Team List Rd 3 vs Melbourne Demons @ MCG, Sunday April 2 3:20PM - Pre-match Thread

[AB Swannie]

Time for a separate post.

Selection should be interesting with Buddy returning. Ludwig has gathered some followers with his Buddy 23 as 23rd play in 23 ideas. I'm not on board. Rarely do I see us using a "tall" as the sub. Can't see how we would cope if a smaller player went down. It's easier to err on being too small in the forward line than too tall.

McLean seems to me like the obvious "out" but Amartey only attended 4% of ruck contests last week (presumably only 1 or 2) so McLean is preferred even though I think Amartey has the better tools. Perhaps that was a fitness thing and he will have to step up???

[bloodspirit]

Agree Buddy shouldn't be the sub. Subbed out? Maybe. Subbed in? Definitely not.

Amartey is a better ruck than McLean. Amartey is the more talented player. Hayden is a super solid character and worker. If Amartey can start playing consistently, McLean is the loser.

[stevoswan]

McLean probably stays in this week as Amartey needs more match fitness to be considered for the second ruck position....so selection will be interesting this week, because Buddy's definitely coming back in and he definitely won't be the sub.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

McLean probably stays in this week as Amartey needs more match fitness to be considered for the second ruck position....so selection will be interesting this week, because Buddy's definitely coming back in and he definitely won't be the sub.

Why is the Sub-Buddy not on?
Are you saying he's too valuable on the ground? Or that the club simply can't countenance Buddy as a sub? Or that he's insufficiently team orientated to allow himself to be a sub

[707]

Buddy as sub is not a viable option.

Amartey and McDonald are definitely in so it's McLean who is squeezed out. Buddy draws May, if the latter plays. leaving lesser KPD for Amartey and McDonald.

Catching Melbourne Gawnless is nice luck, let's make the most of it.

[AB Swannie]

Why is the Sub-Buddy not on?
Are you saying he's too valuable on the ground? Or that the club simply can't countenance Buddy as a sub? Or that he's insufficiently team orientated to allow himself to be a sub

IMO, Buddy as a sub has merit if it is purely strategy and Horse can bring him on for Amartey or McLean whenever he wants. However, it backfires if he is subbed on early for an injured small.

[liz]

Buddy as sub is not a viable option.

Amartey and McDonald are definitely in so it's McLean who is squeezed out. Buddy draws May, if the latter plays. leaving lesser KPD for Amartey and McDonald.

Catching Melbourne Gawnless is nice luck, let's make the most of it.

Depends if Amartey is fit enough to provide Ladhams with a little bit of ruck relief. Or if anyone else is game to play ruck were Ladhams to get injured early.

It certainly helps that Melbourne will be without Gawn, and don't really have much else in their team to ruck with. Grundy used to be able to ruck all game (pretty much) but may not yet be capable of that. McDonald is probably the most likely to play a few minutes in the ruck for them. I don't think he's much chop as a ruckman but is probably fitter than Amartey.

[Ludwig]

Buddy can come in for McLean and also do the relief ruck work. He just has to go through his normal marking routine, which usually results in a tap anyway. He's a natural ruckman. He looks bored playing forward after 19 years. He needs a new challenge. By the finals' time, he'll be our #1 ruckman.

[Rob2120]

Why can’t McLean be the sub. Ladhams can do most of the rucking and Amartey play 3 quarters again. We already have 4 on the interchange and I doubt Roberts would be the difference if there was a first half injury.


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[Maltopia]

My reasons for why Buddy should not be a sub:

a) he has not been surpassed yet by the other talls, one game against witches hats has not proven that Almartey and Logan are ready for the number one spot week in week out. We don’t know whether Franklin would have kicked 10+ if he wasn’t suspended, so while we should be very happy about Almartey and Logan kicking 9 (I am!), it isn’t enough data to make such a big structural change.
b) you don’t pay $600K plus for someone to sit out most of the game, if that was the role for Franklin this season, the club would have told him to walk if he didn’t want to sign on for $400K or so.
c) there is likely an understanding between Franklin and the club that he not be the sub in his final year unless coming off injury - I doubt a marquee player, would have signed on for another year to be a sub so early in the season if he is in still performing to a high standard
d) why put the opposition’s best tall defender on Almartey or MacDonald week in week out when they are still so early in their development when Buddy is still around
e) why risk falling behind against a strong opposition and needing to try and play catch up

For those strongly suggesting Franklin be a sub, I think it would be better to simply reduce his TOG and even start him on the interchange in some games and come on with the first rotation. That would give us more data about how Almartey and Logan play without hamstringing ourselves by making Franklin a sub and not being able to use him at all without subbing out another player for the whole match.

[Mark26]

I think what will probably happen will be Buddy will be a straight swap for McLean. We can't have too many talls at once in the forward line.

Roberts is due for a full game, so he'll play in the ressies with Sheldrick to come in as the sub.

[MattW]

I think what will probably happen will be Buddy will be a straight swap for McLean. We can't have too many talls at once in the forward line.

Roberts is due for a full game, so he'll play in the ressies with Sheldrick to come in as the sub.

This is what I'm expecting.

[Roadrunner]

I think what will probably happen will be Buddy will be a straight swap for McLean. We can't have too many talls at once in the forward line.

Roberts is due for a full game, so he'll play in the ressies with Sheldrick to come in as the sub.

This makes the most sense- no way will Buddy be a sub so early in the season, if at all. If fit and eligible, he is in our best 22- simple as that.

[stevoswan]

Why is the Sub-Buddy not on?
Are you saying he's too valuable on the ground? Or that the club simply can't countenance Buddy as a sub? Or that he's insufficiently team orientated to allow himself to be a sub

I just don't reckon the coaches will do it....and some or all of your reasons may well come into it. I do reckon they still see value in having him out there from the start because he takes the number one defender....and then taking him off later if he's been ineffective.....or getting tired with the team in control of the match.

[gloveski]

I think what will probably happen will be Buddy will be a straight swap for McLean. We can't have too many talls at once in the forward line.

Roberts is due for a full game, so he'll play in the ressies with Sheldrick to come in as the sub.

Yep Agree


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