Predicted Teams Round 2 - 2020

[azabob]

I think last year after some ordinary performances they seemed to rise to the challenge. Realistically that's the area of the ground where most of our best players are, so they probably get a little more leeway than some others. Whether that's right or wrong, I don't know.

You raise valid points. I'm not sure who'd i'd drop from our midfield group either but I am concerned we do lack a certain hardness and intent that say a Liberatore or Liam Picken would bring.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I guess that most people would be starting to get sick of the ongoing Trengove speculation here on WOOF but his non selection I think can only be regarded as confirmation that he is out of the selection mix.

Its early in the season - and they are trying to reward some types who likely have more up-side than Trengrove

We've picked a squad that should be better prepared to defend when the ball goes forward - Gowers and Richards work hard at that

We need Macrae, Dunkley, Bont, and English to be much better

We will miss Hunter, but maybe Lipinski will replace some of what he does.

Im presuming Cordy hasn't presented in great nick - and so I don't mind them giving Gardner a chance - he didn't have a great game against the Pies but it was really only Smith, Wood and Keath who were ok that night.

Im in the Toby Mac fan club and would have liked to have given him a shot on a wing

[soupman]

I don't mind us backing ourselves in to outrun them, it worked alot in 2016. I also dont think we need a Liberatore for hardness, our midfield is capable enough that they shouldn't need to rely on a fringe one position player with shit knees to ensure they turn up. I'm even ok wjth Gowers, he is phhsical and aggressive, has clearly returned in great nick and has enough randomness about him to have an impact (I'm not sauing he is good though).

The Gardner call is compounded by the fact that he is one of only two key defenders in the side, and also thr fact that even if he develops into an AFL level player his best case scenario is Jackson Trengove, so instead of playing Trengove we are playing a player that is a borderline liability in the hope he becomes as good as a guy we refuse to play. Baffling.

Vandermeer is exciting and if he comes along it really helps us out as we are a very one paced side.

Also Lipinski in is great, he is really good in that link up role and is a good finisher as well. Very underrated player.

[The bulldog tragician]

Only five of the 2016 premiership guys out there. Wow.

Whatever we think of selections ( I’m very very unenthused) the idea that we would be holding back for the short turnaround just can’t be it surely. After our dismal round one we can’t be too cute with selections. Losing to the Saints who are hardly premiership favourites would set the danger bells ringing about a year of misery to come, so I hope... HOPE! ... Bevo is basing these calls on form and matchups, not the sense of a stubborn snubbing of the nose at critics that I sometimes fear is his mindset.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Quote a few musos I know are chuckers. It's not just the persians either.

My sister in law was an opera singer who would chuck before each performance. Acid in the throat box! Doug Hawkins said he regularly chucked pre game. I couldn't sleep the night before a new program teaching in industry.
The selected team must be based on practice form.

[jeemak]

You raise valid points. I'm not sure who'd i'd drop from our midfield group either but I am concerned we do lack a certain hardness and intent that say a Liberatore or Liam Picken would bring.

I said in another thread we're stymied by the fact we have a plethora of prolific ball winners, which is a bizarre problem to actually have!

My view is Dunkley is best used as grunt or defencive out of him, Jacko and Bont as his foot skills are a bit ordinary and he can expose opposition players in the air. Bont and Jacko can cut teams to ribbons with their ball use, Dunkley can't.

So until Libba gets back into the side, or we use Toby as a defencive mid as I've said in another thread as well, I think it's best Dunkley sacrifices his ball winning a bit and plays more defencively.

[Bulldog4life]

My sister in law was an opera singer who would chuck before each performance. Acid in the throat box! Doug Hawkins said he regularly chucked pre game. I couldn't sleep the night before a new program teaching in industry.
The selected team must be based on practice form.

Exactly. Match practice and training form. That is the only way the MC can choose the team now, this season at least. Because we are not privy to any of that it is hard to judge the team.

[GVGjr]

We are going into this game with a bare bones selection approach for key position players. There are minimal options for anyone else to cover any our 5 KPP if they're injured or in need of a break.
Who covers English if he needs a spell? Naughton and Bruce seem the most likely but also Bontempelli, Dunkley and Jong might have to help out

The Saints have gone in with 7 KPP that contains 2 ruckman plus Coffield provides another option if needed.
If they line up as selected in the forward line we will either need to swing Naughton back or accept that Williams will have to play as the 3rd key defender

Interesting selection approach by us but if it works then it's a brilliant one.

[azabob]

We are going into this game with a bare bones selection approach for key position players. There are minimal options for anyone else to cover any our 5 KPP if they're injured or in need of a break.
Who covers English if he needs a spell? Naughton and Bruce seem the most likely but also Bontempelli, Dunkley and Jong might have to help out

The Saints have gone in with 7 KPP that contains 2 ruckman plus Coffield provides another option if needed.
If they line up as selected in the forward line we will either need to swing Naughton back or accept that Williams will have to play as the 3rd key defender

Interesting selection approach by us but if it works then it's a brilliant one.

I tend to think it comes back to how St.Kilda have beaten us the last couple of times.

We are potentially one KP defender short but as always the game will be won in the midfield.
If we win the midfield battle it is unlikely we will need the extra KP defender.

[GVGjr]

I tend to think it comes back to how St.Kilda have beaten us the last couple of times.

We are potentially one KP defender short but as always the game will be won in the midfield.
If we win the midfield battle it is unlikely we will need the extra KP defender.

My preference is always to have some options and I'm not a big fan of a bare bones selection approach. Even if our midfield performs well I still think we are going to need an extra tall in the back half at times. We can go in with a small forward line but a couple of big grabs by their forwards will probably see Naughton heading to the back line which robs us of some goal kicking punch.

If it works great, but if it doesn't we can't use it as a excuse as it's very much a calculated gamble

[azabob]

My preference is always to have some options and I'm not a big fan of a bare bones selection approach. Even if our midfield performs well I still think we are going to need an extra tall in the back half at times. We can go in with a small forward line but a couple of big grabs by their forwards will probably see Naughton heading to the back line which robs us of some goal kicking punch.

If it works great, but if it doesn't we can't use it as a excuse as it's very much a calculated gamble

If Naughton goes back at least one woof poster will be happy. Not looking at anyone Comrade....

[jeemak]

If Naughton goes back at least on woof poster will be happy. Not looking at anyone Comrade....

Two posters......

[azabob]

Two posters......

I don't care where he plays if we win.

What sits in the back of my mind is that defence wins finals and grand finals.

[Sedat]

Marshall and Ryder are a formidable ruck division with quite diverse skill sets. English has, thus far, proven on numerous occasions that he simply cannot handle quality ruckmen. Unless English can improve remarkably from his previous 2 sub-par and frankly unacceptable performances in the seniors, we will be under significant pressure in both D50 and in the midfield battle.

This is a massive game for Tim English and his career as an AFL quality ruckman. I hope he reverses history and passes the test.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Marshall and Ryder are a formidable ruck division with quite diverse skill sets. English has proven on numerous occasions that he simply cannot handle quality ruckmen. Unless English can improve remarkably from his previous 2 sub-par and frankly unacceptable performances in the seniors, we will be under significant pressure in both D50 and in the midfield battle.

This is a massive game for Tim English and his career as an AFL quality ruckman. I hope he reverses history and passes the test.

It's a story within a story. Big day for him to earn some respect back because the footy world took notice of his appalling game v Grundy.

There will be a ton of heat on us if we lose so I'm looking forward to seeing what we do about it. Do we stand up or fold?