Changes for Qualifying final V Freo

[Matt80]

Seriously - Sam Reid as a tagger on Nat Fyfe! Lucky your not on the coaching panel Matt80

A qualifying final is hardly an ideal time to ask someone to do a tagging role for the first time, let alone on an elite midfielder.

It could be a master stroke MCS. Reid has the discipline, the athleticism and the overhead power to do the job. When Fyfe is in tight he can battle against the big bodies of Parker and Kennedy. When Fyfe spreads, Reid can go with him and stop him taking marks telling marks around the ground. As long as Reid is close to Fyfe he will shut him down.

If I had suggested before the 2006 Qualifying Final that Goodes should go to Judd, I would have been told "lucky your not on the coaching panel".

Innovation is the key MCS.

By the way MCS, I was down in Canberra last weekend. I loved it. We went to the War Memorial and I experienced a beautiful moment when my four year old asked me to read him some names from the WW1 Honour Roll.

[Melbourne_Blood]

He would match him for athleticism but I think Rohan is a better match up for Fyfe, even Rampe though Im sure he'll have his hands full with Walters. Reid's flexibility will be required against Freo , I think he'll spend a good amount in defence this week whilst also chopping out Pyke in the ruck.

[Matt80]

He would match him for athleticism but I think Rohan is a better match up for Fyfe, even Rampe though Im sure he'll have his hands full with Walters. Reid's flexibility will be required against Freo , I think he'll spend a good amount in defence this week whilst also chopping out Pyke in the ruck.

My other match ups:

Rampe v Pavlich
Walters v Smith
Ballantiyne v Rohan
Mayne v Richards
Grundy v Clarke

Some of these are designed to surprise Freo. Pavlich would not expect an athletic opponent who won't wrestle with him body on body. Ballantyne would not expect someone of Rohan's height, speed and brutal tackling. Rohan could also hurt him going the other way.

[Conor_Dillon]

Ted v Pav
Grundy v Clarke/Sandi
Rohan v Mayne
Rampe v Taberner
Smith v Ballantyne
Shaw v Walters

Michael Johnson could barely raise a jog against Port on the weekend and he normally plays really well against us.
Sandi's knee isn't 100% but he'll play...hopefully a big, fresh Canadian can run him ragged.
Fyfe would blow Reid up in about 10 minutes...his running power is unbelievable...Reid's is good for a big bloke but not in the same class as Fyfe.
I don't know who is going to play on Buddy and Tip...but good luck to them. That's definitely Freo's biggest weakness.

No doubt Kennedy and Benny will be cherry ripe...they would have been doing plenty of running knowing they had the extra week off, almost like a mini pre-season before a 4 week tilt at the flag.

The blokes getting dropped can consider themselves stiff, perfect sheduling for the reservers though allowing them to play a full game on the Sunday. Realistically they should absolutely pants the Thunder with the team we'll be putting out there.

[ShockOfHair]

Pyke and Franklin definite ins, the rest are maybes.

A bit different than last week's message, when Kennedy and McGlynn were supposedly not being put at risk.


Longmire said Lance Franklin (soreness) and Mike Pyke (illness), who have both missed just one match, would almost certainly come back into the side, with Josh Kennedy (hamstring), Ben McGlynn (calf) and Craig Bird (knee) also strong chances of returning this week.

Five in line for finals - sydneyswans.com.au

[mcs]

Pyke and Franklin definite ins, the rest are maybes.

A bit different than last week's message, when Kennedy and McGlynn were supposedly not being put at risk.


Longmire said Lance Franklin (soreness) and Mike Pyke (illness), who have both missed just one match, would almost certainly come back into the side, with Josh Kennedy (hamstring), Ben McGlynn (calf) and Craig Bird (knee) also strong chances of returning this week.

Five in line for finals - sydneyswans.com.au

Im worried about kennedy. He is so good come finals time, and we need him back this week - don't want him going in raw for a knockout semi or a Prelim.

- - - Updated - - -

My other match ups:

Rampe v Pavlich
Walters v Smith
Ballantiyne v Rohan
Mayne v Richards
Grundy v Clarke

Some of these are designed to surprise Freo. Pavlich would not expect an athletic opponent who won't wrestle with him body on body. Ballantyne would not expect someone of Rohan's height, speed and brutal tackling. Rohan could also hurt him going the other way.

Huge ask for Rampe, although he could do a job. I'd like to see him kept as a second up option, if Grundy or Richards can't handle Pavlich first time around.

[mcs]

It could be a master stroke MCS. Reid has the discipline, the athleticism and the overhead power to do the job. When Fyfe is in tight he can battle against the big bodies of Parker and Kennedy. When Fyfe spreads, Reid can go with him and stop him taking marks telling marks around the ground. As long as Reid is close to Fyfe he will shut him down.

If I had suggested before the 2006 Qualifying Final that Goodes should go to Judd, I would have been told "lucky your not on the coaching panel".

Innovation is the key MCS.

By the way MCS, I was down in Canberra last weekend. I loved it. We went to the War Memorial and I experienced a beautiful moment when my four year old asked me to read him some names from the WW1 Honour Roll.

It could be a masterstroke, but equally it could be a disaster. My worry is that Reid isn't the sort of player that will (unless they are up forward in the Swans half) hurt Fyfe if he doesn't pay him enough attention. Sure Reid might do a good job, but if Fyfe shows disdain and goes hard, he could do a hell of a lot of damage quickly. Innovation is great, but its a huge risk at finals time.

[Zlatorog]

OK, guys, let's stop beating about the bush. I will not accept anything less but the all the fit players be on the field comes Saturday, and that includes Kennedy, McGlynn, Pyke, Franklin and Tippet. The only player I don't mind being there is Bird because of the nature of his injury. I'm sick and tired being lied to about their condition. If they don't play this season is over.

[Ludwig]

The problem with some of the matchup proposals is forgetting Matt Tabermer. who is an athletic 197cm forward who has strung together 3 solid games. Someone with a bit of height will have to cover him.

Freo like to keep one of their ruckmen in the midfield to kick to when other options are covered and why not when you have a 211 cm player and the short one is 203 cm. The other ruckman tends to drift forward. We usually like to keep both Reg and Ted deep when possible as they cover well for each other, so I'm not sure if using one of them on the non-rucking ruckman is the best move. Pav may be too strong for Rampe. He did well on Riewoldt, but Riewodlt is not really a power forward like Pav or Tippo or Hawkins. The reason Pav has been a perennial AA is that he is good on the lead and can play in the midfield. He is a very difficult matchup.

I wonder what we will do with Fyfe. Last time Bird played on him a bit. Fyfe played well, but didn't kick a goal. He played more in the midfield because Barlow was out. One of the problems with playing Reid on Fyfe is what to do when Reid plays ruckman.

And for those worried about ruckmen, we lost the hitout count 65-19, but easily won the game. McGlynn and Kennedy were our 2 best players, so will be good to get them back.

Also just heard that Michael Johnson is out for the finals. That will leave lots of options for Sam Reid. Dawson and Silvagni will have to take our big 2. After that, who knows.

[Conor_Dillon]

Michael Johnson OUT.

Big loss for Freo...handy for us.

[DK_]

My money's on Towers holding his position over Tippett, though it won't happen till 90 mins before the game. Freo are susceptible to forward pressure, which is Towers' strength, and the prediction is for rain.

[Ludwig]

My money's on Towers holding his position over Tippett, though it won't happen till 90 mins before the game. Freo are susceptible to forward pressure, which is Towers' strength, and the prediction is for rain.

Is that real money or metaphoric money?