With the next three rounds being condensed and the fact that Freo are playing 3 games in under two weeks, there is a risk of our already huge injury list getting even bigger with less recovery time between games.
My thoughts are that we should rest some players during these rounds (particularly if they have played most or all games this season, or have returned from injury) and give other players a crack. Some of these replacement players might not be ready for AFL level right now but the experience will be valuable, and we might unearth a diamond in the rough - while reducing injury risk to our current best 22 available. In a season like this where we've had so many injuries, and we won't make the finals (our season is cooked, let's face it) - I'd rather we blood young players and give them some experience in the next three rounds rather than risk long injuries to best available 22 players that are still healthy. You wouldn't do this all in one game but would try to spread the changes across the three rounds, but definitely have more changes for the Carlton game as we only have a five day break before that. No doubt we'll get beaten comprehensively - but is that any different to the last two games?
Some scenarios I'm throwing out there - these definitely aren't like for like replacements in most cases though:
Rest Brayshaw and Cerra and Fyfe in different games, and bring in Crowden or Valente or Blakely - maybe Blakely for Brayshaw, Crowden for Cerra. Maybe even North would be considered?
Rest Schultz and/or Banfield for a game or two (many calling for them to be dropped anyway) and debut Isaiah Butters and Henry (if they are confident in his fitness coming back from injury - 50-60% game time I'd be ok with for Henry)
Rest Tabs for a game and bring in Dixon
Rest Hughes and/or Duman for a game and give Carter or Pina a go, also possibly give Conca a game off after returning from injury by replacing with Pina
Possibly rest Lobb for a game and bring Meek in
Feel free to shoot this idea down if you have a different point of view, I won't take offence - just an idea I thought I'd throw out there. It's just an idea about managing players during this unprecedented number of games in a short time frame vs our ridiculous injury list.
My thoughts are that we should rest some players during these rounds (particularly if they have played most or all games this season, or have returned from injury) and give other players a crack. Some of these replacement players might not be ready for AFL level right now but the experience will be valuable, and we might unearth a diamond in the rough - while reducing injury risk to our current best 22 available. In a season like this where we've had so many injuries, and we won't make the finals (our season is cooked, let's face it) - I'd rather we blood young players and give them some experience in the next three rounds rather than risk long injuries to best available 22 players that are still healthy. You wouldn't do this all in one game but would try to spread the changes across the three rounds, but definitely have more changes for the Carlton game as we only have a five day break before that. No doubt we'll get beaten comprehensively - but is that any different to the last two games?
Some scenarios I'm throwing out there - these definitely aren't like for like replacements in most cases though:
Rest Brayshaw and Cerra and Fyfe in different games, and bring in Crowden or Valente or Blakely - maybe Blakely for Brayshaw, Crowden for Cerra. Maybe even North would be considered?
Rest Schultz and/or Banfield for a game or two (many calling for them to be dropped anyway) and debut Isaiah Butters and Henry (if they are confident in his fitness coming back from injury - 50-60% game time I'd be ok with for Henry)
Rest Tabs for a game and bring in Dixon
Rest Hughes and/or Duman for a game and give Carter or Pina a go, also possibly give Conca a game off after returning from injury by replacing with Pina
Possibly rest Lobb for a game and bring Meek in
Feel free to shoot this idea down if you have a different point of view, I won't take offence - just an idea I thought I'd throw out there. It's just an idea about managing players during this unprecedented number of games in a short time frame vs our ridiculous injury list.
