Changes Round 6 V Gold Coast Suns

[Bangalore Swans]

How come in the outs there is no appetite to drop Wicks? He looked great in the 1st three weeks when the ball was coming into the forward line quickly and he had more time and space.

He’s been quiet the last two games and without the dynamic talent of a Hayward or a Papley he struggles to create in a crowded forward line.

[mcs]

He would want to be far better than he was on the weekend.

Reckon Sinkers will surprise a few. Needed a rest and hes had one now. Should be fitter and stronger without the wear and tear on his body of the last few years

And here we go again. The bashing train is back in town..... I suppose for him it has to be a 50 possession game to be passable when he comes back in? Even then, I'm sure you've got a truckload of 'qualitative' measures that will show its never good enough.

Bringing Sinclair in feels so regressive, but it's hard to see how it can realistically be avoided.

In order to avoid it, you'd need to leave McDonald in, bring McLean in for Buddy, and Amartey for Hickey to play ruck with Reid.

That would leave us with an inexperienced forward line and two forwards playing ruck. I'm happy for them to try, but suspect they'll bring Sinclair in just to free Reid to play more forward.

IN: Rowbottom, McLean, Sinclair/Amartey
OUT: McInerney, Buddy, Hickey

I could see us trying out a sinclairless approach against Gold Coast given they have zero ruckman, but I can't see how we will survive more than the 'exception' without something much closer to a genuine ruckman. Sinclair will always toil and work hard, his effort will never be in doubt. He also brings some senior leadership (in terms of experience) to the team in that regard too, which I don't think is a bad thing.

[TheBloods]

And here we go again. The bashing train is back in town..... I suppose for him it has to be a 50 possession game to be passable when he comes back in? Even then, I'm sure you've got a truckload of 'qualitative' measures that will show its never good enough.

Were you there on Saturday mate ?

[mcs]

Were you there on Saturday mate ?

I saw the replay - funnily enough living 3 hours from the SCG meant I was actually driving up for the seniors game at the time and couldn't watch it live. My opinion doesn't matter however - Horse's words quite clearly showed they saw what they wanted to see, whether it meets your strasopheric requirements or not.

No doubt you'll be ripping into him on Saturday after the game irrespective of how he goes.... or will it be the same silent treatment like after Hayward gave your pre game prediction the middle finger?

[TheBloods]

I saw the replay - funnily enough living 3 hours from the SCG meant I was actually driving up for the seniors game at the time and couldn't watch it live. My opinion doesn't matter however - Horse's words quite clearly showed they saw what they wanted to see, whether it meets your strasopheric requirements or not.

No doubt you'll be ripping into him on Saturday after the game irrespective of how he goes.... or will it be the same silent treatment like after Hayward gave your pre game prediction the middle finger?

Well i was there and i can tell you at least 15 other blokes gave him a lesson in work rate. Some of his efforts were plain lazy and his body language stunk. Played like he knew he was the coaches pet and it looks like he was right.

[liz]

Well i was there and i can tell you at least 15 other blokes gave him a lesson in work rate. Some of his efforts were plain lazy and his body language stunk. Played like he knew he was the coaches pet and it looks like he was right.

Balderdash

[MattW]

How come in the outs there is no appetite to drop Wicks? He looked great in the 1st three weeks when the ball was coming into the forward line quickly and he had more time and space.

He’s been quiet the last two games and without the dynamic talent of a Hayward or a Papley he struggles to create in a crowded forward line.

I disagree re the Essendon game: 8 tackes (3 in F50) and 29 pressure acts. Team highs.

The team has had to adjust to Buddy playing. With Buddy out again, he might see more ball.

- - - Updated - - -

Well i was there and i can tell you at least 15 other blokes gave him a lesson in work rate. Some of his efforts were plain lazy and his body language stunk. Played like he knew he was the coaches pet and it looks like he was right.

That's pretty rude.

[mcs]

Well i was there and i can tell you at least 15 other blokes gave him a lesson in work rate. Some of his efforts were plain lazy and his body language stunk. Played like he knew he was the coaches pet and it looks like he was right.

Blah blah blah 'insert meaningless dribble here'. Summed it up in half the words for you.

It wouldn't matter what he did on a field, you will always find a way to be overly negative about it - he could win a grand final after taking a contested possession in the back pocket, breaking 31 tackles, running the length of the field, and nailing the kick to win it and it still wouldn't be good enough in your book. Yet on the other hand, no matter how bog average your 'teachers pets' might perform on any given day, they'll always be above reproach no matter what....

And as I said - it doesn't matter what you think, what I think, or whatever most others think. It is clear from Longmire that, whatever it was they wanted to see from Rowbottom they saw - end of story. He will be playing on the weekend, and hopefully he will do what many have already done this season and show that you have about the same level of knowledge about what is really needed to succeed at footy as most of us - @@@@ @@@@ all.

[Bangalore Swans]

Blah blah blah 'insert meaningless dribble here'. Summed it up in half the words for you.

It wouldn't matter what he did on a field, you would find a way to be overly negative about it. Just like no matter how bog average your 'teachers pets' might perform, they'll always be above reproach as you hide beneath the parapet.

One day when he is long retired, please do reveal to us what summoned up your utter disdain for him....... your obsessive hate is just baffling.

I think that’s a little harsh on “The Bloods”.

We all have our favourite players and players we don’t like so much.

I’m not a big fan of fan favourite Wicks. Im probably harsher on Wicks than players I like such as Rowbottom, Dawson and J Mac.

In cricket I loved watching Mitchell Johnson play while others didn’t like him so much. In the NFL I love the dynamic ability of Lamar Jackson while other fans like different QBs.

We all have our favourites who we want to do well. With these favourites we forgive their mistakes and rejoice their success.

With our least favourites we magnify their mistakes and give a luke warm response to their success.

“The Bloods” is only human.

I challenge any fan on this forum to tell me they treat every player the same and that they have zero bias in their opinions.

[mcs]

I think that’s a little harsh on “The Bloods”.

We all have our favourite players and players we don’t like so much.

I’m not a big fan of fan favourite Wicks. Im probably harsher on Wicks than players I like such as Rowbottom, Dawson and J Mac.

In cricket I loved watching Mitchell Johnson play while others didn’t like him so much. In the NFL I love the dynamic ability of Lamar Jackson while other fans like different QBs.

We all have our favourites who we want to do well. With these favourites we forgive their mistakes and rejoice their success.

With our least favourites we magnify their mistakes and give a luke warm response to their success.

“The Bloods” is only human.

I challenge any fan on this forum to tell me they treat every player the same and that they have zero bias in their opinions.

Happy to agree we all have varying opinions of different players - I've never seen anyone suggest that isn't the case.

However most of us don't go on Alexander the Great-esque campaigns to rip a player to shreds at every opportunity either - if you don't believe me, look back through the posts history if you must and you'll see exactly what I mean.

In this case, this particular player would have to do something extraordinarily good to even get a slither of something approaching the positive side of neutral, yet those for which a more favourable disposition is held, almost anything goes because they play with the right 'style', 'dynamism' or whatever qualitative nonsense is this weeks buzzword.

The grand canyon isn't wide enough to describe the gulf in the difference between the two ends of the spectrum - it is far beyond the normal level of variability most have across players.

[Ludwig]

“The Bloods” is only human.

Do you have proof?

[NeonBible]

Do you have proof?

LOL!!

[NeonBible]

Well i was there and i can tell you at least 15 other blokes gave him a lesson in work rate. Some of his efforts were plain lazy and his body language stunk. Played like he knew he was the coaches pet and it looks like he was right.

I have defended you for thoughts on Rowbottom even though i strongly disagree with them. But this is too far now, TB. You are now questioning his character - lazy, body language ? Its not ok. Do you know him personally?? Maybe you do! It might explain your vengeful posts about him. Tell us! If you do know him and he has done something to you that is so worthy of your hate then by all means - tell us!! It could illuminate us. Who knows we might even agree with you ??

But if you are not willing to share and you want to keep taking pot shots at what he does on the field then you are on your own. & i mean that! It will be hard to convince anyone to join your agenda! Jimmy is a popular figure at the club, loved by the bloods supporters and you are right he is a coaches pet - because hes a darn good player who does what is asked of him!!

The caustic tone of your posts borders on bullying. You have it out for this guy and its not nice and it makes me uncomfortable to read. You dont know a thing about what a young footballer goes through especially an interstate kid away from home. How much work they put into it. The good he does for others at the club. You dont know the half of it. It is nasty armchair critic stuff.

[MattW]

I won't be surprised if we see both in, based on Longmire's press conference after the game. He seemed resigned to the fact that McDonald might need a break, and he was also quick to name both Amartey and McLean when the journo mentioned Sinclair's name. They can each split the forward and ruck roles between them, with a little support from Reid, if need be. Longmire also observed that, while Reid did a pretty good job filling in for Hickey, it meant we didn't have him as a forward target.

Just listened to yesterday's presser. John maintained his hedge re Sinclair; mentioned dealing with the challenge of 'this week'.

[bloodspirit]

I appreciate your heartfelt words, NeonBible. FWIW, although TheBloods plays the ball and not the man, expresses her/his presumably sincere opinions and gives reasons (which is all great), I also feel uncomfortable and don't enjoy reading many of TB's posts.

Changing gears, I was thinking about who our most indispensable (not best) players are right now. This idea has regard to a players' form and injuries and their leadership, and the other player's at the club who can collectively or individually cover what that player does. Here is the list in order that I came up with:

Hickey - has added so much to our team. His replacements are not expected to do anywhere near as well.
Rampe - great player individually and critical to organising our backline. Since we lost Teddy, Reg, Macca & Smooch and then Mills from our backline, it's taking a while to rebuild the experience and leadership to that unit and Rampe's role is more than usually important.
McCartin - our only other reliable KPD, extra-important now that Rampe is out
Reid - currently mining a wonderful vein of form, so versatile going down back and into the ruck as required, experienced, and one of our remaining talented talls
Parker - heart and soul leader of the club
Mills - performing a huge and indispensable role in the midfield so well he could not easily be replaced, despite our depth in his position
JPK - another heart and soul leader of the club (these last three are all among our best players but, together with the younger players, could cover for one another's absence)
Dawson - hugely talented, hugely versatile, relatively tall and a capable defender. We need him at the moment. Should probably be a bit higher on this list.

I haven't included Buddy despite his supreme talents, his valuable leadership and his height (!) because we have shown we can get by without him pretty well, including our best wins of the season. Heeney also not included. Hayward did a great job of filling the void. In general I feel like the front half we have reasonably well covered. If some went down others within the team could be shifted forward (e.g. Hewett, Dawson, Campbell) and there are other small backs who could come in (COR, Ling etc).

What do others think? Have I got it right or wrong?
A bit unfortunate that our injuries have hit arguably our two least dispensable players.
Also a bit sad that it is hard to find a spot in the 22 for Stephens given that he isthe player outside the 22 who many of us would most like to get in.