Blue Vain wrote:
billy_bongo wrote:
Blue Vain wrote:
I'd back us to win Thursday night if we make the right changes.
So what are the right changes? I wouldn't be surprised if there were no changes (barring injuries).
I posted before the game that I thought we went in a defender short. 7 defenders with Cowan being the player subbed out left us with little flexibility to use Docherty in the midfield.
So IMHO, we have to decide is Docherty a defender or a defender/mid? If he's a defender mid, we need 6 other defenders who can see the 4 quarters out.
I'd like to see Corey Durdin come in if he's fit. He won the Sheehan medal as the best player in the Under 16 national championships playing as a mid. The trend of recent years has been big mids but the past 18 months has seen agile, small mids like Papley and Pickett pinch hit in the middle and provide a point of difference. I'd love to see Durdin given the opportunity. If he can play a role there, it may remove the requirement for Docherty to fill that role or at least limit the requirement.
I'd bring in Pittonet. He was good in the VFL and the Cats are light on for tall defenders. Ratugolea is well off being established and with Stewart missing, they'll be light on for defensive leadership. If Charlie, Harry or TDK can dominate their talls, we may force them to put Blicavs back into defence.
That would be a huge win for us tactically. He is dominating the bigger mids at the stoppages whilst also providing a ruck relief. He went to Cripps last time and shut him down. With Atkins also playing a defensive mid role, we had a total of 6 centre clearances for the match.
A long winded way of saying in Pittonet, Durdin. Out Owies, Silvagni (Sub), (O'Brien omitted)
I'd also be getting into Jesse Motlop about his efforts and telling him he needs to lift to retain his spot. His contested stuff was good but some of his chasing and defensive actions were putrid.
I recall you suggesting that about 7th defender. I thought Docherty did play a lot in defence,. Are you suggesting we needed Doc permanently in the middle and someone else fill 7th defender?
Cats have Stewart AND Henry missing from defence.
Henry and Blicavs fixed us up at our last meet at the G. Have to get Blicavs out of the midfield, unless Crippa has learned a bit from his last encounter with Blicavs. If S. DeKoning misses and I doubt he will now, his absence would force Blicavs back. They killed us in the midfield last time, as did Tigers last week.
20yo Motlop did a lot of defending and good tackling and bumping and filling holes, but I missed his defensive running and actions that weren’t up to scratch. Mustn’t have been much. I’d have the same blowtorch on 24yo Fisher whose defensive side of his game was put red. At least Motlop holds his position to wrap up a player. Fisher is an autumn leaf. What do you think about him.
Durdin didn’t play VFL last week. He was walking around with Cottrell and Philip. I want Motlop and Durdin as our 2 smalls. Owies and Fisher aren’t speedy enough for small forwards. I know Owies forward 50 tackling was great last year, but last week it didn’t happen. If he doesn’t tackle and hasn’t got speed he’s a one trick pony for me.
Pitto must come back, and I don’t mind SOS as a sub, (to avoid some supporter melts if he dropped) but I prefer speed in reserve with the sub.