The challenges of a 5 day break

[mjp]

It kind of resonates with why I wanted to give Toby a chance at being a defencively minded/ grunt inside midfielder over an extended period. We're crying out for someone to do it, and like you said it doesn't have to be a pure tagging role just something we need and he hasn't done yet.

I suggested it last year as well and it wasn't well received on here so maybe we are on an island together. I just think for things to change then first someTHING has to change. What is that thing going to be?

[soupman]

I suggested it last year as well and it wasn't well received on here so maybe we are on an island together. I just think for things to change then first someTHING has to change. What is that thing going to be?

I'm with you.

He's been crap since we stopped letting him be a full time mid so either we find a way for him to contribute or we continue to get mediocre performances from him as a largely ineffectual forward.

[jeemak]

I suggested it last year as well and it wasn't well received on here so maybe we are on an island together. I just think for things to change then first someTHING has to change. What is that thing going to be?

I probably told you that you had rocks in your head at the time!

It's unclear to me what his running ability is like. Baz Smith isn't going to stay on a wing forever, so that's another player going into the middle to make things difficult for Toby. Is he good enough running wise to command a wing position for the bulk of the game?

If he's not going to be an effective forward, and doesn't have a spot in the middle he's on the way out I think. He's too good a player to be on the fringe and someone will come to him with an offer too good to refuse sooner rather than later.

[FrediKanoute]

I wouldn't play Dale either after his Round 1 performance.

Richards should play. He plays with intent and looks to run+carry the ball/take on the opposition.

I know I have been on this for a while, but if McLean is to play, he MUST be given a task. I would play him on Brad Hill. Rolling him out as a permanent forward and letting him run his own race has not been working (even a little bit). So give him a task and therefore a chance to be successful. It isn't about making him a tagger. It is about adding a string to his bow and enabling him to become a critical member of the team. One day he MIGHT just become an elite mid - right now he is behind 6 or 7 others...so let him become something different.

I would play Dale. I think that there were bigger issues in that team than Bailey Dale's no-show. Fact is he is a half foward which is a tough role to play when the ball is getting into your half of the ground. The way our ball was being moved meant that no one was going to be able to have an impact.

We were badly structured through the back half. Taht's where I would focus. Lewy Young??? Just not sure if he is ready yet. Can you play Young, Cordy, Wood in the same side? I would focus on the backhalf of the ground and make sure for both the Saints and Giants these were spot on.

[Remi Moses]

I’ve heard players say 5 day breaks aren’t the issue it’s the back to back 6 day breaks .
I think the fact the seasons in it’s infancy it won’t have that big an effect .

[GVGjr]

I’ve heard players say 5 day breaks aren’t the issue it’s the back to back 6 day breaks .
I think the fact the seasons in it’s infancy it won’t have that big an effect .

I think that might be the case with a proper lead into the season but this disjointed stop start might still pose some challenges

[Remi Moses]

Definitely going to pose unprecedented challenges
I just think the players should be fresh
Back end might be a different scenario
Time will tell

[bornadog]

I'm with you.

He's been crap since we stopped letting him be a full time mid so either we find a way for him to contribute or we continue to get mediocre performances from him as a largely ineffectual forward.

He has never been a fulltime mid. He may have had alot more midfield time in 2018, but he was resting in the fwd pocket where he has played the majority of his career.

I for one thought he should have been dropped a few times last year, he just couldn't get his hands on the ball.