Team Changes for Round VIII v Bombers

[AB Swannie]

Yes a team of toppies v 21 listed players many who have had extensive AFL experience. Sure we were gonna win that one. You expect too much from 17,18,19yo Academy boys and mostly 1st and 2nd year players.

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Well it was you that was asking for more changes. Instead of the incessant negative diatribe, perhaps offer something more constructive. Who do you want to coach our side? What is the 22 you’d have us play?

[707]

Sensible selection, COR is well overdue, needs to be given an extended run to feel at home and cement a spot.

No others in last weeks ressies were of sufficient standard to displace an incumbent.

Like to see us play an attacking brand and stop playing an extra behind the ball, let the % tumble, if it does, but please try attacking for once

[Agent 86]

What were you hoping for? Did you see the score from the NEAFL? Yawn.

Ouch! But made me chuckle.

[jcroz29]

If Buddy returns next week & all going well, he is set to play his 300th against the Hawks in 5 weeks time at the SCG on a Friday night (Round 14). Ch 7, particularly McAvaney will be rubbing their hands in glee with this outcome. Will be putting my TV in mute!

+ 1 on McAvaney and mute


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[Auntie.Gerald]

It’s great to see of our young players plus a new recruit getting consistent game time

Dawson
McCartin
Thurlow
Blakey
Melican
And now COR may also get some regular time on the field given no Harry or Smith

[lwjoyner]

why no Cameron Sinclair isn't killing them.

[wolftone57]

Well it was you that was asking for more changes. Instead of the incessant negative diatribe, perhaps offer something more constructive. Who do you want to coach our side? What is the 22 you’d have us play?

I am not constantly negative. I give ideas as to what we should be doing instead of the negative footy we play. If you think my comments are negative all the time you are obviously selective of what you read. There are not too many positives at this time anyway. The game plan certainly isn't. Exploring who could take over as a coach is not easy. But to continually take from the Roos school is counter productive.

We could look at the current assistant coaches at successful clubs. We could also look at coaches who are successful at other levels, VFL, SANFL, WAFL. Several coaches were overlooked in favour of Longmire. The supporters thought a transition coach a much better idea. I'm sure you were one of those. I wasn't sold. Still not sold.

But the time has come to move to a totally different style. If we wee going to have a transition coach it had to be Stewie. But he got sick of waiting and defected to the Suns. There are some good people coaching Australian Football atm. I'm pretty sure we could secure a coach that is not tainted by the ugly footy label who gas some idea of how to beat good sides in finals and win premierships. Clarko seems to be a bit on the outer since Kennett returned for instance.

I have always given alternatives to what we are doing. For instance instead of dropping one or two players into defence to manage the damage I suggested we leave them in their positions and try to win the ball in the mids and forward line. That is the way to win games not going defensive. I also suggested new set ups at centre bounces that favour our players instead of leaving opposition mids free on their defensive side. I mean Sinclair more often than not taps there when he does win and their Ruck do anyway because they are free.

I think you miss the point about my comments. I am not negative for the sake of being negative. I'm calling things that don't work. The coach and old players are not working. Haven't been for some time. If youh can't see that you know sweet @@@@ all about footy. I am not the only one concerned with our game style. All the expert coaches, especially the two I admire most Matthews and Parkin, talk about a very stale and negative game plan. They also point out that the game plan doesn't seem designed to win games but manage the damage.

Matthews was scathing of the dropping players back to defend space. He rightly pointed out that all that did was allowore scoring opportunities for the opposition not less. He also pointed out that the teams playing exciting, attacking footy were winning most weeks. Again he pointed out that unless we can address the shortcomings in our midfield that is directly affecting our capacity to get forward entries we would struggle. Right on all fronts. But still no change to the midfield. Mills rots on the back flank. Heeney rusts in the forward line. Rowbottom is wasted on the reserves and even when given a shot is played forward not mids.

What you see as negative comment to me is constructive criticism. I have in most commentary given alternatives. We are going to be bottom this year so why not give the kids a shot. Play the kids. Because playing the old timers is regressive. Someone said 'bur we need Kizza' s experience out there'. Rot. What we need is a positive game plan, excited youngsters because they have something to work with and the experience of Kennedy, Buddy, Hewett etc. They young guys like Hewett are now old enough to take responsibity. He did last week. He was our best player by far. His ball use and calmness under pressure were just what we need.

We need to play positive, exciting, constructive footy. Footy that will give us forward entries. Our players must feel like the coaches squeeze every bit of flair, positive footy and skill out of them. The coaches are literally squeezing the life out of them. If we are to play under the new rule system we need to play a totally different brand. We need to become a team that wins the ball at stoppages. Wins contested possession. Has a plan to move the ball effectively. Players moving to positions where they have access to space and therefore the delivery of the ball. Players shepherding and blocking for the player with the ball. Run from both the stoppages, especially the centre stoppages for clearances, and the backhalf. We need to lose the full flood ecause when that is used it has now become impossible to clear the defensive zone and we are becoming totally bogged down there. We need outlet players who can transition the ball. We also need defenders who can hold their nerve.

So accuse me of being negative if you want. But I mostly offer alternatives to the rubbish Longmire is dishing up. I think it would be soul destroying playing under this bloke.

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[Roadrunner]

I’m with you Auntie. Wolf, negativity is not a requirement here- please try to be constructive! Nothing wrong with criticism but sometimes you go a bit too far, don’t you think?
The only other change I would have considered is to bring in Cameron for Kizza and give him a few games. I think Kizza can contribute a lot in the 2’s with all our youngsters. We could then move Blakey to the wing, where he is more suited at present and he can make a more consistent contribution.

[Roadrunner]

Wolfie, I‘ve read your post again and you make some valid points. However, not all the blame can be attributed to Horse and his assistants- how about the players who are giving one quarter only? The coaches aren’t telling them to handball to a team mate who is covered and only 1-2 meters away: we see this week in week out.
As for Stewie, he got an offer from the Suns he couldn’t refuse as we were a top side then playing well under Horse.
I fully agree about not putting an extra man in defense, only maybe when protecting a lead towards the end of a quarter. Let’s just out score the opposition! (without Buddy?)

[AnnieH]

When Longmire was appointed it was in an atmosphere of rebellion of the support base against Terry Wallace. The supporters thought a transition coach a much better idea. I'm sure you were one of those.

Oh. I thought I was bugging the club to hire Roosey, instead of Terry Wallace.
Horse was succession planned into the position AFTER Roosey left.
... you can thank me later.

[wolftone57]

Oh. I thought I was bugging the club to hire Roosey, instead of Terry Wallace.
Horse was succession planned into the position AFTER Roosey left.
... you can thank me later.

Yes indeed it was Roos.

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[Ruck'n'Roll]

Of course they'll stay with Sinclair and Naismith, they're both AFL ruckmen. Cameron has had one go and hardly felt leather.

Sure Cameron's first game was a stinker - but Naismith's was likewise awful.
If memory serves he couldn't even run the game out, and wasn't seen in the firsts for another 2 seasons - Naismith may be an AFL ruckman now but he was not better than Cameron with a single game under his belt.

Moving forward, Sam is still listed as TBC, so he won't be coming back any time soon - so the Swans will have to play Cameron at some stage if only because Sinkers can not do the whole season single handed.

[Roadrunner]

Totally agree Ruck’n’ Roll- I would have brought him in this week.

[Ralph Dawg]

I share Wolf's frustration. My specific issue is that we don't seem to be progressing under the current game plan. It is too focused on stopping goals, not scoring, especially with the spare in defence. Horse talks about repeats. Watching the game live with essentially the best seats at the Gabba, it was clear that the ball was going straight back into our defensive 50. Witherden and Hodge were sitting back, unmarked, waiting to gobble up a hurried kick out of defence. I get the impression that the coaches' only plan is to wait for our players to play better and this is reflected in team selection and match day tactics. I recognise we are playing alot of new players and perhaps with more time, they will adapt to the coaches' desired style of play. However, I think it's time that the opposite occurred and our coaches looked at the new (and old) players' strengths and devised some new tactics that suited them.

[caj23]

Clarko makes the decision to drop Roughead after a slow start to the season and shows what a hard nosed professional he is, his ability to make decisions like that show why they won 3 premierships in a row

It's time we followed his example