Bombay Airconditioning

Isn't it funny no ones picked Geelong.... In no order North Hawks Freo Port Eagles A big part of last weeks win was the fact it was an interstate win. Normally we've conceded before we've boarded the plane.

What was more bizzare was the Suns taking Martin over Hogan.

When's our day? We need to start challenging teams like Hawthorn and Freo this year and not wait for them to slide before its "our day"

As I've argued in the past in other threads, maybe not this year but definitely next year Jetta's position may/should be up for grabs to a midfielder who defensive game is the equal of Jetta's but offers more going the other way and can play on ball.

I'm leaning towards 4 mids/flankers on the bench. Going off last weeks game our three fwds at this stage are Hogan/Pedo/Watts, I'd like to see Frost given an opportunity over the next two weeks in defence then only one of Frost/Garland plays with Dunn, Tmac. If our other starting forwards are Garlett, Kent, VB our bench could be Petracca, Kennedy, Harmes, Oliver. I think some teams, the Bulldogs being one will try to capitalise on last year and run teams off their feet. If your no.1 ruck gets injured your stuffed anyway, if you loose a key defender a mid/flanker plays the third tall, and if you loose a fwd you play with a smaller fwd line. As DeeSpencer alluded to, just about every player needs to be able to play two positions.

What game was I watching? I didn't watch the game as I said.

Exactly.

Wanted to keep this seperate from the Rd 1 thread as that already has enough discussion points. Was interested in how people though our bench might look come round 1. Not who's on it but the breakdown, I think we can only go 1 of 2 ways. 4 mids/flankers or 1 utility & 3 mids/flankers I've read some people's teams that have 1 tall fwd, 1 tall def & 2 mids Not sure that could work. 4 teams that I will be looking at will be the Hawks who have lost The Rough for half the year and have done so well through the number of players they have that can play fwd-back flank or rotate through the midfield, the Bulldogs who's gameplan relies on quick ball movement and continual run from their players. Port who I've tipped to win the flag (picked them a few months ago and am sticking with it regardless of Saturday's result, the only team with the ability to beat the Hawks twice last year) and Collingwood who now have a midfield that includes Pendles/Swan/Steele/Treloar/Varcoe/Greenwood/Aish/Crisp.

Some interesting insights. I need to watch this replay.

Was reading the Pert/Collingwood interview/article...."the AFL is trying hard to work with us but they don't have any answered either".

Without looking does anyone want to guess where Captain Cotch is? ill say 24

Was just having a look on the Dees website White 188cm Wagner 189cm Garland 191cm out of interest Josh Gibson 189cm Could we have a backline in the future that looks something like Jetta Dunn White/Wagner Salem Tmac Wagner/Melksham I was always intrigued by the 3year contract for Garland. Maybe he came cheap, I thought two was enough.

Hulett wouldn't be competing for a spot down back would he? I will ask this question again, if Garlands role is 3rd man up is this not something Frost could do? Frost would be physically stronger I'd think, he would be able to get to contests and kill the ball.

Passed by who? If Pedo looks to the first option for fwd/ruck can we expect to see Frost down back over the next two weeks? Who else is Garland competing with?

Admittedly I wasn't able to watch the game, might watch a replay later today. With regards to your comments "the club will back the bigger more seasoned bodies", how does this differ from last year? Was Matt Jones injured last year? I can't remember.

I'd go one further, Do Garlands defensive capabilities outweigh those of Frost? Who is a threat to take Garlands place? I've had a couple of best 22, I'm now leaning towards Hogan/Watts/Pedo up forward Dunn/Tmac/and 1 of Garland/Frost down back and 4 mids/flankers on the bench. When Gawn has a rest Pedo plays ruck and and a VB/Kennedy or both goes up forward to mix it up.

I'm interested to see whether this game we reign in interchanges a bit?

Made to understand.

I thought BT was behind his name?

2016 - Leadership group 2017 - VC 2018 - Captain That's how it will happen. He'll be 23 turning 24 in 2018.

Can this now serve as the NAB game 2 thread or do we need to start two more? Out of interest who plays on the Package? Viney on Libba?

My move to Sydney five years ago coincided with me losing the plot. Hope to be returning to Melbourne next year.

Of all the people knocking someone's disposal, so far this year you have told me Grimes and Garland are locks for rd 1 team. Isnt this half the problem? If I was Tmac with ball in hand and all I had was Grimes and Garland either side I'd be going for a run too. Ideally your whole side has elite disposal but we know that isn't realistic. The three players out of 22 that a team can cut some slack to with regards to disposal are fb, chb and your ruckman. If your two key defenders are beating their opponents more often than not and your ruckman if giving your mids first use of the footy then they have largely done their job. You keep citing experience as to why those two should get a game and lack of experience as to why others shouldn't. How do you get experience? Admittedly I didn't watch the game due to work commitments but reading a number of posts there was a common theme. It was the same old stuff from Garland and Grimes whilst Oliver, Wagner and Harmes did some good things and showed some promise. Oscar may not have starred but he is only 19 at stands at 196cm and is obviously viewed as a long term prospect. Also in the 2nd half when someone needed to stand up I kept reading names like Viney and VB, not Garland and Grimes and all of their so called experience that you continually reference. Grimes 98 games Garland 135 games Tmac 82 games Omac 2 games Tmac is in the side first and foremost for his ability to stop the oppositions key forward, a job he is bloody good at, anything other than that is a bonus. If we have elite users of the footy across half back there is less of a need for the big blokes to take a run. Then I think it was the rd 1 thread you thought Grimes would/should play there because of his experience and the loss of Melksham. I would of thought with Tmac/Dunn/Jetta/Salem already there that we could afford to try a young player on the other flank, a player who can kick the bloody thing to our advantage. Wagner is a mature age recruit at 21 turning 22 this year. Wouldn't you rather take the risk in the hope of unearthing another talent than persist with what has already failed us repeatedly in the past?

In Frost's GWS highlights he also went for the occasional run, I don't mind it and i haven't suggested it shouldn't be encouraged if the opportunity presents itself but it shouldn't be our first option unless we get caught out on the oppositions fast break.

Going off your player report (which I enjoyed reading) how was Garland and different? As a 1 on 1 defender he's bloody good, as I mentioned in my above post he shouldn't find himself needing/thinking about going for those runs anymore.