Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

Hearing Bevo talk about how we can't keep doing the same things, I'm going back on what I said.

I think Daniel or Macrae as sub and Garcia into the side. If Macrae plays VFL, I'd like to see him playing somewhere other than inside mid for a decent chunk of the game.

[hujsh]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

I'd bring Garcia in, in place of Jacko. Maybe Garcia goes sub but maybe Daniel does.

Bevo's presser was refreshing and honest, doubling down on the "we can't keep doing the same thing" line. If we want to reward VFL form, and we want to inject a different look into our mids, Garcia should come in.

Daniel should play VFL, get some confidence and play a specific role we intend for him to play at AFL level. Macrae is a shit sub so he either plays a full game and we spread the midfield minutes more or he plays VFL.

Out: Daniel, Dale
In: Garcia, someone to sub. Scott or Harmes I guess? Bevo won't debut someone on the bench so no Clarke and Jones could use more time in the VFL right now it seems. Though he'd be a decent option for a sub.

Macrae and Garcia both rotate through the middle. Bont, Treloar, Libba, Sanders, Macrae, Garcia. At least half of those names can play some minutes forward to some degree. If Macrae can't do what we need without spending the full game in the middle just play Harmes and have him do a defensive forward tag when he's not in the middle on their best runner behind the ball

[Bornadog]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

On Saturday night you were pretty adamant Lobb should play ahead of Darcy. One could argue Essendon's rucks are more physical and mature than Geelong's.

Are you sticking with Darcy?

Horses for courses. Yeah, I haven't looked at Essendon's rucks. Maybe we need to think about it.

[Bornadog]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

Here's my spine for Friday

F - Marra
F - Darcy
M - English
D - Naughton
D - Jones

Bench - Lobb.

Simples.

Is Naughton really a backman? I have concerns he hasn't played the role, or trained for the role in over 6 years.

I like his CHF role where he roams up the ground and feeds JUH

[azabob]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

Not trying to answer on behalf of BAD but I was concerned with Darcy playing against more mature rucks. His ability to use his go-go gadget arms has filled me with a lot more confidence there.

FWIW, I really hope Essendon go with the two rucks again.

I made mention of this in the game day thread on the night, from the couch it appeared our game plan centered around English playing back and supporting our defenders in general play and taking any ruck contest in the defensive half of the ground and Darcy would take any ruck contests in the forward half of the ground.

The stats of where both players gathered their touches actually backs up my observation.

Personally, I don't think we need to employ the same tactics against Essendon. I expect English to play a much full ground game like he did against West Coke.

IN: Garcia
OUT: Daniel

[MrMahatma]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

Is Naughton really a backman? I have concerns he hasn't played the role, or trained for the role in over 6 years.

I like his CHF role where he roams up the ground and feeds JUH

Crazy question. Obviously after his rookie season he was a lock to be an AFL Hall of Fame/Legend/Team of the millennium CHB. The longer he doesn't play back, the more likely it is that he would be the best to have ever played in that position.

[Mantis]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

Hearing Bevo talk about how we can't keep doing the same things, I'm going back on what I said.

I think Daniel or Macrae as sub and Garcia into the side. If Macrae plays VFL, I'd like to see him playing somewhere other than inside mid for a decent chunk of the game.

Can either of these 2 really influence the game in that (sub) role?

The game now is about quick ball movement and neither of these 2 enhance our ability to do that.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

Is Naughton really a backman? I have concerns he hasn't played the role, or trained for the role in over 6 years.

I like his CHF role where he roams up the ground and feeds JUH

Me too - get him away from the goals ! He clunked a ripper late before the Williams goal on the wing.

Re defence : probably not anymore - but we could have at least trained him for it to be used as a swing man. We recruited him as a defender I guess but maybe flogging a dead horse. I'll keep whipping though !

Problem with Naughton for me - as a forward, is that he is so easily out bodied. He's not a strong one on one mark. He's great when he can run and jump at it but many times he's 5 deep trying to clunk a low percentage grab.

I think he'd thrive in the Lever role.

[Danjul]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

I think that's really harsh.

Garcia & Lobb have had 2 consecutive outstanding games at VFL level, and it isn't their fault no game was played on the weekend.

Whilst Darcy has contributed up forward, he is getting man-handled in the ruck and I have grave fears of how he will perform against 2 mature rucks this week.

We need an injection of speed in the middle to counter act the same-same pace of Treloar, Libba & Macrae.. the midfield mix needs to change.

This has been the central component of our inability to rise above mediocrity since 2018. The finer details of the ruck are irrelevant. And all other aspects of the game are tarnished by their proximity to ruck events. The glorious start to 2021 started to crumble by July because?.. We missed the double chance because? Where did the failure in the grand final start?

Darcy will be great, so much talent. But I am sure we would have won if we had played Lobb and kept Darcy where his strengths dominate and his weaknesses are not exploited. We are running the risk of breaking him down.

[SquirrelGrip]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

I feel Jacko is now our backup midfielder if any of Bont/Libba/Treloar/Sanders have a week or more off.

The 2024 game requires energy, and Garcia needs the opportunity ahead of Macrae and Daniel right now. Caleb as sub, as he did make a great impact the other week when doing so.

We will need an extra tall defender ready to go against some of the teams, just like Fletcher Roberts came in for the key 2016 finals. JOD is leading candidate right now, so at some point he needs to replace Dale in defence, leaving Buku as third tall.

Dale needs to be able to play in another position, so whether that means going back to Footscray to develop, I'm OK with that. Work on wingcraft, then like Bailey Williams we have a backup to swing into defence if something changes mid-game. Once he's showing what's been asked of him, he's then too good not to have back in.

And if Charlie Clarke builds his fitness, then he should take VDM's spot when Laith has his next form lapse. We want forwards who can kick goals.

Plus we have Lobb and Harmes ready to go to replace if we get any forced outs.

So this week...

OUT: Macrae, Dale
IN: Garcia, JOD

With Caleb sub

[Danjul]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

Me too - get him away from the goals ! He clunked a ripper late before the Williams goal on the wing.

Re defence : probably not anymore - but we could have at least trained him for it to be used as a swing man. We recruited him as a defender I guess but maybe flogging a dead horse. I'll keep whipping though !

Problem with Naughton for me - as a forward, is that he is so easily out bodied. He's not a strong one on one mark. He's great when he can run and jump at it but many times he's 5 deep trying to clunk a low percentage grab.

I think he'd thrive in the Lever role.

Is this a problem with Naughton or for Naughton?

Game after game we see it. Either get him out of there or get two of the others (ours) out.

We lost by 4 points and Naughton was goalless. It is not working.

[Critter]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

Is Naughton really a backman? I have concerns he hasn't played the role, or trained for the role in over 6 years.

I like his CHF role where he roams up the ground and feeds JUH

I suggest that the very attributes and skills that likely have led you to appreciate Naughton's play in a roaming CHF role are consistent with those which will see him succeed at CHB. He has pace, is a strong mark, has physical strength, reads the flight of the ball well and is a good field kick. (The latter point has been a welcome surprise this year.) He came to us as a defender and succeeded in that role. He has defensive skills and experience. He's too young to now be suffering football dementia.

Luke Beveridge said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result. Luke knows about insanity. Let's stop being insane and let's try something new at CHB. Let's stop compromising and let's load up and put our very best side on the field.

[Mantis]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

I feel Jacko is now our backup midfielder if any of Bont/Libba/Treloar/Sanders have a week or more off.

The 2024 game requires energy, and Garcia needs the opportunity ahead of Macrae and Daniel right now. Caleb as sub, as he did make a great impact the other week when doing so.

We will need an extra tall defender ready to go against some of the teams, just like Fletcher Roberts came in for the key 2016 finals. JOD is leading candidate right now, so at some point he needs to replace Dale in defence, leaving Buku as third tall.

Dale needs to be able to play in another position, so whether that means going back to Footscray to develop, I'm OK with that. Work on wingcraft, then like Bailey Williams we have a backup to swing into defence if something changes mid-game. Once he's showing what's been asked of him, he's then too good not to have back in.

And if Charlie Clarke builds his fitness, then he should take VDM's spot when Laith has his next form lapse. We want forwards who can kick goals.

Plus we have Lobb and Harmes ready to go to replace if we get any forced outs.

So this week...

OUT: Macrae, Dale
IN: Garcia, JOD

With Caleb sub

Lots to like in there.

I feel we need to move pretty quickly to a team & structure that we want to have in the 2nd half of the year, and that isn't having Buku playing as our 2nd tall defender. He is doing well, but he isn't the answer against genuine talls.

Agree on the midfield change... we need some extra speed & grunt in there to help us defend the ground better. Garcia needs to be given the brief that he needs to burst from every stoppage either with the ball or without it.

[hujsh]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

So this week...

OUT: Macrae, Dale
IN: Garcia, JOD

With Caleb sub

Can't believe I forgot JOD.

OUT: Daniel, Dale, Macrae
IN: Garcia, JOD, Scott/Harmes (sub)

[Critter]

Re: Always Right Match Committee Round 5 vs Essendon

This has been the central component of our inability to rise above mediocrity since 2018. The finer details of the ruck are irrelevant. And all other aspects of the game are tarnished by their proximity to ruck events. The glorious start to 2021 started to crumble by July because?.. We missed the double chance because? Where did the failure in the grand final start?

Darcy will be great, so much talent. But I am sure we would have won if we had played Lobb and kept Darcy where his strengths dominate and his weaknesses are not exploited. We are running the risk of breaking him down.

We face a real risk this week of our Tim being monstered in the ruck. Sam Draper is a very physical ruckman, with a bit of a mean streak, and Goldie has a few tricks up his sleeve as well. I agree that Darcy is not yet physically ready for a regular role in the ruck. The midfielders will need to work super hard to stop the Essendon midfield, weak as it is, from winning centre clearances.

So, Lobb should play. Which brings me back to my hobby horse. JUH and Darcy as key forwards, Naughton and Jones as key backs and Tim and Lobby sharing the ruck.