Dempster out for Davis

[Go Swannies]

Over at BigFooty they say the team announcements for this week are Davis in and Dempster out.

[giant]

The right result for mine. Pity for Sean but other newbies deserved to keep their place. Good that there is this sort of pressure to make the squad.

[robbieando]

Originally posted by giant
Good that there is this sort of pressure to make the squad.

True. Its good that we have depth coming though the seconds at the moment (regardless of the standard of the ACTAFL). Basically we can cover injury and suspensions for every player save Hall, Jolly, and of course Kennelly. To think we could just slip in plays like Bevan, Dempster, Moore, Schmidt, Spriggs, Vogels and Willoughby and have Doyle and Mathews out injuried.

[ugg]

From the same source, Richmond are supposedly unchanged with Kane Johnson as an emergency?

Edit: confirmed Johnson is an emergency as well as Gaspar.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by giant
Good that there is this sort of pressure to make the squad.

A bit disappointing, but it is a good problem to have when he can step up for one week and play a good game.

[DST]

Last time we played Richmond the brownlow votes were

3 K Johnson
2 W Campbell
1 D Gaspar

Two of those are emergencies and Campbell has retired.

DST

[The Big Cat]

If Gaspar doesn't play, who will hold, scrag, headlock, BBBBH?

[dendol]

Originally posted by The Big Cat
If Gaspar doesn't play, who will hold, scrag, headlock, BBBBH?

His namesake, Ray? Great matchup for us!

[SimonH]

Not happy, Paul.

Even leaving aside Dempster's strong return performance against Brisbane, Richmond's one strength is a good-sized marking forward line. Richo, Stafford/Simmonds keeping one of our defenders punching upwards in the goalsquare, Patrick Bowden is surprisingly tall, Pettifer (while short) marked everything that went near him last week (he just couldn't kick), plus Oakley-Nicholls and Hughes who will both get plenty of game time. And to make way for a smallish forward, we're dumping a 191cm mobile defender? Effectively playing with 5 specialist defenders (plus Schneider, Crouch et al rotating), but 11 players who will rotate through the midfield at some stage against a less-than-starstudded opposition ballwinning fleet? Doesn't strike me as 'horses for courses' selection.

Anyone know how long Dempster is contracted for? I sure hope his contract doesn't end this year.

[liz]

Originally posted by SimonH
Not happy, Paul.

Even leaving aside Dempster's strong return performance against Brisbane, Richmond's one strength is a good-sized marking forward line. Richo, Stafford/Simmonds keeping one of our defenders punching upwards in the goalsquare, Patrick Bowden is surprisingly tall, Pettifer (while short) marked everything that went near him last week (he just couldn't kick), plus Oakley-Nicholls and Hughes who will both get plenty of game time. And to make way for a smallish forward, we're dumping a 191cm mobile defender? Effectively playing with 5 specialist defenders (plus Schneider, Crouch et al rotating), but 11 players who will rotate through the midfield at some stage against a less-than-starstudded opposition ballwinning fleet? Doesn't strike me as 'horses for courses' selection.

So out of curiousity, who would you have dropped in Dempster's place?

I'm guessing you'll probably nominate McVeigh, but you could equally argue that Richmond are playing a hard running side at the moment and having another player with endurance through the middle is beneficial.

On pure form, you'd have to think Richards was the other one with reason to take a look over his shoulder, but I suspect he was safe for the very reason you've nominated.

[SimonH]

Originally posted by liz
So out of curiousity, who would you have dropped in Dempster's place?

I'm guessing you'll probably nominate McVeigh, but you could equally argue that Richmond are playing a hard running side at the moment and having another player with endurance through the middle is beneficial.

On pure form, you'd have to think Richards was the other one with reason to take a look over his shoulder, but I suspect he was safe for the very reason you've nominated.

True, on form Ted by a mile. But at the time I advocated this earlier in the week I wasn't thinking about matchups. So, on the 'horses for courses' selection approach, McVeigh.

While in theory Richmond are 'hard running', the fact is that (even if we were minus one midfielder) they are neither as fit nor as well-coordinated as Sydney's running brigade.

If both teams play to their capacity (a very dangerous assumption, I know), Richmond shouldn't go close to beating us in the midfield; but they could well and truly beat us up forward (and by this route give themselves a chance of winning if our forwards don't perform).

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by SimonH
Pettifer (while short) marked everything that went near him last week (he just couldn't kick)

Er that was because he had no opponent. Well apparently it was Solomon, but he looked like he was hanging out around the bar rather than bothering to chase.

I think you also have to consider Richmond's defence. If you concede that their forward line could well kick close to 100pts regardless of whether Dempster is in or not, then you have to consider how confident we are to do the same without Davis.

Whilst I feel bad for Sean because of an excellent return last week, Davis still needs to be in this side. And he is also my choice for most likely to go.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
Whilst I feel bad for Sean because of an excellent return last week, Davis still needs to be in this side. And he is also my choice for most likely to go.

I am in agreement. It's tough on the kid but I am rather pleased that we are in a position where we can drop a guy who kicked a monstrous running goal from the centre square.

[wheels27]

Originally posted by SimonH
While in theory Richmond are 'hard running', the fact is that (even if we were minus one midfielder) they are neither as fit nor as well-coordinated as Sydney's running brigade.

If this is the case, we'll have the ball all day, their forwards won't get a look-in.

If we can dominate the midfield as you suggest, the delivery into their forwards should be pressured at best, we all now what happens to Richo when they don't hit him lace-out.

[BigBadBarryNo1]

I predict a slow start back from injury from Davis.

I'm slightly hoping that actually, because Davis might do another hammy since he's been running back / forward too much lately, too early on in the season.

We don't want him to superexplode until the end of the season