Always Right Match Committee Round 20 vs Geelong at GMHBA Stadium

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Nathan Brown suggests Bruce should go back with Juh and Naughton firing. I am open to it v Cats.

[GVGjr]

Nathan Brown suggests Bruce should go back with Juh and Naughton firing. I am open to it v Cats.

It's a decent suggestion if he has the condition to get run around a bit.

[mjp]

It's a decent suggestion if he has the condition to get run around a bit.

That's the VFL backline you guys are talking about right?

We would be a better side with Sweet giving us 5-mins per quarter and sitting on the bench than we are with Josh right now. I know I am not exactly the leader of the JB fan club but he isn't ready right now. It's hard coming back from a knee. I feel no ill-will towards him as it isn't his fault but he is not ready or prepared to play AFL footy.

[EasternWest]

but he is not ready or prepared to play AFL footy.

This is straight truth. Personal feelings about Bruce are irrelevant he's simply not conditioned enough for the big league yet.

I'd almost be tempted to play him in the VFL for the remainder of the season and put him through a 20/21 preseason again and have him fit and ready for next year.

[GVGjr]

That's the VFL backline you guys are talking about right?

We would be a better side with Sweet giving us 5-mins per quarter and sitting on the bench than we are with Josh right now. I know I am not exactly the leader of the JB fan club but he isn't ready right now. It's hard coming back from a knee. I feel no ill-will towards him as it isn't his fault but he is not ready or prepared to play AFL footy.

That's how I see it. We know his best is impressive but he's a long way off it. Is playing him the seniors the best way to achieve that? I don't think so.
The "he draws a good opponent" logic just doesn't ring true to me. Opposition teams will know that he doesn't need the best or second best defender on him at the moment.

[Bullies]

This is straight truth. Personal feelings about Bruce are irrelevant he's simply not conditioned enough for the big league yet.

I'd almost be tempted to play him in the VFL for the remainder of the season and put him through a 20/21 preseason again and have him fit and ready for next year.

Agree with this call. I said previously Bruce looked well and truly under done playing in the 2's. Sides will quickly realise they don't need to play their 1 and 2 defenders on him he is so far off it. Wouldn't surprise if opposition leave him as a loose man on our forward line.

[Danjul]

Danjul genuine question. Who are your INs and OUTs this week?

Im utterly confused with what your preferred ruck set up is.

I sat on the wing with a perfect view of the centre bounce. Melbourne got a goal 30 seconds after Bruce first went in for his first ruck contest there. That lifted them to their most dominant plays of the evening. He was a liability last night. I don’t blame him because he was brought in before he was ready.

We all saw the difference between the 2020 and 2021 Bruce. The match committee has obviously decided that the rest of the team can carry him as he runs back into the 2021 form. After all, they did get our only 3 final wins in 5 years without him.

We played Geelong recently and I sat through the middle of the game confidently expecting a win. Geelong couldn’t get back into the game and their lead was evaporating. Then English had a rest and the Cats surged. A repeat of the losses earlier in the year when Cordy was second ruck. The use of fill ins for ruck duty sometimes looks good but is usually damaging. We risked it last night and we have lost games earlier in the year with our selection.


So who should play ruck? Someone who has shown that they can play ruck recently is the obvious answer.

Preferably someone who can get more than 2 possessions and 3 hitouts. In his last game Schache got 12 possessions and 5 hitouts, so he can’t be considered. So it looks like Bruce will get the nod there.

[boydogs]

Sweet in for Bruce

[Mantis]

Sweet in for Bruce

Check the stats from the Footscray game yesterday and let me know if you’re still happy with this call.

[G-Mo77]

Check the stats from the Footscray game yesterday and let me know if you’re still happy with this call.

Then you'd look at Martin and you've got the same problem really. English plays what? 85 -90% ruck time. Martin can't play anywhere else, Sweet can't seem to clamp down on it either. It's stay with Bruce or go with Schache? I think we'll keep Bruce in the team.

[Mantis]

Then you'd look at Martin and you've got the same problem really. English plays what? 85 -90% ruck time. Martin can't play anywhere else, Sweet can't seem to clamp down on it either. It's stay with Bruce or go with Schache? I think we'll keep Bruce in the team.

Agree that neither Martin or Sweet can play as the 2nd ruck as they offer bugger all as forwards. You can’t have Sweet play as he did last week when he only had 61% TOG… you just can’t.

I’m all in on playing Darcy… no bigger game to debut in and at worst it means his Dad will have to hand over the game calling duties to someone else which is a win for footy fans.

[josie]

Caleb might be back too.

I saw Caleb walking at WO yesterday with some of his friends. They were up the first set of stairs and walking past the coaches box. To my eye he looked like he was walking a bit gingerly. I’m guessing he will not be available for a few more weeks. We’ve missed him. However I think Bailey Dale has become even better in his absence, and has borne the extra responsibility on his shoulders well, so that’s a positive.

Martin looked really good yesterday, including around the ground. If he could only keep that up we might be surprised that talk of his demise is premature.

[josie]

Agree that neither Martin or Sweet can play as the 2nd ruck as they offer bugger all as forwards. You can’t have Sweet play as he did last week when he only had 61% TOG… you just can’t.

I’m all in on playing Darcy… no bigger game to debut in and at worst it means his Dad will have to hand over the game calling duties to someone else which is a win for footy fans.

I’d love to see this too. But as I say Martin looked pretty good around the ground yesterday.

[Grantysghost]

I saw Caleb walking at WO yesterday with some of his friends. They were up the first set of stairs and walking past the coaches box. To my eye he looked like he was walking a bit gingerly. I’m guessing he will not be available for a few more weeks. We’ve missed him. However I think Bailey Dale has become even better in his absence, and has borne the extra responsibility on his shoulders well, so that’s a positive.

Martin looked really good yesterday, including around the ground. If he could only keep that up we might be surprised that talk of his demise is premature.

Interesting thanks Josie.

Bevo mentioned this week or next; maybe he was foxing.

[Go_Dogs]

In: Daniel, Darcy

Out: Treloar, Bruce

If Treloar is right to go, it gets a bit tricky. Maybe McNeil moves to the sub and Daniel comes in.