In Sydney on Saturday night.
Seems Chugga has done a medial - so will be out 4-6 weeks.
No one at VFL is really standing out right now - but there will be a spot for someone next week.
Not for this week, but I think Matt Cottrell will be eyeing off a spot to grab when he returns in a few weeks and that is playing on the opposite wing to Acres. Big bodies, crash and bash finals football is more Cottrell's go than Ollie H and I just think Ollie too easily brushed aside and out muscled. The other positive is that, like Holland, Cottrell can run all day.
Kennedy, and maybe Boyd out and with GWS on the rebound after a poor loss to the Crows and the game being on their home deck, I think its a game where we might be struggling to win and Im not confident we can get it done.
After watching the VFL game, I think Carroll might be the only ready-made option if one is needed.
Agree.....Hewett in for Kennedy(inj) and Carroll sub, if Boyd is out then it gets harder, maybe Marchbank comes in as a defender which wouldnt ease my nerves for this game.
Cincotta could go down back but we must appeal
Absolutely we should appeal. Mansel ducked into it and went forward with his head.
Nothing Boyd could do.
Is TDK injured?
Was lucky enough to get to a Carlton corporate lunch before the game on Sun and the guest speakers were TDK & Harry's mothers (they do a podcast together).
Mrs TDK joked that he wasn't allowed to play on Sunday as punishment of his not so nice play with brother Sam the week before - specifically mentioned the throwing the ball at Sam after the siren. Was quite funny. Hopefully she only grounded him for 1 Week.
Josh Kelly ruled out for GWS.
Boyd cleared.
I couldn't believe he was cited in the first place. But what would I know?
They might play the 2 rucks this week after what happened last time we played.
In: de Koning
Out: Pittonet or Kennedy (omitted or soreness)
In: TDK
Out: Pittonet
I’d be inclined for dropping Chugga if there’s a risk that there’s medial weakness and another week off would help him. Bring in Carroll
No other changes.
Cottrell, Martin to come in the week after maybe for Ollie and Orasio. Ollie has been poor of late…
Cotts has to come in if fit. He is as important as Cerra who was crucial in the first quarter and a bit when the heat was on and boys had to absorb alot of pressure early. No doubt Ollie should make way for him.
for me a big Danger game to much media how well we are going and gws have season on the line type of Game
In: T.De Koning, M.Cottrell
Out: M.Pittonet (omitted), G.Hewett (omitted)
Last week's sub: George Hewett
Why are we not resting Kennedy??
Sub to come from....
[2] Lachlan Cowan,
[39] Alex Cincotta,
[46] Matthew Cottrell,
[44] Matthew Owies,
[14] Orazio Fantasia
My pick would be Fantasia, despite his 4 goals last week.
I would say Cottrell as the sub and Hewett in if Kennedy doesn't come up 100%, which still has to be a possibility.
We must be going OK if Georgie can't get a game!
Kennedy won't play.
Happy with the team.
Chugga gone from multi weeks out to still in ?
Dont get the Hewett omission, one of the better ball using mids and decision makers we have. Can go fwd and kicks straight.
I don't think he will and Hewett will come in.
But then again, using logic I learnt from Vizzini the Sicilian in the "Princess Bride."
That's exactly what GWS will be thinking....that Kennedy will miss and Hewett will come in.
So, they'll prepare for Hewett.
On the other hand GWS will know that is what we think they will believe and we'll actually play Kennedy.
So they'll prepare for Kennedy.
But many of us suspect that the Kennedy recovery is too quick.
So GWS better be ready for Hewett.
Our line-up:
B: [17] Brodie Kemp, [23] Jacob Weitering, [37] Jordan Boyd
HB: [42] Adam Saad, [11] Mitch McGovern, [24] Nic Newman
C: [4] Oliver Hollands, [9] Patrick Cripps, [13] Blake Acres
HF: [7] Matthew Kennedy, [10] Harry McKay, [6] Zac Williams
F: [20] Elijah Hollands, [30] Charlie Curnow, [8] Lachie Fogarty
R: [12] Tom De Koning, [18] Sam Walsh, [5] Adam Cerra
Int: [2] Lachlan Cowan, [39] Alex Cincotta, [46] Matthew Cottrell, [44] Matthew Owies, [14] Orazio Fantasia
Em: [29] George Hewett, [27] Marc Pittonet, [22] Caleb Marchbank
[1] Good as he has been this year, I would have brought Cottrell back via the VFL. After a long break, he needs miles in his legs.
[2] I would have played Pitto, but ...
[3] George is stiff, but he probably should play. I would have rested Kennedy, as I would prefer him to be 100% when we need him.
[4] Spots in our team are hard to get at the moment. Ollie Hollands has been quiet of late, and must be under some pressure. Hard to drop Fantasia after 4 goals. Owies is a little out of touch at the moment; he dropped a couple of chest marks last week which could have been critical. But he still has be out of form for much longer to get dropped after his efforts so far.
[5] I'm not sure Charlie is 100% at the moment, but he keeps kicking goals ...
[6] The 2's should be better this week. There will actually be some leadership out there, something we've lacked badly this year. It also means the our midfield might be just a tad more reliable.
At which time our MC play Pitto and Kennedy and Ollie miss out, GWS never saw it coming. ;D
I'd be betting on dual rucks to be honest.
Keep them truly guessing and play without both Kennedy and Hewett playing cincotta through the middle.
If he is fresh, I think Cincotta is ripe to have a crack at sedating Toby Greene, that would be some confidence boosting scalp and Greene is a bit rusty in 2024, it's an ideal time if Cincotta is fresh.
Going to bucket down in Sydney tonight, light rain possible tomorrow, might be a bit chilly and a bit greasy tomorrow night, not sure what the ground is like, I believe in very heavy downpours it floods.
Big question, will we deliver the venue a new crowd record?
Did anyone hear a rumour circulating that we've already made a change, apparently someone's travel arrangements have changed, illness maybe?
Id stick with Newman on Greene, enjoys playing on these types and has been getting it done.
Cincotta I would save for Whitfield who wont like the extra physical attention and wont bother picking him up on the rebound either so our man might be in the goals again..
Cowan to Greene
Are we getting to the stage where we don't play our full hand?
Save something for if/when we meet them in the finals??
I think Whitfield is too aerobic for Cincotta, not that Cincotta isn't good but Whitfield is exceptional, and for that I'd let Cottrell run with Whitfield all day long.
Get a Nil All draw with a couple of players like Greene and Whitfield, added to Kelly out, you go a long way to getting the job done.
Maybe Coniglio is the right run with opponent for Cincotta, they strike me to have similar pace and Cincotta is strong.
Newey has done a number on Toby Greene before and is the ideal match up. Apart from stopping Toby getting the pill, Newey's work up the ground forces Greene to play defensively.
Cincotta to Whitfield is a no-brainer.
The trick is really if you can get enough midfield dominance, you will drag all those opponents up the field leaving blokes like Cincotta and Cottrell drifting in and out of goal range. Whitfield lays more tackles than Coniglio, Greene is an old fashioned type who likes to hurt you with a tackle.
Probably the best strategy is sharing the load, rather than a captain's pick.
Just asking for some advice, if I may.
My wife and son are going (lucky them) with GA tickets. Any tips on where they should sit?
Thanks
Ash is also out of the GWS team now.
On the wing on the first level.
This may be a "danger game" if we have any complacency, hope they go full bore and win by 5-6 goals.
Away games come with some additional challenge. I wouldn't be complacent about any team these days. Including GWS. They will find form soon enough. Not this week hopefully.
Go hard, sustain the pressure and focus, and we can get the 4pts.
Go Blues
Hewett late out of the VFL squad.
Hewett is a travelling emergency.