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Match Preview and Team Selection - Preliminary Final

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in Melbourne Demons

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1 minute ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I didn't realise they were the same height until Pro mentioned it.

My only worry is Darling might be too strong for Smith one on one. But im backing our defenders to give him a chop out and also think Smith athleticism will match right up to Darling.

On a side note good to see you back mate! I was starting to get worried that i might not find anyone one to reduce my ANB melts from time to time ??

Thanks mate, I appreciate that!  Good to be back and able to post a little more often! :)

And I agree re: Darling's strength in the contest, which is something that I think is a little underrated... well, by me anyway.  I'd like to think Smith can do with him round the ground and on the lead, but he might need a chop out if they look to utilise Darling one out.  However, with Kennedy not 100% fit, they might look to use Darling further up the ground which will be to our advantage.

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    • Like 3
     

    Fritsch has had a tremendous debut season and he's a great asset for the team. He is very adaptable and needs only a couple more pre seasons to develop greater strength and conditioning. He may be a victim of a couple of rushed kicks and hasty decisions last week. Smith is a very good in for the role because he competes in the air can tackle hard and he's fairly quick.

    Tough for Bailey but if we get through he will fancy his chances for a recall.

     

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    13 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

    I reckon there is a good chance Smith plays on Darling, and Oscar takes the resting ruck with Frost on Kennedy.  Just my two cents, but I think Smith could be the perfect match up size wise and pace wise for Darling.

    I think it will be something along these lines.

    I do worry about Frost on Kennedy though, he (Kennedy) is a very smart footballer and that's not one of Frosty's strengths.

    If he can get the ball to ground he will expose Kennedy, but that's the if...

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    1 minute ago, rjay said:

    I think it will be something along these lines.

    I do worry about Frost on Kennedy though, he (Kennedy) is a very smart footballer and that's not one of Frosty's strengths.

    If he can get the ball to ground he will expose Kennedy, but that's the if...

    Yep, but with the form Frosty is in, I think Footy IQ is all that Kennedy has on him right now.  Frost has the size, the pace and the strength to go with him in pretty much any situation.  Plus with Kennedy not 100% fit I doubt he will be as dangerous on the lead, so Frost may even look to run off him a little as well.

    Either way, while I believe their forward line can be one of the most dangerous in the competition, we have the players to cover them.  Our backline in the last two weeks has been super and I do think we can keep them to a beatable score.

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    Curve ball idea. Will be shouted down but I’ll throw it out anyway. 

    Eagles have quite a tall and not a super mobile defence. Swing McDonald back, clog up the backline and not allow the eagles room, leave weid as the only tall forward. If the ball hits the ground their backline will seriously struggle.

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    59 minutes ago, ProDee said:

    Smith isn't in for his disposal count, he's in for his speed, size, agression and athletic profile.  He's a manic tackler. He's a better "defender" than Fritsch.  Smith isn't suited to being the second tall, but is a quality third tall. 

    His selection also provides versatility.  Smith is 191cm.  He's the same height as Darling.  When Vardy is forward Oscar can take him and Smith has the size and prowess to nullify Darling, while Frost takes Kennedy.

    It's all about matchups.  It's a very good selection. 

    True and part of the reason why Smith is playing in Perth tomorrow night is that fantastic smother at a crucial time in the last quarter last Saturday.

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    Was extremely confident pre match against Cats,  quite confident against Hawks. 

    Started this week more hoping than anything but my tune has changed. It's a massive challenge but I think we'll win. All the talk is about the addition of Darling and JK. Problem for them is the ball is less likely to get to them with the addition of Viney. He is playing like a man possessed since returning from injury.

    Then there is our belief. The team now exudes it,  and I reckon the supporters are feeling it for the first time in half a century. 

    It's our time.

     

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    • Like 2
    2 hours ago, The Chazz said:

    I've accepted that Hannan will likely have 6 kicks each week.  Some weeks he'll kick 1 goal and have minimal impact, other weeks he'll kick 3 and have a strong influence on the result.

    I'm not in favour of carrying players like this, but I think we do in this case.

     

    Not having a go at you but his play is much more influential than just the stats he gets. For a start he is a hard match up. He is quick, can jump and take a good mark, tackles well and can kick. If you watch closely he, Spargo and Melksham will often be the front and centre players for when the ball gets spoiled. He is part of the reason we are unpredictable in our fwd line.

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    • Like 6
     
    3 hours ago, M_9 said:

    Qjartermain said on 3AW this morning that the rumour around WC was that Kennedy was playing on one leg.

    Geez, it'd be a bonus if he didn't see out the game.

    So, if that is the case, there is a job for Hibberd, Nev and Frosty: wipe out his other leg! Bring him down to size and I'd reckon, not too many pack marks or leads off the knees?

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    • Haha 1

    It's a tough pill to swallow for Bayley. He does so much right. He uses the ball so well and competes in the air but he's not a natural defender and his one on one work (where finals are won and lost) has not developed yet. I have no doubt Goody would have told him he's got a long career ahead of him. Such a natural footballer who already has so many of the attributes for him to build on in the coming years.

    Smith is the perfect player to run with Darling. He can run with him further up the ground where Darling is so damaging and match his athleticism. It's a big task of someone with very little big game let along many afl game experience.

    Edited by Yung Blood

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    58 minutes ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

    Curve ball idea. Will be shouted down but I’ll throw it out anyway. 

    Eagles have quite a tall and not a super mobile defence. Swing McDonald back, clog up the backline and not allow the eagles room, leave weid as the only tall forward. If the ball hits the ground their backline will seriously struggle.

    I would only do this late in quarters to try and arrest some momentum.

    We did it late in the third quarter last week and Tmac marked the ball in the backline on the 3/4 time siren.

    However you don't remove a 4 goals a week forward out of your forwardline, and rely on a 20 game player to replace those shots on goal.

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    Just now, ProDee said:

    Time waster.

    Channel 7 got it right today but Sky News got it wrong. 21st Century journalism...

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    1 hour ago, Wiseblood said:

    Yep, but with the form Frosty is in, I think Footy IQ is all that Kennedy has on him right now.  Frost has the size, the pace and the strength to go with him in pretty much any situation.  Plus with Kennedy not 100% fit I doubt he will be as dangerous on the lead, so Frost may even look to run off him a little as well.

    Either way, while I believe their forward line can be one of the most dangerous in the competition, we have the players to cover them.  Our backline in the last two weeks has been super and I do think we can keep them to a beatable score.

    It will be interesting to see how much time Vardy spends on the ground.  It will either be Vardy or Cripps as the 6th forward at times.  When Vardy is on I would like to see Frost on him and OMac on JK.  Frost could do some real damage running off Vardy.  But the rotations when Vardy goes off would be difficult.

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    I suspect it is Jones on the wing that is keeping Bayley out of his natural position, an issue for seasons to come. 

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    • Thanks 1
    1 hour ago, Wiseblood said:

    Frost has the size, the pace and the strength to go with him in pretty much any situation.  Plus with Kennedy not 100% fit I doubt he will be as dangerous on the lead, so Frost may even look to run off him a little as well.

    If he doesn't get caught in one on ones with Kennedy in the air Frosty will be ok. 

    Kennedy has the body and smarts to move him off the ball.

    On the lead, particularly with the leg injury I think Frost will have him covered and should also give us some rebound.

    Just don't want him body to body...

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    2 hours ago, ProDee said:

    Smith isn't in for his disposal count, he's in for his speed, size, agression and athletic profile.  He's a manic tackler. He's a better "defender" than Fritsch.  Smith isn't suited to being the second tall, but is a quality third tall. 

    His selection also provides versatility.  Smith is 191cm.  He's the same height as Darling.  When Vardy is forward Oscar can take him and Smith has the size and prowess to nullify Darling, while Frost takes Kennedy.

    It's all about matchups.  It's a very good selection. 

    Would you prefer Fritsch or Tyson on a wing?

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    46 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

    Not having a go at you but his play is much more influential than just the stats he gets. For a start he is a hard match up. He is quick, can jump and take a good mark, tackles well and can kick. If you watch closely he, Spargo and Melksham will often be the front and centre players for when the ball gets spoiled. He is part of the reason we are unpredictable in our fwd line.

    I agree

    He is a marking option

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    12 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

    Would you prefer Fritsch or Tyson on a wing?

    Jones and vandenBerg have been playing the wing role in conjunction with Tyson.  The three of them have been rotating through there for about 6 weeks.  I want continuity with all players knowing their role.  Fritsch has recently been playing in defence.  I don't want him now trying on a new role in a cutthroat final.

    So, to answer your question, Tyson.

    2019 is a whole new ball game and it will be interesting what roles the coaches decide to give to certain players over summer.  Fritsch is yet to have a full preseason, so I expect a better, stronger, fitter version of him next year in whatever role they decide to give him.

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    • Like 8

    I like Smiths height. pace and leap as an in but would've dropped Tyson and kept Fritsch in the team. Tyson is an inside mid playing out of position on the wing. Its not like we are short of contested ball winning players so I would prefer a more natural hard running overhead marking wingman to an out of position inside mid, especially as we are playing Jones on the wing and Lewis on the half back flank.

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    Anyone notice if WC are still watering the Ground as they were on Tuesday? Also Vardy in for me is a sign of how fit Kennedy isn't!!

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    We need to spread the ball wider from the contest to release to a player in space.

    We need to nail our passes.

    We need to capitalise on Tommy Mac and Weid's overhead marking ability inside 50.

    We need to run out the game against a team more used to 24 degrees.

    Edited by demoniac

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