Your best 22 v North Melbourne

[SainterK]

B: Gram Blake Gwilt
HB: Dempster Fisher Gilbert
C: Armitage Hayes Dal Santo
HF: Steven Riewoldt Goddard
F: Milne Kosi Saad
R: McEvoy Montagna Schneider
Int: Siposs Geary Newnes
Milera
Em: Clarke Jones Simpkin

I know Jones has a good record v North, a huge heart and a willingness to put his body on the line. I just think his disposal in the modern game is getting exposed.

I may cop criticism for omitting him, together with Clarke (I just rate Jarryn higher and don't think we have room for both) but it's opinion.

Could Newnes be played as a run with tagger, he showed he has the concentration when he played on King? All I know is that he has very good foot skills and composure and we need him in I think?

So out Clarke, Jones. In Saad, Newnes (Geary back into the 22)

[Buckets]

I would say if you take Jones out you bring in a mid and maybe it times for Ledger?
Depends on Blake and what his injury was, maybe Simpkin comes in for him.

[gringo]

I would play Fisher forward with Wilkes and give Kosi and Roo a rest if not 100%. Depends wether we get Blake or Stanley back as back up ruck though. Wilkes is worth another go as a forward and can't play anywhere else. If our keys aren't fit don't play them.

[BringBackMadDog]

I would play Fisher forward with Wilkes and give Kosi and Roo a rest if not 100%. Depends wether we get Blake or Stanley back as back up ruck though. Wilkes is worth another go as a forward and can't play anywhere else. If our keys aren't fit don't play them.

Why rest Roo and Kosi a week after a bye????? Isn't one week off enough

[desertsaint]

Agree with your team bar jones - would have him in at the expense of newnes.
Would have Newnes,Simpkin, and certainly Geary ahead of Clarke.

[SainterK]

I love Jones desert, I really do...

Defensively sound, gives his all, however modern footy is exposing him I think?

58% disposal efficiency, no inside 50's, 1 clearance.

In fact I think he has only had 2-3 inside 50's over the last month, can we afford that from a midfielder?

We need a lock down player who will hurt the other way, which he did used to do, but no longer....is it confidence, or just the gameplan?

[desertsaint]

I love Jones desert, I really do...

Defensively sound, gives his all, however modern footy is exposing him I think?

58% disposal efficiency, no inside 50's, 1 clearance.

In fact I think he has only had 2-3 inside 50's over the last month, can we afford that from a midfielder?

We need a lock down player who will hurt the other way, which he did used to do, but no longer....is it confidence, or just the gameplan?

Well if you'd have put Jones becoming an elite ball deliverer in your sig this year we wouldn't be having this discussion

[borderbarry]

The courage displayed by Raph Clarke last night should help him keep his spot. I dont think Newnes is quite up to his standard yet. Besides which Raph is not one of our players guilty of poor disposal all of the time. They are the ones who should be sent to Sandy.

[35...LEGEND]

B: Gram Blake Simpkin
HB: Dempster Fisher Gilbert
C: Armitage Hayes Dal Santo
HF: Schneider Riewoldt Saad
F: Milne Kosi BJ
R: McEvoy Montagna Steven

Int: Siposs Geary Newnes
Sub:Clarke or Stanley if right.

Em: Milera Jones Gwilt

[saint66au]

In: Saad, Wilkes (or Stanley if fit), Simpkin

Out: Milne, Kosi, Milera

[Hallalj#3]

Out Jones Milne

In Ray Sadd

[sainter104]

B: Gram Blake Geary
HB: Dempster Fisher Gilbert
C: Armitage Hayes Dal Santo
HF: Schneider Riewoldt Saad
F: Milne Wilkes BJ
R: McEvoy Montagna Steven

Int: Siposs( sub) Milera Stanley Jones

Em: Gwilt Kosi Clarke

[To the top]

The only position Blake can play as a defender is the role Fisher excels at.

Blake is no full back - as we saw against Adelaide where he was zoning off instead of crunching the spoil.

Was absolutely thrashed at full back - and then equally thrashed in the ruck.

Geary is honest at absolute best - and delivers no offensive impact because his disposal is so poor.

Something like:-

Simpkin Gilbert Dempster
Clarke Fisher Gwilt
Dal Santo Hayes Gram
Steven Riewoldt Sippos
Stanley Koschitzke Saad
McEvoy Goddard Montagna
Armitage Schnieder Newnes Milera

Whilst we do not have a big bodied defender, Gilbert is 194cm, Simpkin, Dempster and Fisher 191cm and Clarke and Gwilt 188cm. All can defend overhead. We can then rotate both Gram and Newnes back as circumstances dictate plus Goddard can fill the gap by dropping back.

Riewoldt, Koschitzke and Stanley will occupy the thoughts of NM and the deployment of their talls, forcing their height back.

Sippos also needs a taller opponent because he can also grab.

Saad, Schnieder (Milera as sub) and the mids rotating thru give your ground level potency and your lock in pressures.

Thru the mid-field we have Hayes, Dal Santo, Montagna, Steven, Armitage and Gram plus Goddard. Saad and Schnieder can both contribute up the ground and then look for space going forward.

We have to persevere with McEvoy because he is our ruckman, but has assistance from Koschitzke and Stanley.

Gwilt regaining his poise and Simpkin doing what is required on the last line are vital to overall balance and composure - Blake, Geary upon replacing Blake and Gwilt being under such pressure saw our defence lack composure in the face of Adelaide's ruck dominance (until late) and the spread capacity that delivered - plus our forward pressure from our smalls was deficient allowing run and spread from defence and particulary after we (yet again!!) missed shots and handed the ball over. With only Milera to offer chase pressure, he was too easily blocked off his defensive chase and he had no support unless Steven and Armitage were in there. Schnieder contributed but he does not have genuine leg speed.

I could not find room for Jones - and his lack of an ability to run a straight line with the pill and then deliver to advantage plus that he could not lock down Adelaide's premier on-baller (that is his job - lock down the most potent of the opposition's mid field) tells against him.

He failed to do his job, as did Blake and Milne and they pay the price.

I thought that Koschitzke actually being kicked to in the mid field and contesting in the ruck was central to our last quarter revival - and we should learn from this and periodically use him accordingly.

Milera looked as if he needed a rest - and has a week off. He did however work the ground and apply chase pressure so deserves another chance. Without his partner in crime, he was too easily blocked.

[rexy]

Geary Simpkin Gwilt
Gilbert Fisher Schneider
Montagna Hayes Steven
Millera Reiwoldt Goddard
Milne Stanley Saad
McEvoy Hayes Dalsanto
Clarke Armitage Sippos Jones

Out Blake Gram Kosi
In Stanley Saad Simpkin

[Dave McNamara]

Geary Simpkin Gwilt
Gilbert Fisher Schneider
Montagna Hayes Steven
Millera Reiwoldt Goddard
Milne Stanley Saad
McEvoy Hayes Dalsanto
Clarke Armitage Sippos Jones

Out Blake Gram Kosi
In Stanley Saad Simpkin

I agree rexy, except I'd keep Kosi and (very reluctantly) send Tezza to join Wilkesy and Ledger as the emergencies. You are correct though that Kosi needs to lift - again, is he carrying something??? Does anyone with club connections know???

Despite the reasons in favour of Schneids setting up across half back, I remain a fan of keeping him as a forward with license to roam. I also believe that there's plenty of room for all the four small forwards in the one team..., despite the fact that I've ironically squeezed Tezza out this time - again, very reluctantly.

And for all Grammy's legion of fans on here, I don't want him out with the vigor that I did a few rounds back, but if Simpko returns, I see Gears, Raph and Grammy competing for two places, and I'd (no doubt controversially for some) prefer the other two at the moment. Sorry Grammy.

I don't think it matters a whole lot who starts on the bench, but as ever I have no idea who should be the sub. That said, I'd like to see Sippa' get another full game.

[Country Kid]

Geary Simpkin Gwilt
Gilbert Fisher Schneider
Montagna Hayes Steven
Millera Reiwoldt Goddard
Milne Stanley Saad
McEvoy Hayes Dalsanto
Clarke Armitage Sippos Jones

Out Blake Gram Kosi
In Stanley Saad Simpkin

I agree rexy, except I'd keep Kosi and (very reluctantly) send Tezza to join Wilkesy and Ledger as the emergencies. You are correct though that Kosi needs to lift - again, is he carrying something??? Does anyone with club connections know???

Despite the reasons in favour of Schneids setting up across half back, I remain a fan of keeping him as a forward with license to roam. I also believe that there's plenty of room for all the four small forwards in the one team..., despite the fact that I've ironically squeezed Tezza out this time - again, very reluctantly.

And for all Grammy's legion of fans on here, I don't want him out with the vigor that I did a few rounds back, but if Simpko returns, I see Gears, Raph and Grammy competing for two places, and I'd (no doubt controversially for some) prefer the other two at the moment. Sorry Grammy.

I don't think it matters a whole lot who starts on the bench, but as ever I have no idea who should be the sub. That said, I'd like to see Sippa' get another full game.

I know Hayes is good but to play two positions is a bit much to ask of him at his age. As you have deleted Dempster maybe he could come back in for one of the positions.

[plugger66]

Is this the side we want or think could happen because i reclon the chances of Milne and Jones being dropped are nil and IMO so they should be. Milera may be younger than Milne but isnt it about winning the game and if is then Milne plays ahead of Milera every day of the week. Jones is our tagger and get beaten sometimes but usually always does a job on Harvey who is still one of their most imprtant players.

Baring injury the only players with a chance of being dropped are Clarke, Kosi which I doubt very much, Blake who would be very unlucky, Milera who probably will be and Gwilt for balance.

[Old Mate]

Saad for milne
wilkes for kosi
Simpkin for milera

[Old Mate]

Want obviously

[bigcarl]

Baring injury the only players with a chance of being dropped are Clarke, Kosi which I doubt very much, Blake who would be very unlucky, Milera who probably will be and Gwilt for balance.

I thought Raph was one of our better players.

Kosi was very poor but is probably safe until Stanley is ready.

Gwilt was better than he has been but still seems to be adjusting to the pace of the game. Either that or he has lost a yard.

As for Blake, I'd struggle with dropping a guy who has probably been our most valuable player this season.

Milera needs to bulk up a bit and start making those tackles stick.

[bergholt]

definitely time for a rest for milera, and with saad fit he's a no-brainer as the replacement. i wouldn't be surprised to see blake out for simpkin but that's a line-ball call. raph has been pretty good but i'm not sure he really fits into the team at the moment - newnes might be a bit more flexible.

IN: Newnes, Saad
OUT: Clarke, Milera

[bigcarl]

updated later

[Dave McNamara]

Geary Simpkin Gwilt
Gilbert Fisher Schneider
Montagna Hayes Steven
Millera Reiwoldt Goddard
Milne Stanley Saad
McEvoy Hayes Dalsanto
Clarke Armitage Sippos Jones

Out Blake Gram Kosi
In Stanley Saad Simpkin

I agree rexy, except I'd keep Kosi and (very reluctantly) send Tezza to join Wilkesy and Ledger as the emergencies. You are correct though that Kosi needs to lift - again, is he carrying something??? Does anyone with club connections know???

I know Hayes is good but to play two positions is a bit much to ask of him at his age. As you have deleted Dempster maybe he could come back in for one of the positions.

Great pick up C K! I agree, at his age and coming off a second knee reco', Lenny can no longer be expected to play two or more positions at the one time...

[saintsRrising]

I love Jones desert, I really do...

Defensively sound, gives his all, however modern footy is exposing him I think?

58% disposal efficiency, no inside 50's, 1 clearance.

In fact I think he has only had 2-3 inside 50's over the last month, can we afford that from a midfielder?

We need a lock down player who will hurt the other way, which he did used to do, but no longer....is it confidence, or just the gameplan?

A fortnight ago you rated Geary above Schneider, and now Jones. At least now you now have Schneider in the team. Schneider is a very smart and skilful player way above Geary and a true "core" player of the team.

Geary is not a good user of the ball, but mainly plays outside and so his error rate looks lower than Jones.

Blake often has a very good efficiency, but that is because he too is an outside release player in the back half.

Back back on Jones, virtually all of his ball is in packs and in hot contests. He has to dispose of the ball under pressure.

Now yes he is not a superb user, but why are you ranking Geary higher than Jones? if it is purely on ball use, then you are "dreaming"

Jones is still an elite tag, and provides very hard body at the contests.

There is a spot in the team for Geary, but it is squeezing out one of the mid sized defenders and not Jones. On the ball, Ledger may eventually replace him, but does not yet have the tank.

Dempster is now a lock, as are Gilbert, BJ and Sam.
Gram most likely is too.

If we get a full list to choose from Gram, Raph, Simpkin, Blake, Gwilt and Geary are competing for 3 spots.

Newnes is a find, but is probably behind Geary at present as Geary is a real hard-nut.



.

[saintsRrising]

Siposs has been a bit of a bolter his last two games.

I am starting to think of him in terms of team structure as the new BJ.

That is the "go-to backfielder" that drifts forward that others players get the ball to so that they can set up play in a damaging way.
Early days yet, but Siposs has shown good recent times of stepping up and we sorely need more good users of the ball in the team.