THE ROAD TO ROUND 1, 2015

[rpfc 28,252]

Toumpas has evolved, though.

Now, instead of making one mistake, dropping his head and disappearing, he keeps his head up and sprays a few more kicks.

At least he's trying!

see guys: improvement!

The hardest thing is getting the pill in the first place...

As for Round 1 - I am much more comfortable than this time last year when we were getting an even more enormous share of uncontested possies but doing even less with it.

I love that we are winning the contested possession, and I love that we are working hard to get uncontested possies, but until we do something with it - it is nothing but 'good stats.'

[Henrietta Lumbago 331]

Garland is to slow and would not be in my round 1 team.

[HEMLOCK 39]

omit viney and toumpas please

[HEMLOCK 39]

Garland is to slow and would not be in my round 1 team.

fortunately you won't have a round one team

[Gipsy Danger 1,067]

Some have missed targets for five years.

VFL standard.

Hawthorn have never, ever recruited a player who couldn't kick - forget Chip, he's only there to punch the ball.

Two weeks won't help.

Not sure too many vfl would be terribly thrilled to have players who miss targets for 5 years.

I think the phrase "VFL standard" is thrown around too much as an insult me to under performing players when the vfl is is a high standard of footy in its own right.

Maybe just describe them as not afl standard or just Sh!t rather then bringing down the VFL level

[samcantstandya 1,042]

Kinda agree GRRM, might only be a deck chair shuffle but my thoughts from tonight's game are;

Howe in for Garland (not sure what he brings to to the table now)

Vince for Bail (works hard but fails at the basics - take a [censored] chestmark!)

Kent for Toumpas (i like the kid but he needs the composure that comes with age and experience - and he ain't got enough of either, yet Salem oozes it!)

Jones has pace which we lack and Grimes showed more than Judy Garland tonight. Would think that JKH or Brayshaw comes in to sub. Gawn only if Jamar out (frost/dawes/pedo as second ruck), McKenzie useless as sub - offers nothing as a replacement - would rather someone with pace or youthful exuberance to potentially alter the dynamics as a sub.

I think with those changes we will be competitive.

I would definitely drop Bail & M Jones, they were a negative. Don't think either are worth preserving with. I'd rather punt on JKH, Kent or either of Howe and Vince if either are fit. I'm sick of substandard players who can't kick getting a game because they have pace. Bail just runs around never quite getting anywhere and when he does get an opportunity to chase down a player he eases up & they score a goal. I'd rather stick fat with Tuomp he will come good and can kick. It's football afterall not athletics.

[jumbo returns 6,737]

Not sure too many vfl would be terribly thrilled to have players who miss targets for 5 years.

I think the phrase "VFL standard" is thrown around too much as an insult me to under performing players when the vfl is is a high standard of footy in its own right.

Maybe just describe them as not afl standard or just [censored] rather then bringing down the VFL level

In terms of AFL, VFL is a low level.

You deal with it.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Eade has said that they will have two debutants playing in Round 1: Adam Saad and Touk Miller.

Not saying this benefits us, for as Friday night showed: nothing benefits us.

Just keeping the Round 1 hype rolling.

[SaberFang 7,151]

Touk is a sensational player. I really wish we'd found a way to draft him.

Can't wait to see him come out and star in his first match, against us no less.

[What 18,810]

based on Casey the last 2 weeks wouldn't surprised to see Brayshaw in round 1.

Surely Bail , Matt Jones and McKenzie can not get picked ahead of him.

[jumbo returns 6,737]

Saad and Miller will battle out the nomination for the NAB rising star in Round 1....

[Webber 10,454]

They can all do it.

But many don't beieve they can do it. The don't push through the barrier. That is what Roos was talking about last night.

Less individual and more team play

2 weeks to sort it out. It can be done if taught properly. 14 days....

I reckon you're absolutely right, WYL. There's still so much concern from so many of our players that 'I don't want to be the one to f*** it up'. They are therefore timid in attacking the ball and the goals and the man, second guess stuff that would be instinctive otherwise, and can't play with the purity that you see in teams who have the kind of self belief that creates 'team' focussed play.

It then comes off as poor skills, weak tackling, seeming slow, and having an inability to drive the ball forward. The answer is winning and winning well. One game would be a big change, two in a row would be huge. I just cannot see how it's going to happen, that's all.

[Redleg 40,817]

It is interesting, while I agree generally with the Roos philosophy of protecting the younger players, our opponent will have at least two new young guys in Saad and Miller.

Brayshaw is 19, has been among the best in the last 2 Casey games and is probably as physically developed, if not more so, than the 2 GC boys.

Brayshaw has not played a NAB cup game and that clearly will go against him.

However he is a bigger, stronger and probably better player than say Bail, who has not played well.

What would be wrong with quietly bringing him into the team this week?

While some are hoping for Howe and Vince to return without any game time, playing Brayshaw to me would make more sense.

I think we also need Kent and JKH back in the side as well, to make more use of the constant fumbles of the key forwards.

[Sir Why You Little 36,962]

I reckon you're absolutely right, WYL. There's still so much concern from so many of our players that 'I don't want to be the one to f*** it up'. They are therefore timid in attacking the ball and the goals and the man, second guess stuff that would be instinctive otherwise, and can't play with the purity that you see in teams who have the kind of self belief that creates 'team' focussed play.

It then comes off as poor skills, weak tackling, seeming slow, and having an inability to drive the ball forward. The answer is winning and winning well. One game would be a big change, two in a row would be huge. I just cannot see how it's going to happen, that's all.

Agreed Webber.

If the penny drops within 14 days for the majority of the list we will see a vastly different side.

I think the penny is dropping already for Jack Watts. I saw good things on friday night.

Roos has definately made Watts a priority in the resurgance of the team.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Agreed Webber.

If the penny drops within 14 days for the majority of the list we will see a vastly different side.

I think the penny is dropping already for Jack Watts. I saw good things on friday night.

Roos has definately made Watts a priority in the resurgance of the team.

Yup, he can't escape the wrath of Mcartney.

[jumbo returns 6,737]

Agreed Webber.

If the penny drops within 14 days for the majority of the list we will see a vastly different side.

I think the penny is dropping already for Jack Watts. I saw good things on friday night.

Roos has definately made Watts a priority in the resurgance of the team.

Watts always had the skill and ability.

We all realise he's not a crash n bash.

Roos will coach him to the next level.

As for the others, 14 days won't cut it....the trade table will.

[beelzebub 23,313]

Well hopefully the team that fronts the Suns is less experimental and better suited to whatever the real (full) game plan is.

I.e. no more rubbish football.

[Webber 10,454]

Agreed Webber.

If the penny drops within 14 days for the majority of the list we will see a vastly different side.

I think the penny is dropping already for Jack Watts. I saw good things on friday night.

Roos has definately made Watts a priority in the resurgance of the team.

The interesting thing about Watts is that I don't think he's ever doubted his own ability. He's got elite level decision making and skills. What he's now looking to develop, on top of better full game endurance, is trust in his own 'physical' prowess. Penny seems to be dropping. If he gets lots of help, that is, team based footy, he's going to murder some games. Consistently? That's another thing.

[P-man 13,366]

I sometimes wonder what methods the coaching staff are using to break them out of this mental mailiase. Clearly the Neeld method of screaming in their faces that "MISTAKES DO NOT MATTER!!!" was ineffective.

Is it worth showing them clips of Hawthorn in 2005? To show that the infallible were once fallible, and that a 5 win team that made plenty of mistakes but took the game on went on to become premiers three years later.

They can use electroshock therapy for all I care, but this fear of attacking ball movement and making mistakes has got to end somehow.

[bluey 1,089]

I sometimes wonder what methods the coaching staff are using to break them out of this mental mailiase. Clearly the Neeld method of screaming in their faces that "MISTAKES DO NOT MATTER!!!" was ineffective.

Is it worth showing them clips of Hawthorn in 2005? To show that the infallible were once fallible, and that a 5 win team that made plenty of mistakes but took the game on went on to become premiers three years later.

They can use electroshock therapy for all I care, but this fear of attacking ball movement and making mistakes has got to end somehow.

How about a cattle prod, to get the ball moving in the right direction.

[Deespicable 2,717]

Doubtless Demonlanders will be talking about the likely changes for Rd 1 from the side against Essendon, but I think we pretty much saw our Rd 1 side on Friday.

Obviously Dawes will be out with suspension and that enforces one change and means there will be plenty of debate as to whether to replace him with a big (most likely our 23rd man Gawn or Pedo) or whether the pace of Gold Coast means that a quicker player is brought into the side - Kent or JKH.

Gold Coast's ruck tandem of Zac Smith and Tom Nichols means that Jamar will go with Smith.

Nichols is quick and mobile for a big guy, so that could mean Roosy could risk using Frosty in that role.

Whilst I know Roosy would prefer to have another power forward, I think the lack of size and pace of GC will mean he needs more speed for Rd 1 and that he asks Frosty and Watts to step as the tall forwards.

A lot of Demonlanders will be calling for the usual axings of Grimes and Garland and Bail and Matt Jones and Toump and even some for Newton, but I can't really see Roosy forsaking his policy of staying loyal to his senior squad until a major loss occurs. He will however consider Vince and Howe if they play a VFL practice match this week (not sure if there is one), but most likely their lack of match fitness would mean they would be the sub.

The only other big issue as I see it is deciding which defender will man up on Ablett, who will spend a lot of time up forward because of no match practice. Given GC is missing Lynch and is so small and will use Gazza as a marking option, I suspect that Garlo will have to go to him which is a big ask I know, although Grimes is another option. Nev Jetta should get Matera and Salem will most likely have Touk Miller or Saad.

So side for Rd 1 will be:

B: Jetta Dunn Garland

HB: Salem Tom Mc Grimes

C: Lumumba N.Jones M.Jones

HF: Bail Frost Vandenberg

F: Garlett Hogan Watts

Ru: Jamar Cross Tyson

Int: Viney, Newton, Toumpas

Sub: Kent (Howe or Vince if they get through practice match well)

Emerg: Gawn, JKH, McKenzie

[stuie 7,374]

Round 1 Team, for mine...

B: Dunn, McDonald, Grimes
HB: Jetta, Frost, Lumumba
C: Salem, Vince, Tyson
HF: Watts, Hogan, Viney
F: Garlett, Gawn, Kent
FOL: Jamar, Jones, Cross

IC: Newton, Pedersen, Howe

SUB: JKH

EM: Vandenberg, Toumpas, Garland

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Round 1 Team, for mine...

B: Dunn, McDonald, Grimes

HB: Jetta, Frost, Lumumba

C: Salem, Vince, Tyson

HF: Watts, Hogan, Viney

F: Garlett, Gawn, Kent

FOL: Jamar, Jones, Cross

IC: Newton, Pedersen, Howe

SUB: JKH

EM: Vandenberg, Toumpas, Garland

Looks good, but I would have vandenBerg in for Viney or Newton.

[stuie 7,374]

Looks good, but I would have vandenBerg in for Viney or Newton.

Yeah wouldn't argue with that, toss of the coin for me. I really like the Berg.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,218]

Looks good, but I would have vandenBerg in for Viney or Newton.

Van den Berg for Vince more likely.