2025 Starting Line-Up

[Mofra]

I also think there is a real chance Crossley plays round 1, I posted on another thread last week. The list spot is his, it was a matter of whether he wanted it or not.
Ive had a little bit to do with Brew, the Eagles are looking at him now they’ve missed Hendo.

Brew deserves to be on an AFL list. Had 13 touches in a half against Essendon, tackles and is genuinely hard.

Mark Stevens thinks Crossley is a round 1 smokey and he's normally well connected. I think he'd have to be subbed off pretty early in the 3rd quarter if he does play as he just can't run with opposition rucks (Bryan ran off him pretty easy as the game wore on).

A lot rests on a debutant (Davidson) in that case as he'd have to play more of a forward lead-up role rather than the wing role he's been playing all pre-season, as we wouldn't bring another marking forward in with this set-up.

[mjp]

Did you see Gardners performance Saturday?

To be fair...let's train a bloke as a ruck all pre-season then throw him in as a key back...

I mean, c'mon!

[Axe Man]

A lot rests on a debutant (Davidson) in that case as he'd have to play more of a forward lead-up role rather than the wing role he's been playing all pre-season, as we wouldn't bring another marking forward in with this set-up.

Poulter might be a chance? We seem to have played him forward through most of the match sims and he hasn't been terrible going by the reports from track watchers.

[Rusty12]

For that reason, I expect him to have a much better couple of weeks back there.
Everything Buss did well had nothing to do with killing contests; he is not a deepest key defender; Gardner is and will give Lobb the voice and direction he also needs.

Otherwise, it has to be Lobb as the deepest.

[Rusty12]

Poulter might be a chance? We seem to have played him forward through most of the match sims and he hasn't been terrible going by the reports from track watchers.

If Poulter is a key option inside forward 50, in a real AFL game, you are not winning many games.

[Mantis]

To be fair...let's train a bloke as a ruck all pre-season then throw him in as a key back...

I mean, c'mon!

I mean it's not like he's spent the last 5 or 6 years playing as a key back.

I would understand being all at sea if the role was totally foreign, but that isn't the case.

[Axe Man]

If Poulter is a key option inside forward 50, in a real AFL game, you are not winning many games.

Who said he would be a key option? In the absence of Jamarra and Cody our third tall options are likely Davidson, Poulter or Gardner. None of them are inspiring albeit Davidson is an unknown at the level. However none of them should be a focal point or expected to win games off their own boot. Just play a role and hopefully snag a goal or 2. Alternatively we go smaller and don't play a third tall as such.

Perhaps Hynes is a smokey if his fitness is up to scratch.

[mjp]

I mean it's not like he's spent the last 5 or 6 years playing as a key back.

I would understand being all at sea if the role was totally foreign, but that isn't the case.

That's tough man...I sure he'll be fine if you give him time to play down there a bit...asking players to flip between key back and ruck - cool. The other way? That's so much harder...if you send a tradie on the road as a sales guy then 6-months later ask him to jump back into his old job on the tools, well...there's probably going to be some errors - particularly if he is put into a competitive environment with time pressures around decision making.

I think we asked a lot of him (playing key back) on the weekend and set him up to fail.

[mjp]

For that reason, I expect him to have a much better couple of weeks back there.
Everything Buss did well had nothing to do with killing contests; he is not a deepest key defender; Gardner is and will give Lobb the voice and direction he also needs.

Otherwise, it has to be Lobb as the deepest.

mjp does NOT like this idea.

Lobb highest. Let's replace the Jones role and not make ourselves worse at 2-spots.

[Mofra]

For that reason, I expect him to have a much better couple of weeks back there.
Everything Buss did well had nothing to do with killing contests; he is not a deepest key defender; Gardner is and will give Lobb the voice and direction he also needs.

Otherwise, it has to be Lobb as the deepest.

I see it completely differently.
The way he plays, I have Buss as a deepest option only. I wouldn't have said that until I saw multiple VFL games last year. He had old school FB written all over him

Lobb is incredible at covering ground for a big guy so I didn't think we'd pay him deepest and nullify one of his advantages.

[Rusty12]

mjp does NOT like this idea.

Lobb highest. Let's replace the Jones role and not make ourselves worse at 2-spots.

Agree, I don't want this, but also don't think Buss, Khamis or JOD are capable of being the deepest. Hence, I am backing Gardner.

[Rusty12]

I see it completely differently.
The way he plays, I have Buss as a deepest option only. I wouldn't have said that until I saw multiple VFL games last year. He had old school FB written all over him

Lobb is incredible at covering ground for a big guy so I didn't think we'd pay him deepest and nullify one of his advantages.

It will be an interesting watch. Watching the same VFL games, I don't see anything that says he can kill contests and square off at least 25% of his 1v1s, whilst also being that help voice to everyone in front of him.
No idea who is right, but it is interesting we can see it so differently.
Spare a though for match committee.

I actually hope you are right, and I have egg on me face, top 10 pick, years of investment, we need him to be that.

[Bornadog]

It will be an interesting watch. Watching the same VFL games, I don't see anything that says he can kill contests and square off at least 25% of his 1v1s, whilst also being that help voice to everyone in front of him.
No idea who is right, but it is interesting we can see it so differently.
Spare a though for match committee.

I actually hope you are right, and I have egg on me face, top 10 pick, years of investment, we need him to be that.

From what I have seen him play, I thought Buss was more an interceptor. Buku cannot play deep at all. Remember the first Freo game where they dragged him towards the goal square and he was one reason we lost.

[Mofra]

From what I have seen him play, I thought Buss was more an interceptor. Buku cannot play deep at all. Remember the first Freo game where they dragged him towards the goal square and he was one reason we lost.

Watching his u18 year he did seen like a pure intercepter. My opinion changed last year.

I have no faith in Buks against a genuine 1st or 2nd KPF. He's fine as an intercepter but not a KPD.

[GVGjr]

Who said he would be a key option? In the absence of Jamarra and Cody our third tall options are likely Davidson, Poulter or Gardner. None of them are inspiring albeit Davidson is an unknown at the level. However none of them should be a focal point or expected to win games off their own boot. Just play a role and hopefully snag a goal or 2. Alternatively we go smaller and don't play a third tall as such.

Perhaps Hynes is a smokey if his fitness is up to scratch.

Good call, he's probably an outside chance but he could be a factor up forward with the occasional run in the middle. His fitness might not be quite there yet.