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Changes v North Melbourne

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Got to love some of the collective hypocrisy going around on this forum Re Frost and Lever.

A few weeks back the story was Frost is a liability and not best 22, Lever a total gun, going to be soo great for us.  Now it's - gee, we need Frost because Lever isn't up to it one on one and needs Frost so that he can play his natural game.  Pretty easy for players to look like superstars when others are doing all the heavy lifting and they don't have to be accountable for a man.

Personally I think somewhere in between is where the truth of all this sits.  When he's on his game, Frosty can be a real asset in his own right, but I do think it has been shown up how much people underate his contribution to team ballance, because he give us a third genuine tall, without sacrificing run and mobility.  Ironically, as much as it could help Lever, having Frost, I think it could also help Hunt, because I suspect he is also attracting the oppositions best/quickest defensive forward at the moment.

For the record, I also think Hibbard and Jetta have got form issues and have been solid without being at their normal output levels and that also won't be helping the Lever situation.  I don't think Wagner isn't as bad as some people make out either.

5 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Why Harmes? 

I personally feel hes been quite ineffective in both games and in my view isnt playing a team first role, for eg flying for pack marks constantly and spoiling our player in the best position. I think he is an important cog going forward but may need a stint at VFL for a week or two.

 

I would think it's probably Frost for Hunt.

I'm not a Frost fan but Hunt is struggling and Frost would be coming off a good game at Casey.

I would like to see Brayshaw in but not sure where he fits.

12 hours ago, CityDee said:

Smashed in the middle really a young group who looked better with Hogan up around the contest last week . 

With tmac out do we try Lever as an onballer who pushes fowrard for 5 mins a quarter .

Big Cam  could switch back 

Try Frost over Wagner . 

if Hunt isnt injured (I suspect he is ) get him moving on ball of half back or forward- no doubt teams are playing dee on a defender . 

 North defend well in the air we can counter that with some run deep In defence ourselves and ‘halve the contest’ Frost is our man. Lever loose in defence against the kangas could  work also 

.Bugg needs time Hanann is another who could come in if someones sore - . 

Go dees . in Goodwin we trust. 

 

 

 

Wow. 


7 hours ago, GawnWithTheWind said:

Interesting to hear Roos defend not picking Frost, with the mention of Hibberd and Wagner playing taller than they actually are. However, I think its affecting the make up of the  rest of the back six, mostly Hunt and Lever.

Hunt needs to be one of the two out-and-out attacking defenders, and with Wagner there, it seems like he is hesitant to attack and holds back.

Lever obviously needs some confidence, and we need to do the right thing by him and play him as the 3rd tall.

Both of these things can be fixed with Frost coming in for Wagner.

----

Bugg gets one more week. Remember everyone was calling for Garlett to be dropped, and he literally won the game off his own boot.

With depth, you need to string good performances in the twos together to warrant a game. You can't come straight in after 1 decent hit out... So if Bugg is poor again, Kent/Hannan could come in.

-----

FB: Jetta - Oscar - Hunt

HB: Hibberd - Frost - Lever

C: N.Jones - Salem - Lewis

HF: ANB - Pedo - Melksham

FF: Garlett - Hogan - Fritsch

R: Gawn - Oliver - Trac

I: Tyson - Vince - Bugg - Harmes

E: Kent - Wagner - Stretch - Brayshaw

 

Hunt has to learn to be more than one dimensional.

As does Salem.

So many of our young players are One dimensional at the moment and we will have to teach them before we win any silverware.

I agree that the back structure is challenging some players, but that's footy.

 

Frost coming in, would mean we can use him all over the ground, choose at the time.  He can drop back, or go forward as decoy and play defensive tall feeding our small players, or even chop-out in the ruck,  swap with Pedo.

 

Changes are so much more match-up based than supporters realise. Frost will come in this week to play on Waite and then will probably come out the following week as we play the Hawks

In: Brayshaw, Frost

Out: Wagner,  Bugg

I like Wagner but for match-up purposes he makes way for Frost

Bugg is such a frustrating player. If you can't kick goals from 30m out dead in front, you won't make it

 

I honestly don't know if I should take some people seriously, or whether people actually watch football properly, or actually have a solid grasp of football, other than being passionate supporters of a club.

firstly, people need to calm down. It is round 2, and yes we haven't played great, but we haven't been shocking. And we WON.

secondly, before the season started everyone was talking up our depth and individuals, and now some are saying we have little to no depth and these individuals are suddenly no good after 2 games.

thirdly, you need to give the team and players a few games in the real season to get a gauge on how it is all going. Obviously we need some work and to play 4 quarters, but wholesale changes will not happen.

Fourth, there are no shocking teams in the AFL, so nothing is a given. Look at the results so far this season, so take the win and move on and see the improvement. 

in terms of changes, I would like to bring in frost and Bradshaw.

in no way would I drop Salem. Watch last weeks game again everyone, other than one poor tackling effort, he was really strong in my opinion. I also think harmes has played well, has broken the lines, tackled well and got plenty of the ball.

i would drop bugg as I think we have enough of his type in the team already, and they are better than him (Garlett, ANB, melksham, fritsch).

i would also drop one of Lewis or Vince as I think we have too many slow guys, if you include jones and Tyson with them. It won't happen though, as Lewis is seen as a leader and Vincent is doing a run with role. So I would say it is either an injured/ sore player or Wagner (who I think has been better than expected), but he is the last one selected in my opinion.

 

 

 

 

As a rule, Goodwin doesn’t seem to like the come in / go out ethos

Based upon the Casey reports, it would seem that those pushing for selection are Frost, Brayshaw, Kent, Hannan, and to a lesser extent Weideman, plus Stretch was again the travelling emergency, which means he’s barely had a skerrick of actual competitive football since JLT2

I don’t recall any injuries, Fritsch excepted, and he came back on and didn’t look under any particularly massive stress with that lovely goal after the siren

The players that would seem to be under the most pressure to hold their spots would seem to be:

  • Salem (not finding the ball as a mid)
  • Hunt (not finding the ball or offering much rebound from half-back)
  • Bugg (ineffectual in front of goal)
  • Pedersen (ineffective as a tall forward target, but provides a vital ruck chop-out for Max)
  • Melksham (not hitting the scoreboard nor limiting oppo defensive rebound)
  • Wagner (not particularly effective offensively, but is solid if unspectacular defensively)
  • Jetta (been crucified two weeks in a row by the best oppo small)

Frost to cover Waite would make sense, but does it mean we are top heavy down back and won’t have the ‘bounce’ off half-back that Hunt is supposed to provide?

My best guess at this stage is:

OUT: Salem, Hunt
IN: Frost, Brayshaw

Which means:
B: Jetta - O Mac - Frost
HB: Vince - Lever - Hibberd
C: Jones - Tyson - Lewis
HF: ANB - Pedersen - Melksham
F: Fritsch - Hogan - Garlett
Foll: Gawn - Oliver - Petracca
I/c: Harmes - Brayshaw - Bugg - Wagner
Emerg: Salem - Kent - Weideman - Hunt

Which in reality is more like:

Jetta - O Mac
Vince - Lever - Frost - Hibberd - Lewis
Gawn - Oliver - Petracca - Tyson - ANB - Jones
Fritsch - Pedersen - Melksham
Hogan - Garlett
Bench: Harmes - Brayshaw - Bugg - Wagner


Angus will get a call up vs North, nothing surer.

You dont leave that quality out of the side when we have half a dozen blokes not firing.

Frost needs to come in so Lever can play his natural position.

In -  Frost,  Brayshaw

Out - Bugg, Wagner

 

Hunt lucky, needs to have a good game.

Our backline is the key and once we get that right we will fly.

No one expected Hibberd, Hunt and Lever to have bad starts.

We all know they have the talent and once Frost comes in the whole dynamic will change.

If North go with same line up I'm not sure Frost can come in to free Lever up. North played a mobile forward ine with 2 talls in Waite and Brown. Hunt needs a rest his decision making is woeful and he's not breaking the lines so IMO is bringing nothing. Buggs disposal is really bad and whilst his pressure acts are great I think Harmes ANB and Melksham can rotate through the forward line and midfield. North love contested footy so we need plenty to rotate through the middle and stoppages. Stretch comes into consideration if Hunt goes out for his run. 2 bad quarters out of 8 and whilst concerning like the Tigers last season at this stage I'm more concerned with winning  and getting points on the board and having our structures in place in the second half of the season.

Jetta      Omac     Hibberd

Lewis     Lever      Salem

Vince      Jones     Stretch

Trac         Pedo      Melksham

Garlett     Hogan    Fritsch

Gawn, Oliver, Tyson

ANB, Brayshaw, Harmes, Wagner

In: Brayshaw & Stretch

Out: Bugg & Hunt

 

 

6 minutes ago, Pennant St Dee said:

If North go with same line up I'm not sure Frost can come in to free Lever up. North played a mobile forward ine with 2 talls in Waite and Brown. Hunt needs a rest his decision making is woeful and he's not breaking the lines so IMO is bringing nothing. Buggs disposal is really bad and whilst his pressure acts are great I think Harmes ANB and Melksham can rotate through the forward line and midfield. North love contested footy so we need plenty to rotate through the middle and stoppages. Stretch comes into consideration if Hunt goes out for his run. 2 bad quarters out of 8 and whilst concerning like the Tigers last season at this stage I'm more concerned with winning  and getting points on the board and having our structures in place in the second half of the season.

Jetta      Omac     Hibberd

Lewis     Lever      Salem

Vince      Jones     Stretch

Trac         Pedo      Melksham

Garlett     Hogan    Fritsch

Gawn, Oliver, Tyson

ANB, Brayshaw, Harmes, Wagner

In: Brayshaw & Stretch

Out: Bugg & Hunt

 

 

When Bugg is in the side, we tend to play better/win.  Even if he doesn't star on the stats sheet.

Start lever on the wing defensive end. with Frost on Waite. Lever to push back across half back sweeping.

Our half forwards can push up high.

Those calling for Kent to be included:

He had a woeful second half of the VFL season

he was put up for trade over the off season and no one wanted him even as a fringe player

On Friday Casey played Frankston... they are a scratch VFL side like the original Gold Coast Bears... cobbled together from players who were not at the top of their game in other VFL sides... (no disrespect intended to Frankston but that is the reality.)

In the previous practice game I cannot remember him setting the ground alight... (could be wrong on this.)

Sorry ... not yet from me.


14 hours ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

I suspect Fritter may be rested after that knock.  I'd like to see Lewis dropped for giving two half-assed performances in two matches. 

If Fritsch doesn't come up then hannan is probably the like for like replacement. 

I'd actually bring Brayshaw in for Lewis.  He can play that half-back role and he's bigger, quicker and more accountable.  Frost would be the other option, but he's just not a great ball-player for all his athleticism.  I don't buy the line that we need him to stand Brown.  Oscar did a solid job on him in the pre-season and has the height needed. 

Brayshaw for Lewis, surely about time. Frosty is a must, also. Really difficult to get the mix correct and to keep the talent working.

1 hour ago, DeeZee said:

Our backline is the key and once we get that right we will fly.

No one expected Hibberd, Hunt and Lever to have bad starts.

We all know they have the talent and once Frost comes in the whole dynamic will change.

Agree, and Frost can move the ball from the defensive to an attacking advantage provided the fwd mobility is keen to receive. 

55 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

As long as we’re up by 8 goals at some stage during the game we’ll win by at least 1 goal. 

Out: Hunt

In: Brayshaw

"near enough, is good enough"

I posted this in the match review thread but what is the deal with Hunt? Charlie Cameron made him look positively slow at stages last night. Is he carrying an injury or just out of form? 

I don't think there is a tagging role for Bernie next week, and I hate him and Lewis in the same 22... it really slows us up. 

Can't imagine 3 changes would be made to a winning team, however last night didn't convince me of that being the optimal combination at all. 

Out: Hunt, Bugg, Vince

In: Brayshaw, Kent, Stretch


Slippery conditions last night doesn’t help a lot with selection. We did win and I believe all players had a crack!

I think Frost should be a no-brainer to come in this week to help match up on North’s talls. Lever is playing out of position and needs to be third tall.

In: Frost

Out: Salem (Needs to do a lot more)

 

Frost in for Hunt. No other changes.

I`m not a huge fan of Frost but he will provide run that seems to have gone missing from Hunts game and more importantly, allow Lever to play the role he was so good at for The Crows.

Salem is a fave of mine but needs to lift, hoping the concussion he got last week explains him going missing a bit last night. Deserves one more week to prove himself.

Maybe we can start resting players such as Lewis and Vince.

 

I think Frost needs to come into the side to work as another option against Ben Brown. Sideshow Bob kills us every game, and Waite still requires a solid body down back. Oscar will need some height and athleticism to help him out, and Frost brings that.

Out: Bugg, Wagner

In: Frost, Brayshaw

I would take Bernie and play him up forward to replace Bugg, shift Hunt back to replace Vince then rotate Brayshaw in the middle.

 

Out > Bugg, Lewis

In > Brayshaw, Frost

Wagner did enough IMHO to warrant another week!


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