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Life is to be Enjoyed not Endured -
Re: Match Committee- Round 4 vs Adelaide
Teenagers press for selection
An increased depth on the Western Bulldogs list this season has Senior Coach Brendan McCartney confident the team can cover their injury losses against Adelaide on Sunday.
While senior opportunities have emerged through injury, McCartney said a number of Bulldogs listed players have been knocking down the door at VFL affiliate Williamstown for their AFL chance.
“We are confident we have got more depth on our list this year,” McCartney said.
“Our VFL team boys played really well on Saturday [and] played the right brand of footy.”
“[They] all had a terrific impact on the game, so the ones that we do bring in from the VFL are in good form.”
“[It’s] highly likely we will get our captain [Matthew Boyd] back and Ayce [Cordy] will be right to go again.”
McCartney highlighted the performance of first round draftees Jack Macrae and Jake Stringer in Saturday’s VFL clash, and said they were firmly in the mix to make their senior debut this weekend.
“Opportunities present for people and hopefully they will take them,” he said.
“Two of our early picks played really well at Williamstown, so that puts them in the mix obviously, because we envisage four or maybe five changes.
“They both played very well, they are high talent, very early in their career – one of them in particular hasn’t been able to train much because of an ankle injury, so he’s just getting his body accustomed to footy and did an extraordinary job on Saturday.”
After playing his first competitive game in 2013 for Williamstown on the weekend, Tom Williams will remain in the VFL for a second consecutive week to regain touch.
“Probably a week short, [he] played well, [and] needed the game,” he said.
“It was his first game for the year, so to be fair to Tom [we’ll give him] another week to get ready.”FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.Comment
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Re: Match Committee- Round 4 vs Adelaide
Stringer was definitely blowing hard form what I saw.
If the coaches think he can play out at least 3/4 of the game then I'm happy to back them in to play him. If they think its less than that, I would prefer they don't play him at all vs playing him as the sub. Ditto for Macrae though from all I have seen he is capable of running out a game.
Wallis or Smith are good options as sub IMO if we choose to play both Stringer & Macrae this week.
Whenever they do debut, I am really really excited to see what they can do for us in the big league. And judging from all known about Stringer to date, he knows he belongs there.Comment
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Re: Match Committee- Round 4 vs Adelaide
Just play Stringer. Just play him. Let us give into this sweet, sweet temptation.
Bring in Tutt as a combo and inform him that his job is to do all of the running required by Stringer as Stringer demands it.Comment
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Re: Match Committee- Round 4 vs Adelaide
Stringer's no doubt up to the standard talent wise, unfortunately for mine he's in a prime position to find himself injured with a calf strain or other soft tissue injury.
As others have alluded to, the game at the elite level isn't the same as is at the secondary level, and a reasonably savvy defender who would have seen his exploits in the VFL would know that he's barely fit enough to run out a reserves grade game without risking injury as it is, and they'd run him all over the park.
It's also worth noting that many of the medium sized defenders in the AFL, whilst not having the same size as Stringer probably have the same, if not greater, core strength as well as the mobility/fitness to go with him. They probably won't in the future, after a preseason or two.
Maybe we play him as a sub, with the mind to have him come off a little after half time. Though as soon as we find ourselves with an early injury (maybe to a returning captain that isn't quite ready to go yet) we've placed him at risk. That's too much for me after watching him on TV at Williamstown last week.
Happy for MacRae to take his place, either as the sub or starting on the ground. Many think starting first gamers as the sub isn't the right way to go, and think they should be on the ground straight away to help them get into it early. I've not seen any data to suggest this is the best way to go, and my gut tells me it doesn't really matter one way or another..TF is this?.........Obviously you're not a golfer.Comment
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Re: Match Committee- Round 4 vs Adelaide
Agree ^^ Big risk in particular early in the season.
Let the young bloke get a fitness base first.
No Hurry folksComment
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Re: Match Committee- Round 4 vs Adelaide
I still get edgy when Stringer goes for a ground ball and people dive across or into his legs. I think he is still a touch hesitant too in that situation.
My brain says he is not fit enough and that he needs at leat another week or two in the VFL but another part of me (not sure which part) says he is a freak and will make an impact regardless of all the reasons why he shouldn't be able to.
I would not like to be the one to tell him he is not getting a game!!Comment
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Re: Match Committee- Round 4 vs Adelaide
I would rather we lose every game for the rest of the season than have him do a serious injury.You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. ― EpicurusComment
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