all white and fuzzy ~

[Chilcott]

I was their Saturday night and it was just one of those nights, we should forget.

Our backline has been decimated through injury and we really struggled against the Hawks height and strength - I can accept that.

Our midfield was beaten on the night, but that's OK, it happens and I can accept that.

But what I can't accept, were some of the forward line strategies:-
- At one stage, Pyke was in the ruck, Reid was in the backline and Goodes was up the ground and we didn't have one player in the
forward line over 6 foot. Gibson and Lake were loving that.
- Had no-one at the true CHF position for most of the night. Goodes was working hard, but got most of his disposals up the ground
or closer to the boundary. Reid played a fait bit between the goal square and the 50 metre arc and was swamped whenever we went
forward.
- The amount of times we bombed a long kick into the forward line was so frustrating. How about we lower our eyes and kick to a
lead.

[ernie koala]

I'm certainly in the camp that thinks Reid should play in defence....At least for the time being.

His general play is excellent, his pressure is good, he's a great decision maker and a beautiful field kick.

He could be a real weapon playing on the 3rd best tall.

Who goes to CHF....I'd give Walsh an extended run,..He certainly competes well..Then put a bit of experience around him...ie Morton, MGlynn, Bolton.

[Melbournehammer]

I was their Saturday night and it was just one of those nights, we should forget.

Our backline has been decimated through injury and we really struggled against the Hawks height and strength - I can accept that.

Our midfield was beaten on the night, but that's OK, it happens and I can accept that.

But what I can't accept, were some of the forward line strategies:-
- At one stage, Pyke was in the ruck, Reid was in the backline and Goodes was up the ground and we didn't have one player in the
forward line over 6 foot. Gibson and Lake were loving that.
- Had no-one at the true CHF position for most of the night. Goodes was working hard, but got most of his disposals up the ground
or closer to the boundary. Reid played a fait bit between the goal square and the 50 metre arc and was swamped whenever we went
forward.
- The amount of times we bombed a long kick into the forward line was so frustrating. How about we lower our eyes and kick to a
lead.

I suspect that they were instructed to do so. I watched longmire's press conference and he was complaining about the number of kicks that went in shallow to the fifty rather than deep. I couldn't understand that comment because I watched the game and the hawks always had one spare, BEHIND the last men. Our spare was always in front of the last pair. so mattner or reid were playing in front of the last defender and forward. Their spare man was 5 metres behind so whenever we just thumped it long towards the goal square it was easy pickings for them. The stupidity of this tactic was exacerbated by the fact that of our forwards only mcglynn ever looks fast enough to close an opponent down. Luke parker looks great on a lead and is strong over head but leg speed is not his go. watching them kick it over his head was both dumb and actually counter productive because it means that their superior footspeed and footskills got going while we were actually trying to find men.

when we actually did get it in decent posisitons our kicks and spacing were terrible. goodes chose to go to a one on one with jetta and hill and it hit the deck five metres in front. mal missed hanners by about 15 metres. jesse was caught behind lake a couple of times (he was all australian so thats no great surprise) but he brought the ball to ground but there was simply nothing near them and out it went again.

for years we have banged on about our forward structures and entries. i am absolutely convinced that unless mcveigh is kicking into the fifty no-one else actually looks unless we have already taken a mark. i guess it comes to this - when we mark about 60 from goal we look dangerous. when we run through the middle we just seem to want to kick it as long as we can. maybe it isnt the forward structure so much as the tactics.

[The Big Cat]

I'm certainly in the camp that thinks Reid should play in defence....At least for the time being.

The quarter he spent in defence was right in front of us. He had no idea. He was continually asking Ted and Reg where he should stand. There was pointing all over the place. He is a CHF who is suffering from his reputation as a big pack mark. He virtually never gets a one-on-one. There is always a third man or fourth man up against him and at times he get gets totally blocked from any jump at the ball.

[Scottee]

Okay, I actually think that Jessie White could make a positive difference to our forward to set up at the moment. It's obvious that opposing teams have worked out a way to neutralise Sam.
The fact that Jessie kicked one goal whereas Sam didn't kick any on Saturday night has gone unnoticed even though Jessie was only part time up forward. If it had been two goals I don't think anybody would be criticising him and it was only one misskick that meant he didn't kick two. Normally he would have kicked straight both times.
Nobody has mentioned the fact that we had two ruckmen against three very good ruckman plus some very tall key position players to content with. Jessie and Mike were both overworked and there was always one extra tall free for Hawthorn.
Despite his faults (hard hands poor positioning and lack of awareness) Jessie is very hard to shift in close and he opens up packs for the small players in a much better way than Sam does. As also previously said he is not slow, is a good mark and a reasonable ruck man although slightly small for the role.
From a technical point of view we need to play Jessie simply to break up the neutralising plans of the opposition ? la Sam, because those plans are working.
He should improve next week, if he doesn't I might join the chorus but at the moment I think he is worth a try. As for Sam I think he would be well served by either a stint on a flank or a wing or in the reserves to get his confidence back he certainly doesn't cut it as the main spearhead at the moment.

[swans_premiers]

While Mumford, Tippet and LRT are out of the side, White is clearly the next best choice. He has played some good footy for us in the past, look back on the 2010 final against Carlton, he had a large influence on that game.

Granted it would take a monumental increase in form for him to keep any of the others out, but over the next week or two we need him.

Sam is a 21 year old playing the hardest position on the ground, on the best defenders each week, once Tippett comes in this will quickly change and we've all seen how he can rip 2/3rd defenders to shreds when his confidence is up. With Pyke's contested marking and goal kicking becoming elite,and Goodes pinch hitting, we'll be very very dangerous later in the year. God help opposition defenders when Rohan gets up and going too.

[ernie koala]

The quarter he spent in defence was right in front of us. He had no idea. He was continually asking Ted and Reg where he should stand. There was pointing all over the place. He is a CHF who is suffering from his reputation as a big pack mark. He virtually never gets a one-on-one. There is always a third man or fourth man up against him and at times he get gets totally blocked from any jump at the ball.

It would be pretty surprising if he didn't ask positional questions to the 2 incumbent defenders, both with many seasons experience, who play together in the backline every week, one current AA...

Do you think he should of just wandered around wherever he pleased ?

The fact that those 2 are there, makes it all the more feasible to play Reid back....Because they can help him enormously.

[Primmy]

Did you know Leo Barry started out as a forward? Kicked two goals in 3 minutes, against Melbourne if I remember correctly, the day Stuart Diver was released from the ground. So...

I rather think that Sammy may find himself in the backline soon, and do a fine fine job of it. Just think of it. Sam in the back line, slingshot down to midfield, still moving and getting to kick to full forward. Aahh..

On darling Jesse. I was at physio today and he asked me to turn on the spot and I went in the opposite direction - just like Jesse White, he said - he was at the game. ... oh dear.

[Auntie.Gerald]

its working for Harry at the Cats !

He is killing it playing both roles in defence and attack when needed

LRT was doing this but maybe Sam will now just to make it much harder for the opposition and better for our impact

[0918330512]

Jesse would have to be as unlucky as Tommy channels the luck of the Irish ... Jesse comes in against a rampant Hawks & struggles just like everyone else ... gets dropped ... Tommy takes his place against a Freo side depleted of their best talls (which would've benefited Jesse's game no end).

[Dosser]

I wouldnt be surprised if Mumford doesnt come up for the game today and Jesse is in.

[wolftone57]

i don't think Jesse was our worst last week. That is reserved for a couple of senior players who seemed to go missing and not chase.

[liz]

Jesse was in the team as a ruckman, replacing Mumford. He was always going to make way once Mumford returned unless he somehow snuck forward from his ruck duties and kicked multiple goals. He's been playing almost exclusively as a ruckman in the reserves for a year now.

Walsh isn't coming in as a ruck but as a KPP at either end. I am a little surprised at both Walsh and Morton coming in at the same time, given we don't obviously need another tall defender against the Dockers, and Longmire has seemed reluctant all year to pick many true forward line players, Reid aside. But it wouldn't surprise me to see Walsh given a "run-with" role on Michael Johnson. He's very dangerous if allowed to roam free.

I can see poor Mitch being the sub again- with Armstrong and Lamb both out, he and Bird loom as the only two likely options.

[aardvark]

I can see poor Mitch being the sub again- with Armstrong and Lamb both out, he and Bird loom as the only two likely options.

Gee I hope not. Mitch deserves a chance to cement a spot. He is a terrible choice for sub. Parker maybe?

[liz]

Gee I hope not. Mitch deserves a chance to cement a spot. He is a terrible choice for sub. Parker maybe?

Doubt it would be Parker. Think he warrants a spot in the starting line up. I think he's second at the club for tackles and is kicking goals too.