This week's match ups

[boneless23]

With our current line up, Collingwood look a challenge to match up on due to the depth of quality small forwards that they have at their disposal and our lack of quick, small defenders.

Thomas, Didak and Davis in particular are the major concern and they expose a weakness that West Coast and others have exposed recently. Goddard has shown himself to be too slow off the mark for these types of players (eg Mark Williams) and Gilbert has also been recently towelled up by Eddie Betts.

Any ideas?

Eddy and Jones may be options???

[perfectionist]

Burns is the one. He has the ability to be in the pack dishing it out one minute and then out on his own setting up a play the next. It's not his pace, it's his skill and reading of the game. So, do you tag him with a "sticker" or match him with a "reader"?

In option A, McQualter would fit the bill and in option B, Harvey would be the choice. The fact that Burns is a 60% TOG player would make that possible.

[elphie]

betcha those small forwards wouldn't be smiling soooo much if BAKES stood next to them?

[Raven]

Dempster's a good option. Baker, if available, but that's a bit up in the air.

Neon Leon is not in great form at the moment, let's hope he stays that way!

[saintDal]

Dempster's a good option. Baker, if available, but that's a bit up in the air.

Neon Leon is not in great form at the moment, let's hope he stays that way!

We do have a knack of playing players/teams into form.

[marksnsparks]

IMHO, we just need to relearn how to hammer teams in the first half and shut the toothless filth army up so they've got no crowd to carry them along.

Other than that, mini is turning into a fine tagger and should be put on Didak. Dempster on Medhurst.

Good night filth.

[Eastern]

Burns is the one. He has the ability to be in the pack dishing it out one minute and then out on his own setting up a play the next. It's not his pace, it's his skill and reading of the game. So, do you tag him with a "sticker" or match him with a "reader"?

In option A, McQualter would fit the bill and in option B, Harvey would be the choice. The fact that Burns is a 60% TOG player would make that possible.

BIRSS !!

[BackFromUSA]

medhurst
didak
l. davis
thomas

vs

mcqualter
eddy
birss
geary

with baker on the bench - to take Burns if needed or swing onto a small forward.

Blake and Fisher will take Cloke and Anthony.

Gilbert will be our swingman - can play back either tall or small and may be necessary if we want to swing Blake into the ruck.

Gram must be played in midfield.

Goddard should be our third tall forward pushing to midfiled.

Kosi has to play and stay deep. Roo has to work between 30 and 60.

Shaw might get Jones with instructions to hurt him defensively with chases and tackles and then on rebound (where Shaw can be lazy) with pace.

Assuming Ball is out and Hayes and Harvey escaped injury, my changes would be:

In: Baker and Birss
Out: Ball (inj) and Dempster (no suitable match up in my mind)

[Teflon]

medhurst
didak
l. davis
thomas

vs

mcqualter
eddy
birss
geary

with baker on the bench - to take Burns if needed or swing onto a small forward.

Blake and Fisher will take Cloke and Anthony.

Gilbert will be our swingman - can play back either tall or small and may be necessary if we want to swing Blake into the ruck.

Gram must be played in midfield.

Goddard should be our third tall forward pushing to midfiled.

Kosi has to play and stay deep. Roo has to work between 30 and 60.

Shaw might get Jones with instructions to hurt him defensively with chases and tackles and then on rebound (where Shaw can be lazy) with pace.

Assuming Ball is out and Hayes and Harvey escaped injury, my changes would be:

In: Baker and Birss
Out: Ball (inj) and Dempster (no suitable match up in my mind)

Not sure I agree re Dempster.

Hes not slow and gives us the ability to expose a Thomas for example (who can take a grab and plays taller) for height.....we should alsoplay to our strengths....

The rest looks good...Im also nervous so much of your defensive small match ups is left to rookies and Geary looked a little lost to me Sunday....

Birss HAS to come in. He CAN tackle and he can kick a goal.

Davis has murdered us last 3 times and sets them going. He MUST be stopped.

[degruch]

Who do you put on Davis? Hasn't it been Gilbert in the past? It's a tough match up, we haven't got many small tough backs to do the job on speedy small forwards. He'd be too fast for Birss you'd think, and I'd like to see Mini in the midfield with Ball out. Does this sound like bollocks?

[Teflon]

Who do you put on Davis? Hasn't it been Gilbert in the past? It's a tough match up, we haven't got many small tough backs to do the job on speedy small forwards. He'd be too fast for Birss you'd think, and I'd like to see Mini in the midfield with Ball out. Does this sound like bollocks?

Jones has the pace and can lay a tackle but Jones pace is very important in transition play for us.....but hed do allright.

X if he played would bhe ideal...for whatever reason a lot of indigenous players negate each other when opposed.

[degruch]

Who do you put on Davis? Hasn't it been Gilbert in the past? It's a tough match up, we haven't got many small tough backs to do the job on speedy small forwards. He'd be too fast for Birss you'd think, and I'd like to see Mini in the midfield with Ball out. Does this sound like bollocks?

Jones has the pace and can lay a tackle but Jones pace is very important in transition play for us.....but hed do allright.

X if he played would bhe ideal...for whatever reason a lot of indigenous players negate each other when opposed.

Ah, yes...CJ. Not a bad idea. Did he pull up OK? Looked a bit proppy at one stage on Sunday.

Mini on Burns? Would you play him in the middle?

I thought Birss would be excellent to stop Shaw, but given he's a lying toe-rag and mightn't be playing, who do you put him on...the other Shaw?

[Teflon]

Who do you put on Davis? Hasn't it been Gilbert in the past? It's a tough match up, we haven't got many small tough backs to do the job on speedy small forwards. He'd be too fast for Birss you'd think, and I'd like to see Mini in the midfield with Ball out. Does this sound like bollocks?

Jones has the pace and can lay a tackle but Jones pace is very important in transition play for us.....but hed do allright.

X if he played would bhe ideal...for whatever reason a lot of indigenous players negate each other when opposed.

Ah, yes...CJ. Not a bad idea. Did he pull up OK? Looked a bit proppy at one stage on Sunday.

Mini on Burns? Would you play him in the middle?

I thought Birss would be excellent to stop Shaw, but given he's a lying toe-rag and mightn't be playing, who do you put him on...the other Shaw?

IMO Mini would get a go on Burns - pace isnt a problem and Mini has done well of late in stopping gigs.

The other Shaw Im not that worried bout.....remember they gotta stop Hayes, Gram, Dal Santo, Montagna and Harvey.

[degruch]

Is there really a place for Birss in this weeks team then, or should we be looking for another type of player...say, a leading mid-sized forward (Gardiner, Allen, Ferg style)? We seemed very one-dimensional in attack last week, and the G is a bigger ground for leading into space.

OMG...G Train!?!

[Teflon]

Is there really a place for Birss in this weeks team then, or should we be looking for another type of player...say, a leading mid-sized forward (Gardiner, Allen, Ferg style)? We seemed very one-dimensional in attack last week, and the G is a bigger ground for leading into space.

OMG...G Train!?!

Good point - its a tough one.

Ferg/Allen havent set the world on fire.
C Gardiner plays well as a lead up CHF to wing link type player but doesnt trouble scorers.

The irony is Birss was one of our reasonable goal scorers before being dropped (I dont think he shoulda been to be honest)

Id bring in M Gardiner - stretch the poor Pies ruck Division and force them to play that cr@pruckman Josh Fraser out of the middle.
Id play Kosi deep and rotate their with Roo and bring Birss in as a small fwd option who can stop rebound and keep the footy locked in our fwd 50.

[degruch]

Is there really a place for Birss in this weeks team then, or should we be looking for another type of player...say, a leading mid-sized forward (Gardiner, Allen, Ferg style)? We seemed very one-dimensional in attack last week, and the G is a bigger ground for leading into space.

OMG...G Train!?!

Good point - its a tough one.

Ferg/Allen havent set the world on fire.
C Gardiner plays well as a lead up CHF to wing link type player but doesnt trouble scorers.

The irony is Birss was one of our reasonable goal scorers before being dropped (I dont think he shoulda been to be honest)

Id bring in M Gardiner - stretch the poor Pies ruck Division and force them to play that cr@pruckman Josh Fraser out of the middle.
Id play Kosi deep and rotate their with Roo and bring Birss in as a small fwd option who can stop rebound and keep the footy locked in our fwd 50.

I like it Teffers, I like all of it. So, it's settled, you and me will coach this team to the GF...I pose the questions, you give the answers.

[gosaints]

I think we need to spend some time on Dane Swan. He is the one who always gets away from us. He killed us in round 8 with 28 disposals and 7 marks. Is McQualter big enough to run with him or is someone like Dempster a better match-up.

[ThePunter]

There is no problem bring C Gardiner into the side - he always plays well first up. We just need to never play him two weeks in a row.

Can't see too many other changes. Armitage in for Ball, and Hudghton in, if fit, for either Geary or Eddy, neither of whom did an awful lot on Sunday.

[Teflon]

There is no problem bring C Gardiner into the side - he always plays well first up. We just need to never play him two weeks in a row.

Can't see too many other changes. Armitage in for Ball, and Hudghton in, if fit, for either Geary or Eddy, neither of whom did an awful lot on Sunday.

You may still need an Eddy type as a smaller defensive option - a backline of Hidgton, Gwilt?, Goddard, Dempster etc is to tall against Medhurst, Thomas or Davis.

[Teflon]

I think we need to spend some time on Dane Swan. He is the one who always gets away from us. He killed us in round 8 with 28 disposals and 7 marks. Is McQualter big enough to run with him or is someone like Dempster a better match-up.

Yeah good point - last time I guess noticed Davis (who got BOG) as cutting us up more but Swan also needs to be contained.

It will come down to clearance and fd 50 entries and the manner we bring the ball in. IF we get smarter and bring the footy in with a 'take best option' approach and dont become Roo/Kos conscious we will be hard to stop. Its why a Birrs or even Armo (both kick goals and tackle) are important to bring in and both can have a stint in the guts. Birss can also pinch hit in a run with role - he would have the strength/speed to go with Swan as an option......

I also think Collingwood have looked at their worst when sides have destroyed them out of the ruck...must say its tempting to play M Gradiner and King for this but in all truth that probably leaves us to tall?

thoughts?