their backs are against the wall. This time of year, attention falls really quickly to clubs with one or two losses. Reality is that everyone is only one or two wins off being where they want to be. So that all leads to a feeling of maximum consequence, but deep breaths, early in the year. I would have thought they're in a space now where they're on a bit of a mission to do some damage. We're aware of it, we need to match it.
- Asked re Swellingham's return: We feel like we've got some good numbers on our list now - it ebbs and flows but there's around 38/39 players available this week, we hope. Sharrod is one of them - he'll get minutes at East Perth - probably around 90 minutes. If he can get through that and play good footy, he'll be available for us next week.
- Asked if he'd pick Swellingham straight away next week if he gets through: He'd be in the frame, but he'd need to get his match fitness right up. Few other blokes coming back too.
- Asked if Swellingham's absence has been felt in the back six: It does make you realise how important he is with his ball use and his bravery. We've seen the trend across the comp with those running half backs who get up the field. Sometimes I think he doesn't quite know what he's doing, but he tends to make really good choices and other players feed off that. We've definitely missed him.
- Asked regarding the war criminal, arch-coward and deeply ugly Ty Vickery and his cheap punch: Dean's on the coaching staff and his nose is still a little bit of whack [editorial note: nice pun, Simmo]. I'm sure he thinks about it most days. We've only played them twice since - one at the G, one here - you look at the past a little bit but the game moves on so quickly. We've got 7 changes from the Grand Final even. We're a different side.
- Asked whether the crowd will give him a tough reception: "Why not? Get into him."
* May not have happened.
- Asked if McKenzie and Crippa got through training: Everyone trained. 6 day break means question marks on players regardless. We're going to give them every chance to perform and play. That said, we're always cautious about playing sore blokes. Another 24 hours - we'll be right [editorial note: wasn't convincing. Get ready for GINNERS.]
- Asked re Priddis: Looking good, once again - 6 day break - same as the other two boys. Hoping he'll come up.
- Asked whether it's tough to manage the 6 day back to backs: Yeah. We've come up against it quite a lot before, so we're used to it to a point. Last time we played the Tigers was a 6 day back to back break. Boys aren't too worried about it.
- Asked re no travel factor makes it easier to manage: Yeah, saves flying extra blokes and so forth. Not a big discussion; not something we haven't done before.
- Asked when the final call will be made on the sore blokes: I think we're pretty clear right now where we're at with it all, but we want to leave it another 24 hours to be sure.
- Asked re post-match review this week: I don't think we'll ever play a perfect game. All three games this year have been wildly different so far this year. Bit of a trend in the comp right now for really distinct styles of play from different clubs - which is exciting for the fans - but much harder to scout and to manage. Brisbane were so aggressive and attacking, Hawthorn are Hawthron [editorial note: campaigners], and the derby presents different issues again. I thought the Derby was a very combative game - to get through the contest and win it, and grind it out is good. Wasn't ideal that we didn't finish off our work, but for the most part I thought we played a pretty good style.
- Asked opinion of Tigers: I bloody love Claremont, cheers.*
- Asked opinion of the other, lesser Tigers: Expecting a good showing. Been a lot said about them in recent weeks, but they're getting a lot of stuff right. 15 marks inside fifty, getting good supply, there's a lot to like there. They're not far away. We're preparing for the Tigers at their best. They play Subi well, and I'm sure they're not afraid about coming here.
- Asked re Maric not playing/our prospects of taking advantage of their ruck deficiencies: Yeah, but they also produce good results in their stoppages and their midfield presence. They're getting good supply. I think they're pretty settled. Something we need to be aware of regardless of Maric's absence.
- Asked re contested ball being our main focus: Hard to go away from contested ball every week. Every club, every coach talks about it. The question is - what are you prepared to give up to win that battle? I think we've performed pretty well for a while now in that area. When we're down on contested ball, it's noticeable - we're not as good as when we win it. Obviously a focus of ours
- Asked what we're expecting from the Tigers: I'm anticipating them to feel the way we did last week, after the Hawthorn game and Freo after Gold Coast [editorial note: trololololol Freo 0-3]. They're going to play like their backs are against the wall. This time of year, attention falls really quickly to clubs with one or two losses. Reality is that everyone is only one or two wins off being where they want to be. So that all leads to a feeling of maximum consequence, but deep breaths, early in the year. I would have thought they're in a space now where they're on a bit of a mission to do some damage. We're aware of it, we need to match it.
- Asked re Swellingham's return: We feel like we've got some good numbers on our list now - it ebbs and flows but there's around 38/39 players available this week, we hope. Sharrod is one of them - he'll get minutes at East Perth - probably around 90 minutes. If he can get through that and play good footy, he'll be available for us next week.
- Asked if he'd pick Swellingham straight away next week if he gets through: He'd be in the frame, but he'd need to get his match fitness right up. Few other blokes coming back too.
- Asked if Swellingham's absence has been felt in the back six: It does make you realise how important he is with his ball use and his bravery. We've seen the trend across the comp with those running half backs who get up the field. Sometimes I think he doesn't quite know what he's doing, but he tends to make really good choices and other players feed off that. We've definitely missed him.
- Asked regarding the war criminal, arch-coward and deeply ugly Ty Vickery and his cheap punch: Dean's on the coaching staff and his nose is still a little bit of whack [editorial note: nice pun, Simmo]. I'm sure he thinks about it most days. We've only played them twice since - one at the G, one here - you look at the past a little bit but the game moves on so quickly. We've got 7 changes from the Grand Final even. We're a different side.
- Asked whether the crowd will give him a tough reception: "Why not? Get into him."
* May not have happened.
