Changes Round 17 V Carlton

[Melb Blood Bro]

I wouldn't think that Jones would be out. It's only in the more severe concussion cases that players miss the following week. His was insignificant from my understanding. I'd like to see BJ out and Mitchell in. If Tippett doesn't play I'd like to see Membrey in.

In relation to Tippett. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was left out of the team last week, firstly as a precaution and secondly due to the heavy track and they didnt want to go in too tall. Any thoughts on my theory?

[Nico]

Lloyd played his best in the last quarter when the game was there to be won. Ran as hard then as he did at the start of the game. Young blokes are expected to have the odd flat game.For mine he is ahead of BJ at this stage.
Also since Shaw has been out Macca has been playing mostly off half back.

I think Mitchell will come in for Jones. They have to get him back in the 22 and hope that he doesn't do the ankle again. Surely he is better than Cunningham and BJ. Pace: well Craig Bird isn't that quick.

[aguy]

I wouldn't think that Jones would be out. It's only in the more severe concussion cases that players miss the following week. His was insignificant from my understanding. I'd like to see BJ out and Mitchell in. If Tippett doesn't play I'd like to see Membrey in.

In relation to Tippett. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was left out of the team last week, firstly as a precaution and secondly due to the heavy track and they didnt want to go in too tall. Any thoughts on my theory?

I wouldn't be surprised with that reasoning at all. Even if he didn't have any knee soreness we know he still won't be 100 percent after his recent surgery so the heavy track would have at least doubled the chance of him reinjuring the knee. Interestingly I think Rohan whilst not having a blinder I think did enough to earn another game next week.

[Matt80]

I wouldn't be surprised with that reasoning at all. Even if he didn't have any knee soreness we know he still won't be 100 percent after his recent surgery so the heavy track would have at least doubled the chance of him reinjuring the knee. Interestingly I think Rohan whilst not having a blinder I think did enough to earn another game next week.

Don't underestimate the significance of the pressure that B. Jack, Rohan, Lloyd and Cunningham can apply. Mitchell is an ideal replacement for one of Kennedy, Parker or Bird. If you play Mitchell and drop one of B.Jack, Rohan, Lloyd or Cunningham you will lose defensive pressure and tackling capability in space.

Its no accident that the John Longmire tackling game moved into overdrive when ROK and Mitchell were omitted after the North Melbourne match. More pace came in and more pressure was applied.

I would like to see Mitchell get an opportunity but it would not surprise me if Towers was preferred instead of Mitchell due to his electric pace. Towers was also amongst the best players in the Reserves.

[Jewels]

In relation to Tippett. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was left out of the team last week, firstly as a precaution and secondly due to the heavy track and they didnt want to go in too tall. Any thoughts on my theory?

That's what I thought when I first heard he was out. I read somewhere today that Longmire said he fully expects him to play next week.

[barry]

Tippet was left out because of the weather in perth.

[Ludwig]

I noticed that Lloyd and to a lesser extent Cunningham, hang off the play a bit and let the big boys do most of the inside contested stuff. I imagine they have been instructed to do this. Lloyd positions himself 10, 20 or 30 mtrs off the congestion and is ready in case the ball comes free. But if the ball comes his way, he's ready to contest the ball and tackle. It's not the kind of role for racking up big numbers, but he's doing a good job. Once he gets more confidence and experience I think he'll nail those shots on goal like he did in the reserves. I would like to see Lloyd get a tagging role on an experienced player like Kade Simpson this week to see how he goes.

[troyjones2525]

Don't underestimate the significance of the pressure that B. Jack, Rohan, Lloyd and Cunningham can apply. Mitchell is an ideal replacement for one of Kennedy, Parker or Bird. If you play Mitchell and drop one of B.Jack, Rohan, Lloyd or Cunningham you will lose defensive pressure and tackling capability in space.

Its no accident that the John Longmire tackling game moved into overdrive when ROK and Mitchell were omitted after the North Melbourne match. More pace came in and more pressure was applied.

I would like to see Mitchell get an opportunity but it would not surprise me if Towers was preferred instead of Mitchell due to his electric pace. Towers was also amongst the best players in the Reserves.

Is Mitchell really that slow? I know he's not as quick as Cunningham, Rohan or Jetta but I wouldn't say that Lloyd has blistering pace and as far as tackling pressure goes, I don't think we have many more ferocious tacklers than Mitchell at his peak! Granted I like Lloyd's skills and ball use but I still would like to see Tom given a chance to prove himself, not so much at the the expense of Lloyd but probably baby Jack at this stage. We have enough pace in the side already, especially on the smaller SCG.

[Flying South]

Don't underestimate the significance of the pressure that B. Jack, Rohan, Lloyd and Cunningham can apply. Mitchell is an ideal replacement for one of Kennedy, Parker or Bird. If you play Mitchell and drop one of B.Jack, Rohan, Lloyd or Cunningham you will lose defensive pressure and tackling capability in space.

Its no accident that the John Longmire tackling game moved into overdrive when ROK and Mitchell were omitted after the North Melbourne match. More pace came in and more pressure was applied.

I would like to see Mitchell get an opportunity but it would not surprise me if Towers was preferred instead of Mitchell due to his electric pace. Towers was also amongst the best players in the Reserves.

The electric pace of BJ, Rohan and Cunningham provided 31 possessions and 17 tackles. The dawdling pace of Kennedy, Parker and Bird provided 85 possessions and 23 tackles. Electric pace doesn't necessarily get you the ball or effect a tackle. It is nice to have some pace in the team, but sometimes there can be too much emphasis on it. Just get me the ball anyway you can.

Besides thought you would like to see Mitchell in the team and firing to increase his trade value.

[Beerman]

IIn relation to Tippett. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was left out of the team last week, firstly as a precaution and secondly due to the heavy track and they didnt want to go in too tall. Any thoughts on my theory?

Spot on, I would say. I'm a bit surprised that people are making so much of it, actually - it seemed clearly tactical to me. It's no coincidence that West Coast also omitted a
tall in Natanui.

[Matt80]

The electric pace of BJ, Rohan and Cunningham provided 31 possessions and 17 tackles. The dawdling pace of Kennedy, Parker and Bird provided 85 possessions and 23 tackles. Electric pace doesn't necessarily get you the ball or effect a tackle. It is nice to have some pace in the team, but sometimes there can be too much emphasis on it. Just get me the ball anyway you can.

Besides thought you would like to see Mitchell in the team and firing to increase his trade value.

Mitchell is a good tackler in tight like Kennedy, Parker and Bird. Most of their tackling comes in tight and congested situations, usually straight after a ruckmans hit out. The bulk and strength of Mitchell, Kennedy, Parker and Bird becomes valuable in those tight situations

It's a different skill altogether to be able to tackle well in space when the ball is in the forward line. You need eclectic pace to apply tackling and forward pressure in the forward line. There are guys like Chris Yarren, Brodie Smith and Marley Williams who look to expose their opponents with run out of the backline. When those guys see Cunningham, Lloyd, B. Jack or Rohan approaching them, things don't seem as easy and their possessions become rushed.

Everyone has different roles to make the team balance work. The balance has worked perfectly for 11 games. It remains to be seen whether adding another good in an under midfielder without electric pace will benefit or hinder the team balance.

[aguy]

In keen to see the injury update. That will be tonight right? (Tuesday night)

[mcs]

Mitchell is a good tackler in tight like Kennedy, Parker and Bird. Most of their tackling comes in tight and congested situations, usually straight after a ruckmans hit out. The bulk and strength of Mitchell, Kennedy, Parker and Bird becomes valuable in those tight situations

It's a different skill altogether to be able to tackle well in space when the ball is in the forward line. You need eclectic pace to apply tackling and forward pressure in the forward line. There are guys like Chris Yarren, Brodie Smith and Marley Williams who look to expose their opponents with run out of the backline. When those guys see Cunningham, Lloyd, B. Jack or Rohan approaching them, things don't seem as easy and their possessions become rushed.

Everyone has different roles to make the team balance work. The balance has worked perfectly for 11 games. It remains to be seen whether adding another good in an under midfielder without electric pace will benefit or hinder the team balance.

I assume you meant 'electric' not 'ecletic' pace?

pace is only useful when the players also get enough of the ball. You want players with pace to use their skills with space. When it is in close, pace can help (look how well jetta has improved in tight situations), but pace is not necessarily a defining factor. Cunningham has shown this year big time the big value of his pace, and I'd love to see Rohan having such an impact sooner rather than later. Cunningham has time and again been a great outlet due to his pace, or drawn players out to create space for others. rohan was doing the same before that idiot from North did what he did - I hope he can get to the same place soon.

I think the 'lack of pace' issue is a key reason why for so long, so many in the media thought we were great at the SCG, but useless on the bigger grounds.

[Number 43]

Do you think there might be a couple of changes this week to help freshen up the team after a trip to Perth and a six day break? Derrickx for Pyke maybe? Mitchell or Hewett for Lloyd? Towers for Rohan or Brandon Jack?

[Ludwig]

Hard to drop Lloyd because of the 'lucky charm effect.' But he could be the sub.

KJ was the one who looked a bit worn out on Sunday, so perhaps we could bring in Tom Mitchell (45 possies in the reserves) for him. It would be good to get Tom back in the senior side again. KJ seems to be the mid other teams like to tag and Curnow is a good tagger. He shut out Montagna which is hard to do. Maybe we should save him the angst and get him ready for the Hawthorn game.

I suspect that the Tippett 'knee soreness' was just the standard excuse for too many talls on a wet day, but we should find out more this arvo with the injury report. Maybe there will be some clarification on the whether Zak will be given the week off as well.