I assume we are still playing the Dogs next week. I can't be sure yet.
Unless Tom de Koning or Marc Pittonet can come up and play a brilliant game, we are screwed.
We'll be playing the dogs....its just a matter of when.
It might be next wednesday for all we know
Assuming Krueser is unavailable, this week would be the ideal time to introduce De Koning against a similar type of ruckman in Tim English....still quite lean, not over physical, athletic. Perfect timing.
If we don't play Pittonet we are asking for trouble, he's fit and he is aggressive which is what we need around Bont.
It might be a good game for De Koning, but not perhaps as a ruck, leave Levi rotating in the ruck with Pittonet and play De Koning forward. But if we do that we can't lose the midfield like we did last night.
Dogs are a real chance to go top 4 IMO. Very tough assignment. Dogs by 5 goals.
There were rumors circulating yesterday the Dogs now have two players being tested for COVID-19, the game might not go ahead at all!
Dogs will be a test given they have the three big mids to help offset Cripps so we need a few players to standup and support the skipper in the middle.
Tough early season draw for a weak club.
Play Pittonet and tell him to get physical on English who is a rising player but still pretty light. Needs to remember that putting his body in is part of his job description because he won't take marks around the ground and get 20 kicks.
We might need another tall with Schache, Bruce and Naughton to contend with.
Drop Plowman and Dow, play Willo and Stocker (if fit). Maybe LoB for Setterfield (last chance).
Put a rocket up Fisher ET AL. Time to put up or piss off.
Agree EB but that sentiment is almost on a repeat loop.
I'd almost be tempted to play TDK and Pittonet this week. If Williamson is fit then maybe the third tall defender option.
I don't rate the dogs or the coach. We always match up well and as opposed to playing the reigning premiers where we were no chance, this week we are a chance. If we dont start playing until the second qtr, we are screwed, we need to eliminate this farken habit of slow starts (amongst other things).
Pittonet ... now. And yes, Stocker. Dow banished permanently to the NBs. Don't wanna see him again.
Agree capcom....I feel sorry for Dow. It's not his fault he was picked at number 3...but the lack of development or improvement by him into his 3rd season is a real worry. If he got 25 possessions and butchered half of them you might tolerate it....but to get 7 possessions in a game and still do it?
I don't think we should play TDK in the ruck yet. Let him get more mature first, we don't want him too bashed up and plagued by injuries. He looks like a pretty useful fwd so let's try him there.
My side for this week, nuffs enuff
Not bad...like TDK at FF and Pittonet in the ruck, Williamson is worth a shot down back, at least he might try and mind a man.
EB they have to try something different. We have supposedly added depth, farken use it.
One area we went backwards depth wise was in the ruck.
Phillips out
Lobbe out
Pittonet in......and that was it.
but both TDK and Levi have 'improved'....
don't see an issue.
Isn't it ironic how two of the biggest whipping boys (Cas and Jones) are now two of our most pivotal players. Good stories.
Not a bad side Gic.
I'd be happy to see that side run out.
The problem every side faces from now on is that anyone that is brought in has had NO match exposure for x number of weeks. Therefore Stocker, who player almost no Marsh matches and possibly only part of a NB practice match is in form and ready to go? These will be hard calls all year. They are also saying if it’s 9 days, Harry will be ready. He’s got nowhere to practice, so does he come straight in????
If you own 2 pairs of shoes and 1 gets wet, you have a dry pair to change into.
If you sell those shoes and upgrade them to the best shoes going around and they get wet... what do you do?
Your shoes have been 'improved' over what you had before, but now youre in a situation which I means you have none.
Regardless of how good they are, you always need a backup.
Also don't mind those selections.
Blind men do not fear the dark!
Pittonet, TDK and Levi are not SpecialK, especially around the ground, we best have a significantly revised midfield / stoppage plan or we're going to get roasted. SpecialK was winning the ruck early Thursday night and we still got roasted, imagine if we'd lost the ruck it could easily have been a 10 goal or more Qtr for Nthmond!
Pittonet isn't as mobile, he is more of a Mumford aggro type, we need him to be primarily aggressive and hopeful not take out too many team-mates in the process. He has a similar match day flaw to Levi, after the jump they pause for a moment before they make their next move, a fatal flaw if you're a boxer and one that even B-Grade rucks can take advantage of if they are well coached to do so.
TDK is a toothpick, he best be jumping and running, hopefully without hurting his back, and getting on his bike as much as possible.
Levi needs to be tackling a lot lot more, using his size and strength, and pushing hard forward or defensively to make himself the man at marking contests. Someone needs to coach him to realise that jumping in the ruck is the start of the next action not the end of the first.
It will be at least 16 weeks until Kreuzer is available: he has broken a bone in his foot. Therefore Tom de Koning and marc Pittonet are going to get a lot of game time.
I'd be tempted to include both on them for the Dogs: English is going to be an excellent player, but he doesn't have the physique yet. A physical player on him? Maybe.
I would drop Paddy Dow, and if he doesn't improve soon, I'd be looking to trade him while he has value. He needs time playing, and the VFL won't be playing for weeks. Just what we don't need.
If the numbers are bad do not be surprised to find Rnd 2 becomes weeks or even months away.
If just one player gets a positive test it will be like F1, canned!
Sam Philp, Tom Williamson and Tom DeKoning are all great inclusions.
With respect to Stocker, during the preseason Teague mentioned that he was a fair way off the pace, which was surprising as Stocker gives the impression that he’s prepared to do the work to make it and from what I’ve seen he has the ability. I’m also not sure how a player forces his way into the side without a VFL competition. Presumably they’re playing internal scratch matches on the weekend and if so the club should release video of these matches.
Also don’t think we can go into our next game with all of TDK, Casboult, Pittonet, Moore and McGovern.
Subject to Stocker being ready to play, I’d ditch Moore and reintroduce one of LOB, Fisher, Setterfield or Dow.
Wonder if the AFL will consider trying to play all games out of one state.
Love it.
My dream is Dow, and LOB to a lesser extent, can do the same.
We have 10 weeks to talk about this match now.
And Kruze will only have 6 weeks to get back:)
But will miss about 10 matches in that time.
In Curnow, McKay, Betts
It's highly unlikely the competition resumes soon after the 31st of May, a July / August resumption is the most likely scenario if it resumes at all for 2020!
No, i'm saying they will play 10 matches in those 6 weeks