Always Right Match Committee - Round 12 Vs Adelaide 2020

[Scraggers]

Welcome to the Always Right Match Committee Thread. The Match Committee threads has been named after long time WOOF member Always Right who tragically passed away in March 2018.


If you were on the Western Bulldogs match committee what changes would you make after our Round 11 match against Brisbane for our Round 12, 2020 match against Adelaide Crows at Metricon on Sunday night?

For those new to these threads, please give a brief explanation for your changes ... this would add a lot of value to the discussion.

[GVGjr]

Bump

[China Dog]

First win for Adelaide coming up.

[chef]

First win for Adelaide coming up.

Nope, no chance.

[Happy Days]

Gardner for Lewis Young is a sitter. I don’t want to make any other changes.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Let's get a look at the fringes.

Sweet, Greene and maybe Cav.

[Mantis]

In - Sweet, Lew.Young, Greene, Cavarra

Out - English & Smith (managed), Gardner, Richards

[comrade]

Lipinski can’t play next game after some of his efforts.

Out: English, Lipinski, Gardner, Richards, Wood, McLean
In: Sweet, West, Lachie Young, Lewis Young, Cavarra, Greene

[Bulldog4life]

Lipinski can’t play next game after some of his efforts.

Out: English, Lipinski, Gardner, Richards, Wood, McLean
In: Sweet, West, Lachie Young, Lewis Young, Cavarra, Greene

I thought Wood played well against Cameron.

[comrade]

I thought Wood played well against Cameron.

Yeah, defensively he was ok. Gave us nothing in the air or by foot and hasn't for weeks.

[The Pie Man]

Yeah, defensively he was ok. Gave us nothing in the air or by foot and hasn't for weeks.

His hands have deserted him since the North game. Even in dry conditions.

[bornadog]

Yeah, defensively he was ok. Gave us nothing in the air or by foot and hasn't for weeks.

He played a lockdown role on Cameron and kept him goaless.

[comrade]

He played a lockdown role on Cameron and kept him goaless.

As I said, defensively ok as he wasn't on Cameron all night, with Williams and others sliding across to take him. Completely butchered the ball a few times and misread it in the air which is a recurring issue since his game vs NM.

[Sedat]

I reckon Libba looks like he needs a spell to rest his knees - arguably he should have already missed one of the last 3 games. If Hunter is ready, he comes in to get a better balance of inside-outside.

English looks flat as well. He really should have owned McInernay and Eagles but he was especially poor in the crucial 1st half both at stoppages and also in his usual strength around the ground. He did improve both aspects as the match wore on. Perhaps we should try 2 rucks like Port did today. Sweet as the stoppage Lycett type and English as the mobile Ladhams type drifting forward. I'd give Bruce a rest.

Gardiner has done well to get to this level but it is simply beyond him. He needs to be replaced by Trengove or Lewis Young.

Richards and Lipinski both need to be looked at closely as well.

[Danjul]

I thought the team played well and saw encouraging signs, but from the first bounce they were never going to win because there were built-in structural weaknesses.

Hipwood is an experienced player. He knows what it’s like to kick six goals. He is an accurate kick, doesn’t need many possessions to hurt the opposition. Who on the Dog’s list is our equivalent? English. Who’s going to win a contest between English and Gardner? English. So we don’t put Gardner on Hipwood. But we did. How did Gardner do? He kept Hipwood to 10 possessions while getting 5.

So what was the relevance to the outcome? Hipwood kicks 5, Lions win by 4.

McInerney is listed as 105 kg. Significantly heavier than English who is obviously wearing down. And he has done his homework. He knows his weight advantage allows him to compete against English by legally hitting the upper body. And he does all game. Result: English tires and our midfielders are impacted exactly as expected. Brisbane benefits in the form of quick goals and easier defence.

How many possessions did McInerney have? About 10. His contributions were based upon ruck work keeping English and our midfielders under pressure. Do we have anyone who can match McInerney’s height and weight? Yes. Did we select them? No.

So what do we do with English? If Hipwood can kick goals why can’t English?

Yes, once again this game was winnable. But two players who got a total of 20 possessions beat us.

Maybe we will do some homework for the Adelaide game.