ianh wrote:
Club has said that they will bring back Gov via he 2s so rule him out I guess. honey unlikely to be selected off an injury even if it is now resolved. Harry only an outiside chance so let's assume not. Rule out O'Brien, Parks and Durdin who haven't been showing enough in the 2s to warrant consideration (IMHO) and we are down to our 22 plus 4 emergencies. Three of those would be on debut. Can't see the club doing that all in the one week even if they are picking for development over short term result. Maybe 2 but for the sake of the exercise I will go with what I sspect the club will do and that is 1 and that 1 is Kemp given our need for height. So that puts Ramsay and Carroll as emergencies. I say bring Fogarty back if only because he doesn't carry the stain of being part of last week's debacle. I have seen saying Newnes should go, IMHO he was a candidate for our best (not saying much), similarly SPS put in his most promsing run for a while albeit against a poor baseline and should be given the opportunity to build on that. I have criticism of Newman but again I thought he was one of the best of a bad lot. Fisher disappointed but I am a fan and inclined to give him a chance to redeem himself. Owies has been poor for weeks but I think in Eddiee's absence this is a chance to play him closer to goal and that I think is one of the issues he has had of recent weeks, being pulled too far upfield. Shackle him within 40m and see how he goes. Murphy may as well be helped to his 300th so injury sub for him. That leaves 1 spot down to Cottrell or Williamson. I really want both these guys to make it but I have my doubts on both. Cottrell gives us amazing endurance and that is so valuable but his skills are simply not up to AFL standard. Williamson has the tools but has not been delivering since his injury but also i think the club might be to blae for how he has been used. On balance my inlination is to put him on a wing and tell him to show us what he's got - pace, strong body, long kick, you can do it! Much more upside than Cottrell unless the latter's skils can be fixed, which ain't gonna happen overnight if at all, so give Willo the chance on the wing to cement his spot on the list.
Moving forward plan to blood both Ramsay and Carroll (in that order if 1 at a time) by seasons end as well as bringing in returnees.
The question then becomes who is on the bench and who is where on field. I like to play debutatnts from th opening bell unless they are the type who might benefit from coming in off the bench when a bit of heat has gone out of the game. Helps with the nerves to start them on ground even if they are off in the first rotation. So Kemp starts on ground and in fairness to him put him where he has been playing in the 2s ie defence. Saints don't have a strong presence at CHF and I'd play him at CHB - Hunter probably goes out for Marshall unless Ryder can't com up given the short week in which case it might be Marshall for Ryder which would be a break for us. If so we might be able to spare a key defender if we push Kemp to CHB. Weitering has had some flak for last week but really the ease of delivery into the forward line gave Larkey the ball on a platter - to wax poetical for a moment:
Deliver the ball to a forward that way
And Doull, Southby and SOS in their prime
Merged into one and that one on his day
Could not have got fist to it in time
So do you start him up forward as he finished last week? Or do you play him down back as per usual and on whom? Jones seems the most natural option given height issues but might be needed elsewhere if the Saints play 3 talls forward (plus Membrey) whoever they may be but in that case both he and Jones will be needed back probably along with Kemp and Plowman. Assuming we can spare a tall to push forward I would be inclined to throw Weitering the cahallenge of King and play Jones forward - he has played most of nhis career there albeit as a fringe player, he has genuine height otherwise lacking forward and he provides the best ruck relief to TDK that we have available. I say give it a go - and no I am not expecting Jones to suddenly turn it on as a forward I just think structurally he would add the most if a key defender coukd be freed up to play forward.
Lineup then for me (assuming we an spare a KD to go forward as noted)
Saad Weitering Plowman
Newnes Kemp Stocker
Williamson Kennedy Dow
Martin Cripps Silvagni
Jones C Curnow Owies
De Koning E Curnow Walsh
Fisher Fogarty Newman Petervski-Seton / Murphy (inj sub)
Emergencies Carroll Cottrell Ramsay
Agree with others: Good, thoughtful post.
If we have to take KPD to the forward line, Jones is the obvious one. I even reckon he would pull out a one-off good performance before the defenders work him out plus good ruck relief, which is where he began his resurrection in the VFL.
If McGovern is genuinely fit, i'd bring him in. But if he can't run, then forget it. He is not actually very tall so his only value is if he can run and jump. And to do that, he would need to be able to do multiple leads.
If Charlie is genuinely feeling confidant, then fine, let him play. But I'd lean towards giving him another week in the VFL (proper) just to feel the ball and movement a bit more. Then bring him in for the last 3 rounds.
Weitering has a big task on a confident and firing King. I will back Weitering to win that battle after last week but he is no chance unless the rest of the team does its part. I reckon King will kick one or two early (probably an easy one over the back or similar) but then Weitering will shut him down for the rest of the game.
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