1 hour ago, He de mon said:

Maybe, but we are hardly setting the world on fire at the moment, and we need to build some momentum.

We crawled over the line last year Hdm because our players were dead on their feet and/or carrying niggling injuries. Use the full list of players. It's why we have a list.

And if we don't think the likes of Schache, Laurie, Dunstan etc. aren't capable of playing a role against North then what's the point in having them on the list at all.

Seems to my naive mind that banking wins now is important so we are in a strong position come mid-season. Then we can do some resting of key players post the byes.  If you rest players now you will either have to rest them again or the current rest will do them no good in the finals.

I would like Kossie to get back to his attacking and defensive best.

Today at training it was Goody who was giving him plenty of talk and emotions. 

At one stage he gathered him in with an arm across his shoulders and held him there for a good minute, whispering sweet plenties.

Edited April 28, 20232 yr by kev martin

2 hours ago, Demon17 said:

Lever said in an interview yesterday that the team was"running on the spot" in the finals last year and had learnt from this.

Maybe its too early to rest?  There must be some modelling on this that they are working with.

Lever wasn't referring to resting players, but to injury management:

"It was something that we addressed last year. We thought that we let ourselves down and we let our injuries get too much of us. By the back half of the year we were all running on the spot basically.

Lever said injury management had "absolutely" been a key focus heading into 2023 ...

https://www.sheppnews.com.au/afl/lever-tips-demons-to-reap-rewards-from-new-injury-plan/

On the train to Melbourne now... will be good to watch the game live!

I think Schache will go alright if the training track is any indication.

He was leading well to the forward deliveries. Those that didn't quite make it to him he was able to mop up. A kick to below his knee, marked it. The one that went to wide, he got one hand to it and paddled, then from the boundary, rolled it through. The easy ones, with some angled leads, no problem marking and finishing.  

He'll be an interesting inclusion. Looks fit, strong and appears to want to impact.

How will he go, when he has opponents? 

Edited April 28, 20232 yr by kev martin

59 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Lever wasn't referring to resting players, but to injury management:

"It was something that we addressed last year. We thought that we let ourselves down and we let our injuries get too much of us. By the back half of the year we were all running on the spot basically.

Lever said injury management had "absolutely" been a key focus heading into 2023 ...

https://www.sheppnews.com.au/afl/lever-tips-demons-to-reap-rewards-from-new-injury-plan/

Bont said the same thing about the season being longer off an already grueling schedule.

Makes sense.  The attempt to grind our way through the supposed minor niggles last season not such a good idea in hindsight.

VN transistion off HB there by the Saints.

The vision from behind the goals showed a few of the Saints small/medium HFs all run at the ball carrier away from goal.  Drawing their opponents with them for a split second giving Butler a fair bit of space to work in out the back.

13 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Bont said the same thing about the season being longer off an already grueling schedule.

Makes sense.  The attempt to grind our way through the supposed minor niggles last season not such a good idea in hindsight.

Perhaps, but seemed to have worked in our favour the previous year. Problem was though that in 2022 we'd come off a long, gruelling 2021 with not much turnaround. In 2021 we'd come off the shortened 2020 season (and shorter games). We carried a level of fatigue into 2022 that we just didn't have in 2021, and when you add niggles and minor injuries on top of that ...

Goodwin in his press conference today confirmed that Brown and TMac have been left out on form, not injury. 

After having explained that Schache built up VFL form and deserved selection, he was very fairly asked about Dunstan. His answer was he is close to going past some of the current midfielders. I don't know whether that's just Goodwin saying something to placate or whether we're shortly going to see Dunstan step into Sparrow or Jordon's role.

Smart coaching by Ken.  Going 1 v 1 a fair bit across the park and closing off the usual outlets for the Saints off HB.

2 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

don't know whether that's just Goodwin saying something to placate or whether we're shortly going to see Dunstan step into Sparrow or Jordon's role.

Yes noticed that.  Interesting.  Been in great form at Casey.

Hands are as good as anyone's at senior level imho .... i'm still to be convinced by foot and shooting at goal on the run.  Set shots within range he seems pretty good.

He'll get a turn at some point surely.

6 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

I thought they would rest Hibberd given his ongoing Achilles problem.

Perhaps with LD-U out they might do so and bring in Turner from the emergencies even tho they play different roles so they can rest Hibberd.

.. or May??

49 minutes ago, kev martin said:

I think Schache will go alright if the training track is any indication.

He was leading well to the forward deliveries. Those that didn't quite make it to him he was able to mop up. A kick to below his knee, marked it. The one that went to wide, he got one hand to it and paddled, then from the boundary, rolled it through. The easy ones, with some angled leads, no problem marking and finishing.  

He'll be an interesting inclusion. Looks fit, strong and appears to want to impact.

How will he go, when he has opponents? 

Great ... but what can he do with the deliveries kicked high and long behind his head?

4 hours ago, He de mon said:

Maybe, but we are hardly setting the world on fire at the moment, and we need to build some momentum.

My god man

.

Edited April 28, 20232 yr by Demon Dynasty

29 minutes ago, monoccular said:

.. or May??

Great ... but what can he do with the deliveries kicked high and long behind his head?

Lmfao.......

24 minutes ago, monoccular said:

 

Great ... but what can he do with the deliveries kicked high and long behind his head?

Schache is tall and has good hands. You are right though, how is his change of direction ability? Especially as some of our stategies early in the season was about getting the ball over the back. When he has an opponents body chequing him, will he be able to push back?

TMac was the one today who was really struggling with those change in direction movements, not because of injuries,  but he appears heavier and that big frame he has makes it difficult to stop and push off again.

 

42 minutes ago, monoccular said:

.. or May??

Great ... but what can he do with the deliveries kicked high and long behind his head?

Josh Shache: Sheez - delivery was never this bad at the Murray Bushrangers.

6 hours ago, Demon Dynasty said:

I disagree with that.  Its all about timing.  Other clubs do it quite a bit.

Geelong last season managed their seniors beautifully.

Brad Scott openly managing Dyson Heppell this week etc.

It's alao a bit to do with depth and the state of your injury list.  Arrogance is old school thinking imv.

Geelong last season had the luxury of very few injuries. You can bet they won’t be doing it this season. Hawkins was absolutely not fit at the beginning of the season but in their opinion they would play him into fitness. Maxy has missed 5 games …he could need 5 games to get back to full game fitness. This season they certainly are looking after injured players but no-one this early needs to be managed. We need consistency…

Now head over to the GAMEDAY thread to talk about tonight.