If we're fair dinkum

[skeptic]

A few things need to change and some hard decision need to be made.

First and foremost, we need to get some intensity back into our game. It's understandable that we're still working up our game and didn't push too hard today but nonetheless there were some worrying signs. Firstly we need to get first hands on the ball and we need to win some contests... chased Collingwood all day. Second... geeez a tackling coach would be nice. Collingwood swatted us away like flies and pushed our players into the ground every chance they got.

Secondly disposal... we simply cannot continue to carry players that "work hard" but can't dispose of the ball

Clint Jones is top of that list... as I posted in another thread
Seriously, how people can think having him in our team is somehow a positive move astounds me.

Saints kicked 2 goals in a minute, short pass to CJ about 35m in front, 45 degree angle, Saints have the momentum... out on the full. It was embarrassing.

People just don't seem to realise that the reason CJ often gets on the end of passes and loose balls is that his opponents let him... they know he cant hurt u so they dro the extra man into defence.

Ever wonder when Roo is triple teamed where the extra Saints are... one is Jones.

At least Peake hurts the opposition sometimes.

Jason Blake = papers stamped. Have to use him a a DEPTH player only to give either Simpkin or Wilkes (IMO the former) the odd rest. Simpkin may not be god's gift to full back just yet but he has the tools and is promising. We need to play and develop him. Help him settle into and form a part of our newly created backline. Make no mistake, he will get beaten occasionally but he'll learn and IMO around the mid to late season the question of our full back will be a thing of the past.

Few minor backline observations... Welcome back Sam Gilbert. Did very very well. Was AWEFUL last season... and playing him in that form pretty much destroyed his reputation. Attack on the ball was first rate, tackling strong, disposal was good and provided a lot of run and composure.

Thought Geary looked really good too. Has the tools and may just do Sainter K proud. At this point I would have in in the starting 22.

Nice work from Cripps too. Gets a little "nervous" under pressure but mark my words, the kid can play. IMO better suited to the forward line longterm but could do well starting as a running HBF.

Goddard... needs to play forward of the ball IMO. His attack on the ball today was very substandard and in trying to be our quarter back he sits back way too much waiting for an easy handball.
He's way better than that. Play him on the HFF,put him on the opposition's most creative running back and get him to demand accountability. We've got plenty of HBFs, and I'll be honest, I don't know that he's good enough to be a permenant midfielder, play him where we need him.

The midfield is a worry:
Jones - poor
Armitage doesn't seem to be improving, barely sighted
Steven is inconsistent but doing ok for his experience and needs to be persevered with
Ledger - looks ok but disposal worries me. Will cut him out of my Supercoach now

Monty very good today... Dal ok. Make no mistake... letting Ball walk has cost us dearly.

Forward line -
Roo is a worry. Looked really ginger today. Don't know what to do with him.
Kosi looked dangerous on wet, scrappy day with poor disposal all round. Always has been very harshly maligned in the hardest posotopn on the ground IMO. Is dangerous.

Saad over Milera at the moment. Milera is a bit too thin but very talented... needs about 5kg of muscle more. Saad ran hard all day, disposal was generally good and looked lively and dangerous though he didn't do too much. Would be a def starter for mine.

Siposs - I'd play him to as much as I could. Looks a gem every time he gets his hands on it. Silky skills, good mark, wins some ball. His problem is he fades in and ou of games but hey, that's to be expected. Play him.

And finally Rhys Stanley... the guy has to play. He is still has skinny legs and iffy cordination and needs to add physicality to his game. One thing for sure is that the guy can REALLY jump. I reckon a couple of times he nearly jumped over the Collingwood ruck... mistimes his leap a lot. Clearly has worked on his fitness over the off-season. We need to get some games into him. The guy has serious potential to develop.

Skeptic's shotgun - these are the guys that either need to improve dramatically or step out
Jones - nuff said
Schneider - has there ever been a player that does less but gets more praise... so seriously overrted... really needs to hurt the oppostion more
Ray, Peake and Gram - need to do more. Get on top of your disposal issues and get your hands on the damn ball (I know R&G didn't play)
Armitage - you've had enough time, lets see ewhat you got
Raph - bring the attack into your game you so often tantalise us with and work as hard as u can to get your body right

My attempt at a starting 22
B Cripps, Simpkin, Geary
HB Gram, Fisher, Gilbert
C Demp, Steven, Ledger
HF Godd, Roo, Schnieder
F Milne, Kosi, Saad
R McEvoy, Hayes, Dal
Int Armitage, Peake, Stanley
S Sipposs

[plugger66]

Well Jones will not be missing no matter how he disposes of the ball. He has a role to play. Kicking isnt a good part of his role but he does other things. It is 1990's talk to just look at one part of his game. By the way like your side but Jones will play and either for Armo or Saad. Probably Saad as we need as much experience as possible. The only one I would queary is Stanley. he obviously cant start on the bench and I dont like 3 talls in the forward line. Maybe another runner in for him.

[bobmurray]

My attempt at a starting 22
B Cripps, Simpkin, Geary
HB Gram, Fisher, Gilbert
C Demp, Steven, Ledger
HF Godd, Roo, Schnieder
F Milne, Kosi, Saad
R McEvoy, Hayes, Dal
Int Armitage, Peake, Stanley
S Sipposs

We should be able to get as high as 9th with that team and it's deficiencies

[skeptic]

yeah fair point Plugger, did struggle with Stanley... originally had his as the sub, hard to place him in the team, really feel he needs to be there.

Well BM tell me what's wrong and what you'll do about it.

With Gwilt to come in and push Gram into the middle at Peakes expense and Raph to get back as well (not sure for who at the moment), that's a competitive team that has a broad range for improvement.

Got Geary and Dempster on the shut down roles and an extra running mid to replace Jones.

Easy to criticise... what do u propose

[dcstkfc]

Very lucid post from you skeptic, nice work!

Must disagree on Jones though, we still need his grunt if we want to win some games. He is a good contested footy player in a shocking contested footy team.

[dcstkfc]

My attempt at a starting 22
B Cripps, Simpkin, Geary
HB Gram, Fisher, Gilbert
C Demp, Steven, Ledger
HF Godd, Roo, Schnieder
F Milne, Kosi, Saad
R McEvoy, Hayes, Dal
Int Armitage, Peake, Stanley
S Sipposs

We should be able to get as high as 9th with that team and it's deficiencies

It's not a great side on paper is it?

Anyway for my R1 team:

In: Jones, Blake (for defensive height v Port)
Out: Armitage, Stanley

Peake the Sub not Siposs

[Teflon]

No to Blake.

He's done IMO.

[dcstkfc]

No to Blake.

He's done IMO.

Wilkes then?

I'm really worried about Schulz, Westhoff and Butcher

[8856brother]

No to Blake.

He's done IMO.

Wilkes then?

I'm really worried about Schulz, Westhoff and Butcher

Butcher has been reported by the way. Hopefully one week.

[skeptic]

My attempt at a starting 22
B Cripps, Simpkin, Geary
HB Gram, Fisher, Gilbert
C Demp, Steven, Ledger
HF Godd, Roo, Schnieder
F Milne, Kosi, Saad
R McEvoy, Hayes, Dal
Int Armitage, Peake, Stanley
S Sipposs

We should be able to get as high as 9th with that team and it's deficiencies

It's not a great side on paper is it?

Anyway for my R1 team:

In: Jones, Blake (for defensive height v Port)
Out: Armitage, Stanley

Peake the Sub not Siposs

wow Jones, Blake and Peake... going for the nice clean disposal eh?

to me... that type of mentality is what got us where we are
Unless those guys improve dramatically along with Ray... we shdt be playing them

where's the improvement in those guys

[samuraisaint]

No to Blake.

He's done IMO.

Wilkes then?

I'm really worried about Schulz, Westhoff and Butcher

Butcher reported and should get at least a week according to reports.

Schulz I am not to worried about. Doesn't play well against us - or hasn't, perhaps due to playing for Richmond.

Westhoff will be hard to find a match for. Simpkin?

[SaintPav]

No to Blake.

He's done IMO.

Wilkes then?

I'm really worried about Schulz, Westhoff and Butcher

Butcher reported and should get at least a week according to reports.

Schulz I am not to worried about. Doesn't play well against us - or hasn't, perhaps due to playing for Richmond.

Westhoff will be hard to find a match for. Simpkin?

Dorkoff!

[whiskers3614]

Feel big trouble ahead if we are struggling to find match ups against Port.
Imagine the angst here when we play Buddy/Rioli and rest of Hawks fwd line!

[gringo]

Feel big trouble ahead if we are struggling to find match ups against Port.
Imagine the angst here when we play Buddy/Rioli and rest of Hawks fwd line!

Don't worry Bakes will sort out that Rioli bloke.. Doh. At least we have Buddy covered by um...

[BigMart]

Why mention me??

Stanley, Kosi, Ben cannot play in the same 22 if we are 'fair dinkum'

I have an idea of how I'd set up the fwd line though

[clarky449]

Why mention me??

Stanley, Kosi, Ben cannot play in the same 22 if we are 'fair dinkum'

I have an idea of how I'd set up the fwd line though

How would you set up?

[StNoodles]

My attempt at a starting 22
B Cripps, Simpkin, Geary
HB Gram, Fisher, Gilbert
C Demp, Steven, Ledger
HF Godd, Roo, Schnieder
F Milne, Kosi, Saad
R McEvoy, Hayes, Dal
Int Armitage, Peake, Stanley
S Sipposs

Montagna???

[bobmurray]

My attempt at a starting 22
B Cripps, Simpkin, Geary
HB Gram, Fisher, Gilbert
C Demp, Steven, Ledger
HF Godd, Roo, Schnieder
F Milne, Kosi, Saad
R McEvoy, Hayes, Dal
Int Armitage, Peake, Stanley
S Sipposs

Montagna???

yep..that's an attempt

[MCG-Unit]

Why mention me??

Stanley, Kosi, Ben cannot play in the same 22 if we are 'fair dinkum'

I have an idea of how I'd set up the fwd line though

I think he meant Bob Murray

[bobmurray]

Why mention me??

Stanley, Kosi, Ben cannot play in the same 22 if we are 'fair dinkum'

I have an idea of how I'd set up the fwd line though

I think he meant Bob Murray

say what....

[MCG-Unit]

Why mention me??

Stanley, Kosi, Ben cannot play in the same 22 if we are 'fair dinkum'

I have an idea of how I'd set up the fwd line though

I think he meant Bob Murray

say what....

Skeptic said "Well BM tell me what's wrong and what you'll do about it." in response to your comments on his post I think

Big Mart said "Why mention me?" thinking it was him

[groupie1]

yeah fair point Plugger, did struggle with Stanley... originally had his as the sub, hard to place him in the team, really feel he needs to be there.

Well BM tell me what's wrong and what you'll do about it.

With Gwilt to come in and push Gram into the middle at Peakes expense and Raph to get back as well (not sure for who at the moment), that's a competitive team that has a broad range for improvement.

Got Geary and Dempster on the shut down roles and an extra running mid to replace Jones.

Easy to criticise... what do u propose

I liked your post, but I felt you didn't follow through
"My attempt at a starting 22
B Cripps, Simpkin, Geary
HB Gram, Fisher, Gilbert
C Demp, Steven, Ledger
HF Godd, Roo, Schnieder
F Milne, Kosi, Saad
R McEvoy, Hayes, Dal
Int Armitage, Peake, Stanley
S Sipposs"

You still have Gram, Armitage, Schneider, Peake who you rightly criticised along with Jones. Can you replace them? I see you left Ray out. Good thinking. But I also think you need to replace Gram, Scheids, Armitage.... does our list have replacements (to my mind, there's Gwilt and Clarke and Montagna (who I guess you just mistakenly omitted) and perhaps Milera. Have I forgotten anyone else?) (I think the Peake of last year is a strong player and needs to be picked).

[groupie1]

Why mention me??

Stanley, Kosi, Ben cannot play in the same 22 if we are 'fair dinkum'

I have an idea of how I'd set up the fwd line though

Hmmmm.... now let me think......

Dawes, Cloke, Brown, Jolly - 2010 premiers
and
Hawkins, Ottens, Pods, West - 2011 premiers

[noob]

It could be totally a stupid idea but would Schneider be able to play the role what Brent Guerra played at hawthorn?

[BigMart]

Groupie, all of those players are either power forwards or bash n crash ruckmen.....none of ours mentioned are that, so comparison is off