PREGAME: Rd 15 vs Geelong

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,543]

3 hours ago, binman said:

Cold, wet night, narrow ground and crowded D50.

Hardly any marks will be taken, offensively or defensively, and the ball will be on the deck most of the night.

The conditions make a third tall less critical.

Gus can play back and we can run with three talls up forward (Petty, Smith and JVR) - and perhaps give Max and brodie more bench time.

Petty or Smith Will play back IF required but I think max is gonna play behind the ball and we will see the first true showing of Gawndy now that Grundy has his fitness — This was ALWAYS the intention (both play 80% GT & one is fwd whilst one is behind the ball) as well as the odd time to stretch oppo d50 as 4th tall Ala pre-season. this is my top pick but below could also be what’s up!
 

Goody continuing the new experimenting ethos and I love it!!! We need to find out all the best situational strategic ploys and this is excitingly the first time I think we will see it.. can’t WAIT!!! 
 

Could also be a genuine double-switch ie Smith/Petty fwd/back rotation depending on match-ups and game time love feedback to keeP teams guessing who’s gonna be fwd or back.

 

Finally, wouldn’t surprise to see Gus//Hibbo rest/mngd for Woey late change nor Brown/JVR w/Petty back — so many possibilities and that’s what has me so excited.. we have NO IDEA what’s gonna happen which means neither does Scott 👏🏻 

 

 

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by Nudge

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,543]

1 hour ago, Gawndy the Great said:

Tikanis Gala?

Stamada 

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,543]

1 hour ago, old55 said:

But apparently it will be different in our forward line where Gawn/Grundy, Petty, JVR and Smith will all be flying?

Occam's Razor says Petty back for Tomlinson. We'll see.

Absolutely my first thought. But as per my post I rkn somethings afoot and am really hoping to see max man Hawk as behind ball ploy and to see Gawndy split  ground 50/50 & play 75-85% GT each.. there’ll be a late change for sure imho 

Edited June 21, 2023 by Nudge

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,543]

1 hour ago, layzie said:

It would be nice if the back 6 could get a little cohesion without being chopped and changed every two seconds.

You don’t think our back 6 have cohesion?!?? Gimme a spell — It’ll be dewy as and Max behind ball is effectively same as playing Tommo but with added flex of Smith/Petty duality for ultimate matchups maximisation.

 

I rkn if Hibbo plays it’s a lock he will take Cameron and Max will be behind ball!

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,543]

1 hour ago, layzie said:

He chases and provides defensive pressure too. Hope he bags a hatful.

His def work has been AWESOME to see 

[Dee Zephyr 19,230]

9 minutes ago, Nudge said:

Stamada 

Trelokomio here 

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,543]

1 hour ago, Deestar9 said:

Glad you’re not on the coaching committee…with the luxury of a pretty full squad there is no way or need to play someone who is not “match fit. “. 

Who says he isn’t match-fit? No WAY he’d be playing if he wasn’t bit only match fit but loaded at same level of all others in his position. Ergo Clarry decision — hospital visit mean the isn’t loaded enough and shows the maturity of the coaching group and ensures come finals our team win the full of u overcooked-under rested meat!!! 

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,543]

4 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Trelokomio here 

treloí ánthropoi everywhere!!!

[layzie 33,289]

1 minute ago, Nudge said:

You don’t think our back 6 have cohesion?!?? Gimme a spell — It’ll be dewy as and Max behind ball is effectively same as playing Tommo but with added flex of Smith/Petty duality for ultimate matchups maximisation.

 

I rkn if Hibbo plays it’s a lock he will take Cameron and Max will be behind ball!

Depends which back 6 combo you're talking about.

I think playing multiple back 6 combinations in a season does little for cohesion in a team that plays a zone defence, especially when the most recent combo seemed to bear the most fruit. It's easy to forget now it would be naive to say that our backline hasn't  had any issues at all this year. 

I do agree though that Max could drop back a bit and fill the hole, much like the Dogs game in Rd 1.

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,543]

20 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

I reckon the 'bring injured players back through the vfl' is old school thinking especially when a player has worked through 5+ preseasons as have Salem and Petty.

Sports science has come a long way since the days when players were readied for AFL match conditions through the reserves.  Very few clubs go that way these days.

It actually puts them behind schedule due to the total km difference and lower intensity of VFL footy 

[layzie 33,289]

8 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Trelokomio here 

Kali nichta kids.

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,543]

1 minute ago, layzie said:

Depends which back 6 combo you're talking about.

I think playing multiple back 6 combinations in a season does little for cohesion in a team that plays a zone defence, especially when the most recent combo seemed to bear the most fruit. It's easy to forget now it would be naive to say that our backline hasn't  had any issues at all this year. 

I do agree though that Max could drop back a bit and fill the hole, much like the Dogs game in Rd 1.

Fair enough but personally I rkn our back 10 is cohesive irrespective of Gameday combo!

 

issues is a bit rich too if I’m honest — ESS got hot & pressure lacking up field meant they got good looks at it and we lost Lever pre game whom has a solid 1/1 def % and would’ve crunched a HEAP of those long balls  

[layzie 33,289]

5 minutes ago, Nudge said:

Fair enough but personally I rkn our back 10 is cohesive irrespective of Gameday combo!

 

issues is a bit rich too if I’m honest — ESS got hot & pressure lacking up field meant they got good looks at it and we lost Lever pre game whom has a solid 1/1 def % and would’ve crunched a HEAP of those long balls  

I see your point but I don't think it's rich at all. We conceded 15 marks in defensive 50 in that game, sure their midfield scorched us but the air ball is supposed to be this backline's bread and butter and it wasn't just because we missed Lever, May had a shocker. The trend continued against GC where we conceded another 12 and 24 shots from 45 entries and then a whopping 17 against Port (It was wet that night too). 

I don't know where this 1v1 winning % is for Lever but he's an average 1v1 defender at best, this is why bringing Tommo in helped free him up to do what he does best.

The point is although the issues weren't massive they were there and needed to be ironed out. If making another change to bring Petty straight back in seems worthwhile then they should do it but when we won in 2021 there were very few changes back there and the less change the more you're in sync with each other's game and not having to re-adjust. 

 

[Kent 2,879]

11 hours ago, picket fence said:

A few pionts.....

1 I smell a HUGE RAT re Oliver missing, Goody on one hand several weeks ago declaring that he would play after 21 days of rehab  before his hospital episode,only for Richardson to say... he still rehabing his hamstring today?? Nup not buying this, somethings going on! More Red Herrings than a Norway delicatessen here!

2 Tomlinson gets the Axe after a great game vs filth for a really underdone Petty, I dont like it at all!

3 Bowey was almost BOG before his concussion and should have been an auto inclusion, if I was Chandler and Kossy, BOTH Better perform tommorrow if they want to play next week!

STRANGE SELECTIONS AND NON ONES

Couldnt agree more PF!

This is mystifying in the extreme Just doesnt make sense regarding  Tommo. Petty surely underdone and Bowey out  meanwhile  smalls are underperforming 

I really hope Goodwin has a plan Looks half baked to me  Meanwhile mystery on Oliver recovery