Changes for Friday

[meher baba]

A few comments on the above:

1. Re Newnes: on one of the 2018 preview threads I wrote that I thought Newnes was outside the group of 12-14 players we have who are A grade or better. Last season, his poor disposal/choice of target when we were coming out of defence was a consistently recurring problem and, if he can't fix this, he might reach his use by date later this season. However, I thought he had a better than average game last Saturday and therefore talk of him being dropped for the next game is way premature.

2. Re Marshall. He's definitely got some ability, but he might be too slow and immobile for modern AFL. I would have thought his best prospect would be to play as a stay-at-home FF if McCartin can't make it. But I'm not even sure that stay-at-home FFs are still needed in the modern game.

3. Re the idea of dropping Steele or Stevens or Sinclair for Dunstan. It's not going to happen with Stevens. I guess it's possible that Steele and/or Sinclair had poor games because they did not follow Richo's instructions. If so, either could be dropped. But it seemed to me that they just had poor games.

So, for mine, it's a 99% chance of no changes, bar injuries.

[mad saint guy]

Not having any actual VFL footy being played right now is a huge issue and means we probably won't see any unforced changes. I have been very critical of Newnes but agree that he had a decent game against Brisbane and I am a big fan of Sinclair and I think he will improve on round one. McCartin and Longer were the two worst performed players of round one and I honestly believe we would be a much more dangerous team on Friday with Hickey and Marshall in their place but it isn't going to happen. Unless Armo is hurt I don't think we will see any change and in that case Dunstan will be his replacement.

[tony74]

Armo is as good as he’s ever been. Ono of the bigger boys has a slight twinge, might, I say might, be the only worry.

[Saint wagga]

Longer should be dropped after his absolute stinker - don't care for who, hickey or Marhsall. If Hickey played that game on the weekend, he'd of been howled out of the club on here!
Sinclair should be dropped after his absolute stinker if selection consistency is applied. Why White isn't in the team baffles me. His composure and descion making have been so impressive in his few afl games! Feel like he has so much upside at afl level!! Would love him to come in, savage to push up onto a wing.
Steele should be dropped after a poor game - richo as repeatedly dropped blake or dunny after one bad game so would like to see consistency their, but doubt it, steele is coaches pet because he often layes more tackles than he gets possesions.


Doubt i'll see one if any changes.

[stkfc1]

Longer should be dropped after his absolute stinker - don't care for who, hickey or Marhsall. If Hickey played that game on the weekend, he'd of been howled out of the club on here!
Sinclair should be dropped after his absolute stinker if selection consistency is applied. Why White isn't in the team baffles me. His composure and descion making have been so impressive in his few afl games! Feel like he has so much upside at afl level!! Would love him to come in, savage to push up onto a wing.
Steele should be dropped after a poor game - richo as repeatedly dropped blake or dunny after one bad game so would like to see consistency their, but doubt it, steele is coaches pet because he often layes more tackles than he gets possesions.


Doubt i'll see one if any changes.

Dont think we can throw Marshall in against Goldy. He'll be destroyed. Won't do his confidence any good. Think Sincs has credits in the bank so he stays. Agreed whole heartedly re Newnes/White/Savage. Newnes is too vanilla and disposal is becoming a real issue, hehas no composure and always tries to kick the skin of it. Dunstan in for Steele.

[nw7]

I would love to see Marshal in for Longer. Billy gave us nothing against the Lions, Marshal can help around the ground as well. Bruce can ruck more than usual to help him through his first few games, the forward line would open up for Paddy with Bruce in the ruck while Marshal is resting.

[meher baba]

Maybe I will have to make a bit of a stronger statement.

Thank goodness some of you aren't selectors!

Drop two of our emerging talents in Steele and Sinclair on the basis of one quiet game?!

Drop a regular first-teamer (albeit one who had a somewhat disappointing 2017) in Newnes after a game in which he played well?

Throw a rookie ruckman (who I'm not even sure is a ruckman) in Marshall against one of the most experienced guys in the league?

Have any of you ever heard of the concept that a sporting team improves its teamwork, and thereby its collective performance, the more often they play together?

I think that online football manager/coach games distort some people's understanding of how things work in real life.

[meher baba]

I would love to see Marshal in for Longer. Billy gave us nothing against the Lions, Marshal can help around the ground as well.

As well as what? Being comprehensively thrashed in the rucks?

I'm not even sure that Marshall would be a particularly good player around the ground. As I have posted earlier, in his televised appearances at VFL level - where the pace is quite a bit slower than in the AFL - he looked relatively slow and one-directional.

Having said all that, I certainly acknowledge that Longer is next to useless outside of the ruck. However, last season he did dominate in the ruck at times and, on those occasions, we also won the clearances and quite frequently won the games. If having a good tap ruckman matters in modern AFL - and I'm agnostic on that question (eg, Nankervis is not my idea of a good tap ruckman, and yet he now is the proud possessor of a premiership medallion) - then Longer's your man over both Hickey and Marshall.

[saynta]

Maybe I will have to make a bit of a stronger statement.

Thank goodness some of you aren't selectors!

Drop two of our emerging talents in Steele and Sinclair on the basis of one quiet game?!

Drop a regular first-teamer (albeit one who had a somewhat disappointing 2017) in Newnes after a game in which he played well?

Throw a rookie ruckman (who I'm not even sure is a ruckman) in Marshall against one of the most experienced guys in the league?

Have any of you ever heard of the concept that a sporting team improves its teamwork, and thereby its collective performance, the more often they play together?

I hink that online football manager/coach games distort some people's understanding of how things work in real life.

Well said.

[Linton Lodger]

Maybe I will have to make a bit of a stronger statement.

Thank goodness some of you aren't selectors!

Drop two of our emerging talents in Steele and Sinclair on the basis of one quiet game?!

Drop a regular first-teamer (albeit one who had a somewhat disappointing 2017) in Newnes after a game in which he played well?

Throw a rookie ruckman (who I'm not even sure is a ruckman) in Marshall against one of the most experienced guys in the league?

Have any of you ever heard of the concept that a sporting team improves its teamwork, and thereby its collective performance, the more often they play together?

I think that online football manager/coach games distort some people's understanding of how things work in real life.

You've got a point.

[bergsone]

Maybe Gilbert in for ?,dont know,just get feeling he may be our 2nd ruck option

[desertsaint]

Maybe Gilbert in for ?,dont know,just get feeling he may be our 2nd ruck option

the way our rucks are going gilbert may be our best first ruck option.

[saintspremiers]

Maybe Gilbert in for ?,dont know,just get feeling he may be our 2nd ruck option

the way our rucks are going gilbert may be our best first ruck option.

That’s actually not a bad idea given where we are at. Gilbo offer a lot around the ground, but surely he could only ruck for half a game? Then what - have Bawooce ruck for he other half??? Hmmm.....

[ChrisRyanSaints]

OUt: Paddy McCartin, Newnes, Longer
In: Dunstan, Coffield, Marshall

Paddy had zero confidence and was a liability.
Newnes was terrible. He gets ball and bombs it and thats it. We need skill. Coffield is silk. Lets start getting skill stars into this team. Good dont win flags. Newnes is good. Coffield is a star inthe making. Well lets make him
Asap.
Dunstan a clearance specialist get him in. Clearly need more
Modfielders as we couldnt get the flippin ball out.
Cannot reward Longer with that performance
Rotate Marshall ruck and forward with bruce.

Those 3 changes make us faster, more skilful and agile.

But we wont make any changes. We will be sloppy and win by 19 points. Everyone will
Pat on the back And say well done youve won 2/2. Then it will happen. Crows smash us by 60+ then cats do the same. We’ll be like gee why?? And youll think back to this post. Coffield, Marshall and Dunstan. Do it.

[ChrisRyanSaints]

OUt: Paddy McCartin, Newnes, Longer
In: Dunstan, Coffield, Marshall

Paddy had zero confidence and was a liability.
Newnes was terrible. He gets ball and bombs it and thats it. We need skill. Coffield is silk. Lets start getting skill stars into this team. Good dont win flags. Newnes is good. Coffield is a star in the making. Well lets make him
Asap.
Dunstan a clearance specialist get him in. Clearly need more
Mids as we couldnt get the flippin ball out.
Cannot reward Longer with that performance
Rotate Marshall ruck and forward with bruce.

Those 3 changes make us faster, more skilful and agile.

But we wont make any changes. We will be sloppy and win by 19 points. Everyone will
Pat on the back And say well done youve won 2/2. Then it will happen. Crows smash us by 60+ then cats do the same. We’ll be like gee why?? And youll think back to this post. Coffield, Marshall and Dunstan. Do it.

[saintsRrising]

Maybe I will have to make a bit of a stronger statement.

Thank goodness some of you aren't selectors!

Drop two of our emerging talents in Steele and Sinclair on the basis of one quiet game?!

Drop a regular first-teamer (albeit one who had a somewhat disappointing 2017) in Newnes after a game in which he played well?

Throw a rookie ruckman (who I'm not even sure is a ruckman) in Marshall against one of the most experienced guys in the league?

Have any of you ever heard of the concept that a sporting team improves its teamwork, and thereby its collective performance, the more often they play together?

I think that online football manager/coach games distort some people's understanding of how things work in real life.

I agree with that, BUT with the proviso that if Billy is not fit then he should not play. He did not look fit enough last game. Hopefully what ever was ailing him has eased.


Barring injury the rest of the team will not change.

If Longer is not fit you would presume that Hickey will play. Unless he really has for whatever ever reason (including possibly bad coaching) lost the plot.

[ROLS-LEE]

No change, if any Dunstan in for Steele, however that would depend on Dunstan's form in the Sandy game.

Agreed

[Beno88]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-29/s ... tle-longer

No changes according to Richo.

[stonecold]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-29/s ... tle-longer

No changes according to Richo.

Rightly so!!!!!

[spert]

Doubt if anyone will be dropped after a first game win, unless injured. This match will be a wake up for those who didn't do too well though.

[samuraisaint]

Longer is veeery lucky not to be dropped. Billy really needs to work on his focus and concentration. Case in point - the boundary throw in at the end of the Port game in Adelaide last year. He needs to be switched on today against Goldstein, that's for sure. Thought another ruckman could have been brought in to give him a chop out today, but, mind you, I think players need to be given a month in the firsts to acclimatise. He should stay in for a few more weeks and be given a chance to show what he's got. If he struggles at the coalface against the Crows and Geelong then we can talk changes. His KPIs for success should be to break even in the hit outs over the next month, and work on putting pressure on his opponent so that they have less influence on the game around the ground. This obviously didn't happen against Stefan Martin last week, but I think he's a very underrated ruckman anyway to be honest.

[saint-stu]

Correct me if i am wrong but i thought Steele didnt have a great game.

I agree. He doesn't get a lot of possession normally, but does get high tackle counts. Only 3 last game to go with his 18 disposals. I'd like to see more tackles out of him because he's so good at it.

I reckon Dunstan would have done better than that performance. He offers a lot more offensively.

[Scollop]

Jack Steele wasn't a standout, but he did not play a bad game. Are some of the posters here just echoing other people's opinions for the sake of changes to the team? Not sure if the opinions on changes are based on observations or based on wathcing the replay carefully or just based on bias and favouritism.

Jack Steele had an influence and played his role last week. He helped create opportunities and I think his ball use will surprise many as he gains more game time. Some of his kicking last week was outstanding, including a perfectly weighted pinpoint 45m pass to Members in the pocket which resulted in a checkside banana 6 pointer!

Maybe some of you don't recognise the kid with his new haircut. I expect number 9 to be one of our best players for many years to come.

[saynta]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-29/s ... tle-longer

No changes according to Richo.

Rightly so!!!!!

plus one

[samuraisaint]

I would like to see a return to playing two ruckmen each week - a hit out specialist to play on the monsters - and another to give him a chop out - who can rest up forward and take a mark in the back line.
A very good ruck division is a devastating weapon. And if we're the only team doing it; great. The last time the club were pro-active with match strategies we won 20 games in a row, finished on top of the ladder, won 22 games in a year, and narrowly lost the grand final.
Look at what Richmond have done with their midget forward line. We could do that with our rucking stocks. But the success of this comes down to our coaching and development of players.