Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

[Happy Days]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

You will not get that in finals.

...why not?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

...why not?

Not all 22 players are going to perform on the day, and work rate under finals pressure will be limited. You only have to look at St Kilda v Geelong the other week, and how the pressure of that game limited the influence a lot of players had.

I just think it is important to have a key forward, especially when you have the game plan we do. Teams always shut down the middle corridor, and we have to go wide, which causes us to bomb the ball.

Our game plan is to predictable, teams now know we don't have a tall option. And they play to that, because they know if we bomb the ball it will automatically get rebounded. A tall forward under finals pressure will bring the ball to ground, where the likes of Higgins, Aker, Johnson, Welsh, Hill & Hahn would relish. These guys instead of being the ones trying to take a pack mark, would be crumbing from the pack mark.

Very rarely would we get a lace out leading option in finals...

[LostDoggy]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

Like Pie Man said. Give the players who are little sore a rest when we play Freo and WCE. A good chance to bring in some young guys in, just in case we do need them come September.

[boydogs]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

I am very worried about our stars playing sore in Cooney, Gilbee and Higgins, but overall I'm not sure playing at Etihad is a bad thing, St Kilda play there the most and they have not lost a game

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

St Kilda play there the most and they have not lost a game

Do they play there as consecutively as we do though?

[boydogs]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

Do they play there as consecutively as we do though?

WB play(ed) there in rounds 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22. Total of 13 games, 6 in a row rounds 14-19 and another 2 in rounds 21-22 following a week in Brisbane

St Kilda play(ed) there in rounds 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21. Total of 15 games, 4 in a row twice in rounds 6-9 and 11-14 seperated by a Gold Coast game, then in round 15 a trip to Perth and another two at Docklands in rounds 16 and 17.

St Kilda just came through 8 games out of 9 there culminating in the win over Geelong. I'm not saying there is nothing in what you are suggesting, but I don't think St Kilda have had too many injuries and have not dropped a game so perhaps we can learn something from them?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

The ground has been regularly watered this season, but due to the under 18's playing there midweek recently it wasn't watered.

The players certainly noticed the difference when playing Hawthorn.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if we opted to rest one or two players later in the season.

[Happy Days]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

Not all 22 players are going to perform on the day, and work rate under finals pressure will be limited. You only have to look at St Kilda v Geelong the other week, and how the pressure of that game limited the influence a lot of players had.

I just think it is important to have a key forward, especially when you have the game plan we do. Teams always shut down the middle corridor, and we have to go wide, which causes us to bomb the ball.

Our game plan is to predictable, teams now know we don't have a tall option. And they play to that, because they know if we bomb the ball it will automatically get rebounded. A tall forward under finals pressure will bring the ball to ground, where the likes of Higgins, Aker, Johnson, Welsh, Hill & Hahn would relish. These guys instead of being the ones trying to take a pack mark, would be crumbing from the pack mark.

Very rarely would we get a lace out leading option in finals...

Sorry but I just disagree with this.

Our form in the Sydney game, and to a certain extent, the Geelong game, showed that this is absolute bollocks. We're the highest scoring team in the competition as it stands right now, and to say we can't deal with pressure is a rather harsh slight on our players.

[boydogs]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

Players I think that may be susceptible are Shaun Higgins (groin), Adam Cooney (knee), Robert Murphy (knee) & Tom Williams (ankle). There are probably others with niggles of some type & of course Johnno, Welsh & Aker who are getting on a bit.

Scarily prophetic TCD. Add Gia and Cross, we seem to have had a run of injuries unlike at any other stage through the year following our run of Etihad games

[Sedat]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

We have now lost 6 of our 7 games for the season at Collo's crap-hole. If we lose the last 2 games, we'll end up with a 5-8 record on our supposed home ground. Still hate the place after 10 years of operation.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

We have now lost 6 of our 7 games for the season at Collo's crap-hole. If we lose the last 2 games, we'll end up with a 5-8 record on our supposed home ground. Still hate the place after 10 years of operation.

I have different win/loss figures there Sedat:

WIN: Ess, Freo, Haw, Rich (4)
LOSS: Carl, Coll, Geel, StK x 2, WCE (6)

[Sedat]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

I have different win/loss figures there Sedat:

WIN: Ess, Freo, Haw, Rich (4)
LOSS: Carl, Coll, Geel, StK x 2, WCE (6)

Rich x 2

[hujsh]

Re: Consecutive Games at Etihad Stadium

Making a few errors recently TCD. Gotta lift your game mate.