Was I the only one that Thought Buckley Fumbled under pressue 3-4 times... Dropped a handball off his chest, dropped a mark from Yarran and panicked trying to handball it back to him...
What exactly were we impressed about..
Note: i only watched the game fleetingly, not a lot of interest in this format or Pre-season. Wood and Watson looked great what I saw.
I noticed a couple of fumbles towards the end of the game when fatigue set in, but he was very clean early on.
There was plenty of good inside work early on to let us know what we can expect from him, the latter of which you saw is the exception rather than the rule.
The key factor in all this may be Carrots. He's missed a heap of footy over the last few years. Will he be the same Carrots that he used to be? if not then the argument regarding who makes way might be answered.
Fair point. It's very hard to come back from missing a lot of footy at that age and Carrots has played not much over the past 2 seasons. It'll be interesting to see of he can regain his old form and if he's given the opportunity in the seniors to do so. I'm not opposed to him playing e few games for the reserves. It may get him back to form a little quicker.
Fair point?!
I said the same thing 2 weeks ago and you nearly had a stroke!
Armfield came in for Thomas....so that means he isn't in our best 22? Neither is Scotland, Carrazzo, Simpson.... Don't think you thought that one through.
Not hard to figure out. The others weren't ready to go otherwise they would've come in. Army was ready but not initially selected. He then came in as a replacement.
He may have played most games last year but Bell looks to have come on a little and going by that he takes Army's spot IMO.
I know what you were implying. I'm suggesting that the players listed have nothing wrong with them and were simply rested for this game...as was Armfield. I think we all know what to expect from the players who did not play, ditto Armfield.
In short, Armfields exclusion from the initial squad says nothing about his ability on the field IMO.
IMO this is where Mick seperates himself from your average coach. He knows how to get his chargers up. Not sure if he has ever used a shark, or a bag of flour, but he has numerous stories to call upon.
He and Sheedy, are very well read and use their knowledge of battles to inspire. Most often on ANZAC day, but not limited too.
Mick may not use a bag of flour, but he can inspire just the same.
OK, i've asked a few people to do this and nobody has complied, so i'll do it myself and then maybe you'll see why i've been so 'negative' towards Bell and Robbo.
Best 22... FB Tuohy Jamison Simpson HB Walker Watson Everitt C Gibbs Judd Thomas HF Yarran Henderson Garlett FF Kreuzer Waite Menzel FOLL Warnock Murphy McLean INT Scotland Carrazzo Curnow SUB Armfield
EMG Cachia Bell Robinson Lucas Docherty McInness Casboult Graham Cripps
Which of my starters do you guys want to leave out to fit in Bell and Robinson?
If we have all those players on the park at once it will be a miracle.
Considering Army came in for Thomas there is your first answer. This would be my team.
FB Tuohy Jamison Simpson HB Walker Watson Yarran C Gibbs Judd Thomas HF Robbo Henderson Garlett FF Kreuzer Waite Everitt FOLL Warnock Murphy McLean INT Scotland Carrazzo Curnow SUB Bell
Armfield came in for Thomas....so that means he isn't in our best 22? Neither is Scotland, Carrazzo, Simpson.... Don't think you thought that one through.
FWIW, Armfield played every game last season. In fact he has missed just 1 game from the past 50! (R4 vs Ess 2012...boy we needed him then too!) Last season Bell played 9/24 Robinson played 21/24
Big call putting them ahead of Army...who offers a very similar role, yet more versatility.
Leaving out Menzel is a somewhat easy decision to make as he is still learning the game, but he does add polish as well as hardness up forward.
@Shadesy... Curnow placed 4th in last years B+F. Hard to drop him on last years form.
Some very good points there Kruddler, it makes sense and it would be a difficult decision to displace anyone in the side you picked. However, Bell, Robbo and Cachia are probably our 3 best tackling players and I have a feeling that might count hugely in their favour when it comes to team selection. Plus I think Bell and Robbo in particular lift the rest of the team with their wrecking ball style of play.
Don't get me wrong, i like what they bring to the side, Cachia too (who i think uses the ball better), but you simply can't fit everyone in the side. Obviously there will be some players with injuries which will allow them to get plenty of games, but based on paper alone they don't demand a spot. Which is a good thing, means we have depth.
For me the big winners from todays game were... Everitt Wood Buckley
I expected all to be making up the numbers somewhat but all 3 showed they belong. Everitt probably had the runs on the board already, but there is still the uncertainty of how he would fit in with our structure. He can fit in wherever we need him.
Wood i thought would be a good pickup considering the price we paid for him. However he appeared to be an upgrade around the ground on what our current/previous rucks give us. His 3 marks with 1 contested is better than the career average of both Kreuzer and Warnock. In fact based on stats, Wood is the best marker of the lot. Has a better shot at goal percentage too. Could he do the unthinkable and work his way into the side ahead of one of our other high profile ruckmen?
Then we come to Buckley. What i saw from him today was pure football nous. He is not an athlete that has been taught how to kick. He is a footballer. He knows where to be, and where to put the football to advantage his teammates. He knows how to work in tight spaces, both with and without the football. He has leg speed. He has aggression and a good tackling technique. He might only be slight compared to your average AFL player, but he knows how to play the game. Don't think he can force his way into the starting lineup, but a more than adequate backup adding much needed depth.
I reckon that not only are Bell and Robbo starters in our line up but they're very important to the side adding that hardness and perhaps making the opposition think twice before they go.
^^^^^This x million Finally we have a couple of players that hurt the oppositio, yes they may turn the ball over a bit, but they offer more positives than negatives. Have you seen Juddys games from last year? Did some great things but continually hand balls to the other team and no one is complaining about his disposal. Yes they lack class but would rather them in than someone like Lucas.
OK, i've asked a few people to do this and nobody has complied, so i'll do it myself and then maybe you'll see why i've been so 'negative' towards Bell and Robbo.
Best 22... FB Tuohy Jamison Simpson HB Walker Watson Everitt C Gibbs Judd Thomas HF Yarran Henderson Garlett FF Kreuzer Waite Menzel FOLL Warnock Murphy McLean INT Scotland Carrazzo Curnow SUB Armfield
EMG Cachia Bell Robinson Lucas Docherty McInness Casboult Graham Cripps
Which of my starters do you guys want to leave out to fit in Bell and Robinson? Armfield and Curnow are similar players with more runs on the board compared to those two. Menzel, Yarran and Garlett might be one small too many, but we could do it while Eddie was here and Menzel offers more marking power and ability to play further up the ground so i don't think thats an issue. So you want to go with only 1 ruckman?
I just can't see, when fully fit, how they will force there way into our best side.
I think Bell and Robbo are the worst users of the ball. Can we afford to carry them?
Jeez Krudds you are seriously harsh on Bell. This kid is the #1 player on our list from last season looking to step up. Carrazzo was a horrible user of the ball early days and won a B&F. If MM didn't believe in these two boys I'd expect they would have been traded out last year.
Mate, i've got nothing against them and love their attack on the ball. But if they turn the ball over when they get it, what does it matter how tough they are when they don't have it?
Bell, has a lot to like and is still coming on as a young bloke. Robbo, who everybody loves, needs to take the next step from up and coming kid, to genuinely good player. Both need to improve their disposal and decision making to step up.
I agree that Carrazzo was a terrible user of the ball and needed to step up to earn his spot in the side, i think it is clear that he did improve his disposal and all around game. Kudos to him for doing that. Until Bell and Robbo do the same, there will be question marks over them. I don't think that is unfair.
As an exercise JK, pick your best 22. See where Bell and Robbo fit into it, if they do, and i reckon you'll have more people than just me pointing out that certain players missing deserve a spot in the best 22.
Tom Bell best game in a navy blue jumper, took the game on when he hard space, offloaded the ball when he didn't.
Robbo - GUN! Better decision making early with fatigue saw a bit of the old Robbo kicks but an improvement on 2013.
As a team I was impressed, tackled well and with purpose, every man was looking to shepperd for team mates and when we got into space we looked very good.
I can't agree with your critique of these 2 players, but agree that the team worked well. Perhaps partially because those 2 were doing the hard yards and team things. But, i do not want the ball in their hands as they make too many errors with it.
Yes, Bell kicked a good goal and yes he had some breakaway clearances, but almost every time he picked out the north blokes so well i think we have to get his eyes checked.
Robbo made better decisions than he usually would, but better than woeful is not that hard. Still a big worry with the ball in his hands.
Honestly, when you include some blokes who missed out today.....Judd, Carrazzo, Scotland, Simpson and Thomas it is the blokes of the caliber of Curnow, Armfield, Cachia, Lucas, Bell, Robinson, Buckley, Cripps, Graham and Ellard who miss from todays squad. From those players, i think Bell and Robbo are the worst users of the ball. Can we afford to carry them?
Everitt is picking himself in our best 22. Menzel will be hard to keep out of it. Watson has just about cemented himself in the backline and will allow Hendo to play up forward.
Wood is brilliant get for Mick and co at the bargain basement price of a rookie pick and is doing better than i expected. Buckley is showing pace and agro, only a little bloke, but is a pure footballer. Some bigger blokes who are not footballers and would not make my best 22 at present are Bell and Robbo. All heart, no skill/brains.
Reckon there will be some pretty decent players on our list who will not be guaranteed a game. Curnow, Cachia, Bell, Robinson, Graham, Cripps, Armfield, Buckley and Lucas are all fighting for 2 spots on the bench by my reckoning.
Daisy ruled out with a cough cough chest infection.
Already stated he will play the following week against the crows in R2.
Perhaps thats all it is?
You'd think if they had any doubts over his ankle they would've said ages ago that he'd be eased into the season and miss a lot of the pre-season games anyway. The fact they named him in R1 shows he has to be there or thereabouts.
