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CHANGES: Rd 20 vs Fremantle


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27 minutes ago, deanox said:

I'm not saying Spargo is playing well - I felt his impact had been down. But other than "goals scored" his stats are actually up on last year:

Stat: 2022 v 2021

Disposals: 12.6 v 11.5

DE%: 69.9% v 70.7%

Marks: 4.4 v 3.4

Inside 50s: 3.2 v 2.2

Metres gained: 212 v 187

F50 ground ball gets: 1.2 v 1.2

Goals: 0.3 v 0.7

Shots at goal: 1.0 v 1.6

GA: 0.8 v 0.6

Score Involvements: 4.6 v 4.4

Tackles: 2.5 v 2.4

Tackles i50: 0.9 v 1.0

Pressure Acts: 11.8 v 10.8

 

I actually think that Spargo's lack of goals is a direct result of the poor performance of our tall forwards.

Without TMac, and with BBB struggling to impact games consistently, Spargo has been forced to play higher up the ground to offer options. This has resulted in more marks, more uncontested possessions, more inside 50s, a higher kick/handball ratio, and more metres gained, but less shots at goal because on average he is further away from goal than last year.

I'm not sure that swapping Chandler for Spargo fixes this. (As much as I think Chandler deserves a go)

 

 

 

 

Spargo has never been a true crumbing small like Kozzie or even Bedford. He's more of a link player, as is Chandler. But what I've seen of Chandler lately, he's better overhead than Spargo, and a more penetrating kick. At the end of the day, I agree that Chandler doesn't fix things, but his form warrants inclusion.

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32 minutes ago, MrFreeze said:

I think Salem is suffering because Angus is playing that interceptor/outlet role. JJ is also playing well on the wing which makes it hard to shift gus back there. 

I wonder if Gus could find a place in the forward mid mix, I think his neat disposal could be utilised there.

If there is ever a game to play Gus in the middle, it’s this week. 

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16 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Salem needs to address his role in the team. Whatever it is at present isn't working

Salem is a worry for me too, has lost all his flair & is just doing safe little dinky kicks across half back, used to feel very comfortable with the ball in his hands, not now 

As for Spargo he’s the best kick in the side always makes the right decision & hits targets 

Out Tomlinson Bedford Salem

in Lever Chandler Bowey

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35 minutes ago, mo64 said:

Spargo has never been a true crumbing small like Kozzie or even Bedford. He's more of a link player, as is Chandler. But what I've seen of Chandler lately, he's better overhead than Spargo, and a more penetrating kick. At the end of the day, I agree that Chandler doesn't fix things, but his form warrants inclusion.

Thanks!

I haven't seen much of Chandler, particularly lately while he has been in form.

So my next question for the watchers was whether he could play that link up role across HFF and onto the wing, like Spargo has been, or cover the ground as part of our zone like ANB does.

 

Edited by deanox
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I haven’t read much of the VFL write up, but I think:

In: Lever, Hunt

Out: Tomlinson, Rivers.

We need someone seriously quick for Frederick and Hunt is the obvious choice.

Hibberd will take Walters.

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His pace and penetration are both down but I thought it was easily Salo’s best game  since he came back. Won contests and was calm by hand. Kicking wasn’t bad just lacks punch.

Possibly an argument for resting him from a Perth trip, getting some fitness in to him but that seems unlikely when he’s building week to week with match fitness.

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40 minutes ago, KysaiahMessiah said:

I was there in the pocket, mostly Tomlinson

Too many conflicted opinions 

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Luke Jackson needs to be dropped.  Played a great game v Brisbane but has been completely out of form since.  Hopefully B Brown is fit Weiderman to play back up ruck.

Lever for Tomlinson.  Our Back 6 aren't playing that well.

 

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7 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Because its funny trying to watch you weasel your way through this thread making absolute zero sense as always. You made yourself look very silly with my sarcasm comment and tried to dig your way out. 

"They both won and both lost" when trying to justify a draw.. enough said.

Seems to me you get upset pretty easily.

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6 hours ago, Demon3 said:

I think we are cooked. I really do, dont want it to be true. 

As well as players being out of form, i think the coaches are. That was really strange last night.

Think Chandler needs to come in. Obviously Lever. Tomlinson tries, but he is just a shadow of his former self. Steven May thrashed Naughton, but still made bad judgement errors, and watching him closely at teh ground last night, i think he was to demonstrative to team mates, especially Gus, it was pretty ordinary i thought.

Salem is out of whack, minimal impact. Gawn, again he tried, but he was soundly beaten around teh ground, again, coaching is an issue, Jackson should actually have juts went everywhere English did. Trac had some amazing impact touches, but he was quiet.

Jackson is having a very ordinary season. He should take the 1Mill plus on offer and go.

Angus was great, but his turnovers cost us 3 goals.

Im not into the Harmes hate, he tries, you need players like that.

Kozzi was good. Weed was good first half.

Fritsch i thought was great, but defensively lazy at times.

Spargs touches were good, but 10 is simply not enough and it hasnt been enough for teh majority of the year.

Langdon isnt the player since his ribs injury.

Clayton, Jack and Harry - our 3 week to week players you can count on at the moment.

The dream for back to back is over, but lets hope we dont just totally implode.

In:

Chandler / Lever /

out:

Tomlinson / Spargo

I understand how players loose form (e.g. fitness, fatigue, confidence), but how does a whole coaching panel lose form? Should Goody, Williams, Ooze et al. be dropped, surrendered to the mid-season draft, traded to Freeo?

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5 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

Geez.  The criticism of Gawn on here is beyond ridiculous.  15 hit outs to advantage is almost unheard of.  25 disposals for a ruckman, 8 marks - 3 contested and a huge number of score involvements.  English is a good player and played a good game and that can happen - Gawn v Goldstein over the years has often seen both play well.  The reason we did so well in centre clearance, and scored so heavily from it was because of Gawn's dominance.  Maybe you couldn't see it on TV (I haven't seen the telecast) but at the ground it was obvious.  

I also find it hard to fathom Swoop. He was brilliant on TV as well. Yes, he had a few clangers. But the players that touch the ball the most often do. Max is as brilliant a ruck as I've seem in 50 years. 

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Lever to come in. Tomlinson out.

would move Brayshaw into the middle and rotate Petracca and Gawn through the forward line, spending the rest of their time in the midfield.

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20 minutes ago, Thehardtackler said:

...

would move Brayshaw into the middle and rotate Petracca and Gawn through the forward line, spending the rest of their time in the midfield.

For all the consternation about not having a plan B (for the record, I don't think teams need Plan Bs, they typically just need to execute their Plan A correctly) one thing I do think we should give strong consideration to is this option.

Brayshaw can play in the centre, no worries. This isn't a major shift.

Bowie/Hunt can come in to cover his HBF role. This isn't a major shift as they are part of that group based on form anyway.

Pettacca spending extra time forward offers a real dimensional change for us, and provides an alternative avenue to goal with TMac and BBB either injured or out of form. We would effectively be playing him as a medium forward to replace that tall forward role (instead of Melksham I guess?).

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1 hour ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

I understand how players loose form (e.g. fitness, fatigue, confidence), but how does a whole coaching panel lose form? Should Goody, Williams, Ooze et al. be dropped, surrendered to the mid-season draft, traded to Freeo?

We have been outcoached a few times, and in the losses, selection at times has been questionable,   just maybe not responding to things, a bit stubborn. Think it happens, i dont reckon they are at the top of the game, just my opinion.

 

 

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5 hours ago, deanox said:

Thanks!

I haven't seen much of Chandler, particularly lately while he has been in form.

So my next question for the watchers was whether he could play that link up role across HFF and onto the wing, like Spargo has been, or cover the ground as part of our zone like ANB does.

 

Can't say I've noticed that as a stand out strength in the VFL but the game at VFL level is often crowded and scrappy

More he has the sense to get free and find a goal

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5 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Can't say I've noticed that as a stand out strength in the VFL but the game at VFL level is often crowded and scrappy

More he has the sense to get free and find a goal

@Diamond Jimif that's the case, do you think he is competing with Spargo/ANB who have been playing further up field and deliver forward, or Pickett who tends to stay closer to goal?

I'd also add that Melksham tended to stay quite deep on Sat I think, regularly starting in the square. So that could add to him being a reasonable like for like positional swap.

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After seeing some footage of Gus’ loose checking, I wonder to what extent he is prioritising getting his 25-30 touches each week, vs defensive efforts, stopping goals etc. 

Has anyone been watching him closely enough to make a call on this? 

I thought Salem had the balance (attack vs defence) pretty right prior to this season. 

 

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7 hours ago, Neil Crompton said:

If there is ever a game to play Gus in the middle, it’s this week. 

A Bradshaw vs A Bradshaw?   Each trying to persuade the other to join him.

IF BBB isn't 100% then it is time to pull the JVR emergency ripcord.  

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22 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

They need to get Brayshaw the heck out of the backline. He’s undone the balance of it. Completely unaccountable. Doesn’t provide genuine line breaking and can’t hit the side of a barn. Just zones off a mile and racks up chip kicks or long bombs.

If JJ needs a rest he can go to the wing. Otherwise just drop him and bring in Bowey or Hunt and get back to the structure of last year.

Otherwise it’s Brown for Weid and Lever for Tomlinson and that’s about it. 

Melksham for JVR, Chandler or Bedford? I doubt it. 

Maybe once he signs the contract. I don’t think he likes playing the wing tbh. 

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2 minutes ago, 1964_2 said:

After seeing some footage of Gus’ loose checking, I wonder to what extent he is prioritising getting his 25-30 touches each week, vs defensive efforts, stopping goals etc. 

Has anyone been watching him closely enough to make a call on this? 

I thought Salem had the balance (attack vs defence) pretty right prior to this season. 

 

I think Fritsch’s was also pretty damning. Last year I seemed to recall him do plenty of forward 50 tackles and chase downs. I feel his defensive pressure has dropped off.

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