Changes for Round 5 v Saints

[Meg]

Out: LRT
In: Tippett (disguised as LRT

Fine Cotton all over again!

[The Big Cat]

Milne gets a week from MRP

[The Big Cat]

LRT a scope and hoping for only minor damage. A few weeks only?

[ernie koala]

Milne gets a week from MRP

They might give the Burmese kitten a run.

[Dosser]

They might give the Burmese kitten a run.

He got a run last round and kicked 2, didnt he?

[ernie koala]

He got a run last round and kicked 2, didnt he?

Possibly, I didn't watch their game...But I've always had a soft spot for him.

He's a sneaky player, who tends to find space in the forward 50.

He'll need to be watched closely.

[ernie koala]

Glad to see 'the bee in a bottle' won't be playing.

That'll free up Smith to play on one of their other small forwards....Saad or Milera or TDL

[Reggi]

Lamb has flown over with the squad

"lamb Debutes in New Zealand" sounds like a promotion for a Kiwi strip club doesn't it

[stellation]

Holy crap ... a flying sheep!!

Scary guano.

[Ludwig]

I wouldn't change the team, other than the forced replacement of LRT. Instead, I'd change the gameplan:

1. We've been playing both Mummy and Pykey for most of the game, rotating the non-rucking one into the fwds. I'd go back to resting the non-rucking one on the bench to see if this gives Mummy more of an impact. Hopefully allows him to bust out of his current lack of form.

2. The tall forward line gameplan was relying on either plenty of marks or else our smaller players crumbing well. Did work in earlier games but I thought it backfired against the Cats - I can recall a number of times our talls bringing the ball to ground resulting in the Cats picking it up outside the 50 and rebounding quickly. So don't give the Saints predictability, play one less tall in the fwds and replace with MM. Not quite so much long bombing into the 50, mix it up with chipping around to find the loose man. We should be able to outpace the older Saints squad.

3. Replace LRT with Bird - aligned with the "less talls" option, justified by a couple of key Saints talls likely to be out injured. Plus I agree with other posters that we look to be missing Bird on the HB line. Could be used as a key tagger for one of their mids/small fwds

4. Horse admits we fell into the trap of playing the Cats at their own high pace game. We kept up really well for half a game only. Our team knows this and will be dirty about it. So keep the squad intact and challenge them to go out against the Saints and dictate terms.

I generally agree with these comments, as I do think we need to make a few adjustments to the game plan.

1. It may be a problem resting one of the ruckmen on the bench, due the rotations. If Mummy rests on the bench then we will miss out on a midfield rotation so some players may tire later in the game. I don't think Mummy's form is all that bad really. Perhaps it's just been that he's been eclipsed by Pyke. It's also a problem because Reid is a bit out of form as well and we need a big body to create some play in the forward 50. If Mummy is not 100% fit, it could be the time to give White a chance.

2. Yes. Perhaps a smaller forward line would be better. I would suggest that we use Jetta as a small forward to try getting him out of his slump. Benny can play anywhere.

3. Definitely want Bird in the team and would like to seem Lamb as well, but not sure who should be dropped for him. Armstrong seems the only candidate as I am not sure that more AFL game time will solve his problems, which I see as mostly relating to lack of strength and toughness. But he's certainly willing.

4. Geelong's style of play is unique to them. They've been doing it so long now we should have been better prepared. Hard to know how Horse prepared for the game, and if we got suckered in by our 1st qtr success. Pretty sure there will be focus on playing to our style this week.

[swanspant12]

No Milney! Fantastic news. Tiprat always kills us.

[aardvark]

1. It may be a problem resting one of the ruckmen on the bench, due the rotations. If Mummy rests on the bench then we will miss out on a midfield rotation so some players may tire later in the game. I don't think Mummy's form is all that bad really. Perhaps it's just been that he's been eclipsed by Pyke. It's also a problem because Reid is a bit out of form as well and we need a big body to create some play in the forward 50. If Mummy is not 100% fit, it could be the time to give White a chance.

I really though Mummy looked better than he did against North. He just needs the work to run into form....and no injuries.

[707]

So who are the extra 5 players taken to NZ, Lamb is one according to the Longmire presser, assume Everitt, Bird, White are another three.

[liz]

So who are the extra 5 players taken to NZ, Lamb is one according to the Longmire presser, assume Everitt, Bird, White are another three.

Walsh possibly?

[RogueSwan]

...So keep the squad intact and challenge them to go out against the Saints and dictate terms.

by asking them to play a style other than what has been drilled into them all summer?

... Instead, I'd change the gameplan: