Match Committee - Round 6 vs Adelaide

[The bulldog tragician]

I'd keep Jong in and drop Wallis instead. Jong has more flexibility and can perform a role down back and even up forward if his midfield match-up isn't working. Plus he is far quicker than Wallis and no worse with his disposal.

I'm worried about Wallis. Thought the tagging role was going to be the making of him late last season but his complete and utter lack of hurt factor with ball in hand, and his plodding pace, means that he has to keep his opponent to single-figure possessions just to break even. He completely failed to control an out of form midget like Murphy tonight so what hope does he have against faster and bigger opposition mids?

Stringer was terrible in the first half but he really shone in the 2nd half with incisive passages of play and smart running to position and distribution. If he is dropped I'm ok with it, but I feel like he turned something of a corner in the 2nd half tonight and started to give us what we need and what he is capable of.

I'm glad you made that comment on Stringer, I thought I was the only one who saw some very heartening signs from him, I'm particularly surprised at his quick hands. I would keep him in, i think. He gets marked harshly by some but learning to be a forward with our haphazard delivery will take a while.

[G-Mo77]

I'm glad you made that comment on Stringer, I thought I was the only one who saw some very heartening signs from him, I'm particularly surprised at his quick hands. I would keep him in, i think. He gets marked harshly by some but learning to be a forward with our haphazard delivery will take a while.

Fair points by both of you but is he doing enough to hold Dickson out? He's not just knocking at the door, he's ready to break it down.

I can't see Dickson coming in and keep our current forward structure. Does Dickson just wait longer?

[comrade]

Cordy was woeful in the 2's.

For mine:

OUT: Stringer, Jong, Williams, Gia
IN: Dickson, Tutt, Morris, Honeychurch

Happy with these changes. Williams and Stringer are definite, IMO.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Yep I like those changes. Although I'd be tempted to leave in Gia and drop Minson for Campbell.

I would bring Campbell in for Stringer to give us a target up forward . Honeychurch was a standout for Footscray today and an obvious replacement for Jong. On what we saw from both Williams and Talia today I would think that Austin is a better option. Apart from Crameri and Dahlhaus the forward line lacked penetration which may see both Dickson and Hunter return. I thought we had at least 8 players that were not up to speed in the senior line up. The loss of Roughead and Morris left our defence in complete disarray.

[boydogs]

Out: Young, Giansiracusa, Stringer
In: Morris, Hunter, Dickson

[LostDoggy]

Out: Young, Jong, Wilbur, Williams, Gia
In: Roberts, Hunter, Campbell, Morris, Dickson

I may be going to extremes with Wilbur but I'm still fuming and he was just horrid today. Maybe a weeks rest will do him good. Campbell was ok in the 2's - couldn't go much worse and at least adds value up front. Then we can throw jones-boy in the ruck again boyoboywowweeeeeeee.....

[MrMahatma]

We aren't gonna drop the AA ruck from last year due to one bad game.

Personally I didn't notice he was horrendous. He had some mate though either way.

[jeemak]

Yep I like those changes. Although I'd be tempted to leave in Gia and drop Minson for Campbell.

Has Campbell done anything these past weeks that suggests he's ready to take the number one ruck spot, irrespective of Will's poor performances?

I'm not too phased with Bringing one of Campbell and Cordy in, I don't think we're being served well by having only Will as a ruck.

Out - Stringer, Jong, Talia
In - Campbell, Tutt, Morris

I don't like bringing a young player in for one game only, though it's clear to me Talia was only brought in out of necessity. Williams played a good game last week after coming in under done. He gets one more week. Irrespective of the poor assistance from the midfield he let himself down on too many occasions. I'd be tempted to give him a half forward next week as well depending on how the game is playing out.

Tutt shouldn't have been dropped last week. Don't know how he went this week in the two's though. If not very well I'd be OK with Dickson coming in for him. Jong has been OK but at this point I don't think he has developed beyond being an effort player, and I saw him tire at times last week and think he'll do well from going back to Footscray to pick up more ball under less pressure.

Stringer improved as the game progressed, but he still doesn't do enough of the basics properly to justify receiving games each week. He also doesn't get enough of the ball or score when he does get it.

[always right]

Roberts was excellent for Footscray and can't be far away from a senior opportunity.

[jeemak]

I'm glad you made that comment on Stringer, I thought I was the only one who saw some very heartening signs from him, I'm particularly surprised at his quick hands. I would keep him in, i think. He gets marked harshly by some but learning to be a forward with our haphazard delivery will take a while.

He's very very good at gaining the ball and navigating with hands through tight spots. He's also very quick on his feet in close.

[soupman]

As much as it's tempting I don't think there will be large quantity of changes this week, McCartney just isn't that sort of guy. My changes are as follows.

Williams for Morris (otherwise Roberts)
Williams is not good enough to be a key defender with us, he is too easily beaten in the contest and this has been a hallmark of his game forever and ever. For an ex rugby player it's bizarre that the thing he lacks most is strength and an ability to hold his ground. Morris comes back in, but if not Roberts does. It's time we tell Williams he is a depth key defender only. This means no more being rushed back no more blind faith, and if either or both of Talia and Roberts are available their development gets prioritised. Williams has the rest of the season to convince us he is a key forward.

Jong for Honeychurch.
Jong has struggled these last two weeks, he was barely sighted in the second half tonight. Send him back to the reserves where he can run games out better and hopefully work on getting the ball under pressure and working his way out of those situations. Honeychurch was very impressive in the VFL today and has earnt his debut.

Jones (if suspended) for Campbell.
Campbell was average in the VFL but Cordy was worse and we need someone who can pretend to be a keyforward/ruckman if Jones isn't available.

Giansiracusa for Hunter (otherwise Dickson)
This depends on why Hunter was dropped. If it was just for a rest then I think he will be brought straight back in, if it was for form I think he will play VFL and Dickson gets his reward. I wanted to get Tutt back in as I think he deserves it but I can't see the MC overlooking any of the other three mentioned in this equation.

I would like to drop Stringer, but having wanted his nonselection for two weeks now I've realised the MC are clearly assessing him on some other model to me, and that after a match where he actually did something (not a lot, very little really, but more than the last two weeks) that they won't drop him.

[Greystache]

Has Campbell done anything these past weeks that suggests he's ready to take the number one ruck spot, irrespective of Will's poor performances?

I'm not too phased with Bringing one of Campbell and Cordy in, I don't think we're being served well by having only Will as a ruck.

Campbell's form has been solid rather than spectacular, but he's shown plenty at AFL level and has big upside. Minson's just getting beaten week in week out (including throughout the preseason). Change is needed.

I've wanted Campbell in the side all season, if he was playing the 2nd ruck/forward role today then chances are Henderson would've had to play in defence and not be able to exploit our poor key defensive options.

[jeemak]

Campbell's form has been solid rather than spectacular, but he's shown plenty at AFL level and has big upside. Minson's just getting beaten week in week out (including throughout the preseason). Change is needed.

I've wanted Campbell in the side all season, if he was playing the 2nd ruck/forward role today then chances are Henderson would've had to play in defence and not be able to exploit our poor key defensive options.

That's fair enough. Though, don't you think we'd be better served with Will having another ruck in the side? He's been getting beaten down week in week out for a while now, and might benefit from some time on the ground up forward to gain an opportunity to contribute in ways other than at ruck and stoppages.

Irrespective of whether Campbell is up to rucking at senior level for a substantial period of time, I don't think running with one ruck and a back up of Jones is going to cut it. If Roughead was in the side, and we were playing Williams forward we could put the latter back and the former in the ruck to relieve throughout different periods of the game to give our main ruck a rest.

Campbell alone at senior level would be found out. That's not a slight on him, I just don't think his development as a player is there yet.

[LostDoggy]

Out: Jong (showed his inexperience too often); Stringer (last quarter effort was ok but first three were woeful); Gia (too slow); Wallis (awful game); Minson (simply awful); Higgins (took it too easy - not acceptable); Cooney (same as Higgins); Williams (embarrassing display).


In: Morris, Dickson, Tutt, Honeychurch, Roberts, Campbell, Hunter, Johannisen

So Jong's main failing is inexperience, but the best option is dropping him?

Fair points by both of you but is he doing enough to hold Dickson out? He's not just knocking at the door, he's ready to break it down.

I can't see Dickson coming in and keep our current forward structure. Does Dickson just wait longer?

Can you see Dickson playing when we make finals in years to come?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

So Jong's main failing is inexperience, but the best option is dropping him?

Can't speak for the other poster, but Jong has many failings, least of all inexperience.

- Cannot find the ball
- Cannot dispose of the ball well by hand/foot
- Extremely poor positioning = second to every contest, which sometimes makes him look as though he's going half hearted
- Has a bad, bad habit of getting tackled and letting the ball spill out
- Not fit enough

At times when it's a clear objective he can be tough (ie. spoiling the ball in a big pack) but his lack of footy nous has him second guessing a lot. He's not without hope of making it, but we have a LOT better players on our list that should be getting games long before him.