Round #12 Match Committee

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

It's a hard one to make a call on. We know roughly what we will get with Barlow but we also know it will be somewhat limited in the longer term. If we were playing better it would probably be a safer call. I'd wait and see how Mulligan goes.

I get what you're saying (and probably flat out agree) but Barlow is still young. Perhaps he can be our Leigh Brown. I think we should give him a go soon. I do get/agree with you on Mulligan though.

[GVGjr]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

I get what you're saying (and probably flat out agree) but Barlow is still young. Perhaps he can be our Leigh Brown. I think we should give him a go soon. I do get/agree with you on Mulligan though.

He hasn't displayed a crash and bash mentality in the games I have seen so the Leigh Brown comparisons probably aren't right. At best he is a tall midfielder and spare parts type player and other than his versatility I'm not sure what his strength is as a player.

As you would also be aware, when we went into the game against Essendon and everyone was talking up the one ruckman option my preference was to slot Barlow in as support so I think we have the same thought process.

Against the Saints though, I'm prepared to stick with just Mulligan as Minson's support and to see where that goes.

Barlow is probably a safe bet but do we need to go down that road?

[comrade]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

Barlow is probably a safe bet but do we need to go down that road?

I'm not sure picking a Sydney reject tall utility to support Minson as a second ruckman is taking the safe option.

If anything, it will get howled down by your average Bulldog supporter.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

He hasn't displayed a crash and bash mentality in the games I have seen so the Leigh Brown comparisons probably aren't right. At best he is a tall midfielder and spare parts type player and other than his versatility I'm not sure what his strength is as a player.

I agree with most of that and was going to/should have qualified my comments by saying not the same type as Brown. While I don't think they are the same type of player, I think both are similar in the way they suit the modern 2nd ruck role due to their versatility. I also believe Brown has come along way when it comes to that crash and bash mentality since he has played in the 2nd ruck role. Before that, I thought he was well and truly a 'looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane' type.

[GVGjr]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

I'm not sure picking a Sydney reject tall utility to support Minson as a second ruckman is taking the safe option.

If anything, it will get howled down by your average Bulldog supporter.

The safe option for the team rather as opposed to supporter sentiment is where I'm coming from.
I'm not against promoting him, just not this week against the Saints because we went with Mulligan and we now need to give him a chance.
I suppose I'm sticking with Lake rather than Barlow.

Would Markovic be a better option than Barlow?

[GVGjr]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

What should we do with Liam Jones?

We know he has talent and we also know how important it is to give him as many games as we can but from my POV given how little he has touched the ball in the last 2 weeks I think we need consider getting him back into Williamstown where he can regain some confidence and form.

Is there any advantage to the player just to stick with him in the seniors?

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

What should we do with Liam Jones?

We know he has talent and we also know how important it is to give him as many games as we can but from my POV given how little he has touched the ball in the last 2 weeks I think we need consider getting him back into Williamstown where he can regain some confidence and form.

Is there any advantage to the player just to stick with him in the seniors?

I've been thinking/posting the same.

Whatever we do, it has to be about his development. I agree with your sentiments that playing AFL isn't automatically best for your development. It's a bit catch 22 for a player who doesn't seem to naturally ooze confidence. Keep him in and his confidence decreases due to not getting it, drop him and his confidence dips for obvious reasons.

[boydogs]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

I think we need to make a decision on Lake. He's not a long term option at full forward, and playing him there is just denying Jones opportunities - he IS a long term prospect.

I think playing forward is a way back for Lake, to help him regain his touch. We need him firing if we're going to make finals.

We still have North, Port, Adelaide, Melbourne & St Kilda outside the 8 that we haven't played yet - remember we beat Richmond by over 5 goals just 3 weeks ago, playing top 4 sides and a Perth trip has made us look worse than we are IMO. I haven't given up on September yet.

Give Lake 3 or 4 games up forward where he can dictate his movements and get into the game. Jones is probably ahead of Grant at the moment, so if either Roughead or Hall is out he can probably still snag a spot.

How many games would you allow Boyd to play where he turns the ball over like he did yesterday?

Anyone else notice a correlation between an over-attacking Boyd, and an underdone or missing Cooney?

In all the Boyd talk, no-one seems to have mentioned that he is trying to fill an outside midfielders role for the team in lieu of other options - this is the part of his game that is letting him down, if he had other options for delivering forward I'm sure he would use them.

I think Cooney is the most important player to our structure - Morris can do a job if required when Lake is out, as he has the last few weeks, but Boyd stepping in to Cooney's shoes doesn't work.

This is why we always seem to look better with Gia in the middle when Cooney is missing. If Cooney isn't back this week, Gia needs to be the one delivering forward for us.

[comrade]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

What should we do with Liam Jones?

We know he has talent and we also know how important it is to give him as many games as we can but from my POV given how little he has touched the ball in the last 2 weeks I think we need consider getting him back into Williamstown where he can regain some confidence and form.

Is there any advantage to the player just to stick with him in the seniors?

I think we need to persist with him. Getting dropped from an underperforming team could have a detrimental effect on his confidence, and if he does get some touch at Willy, how will that translate at the highest level. Our midfield is getting destroyed and our delivery into the 50 (when we do somehow win possession) is sub par. Lockett would struggle to get a kick in our team.

Having Lake and Hall limp through for the rest of the year as our key forwards, while Jones and Grant play at Willy isn't what I hope to see.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

In- Montgomery
Out-Eade

[comrade]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

In- Montgomery
Out-Eade

As a courtesy, do you care to justify why you think Montgomery would make a better senior coach than Eade or would you prefer to just make a rash, overly emotional statement?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

Though Boyd may be spraying his kicks, he is one the few that actually get the ball. Same goes for Hargrave.

But there is no point in getting the ball if you are going to kick it to the opposition though.

[Jasper]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

Isn't Barlow known as a butcher of the ball? Isn't his decision making suspect? Why bring in a bloke with deficiencies in the very area we are struggling in? It doesn't make sense. I agree Williams may get killed if we play him in the ruck, so possibly Roughead needs to come back or Mulligan is used. Does Barlowe even play ruck?

I don't believe Jones was anywhere near our worst yesterday, and I still don't see anyone being a better contested mark than him from what I've seen. What needs to be looked at is our set up and why Jones doesn't get a look often enough. Keep playing him.

I actually think Lake has to play forward (if he is fit), it may help the team and take the load off Jones. Sanderson on SEN indicated Lake was giving their backs trouble (don't know if he was just being polite). Williams fwd is no good, he looks even more uncomfortable than Jones, Lake and Grant (anyone see a pattern) when having a set shot.

If Gia had any real pace, endurance or body strength I would play him midfield but he doesn't so he can't. While he played well on the weekend, we need to play him within his limitations.

You would think the realistic outs are:

Grant and Hill (and I am wavering on Lake) - Grant should not play for some time - Hill never again

The ins really depend on fitness of Cooney and Libba. We are at a point where we may need some stability, five or six changes a week aren't going to help us. I also see little point going back on the merry go round ie Stack in for Hill. The ins, well preferably players who can kick, and if not Libba and Cooney, well hopefully maybe one new player, like Vez, Dollhouse, Schofield, etc. I am not sure about Gilbee, he is a good kick, he can defend, but he hasn't been playing overly well...But he is a better user than Hargrave...??

I give up, I think we are shuffling deck chairs on the titanic.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

But there is no point in getting the ball if you are going to kick it to the opposition though.

? Just let the opposition have it.
Easier to fix disposal than inability to get the ball then dispose it. We had 17 players with less than 10 kicks yesterday yet people want to drop a player that get over 20 often.

[Bornadog]

Re: Round #12 Match Committee

I don't believe Jones was anywhere near our worst yesterday,.

4 miserable disposals, Grant 2 - yeah you are right Jones wasn't our worse player.

I can see that Jones is our future but how long can you carry a player. He needs to get his hands on the ball and at the moment he will only do that at Willi.