2017 trading, drafting, list management

[Bloods05]

Does not excuse the disrespect. Something NQR there I'm afraid.

[Mark26]

Don't be sorry. But we are talking about Rohan here and if you took the time to go back through my posting history instead of making stuff up, you'd see I was one his biggest fans earlier on.

Talk of dropping Rohan after poor GF matches is foolishness. It's a team sport last time I watched a match. The team is always to blame; not a player. Maybe he would have had more touches if others if he had better service. Who knows?

Did Rohan single-handedly win our match against the Bombers this year? Afraid not. The team rallied. He took a glorious contested mark and finished them off.

I believe both Rohan and Macca can and will play a crucial role come finals. Whether we go all the way or not, comes down to how the team plays.

Stop picking on a few players.

[stevoswan]

Stop picking on a few players.

It's not Barry's style to see the 'big picture'.......

[Mel_C]

Don't be selective here, if you are going to delve into a final series, do the lot.
2016. QF v GWS. 12 possessions
2016 SF1 v Adelaide. 6 possies.
1 goal between them.

There is a define pattern of failure on the big stage here.

To be fair he injured his knee in the second quarter of the semi final.

[barry]

All I'm saying is it will be a brave coach who picks a player with that finals record in a grand final. And if he performs poorly again, what do we do?. (I don't think being 2nd best team cuts it)

[Bloods05]

Talk of dropping Rohan after poor GF matches is foolishness. It's a team sport last time I watched a match. The team is always to blame; not a player. Maybe he would have had more touches if others if he had better service. Who knows?

Did Rohan single-handedly win our match against the Bombers this year? Afraid not. The team rallied. He took a glorious contested mark and finished them off.

I believe both Rohan and Macca can and will play a crucial role come finals. Whether we go all the way or not, comes down to how the team plays.

Stop picking on a few players.

It's not Barry's style to see the 'big picture'.......

All I'm saying is it will be a brave coach who picks a player with that finals record in a grand final. And if he performs poorly again, what do we do?. (I don't think being 2nd best team cuts it)

Let it go.

[The Runner]

It's a valid concern. Rohan goes missing in the big finals. At the moment he's in our 22, but if he fails again this year in the clutch games, do you keep him or trade him?
At some point you stop waiting for them to take the next step.

[Blood Fever]

It's a valid concern. Rohan goes missing in the big finals. At the moment he's in our 22, but if he fails again this year in the clutch games, do you keep him or trade him?
At some point you stop waiting for them to take the next step.

Absurd

[Melbournehammer]

Rarely post here anymore. But I do find the anti Rohan stuff to be emblematic of a misunderstanding of our game style. Our half forwards rarely get many possessions - indeed most teams don't. But the issue is more about what happens when we are getting beaten around the contest - as we clearly were in the 2014 and 2016 grand finals. We are caught in a panic kick forwards mentality - if we go back to those games where we have been beaten in recent years it is often a case that our half forwards are statistically poor. It's not a grand final thing. But it is a structural thing where horse tries to fold everyone up to try and create stoppages. A good example of such a game is actually Kurt tippets first game at the swans in 2013 where port choked us - the forward fifty count basically became extremely lopsided. If you look at the Richmond game to quarter time at the mcg this year you will see the same thing.

Rohan, like mcglynn and towers is blamed for a failure to get their hands on the ball. It is actually an issue of our half back line not winning and delivering well and our midfield being beaten that is actually the problem. In short these guys failing is often a symptom of someone more substantial.

[The Runner]

Absurd

He's averaging less than 10 disposals and 1.4 goals a game from 73% game time in 2017. That's poor as an average, let alone the 50% of games that are in his poorer performances, which tend to be important games.

[MattW]

Rarely post here anymore. But I do find the anti Rohan stuff to be emblematic of a misunderstanding of our game style. Our half forwards rarely get many possessions - indeed most teams don't. But the issue is more about what happens when we are getting beaten around the contest - as we clearly were in the 2014 and 2016 grand finals. We are caught in a panic kick forwards mentality - if we go back to those games where we have been beaten in recent years it is often a case that our half forwards are statistically poor. It's not a grand final thing. But it is a structural thing where horse tries to fold everyone up to try and create stoppages. A good example of such a game is actually Kurt tippets first game at the swans in 2013 where port choked us - the forward fifty count basically became extremely lopsided. If you look at the Richmond game to quarter time at the mcg this year you will see the same thing.

Rohan, like mcglynn and towers is blamed for a failure to get their hands on the ball. It is actually an issue of our half back line not winning and delivering well and our midfield being beaten that is actually the problem. In short these guys failing is often a symptom of someone more substantial.

Good post. Also, agree with Blood Fever: this Rohan sniping is absurd. Highly skilled, courageous, important player who gives his all each week.

[dimelb]

He's averaging less than 10 disposals and 1.4 goals a game from 73% game time in 2017. That's poor as an average, let alone the 50% of games that are in his poorer performances, which tend to be important games.

I think you're underestimating the amount of non-stats work he does - chasing, blocking, generally frightening the life out of defenders etc. He is a dangerous attacking player and I think this is the first season where he has been a permanent forward instead of being required to fill different roles. If he continues to play as a forward - and I think the coaches have decided on this - his spot is as secure as almost anyone in the team. Any other club would grab him in a second if they could.

[Blood Fever]

Rarely post here anymore. But I do find the anti Rohan stuff to be emblematic of a misunderstanding of our game style. Our half forwards rarely get many possessions - indeed most teams don't. But the issue is more about what happens when we are getting beaten around the contest - as we clearly were in the 2014 and 2016 grand finals. We are caught in a panic kick forwards mentality - if we go back to those games where we have been beaten in recent years it is often a case that our half forwards are statistically poor. It's not a grand final thing. But it is a structural thing where horse tries to fold everyone up to try and create stoppages. A good example of such a game is actually Kurt tippets first game at the swans in 2013 where port choked us - the forward fifty count basically became extremely lopsided. If you look at the Richmond game to quarter time at the mcg this year you will see the same thing.

Rohan, like mcglynn and towers is blamed for a failure to get their hands on the ball. It is actually an issue of our half back line not winning and delivering well and our midfield being beaten that is actually the problem. In short these guys failing is often a symptom of someone more substantial.

I know this is a bad pun Hammer but you have hit the nail on the head. Pressured kicking into forward line stuffs ever team's forward structure. We are masters of pressure when playing well and have the fewest points kicked against us. 2014 and 2016 was a nightmare for our forward line. Name one of our forwards who played well except Buddy in 2014.

[AB Swannie]

I'm on Team Rohan too! Stats can tell a lot but they miss a lot too. I'd prefer to watch the game live than through stats. Last night, I had the pleasure of watching Rohan live and he was terrific. Only 11 possessions according to the stats sheet but massive part of our forward structure.

[Mug Punter]

That Rohan has played below par in two Grand Finals for us cannot be argued as it is a fact.

Equally anyone that thinks he has been poor this year is simply displaying their complete ignorance of the game.

Stats can be misleading, I mean if they weren't Tom Mitchell would have the Brownlow signed and sealed already. He had 11 possessions yesterday but that doesn't tell the full story - a couple of his marks were clutch marks under pressure not just junk marks and his forward pressure acts such as his smothers are very important. Plus the fact he is averaging over a goal a game.