Changes for Rnd 14 V Collingwood

[Melbournehammer]

And that, to me, is the big problem with White, he doesn't seem to know how to.

But Jewels thats all very well....until you recognise the alternative is having LRT play as a spoiling ff, or andrejs who has the build of a hff and gets pushed off, or LJ who simply gets outbodied by experienced opponents. And Jesse is actually very quick and as everyone says is not too bad off the ground.

Which given the delivery into the forward line is really the key performance criteria in my view.

the only other alternative is to go in the complete opposite direction by using a mosquito fleet forward line. And I dont think we have anyone who is really fast enough to play in that position.

Jesse is the best alternative.

[Nich]

Is Real Commando still working with the team?? Can't we get RC to smack some anger into him? Bully him a little bit. Get some fire stoking up inside. Rough the kid up. Big Bad Bustling Jesse White style. Let's go Jesse!!! Now or never.

[Dan]

Jesse played OK in the first few rounds, only in the matches against Carlton and Geelong was he hopeless when it was pouring down rain. Time for another crack i reckon, but he can only ruck in the forward 50, he loses all confidence when he gets dominated by the opposition ruckmen in the center square

[GongSwan]

If Ted goes out with injury we should move LRT back to his preferred spot in the back six. Kennelly does look a bit tired, maybe a week off. Bring in White or start playing Johnstone in the forward line. Might as well use this year to get some game time in the young blokes. Seaby can probably carry most of the ruck work while Mumy is out, if we have white and LRT in the side then 2 backup ruckmen are better than one. The midfield will struggle against all the class sides because we don't have the speed and class of other sides who got 800 first round draft picks by tanking. We willl have to find some more speed, but really, our skills and execution against Carlton were abysmal

[S120]

There are a lot of possible permutations for the side this week. All depending on Ted being fit.

If he's fit, LRT would surely reprise his 2nd ruck role and play a bit at FF. I would want him in defence to take on one of their big gorillas in Dawes or Cloke but not sure that would happen. Or he could just follow Leigh Brown all game wherever he goes, into the ruck, up forward, down back.

If Ted isn't fit, we need a tall defender. It would have to be LRT to go back surely. That means ruck insurance is needed. Jesse has been playing there in the 2's a bit and doing it quite well from most accounts but Longmire has said that he wants to give Jesse the opportunity to just play FF in the seniors. If we are to believe that, maybe it is time that Currie debuts. I'd love to see it happen, after being on the list for so long.

So maybe the changes will be:

Ins: Currie, White

Outs: Richards (injury), Mumford (suspension)

Does leave as us quite tall and slow though, similar to how we were against Carlton. Be interesting to see if Meredith or Sumner get a call-up.

[Nico]

I would like to see Campbell Heath get a crack and take kennellys spot, from what I've heard from the ressies he is cool and calm under pressure and takes the right option with no brain snaps, something which Tadgh had plenty of today. Plus he would add some extra leg speed???

Also start playing forwards in the forward line!!! White, TDL and Johnston are forwards!!!!

Campbell Heath for "Marshmellow" Malceski perhaps.

[Nich]

Goodesy is leading our Inside 50 count I'm pretty sure so I think that says a lot. We look better with him in the middle, it's just a fact of life. The sooner we play Jesse/TDL/Reid in the one team and leave Goodesy more in the middle the better it will be for us. Especially when we run a few hard tags each game we need Goodes to break us out of the middle and use the ball efectively. Facts are that there are many games where great key forwards have no impact on the game and we need to stick by Jesse and maintain some structure. I can't see too many other options right now. TDL kicks goals, Jesse is a pretty solid kick. Another area that effects their games is our lack of patience. We are ranked at the bottom for disposals per game and I'm sure it's because we waste opportunities with the ball. No patience and Goodesy has stated that.

We aren't working hard enough for each other once we start moving forward. It's no coincidence that the 4 teams with the highest number of disposals per game are the top 4 teams in the comp. 3 of those 4 are also in the top 4 inside 50 teams. You need to keep the ball in your hands and use it. Our kicking and marking is almost non existent compared to some teams. Sure our game plan has a lot to do with things but we are ranked last for the number of disposals per game. Last. That is putting so much pressure on ourselves. It's amazing that we are doing so well with such poor stats in these key areas of the game. We need to get the key fundamentals right coming out of the middle of the ground. Kicking/Marking/Possession. Working for each other. Are we too busy tagging that Joey doesn't have a partner out of the middle? Are some of the guys in the middle not working hard/smart enough. Do we just not have the cattle? Do we not have the right mix of players out of the centre? I'm not normally a massive stats person but Coaches rely heavily on clearances and contested possession etc. We are strong in both but what happens after that? I wish I had some answers

We need to hold onto the ball and do it smartly. We are not doing that for 4 quarters every game. Have we become too predictable in our game plan that teams shut us down as soon as we take possession? Is it just terrible skills? Sorry for all the questions!?!?

We're ranked 3rd in 1st possessions. 4th in clearances, contested possessions and 1st in the 1%'s. We are getting the ball. We just aren't using it properly and Horse said as much. How do we fix that? I'm not sure. ROK has been gathering great ball but he has poor effectiveness. I'm sure he knows but he's not doing much about it. Turnovers KILL teams. We saw it with Tadhg at such crucial times in Sunday's game. We are not playing smart. They're playing tough most of the time as we know always do, but you need to get reward for that otherwise it's pointless. I think we've been a little unfair to our forward line. We are doing them no favours at all. We are ranked middle of the pack for inside 50's and if you look at the teams below us not one of those teams has a key forward kicking bags. We shouldn't be expecting our forwards to be kicking a bag when we are not up to scratch in other areas. I know there's a lot more to the Jesse story than this but I just don't think we can hang it on Jesse/forwards all the time.


Sydney - McGlynn 22
Melbourne - Jurrah 28
Dockers - Bradley 21
Brisbane - Clark 19
Adelaide - Tippett 21 (and we know he has big wraps on him)
Saints - Milne 21
Dogs - Giansiracusa 21
Suns - Matera 11
Port - Cray 19

But the main difference between us and the above is that we rank high in 1st possessions, contested possessions and clearances (bar GC).

My head hurts right now. What am I trying to say??!?!?!?? Play Jesse and TDL and leave them there, give Goodes more time out of the centre, maintain possession in the middle 3rd of the field, work harder for each other, think, be patient. Time for a drink!!

[Triple B]

Campbell Heath for "Marshmellow" Malceski perhaps.

Eski's never been a great defender but has been tolerated for what he gives going the other way, a bit like Johncock who has been getting a few whacks from various commentators for his non-defensive work the past 2 weeks.

But there were 2 clear non-efforts from him on Sunday afternoon which I'd hope he wouldn't be proud of, they were very ordinary to say the least.

[liz]

Eski's never been a great defender but has been tolerated for what he gives going the other way, a bit like Johncock who has been getting a few whacks from various commentators for his non-defensive work the past 2 weeks.

But there were 2 clear non-efforts from him on Sunday afternoon which I'd hope he wouldn't be proud of, they were very ordinary to say the least.

I think Malceski is starting to show the effects of the missed training. I think part of the problem we had on Sunday was that we had three players who weren't really match fit (or didn't look to be) and that these are all top half-dozen players when they are up and running. Add the non-impact of Jetta when he came on, and Kennelly having a relative shocker (though he's was good in the few games beforehand), and it is not hard to see why we were beaten so convincingly.

[supersall]

Interesting debate chappies, all I can add is that if they play Everet, I'm leaving. Useless in any position.

[ernie koala]

What the hell...let's ring the changes...
Out : Mumford, Richards, Jetta, Malceski
In : White , TDL, Johnston, Parker

LRT to defence, Goodes to the midfield.
Kennelly or McVeigh to sub.

[aardvark]

Found this on BF. Enjoy...

[jono2707]

Is it just me that is reminded of Luke Ablett when ROK has been getting the ball in contested situations lately? He seems to be playing the "bang it on the boot and hope for the best" sort of tactic that Luke often followed (to varying degrees of success). I'm not completely smitten with ROK in the midfield and would perhaps prefer to see him played further forward a bit more. It seems that when he gets contested ball his efficiency suffers - he is obviously a much better player than that and I think he could be better utilised.

BTW I'm not having a go at him - I think he's performed pretty well all year - however maybe we might benefit more by playing him less as a midfielder?

[ernie koala]

Is it just me that is reminded of Luke Ablett when ROK has been getting the ball in contested situations lately? He seems to be playing the "bang it on the boot and hope for the best" sort of tactic that Luke often followed (to varying degrees of success). I'm not completely smitten with ROK in the midfield and would perhaps prefer to see him played further forward a bit more. It seems that when he gets contested ball his efficiency suffers - he is obviously a much better player than that and I think he could be better utilised.

BTW I'm not having a go at him - I think he's performed pretty well all year - however maybe we might benefit more by playing him less as a midfielder?

Yeah, I agree with you, he does tend to throw it on the boot fairly often. Maybe he's instructed to when in tight situations.
And given he made all australian as a forward, and at present we don't really have a functioning forward line as such, it would seem logical for him to atleast spend some time one out up forward.

[dimelb]

Found this on BF. Enjoy...

Great fun! And, I must admit it, very classy of Collingwood to put it together.