lemmon
23-02-2015, 08:34 PM
I'm usually not one to really care much about what happens in practise matches, I've always looked for a kid to standout, for the guys to get some run into their legs and for for us to remain largely injury free but with so much recent uncertainty around the club I think it's become a really important three games for us.
Will the aggressive game-plan come off? Does Beveridge look at home as the main man? Who partners Roughy at the back and how much will we miss the experience going out of the club?
The fixtures against Richmond, Melbourne and Collingwood all present as winnable and to be honest I think we need to snag two of them to get some faith and excitement amongst the supporter base. I'd be putting out close to our best 22 in all three matches and trying to get some stability and cohesion among the best 22.
In saying all that my objectives for the NAB Challenge would be:
1. Win 2 of 3 games with the fixture at Whitten Oval taking on serious importance. We need to get some vitality back among what feels like a weary supporter base, the best way to do that is winning games of footy.
2. Find a partner for Roughy. We really need to use these three games to identify which of Roberts, Hamling or Talia is given first crack to play as the other big defender.
3. Take some heat off Libba, we need one of the younger guys to really step up and become a threat through the middle or Libba will be sat on again this year. Will Stringer become another big body we can through in there? Maybe Kobe is ready to go from battler to good player? Perhaps Bonti becomes on of the few rare talent to stamps themselves as elite at 19 or will it be the mosquito fleet of Hrovat, Dahlhaus and Hunter that starts running sides around? We need someone to step up and become a prime mover in there.
4. Expose Redpath to as much football as possible. Pre-season form points to him being the man to partner Tom Boyd, he needs to prove to himself he can do it at this level. A practice match bag of 4 or 5 might just give him the confidence that turns him into a player.
5. Test out the Cordy/Campbell combo. They were impressive at VFL level last year, this is a chance to give Minson a rest and see if the CC's can do it against better opposition if they must be called upon come the real stuff.
If we are able to answer 2 or 3 of those questions and have some idea about the others I'll be pretty enthused come April and West Coast. What are the key criteria you guys will be watching for or are these practice matches as meaning less as normal?
Will the aggressive game-plan come off? Does Beveridge look at home as the main man? Who partners Roughy at the back and how much will we miss the experience going out of the club?
The fixtures against Richmond, Melbourne and Collingwood all present as winnable and to be honest I think we need to snag two of them to get some faith and excitement amongst the supporter base. I'd be putting out close to our best 22 in all three matches and trying to get some stability and cohesion among the best 22.
In saying all that my objectives for the NAB Challenge would be:
1. Win 2 of 3 games with the fixture at Whitten Oval taking on serious importance. We need to get some vitality back among what feels like a weary supporter base, the best way to do that is winning games of footy.
2. Find a partner for Roughy. We really need to use these three games to identify which of Roberts, Hamling or Talia is given first crack to play as the other big defender.
3. Take some heat off Libba, we need one of the younger guys to really step up and become a threat through the middle or Libba will be sat on again this year. Will Stringer become another big body we can through in there? Maybe Kobe is ready to go from battler to good player? Perhaps Bonti becomes on of the few rare talent to stamps themselves as elite at 19 or will it be the mosquito fleet of Hrovat, Dahlhaus and Hunter that starts running sides around? We need someone to step up and become a prime mover in there.
4. Expose Redpath to as much football as possible. Pre-season form points to him being the man to partner Tom Boyd, he needs to prove to himself he can do it at this level. A practice match bag of 4 or 5 might just give him the confidence that turns him into a player.
5. Test out the Cordy/Campbell combo. They were impressive at VFL level last year, this is a chance to give Minson a rest and see if the CC's can do it against better opposition if they must be called upon come the real stuff.
If we are able to answer 2 or 3 of those questions and have some idea about the others I'll be pretty enthused come April and West Coast. What are the key criteria you guys will be watching for or are these practice matches as meaning less as normal?