PREGAME: Rd 04 vs Adelaide

[binman 42,113]

4 minutes ago, DEE fence said:

Give May another week, no change bar injury, Would give Billings another go has had some good games, already.

Agree.

But I will not be surprised at all if they pick him. I'm giving up trying to guess their selections!

[DeeSpencer 24,885]

5 minutes ago, binman said:

Do you reckon they tagged him?

I couldn't tell, but he was so important last week, and so quiet this week I wondered if they targeted him.

No, he was a victim of our uncontested game dropping right away under Port’s pressure, our game turning in to more defensive half and countering in straight lines and his own struggles winning the ball in a tough contested game.

I doubt it will see him dropped purely on form reasons, but there might be a physical reason why he wasn’t up to the pace of play. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the sub.

[Jaded No More 68,580]

13 minutes ago, DEE fence said:

Oliver made his debut in the two-point win against Greater Western Sydney at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Round 1, 2016. He was highly praised during his debut match, twenty-two disposals, with fifteen of them contested, and seven clearances from 58 percent game-time, labelled as one of the best debuts in the previous fifteen years, but yes Windsor is good, but don't forget what a phenom Clarry was.

Clarry is a generational talent. If Windsor achieves half as much as Clarry has at the same age, he will have a sensational career. 
Like with Gawn and Trac, we take Clarry’s talents for granted. There is no better hands in footy right now than Oliver.

[binman 42,113]

1 minute ago, DeeSpencer said:

No, he was a victim of our uncontested game dropping right away under Port’s pressure, our game turning in to more defensive half and countering in straight lines and his own struggles winning the ball in a tough contested game.

I doubt it will see him dropped purely on form reasons, but there might be a physical reason why he wasn’t up to the pace of play. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the sub.

Nah, that's not how I saw it.

Or what the numbers say, the most significant of which being points from defensive half:

Points from defensive half

For		Against
Match	Season	Match	Season *
32	26.8	19	22.8

We played our new back half game and beat port at their own game, who ironically tried to beat us with our 2021-23 straight line, forward half, territory game.

[Sir Why You Little 36,725]

4 minutes ago, binman said:

Nah, that's not how I saw it.

Or what the numbers say, the most significant of which being points from defensive half:

Points from defensive half

For		Against
Match	Season	Match	Season *
32	26.8	19	22.8

We played our new back half game and beat port at their own game, who ironically tried to beat us with our 2021-23 straight line, forward half, territory game.

We won the game because we kicked accurately 

 

[Willmoy1947 3,973]

8 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Fullarton hasn't done much at Casey but I understand your point on BBB.

If May returns then Petty plays forward which allows bbb to be rested possibly

Petty returns down back because they will be going through Tex because May probably will not play.

[Chook 15,001]

1 minute ago, Willmoy1947 said:

Petty returns down back because they will be going through Tex because May probably will not play.

If Dixon couldn't get it done against McDonald and Lever (and Hore) I don't think Tex can given his performance this year.

[Gawndy the Great 9,010]

4 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Two years running we have played an Adelaide team in the Gather round. Big disadvantage.

We played the Bombers last year in gather round.

[Willmoy1947 3,973]

4 minutes ago, Chook said:

If Dixon couldn't get it done against McDonald and Lever (and Hore) I don't think Tex can given his performance this year.

Adelaide"s forward line looked pretty crowded to me, in their game against Freo and Pierce diid the job, but we aint got a Pierce. Just saying. 

[Go the Biff 3,381]

22 minutes ago, Willmoy1947 said:

Petty returns down back because they will be going through Tex because May probably will not play.

Paid a visit to the Adelaide BigFooty forum. A distinct lack of optimism there.

Anyway, many are suggesting that Tex's back is stuffed. Can't bend, can't get his hands above his head and as such, think he should be left out of the team this Thursday.  Short turnaround,  plane flights to and from Perth. 

If he does miss, Stephen May's potential return could be delayed to give him further time to recover. Whether he likes it or not.

[Maldonboy38 6,387]

Some random, disconnected ramblings about our game on Thursday.

No way does May play.

I thought Billings was super poor, and Hore's kicking was a total nightmare. Don't reckon we need a fire sale, but we have lots of other options above these two. Woewodin into the 22 to replace Billings, not sure just yet what to do with Hore. 

We need BBB fit and fresh in September, anticipating that we get there. I hope he can hold fitness and form until the bye, but if not, then Fullarton probably is the obvious replacement. Or do we run with Petty and JVR, and give one of Sestan or Kolstrup  go?

When the Crows are playing well, and they are not at the moment, their kicking into F50 can be brilliant. Walker is a threat, Fogarty is a bit like Stringer - full of potential which he rarely fulfils. Rachele and Rankine are mercurial, but our defenders could account for them well. Another reason I am not sold on Hore playing against the Crows. 

[titan_uranus 24,845]

1 minute ago, Maldonboy38 said:

Some random, disconnected ramblings about our game on Thursday.

No way does May play.

I thought Billings was super poor, and Hore's kicking was a total nightmare. Don't reckon we need a fire sale, but we have lots of other options above these two. Woewodin into the 22 to replace Billings, not sure just yet what to do with Hore. 

We need BBB fit and fresh in September, anticipating that we get there. I hope he can hold fitness and form until the bye, but if not, then Fullarton probably is the obvious replacement. Or do we run with Petty and JVR, and give one of Sestan or Kolstrup  go?

When the Crows are playing well, and they are not at the moment, their kicking into F50 can be brilliant. Walker is a threat, Fogarty is a bit like Stringer - full of potential which he rarely fulfils. Rachele and Rankine are mercurial, but our defenders could account for them well. Another reason I am not sold on Hore playing against the Crows. 

I’m not quite sure I agree with the bolded bit, tbh. I think your lack of a solution to replacing Hore perhaps suggests as much.

[Maldonboy38 6,387]

1 minute ago, titan_uranus said:

I’m not quite sure I agree with the bolded bit, tbh. I think your lack of a solution to replacing Hore perhaps suggests as much.

Yeah, you are probably right. I was loosely thinking more of May, Bowey, Hunter, or Melksham but none of them replace Hore directly. The more I see Hore play I see him as a very good insurance policy, but not a go-to player, and ifI Rachele or Rankine get off the leash, Hore might get caught out. 

[58er 6,067]

6 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Two years running we have played an Adelaide team in the Gather round. Big disadvantage.

We played Essendon on the Sat last year and lost. 

[Whispering_Jack 29,317]

There are some competing factors at play. We have to respect our opposition and expect them to come out ready to play. So we have to pick a team to win (that might sound silly because everyone has that aim at this time of year). There’s also a need to preserve your playing group and have them match fit for the long season.

I wouldn’t risk Steven May this week.

I would rest Jack Billings and Ben Brown and bring in Koltyn Tholstrop and Tom Fullarton. The decision on Brown would be based on consultation with the player and medical staff. Tholstrop looks ready to play at AFL level and Fullarton would fill a forward need and give Max a chop out in the ruck, allowing JvR the opportunity to spend more time in the forward line.

[58er 6,067]

2 hours ago, Willmoy1947 said:

Adelaide"s forward line looked pretty crowded to me, in their game against Freo and Pierce diid the job, but we aint got a Pierce. Just saying. 

No we have May Lever Tmac and Hore or Petty. 

Four of those have played in a premiership team and 2 are All Australian. I’ll take them any day  before Pierce who is a  good player in his own right but not as decorated as our elite team defence. 

[Little Goffy 14,112]

10 minutes ago, 58er said:

No we have May Lever Tmac and Hore or Petty. 

Four of those have played in a premiership team and 2 are All Australian. I’ll take them any day  before Pierce who is a  good player in his own right but not as decorated as our elite team defence. 

That's the key - if the whole team is willing to run hard and often sacrifice their own stats just to force the opposition into more predictable attack flows, our defenders are all highly capable of reading the play and getting to where they need to be.

I'd rate all of May, Lever, McVee, Rivers, Bowey, McDonald, Petty, Tomlinson and even Hore and the kid Howes as above the league average when it comes to anticipating where they need to be defensively. It is built into our defender's way of being.

The Tao of the Demon defender is to know one's place in a deeper story.

[deejammin' 2,201]

A lot of mentions of Fullarton in here. Perhaps as he was named as emergency but watching the Casey game on the weekend and also in the pre-season games Verrall is offering more up forward and in the ruck this year. If we’re pulling the trigger on resting a BBB (I’d be loathe to do it unless absolutely necessary as he’s a revelation this year!) or want backup for Max I’d bring Verrall in. Fullarton is ok, but he plays more as a rangy extra mid in the ruck and gets around the ground on a lead but doesn’t take congested marks up forward where Verrall is similarly athletic in the ruck and around the ground but offers more up forward and seems to have more of the Max Gawn school of ruck craft. 

On May, I understand the calls to rest him but if the issue is pain management not reoccurrence or worsening the injury as our club is saying then it might be better to take the risk this week. With Hore as the sub and the option of throwing Petty back if May can’t play the game out I give us a much better chance against an out of form Adelaide than Brisbane. Find May can’t play through the pain early against Brisbane and we’ll lose, against Adelaide we may still cobble a win. If he makes it through the game against Adelaide it’ll give him extra confidence against Brisbane, especially with the full week to prepare followed by the bye. I think it could be better to give Maysie the chance to see how he goes this week, and good luck stopping him if he thinks he’s ready!

Otherwise no changes, Billings plays a feast or famine game and the Port game didn’t suit him, but he still showed some quality and if he’d kicked through the ball in the last would’ve almost sealed the game. 
 

Unless there’s mystery injuries, like Chandlers two knees I’d be going:

In May

Out Woey, Hore to sub.

Edited March 31 by deejammin'

[Waltham33 475]

Pressure their midfield they cough it up. Let Matt Crouch kick long all day

[Anti-Saint 245]

On 31/03/2024 at 05:04, FearTheBeard said:

So bloody excited for the drive across on Thursday morning, who would have thought that 4 weeks ago!

a tip FTB

we drove on game day last year and West Hwy busy 

allow for lots of breaks and fools who want to tailgate on the single lane hwy

and listen to DL podcasts!

[Demon Dynasty 17,108]

10 hours ago, Maldonboy38 said:

Some random, disconnected ramblings about our game on Thursday.

No way does May play.

I thought Billings was super poor, and Hore's kicking was a total nightmare. Don't reckon we need a fire sale, but we have lots of other options above these two. Woewodin into the 22 to replace Billings, not sure just yet what to do with Hore. 

We need BBB fit and fresh in September, anticipating that we get there. I hope he can hold fitness and form until the bye, but if not, then Fullarton probably is the obvious replacement. Or do we run with Petty and JVR, and give one of Sestan or Kolstrup  go?

When the Crows are playing well, and they are not at the moment, their kicking into F50 can be brilliant. Walker is a threat, Fogarty is a bit like Stringer - full of potential which he rarely fulfils. Rachele and Rankine are mercurial, but our defenders could account for them well. Another reason I am not sold on Hore playing against the Crows. 

I'd bring Tommo in for Marty this week.

Both Tex & Fog tend to play mostly higher towards the arc which suits Tommo's game to a T where he is more comfrotable the further he is from the sticks.  Probably start him on Fog.

T-Mac takes Tex, with Tex presently turning like the Titanic and a fair way off his best.

Fog's in marginally better form than Tex at the moment imho and he's a big bull who needs another bull to mind him (Tommo not Marty).

[leave it to deever 17,498]

10 hours ago, Maldonboy38 said:

fit and fresh in September, anticipating that we get there. I hope he can hold fitness and form until the bye, but if not, then Fullarton probably is the obvious replacement. Or do we run with Petty and JVR

Not knocking Jvr but he's not at his best this year.

We definitely need to have either a petty or Bbb to help him.

 

[Demonland 70,456]

 

[Nicko 1,378]

4 minutes ago, Demonland said:

 

I disagree, I don’t think they need to change a thing 😂😂😂

[Billy 2,493]

If May is declared fit, why wouldn’t he play?

Adelaide are a really tough team to beat at home, let’s not take them for granted 50/50 game