Team Round 14

[Dry Rot]

Anyone else a bit concerned about picking both Hall and Cooney?

Rather than playing a full game back in the VFL, Hall is playing an interstate AFL game after a month off, while Cooney's knee seems problematic.

I'd rather have Baz play for Willi this week.

[Greystache]

Might also depend on the match ups with the opposition, Adelaide were not tall in the their forward line other than Tippet. Suns are similar, so we can cover them and have more run with Wood, Howard, Murphy etc.

McKernan at 198cm and 98kg's is a genuine key forward size.

[jeemak]

Anyone else a bit concerned about picking both Hall and Cooney?

Rather than playing a full game back in the VFL, Hall is playing an interstate AFL game after a month off, while Cooney's knee seems problematic.

I'd rather have Baz play for Willi this week.

If they were in the same section of the ground fulfilling similar roles I'd agree with you.

I think Hall will be subbed though, maybe for Minson at some stage. I can see the merit in having Hall play a full game for Williamstown though.

If we start off with Minson as the sub though, we'd have to be careful when covering Hudson when he has a spell. We're very short down back if Williams spends time in the ruck, maybe Jones will have a small run through there.

[LostDoggy]

Minson as a sub is a risk, if we lose a small early we could be in big trouble

Don't think the MC will take that risk

[Topdog]

Anyone else a bit concerned about picking both Hall and Cooney?

Rather than playing a full game back in the VFL, Hall is playing an interstate AFL game after a month off, while Cooney's knee seems problematic.

I'd rather have Baz play for Willi this week.

Cooney came through last week with no problems and I thought his movement was a lot better.

[jazzadogs]

I would have thought Schofield (or similar) as the starting sub, with one of the talls to be subbed off providing there are no injuries (preferably Hall or Hudson).

Having a tall as the sub is far too risky. At least if it's a small and a small gets injured, you're not any worse off in terms of height balance. If the sub is a tall and a small gets injured, you're suddenly down a small and up a tall.

[jeemak]

I would have thought Schofield (or similar) as the starting sub, with one of the talls to be subbed off providing there are no injuries (preferably Hall or Hudson).

Having a tall as the sub is far too risky. At least if it's a small and a small gets injured, you're not any worse off in terms of height balance. If the sub is a tall and a small gets injured, you're suddenly down a small and up a tall.

So do you think one of Minson, Hall or Hudson will be subbed off for a smaller player?

Replacing a tall with a more mobile player for the second half has its merits, but I'm concerned about leaving our defense exposed in the second half (presumably if that's when one of the talls mentioned gets subbed off) in terms of height when Williams has to help in the ruck. With that in mind, I think Hall will definitely be subbed this week, leaving Minson and Hudson to ruck the second half barring injury.

I just have a strange feeling that against an inexperienced team Eade will opt to go mobile from the outset and nominate Minson as the sub to replace Hall later in the game. GC are likely to tire as the game goes on, and lack for run. If they're to get the jump on us it will be due to pace, not contested and hard ball dominance.

[the banker]

Small as sub. Bazza subbed off at some stage. We don't want Williams rucking at any stage IMO.

[Bulldog Joe]

Barlow would be pinch hitter in the ruck if one of Hudson or Minson is sub/subbed.

[westdog54]

McKernan at 198cm and 98kg's is a genuine key forward size.

He also did 5/8ths of bugger all on Friday night. He's a genuine key forward size, no doubt about it. Just not sure he's a genuine key forward...

I don't think we need to go too tall in defence against the Gold Coast but Fraser/Smith vs Huddo/Will worries me in terms of mobility and output away from stoppages.

Gold Coast have also struggled to run out games as a general rule so maybe they are backing the fitness of our mids/smaller players to get the job done with less rotations. Based on the team as its lined up I would expect at least one of Minson, Hall, Jones, Barlow or Huddo on the bench at any one time, which either means one of them is the sub which is a gamble in itself, or they will play a small as the sub and effectively only have 2 players free for the rest of the team to do their rotations.

[LostDoggy]

I'd say with us going with Easton Wood as a key defender rather than playing Marko things don't look good for Lukas.

It's a good problem to have I suppose. My argument is that most good teams have a couple of monsters and I think it is a risk to rely playing Williams (inconsistent) and Morris (undersized) on them. At the least another tall option lets us shuffle around if an opposition forward is getting on top (e.g. Tippett on Williams). I take the point that this may rob us of drive off the backline, but I don't think Markovic was that bad on the rebound

[LostDoggy]

I'd have Cooney as the sub again. Ease him into another game. Have Minson and Hudson wear down their ruck combo(s) and have Cooney ready to sub an early injury or Min/Huddo/Hall later in the game.

[LostDoggy]

The forward line looks a little top heavy with Barlow, Jones and Hall (and Minson will no doubt spend time there as well).

I remember in years gone by, we all dreamed of a top-heavy forward line…

I'd have Cooney as the sub again. Ease him into another game. Have Minson and Hudson wear down their ruck combo(s) and have Cooney ready to sub an early injury or Min/Huddo/Hall later in the game.

You could even put Coons in the ruck. He's shown in the past he can ruck against Dean Cox and win the hitout…

[Sockeye Salmon]

I would have thought Schofield (or similar) as the starting sub, with one of the talls to be subbed off providing there are no injuries (preferably Hall or Hudson).

Having a tall as the sub is far too risky. At least if it's a small and a small gets injured, you're not any worse off in terms of height balance. If the sub is a tall and a small gets injured, you're suddenly down a small and up a tall.

That doesn't make sense.

Don't have a tall as a sub because of team balance if a small gets hurt?


Surely then by putting a small as a sub your team balance is shot from the start?

[LostDoggy]

I remember in years gone by, we all dreamed of a top-heavy forward line…

Those were the days before the press and "frontal pressure" were all the rage