Round 8 Team

[saintbob]

Looks like Shenton, Bruce, Dunstan

Bruce Dunstan and Sipposs would be my bet.

[Con Gorozidis]

I understand we need some experience but I don't understand why Gwilt and CJ need to play every single game.

Happy for them to play their 12-14 games for the year but just as youngsters get phased in gradually - some older guys who are already fringe players should be phased out gradually.

[St Ick]

I feel for Seb and Dunnell, but especially Seb. He has killed it in the twos this year, doesn't really get much of a go in the ones then, back to toes, back to killing it. Maybe, just maybe he needs to bide his time until Len retires.

I am very happy with Milera, well deserved and hopefully he takes his opportunity if he makes the final cut.

As for Sipp, I hope he does well, I feel sorry for others, as it seems Sipp has only played one top game but I'm sure the coaches know more about it than little old me

[Zed]

still baffled why Bruce was dropped in the first place after a reasonable solid game against the Lions. Simpkin dropped after 1 game almost equally baffling.

Need guys who naturally can find a way to kick a goal - or at least put themselves in a spot to do so.

[Con Gorozidis]

I feel for Seb and Dunnell, but especially Seb. He has killed it in the twos this year, doesn't really get much of a go in the ones then, back to toes, back to killing it. Maybe, just maybe he needs to bide his time until Len retires.

I am very happy with Milera, well deserved and hopefully he takes his opportunity if he makes the final cut.

As for Sipp, I hope he does well, I feel sorry for others, as it seems Sipp has only played one top game but I'm sure the coaches know more about it than little old me

I see it as a team balance issue for Seb. We cant have Dunstan, Hayes Weller and Seb all in there together. But I think next year when Lenny is gone - Seb will get plenty of opportunity/games.

I guess if Schneids gets injured at some stage or Saunders needs a rest - we will see Dunny get his chance... Probably not far away.

[gringo]

Then they shouldn't have played... If a fact?!

Ruthless on the coaching staff!

If you play footy, and run out on the ground... There are no excuses.

Why are you trying to find excuses for such a pathetic effort.... Tell you what

They better have been crook, it would help explain a 100 point loss?!

Hang on?!

Face it

It was a shameful display... Which IMO needed to be made an example of at the selection table

Probably a combination of factors lost it for us from missing Armo, Hickey, Dunstan from our best midfield line up against the best midfield depth in the comp. Once they started getting beaten up badly they just went in to a frozen state. The backline was under enormous pressure and we are missing that link man in Wright or Gilbert to carry the ball out. At our best we had Goddard, Fisher, Gram, Raph, Ray, Gilbert and even Dal occasionally to transition the ball. We currently have Ray and Gwilt trying to do it all. Gwilt can use his marking and long kicking Ray his marking and dish off.

I don't think there is any point in doing the big hissy fit at selection, let them get back and try to prove themselves.

[FQF]

Then they shouldn't have played... If a fact?!

Ruthless on the coaching staff!

If you play footy, and run out on the ground... There are no excuses.

Why are you trying to find excuses for such a pathetic effort.... Tell you what

They better have been crook, it would help explain a 100 point loss?!

Hang on?!

Face it

It was a shameful display... Which IMO needed to be made an example of at the selection table

Probably a combination of factors lost it for us from missing Armo, Hickey, Dunstan from our best midfield line up against the best midfield depth in the comp. Once they started getting beaten up badly they just went in to a frozen state. The backline was under enormous pressure and we are missing that link man in Wright or Gilbert to carry the ball out. At our best we had Goddard, Fisher, Gram, Raph, Ray, Gilbert and even Dal occasionally to transition the ball. We currently have Ray and Gwilt trying to do it all. Gwilt can use his marking and long kicking Ray his marking and dish off.

I don't think there is any point in doing the big hissy fit at selection, let them get back and try to prove themselves.

I know it wasn't even so long ago, but gosh, that team was oozing with class.

[Con Gorozidis]

Amazing how we are already using the absence of Dunstan who has played 6 games and is in his first season as a legitimate excuse for a poor performance.

I thought all our senior players were champs? Why are they all of a sudden so reliant on Dunstan to get a kick?

No Armo - now thats a genuine excuse (Hawks were missing Mitchell) but 'No Dunstan" cant be used as an excuse by senior players/coaches.

[FQF]

Who said it was an excuse? Richo said we missed his drive — as far as I see it, that was a statement of fact, not an excuse.

[gringo]

Amazing how we are already using the absence of Dunstan who has played 6 games and is in his first season as a legitimate excuse for a poor performance.

I thought all our senior players were champs? Why are they all of a sudden so reliant on Dunstan to get a kick?

No Armo - now thats a genuine excuse (Hawks were missing Mitchell) but 'No Dunstan" cant be used as an excuse by senior players/coaches.

Well it's on top of Armo and Hickey and on top of Steven spending time forward because of his lack of match fitness. Then the loss of others in the last few seasons. We have Joey as our only top line mid now without Jack and Armo playing dominant footy Dunstan is very important.

[spert]

I thought Simpkin got caught out of position too many times against the Hawks and gave his opponents a lot of room to move, so I guess it's back to the VFL to work on his defensive game- he was a good player a couple of years ago, but seems to have lost a bit. Bruce should play down back, with Siposs and Milera in the forward line too. I would like to see Roo played deep at FF with Siposs as a medium-size CHF, just to give him a bit of responsibity. Dunnel must be close to a game, but Ross I feel is VFL standard and too slow at senior level. I reckon last week was a reaction to losing what should have been a win against the crappy Lions- flat as a pancake.

[skeptic]

I thought Simpkin got caught out of position too many times against the Hawks and gave his opponents a lot of room to move, so I guess it's back to the VFL to work on his defensive game- he was a good player a couple of years ago, but seems to have lost a bit. Bruce should play down back, with Siposs and Milera in the forward line too. I would like to see Roo played deep at FF with Siposs as a medium-size CHF, just to give him a bit of responsibity. Dunnel must be close to a game, but Ross I feel is VFL standard and too slow at senior level. I reckon last week was a reaction to losing what should have been a win against the crappy Lions- flat as a pancake.

See I think all of these reasons are why these guys need to get games

you learn from your mistakes, so Simpkin now needs opportunity to work on them

we're not bringing in established players, we're bringing in players that we hope will cement themselves at AFL standard... they need to play to do it

[bigcarl]

On Simpkin.

One game - against the reigning premier, in which we get spanked by 45 goals or whatever it was, with the ball coming in there at a rate of knots - proves nothing.

[perfectionist]

I admire Simpkin and think he's unlucky to be dropped...

Letting his direct opponent get goal side at a stoppage would not have endeared him to the selection committee.

[Cairnsman]

I admire Simpkin and think he's unlucky to be dropped...

Letting his direct opponent get goal side at a stoppage would not have endeared him to the selection committee.

what a load of garbage.

[bergholt]

I feel for Seb and Dunnell, but especially Seb. He has killed it in the twos this year, doesn't really get much of a go in the ones then, back to toes, back to killing it. Maybe, just maybe he needs to bide his time until Len retires.

I am very happy with Milera, well deserved and hopefully he takes his opportunity if he makes the final cut.

As for Sipp, I hope he does well, I feel sorry for others, as it seems Sipp has only played one top game but I'm sure the coaches know more about it than little old me

Ross unlucky, they're looking for run in the midfield and pace is definitely not one of his assets. Dunstan takes the spot because he's just better at this point.

Siposs lucky, you're right that it was only one good game, but we desperately need to find more goalkickers and that's his best skill.

Dunell - who knows? I can't honestly see what his position is at AFL level so I can't say I'm surprised. Unless he can make himself a true midfielder I think he's in troubłe.

[Dr Spaceman]

Dunell - who knows? I can't honestly see what his position is at AFL level so I can't say I'm surprised. Unless he can make himself a true midfielder I think he's in troubłe.

Agree.

However having said that, he was retained on our list. And as such he, along with other unfashionables such as TDL, should be given a chance at some stage of the season if their form at VFL level warrants it.

[in for the long haul]

v. difficult to judge Gwilts and Simkins games from last week - lets face it they were getting constantly bombarded by some pretty slick midfielders and forwards ( and even Gibson at one point!) I feel for Simpkin and feel he's been harshly dealt with after only one game. Gwilt as always looked terrible when he didn't have the ball and must be on his last chance

[Junction Oval]

I agree with others, that Simpkin was unlucky to be dropped in difficult circumstances. From a confidence perspective, he should have been given another opportunity and Gwilt "rested" for this week.

[avid]

Simpkin almost "rested" Gwilt all by himself with that terrible pass -- went dead centre between Gwilty and Big Mac -- and we almost had a dead back.

I feel sorry for both of them. They're both being asked to play roles they're not suited for.
Gwilt should be our delivery rocket-launcher from defense: but he keeps on getting asked to mind forwards a foot taller than him
Simpkin, I think, is a really scary-tough defender, but not really a tall defender. He's going to fail on a tall forward, whereas he's likely to do well on a mid-size forward.
Once we developed some real tall backs to take the tall forwards, I think Gwilt and/or Simpkin might really excell.
They might not have enough time left for this to happen, of course.

[Wrote for Luck]

Think Gwilt should have been rested and Simpkin given a run too.

Agree with general consensus that you need to be playing AFL footy to reach the necessary output levels, hard to gain that at VFL level when your are constantly hitting maximum capacity that is only required at that level. Seb/Simpkin would fit into this category for mine.

I note that Jones and Ray are listed on interchange possibles for Sandy. Unsure if that is sending a message.

Reckon we have lacked forward potency. Occasionally getting goals from Eli and Saunders isn't enough. We probably lost to the Lions due to no Eli and Schneider. Our backs and mids have been over stretched and mids in particular having to carry the can.

This is where Savage has been a disappointment.

With a forward line that can take on more down the ground getting the ball from the wings to the goal square we could get a better balance. Richo has focussed a lot on clearances and defence, but we've been missing what Watters gave us in terms of forward thrust (Milne, Saad, Milera, Schneider etc...).

If we add Milera and Siposs it will be interesting to see how our balance looks (as they can drift into the middle well). And to see how Billings operates within this mix.

[spert]

My only worry with Gwilt is that he seems to have lost any pace he may have had, and his one-on-one work is not great, but if you drop an experienced player, who comes in to that position? I thought our midfield was the big disappointment against the Hawks- slow, fumbling, second to the ball, and that does put pressure on the backline. Montagna picking up load of possessions didn't really equate to much. Simpkin however was caught out of position many times and looked like he was watching the game and not his man.

[gringo]

My only worry with Gwilt is that he seems to have lost any pace he may have had, and his one-on-one work is not great, but if you drop an experienced player, who comes in to that position? I thought our midfield was the big disappointment against the Hawks- slow, fumbling, second to the ball, and that does put pressure on the backline. Montagna picking up load of possessions didn't really equate to much. Simpkin however was caught out of position many times and looked like he was watching the game and not his man.

The Hawks game was definitely more a lack of defence from further up the field. The backs were swamped. Backmen always cop it as they are the obvious face of the defeat. It's usually started further afield. Gwilt has been pretty good this year but had some poor moments. There was a kind of hysteria about Dawson but we were worse with out a key back.

[samuraisaint]

Jones and Ray are on the extended bench for Sandy - Milera and Sippa in?

[borderbarry]

The only In that played against Footscray today was Murdoch. He kicked a nice goal but did little else. The only Saint who did well was Dunell again.

I would say there is certain to be late change/s.