It's no secret that tagging Lachie Whitfield is a great way to quell the giants, he's an elite runner and ball user of the half-back line.

I think Neal-Bullen is the perfect forward to run around with Whitfield and prevent his damaging rebound 50's. 

Nibbla is our best runner, and may relish a defined role in the team after having a poor game against the eagles. 

If Nibbla can stop Whitfield and hit the scoreboard we will go along way to beating the giants. 

Thoughts?

I think Nibbler is the guy for the job

Harmes to Kelly if he plays (which I think he will)

Agreed. Kelly very devastating when at his best, and Harmes has well and truly earn't that responsibility.

I'm not sure how good Nibbla would be as a regular defensive forward, just because he is slight of frame and his contested ball ability isn't amazing. But Whitfield is as skinny as Jeff Garlett so nibbla should have no problem matching him for strength.

It will be interesting if either Goody holds back on some tactical moves, so we have some surprises up our sleeves if we play them in the finals. 

Edited August 21, 20186 yr by Lord Neville X Flash

Was on a footy show last night, Swans cut Whitfields run/space off at the back of the contest and they struggled to get the ball away quickly.

Interesting. So they did they sit someone on him, or was it a team defence?

Offer him a 5 year deal on saturday.  it will throw him off his game and he might accept after we smash them!

Haha now that you mention it, he would fit in perfectly at the Dees. We need one more elite ball user to compliment salem of the half backline IMO. I would prefer Whitfield to Gaff, as he is still so young. 

Melksham is a good match up because he’d beat Whitfield in the air. Very smart about when to run forward and will kick a bag if Whitfield doesn’t show him respect 

1 minute ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

Melksham is a good match up because he’d beat Whitfield in the air. Very smart about when to run forward and will kick a bag if Whitfield doesn’t show him respect 

IMHO we don't want melksham worrying about tagging someone. He is a key goalkicker and creator for us, and when we have the ball GWS won't put whitfield on melk.

ANB is a better option because he is an elite runner and a pressure forward, but he is not a key cog in our forward line. 

Who tags  Oliver?  Who  minds Brayshaw ? Who shuts Salem 's run from half back? Who stands on Melky? And  our big bodied  players?

AND ON AND ON.   Let them stew on it.  We have Gawn and they will have to put someone on their shoulders to match him.

If you want the job done well, send Harmes to him. Harmes is our best run with player right now.

15 minutes ago, Adzman said:

If you want the job done well, send Harmes to him. Harmes is our best run with player right now.

Could well be the case that Harmes goes to him, Harmes might go to Ward also. The few GWS games I’ve watched Ward has been their best midfielder. 

Harmes could definetely do the job, but he has been shutting down the best midfielders in the comp.

Putting harmes on a skinny half-back flanker is a waste when our forward pocket could potentially do the role. 

I think harmes gets Kelly. 

4 hours ago, Lord Neville X Flash said:

It's no secret that tagging Lachie Whitfield is a great way to quell the giants, he's an elite runner and ball user of the half-back line.

I think Neal-Bullen is the perfect forward to run around with Whitfield and prevent his damaging rebound 50's. 

Nibbla is our best runner, and may relish a defined role in the team after having a poor game against the eagles. 

If Nibbla can stop Whitfield and hit the scoreboard we will go along way to beating the giants. 

Thoughts?

I like the idea. He can definitely go with him and would help to add another string to his bow. 

Need to tend to Whitfield for sure he's been a game changer.

Harmes to Kelly,

Nibbler to Cokefield

Doesn't really matter, Gawn will absolutely deestroy them!

I don't think it is about tagging Whitfield but keeping him in honest and accountable for his forward - Melksham to him for mine.

You ready @lachiewhitfield 

3 hours ago, Lord Neville X Flash said:

IMHO we don't want melksham worrying about tagging someone. He is a key goalkicker and creator for us, and when we have the ball GWS won't put whitfield on melk.

ANB is a better option because he is an elite runner and a pressure forward, but he is not a key cog in our forward line. 

Melky went with McGovern on the weekend, until they shifted him forward. He demands an opponent as well, they can't let him run lose anywhere as he's too dangerous either delivering inside 50 or getting the goals himself, so playing Melk on him effectively means Whitfield is forced to man up on him, rather than have ANB do a hard tag. I can't see Whitfield being comfortable when Melk drops back to full forward as he does.

18 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

I don't think it is about tagging Whitfield but keeping him in honest and accountable for his forward - Melksham to him for mine.

Melksham has done that job for us before and seems suited to doing it particularly against taller opponents. I just worry he's too important to our attacking play to send to a defensive role on a running flanker. He's strangely effective as a tagging half forward given he's really a lazy chaser in general. 

ANB and Spargo are the incumbent defensive running forward flankers and they did a reasonable job on McVeigh and Lloyd against the Swans. Neither are in great form with the ball though. Will JKH replace one of them? Will Bugg be called in to do a specific job?

1 minute ago, Red and Blue realist said:

Melky went with McGovern on the weekend, until they shifted him forward. He demands an opponent as well, they can't let him run lose anywhere as he's too dangerous either delivering inside 50 or getting the goals himself, so playing Melk on him effectively means Whitfield is forced to man up on him, rather than have ANB do a hard tag. I can't see Whitfield being comfortable when Melk drops back to full forward as he does.

We'd need the players up the ground to use the ball very effectively to engineer that match up though. Otherwise as soon as Melksham heads deep the Giants will swap the match up.

2 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

We'd need the players up the ground to use the ball very effectively to engineer that match up though. Otherwise as soon as Melksham heads deep the Giants will swap the match up.

We could then likewise move ANB onto him, but there would be a potential uncomfortable period for them where Melk is either by himself or he's double teamed and we've got someone else free. We've still got to have a good team defense to allow any match up, but I think we could be the ones to dictate this rather than be defensive from the start. 

28 minutes ago, Red and Blue realist said:

Melky went with McGovern on the weekend, until they shifted him forward. He demands an opponent as well, they can't let him run lose anywhere as he's too dangerous either delivering inside 50 or getting the goals himself, so playing Melk on him effectively means Whitfield is forced to man up on him, rather than have ANB do a hard tag. I can't see Whitfield being comfortable when Melk drops back to full forward as he does.

Mcgovern plays deep defensive role, which suits melksham. Whitfield positions himself out the back of stoppages, we want melksham near the goals. Just because we put melksham on whitfeild dosen't mean another gws defender won't pick melksham up when we have the ball. 

Harmes goes to Kelly. Bugg in to go to Whitfield. Spargo out.

5 hours ago, nosoupforme said:

Who tags  Oliver?  Who  minds Brayshaw ? Who shuts Salem 's run from half back? Who stands on Melky? And  our big bodied  players?

AND ON AND ON.   Let them stew on it.  We have Gawn and they will have to put someone on their shoulders to match him.

Lobb is no hack. He's just about the 3rd best ruck in the comp this year.

4 hours ago, Chook said:

Lobb is no hack. He's just about the 3rd best ruck in the comp this year.

Yes  Lobb,  he can play but even though Gawn was a touch down dew to a corky on his calf recently, the game against the Eagles was almost back to AA status. Gawn is on top of his game and at his best he is a match winner and vital to us winning. Lobb will have  his hands full.  Who would you back?   Gawn hands down.