Selection and Strategy

[older saint]

I must say when i saw the side on Friday I was puzzled by the selections made and it played out that way on Sunday.

Sharman was poor the week before and making him the sub makes no sense. It set him up not to succeed. It is clear we still haven't worked out the type of player who should be the sub, but it is fair to say a 3tall forward who really cant play anywhere else - 3rd back at a stretch is not the answer. I would think a runner who can impact contests and provide fresh legs and speed into the game would be the ideal type.

Sharman and Cama over Membrey is puzzling. Tomlinson was made to look like a superstar intercepting defender, and while some of this was on the delivery I thought Cama didn't compete well enough in the first half especially to at least bring the ball to ground. He has only played about 20 games so this is a learning thing but even if the plan is to offload Membrey at years end you want him playing and upping his value not like Billings last year sitting in the 2s and ended up getting a packet of chips and a can of coke for him.

In the past it was Zac Dawson and Brett Peake, other eras it was Kevin Walsh or Steven Clark for Sheedy, for us it is Riley Bonner. The player who has something only a coach loves and so much so that the faults are overlooked for what the perceived value is. Bonner gets plenty of it however too many kicks go straight to the opposition, week in week out.

Collard is not ready and needs a good 4 weeks of performance at Sandy so when he comes in he is in form and feeling confident.

On Strategy who is in charge of the defensive kick in structure after a point because yesterday it was non existent. We kick more points than goals so it is an important part of what we should be doing yet time and time again Melbourne gained 20 + meters before disposal under minimal pressure. It is like they were so worried about them getting out the back they were willing to concede the next contest would be centre wing, as opposed to Melbourne and Freo the week before who pushed up hard , shrank the ground and got repeat entries.

The reality is I see 2 more wins this year and that can sometimes happen after a year of maximised ability the year before. It is important though to keep playing games to win and also balancing this with youth exposure - when in form. Those that are likely gone and have no trade value (e.g. Jones) can play reserves for the year and called upon if required, those who may get a trade value keep exposing when form deserves picks represent points and therefore all picks are valuable - especially someone like Carlton who will have 2 FS picks in Camporeale.

Traditional fast track in Perth i would like to see next week:

Out: Sharman, Bonner, Collard, Howard, Cama
In : Shoenmakers ( would have been Cordy but read he was injured), Crouch, Clark, Hotton, Membrey

B: Stocker, Wilkie, Shoemakers
HB: Nas, Battle, Webster
C: Wood, Crouch, Hill
HF: Owens, Membrey, Henry
F: Higgins, King, Hotton
Foll: Marshall, Steele, Sinclair
Int: Clark, Dow, Windy, Wilson
Sub: Ross