Wiseblood

If you look at other sports, managers/coaches have ways to get information out to their players on a regular basis that our coaches don't have. Take the NBA for example - the coach is literally on the sideline the entire time and is able to help call plays/give advice whenever they want, not to mention calling timeouts when things aren't going there way or when they want to make a change. Soccer managers are able to stand on the touchline and bark out orders all game, and when there is a stop in play they can call players over and talk tactics with them. Our coaches can't do that unless they come off for a rotation. I know there will be other examples, but the runner is our codes way of being able to convey messages during a game that the coach up in the box cannot do. I agree that there needs to be some set rules about it, and I think when they are allowed on the ground needs to be looked at, but I don't think runners are a relic of a bygone era, nor do I think they are obsolete. It's just our codes way of allowing coaches to get messages to players during a game, something many other codes and sports allow as well, just in different ways.

Fantastic news. I don't think this was ever in doubt, but this is great reward for a tremendous player and person for our footy club. Love the way he goes about his footy and what he does off field as well. If we had a team of 22 Nev's we would go alright. Hopefully this is a good sign leading into this weekend as well!

Port still made finals, though. Still, I get your point. We need a few scalps and we'll need to take them to book a place in the finals.

I also think we are the last team since the Swans to have won on that ground (in 2015). I agree with you and others that our game style suits the ground quite well, but we'll need to implement it to perfection to get over the Cats on their home turf. They aren't the world beaters they used to be, but they play much better on their home deck.

It's possible, but it would take a tremendous amount of luck for us to get in with 12 wins. So much would have to go right in our favour for it to happen, and I'm just not convinced that it can. 13 wins will be the magic number.

I wonder if Scott Selwood goes to Oliver or Brayshaw? I feel like both have the ability to shake that tag, but I have no doubt they'll look to curb the influence of one of them. It makes Tyson's inclusion all the more important in terms of him working his backside off at each contest he gets to.

I understand the inclusion of Tyson, especially with Viney out. If he's just played through the guts then he can have an impact for us, and he at least brings some experience and ball winning ability with him to the side. The Joel Smith selection is a little perplexing for me, even though others seem happy with it. Hibberd is good both defensively and offensively, and while Smith can give us something defensively, I don't trust him with the ball in hand, nor do I trust his ability to get the footy and do something with it. I feel like Wagner is a more rounded player at this point and could give us a little more than what Smith would bring to the table. Time will tell I guess, and I'm hopeful that Smith can prove me wrong on Saturday night.

12 wins may not be enough. I think that other teams will get enough wins on the board to get to 13 and keep us out. 13 wins and our healthy percentage gets us in. We would be the unluckiest side in AFL history to miss out if we get to 13 wins. 14 would be sensational and would put us in the frame for a Top 4 finish.

I love it when people drop a comment like 'Jetta in doubt...' and then don't back it up in any way, shape or form. It's ridiculous. If we're talking the report from Misson, then he said he expects him to play. I've yet to see anything that contradicts this.

It really does seem like their method of recruitment is stick every free agent on a board and throw a dart at it. Whomever it lands on gets offered a huge contract. If they knock it back they just take another dart and throw it again. Rinse and repeat.

It's also a huge chance for Wagner to prove that he has the ability to be a positive contributor at AFL level for us. To me, he's only shown glimpses of that potential in the senior side, but he may get up to a month's worth of games to prove his worth to the side going forward. Guys like Lewis and Vince won't be around forever, so he has an opportunity right now to take his chance and run with it. If he's selected tonight then I'll be hoping that he takes the bull by the horns and helps us roll those handbaggers on Saturday night!

He hasn't had any reason to try it before. Outside of Lever going down, our back six has been relatively settled otherwise. Plus I doubt he will take too many risks, such as playing someone in a position they haven't played in before, at this stage of the season.

Why do we need 3 tall defenders? The two McDonalds and Frost is far too tall for their forward line. Plus there is no chance we play T Mac down back. Far too valuable as a forward for us now.

I like it, but, can he do it for a whole game? I feel like having him play there intermittently during the game is good, but I'm not sure I'd trust him there more often than that. I still think Wagner plays through there as he can play the defensive game while also potentially giving us some run and drive off the backline. I know others aren't fans, and I understand why, but I feel good about having Vince and Lewis down there if Hibberd is out. Not necessarily because they can replace what he brings to the side, but they do bring a cool head, experience and the ability to marshall the troops in the defensive half of the ground. Their leadership could prove vital on Saturday night.

To be fair, Viney said he had discomfort in his foot prior to the Darwin game. So it's Stretch and Hibberd. I think it's a long bow to draw in terms of Darwin having that affect, considering how we ran out last weekends game without any issue. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather not play there, but blaming it for a couple of injuries is a stretch a best, pun intended.

I'm staggered that we need to have the same conversation on this topic every week.

Possibly, but it doesn't really say how effective that is - I think it just adds up how far forward he kicks the ball during a game, not how often it hits a target. It doesn't take points off if that kick is a turnover and goes right back over his head. Having said that, it still shows that he gives us some drive from half back that someone like Salem is going to need to step up and cover for us over the next few weeks.

The one aspect of his game that may be hard to replace is metres gained - he averages 402m gained a game, second only to Gus. We will need a few players to step up together to cover for this run off half back.

Rubbish. Hibbo is a decent loss, but we have players who can come in and play a role for us. Time for a few to stand up.

Has to be Wagner for Hibberd. He is far more closer to the type of player Hibbo is than Joel Smith.

[censored] it.

This is a great post george, and I think this part is what stood out to me the most. We needed these experienced players not just on field, but off field as well, to help bring along the development of this footy club from a culture standpoint. I think it's been mentioned in another thread where Roos stated he couldn't get guys like Cross and Vince into the club quickly enough when he arrived, and the Blues are suffering because they haven't done the same thing. Instead, SOS went after as many GWS rejects as he could, with the vast majority of them not working out. As you say, when Simpson, Kreuzer and Murphy go it will leave a further gaping hole on their list. They'll struggle to attract quality players at the moment and, outside of a few of the kids (Cripps, Curnow, Marchbank), their is a real lack of talent, maturity and experience on the list. I think they are in for a world of hurt in the coming years with no clear path out of it. SOS has to take a large part of the blame for that.

The one thing in the Cats' favour is that it's at their home ground where they are a 5-6 goal better side on most occasions. However, their ground is narrow and smaller than the G, which plays into our hands in terms of the contested style of footy we like to play. The Cats are not the gun side they once were, and if you can shut one or two of their good players out of the game like the Crows did last weekend, then you go a long way to beating them. Outside of Hawkins and the 'tin arse' Menzel, their forward line does not scare me in the slightest. I know Danger will spend time there, as will GAJ, but I think we have the players (eg. Jetta, Vince) who are big enough and smart enough to hold their own in each contest. Lewis has been terrific as the general while Frost, outside of the odd mistake, has been pretty good as well. Gawn should give us first use of the ball and we know that our midfield can easily hold their own against the Cats midfield. Our forward line is dangerous, and if we move the ball quickly enough then we can kick a winning score. I feel as though we used it much better last weekend, and with Garlett and Spargo roaming around we had less players going up for contests and more staying down to get the crumb and/or put the pressure on the opposition. I see no reason at all why we can't win this match, but at the same time, the Cats won't be pushovers. Dees by 15 points.

Reckon they'll go with Tyson this week. With Viney gone he has more opportunity to play the pure mid role. Having said that, if he can't perform to a high standard with this chance then you begin to wonder how many more he has left. This is a bonus opportunity for him so hopefully he takes it with both hands and can help propel us to finals in 6 weeks time.

Sounds like the only change we will make might be a mid in for a half forward (eg. Tyson for Hannan). Rightly, Vanders is still a few weeks away, but clearly they still rate him and think he can have an impact for our side going forward. Can't wait for the game on Saturday night!