Strategy Time to roll the dice...

[yakka man]

Surprised Grey didn't get the nod with Spurr out. I like the campaigner of his jib.

Hahah. I substituted the word campaigner for cut and realized the obvious typo and auto correct.

 

[FreoRicci]

I'd rest Sandi and/or Pav, noone else. Gold Coast is a danger game waiting to happen if we go in complacent. I'm happy to drop another of Suttcliffe/Sheridan/Duffield as well but that's it. 3-4 changes max. This isn't a time to do a max rest and dump 12 players. We need mometum going into the bye. It takes a bit of feel to get going in the AFL so to have Gray, Blakely Weller straight in together isn't a great idea for confident and development anyway. They need to have a bit of A graders around them to push them through just like A. Pearce did for two weeks.

 

[clogged]

And given his performance against Geelong, what happened next?

He was picked in the Hawthorn game.

 

[Bulldocker]

Definitely two trains of thought on this - perhaps could've added a poll JMT?

My thinking is that we are just not rewarding players that keep knocking on the door. But we still tend to leave sub-performers in simply because we have been winning. Surely at 9-1 or even 10-0 there is room for improvement if there are guys spudding up. Duffield, Clarke and Suban continued crap games along with the MJ injury need to be dealt with. I can't believe that bringing in Mzungu, Griff and Blakely along with Spurr straight back in for MJ wouldn't be an improved line-up. Good form is infectious. Bad form is infectious too... so cut the festering away and bring in exuberance. The three outs would all be good enough to gain some form at Peel and earn their spots back if their hearts are as big as the three that replaced them.

As for Pav, I am sure he will play next week unless he is carrying more than just "soreness".

 

[jedi mind tricks]

He was picked in the Hawthorn game.

And played well. He also received NAB rising star nomination the week after.

 

[theGav56]

Stone seems to be clearly saying that they are happy with some of the players KPIs who posters describe as spuds.

In the not distant past the following backline players have been described as spuds; Dawson, MJ, Ibbotson, C Pearce. Currently Duffield and Sutcliffe are apparently spuds. Somehow they are part of a defensive group who are outstanding. MacPharlin and Spurr must be awesome.

 

[blue shark]

Is it time to put Morro on the long term injury list, and upgrade Ballard? Would he
offer more than Smith down back, 188cm tall and mature body, backline is lacking
depth, and injuries seem longer than expected.
We have several players around the 190cm mark, Mundy, Blakey, who have played
down back as well. Lets hope this is just a precautionary rant.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Is it time to put Morro on the long term injury list, and upgrade Ballard? Would he
offer more than Smith down back, 188cm tall and mature body, backline is lacking
depth, and injuries seem longer than expected.
We have several players around the 190cm mark, Mundy, Blakey, who have played
down back as well. Lets hope this is just a precautionary rant.

From what I have seen of Ballard down back he was not great blue shark, certainly would not be a viable key position defender. I think he is worth an upgrade and a run, but only to rest some of our midfielders. We do have others at Peel who could do this as well, so not sure if he will get upgraded.

 

[theGav56]

From what I have seen of Ballard down back he was not great blue shark, certainly would not be a viable key position defender. I think he is worth an upgrade and a run, but only to rest some of our midfielders. We do have others at Peel who could do this as well, so not sure if he will get upgraded.

Would you play Ballard before Blakey? Wouldn't think so. We need to keep the upgrade spot available for Smith even if he is not playing well, he can at least be a big body.

 

[Lach72]

Blakely is a ball winner and an accumulator.

He's a strong body. Not sure we lose too much by rotating Suban out for a rest.
I'd play Mzungu in Duffield's spot too. At least he offers a physical presence

 

[salim malik]

This thread should be re titled "The grass is greener "

 

[blue shark]

This thread should be re titled "The grass is greener "

Or that good wafl form should be rewarded, against players who are out of form, playing injured, sore.

 

[salim malik]

Or that good wafl form should be rewarded, against players who are out of form, playing injured, sore.

Thats just it ,the like for like replacements in the WAFL just aren't playing well or aren't available due to injury.
Tendai and MDB for Duff and Sutty is just about it.There isn't a Johnson or Pav replacement .Griff didn't play and Hannath is showing nothing.

 

[beetz]

Or that good wafl form should be rewarded, against players who are out of form, playing injured, sore.

or "we've lost a game so now lets throw out the game plan and write a new one"

 

[sij1981]

Thats just it ,the like for like replacements in the WAFL just aren't playing well or aren't available due to injury.
Tendai and MDB for Duff and Sutty is just about it.There isn't a Johnson or Pav replacement .Griff didn't play and Hannath is showing nothing.

whats deal with griffith?

 

[Mudd]

Last year Hawthorn had 7 first gamers play throughout the year, this was a team who was the best in the comp and had everything to lose.

we know what we get out of mzungu, mdb and the subans of our team and it hasn't been good enough to get the chocolates over the past couple of years.

Why can't Ross be brave with selection like Clarko was?

 

[DudleyDocker]

Would you play Ballard before Blakey? Wouldn't think so. We need to keep the upgrade spot available for Smith even if he is not playing well, he can at least be a big body.

See my last sentence for answer theGav56.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Why do people interpret wanting to get a few games into some fringe players as throwing out the game plan, or just plain not understanding the game? It is not revolutionary guys, it is how you improve a list.

Get games into NEW players who we recruited to play, and give opportunities to rest our "best 22" ready for the finals. How are we going to know who will make the step up to AFL if we don't try them. Again, would Josh Simpson still be with us if he had been given more opportunities?

I am not panicking, we are in a great position, but if we continue to play the same players and burn them out before the finals (as in last season) I will be looking very closely at the "Ross doesn't develop youth" bandwagon. It is not enough to hope we can rest half the team in the last week of home and away and throw a bunch of kids to the wolves. Slot them in gradually through the season with minimal changes to the normal line up.

 

[salim malik]

Why do people interpret wanting to get a few games into some fringe players as throwing out the game plan, or just plain not understanding the game? It is not revolutionary guys, it is how you improve a list.

Get games into NEW players who we recruited to play, and give opportunities to rest our "best 22" ready for the finals. How are we going to know who will make the step up to AFL if we don't try them. Again, would Josh Simpson still be with us if he had been given more opportunities?

I am not panicking, we are in a great position, but if we continue to play the same players and burn them out before the finals (as in last season) I will be looking very closely at the "Ross doesn't develop youth" bandwagon. It is not enough to hope we can rest half the team in the last week of home and away and throw a bunch of kids to the wolves. Slot them in gradually through the season with minimal changes to the normal line up.

Great in theory but who are these fringe players showing enough at Peel to get a game. Connor and????

 

[Grandstan]

Last year Hawthorn had 7 first gamers play throughout the year, this was a team who was the best in the comp and had everything to lose.

we know what we get out of mzungu, mdb and the subans of our team and it hasn't been good enough to get the chocolates over the past couple of years.

Why can't Ross be brave with selection like Clarko was?

I seem to recall Hawthorn had a few injuries last year.

 

[rodney hoo]

Great in theory but who are these fringe players showing enough at Peel to get a game. Connor and????

Alex Pearce was not showing that much at wafl level but was given ago through nessesity, I think what the Hawks do better is they bring one young guy at a time when things traveling smoothly to see how they go and prepare them if they get injuries. An example would be to rest Danyle Pearce when the side is traveling well and give young Weller ago, or Ballard for Barlow not the same week and also against the weaker sides even if they start on the bench.

 

[purplefrog]

or "we've lost a game so now lets throw out the game plan and write a new one"

No that is not the point, I would suggest just make a few minor alterations as form and injuries require.

 

[Harry Reems]

Great in theory but who are these fringe players showing enough at Peel to get a game. Connor and????

Sean Hurley

 

[TheMcManusNose]

Alex Pearce was not showing that much at wafl level but was given ago through nessesity, I think what the Hawks do better is they bring one young guy at a time when things traveling smoothly to see how they go and prepare them if they get injuries. An example would be to rest Danyle Pearce when the side is traveling well and give young Weller ago, or Ballard for Barlow not the same week and also against the weaker sides even if they start on the bench.

Are you joking mate? He was consistently good, if not excellent, last year for a 1st year player. Then he was good this year including one BOG performance before his call up. His call up was out of necessity, I absolutely agree, but to say he wasn't showing much is garbage.

That said I don't necessarily disagree with what you propose, although my main point of contention with it is that if you target guys like Weller, Blakely and Ballard (would need to be upgraded), then you are actively ignoring better performing players in DeBoer and Mzungu.

 

[Rion]

Would 100% give some of our younger guys a shot for the next couple of weeks ahead of Suban, Duffield, Sutcliffe maybe etc. Guys like Blakely, Crozier and Weller to a lesser extent have all been knocking on the door for selection for weeks and it'd be good to give them an extended run in the side in what on paper at least looks like an easier run of games. Either they perform and possibly add a new dimension to the side or they don't and they go back to Peel more AFL ready and motivated.