Rnd 12 Pre-Match Thread, vs Melbourne at MCG, 7:25 PM Saturday 4 June

[stevoswan]

Oh dear.....

Dees set for huge boost with FOUR flag heroes - Salem, McDonald, Harmes and Langdon - to return

[Goal Sneak]

I am not sure it’s viewed as a show of no confidence but more, as others have posited , a small reality check for the player to ascertain just how big the gap is between AFL and every other level or league.
I suspect no matter how much those players are made aware of the difference it is only the actual playing experience that delivers the reality .
Don’t get me wrong it’s no knock on Robert’s and if we were playing say West Coast or North then we probably could persevere for a second week but this is a real challenge this week and we need to pick our best possible team.
At this stage he is not best 22 so unfortunately he will probably be sent back to the VFL with a check list of things to work on.
Two years from now he probably won’t even be mentioned as a possible out but at this stage of his career it is what it is.

Absolutely. Roberts was handed a very hot game for his debut. He didn't set the game on fire but he didn't let anyone down either. He'll learn a lot about the jump from reserves to first grade but picking him to face the premiers is another level up from that. There's no shame for Roberts to go back to reserves this week, I feel he'll be pressing for the best 22 sooner rather than later.

[TheBloods]

Play Roberts in the mids this week

[Goal Sneak]

.....and I'll say it again, Buddy had no idea he had been awarded a free. Do you actually think he knew? Do you think he would have done what he did, had he realised? He's not THAT dumb, so stop calling him 'dumb'. Had he known it was our/his free kick....and then did what he did, I would agree he was/is dumb. He's not.

I didn't call Buddy dumb, I said his actions were dumb. BIG difference.

Buddy, as a senior player, knows better. If you know better and act in a way that contradicts that knowledge, then you are acting in a dumb manner.

[Faunac8]

Play Roberts in the mids this week

Why can you provide some basis for this proclamation ? you said that last week and he got 2 possessions do you genuinely think he will acquit himself better against the best team in the competition ?
And if so in what way will he be a better option than others ?
Do you think he is now considered one of of our best 22 players ?
I think you would get more traction and less friction with others on this platform by providing opinions rather than edicts.

[TheBloods]

Why can you provide some basis for this proclamation ? you said that last week and he got 2 possessions do you genuinely think he will acquit himself better against the best team in the competition ?
And if so in what way will he be a better option than others ?
Do you think he is now considered one of of our best 22 players ?
I think you would get more traction and less friction with others on this platform by providing opinions rather than edicts.

Why would my comment cause friction ? He was the best mid according to the coaches . So he earns a debut , but then we dont play him in the mids. Its the same with Bell all over again . You cant reward someone for their form and then be surprised when they dont match it in a different position . Why would it be surprising if i did think he was in our best 22 players ? He was selected in our best 22 players this week by the coaches wasn 't he ? I like him . I reckon he can be better than what we 've got so deserves a chance to show that . If hes poor in his natural spot then fine , drop him

[Goal Sneak]

Why would my comment cause friction ? He was the best mid according to the coaches . So he earns a debut , but then we dont play him in the mids. Its the same with Bell all over again . You cant reward someone for their form and then be surprised when they dont match it in a different position . Why would it be surprising if i did think he was in our best 22 players ? He was selected in our best 22 players this week by the coaches wasn 't he ? I like him . I reckon he can be better than what we 've got so deserves a chance to show that . If hes poor in his natural spot then fine , drop him

When you post a one liner which is contrasting to most others view that Roberts isn't ready, then you may cause some to believe you are baiting. When you elaborate and explain your contrasting view as you have here, it provides a basis for the point you're making to be considered by everyone else.
It would've been good to see Roberts in the middle at least for a small stint but it didn't eventuate. I agree he deserves a shot in there but probably not against the Demons. I'm a big fan also, I don't think it will be too long before he demands his spot.

[liz]

Taylor and Clarke running around getting 30-40 cheap uncontested possessions each week in the VFL is probably the most futile thing I’ve ever seen.

Clearly they’re not in our plans, but it’s still odd we wouldn’t give them a role or instructions to play another way - even if we have 20 injuries we’re not going to ask them to play that way in the seniors.

I think that's a fair comment on the way Taylor plays. Less so for Clarke, who wins a lot of genuine contested ball in the VFL and plays the game unselfishly.
There's a lot to like about Clarke's game. Unfortunately, handballing and kicking aren't included.

[liz]

.....and I'll say it again, Buddy had no idea he had been awarded a free. Do you actually think he knew? Do you think he would have done what he did, had he realised? He's not THAT dumb, so stop calling him 'dumb'. Had he known it was our/his free kick....and then did what he did, I would agree he was/is dumb. He's not.

I don't see that him having received a free or not (or knowing whether he had received a free or not) makes any difference. The cost of pushing Cotchin in the face wasn't just a reversed free kick. It was a week's holiday. So yes, it was a dumb act.

Fortunately for him, so much of what he does is sublime that we all learn to accept the occasional dumb act. Others in the team should aspire to achieve his sublimity first, before copying the dumb-act-ness.

[Faunac8]

Why would my comment cause friction ? He was the best mid according to the coaches . So he earns a debut , but then we dont play him in the mids. Its the same with Bell all over again . You cant reward someone for their form and then be surprised when they dont match it in a different position . Why would it be surprising if i did think he was in our best 22 players ? He was selected in our best 22 players this week by the coaches wasn 't he ? I like him . I reckon he can be better than what we 've got so deserves a chance to show that . If hes poor in his natural spot then fine , drop him

Thank you that’s a comment / opinion with some content to consider and evaluate. It makes it much easier to discuss than your proclamations.
Now in regard to your point regarding selecting players in their preferred positions I agree with you and you may remember I backed you regarding Bell on this subject. Unfortunately however that is not always possible and sometimes players need to adapt to what the coaches require to continue to be selected.
Callum is an excellent example of just how to handle that expectation and evolve and grow as a player. He is now probably one of our most important players and Friday showed the benefit of his previous exposure to playing in the backline.
I have no doubt Robert’s will be back but I just don’t see a role for him this weekend..

[i'm-uninformed2]

We're challenging the dumb-act-ness, given he's so sublime

Buddy's Tribunal bid: Swans challenge Lance Franklin's striking ban

[Goal Sneak]

We're challenging the dumb-act-ness, given he's so sublime

Buddy's Tribunal bid: Swans challenge Lance Franklin's striking ban

Given we couldn't get Rowbottom out of his charge, it seems unlikely he'll escape any suspension (Although I don't underestimate the pull of seeing Buddy play at the MCG in what should be a huge game).

[TheBloods]

Thank you that’s a comment / opinion with some content to consider and evaluate. It makes it much easier to discuss than your proclamations.
Now in regard to your point regarding selecting players in their preferred positions I agree with you and you may remember I backed you regarding Bell on this subject. Unfortunately however that is not always possible and sometimes players need to adapt to what the coaches require to continue to be selected.
Callum is an excellent example of just how to handle that expectation and evolve and grow as a player. He is now probably one of our most important players and Friday showed the benefit of his previous exposure to playing in the backline.
I have no doubt Robert’s will be back but I just don’t see a role for him this weekend..

Then dont select him . Simple. We cant have it both ways and not everyone can be like Mills . You cant like someones form in one position then expect them to pick up a new position on debut !

What was stopping us from putting him in the mids can i ask ?

[111431]

Cotchin didn't do anything outside the rules, so I don't think it will be relevant to the MRO. Take the week and give Buddy a rest.

Also - my input for the MC: Blakey, Hickey & Ronke for Roberts, Franklin & Wicks

agree with both of these points

[111431]

I think that's a fair comment on the way Taylor plays. Less so for Clarke, who wins a lot of genuine contested ball in the VFL and plays the game unselfishly.
There's a lot to like about Clarke's game. Unfortunately, handballing and kicking aren't included.

sadly yes