What does ladder position have to do with team selection ?
Really? Do i need to spell it out? I thought i just did.
Sydney have (kinda) recently won a flag, and more recently played off in a grand final. Their style over a long period of time has been using bigger bodied players (mids mainly) and being strong at the contest. Given they have had the ultimate success and been near the top for a while you'd think they are very successful at it.
Alternatively, we have a young, largely inexperienced, smaller bodied list. We are struggling to find our 'style' but being bullies is about as far from our style as you can get given our list makeup.
So given the above, what makes you think we can match them at their own game? Surely we'd be better off trying to beat them in another manner rather than playing to their strengths?
It's hard pleasing everybody, and it's hard finding a happy medium. Many times on here I read we are lightweights and brushed off too easily, boys v men etc.
Swans are slow and big, especially in the midfield. We either try and match them, or try going the opposite, and blowing them off for pace and agility. It's hard to know sometimes.
So a wooden spoon team is going to match it with a premiership winning team at their own game?
Personally i think its pretty clear what we should be trying to do....and its not that.
Not sure what Mo Hope does wrong, I thought I heard she played OK in a couple of AFLW/VFLW games since dropping all that weight but she got kiboshed again.
Rumors Tayla, Vescio, Davey, Harrington and the twins have all been approached. But under the AFLW rules this isn't a shock it's just normal, it's like they want to start and build this competition with maximum free agency. I think that's a bit tough on clubs if nothing else from a marketing and branding perspective, they should be able to secure the marquee players that they invest heavily in a little longer than just a season or two. But I suppose it's more complex give the girls are really only semi-professional status and want to do stuff like have babies. The idea they can be sportswomen as well as wives and mothers, something us old blokes need to get our head around!
I heard the other day that the first thing Harf did when he got to the club was seek out Bri Davey and convince her to stay. He, coming from Collingwood, knew they were into her and he's pretty sure they wouldn't have been the only ones.
I'd be very surprised if we lost any of the girls you mentioned above as they would be highly rated by Half, and their teammates, and have become a tight unit. Obviously, they are on the verge of success. Why would they leave?
FWIW, Sabrina Frederick-Traub was strongly linked to Richmond (with others circling as well) long before she announced she was leaving Brisbane. I've heard very little else about changes thus far, but we'll know more in a few days when the signing period opens.
Some notes * Signing and trade period starts April 8. (end in August)
* Draft isn't until October
* Expansion clubs can sign up to 4 players from the Vic clubs, Adelaide and GWS and up to 8 players from Brisbane and Fremantle.
* AFLW clubs can now offer 2-season contracts (previously just 1)
* Expansion clubs can pre-list 10 players - 7 will be open-age players from either their own academies or previously listed players from other clubs, nominated for the draft but not drafted in 2018 - 3 will be players born in 2001 (from their own development regions only) - The rest will be drafted post AFLW season.
It's interesting, while I appreciate Bri's season I thought she was yet to regain her prior form.
I appreciate Harf often had her in a new role, but I thought despite getting lots of football she just wasn't that effective in 2019, almost like she was wasted. Assuming she stays with Carlton I'd like to see her return to the HB in 2020, and to have a bunch of players like the Hoskings, Harrington, Gee and Walker feed off her, I don't give a stuff if we win games 30 to 20 as long as we win! There is something to be said about forcing opposition turnovers off the HBF which makes them run Yo-Yo for 4 qrts.
imho, Bri was hands down by some significant margin the AFLW's best playing off HB.
As a club, men and women, we keep doing this, we keep taking players who have it all and turning them into a standardised version of average. I'm sure if Ablett Jnr came to Carlton he'd end up in the back pocket because he is reliable there without being exceptional!
Why was Bri Davey played outside of HB for large parts of the year is a legitimate question.
To look for the answer, look at who made the AA team. Harrington and Pound. Both of them playing, and dominating, in the backline all year. Also having the competent, and former B+F winner, Stevens back there also facilitated this.
So answering the above question.....because we could.
Congrats to... Kerryn Harrington Gab Pound Maddie Prespakis on making the team.
Of the 4 girls picked in the squad, who would've thought that only Bri Davey would miss out.
In any event, so glad that our 'lesser likes' get the kudos they deserve.
Of the other awards Bri Davey got best captain.....albeit i reckon on a slight technicality. Adelaide had dual captains, who polled 2nd and 3rd as best captain. Not sure of the voting procedure for that.
Maddie Prespakis won the rising star and best first year player
Taylah Harris won mark of the year for her (Johno Brown/Wayne Carey-esque) grab against the Lions.
Lets be fair, two different players...one is a small marking forward the other is a small forward playing in a defensive pressure role. Fas is expected to kick goals and Polson is expected to put a small rebounding defender out of business. A lot easier to be a negative player but at the same time Polson is better value at the minute and deserves a game and Fasalo needs NB's time....
Yes, Lets be fair, i said playing a similar position.
You said SMALL marking FORWARD and SMALL FORWARD playing a defensive pressure role.
I'd say thats about as similar as you can get without playing the exact position.
Gibbons has just been the VFL equivalent of the Brownlow two years running. Whats the point of dropping him to the VFL when we already know what he is capable of at that level?
Its clear as day that the issue isn't one particular player but a team synergy issue and that will only improve by making fewer changes to personnell or roles.
Just to be clear, i was talking about Fas, and saying the opposite about Gibbons.
