Changes for Rnd 20 V Port Power

[aardvark]

Ins. Franklin and Hanners
Outs. Towers and Membrey

[Simo]

I agree with towers, I don't think he goes hard enough, he has the size but you can't take a backward step in today's games. Needs some mongrel in his game to be a regular, Cunningham has been quiet although he is doing a tagging role, so for me
Towers out, Jack out for a rest, he's getting tagged and smashed and his ribs are still sore. Franklin and hanners in. Membrey to get another chance, he looked pretty good. Goodes to sub this week, just to give him a rest and membrey to play deeper.

[barry]

Franklin tends to miss a few weeks when his knee flares up.

In: hanners
Out: towers

[Matt80]

Assuming that Jetta and Franklin can take there places.

Ins - Franklin, Hanners

Out - Membrey, Bird

Tough on Bird and it would only be against Port, who have the most elite runners. Adelaide Oval is large and it will be more difficult to contain them like we did at the SCG.

With Bird out and Lloyd the sub, Towers and Cunningham can perform run-with roles to two of the Port elite runners. Hanners will give us more run than Bird, but without slowing the pace of the existing side.

This is a horses for courses decision, like playing spinners in India.

[gossipcom]

Reid might also be one that may miss next week (since he went down the tunnel for treatment - hip flexor, but played out the game).

Reid, Jetta and Rampe were the ones that seemed to pick up injuries but Jetta and Reid would be most in doubt.

[ShockOfHair]

Bird isn't going to get dropped. He ranks in the top ten of our B&F every year. The coaches love him because he's a smart player and can play a lot of roles.

Towers is the most likely to go, along with Membo. Doesn't attack the ball hard enough.

[Go Swannies]

I think Membrey deserves another game this week. Maybe Towers could use a rest.

We may lose Jets and Sam for this game. Two big outs. But Hanners and Buddy are huge ins.

I don't get the "drop Bird" theme. The only two players that I relax when they take possession are Macca and Bird (and Josh but he's normally in such traffic that he's about to be tackled). And that was the same last night. Bird is a vital cog that generally steadies the flow - it's often high pressure and sometimes doesn't work out but there's none on our list who can do that job as well.

Goodes as sub? Anyone noticed that he's our route to goals when the other forwards are bottled up. We can play him as the sub if we intend to only score in the final quarter.

[aguy]

Too early for me to predict this week. All basically depends on how they boys pull up ESP Reid and jetta.

If they are okay then membrey and towers out for Hanners and buddy in. But I am not sure.

We shouldn't rest players this week. Need absolute best to beat port. Leave the following few rounds for resting a couple

[Matimbo]

Tough on Bird and it would only be against Port, who have the most elite runners. Adelaide Oval is large and it will be more difficult to contain them like we did at the SCG.

I'm still getting surprised by people criticising Bird (on last night's game thread) or wanting him dropped (above). Main reason seems to always be his pace. Seems to be very subjective. The thing with Birdy is you just don't notice him out there. So I wanted to see what his stats say ...

Birdys Stats2.jpg
(Source: afltables.com)

About the big grounds ...

Adelaide Oval: 167m x 124m = 20,700 sq mtrs
compared with ...
Pattersons (Subiaco): 176 x 122 = 21,500 sq mtrs
MCG: 160 x 141 = 22,600 sq mtrs
AAMI (Football Park): 165 x 135 = 22,300 sq mtrs

Conclusion:
- I can see no evidence Birdy plays poorly on big grounds
- I can see no evidence Birdy struggles against fast teams
- He is in very good form right now, incl. recent games at Subiaco and MCG
- I cannot agree with him getting replaced with a less experienced player on a "horses for courses" basis

[Melbournehammer]

I would be giving bird an almighty spray. I have never rated his kicking (other than set shots at goal) but his handballing was appalling last night. Mcveigh also needs one. He is not tracking back at full tilt currently and while never quick needs to bust his gut more often.

We do have a problem in that all of our better midfielders are one paced with the absence of jack and hanners. All the pacier ones are just on the edge of the team. Frustrating that bird, Parker, Kennedy, mcveigh are so one paced.

[Ludwig]

I would be giving bird an almighty spray. I have never rated his kicking (other than set shots at goal) but his handballing was appalling last night. Mcveigh also needs one. He is not tracking back at full tilt currently and while never quick needs to bust his gut more often.

We do have a problem in that all of our better midfielders are one paced with the absence of jack and hanners. All the pacier ones are just on the edge of the team. Frustrating that bird, Parker, Kennedy, mcveigh are so one paced.

It is true that Bird had a bit of an off game in a generally very good year, but it is just one game where he had an unusual number of skill errors. I would say that he's a clever player who generally uses the ball well. He's quite slow, so he's not going to get a lot of time and space to line up his kicks.

Macca started out with a tagging role on Heppell and did a pretty good job. Heppell's not all that quick. I would suggest that Macca was just staying in Heppell's area a lot of the time.

We all love the Dangerfield/Judd type midfielder that can win the inside ball and run out of the packs with pace, but they don't grow on trees. Macca has a good fist few steps as well as a very good sidestep that allows him to get separation. He very rarely gets caught with the ball and is great at creating space for himself, so I wouldn't call him one-paced. But your point on the pace factor is well-taken to the extent that it has kept ROK out of the side this year and will make it more difficult than some would think for Tom Mitchell to crack into the side.

[dimelb]

Nice work Matimbo - much more illuminating than stray opinions.

[Untamed Snark]

Port Adelaide confirm more players contracted viral meningitis

None of the main team at this point but it is a worry

[Mountain Man]

Fine in Adelaide today, and no showers forecast until Sunday

[ernie koala]

On the surface it seems fairly straight forward this week.....

IN : Franklin, Hanners

OUT : Membrey, Towers

But without knowing players niggles, general health etc it's always a punt.

Personally I would love to see Membrey given another game now that his first game (nerves) is out of the way.