Round #8 Match Committee

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

With Williams now out and IF we play Murph fwd, then we have no other option than to bring in Hargy for this game. I fear for our backline now. Morris is going to be under IMMENSE pressure to curb Jack.

The midfield is under even more pressure to cut supply.

[DOG GOD]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

The midfield is under even more pressure to cut supply.

Very true Ghost Dog, also the fact that we cant allow their half back line of Deledio, Newman and Houli to run it out with ease. Its certainly gonna take a whole team effort to get over the line.

[divvydan]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

Eade was very confident in his post match press conference that Higgins would return this week. Given the news out today that suggests Higgins will be missing for at least this week, I'm concerned that he may have aggravated the groin injury he's carrying or pulled up very sore from training or something. Does anyone know for sure what's wrong with him? I'm really hoping it's not like Ward last year.

[Jasper]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

There appear to be a number of assumptions being made here regarding some of our players:

1 - That its our injuries that are curtailing us (and what do you expect with a team whose 'guns' are 28 year old plus players??). All teams have injuries we have to just cope, like other teams
2 - That the players injured are 'great' and their return will somehow fix our problems, for instance:
a - Hargrave, while a good servant has long been a turnover merchant particularly under pressure
b - Williams is a struggler and should not be a massive loss (but probably is 'structurally')
c - Easton Wood while showing some good signs, often got caught and his kicking was ordinary at best
d - Hall was struggling prior to his surgery.
e - Gilbee has been struggling for a couple of years and his interrupted preseason is not why he is not performing

Lake of course is massive out, but again, the guy is nudging 30 and we have to expect he will miss games.

Personally believe we will struggle against the Tigers and for the first time in a long time, I am struggling to make suggestions for the MC. I think our poor list management and drafting over the last couple of years is now coming home to roost, with not enough seasoned good players in aged 23-27 at our club.

For what it is worth:

Hudson - out - He is probably finished unless something dramatic changes
Hargrave In with Jones to fill in on ruck duties, and Murphy to go back to CHF (I hate doing this to Murph as I reckon it will shorten his career playing fwd, but we need a guy who can kick at CHF)

And lets face it Richmond's rucks are the ones to try an untried ruck against, and the team we could most likely get away with this.

Moles Out - This guys is not going to take us anywhere, unless there is a specific role we have in mind, I don't think he should be played.
Schofield In - He has pace and attitude from reports. Something this team needs

Skinner - Out - not ready
Djerkurra In - Nathan must play on Nahas and shut him down (similar to Moles unless there is a specific role such as this, I don't think Nathan should be played much either.)


Libba In
Cooney Out

This last one is controversial, but Cooney seems to be regularly turning the ball over and is not the player he was. Only an insider would know if he isn't doing team things or is injured, but I feel he is the guy we need to make an example of to try and shake him and the team out of its lethargy.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

There appear to be a number of assumptions being made here regarding some of our players:

1 - That its our injuries that are curtailing us (and what do you expect with a team whose 'guns' are 28 year old plus players??). All teams have injuries we have to just cope, like other teams
2 - That the players injured are 'great' and their return will somehow fix our problems, for instance:
a - Hargrave, while a good servant has long been a turnover merchant particularly under pressure
b - Williams is a struggler and should not be a massive loss (but probably is 'structurally')
c - Easton Wood while showing some good signs, often got caught and his kicking was ordinary at best
d - Hall was struggling prior to his surgery.
e - Gilbee has been struggling for a couple of years and his interrupted preseason is not why he is not performing

Lake of course is massive out, but again, the guy is nudging 30 and we have to expect he will miss games.

Personally believe we will struggle against the Tigers and for the first time in a long time, I am struggling to make suggestions for the MC. I think our poor list management and drafting over the last couple of years is now coming home to roost, with not enough seasoned good players in aged 23-27 at our club.

For what it is worth:

Hudson - out - He is probably finished unless something dramatic changes
Hargrave In with Jones to fill in on ruck duties, and Murphy to go back to CHF (I hate doing this to Murph as I reckon it will shorten his career playing fwd, but we need a guy who can kick at CHF)

And lets face it Richmond's rucks are the ones to try an untried ruck against, and the team we could most likely get away with this.

Moles Out - This guys is not going to take us anywhere, unless there is a specific role we have in mind, I don't think he should be played.
Schofield In - He has pace and attitude from reports. Something this team needs

Skinner - Out - not ready
Djerkurra In - Nathan must play on Nahas and shut him down (similar to Moles unless there is a specific role such as this, I don't think Nathan should be played much either.)


Libba In
Cooney Out

This last one is controversial, but Cooney seems to be regularly turning the ball over and is not the player he was. Only an insider would know if he isn't doing team things or is injured, but I feel he is the guy we need to make an example of to try and shake him and the team out of its lethargy.

Tough love eh? Some good things to read in this post

[Guest]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

Sorry I can't help and on second thoughts I probably should start getting concerned... especially considering he is in my SC team and I already have to trade out Grimes & Curnow.

Let's hope he is back next week.



I'm very frustrated with the role Cross is playing. His lack of an outside game in the modern game means he isn't suited to lining up in his usual position (wing) and with quite a few 'like' types already rotating through the middle I am not sure where else he goes.

As far as being in front of others named, who are you referring to?



If Roughy was playing well I would agree, but he isn't so I was happy to go the way I did... but that all becomes redundant with the news that we received today.

Sorry but what news was that

[Dazza]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

How does everyone feel about moving Jones down back to cover for Williams?

[GVGjr]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

How does everyone feel about moving Jones down back to cover for Williams?

I thought during the pre-season this would have been a great learning curve for Jones.
At the moment we probably wouldn't try it.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

Sorry but what news was that

Yes, I've also missed this.

I thought during the pre-season this would have been a great learning curve for Jones.
At the moment we probably wouldn't try it.

Agree with that. If he goes back to VFL level it could be worth a shot, but probably not the thing to experiment with in the league side, especially at the moment.

[G-Mo77]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

Thoughts on Mulligan coming into the team?

I really don't know a lot about him and not being a good student of our lists finer points I had no idea he was 199cm tall until I read an article in the HUN.

I watched Willy for the first time this week and he did a pretty good job, from all reports he's been doing that consistently all season although I've heard differing opinions from other knowledgeable WOOFers.

Could we go with Mulligan as a replacement for Williams and also let him pinch hit in the ruck? Thoughts?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

Thoughts on Mulligan coming into the team?

I really don't know a lot about him and not being a good student of our lists finer points I had no idea he was 199cm tall until I read an article in the HUN.

I watched Willy for the first time this week and he did a pretty good job, from all reports he's been doing that consistently all season although I've heard differing opinions from other knowledgeable WOOFers.

Could we go with Mulligan as a replacement for Williams and also let him pinch hit in the ruck? Thoughts?

I,m fine with Mulligan going straight in at CHB BUT Griffen has to drop back to support him, he is more likely to punch or spoil so Griffen is needed as the extra runner to compete for the ball on the ground and help us rebound

.

[GVGjr]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

Thoughts on Mulligan coming into the team?

I really don't know a lot about him and not being a good student of our lists finer points I had no idea he was 199cm tall until I read an article in the HUN.

I watched Willy for the first time this week and he did a pretty good job, from all reports he's been doing that consistently all season although I've heard differing opinions from other knowledgeable WOOFers.

Could we go with Mulligan as a replacement for Williams and also let him pinch hit in the ruck? Thoughts?

Mulligan might very well be in the mix after 3 solid performances. Even with these good games he hasn't won a lot of the ball and has been used more in a very defensive/negating role which he has done well.
In previous years he has done some ruck work in the reserves however, for this year and the majority of last season he has primarily been a defender. He could certainly run with the opposing ruckman and make a contest.
Mulligan has probably only played 10 or 12 senior games for Williamstown and most of the time he has played in the reserves or been on the injured list.

Athletically he looks more than capable of progressing as a footballer but I'm not convinced he can read the play and react quickly enough.

With Lake not ready yet for a recall if we are concerned that the Tigers can exploit our lack of height he might be considered.

[Mantis]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

Sorry but what news was that

The news that Williams will miss and that Hall & Higgins are also another week away.

It means the changes I predicted become redundant.

[comrade]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

Mulligan might very well be in the mix after 3 solid performances. Even with these good games he hasn't won a lot of the ball and has been used more in a very defensive/negating role which he has done well.
In previous years he has done some ruck work in the reserves however, for this year and the majority of last season he has primarily been a defender. He could certainly run with the opposing ruckman and make a contest.
Mulligan has probably only played 10 or 12 senior games for Williamstown and most of the time he has played in the reserves or been on the injured list.

Athletically he looks more than capable of progressing as a footballer but I'm not convinced he can read the play and react quickly enough.

With Lake not ready yet for a recall if we are concerned that the Tigers can exploit our lack of height he might be considered.

Could we develop Mulligan in to that genuine Leigh Brown type pinch hitting ruck/key position player?

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: Round #8 Match Committee

Could we develop Mulligan in to that genuine Leigh Brown type pinch hitting ruck/key position player?

We could try but I am not sure Mulligan has that type of game sense/ footy smarts

And everyone forgets with Brown that he was a top 10 pick in the draft, a dominant junior who then paid little attention to his conditioning with Freo and North and has had a late career revival

He is not a natural athlete but he has always been a footballer

Mulligan is a natural athlete who has never been a footballer