Bring on Richmond! (Richmond pre match discussion)

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Okay okay, i think we've analyzed the Sydney V WCE game to shreds, and it's prehaps time to focus on the next game, against the lowly but not to be underestimated Tigers. I'm going to run through a few basic things that need to be changed/addressed if we want to 'comfortably' defeat Richmond.

. Let Goodes roam, first and foremost. This man should never tag, under no circumstances. He's arguably our biggest weapon and most difficult match-up, hence we must take advantage of that. IMO he could be used in the ruck more often than he is, around the ground.

. Our players need to stop over thinking the situation, and looking for the perfect pass, because it wont always eventuate. Stop being Hall conscious and just pass it to a free, leading forward. The first option is usually the best!

. Everitt isn't as good at kicking for goal as i thought he was, and would serve us better as a link man through the middle, and would do wonders as our loose man in defence, as Leo needs all the help he can get. Do we really need more forwards?

. Get Vogels out of the team, seriously. The Richmond game is the perfect time to throw Jesse White into defence and see how he handles it. Worst case scenario he doesn't fit in and concedes a goal or two, which we should be able to deal with against a team ranked so far below us. Best case scenario, we find the big, strong defender that we desperately need!

[Frog]

Agree on Goodes - He is a creator, not a stopper, he must be allowed to roam, wherever he wants - Usually, he is in the right spot at the right time

On paper, we have one of the best forward setups - Hall centric is OK, especially with the new rules - but only if Hall is ready. Our kicking, and subsequently delivery into the forward 50, left a lot to be desired - Not something you can blame Bazza for - Bazza needs to take the state of play into account, the deliveries he has had so far in a game and how many more he is going to get (in that game) before he decides to play on ... There are times when the 50 metre line seems to tell them to play on, because they are too far out to score. They don't back themselves. Most times an even 50/50 chance in the goalsquare is better than losing the ball on a stupid play-on. They are not over-thinking, they're just not thinking.

Spider hasn't played since June/July last year in an AFL match. He had an operation. He came to Sydney full of wanting to prove himself - He has done a full pre-season from all reports. He has had one game back and seemed to throw off the cobwebs late in the game - I am giving him the benefit of the doubt - He was rusty, fit, but underplayed, sluggish, but got better as the game wore on - and I still believe he can be as good as he was a few years ago. He belongs in the attacking half of the field - I'd back him to be a better kick for goal than Jolly.

We seem to have a very talented list of youngsters from all reserves reports. I'm sure the powers that be will have seen what Vogels did, and if team balance requires he be replaced by someone else, then it will happen. But if he has what it takes to tackle a Richmond opponent, perhaps he will stay - The Tigers ain't the Eagles - They play a different style of footy, maybe one that Vogels plays better against - Horses for courses. He was not the only one out there last Saturday.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Wow, my thread became a Sticky, how cool! but onto all things football...

I wasn't necessarily giving up on Spida as an attacking option, but our backline seems to need more help than our forward line at the moment. A dropped mark by Jolly in our forward 50, is likely to do less damage than a dropped mark in our backline, and he does get a serious case of butter fingers most of the time. Perhaps Everitt could start the game as a roaming, attacking ruckman, but drift back if things aren't going our way? i didn't see him in the backline on Saturday night, am i blind or did he not get a stint down there?

Hall, in general, appears to be a pretty smart footballer, and i probably critisized his performance too much, but having thought it over more logically, i think his rampages through packs were mistaken for stupidity or arrogance, when he was really just trying to create something, when the options weren't exactly presenting themself. He and Micky were double and triple teamed on Saturday night, and we failed to counter that.

On Vogels, i have to disagree. I don't think the horses for courses really applies here, a competent backman has to be reliable in all circumstances, not just brought in for weaker opposition, that can only give him a false sense of belief, until he's smashed again by a quality forward.

[TMSS]

am i blind or did he not get a stint down there?

He did not get a 'stint' down there, I think you could still be blind though.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

He did not get a 'stint' down there, I think you could still be blind though.

Thanks for that lol.

[hammo]

I certainly agree on the Goodes point. Asking him to tag is like Worsfold getting Judd to tag Jude Bolton or Nathan Buckley to tag Luke Ablett. Goodes will create and score goals with his brilliance so let him run and give opposition coaches the headache of finding a match up.

I also agree about the perfect pass syndrome we perennially suffer from. Why do we go for a finessed pass to Hall wide on a forward pocket (where he'll probably miss the shot anyway) instead of kicking to the goal square or someone a better lead?

Spida can be a link man through the midfield and his long, accurate kick should just almost a good a weapon as Malceski's.

I am not writing off the Tigers but if there are calls to experiment with White, why not just bring the Donk straight back in and let's play tall.

[Margie]

Hall's tactics of playing on and bursting through packs seemed like desperate efforts to set something up. Hopefully there'll be more organisation against Richmond.

Watching the young Irish Carlton defender on Richardson at the weekend made me think we need someone to drop into the gap rather than expecting Leo to go one-on-one with Richo.

[schwattasboots]

i think the team can put heaps of effort in them
ta tim

[Thunder Shaker]

If it's anything like last year I am looking forward to the percentage boost.

[swantastic]

IMO we wont win by more than 6 goals,dont forget we are slow starters and thats the way i like it.

[Sanecow]

Will be a tough game without LRT helping out.

[satchmopugdog]

They haven't got Knobel or Simmonds so maybe Teddy for the ruck!!!!!!

[BigBadBarryNo1]

I don't think Vogues had that bad a game, and Jesse White is still a rookie.

As for Goodesy, I suspect he did sacrifice some of his game to stall Judd, but McVeigh should have done the job on him more though.

[Lucky Knickers]

Like to see Ted up forward this week to provide another option in the fwd line given no Davo.
Who gets the job on Richo and Pettifer?

[Eala ?ireann]

All I want to see this week is that every time a Swans forweard marks the ball anywhere near the attacking 50, that they settle down and have a kick at goal.

I'm easily pleased.