Always Right Match Committee - Finals Week 3

[comrade]

Vanders has been quiet but he had some critical moments in the last quarter, and his tackling pressure caused a spillage that lead to Libba's 2nd goal too.

I think he'll stay in, particularly if Cody misses.

[Rocco Jones]

Vanders has been quiet but he had some critical moments in the last quarter, and his tackling pressure caused a spillage that lead to Libba's 2nd goal too.

I think he'll stay in, particularly if Cody misses.

2 I50 tackles. Really hard to tell with VDM not being at the ground. If he is offering constant real pressure, around the right zone, able to run hard etc, he stays.

[comrade]

2 I50 tackles. Really hard to tell with VDM not being at the ground. If he is offering constant real pressure, around the right zone, able to run hard etc, he stays.

He really needs to nail his limited opportunities, though. Reckon he needs to give away the set shot and just go around the corner. Habitual sprayer to the right.

[Rocco Jones]

He really needs to nail his limited opportunities, though. Reckon he needs to give away the set shot and just go around the corner. Habitual sprayer to the right.

Totally agree.

[dog town]

2 I50 tackles. Really hard to tell with VDM not being at the ground. If he is offering constant real pressure, around the right zone, able to run hard etc, he stays.

Agree that this is hard to judge on TV. Just to the eye it looks like his repeat efforts are not at the level of earlier in the year.

[Mantis]

Agree that this is hard to judge on TV. Just to the eye it looks like his repeat efforts are not at the level of earlier in the year.

Yep, he's been ok when around the ball (bar the finishing), but doesn't seem to have the running power to get heavily involved. At a minimum I think JJ offers more at present, but given the inconsistencies of Scott & McNeil we aren't awash with options.

[Vred]

I would play Sweet instead of Young. At least Sweet knows how to ruck. Young gives us nothing around the ground so we have nothing to lose.

+1 To this.

Just to Sweet to half ruck contests, and play hard, nothing fancy, let the midfield do the heavy lifting, better then Young having 50% TOG and getting toweled up by Lad/Lyc

[Happy Days]

I would play Sweet instead of Young. At least Sweet knows how to ruck. Young gives us nothing around the ground so we have nothing to lose.

Young is probably a better ruckman than Sweet, and is definitely a more versatile and better player.

Honestly, since Young has come in, playing the two rucks in tandem has allowed us to work over the opposition's ruck and even push ahead in the later stages of games. Look at that free McInerney gave away late on the weekend; when you're feeling yourself in the ruck, you're running in fluidly, eyes for the ball only and couldn't really care less about finding the opponent's body. Feelings on the free kick notwithstanding (it of course was there just look at it ffs) it's clear that McInerney was doing none of that, and I have to put that down to all the work Lewy and Tim put in.

In my experience rucks, if faced with the same lesser opponent over and over, will get their cadence and the opponent's flaws down and become really quite dominant in the third and fourth quarters. By continually giving different looks we can at least mitigate this. Not to mention we're putting far less fatigue onto Timmy, which seems to be doing his ruck work a world of good.

But it won't work playing a guy who, best case, can only ruck to a mediocre standard. If they're going to be out there then they have to be capable of a contribution whereever they're playing.

[Raw Toast]

Yep, he's been ok when around the ball (bar the finishing), but doesn't seem to have the running power to get heavily involved. At a minimum I think JJ offers more at present, but given the inconsistencies of Scott & McNeil we aren't awash with options.

I think that running power is an apt way of phrasing it. Earlier in the season he was explosive, coming from seemingly no-where to wrap opposition players up, and also seemed to cover a heap of ground (though as dog town notes, it's harder to track that on tv).

I actually like the idea of Marra being brought in. I know that there are some questions re his ability to run out the game, but his pace is an explosive defensive as well as attacking weapon. And he showed against Melbourne in particular (but also Gold Coast), that he could still use that burst on the lead late in games to get space in the 50.

The ability to find space on the lead is something that we're lacking a bit at the moment in our forward 50, and I think it's a vital advantage in the tightness of finals encounters when everything is harder.

[Ozza]

So JJ comes into the 22 to replace Weightman. I'd have Wallis as the medi sub. He's done the role before and has the experience to come in and do the role if required.

If Bont doesn't getup then I don't know what happens (all hell breaks loose!!)

The one that the most challenging is the Lewis Young/ruck discussion. Personally, I don't think you can play him. Once he got handled in the ruck early on Saturday - we didn't really have anywhere to hide him and only kept him on 53% TOG.

Its not a straight forward decision, because Sweet and Martin both haven't played in so long - but we should play one of them. Being non competitive in the middle puts way too much pressure on the rest of the gameplan.

There's no way Cordy comes in for Gardner. The defence is gelling well - and managed to keep a team that had 68 entries to 78 points.

[Danjul]

We won on Saturday because some players did a massive job, and they made up for numerous weaknesses.

Treloar was a passenger (but with potential to improve).
Vander.. not a play maker. A couple of contributions are not sufficient.
Hannan is a negative. He crashes the pack, even when it contains only bulldogs. I estimate he prevented a few goals.

Must fix the lack of coordination between the tall forwards.They arenÂ’t getting enough goals because they are too close together and allowing the defenders to concentrate. ThatÂ’s why Naughton always has two spoilers to complete against him lately.

Spraying kicks has been mentioned, thatÂ’s why defenders hang back when our forwards lead. Gives intercept marks and costs goals.

Plenty for coaches to focus on, could be some easy fixes.

[Axe Man]

Just on Vander, no way would I be dropping him, even if Weightman plays.

His set shot goal kicking is certainly an issue but he had 4 tackles and 16 pressure acts which is exactly what we want from him in the forward line. I don't think there is another player that can replicate his attack on the ball at pace apart from Flea, and ideally we have them both.

[Ozza]

I really have never understood the criticism toward Hannan. Think he is pretty bloody important to us. Particularly with Bruce being out - he needs to be a presence for us in the air. Strong body, doesn't get out marked, and has good speed and power in our forward half. He's not playing a role that lends itself to big stat numbers (although 15 and 2.2 v Essendon was a higher than normal return) but he's the sort of player that might have 2-3 moments that can influence the result.

[Mantis]

So JJ comes into the 22 to replace Weightman. I'd have Wallis as the medi sub. He's done the role before and has the experience to come in and do the role if required.

If Bont doesn't getup then I don't know what happens (all hell breaks loose!!)

The one that the most challenging is the Lewis Young/ruck discussion. Personally, I don't think you can play him. Once he got handled in the ruck early on Saturday - we didn't really have anywhere to hide him and only kept him on 53% TOG.

Its not a straight forward decision, because Sweet and Martin both haven't played in so long - but we should play one of them. Being non competitive in the middle puts way too much pressure on the rest of the gameplan.

There's no way Cordy comes in for Gardner. The defence is gelling well - and managed to keep a team that had 68 entries to 78 points.

Not much to disagree with you there... think Scott comes in for Bont if that happens and Treloar & Dunkley get more midfield time. Dunkley needs to be in as many CB's as possible and play a defensive role on Wines or Boak.

Agree on Young, but I think we're too far down the road now to change it given the lack of footy for the other options... hopefully Tim can play as he did on the weekend by being competitive in the middle and we need Lewis to do the heavy lifting around the ground which he does better than the centre square work. Will also need Young to compete strongly in the air when he's up forward.

The backline are holding tough and whilst Port have a pretty strong forward-line we need to defend well as a group and will need help from up the ground because whilst Bris got lots of I'50's, after qtr time they didn't get a heap of clean ball.

[dog town]

Not much to disagree with you there... think Scott comes in for Bont if that happens and Treloar & Dunkley get more midfield time. Dunkley needs to be in as many CB's as possible and play a defensive role on Wines or Boak.

Agree on Young, but I think we're too far down the road now to change it given the lack of footy for the other options... hopefully Tim can play as he did on the weekend by being competitive in the middle and we need Lewis to do the heavy lifting around the ground which he does better than the centre square work. Will also need Young to compete strongly in the air when he's up forward.

The backline are holding tough and whilst Port have a pretty strong forward-line we need to defend well as a group and will need help from up the ground because whilst Bris got lots of I'50's, after qtr time they didn't get a heap of clean ball.

I like Dunkley as a stopper in either scenario. Probably leaning towards Boak who is playing with a touch of destiny about him, give him something else to think about.