2 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Do we need another tall defender this week?

My concern is Collingwood's midfield. The Bulldogs smashed us in clearances which is a huge worry and Collingwood have a better ruckman and midfielders.

More midfield time to Petracca i reckon, he was showing some big signs that his best is soon to come, Dogs couldn't bring him to ground. Can be an impact player in the middle against their mids.

Edited June 3, 20187 yr by John Demonic

1 minute ago, John Demonic said:

More midfield time to Petracca i reckon, he was showing some big signs that his best is soon to come, Dogs couldn't bring him to ground. Can be an impact player in the middle against their mids.

Hes way overdue for a big game.

Hasnt had one all season come to think of it.

2 minutes ago, John Demonic said:

More midfield time to Petracca i reckon, he was showing some big signs that his best is soon to come, Dogs couldn't bring him to ground. Can be an impact player in the middle against their mids.

I'm not sure that is the answer. Petracca is better suited to short midfield bursts.

I just wouldn't be surprised if a midfielder comes in for Lever.

2 minutes ago, John Demonic said:

More midfield time to Petracca i reckon, he was showing some big signs that his best is soon to come, Dogs couldn't bring him to ground. Can be an impact player in the middle against their mids.

Back to back Neale Daniher Trophies coming up for Trac. 

1 minute ago, Petraccattack said:

Hes way overdue for a big game.

Hasnt had one all season come to think of it.

Petracca's improvement is what we need to have a shot at the Big One. He's got it as we all know.. time to put it on display.

He's been doing okay but there could be so much more

3 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

I'm not sure that is the answer. Petracca is better suited to short midfield bursts.

I just wouldn't be surprised if a midfielder comes in for Lever.

Oh yeah I didn't mean a long amount of time, just more minutes than the past few matches. Throwing him in there for the start of the third or fourth with the scores tied is hopefully the stage where he'll step up and throw his weight around, burst through some tackles etc.

Edited June 3, 20187 yr by John Demonic

3 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Hes way overdue for a big game.

Hasnt had one all season come to think of it.

Yep, been stuck in second gear so far this season. Still waiting for that breakout game. Colin 2.0 so far

Just now, SFebey said:

Yep, been stuck in second gear so far this season. Still waiting for that breakout game. Colin 2.0 so far

Rather unfair SF.

Think he's been a little better than the "just needs a good pre-season" Sylvia

Melksham should be fine, based on the interview that was shown on one of the news stations tonight.

Assuming T Smith is OK, I expect just the one change, with a replacement for Lever. 

If Ben Reid comes back for Collingwood then we might need a second taller defender to take Lever's spot. If Reid doesn't return, though, then I expect us to pick the best performer at Casey who can play in the back six in Lever's spot. That may well be Wagner, given how many games he's played this year.

I don't see us replacing Lever with a mid. That changes the balance we've struck over the past few weeks and I don't think we need to do that.

4 minutes ago, SFebey said:

Yep, been stuck in second gear so far this season. Still waiting for that breakout game. Colin 2.0 so far

Head is too Big

On 6/2/2018 at 9:14 PM, Rusty Nails said:

 

Frost is THE obvious choice to replace like with like.  Has the height / leap / spoiling ability.  Has the pace and has the mobility.  He also has aprox the same games experience (albeit zip finals of course).

He is the 2nd best intercept player in our team just behind Lever, averaging 7 per game vs Lever's 7.9

He turns the ball over about the same number of times per game as Lever (averaging about 3.5 each per game)

He doesn''t get as many possessions so maybe lacking a little in work rate at this point.   Maybe this is just a matter of getting enough consecutive games into him?

Sometimes he runs and yes has a brain fade or two and forgets to dispose to a free target or two (earlier on in the run) or just forgets to dispose of it and keeps running!  Eliminate this from his game and get him to play within his limits and we might have a reasonable replacement (given a fair run at it ie., enough consecutive games).

No IMO, this is because Frosty (and I'm a relative fan) doesn't read the game as well as Jake. Therefore, he doesn't get into the same spots to receive as Lever does.

Still, he's probably the first cab off the rank to replace Jake.

24 minutes ago, John Demonic said:

Question for those with a bit of training session knowledge, which player/s were being groomed as intercept defender depth? We now know that Adelaide had Doedee learning the craft in the reserves, and he's come in and had an impact already. We're obviously well behind the eight ball, but who are the prime candidates who spend the most time learning the same role as Lever with the defensive coach?

I think I've read Petty is a good intercept, but he's just started to learn; unsure of Decs reading of play/intercept abilities?  but IS in very good form. I would say he's front of cue, with Frost.   I think Dec sounds like he's a better user of ball.

13 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Melksham should be fine, based on the interview that was shown on one of the news stations tonight.

Assuming T Smith is OK, I expect just the one change, with a replacement for Lever. 

If Ben Reid comes back for Collingwood then we might need a second taller defender to take Lever's spot. If Reid doesn't return, though, then I expect us to pick the best performer at Casey who can play in the back six in Lever's spot. That may well be Wagner, given how many games he's played this year.

I don't see us replacing Lever with a mid. That changes the balance we've struck over the past few weeks and I don't think we need to do that.

Even without reid, I think we should go an extra tall like Frost, otherwise Grundy will push forward and expose our lack of height, then we'll probably lose Gawny's effectiveness up forward as he'll probably be helping OMAC more often down back as Cox's reach is supreme. If we've at least got Frost helping Omac, we can do a bit of blocking

Edited June 3, 20187 yr by John Demonic

8 minutes ago, A F said:

No IMO, this is because Frosty (and I'm a relative fan) doesn't read the game as well as Jake. Therefore, he doesn't get into the same spots to receive as Lever does.

Still, he's probably the first cab off the rank to replace Jake.

Outside of the current players in the backline, no one else down at Casey can read a game like Jake does.  It's what makes him elite.  We'll just have to bring in the best player for the game and hope they slot easily into the back six without too many disruptions.

This is the most anticipated game in more than ten years. And the most interesting... The obvious thing is the importance... But check out the matchups.

Hogan and TMac against Howe and Dunn, with Scharenberg there who's been starring.

Cox and possibly Reid against OMac and whoever is cast in the Lever replacement role.

Pendles, Sidey and Treloar... massive names in the AFL. Against Oliver, Viney and Brayshaw.

Hibberd and Jetta vs De Goey and WHE.

And the biggest of all Gawn vs Grundy to claim the AA title.

 

I take us, because our lesser lights like ANB, Vince, Lewis and the remarkable Fritsch (14 marks and 7 R50s?!) do a lot more, game-in-game-out than the Pies lower lights and debutants.

This will be a game for the ages. Strap in.

1 hour ago, monoccular said:

So Tyson and Bugg are not in then?

Momentum killers. 

8 hours ago, dieter said:

I've now seen Smith playe the last 3 games and while he makes useful contributions, I can't help but believe Pedersen is a much better bet, a much better all round player.

And in the end, I'd take Garlett into a final before I'd take Baker. Garlett's poor games were earlier in the season, before Mcdonald, before Viney, when there were simply too many blind bombing runs. Baker will be very good and what he does is very good: I just don't  think he does them often enough yet.

Pedersen doesn't bring the ball to ground as consistently as Smith has. 

I'm on record as saying (I think) that I didn't think Smith would make it. He's so far proved me wrong, which is great. He's a role player and he and the coaches should be commended for carving out a role for him.

It's making me hold out hope for Joel Smith too, who has shown (in an albeit ridiculously short amount of time) absolutely nothing at senior level. But the coaches seem to love him, by all reports (admittedly Demonland  ), so we'll see.

9 minutes ago, A F said:

Pedersen doesn't bring the ball to ground as consistently as Smith has. 

I'm on record as saying (I think) that I didn't think Smith would make it. He's so far proved me wrong, which is great. He's a role player and he and the coaches should be commended for carving out a role for him.

It's making me hold out hope for Joel Smith too, who has shown (in an albeit ridiculously short amount of time) absolutely nothing at senior level. But the coaches seem to love him, by all reports (admittedly Demonland  ), so we'll see.

Agree AF. I was for Pedersen before Smith but Smith just seems to add that little extra around the ground.

In the Casey thread I mentioned that Pedersen is a poor man's Tom MacDonald which was not meant to denigrate Pedersen but rather to make the point that Smith brings something different in his round the ground play. Now if woe begod something was to happen to Gawn then Pedersen is the man.

BTW I'd also have Smith over Weideman.

23 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Agree AF. I was for Pedersen before Smith but Smith just seems to add that little extra around the ground.

In the Casey thread I mentioned that Pedersen is a poor man's Tom MacDonald which was not meant to denigrate Pedersen but rather to make the point that Smith brings something different in his round the ground play. Now if woe begod something was to happen to Gawn then Pedersen is the man.

BTW I'd also have Smith over Weideman.

I'd have Smith over Weideman at the moment, but not in the mid term or long term. Unless things really change.

40 minutes ago, A F said:

I'd have Smith over Weideman at the moment, but not in the mid term or long term. Unless things really change.

The thing that really need to change for Weideman to get in the team over Smith is for the other forwards to start laying some forward 50 tackles. Especially Hogan who is very poor defensively for a mobile guy but Hannan, Melksham and even Tommy Mc as well. If we had reliable forward pressure from those guys we would pick big Sam.

 

2 hours ago, John Demonic said:

Could've said the same thing about Collingwood's Adam Oxley the intercept extraordinaire, before he murdered us on QB a few years back lol

I was at that game. The Demons' game plan that day was kick it to Oxley.

I think Frost has been given more chances than a 3 legged rover. However he's big enough, and probably just good enough to deal with that oaf Cox .

 

1 hour ago, Dappa Dan said:

This is the most anticipated game in more than ten years. And the most interesting... The obvious thing is the importance... But check out the matchups.

Hogan and TMac against Howe and Dunn, with Scharenberg there who's been starring.

Cox and possibly Reid against OMac and whoever is cast in the Lever replacement role.

Pendles, Sidey and Treloar... massive names in the AFL. Against Oliver, Viney and Brayshaw.

Hibberd and Jetta vs De Goey and WHE.

And the biggest of all Gawn vs Grundy to claim the AA title.

 

I take us, because our lesser lights like ANB, Vince, Lewis and the remarkable Fritsch (14 marks and 7 R50s?!) do a lot more, game-in-game-out than the Pies lower lights and debutants.

This will be a game for the ages. Strap in.

I think you are underestimating Phillips and the pressure Adams and Maynard bring. Greenwood will get a negating role. The ace if he gets loose for them is Wells and his ball movement.

Certainly going to be a test for us and will show us supporters a lot about our side

Just now, Pennant St Dee said:

I think you are underestimating Phillips and the pressure Adams and Maynard bring. Greenwood will get a negating role. The ace if he gets loose for them is Wells and his ball movement.

Certainly going to be a test for us and will show us supporters a lot about our side

I could have gone for the full breakdown of the 22. Notice I didn't mention Jones, Vince, Lewis, Tracca, Melksham, ANB. I get in trouble sometimes for writing too much.

The matchups I have above are just the main ones I'm going to enjoy seeing. If you want more, there's other things like what Tracca can do should TMac be needed up the ground. I reckon he's played by far his best footy at the G, spotting up Hogan in a pocket. Seems to enjoy the wide open space on the flanks and wings. When we need him to hit up a target 5-10 yards further than a mere mortal can get it, and he does it. I'm looking forward to seeing who they put on certain players. I suspect ANB will get some sort of job part of the game... maybe Phillips who runs all day. Does Fritch play off a back flank like he did against Dogs and make himself our chip up from kick ins? Then there's the pure midfield battle. Could TMac be asked to run around with Grundy as a midfielder, letting Gawn handle stoppages and go deep forward? I can't wait to see how Jones, Oliver and Viney go with Braysh mopping up as the spitter against their hard running mids who love to spread. Especially after getting smashed in clearances so badly last week. It just goes on and on...

The big one for me is that I don't think we'll get our own way in terms of rebounds and in terms of centre clearances. When they break, and they will, what do we have holding them up. Jetta was amazing. Omac is superb. But who's drifting off their man and intercepting? Will it be multiple players? A Fritsch? Will Salem be needed as he was against Dogs? Will Vince be run ragged?

From top to bottom, both lists have these good footballers who are multifaceted. The Pies have them because they have the notoriety and extra media of being Pies... The demons have them because they're just good. Feels to me exactly like those Hawks/Cats games over the last ten years or so... stars everywhere, all of which could switch it on and win a game by themselves.

6 hours ago, Nasher said:

 

Because Pedersen was KO’d at Casey I thought.

Fair enough. When you said you were standing by your previous selection I assumed you were suggesting you'd previously said you wanted Weid in if Smith was out. Had a read back and saw you had said either Weid or Pedo.

Cannot understand anyone who is choosing Weid over Pedo, assuming both are right to go. Unless, of course, they're happy to develop potential in the AFL even if they don't deserve selection over older guys.

7 hours ago, Rogue said:

Fair enough. When you said you were standing by your previous selection I assumed you were suggesting you'd previously said you wanted Weid in if Smith was out. Had a read back and saw you had said either Weid or Pedo.

Cannot understand anyone who is choosing Weid over Pedo, assuming both are right to go. Unless, of course, they're happy to develop potential in the AFL even if they don't deserve selection over older guys.

I will say that I’d normally be inclined to a bias towards Weideman. Pedersen has had too many AFL games where he has been completely ineffective as a forward. If we had to choose between two tall forwards with a high chance of delivering nothing, I’d prefer it was the young one with a view to development. 

That said, this week I’d have said Pedersen if it wasn’t for the KO. There is a point where form will outweigh that bias, and by the sounds of it he was smashing it until the head knock. I originally said both because I was waiting for the Casey feedback.

I wouldn’t pick either of them if Tim Smith comes up.