Changes for 23 v the Cats

[giant]

Morton for Bolton is the obvious one. Is a question whether they'll perservere with the four talls in the forward line - sometimes it works, sometimes not so much...

[wolftone57]

I cannot believe people are calling for Parker and mcglynn to be dropped. Just because they didn't have a great game they are the types of player you need in finals. Only change Bolton in if fit Morton out

Benny might not have got a lot of possession but his smothering and hardness at the ball to shut them down in the first, third & last was really telling. I wouldn't drop either of them.

[Jewels]

Sadly Jett's doesn't deal well with being tagged. I love him and when he gets on a run it is breathtaking to watch but in the last few weeks he has been heavily tagged and shut down (and I'm ready to be yelled at by some as a result ) last night was lethargic and lazy. Now there have been posters in the past who have yelled from the rooftops if a player is out of form for a period of time then give him a spell. Maybe jetts should be rested for next week or made sub for the cats game so Morton can be on for the full game. It's just a thought.

Your spot on Wardy, being tagged was not his excuse last night, he was just plain lazy.
I think your sub plan is a good one.

[wolftone57]

Yep thats a pretty decent call. Still I think our biggest failing in our forward line is that too often our forwards all lead to the same place. Like in the first half of the earlier game this year, Hawthorn played a loose man in defence for most of the night, and when your forwards all lead to the same area all the time, it makes it far too easy for that loose man to affect the contest. We need the boys, especially Reid/Pyke/Mumford/LRT to work more on leading away from each other where possible. Open up the forward line so that when teams play that loose man, he has to committ one way or the other, thus giving us the opportunity sometimes to get better 1 on 1 contests. The few times we managed it tonight, it worked well. But too often, the two main forwards at the time end up leading to the same area, leading to 3 on 2 situations occuring far too often.

Agree totally. The other thing is that the leads are a pack which is very hard to control if it does get through. Ball comes to ground and they have the extra numbers. What I thought was staggering was that Guerra was allowed to be that extra man in their backline. He is the one who sets them up time and time again, him, Mitchell & Burgoine.

[wolftone57]

I think Longmire should have given the likes of Jetta, AJ, Hanners, a week off later in the year, they are clearly tiring. Will they come up for the finals?

I think we should drop LRT but we won't

Fail to see Hannas tiring he got 29 posies this week. AJ had to really keep tabs on a player and wasn't allowed to be a rebound defender v Hawks. We are waiting too long to get the ball to Jetta, I was aware of him taking off on several occasions when a player in defense was coming out and the player vacillated and then it was too late. Quite a few times it was Mal who held onto the ball and ran rather than deliver to the running player. He seems more comfortable delivering to the set play/position rather than a player running into space. I feel he isn't confident doing that. His delivery hasn't been that good in the last 3 weeks anyway. Jetts is now getting a very tight tag too.

[Alan]

Excuse me Alan...Are you on drugs?

No, but always up for a quick scoob if there is one being passed around. I suppose you want an explanation then?

Jetts is struggling with the run-with-types and Geelong have two or three of the best going around. Everitt was the player who kicked the all important goal against the Cats last time and there backline is not very tall.

[hot potato]

Fail to see Hannas tiring he got 29 posies this week. AJ had to really keep tabs on a player and wasn't allowed to be a rebound defender v Hawks. We are waiting too long to get the ball to Jetta, I was aware of him taking off on several occasions when a player in defense was coming out and the player vacillated and then it was too late. Quite a few times it was Mal who held onto the ball and ran rather than deliver to the running player. He seems more comfortable delivering to the set play/position rather than a player running into space. I feel he isn't confident doing that. His delivery hasn't been that good in the last 3 weeks anyway. Jetts is now getting a very tight tag too.

I can't abide vacillating... Not good for me heart rate!

[Swansinger]

OUT : O'Keefe , Kennedy , Richards
IN : White , Moore , Spangher.

Half the Cats team will be doubled up laughing or be in shock , which means loads of uncontested footy for us and an easy win.

[Scottee]

Jetta has been playing injured with his knee which has hampered his pace and influence sadly. I like Wardy's suggestion. Give Morton a full game v Cats and start Jets as sub to give him a partial rest. Other option is too simply tell Jets to play as a crumbing forward as we a long kicks regularly coming to ground yesterday we need someone at Reid and co's feet.

Agree with your thoughts and Wardy's. Rest Jetta, let him come back fresh for the finals.No good if he isn't quick and he was a liability against the Hawks. Morton oozes class and must be given a proper run. Bolton in - we are 3 to 4 goal better side! Also, if LRT is not right I would be interested in how the forward line would function with either Jesse White or Tommy to bust packs for the smalls and split the effort of the opposition backs.

Jesse's form is good and it has been consistent lately. It would be interesting to see how we would go with 3 genuine rucks, all of which can play key forward.

I subscribe to the don't play injured or out of form players theory and the play form players theory which explains my preferences here I guess.

[Dirtyburt]

Agree with your thoughts and Wardy's. Rest Jetta, let him come back fresh for the finals.No good if he isn't quick and he was a liability against the Hawks. Morton oozes class and must be given a proper run. Bolton in - we are 3 to 4 goal better side! Also, if LRT is not right I would be interested in how the forward line would function with either Jesse White or Tommy to bust packs for the smalls and split the effort of the opposition backs.

Jesse's form is good and it has been consistent lately. It would be interesting to see how we would go with 3 genuine rucks, all of which can play key forward.

I subscribe to the don't play injured or out of form players theory and the play form players theory which explains my preferences here I guess.

Sigh, I hope this is a wind up? White and or Walsh in the forward 50! In combination with Morton, against a cats running backline!!!!

Please tell me you are having a leg pull?

[Ludwig]

The loss to Hawthorne and a win next week would be he best result as it turns out. If we would have beaten Hawthorne, then we would almost certainly have to play Collingwood at ANZ. But by losing we will play either Adelaide or WCE at home or Adelaide at AAMI (which is still a better prospect than Collingwood anywhere). I was hoping it would have been a dead rubber for the Cats, but as it turns out, they have a lot to play for. Losing could mean a trip to Perth for them. In fact, all the games involving the top 8 are important.

We need to have a strategy against Geelong that doesn't involve bombing the ball into the forward line. They have just about the best tall defenders in the AFL, but are a bit vulnerable to speed. Goodes, Reid and LRT had a total of 5 marks between them the last time we played them at the SCG, and their defense took an enormous number of marks. We would be much better off kicking the ball along the ground and making it a ground level contest where we do much better. No team ever seems to do this, even when they are clearly up against a much better defensive team in the air. Maybe because it looks bad.

[Go Swannies]

I finally got up the strength to watch the replay tonight - well the first half anyway. The change for the Hawks was when they started punching the ball forward at every opportunity. It was a bit like the way they won the Premiership against the Cats - but instead of punched behinds they were acting as if our spoiling could be counteracted by just moving the ball forward. And it worked. So the idea of keeping the ball at ground level isn't a silly idea if we are being killed overhead - as we certainly were when the ball came in high last night.

[swansrule100]

In Walsh, Mcneil, Lamb
Out Kennedy, Mumford, Richards

[barry]

Mitch Morton must be given a full game. Playing cameo subs is a waste of time.

He needs this so we know if he can impact the finals or not. We will know absolutely nothing if we drop him now.

Everett will likely come in. Maybe to replace LRT.

[Rod_]

Well if I am right, we can not fall out of the top 4 with out some really strange results.. On this basis I would rest a few players, for a fair dinkum go the next week.

I would rest Smith, Hanners, Jetta, Parker, Goodes, McGlynn, Johnston and Kennedy. (perhaps Pyke and LRT) and 2 or 3 others that are sore...!

In Bolton, White, Moore, Everett, Armstrong, Gordon, Spangher, Seiby, Walsh, Meredith, Lamb and TDL

Resting for the finals and let us play who ever the footy gods decide..

A week off now and we could play the 4 finals games if needed or only 3 if needed if we win week 1

Rod_