Our best ruck combination, until someone else comes along, is Pittonet and De Koning, followed by De Koning and O’Keeffe, then Pittonet and O’Keeffe.
The solution to the lack of foot speed by some of our mids isn’t playing the even slower Silvagni as a second ruck....
It might not be long before that first combination falls behind the other two. Certainly it gives us better mobility and forward craft than any combination involving Pitto, but we lose his physicality. Not that O'Keeffe is shy of putting his body on the line but he doesn't - yet - have the size to do it effectively against most AFL first rucks.
As to JSOS rucking not being a solution to lack of leg speed, the comparison is not to the other mids but to whoever would be doing the second ruck role if not JSOS. If that were Pitto or Mirkov for example, then JSOS clearly is quicker, not so if it is TDK, Harry McKay or say Dom Akuei (not that he is near firsts level) he was keeping out of that role.
Yep, ticked the "any ticket" box, hopefully seats but otherwise will at least be there. But first there is the mere formality of rolling Brisbane at Fortress Gabba.
Daughter, her partner and I are doing the road trip. Only he works to 7pm Friday so not much time for any hiccups, but still workable. Then Monday morning I have a phone conference but as long as I'm not driving that will work. Decided against doing the return trip right after the game plus get the chance to catch up with my best man who lives up there nowadays.
Question is whether JSOS will get up. Conflicting reports on that. If not might have to roll the dice on Kennedy. Don't think any of our other talls are a realistic possibility due to a variety of factors - form, fitness, lack of maturity.
I went old school and did what my daughter did to get Taylor Swift tickets - drove the 45 minutes to a ticketek outlet and queued up rather than going on line. Was thinking of going fully old school and sleeping outside the outlet but only a few people doing that last night so I opted for my own bed and a 4am alarm clock. Outlet opened at 7, by 7.30 had my number in the queue and came back at 10 for the sales to start. Couldn't get anything in the Ponsford Stand (daughter wanted to be near the Cheer Squad), but got ground level in the pocket other end. Tickets is tickets! Happy just to be there.
We’ve got the pre-finals bye coming up (it still feels a little strange that the bye will apply to us 🙂) and that’s the only break we need.
At this stage of our campaign, I think that it’s important that we maintain momentum, stay ruthless and get games into our returning players.
Tend to agree except I think returning fringe players should be considered also - especially if by game time we know a win won't help us. Miles in the legs of all that we may need to call upon - and omit those who can't get up or would benefit from the rest.
I have been picking next weeks Blues team every week since I became a Blues fan in 1968 and I don't recall a tougher selection task than this coming week. First up are the inter-related philosophical questions - 1 do we rest tired/banged-up players? and 2 do we prioritise getting miles into the legs of returning players? North failed to overrun the tigers in the seconds, so no-one outside the 23 are getting any match practice. The remaining unknowns at time of writing are whether top 4 is still a chance and conversely who we'd be playing week 1 of the finals on either a round 23 win or loss scenario. The former will be clear tonight, the latter by match time. If top 4 is on offer we play our strongest side, likewise if the results make a win imperative. Otherwise I am more open to being dictated by the opportunity to get miles into the legs of returning players.
To my mind we rest Cripps, Docherty and Hollands on any scenario. All would benefit from the 2 weeks off and all are struggling at the moment such that fresh legs would be a benefit to the team this week anyway – not to denigrate what they bring to the table. Incoming I would expect all of Cerra, McGovern and Walsh to come in. Also Kennedy and Silvagni if they are fit. Perhaps Boyd, though Fisher has been better than I thought he could be in the loose defender role. However I wonder whether we can afford his lack of defensive application when it comes to finals. Boyd and Cincotta to me are more defensive, more physical, better overhead and in Boyd’s case a better kick than Fisher. McGovern is a different type of defender and Marchbank and Kemp are the obvious 2 he potentially replaces, unless you want to play all 3 in which case one of them plays small and one of the small defenders goes out. That doesn’t effect our run that much and gives us flexibility if one of our tall defenders goes down.
On ball Ed Curnow I think is cooked. Cuningham has not been setting the world alight despite his obvious gifts and may be at risk. Cottrell is not the most skilled player going around but I like his versatility and team ethic and his incredible running power is crucial to the way this team plays. He stays for mine. Lastly, if there is not much hanging on the game I say we blood Binns. He has been excellent all year in the 2s and deserves a run. If he turns it on we have another selection dilemma, otherwise we have 1 natural out for the final. Win/win in my view and an investment in the future.
At this stage assuming we will prioritise getting miles into the legs of returning players and assuming Kennedy and Silvagni are fit to play my line-up is:
BOYD WEITERING MARCHBANK
FISHER McGOVERN SAAD
ACRES DOW WALSH
BINNS McKAY MARTIN
SILVAGNI/PITTONET C CURNOW OWIES
DE KONING KENNEDY/CINCOTTA CERRA
COTTRELL HEWETT KEMP MOTLOP / FOGARTY
EMERGENCIES CINCOTTA HOLLANDS YOUNG
IN BOYD McGOVERN WALSH BINNS (NEW) SILVAGNI KENNEDY CERRA FOGARTY
OUT NEWMAN DOCHERTY CRIPPS HOLLANDS (RESTED) E CURNOW CINCOTTA PITTONET CUNINGHAM (OMITTED)
LOCKS TO RETURN CRIPPS DOCHERTY NEWMAN
PUSHING TO RETURN CINCOTTA CUNINGHAM HOLLANDS
CHANCE TO RETURN PITTONET
BACKUPS E CURNOW COWAN HONEY O'BRIEN PLOWMAN YOUNG
Watched the AFLW practice match against Sydney on the live stream, again worrying signs early. Last week the reigning premiers pantsed us, this week a team that struggled last year were well on top of us for the first half. Unable to get the score on the board, blew a couple of good chances, but still in general play being beaten to my eye.
Different outfit after half time. Q3 we finally got on the scoreboard and closed to within 8 points with the momentum our way. Pressed hard in Q4, got to within a goal but lost by 9 after they goaled after the siren.
Much improved on last week, but the quality of opponent much reduced. In particular we were much better outside the contest this week.
Moody huge as usual, usual suspects stood except for Vescio who I thought was generally quiet. Mia Austin looked good as did the 2 new Irish girls especially Erone Fitzpatrick, they both add run and speed and if they are on an upward curve look out opposition.
Overall more light on the horizon than last week, or indeed half time, but we need to get value for our forward entries. With Vescio, Austin and Skepper up forward and Moody drifting forward we have the talent, the defence is solid and the midfield has quality individuals so there is something to work with.
Much improved 3rd quarter and finally got results on the scoreboard, thanks largely to Moody who kicked our first 2 goals. 8 points down at 3QT but with the momentum.
Watching the AFLW practice match against Sydney on the live stream, again worrying signs. Last week the reigning premiers pantsed us, this week it is a team that struggled last year well on top of us. Haven't been able to get the score on the board, blown a couple of good chances, but still in general play being beaten to my eye. Could be a long season.
Absolutely unacceptable performance to be destroyed like that.
JSOS injured or on managed minutes? Certainly didn't seem to be on the ground for the second half.
Binns great Q1 and Q4 but shut out in the middle 2 quarters. Same for the Cow.
Cant blame the forwards they never had the ball in their vicinity.
Young had 8 kicked on him by a guy who also relieved in the ruck. Their KFs kicked 13 between them. Still Young did some decent intercepting work as did S Durdin and Parks. Defence was simply overwhelmed.
The gane was lost in the middle where we sere smashed. Moyle is an AFL quality ruck (though not a quality AFL ruck) and a huge man and we had no-one could compete with him. Can't really blame our rucks, but a great learning experience for HOK. It was our ground level players in the middle who were flat-out slaughtered.
Simply uncompetitive and now leaves us at risk of missing the play-off round - North has to not be beaten by the Tigers or alternatively the tigers have to destroy North much like we were today. Go North!
Given GWS's lineup this week I could see the MC resting Pitto next week and trialling TDK with backup from JSOS and if need be Harry in the final round.
Emergencies: Jordan Boyd Ed Curnow Josh Honey Jack Silvagni My money would be on Boyd. Given we have 2 rucks and Harry I cant see us going JSOS, Honey I don't rate and Ed I think is cooked.
