Spida or Jolly?

[AnnieH]

I don't think Spida will start.
I recall reading something over the weekend which said that he said he'll have to work to make the 22 ... just like everyone else.
We'll just have to wait and see, eh?

[hammo]

Originally posted by Annie Haddad
I don't think Spida will start.
I recall reading something over the weekend which said that he said he'll have to work to make the 22 ... just like everyone else.
We'll just have to wait and see, eh?

Even Chambers started in the 22 so I don't think a 3 time all Australian needs to worry

[AnnieH]

Originally posted by hammo
Even Chambers started in the 22 so I don't think a 3 time all Australian needs to worry

Great point. If Chambers was any good, I don't think we'd be having this discussion now.
All I'm saying is that Spida thinks he has to try and make the 22 .... just like everyone else.

[mocaholic]

Originally posted by Sanecow
I don't think the birth of a baby should be called "opening weekend".

You're right. That'd be Labour Day.

[mocaholic]

Originally posted by hammo
Even Chambers started in the 22 so I don't think a 3 time all Australian needs to worry

In fairness to Doyle, he was injured at the time. Surprisingly.

[barry]

Spida and Jonas' departure throws up many questions:

1. Will our midfield remain defensive focused with one of the best Ruck divisions in the comp supplying it ?

2. Will we play all 3 every game. With one at FF? If so how does the forward line structure itself. Is our game plan capable of having a slow essentially non-defensive FF ?

3. Will we nurse Spida through so that he's only in peak condition on September 1st, ie. Using Doyle and Jolly for the start of the season.

4. Or, will play Spida throughout to try to secure a top 2 spot.

5. If we only play 2 rucks a game , do we rotate through the 3 of them? Will they appreicate being promoted and dropped back to Canberra ?

[hammo]

Originally posted by barry
Spida and Jonas' departure throws up many questions:

1. Will our midfield remain defensive focused with one of the best Ruck divisions in the comp supplying it ?

2. Will we play all 3 every game. With one at FF? If so how does the forward line structure itself. Is our game plan capable of having a slow essentially non-defensive FF ?

3. Will we nurse Spida through so that he's only in peak condition on September 1st, ie. Using Doyle and Jolly for the start of the season.

4. Or, will play Spida throughout to try to secure a top 2 spot.

5. If we only play 2 rucks a game , do we rotate through the 3 of them? Will they appreicate being promoted and dropped back to Canberra ?

All good questions Barry.

I can't see Spida spending any time in Canberra. Knowing our fitness staff he will be nursed through the pre season and season proper on a MOL-type training regime to hopefully play all 22 games plus finals.

Of the 3, Spida is the most obvious FF out of the lot. I recall On The Couch during the year they were discussing the Bulldogs need for a tall full forward and Spida's name was thrown about by Walls. He described Spida as potentially the best full forward in the game. He's good on the lead and a reliable kick so I imagine he'll spend a lot of time up forward for us in 2007, allowing MOL to spend more time on the half forward line, injuries permitting.

I hope our midfield becomes more attack orientated but that will surely depend on some more attacking midfielders rotating through the centre.

Imagine a midfield made up of McVeigh, Malceski and Goodes being fed the ball by Spida.

[Zlatorog]

Spida for me. He coped a lot flack past couple of years (some of his making) and he'll try to prove himself. I'me confident he'll teach Jolly next year a thing or two.

[reigning premier]

Originally posted by barry
Spida and Jonas' departure throws up many questions:

1. Will our midfield remain defensive focused with one of the best Ruck divisions in the comp supplying it ?

2. Will we play all 3 every game. With one at FF? If so how does the forward line structure itself. Is our game plan capable of having a slow essentially non-defensive FF ?

3. Will we nurse Spida through so that he's only in peak condition on September 1st, ie. Using Doyle and Jolly for the start of the season.

4. Or, will play Spida throughout to try to secure a top 2 spot.

5. If we only play 2 rucks a game , do we rotate through the 3 of them? Will they appreicate being promoted and dropped back to Canberra ?

1. I think we'll be more attacking as we'll be more confident of getting 1st use of the ball from a stoppage. Jolly's confidence will be a bit higher after a year in the senior role, and Spida will give him mor ethan handy support.

2. I think we should.

3. We will. But this is not unusual for us. We have always modified individuals training regimes to meet their individual requirements. However, we may be tempted to "rest" one of them at some stage.

4. Will try for the top 2.

5. All three should play.

[cruiser]

Originally posted by Annie Haddad
All I'm saying is that Spida thinks he has to try and make the 22 .... just like everyone else.

AT $350,000 a year, he better get up to best 22 speed VERY QUICKLY!

[SimonH]

There has been a grand total of one (1) game in which Roos has had available to him 3 quality, match-ready specialist ruckmen (excluding Goodes). Round 1, 2005. He played all 3 that day; and it looked pretty good too, until Donk predictably got injured. So, if history is any guide...

The downsides are that:
a) if MOL and BBBH remain uninjured, having a ruckman more-or-less permanently stationed in the forward line will make life very, very tough for Grundy (or Vogels) to get a guernsey. Having 4 none-too-fast (or in MOL's case, able to run fast only in short bursts) marking forwards up there would be like watching a retro 1970s round, every game.
b) there will be one less spot on the bench for the developing smalls to get a game: Schmidt, Bevan, Moore (and perhaps little Willo, Phillips, Thornton and Laidlaw).

PS In a competition this even, I don't think there's any call for the arrogance implicit in 'should we nurse Spida through to September, or go for top 2'? If the team isn't firing, Spida could play every game, win in the ruck, and we still miss the top 8.

Big difference between 'we're realistically aiming for a premiership in 2007' and 'we're already fairly sure of being in a position to challenge for a premiership come the business end of 2007'.

[AnnieH]

Spanner .... what's the good of having one, two or maybe even three ruckmen, without the back up of good rovers?
Where have the rovers gone?

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by Annie Haddad
Spanner .... what's the good of having one, two or maybe even three ruckmen, without the back up of good rovers?
Where have the rovers gone?

Gone to soldiers every one? When will they ever learn?

Or do you want Irish Rovers with their green alligators and long-necked geese?