Rod Spooky Galt wrote:
B Kemp Weitering Cincotta
HB Saad Marchbank Boyd
C Acres Walsh Cottrell
HF McGovern McKay Owies
F Motlop Curnow Durdin
R Pittonet Docherty Kennedy
INT Curnow, Binns, O'Brien, TDK
In: Marchbank, Cincotta, Curnow, Binns, O'Brien
Out: Newman, Hollands, Cerra, Cripps, Hewett
The five forced changes seem pretty straightforward to me.
Marchbank did well on Fritsch last time. Cottrell back to Langdon. Doc gets one last crack at midfield as the cupboard is bare. We had Silvagni play a decoy role on Lever that worked really well - given JSOS played back in the twos I doubt they'd play him there again but hopefully play Gov forward for a similar role.
The third tall/resting ruck role is less clear to me. Ideally you either:
- drop TDK, play Harry as the second ruck
- drop Harry, play TDK as the second forward, bring Young or JSOS in to relief ruck/third tall.
- drop TDK, bring Young/JSOS in to relief ruck/third tall.
Given the amount of forced changes, I suspect they'll persevere with TDK as the third tall and Harry to get his shit together, which does no-one any favours given TDK offers nothing so far as lead up target/decoy target. Grundy/Gawn also probably factors into that. Are we a bit short down back with Van Rooyen/McDonald/Fritsch?
No idea what you do as the sub, Fogarty/Dow/Honey/Fisher left over. Fisher I guess?
Don't know why you say Doc for "one last cracK" at midfield I think he is great value for us there, the only thing he is also the general of defence. I think with Boyd Cincotta and Saad we can at least try to do without him down back. Not sure Marchbank is ready to come back into the firsts yet, but keen for him to get there. Rest of the ins I have no problem with, but Dow seems to have his papers stamped. If Cerra Cripps and Hewett are all out and he still doesn't get picked then I think the writing is very clearly on the wall. It is his ball use and lack of defensive running that keeps him out - he gets enough ball and has a burst of acceleration we could use. O'Brien is a tease but he has tools namely run and the ability to kick the ball albeit not as consistent with that as we would hope. One could argue for Fisher instead based on his game this week and Fogarty for consistent effort. Perhaps Silvagni as a jack of all trades who could run with Petracca, play forward or back and relieve in the ruck if need be. That might depend on what we do with our Ruck options. Ruling out Mirkov and O'Keeffe as not ready we are left with Pittonet and TDK as rucks, Young as a ruck height player but essentially KD who can play forward and/or take a run in the ruck and Jack as an undersized relief ruck option. Then there is the suggestion of giving Harry a run in the ruck to try and get him away from his goal kicking yips. Not a bad idea in my view. Pittonet and TDK are both in the team and did enough to stay in as far as I am concerned. Young is out and didn't do enough to come in. JSOS wasn't great in the 2s but has that versatility on his side.
Personally I'd be telling Harry he has a new role this week - either KD or KF/relief ruck whichever he prefers. If he says KD play TDK forward if he says relief ruck play TDK down back and see how he goes. I am not one of those who says just because his brother is a gun KD TDK would be too, indeed I am a bit sceptical, but we may as well give it a shot if the option is either Weitering giving away huge height or Young being recalled.
The five forced changes will probably save him, but for mine I'd give little Durds a run in the 2s, drop Acres and Motlop to the bench with the message that next stop is the 2s and give Fogarty a chance as sub. So my team looks like this
BOYD de KONING CINCOTTA
KEMP WEITERING SAAD
FISHER E CURNOW COTTRELL
OWIES C CURNOW WALSH
McKAY McGOVERN BINNS
PITTONET SILVAGNI DOCHERTY
ACRES DOW KENNEDY MOTLOP / FOGARTY
TDK (or Harry) on resting ruck, Kemp on Fritsch, Ed on Viney, Cottrell on Langdon, Walsh pushing into midfield, Charlie and Harry switching between half forward and full forward lines, when at half forward push hard up the ground opening up space for McGovern to lead into and the other of them to stay close to goal. JSOS to shadow Petracca. Dow 7th mid. Acres relief mid and defence. Kennedy relief mid and forward (when Pittonet rests on the bench) Motlop relief forward. Binns and Motlop could be given some bursts in the middle too as needed.
Anyway, low hopes for this game but that brings with it the freedom to try some different things.