changes for next week

[Old Mate]

Ross must start on the ground. He was our best midfielder by far in the 4th quarter

To be fair to the others the rest were stuffed. Hardest running game I have seen in years.

So you don't believe he should start next week?

Ross's 4th quarter was better than any other quarter by our mids. He made one bad error but aside from that his hands were clean with the ball and held up well in tackles getting efficient ball away.

[matrix]

out ray and gilbert
in billings and shenton (if chips doesnt get up)

[plugger66]

Ross must start on the ground. He was our best midfielder by far in the 4th quarter

To be fair to the others the rest were stuffed. Hardest running game I have seen in years.

So you don't believe he should start next week?

Ross's 4th quarter was better than any other quarter by our mids. He made one bad error but aside from that his hands were clean with the ball and held up well in tackles getting efficient ball away.

I think he should start because 2 weeks as a sub isn't good for a mid especially if we get an early injury. I was just pointing out the game was easier for him because everyone else was stuffed. The problem we have is we have Dunstan, Weller, Ross and Armo as similar inside players. Armo is now a little more outside but we need more. Steven is the only midfielder with genuine pace.

[Old Mate]

Out: Gilbert, Minch and Ray
In: Billings, Sinclair and Fisher

The million dollar question is how do we get Sinclair back on the primary list? Obviously I don't wish a longterm injury to a player but perhaps Gilbert needs a foot transplant that would see him go to the longterm injury list? \

[matrix]

sinclair cant come up OM

[Old Mate]

sinclair cant come up OM

Yeah I know. Did you miss the part where I wrote Gilbo needs to be put on the longterm injury list to get a foot transplant?

[Bunk_Moreland]

I only managed to catch the last quarter and will watch the full match today but if Gilbert butchered the ball and gave up goals as mentioned on this site then he goes.
I saw him get caught as he waltzed out of defense in the last quarter and thought he just needed to pick up the speed of it but if his disposal is still poor and hurting us it's time to go.
Clarko dropped Suckling this year and publicly stated it was because of his disposal efficiency. Granted there was a late withdrawal and he played anyway but kicking is king in today's football. I think Langford also got dropped for the same reason too.
Time for Richo to make a statement and drop some butchers and bring in silk (hopefully Billings will be available).

Gilbert has to stay. He does some ordinary stuff but he closing speed is fantastic. He wont be dropped IMO.

Agreed. gilbert made one glaring turnover resulting in a goal.

Most of the Gilbert bashers probably weren't at the game or if they were they spent the whole time ball watching as twice when Gilbo turned it over there were no options at all to kick to, so was put under pressure from up field.

When he was caught with the ball, he was again trying to make the play.

Really a bit of credit to the Dogs zone setup as well. Both team smothered the other with a good zone and pressure on the ball carrier.

Just too easy to look at a turnover and fragantly blame the ball carrier.

Doesn't detract from the fact that Gilbert is a poor kick though.

And OP, I dont know if you are ignorant, a troll or 13 but the name of the footballer is spelt Schneider. Stop being an ignoramous.

[dragit]

Still not sure what anybody sees in Lonie.

[saintsRrising]

Delaney out?? He easily beat Boyd, and will be needed as the Dons have both Carlisle and Daniher as big key forwards.

Daniher is the type of player who fails against genuine key backs, but can exploit his height against non-geneuine backs. So Delaney is a must to keep for next week.

I would like to see Goddard or Lee come in as well due to match-ups. But will not be surprsised if this does not happen.

Billings for Minch.

Essendon struggles againts pace, and so would like to see some injected. But suspect little change this week.

[Vazelos]

Out- Minchington, Delany/ Gilbert
In- Billings Fisher

[Vazelos]

I am heartened by Seb Ross and think he may have a future.
Plugger is right about the balance though, not enough speed but I hope Mc Kenzie and Templeton will step up in the future who have mobility and some pace. We need a genuine fast A grade mid fielder. Is one around?

[loris]

Still not sure what anybody sees in Lonie.

Where did you get that photo of me "dragit"???????????

[dragit]

Still not sure what anybody sees in Lonie.

Where did you get that photo of me "dragit"???????????

I have lots of you loz, you're big on the Internet

[Con Gorozidis]

When you kick it to them 19 times that is a lot of reverse sprints you have to make.

Maybe we are tanking for draft picks by playing the oldies?

[saynta]

Ross must start on the ground. He was our best midfielder by far in the 4th quarter

To be fair to the others the rest were stuffed. Hardest running game I have seen in years.

Probably, but Ross is too good to be the sub.

[Con Gorozidis]

Agree. Ross is a gun. Easily in best 18.
The trick is balancing Ross Dunstan Arno Weller.

[saintjake]

Are we playing Longer to boost his currency?
Holmes doing good things in the VFL. More agile than Longer and a much better tap ruckman.

[Con Gorozidis]

To me this week is our Grand Final.
If we only win one more game this yeah I hope it is this one.
Would be great for club and fan morale and would pile the pressure on Hird.

[#gosaintas]

It would be fantastic to beat them and cause Hird to get sacked.

[Bunk_Moreland]

It would be fantastic to beat them and cause Hird to get sacked.

No. Want Hird to coach them for 10 years

[mad saint guy]

Agree. Ross is a gun. Easily in best 18.
The trick is balancing Ross Dunstan Arno Weller.

Ross is developing into a solid player. Good composure, neat skills and handy in clearances but he's no gun. Not yet anyway. If we have Ross, Dunstan and Weller as primary midfielders then we have three slow C graders in the most important part of the ground. Weller's tagging is excellent but he doesn't get much of the ball and has been butchering it horribly lately. Dunstan usually has a handy first half before running out of puff and racking up 3-5 disposals in the second half.

Honestly in the long term I think we may only be able to have one of Ross or Dunstan in the side. Both are very, very slow and struggle to kick more than 40m. Those players can be very handy but you can't have too many of them. If we give up on the idea of a designated tagger then we might be able to carry them both (which means Weller goes).

With that said, if I were picking the team this week this is what I'd do

Out: Schneider, Ray
In: Billings, Fisher

I really wish we had have elevated Sinclair instead of Schneider. Minch and Gilbert don't really deserve to keep their spots on that performance, but we need to find out if Minch is up to it and he needs a decent run in the seniors to get used to the pace after acclimatising to the VFL for the past 3.5 seasons. Gilbert gets another chance to show that his errors were rust/illness; if he keeps coughing it up then he absolutely cannot play ahead of Acres and McKenzie. I don't mind rookies making rookie mistakes; veterans making rookie mistakes while promising kids are stuck in the VFL is not acceptable.