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Stephens should play this week. We've gotta see what sort of improvement we can get into him this year to set him up for 2024.
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Not a bad call. Keep thinking about how well he played in 2 finals last year. Still a young player.Comment
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Wicks will be selected, and so he should be. For a small guy he has courage and passion. The bloods used to be based on courage and passion. Not overpaid pretty boys always looking at the highlight reel and the next promotional deal.
Wicks has two things going for him, he is a very hard worker, and he is aggressive. There are thousands of kids, bigger, faster and more talented. But they don't have grit. I'm sure the swans value his grit. He has made his mistakes and will learn.
I watched the Richmond VFL game. Wicks niggled the Richmond players, got under their skin, dragged his team mates along and then ultimately took his whole team to a win. Ever heard of unsociable football? Hawthorn and Richmond have.Comment
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I wouldn't worry too much about taking out Bailey Smith. He has been taking himself out of games lately due to form.
Bailey Smith's last 4 games:
R13 Port Adelaide 28 disposals (13 k 13 hb), 4 marks, 1 tackle
R14 North Melbourne 19 disposals (4 k 15 hb), 1 mark, 8 tackles, 1 behind
R15 bye
R16 Fremantle 16 disposals (8 k 8 hb), 2 marks, 2 tackles)
R17 Collingwood 11 disposals (6 k 5 hb), 1 mark, 3 tackles)"Unbelievable!" -- Nick Davis leaves his mark on the 2005 semi finalComment
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I think the selections of talls this week is intriguing. Assuming they did just "manage" Amartey last week (and he's not carrying a niggle still), I think he'll come back in. Franklin was reasonably effective last week - certainly the most effective of the tall forwards.
I'm thinking they might "manage" McDonald this week, on a similar basis to Amartey last week. Like Amartey, he's come back from a decent spell on the sidelines, so they might think it's sensible to let his body catch up.
Next week we play Freo in Perth, which seems like a good opportunity to "manage" Franklin. He'll probably want to fly with the team anyway, but I doubt the concrete-hard surface of Optus will do any favours for the remainder of the season.
After that, they'll have to think about the best combination to balance best line-up available, developing for the future, and Franklin sentiment.Comment
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Don't be pungent and disrespectful...
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge slams 'disrespectful', 'pungent' commentary around star Bailey Smith's formComment
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I believe Stephens has a lot to offer by way of skills and talents but agree he is not quite realising his potential as yet. I looked back at his pre draft videos to see why we picked him at number 5. Noting that they were highlights, he was bursting out of the middle as he often does in VFL and pinpointing kicks to forwards and kicking goals. The big difference now of course is having to do it under vastly increased pressure.
It is not looking good for him at the moment in that in the last few games Clarke and Wicks have been brought into the seniors and Corey has been the sub - not Stephens. I wonder if there is a place for him, especially now that Campbell is hitting his straps. With McInerney and Errol patrolling one wing and Campbell and Hayward the other, and in the middle Sheldrick seems to be the chosen one just now and Roberts is starting to hover. Dyl is too good to spend the rest of his football life on a knife edge between the two teams. If we haven't got a place for him I hope there is a team out there who needs what he has to offer.
It must be very challenging for a player who has been a high achiever with high hopes and expectations. Is he showing development in the areas that are his weaknesses! He doesn't have the grunt and toughness of Wicks and Clarke but they don't have his speed and awareness. I don't think his disposal skills are any worse than many in our team. Both Chad and Corey don't always hit their targets. In our game styles where mids/wingers and forwards and backs are running back and forth no one marking any specific opponent I'm not surprised that the young players in particular don't really know what they are doing half the time. I for one hope there is a place for him in our team somewhere and if not in another team and that he does develop into a very fine player!
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Bailey Smith is out of the match.'Delicious' is a fun word to sayComment
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I think that's a plus for them, he has been in poor form.Comment
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Great analysis rojo- I think confidence has a lot to do with it. You can regain it to an extent in the ressies but then as you step up in the senior team the pressure is immense. I think we just need to play him till the end of the season and then decide what to do. But “grunt and toughness” of Wicks and Clarke? Surely you jest rojo! Neither should be anywhere near the team. Dyl needs to play mid and use his speed and skills, which he obviously has, and the coaches need to work with him more! We’re getting killed at clearances anyway, so what have we got to lose?Comment
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Dyl needs the license Sheldrick has been given, be a mid and chase the ball.
Dyl might not be up to it but he hasnt been given that opportunity.
Has had alot other opportunities but not as a ball chasing mid.Comment
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The problem I have with this, as well as the calls for adding a big bodied midfielder to our list, is that I can't see how to fit them into our side.
I think Sheldrick, Rowbottom and Parker are all best suited as inside mids attending the bulk of CBs. Warner is also important as a break away threat from the midfield. Mills is versatile, but is best suited to the midfield. Papley and Gulden as both grunt and pace. And Heeney does a good job on the inside. Roberts is also looking best suited as an inside mid.
Dylan needs to demonstrate that he can use the ball more effectively before playing a position where he gets more opportunities to win possession. He has yet to show that ability at any level, despite seemingly having the talent to do so. It's up to the coaches and Dylan to work that out.
In any case, it's a zero sum game. I Dylan goes into the midfield, the one of the current regulars has to go out. I can't see how Dylan passes any of the 8 players named above, at least not on current form.Comment
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