TOMMY WALSH MUST PLAY THIS WEEK

[Jacks Back]

From Ross comments on OWAAT
Seems like Walsh won't get a call up but is seen as a big bustling full forward "we think we have one" "been a little bit frustrated with his lack of opportunity"
Seem to hint that we will see a combination of Goddard Roo and Koso forward this week.

I saw that too. It don't look good. Poor bloke. Can't be worse than Lynch.

[Teflon]

From Ross comments on OWAAT
Seems like Walsh won't get a call up but is seen as a big bustling full forward "we think we have one" "been a little bit frustrated with his lack of opportunity"
Seem to hint that we will see a combination of Goddard Roo and Koso forward this week.

yer...didnt sound like it....

[Jacks Back]

Yeah. RL said something like he will play when the time is right. When is the time ever right?

[True Blue Sainter]

Yeah. RL said something like he will play when the time is right. When is the time ever right?

The time is clearly right.

Shame that our coach doesn't see it this way. I'm a big fan of a lot of the things he does, but the whole "4 year apprenticeship" thing is rubbish.

[joffaboy]

the whole "4 year apprenticeship" thing is rubbish.

Finally somebody speaks the truth.

Well done. yes it is rubbish.

Cripps
Ledger
Sipposs
Archer
Johnsone
Winmar

All played seniors this year and Cripps Sipposs and Ledger would have played more if not injured according to RL.

T.Walsh has not been at the club two years yet.

Well done for spotting this silly myth.

I look forward to seeing T.Walsh play in our seniors for the next 7-8 years.

Would love to see him have a go this season, but considering RL and the people down at the club know more about his progress than anybody on here, I have to go with their knowledge.

One thing though, if Tommy got a game this week and our mids and ruck played like they did against Sydney, Walsh wouldn't get near it. Nor would any other forward in the League.

[thejiggingsaint]

How true JB. How true!

[thejiggingsaint]

How true JB. How true!

[thejiggingsaint]

How true JB. How true!

[thejiggingsaint]

How true JB. How true!

[plugger66]

We get it.

[BigMart]

Cripps, siposs, ledger....played out of necessity...Injured now, all were playing reserves when injured...

Walsh is 23yo
Johnson 21yo

Fact is.....we play very few players under 23 in the seniors for extended periods.....unless the is NO other choice...

[plugger66]

Cripps, siposs, ledger....played out of necessity...Injured now, all were playing reserves when injured...

Walsh is 23yo
Johnson 21yo

Fact is.....we play very few players under 23 in the seniors for extended periods.....unless the is NO other choice...

They may not have been good enough at the time and there was this small matter of us winning 19 games in a row and RL may have not wanted to drop or rest players that were delivering.

[Mr Magic]

Cripps, siposs, ledger....played out of necessity...Injured now, all were playing reserves when injured...

Walsh is 23yo
Johnson 21yo

Fact is.....we play very few players under 23 in the seniors for extended periods.....unless the is NO other choice...

McEvoy
Steven
Armitage

of course that's only because they are the best at their positions - obviously there is nobody better so therefore there is 'NO other choice'.

[samoht]

Our forward line (which kicks paltry scores) has no upside/silver lining as it is slow overall- we need to introduce 2 quick forwards in there.

Opposition defenders are always amongst the best players - Thomas and Shaw of Collingwood average 25 possessions each against us, Leon Davis got 36 possessions the week before , Shaw of Sydney 29 possessions. Milburn, Corey and Enright love our slow forward line and average 25 run and carry possessions each against us.
Harbrow when he played for the Bulldogs averaged 40 possessions against us from half back.
These players run and carry the ball and are very damaging... as they can run away with ease from our slow forwards.

We need to add a couple of quick players in our forward line - if Walsh (who is a quick tall) isn't considered - then we need to include some other quick tall plus I hope Cripps recovers and plays forward of the centre as he's very quick.
I hope Walsh isn't suddenly considered solely for kicking 6 goals in the VFL - he needs to also have a defensive mindset and use his speed to chase and tackle... he should be considered only if he can also bring the defensive aspect too.

[bigcarl]

Our forward line (which kicks paltry scores) has no upside/silver lining as it is slow overall- we need to introduce 2 quick forwards in there.

Opposition defenders are always amongst the best players - Thomas and Shaw of Collingwood average 25 possessions each against us, Leon Davis got 36 possessions the week before , Shaw of Sydney 29 possessions. Milburn, Corey and Enright love our slow forward line and average 25 run and carry possessions each against us.
Harbrow when he played for the Bulldogs averaged 40 possessions against us from half back.
These players run and carry the ball and are very damaging... as they can run away with ease from our slow forwards.

We need to add a couple of quick players in our forward line - if Walsh (who is a quick tall) isn't considered - then we need to include some other quick tall plus I hope Cripps recovers and plays forward of the centre as he's very quick.
I hope Walsh isn't suddenly considered solely for kicking 6 goals in the VFL - he needs to also have a defensive mindset and use his speed to chase and tackle... he should be considered only if he can also bring the defensive aspect too.

Yep, Cripps is the other one who could give a finals X card (if we get there).

He's quick and has shown in the past he can kick goals ... handy qualities in a sub or small forward.

As for Walsh, I hope he has an attacking mindset. Defence has taken us as far as it can take us and now we need to kick goals. It's all about balance.

But I do think that he will have been fairly well drilled by Ross on the importance of good defensive work in the forward line.

[samoht]

As for Walsh, I hope he has an attacking mindset. Defence has taken us as far as it can take us and now we need to kick goals. It's all about balance.

But I do think that he will have been fairly well drilled by Ross on the importance of good defensive work in the forward line.

Defence has only taken us so far as it effectively stops/doesn't exist in our forward line. We need to up the defensive ante in our forward line... Big Time.

Forwards need both sides - Franklin and Rioli are just as valuable when not kicking goals... as they're bloody quick.
If you stop the easy run and carry and rebound out of your forward line - you're helping out your midfield and defenders from being overwhelmed - restricting some opposition F50 entries and holding the ball in your forward line improves your chances of winning. Hopefully the easy rebound becomes a turnover your way and a goal.
You end up kicking more goals and your opposition kicks less - with effective forward pressure.

a penny saved is a penny earned .. you need a miserly forward line just as much as you need a miserly backline .. but you do need pace and a defensive mindset to pile the forward pressure on.

[bigcarl]

As for Walsh, I hope he has an attacking mindset. Defence has taken us as far as it can take us and now we need to kick goals. It's all about balance.

But I do think that he will have been fairly well drilled by Ross on the importance of good defensive work in the forward line.

Defence has only taken us so far as it effectively stops/doesn't exist in our forward line. We need to up the defensive ante in our forward line.

Forwards need both sides - Franklin and Rioli are just as valuable when not kicking goals... as they're bloody quick.
If you stop the easy run and carry and rebound out of your forward line - you're helping out your midfield and defenders from being overwhelmed - restricting some opposition F50 entries.

a penny saved is a penny earned .. you need a miserly forward line .. but you need pace to pile the forward pressure on.

Defence is important everywhere, but so is goals on the board.

We generally restrict oppositions to smaller scores but kick paltry ones ourselves. That's where we need to improve to challenge again (while maintaining our defensive game).

Let's not underestimate scoreboard pressure ... the ability to rattle on a few goals quickly a la Collingwood/Hawthorn/Carlton is a potent weapon that we do not have.

One of the reasons our forward line seems to lack defensive pressure is the way we set up.

Generally the opposition is allowed a loose man in defence and our sole tall target is generally too rooted to do much chasing after having been crunched by two or three opponents in a marking contest.

IMO Kosi should be second ruck with a brief to play a kick behind the play when he's not rucking. He's too slow to give you much when it hits the ground in the forward line and provides little defensive pressure.

But as a roaming tall he's very good (IMO).

[samoht]

As for Walsh, I hope he has an attacking mindset. Defence has taken us as far as it can take us and now we need to kick goals. It's all about balance.

But I do think that he will have been fairly well drilled by Ross on the importance of good defensive work in the forward line.

Defence has only taken us so far as it effectively stops/doesn't exist in our forward line. We need to up the defensive ante in our forward line.

Forwards need both sides - Franklin and Rioli are just as valuable when not kicking goals... as they're bloody quick.
If you stop the easy run and carry and rebound out of your forward line - you're helping out your midfield and defenders from being overwhelmed - restricting some opposition F50 entries.

a penny saved is a penny earned .. you need a miserly forward line .. but you need pace to pile the forward pressure on.

Defence is important everywhere, but so is goals on the board.

We generally restrict oppositions to smaller scores but kick paltry ones ourselves. That's where we need to improve to challenge again (while maintaining our defensive game).

Let's not underestimate scoreboard pressure ... the ability to rattle on a few goals quickly a la Collingwood/Hawthorn/Carlton is a potent weapon that we do not have.

One of the reasons our forward line seems to lack defensive pressure is the way we set up.

Generally the opposition is allowed a loose man in defence and our sole tall target is generally too rooted to do much chasing after having been crunched by two or three opponents in a marking contest.

A couple of quick forwards with a defensive mindset will turn it around.
The ball spends a lot more time out of a forwards hands .. that's when a quick forward can and needs to chase down and pressure the rebound... possibly cause the turnover or at least a stray kick.

Of course the forwards mindset should be to kick as many goals as possible (but we only have 2 forwards that can do that anyway- the other 4 don't chase/pressure effectively as they're too slow) - but the ball spends more time out of a forward's hands and that's where we need to emulate what Franklin and Rioli etc.. do defensively with their speed and defensive mindset.

Scoreboard pressure also increases when the opposition can no longer score from the easy rebounds which we're now generously allowing them ... there's too many easy rebounds at the moment.
Just have a look at the opposition's best players .. they are always defenders.

We may be defensive as you say - but the opposition is even more defensive and are restricting us more than we're restricting them and keeping us to very low scores.
You can look at it that way too !

We've lost a great defender in Gwilt - Fisher is being pressured by a Maxwell etc.. now - we need to pile the pressure on in our forward line.
A couple of quick forwards (with a defensive side too) may be the answer.

[spert]

The time is right to sign up Fev!!

[Mr Magic]

The time is right to sign up Fev!!

He's not under 23 years of age,
Nor is he from Ireland.

[Old Mate]

The time is right to sign up Fev!!

He's not under 23 years of age,
Nor is he from Ireland.

While this is tongue and cheek you make a good point. I don't think the Saints should pick up blokes over that age (or thereabouts). That is why players such as Salopek and Sylvia should be overlooked IMO.

[Dr Spaceman]

The time is right to sign up Fev!!

He's not under 23 years of age,
Nor is he from Ireland.

No, but Ireland is one of the many places where he's made a d1ck of himself

[plugger66]

As for Walsh, I hope he has an attacking mindset. Defence has taken us as far as it can take us and now we need to kick goals. It's all about balance.

But I do think that he will have been fairly well drilled by Ross on the importance of good defensive work in the forward line.

Defence has only taken us so far as it effectively stops/doesn't exist in our forward line. We need to up the defensive ante in our forward line.

Forwards need both sides - Franklin and Rioli are just as valuable when not kicking goals... as they're bloody quick.
If you stop the easy run and carry and rebound out of your forward line - you're helping out your midfield and defenders from being overwhelmed - restricting some opposition F50 entries.

a penny saved is a penny earned .. you need a miserly forward line .. but you need pace to pile the forward pressure on.

Defence is important everywhere, but so is goals on the board.

We generally restrict oppositions to smaller scores but kick paltry ones ourselves. That's where we need to improve to challenge again (while maintaining our defensive game).

Let's not underestimate scoreboard pressure ... the ability to rattle on a few goals quickly a la Collingwood/Hawthorn/Carlton is a potent weapon that we do not have.

One of the reasons our forward line seems to lack defensive pressure is the way we set up.

Generally the opposition is allowed a loose man in defence and our sole tall target is generally too rooted to do much chasing after having been crunched by two or three opponents in a marking contest.

IMO Kosi should be second ruck with a brief to play a kick behind the play when he's not rucking. He's too slow to give you much when it hits the ground in the forward line and provides little defensive pressure.

But as a roaming tall he's very good (IMO).

So you want to play an extra backman. I thought you wanted a good forward line. I dont think i have ever heard of a player playing a kick behind play when they arent rucking. sounds like a new position. If Kosi does you want then Rooy again has 2 or 3 players on him. Dont think Kosi playing that role is the answer.

[joffaboy]

Cripps, siposs, ledger....played out of necessity...Injured now, all were playing reserves when injured...

Walsh is 23yo
Johnson 21yo

Fact is.....we play very few players under 23 in the seniors for extended periods.....unless the is NO other choice...

Well i take it then that Ross Lyon was telling lies when he said all three of them would have played more seniors games if not injured.

Walsh may be 23 but in footballing age he is much less than that. How many listed players have played less than 30 games of Australian Rules football.

Johnson is a first year listed player.

Cant see your point.

Anyway i dont think it detracts from the fact that this supposed 4 year apprentiship thing is a myth considering the players who have gotten a gig this year.

Add to the players I mentioned and we have McEvoy, Armo, and Steven all in the 22, plusr new players Polo and Gamble.

Anyway, why the fixation on physical age? I dont understand unless there is a linear correlation between physical age and footballing ability.

There tends to be a linear correlation between physical age and physical maturity.

Lyons game plan lends itself to big bodied players. Maybe first year 18 y.o.'s cant play his type of game. Still that doesn't cancel out Tommy Lynch, he is a big physically mature 24 y.o. player.

Hopefully Tommy gets a game really soon. I will be dissapointed if he missed out on Thursday as it seems he will.

[Richter]

Hopefully Tommy gets a game really soon. I will be dissapointed if he missed out on Thursday as it seems he will.

Me too. Ross called him a "power forward" last night. I can't see that he'll play Roo, Walsh and Kosi in the forward line together.

Be interesting to see it though. 3 genuine Talls in the forward line. Haven't done that since the G-train came back and we played the Bulldogs a few seasons ago.

On the other hand, Roo could play deeper, roaming around the wing and have TW and Kosi as the targets up forward. This may be more of an option next year, as I think it is unlikely that Ross will change the system so late in the season.