Tabs V Alex P

[freoextra]

I'd like Tabs up forward as a foil for Pav, but only if conditions suit - would rather him sit out if it will be wet on Saturday.

And given Luke Mac and Johnson will be back, I'd prefer A. Pearce down back instead of Dawson. Not a Dawson hater at all but I think Pearce is the way forward. Although for this week in particular it's a tough call, because Dawson has done very well on Tippett.

I think you are right about Dawson being the best Tippett match up, therefore he plays. However, if we run into a team without many large forwards, Dawson would be my first omission. Dawson is very very good on logs!!

 

[Taylor]

Doesn't matter if Tabs doesn't mark, as long as he's bringing it to Walters & Ballaz at ground level.

I agree, he does have a creative handball and brings players into the game, he got the team at least two goals against Adelaide like that.

 

[jedi mind tricks]

Often we are at our most attacking when we have 1 KPF and Ballas, Walters and Mayne are all on fire. It just hasn't happened this year unlike 2013 and I'm not expecting it to come finals.

If it does we have every chance of going all the way. Fingers crossed.

 

[Sweetback]

How has Tabs been rucking in the WAFL?

 

[jedi mind tricks]

How has Tabs been rucking in the WAFL?

He's done very little this season.

 

[Sweetback]

He's done very little this season.

I don't get why people are talking like it's a viable option, then, although I guess our options are limited with Griff out and Clarke at a loose end.

 

[Dirty_banchez]

If Griff is injured then I would play both. Clarke and Hannath haven't done enough to get a game. Tabs could give a chop-out in the ruck, he wouldn't be very effective. In saying that, I can't see the coaching staff taking a risk and going into the game with only one ruck. Hannath would be better than Clarke right now.

 

[jedi mind tricks]

I don't get why people are talking like it's a viable option, then, although I guess our options are limited with Griff out and Clarke at a loose end.

I'm waiting for the injury report to come out. Griff may still get a game. Yes Tabs could ruck forward 50 and Sandi to do the majority of the work. Big ask though. With Clarke's performance on the weekend it may be a better option. Tabs may play een better with Pav back.

 

[electricfeel]

I don't think Tabs rucks at all. Ross was saying that they had to sub him out in one of the games earlier because it was down to him and Clarke. Clarke rucks and therefore Tabs was subbed out.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I don't get why people are talking like it's a viable option, then, although I guess our options are limited with Griff out and Clarke at a loose end.

I don't think Tabs rucks at all. Ross was saying that they had to sub him out in one of the games earlier because it was down to him and Clarke. Clarke rucks and therefore Tabs was subbed out.

I remember someone saying he was doing a bit a training, and Dawson has rucked for small stints before.

Sandi can ruck for 90% of the game, and Taberner looked really good on the weekend.

Alex Pearce looks like he is cooked for the year, didn't show much on the weekend and looks like he need 2-3 weeks off football.

I would rather go in with Sandi with Taberner\Dawson rucking for 5-10% of the game than take Clarke who played with no heart.

 

[GilG]

Poor game by Alex Pearce on the weekend, seems to be really suffering from first year soreness.

So from a strength point of view Tabs is probably the better bet.

However, if we are talking a talent comparison then Alex is miles ahead. Just a much smarter footballer who knows how to get those clever knocks to advantage. Alex seems significantly better below his knees as well.

So for mine, Alex Pearce if he is fit but Tabs if he is not.

On current evidence it looks like Alex is sore and Tabs would probably contribute more, I hope I am wrong.

I agree with this. Tabs created tons of opportunities v Port, but missed three REALLY gettable goals. Tough call. Pearce seems to be better at leading into space and taking marks, but his kicking needs some work. Tabs seems better in a one-on-one contest because of his strength, but I don't want to see a repeat performance of his spilling an absolute sitter in last year's QF at Homebush or his filing to convert three easy chances v Port. I like the idea of playing both of them — Pearce down back and Tabs up front and interchanging them, if necessary.

 

[Belnakor]

Tabs, has the finals experience from last

LOL not sure we would want to quote that too often.

vs Sydney: 5 touches in basically a full game
vs Port: subbed out at half time with 2 touches.

 

[Freomaniac]

Both are solid players at worst. Tabs isnt the greatest forward but is handy in a good structure as a 2nd tall he has Proven to be a better forward than Alex Pearce. Pearce as I said is our Justin Westoff, Someone that can fill both ends. Given the choice, I would only play Pearce over Tabs this week incase one of out tall defenders get injured. Gutted Apeness has been injured all season. He would of got 5-10 games this year as a forward an ruck.

 

[Stuart88]

Tabs forward, Pearce back, Dawson out

 

[MadDocker]

No way Stuart. Big Zac is in for sure.

 

[salim malik]

Tabs forward, Pearce back, Dawson out

Pearce on Buddy , Tippet or Reid and Zac D sitting in the stands.Yep what a great idea.

 

[Stuart88]

Pearce on Buddy , Tippet or Reid and Zac D sitting in the stands.Yep what a great idea.

Well from what I have seen of Zac v. Pearce this year, I would be going with Pearce. If our midfield is firing he should be fine.

 

[salim malik]

Well from what I have seen of Zac v. Pearce this year, I would be going with Pearce. If our midfield is firing he should be fine.

Pearce would be murdered by any one of Sydney's big three one on one.Zac can do the one on one job and also lay the blocks and give Luke, Johnno and Ibbo a jump at the ball.Pearce is not strong enough .A couple more pre seasons for Alex and yeh let him loose on the monsters.

 

[Stuart88]

No way Stuart. Big Zac is in for sure.

Not if he can't get his groin to settle down.

 

[MadDocker]

My severe immaturity makes that statement very funny to me.

 

[Stuart88]

Pearce would be murdered by any one of Sydney's big three one on one.Zac can do the one on one job and also lay the blocks and give Luke, Johnno and Ibbo a jump at the ball.Pearce is not strong enough .A couple more pre seasons for Alex and yeh let him loose on the monsters.

I don't recall him being murdered one on one this year.

 

[salim malik]

I don't recall him being murdered one on one this year.

He wasn't left one on one,always had help.Thats why our run out of half back dried up

 

[FreoRicci]

Well from what I have seen of Zac v. Pearce this year, I would be going with Pearce. If our midfield is firing he should be fine.

Sorry, but Alex would get murdered by Reid/Tippet/Pyke. No thanks.
Zac has done the job on Tippett before, time and time again. Cleaned him up in the 2012 Final when we played Adelaide. Did the same last year. He also allows MJ and Ibbotson to mark uncontested and have the space for rebounding.
EDIT: salimmalik beat me to it.

 

[FreoRicci]

Tabs was crap in finals last yr. Always gets subbed out and hasn't been tearing it up in WAFL as he should do if he's as good as you make us believe. If AP is battling soreness then why was he played yesterday? He's like everyone else this time of year I suspect, a little bit sore. Didn't we not play 11 on Saturday for various reasons? Soreness being the main reason. I think you'll find Alex had limited pre season in his first year but did full one this year. And I suspect Heeney won't play if going by your analogy that it's his first year and you don't play inexperienced players in finals. I reckon there's a chance neither Tabs or AP will play.

Fair argument. Agree with Heeney and many other first years playing for top 4 sides. One thing though is Alex is a KPP, so he will be playing against players that aren't really a match for him. If it was someone along the lines of maybe the smaller forwards such as the Mayne types then yes he's fine. But when against Tippet, Reid or Pyke- it's a different story.

 

[Stuart88]

The game isn't going to be won or lost in our defense. If it is we shouldn't even worry about the grand final. We should be killing them out of the middle and at stoppages.
My problem is that Ross is playing guys like AP and Ibbo forward just to fit Dawson in. Against Melbourne & GWS Dawson has seemed to me a liability back there (quite a few goals down my end were directly due to his stuff ups). He just hasn't had the game time this year to get any sort of continuity going. We shouldn't be pushing other defenders to other positions just to fit him back there.