We've indeed had a soft draw so far and the next 2 games should give us a true test of where we are. GWS are a good side, but were missing Cameron and didn't provide a real big forward challenge. We won't have that luxury with our next 2 opponents. It's less about who we've beaten than how we've played. The quality of our football has been quite good this year and there's a discernible improvement in our skill level compared to last year.Originally Posted by barry
No, but we booed Anthony Rocca and the Tippett case is probably more like that from their perspective.
Today's a draft of your epitaph
Hate to say it but George Hewett did nothing last week. Time to give Georgie boy a rest. jones was also very undisciplined. Needs a lesson.
Macca for Jones. Rose for Hewett.
I'm looking forward to showing my support for Tippo on Sat night, although I purchased tickets online so will likely be sitting among a murder of crows which will make it interesting.
That said, I'd say Adelaide fans have a fair case to be bitter so unless it gets particularly personal and over the top, good luck to them I say...
Driver of the Dan Hannebery bandwagon....all aboard. 4th April 09
I too bought tickets online and had to buy as three singles for my little group - so while not far apart we are not sitting together. So each of us will be in a "murder of crows" (great description). So I have yet another reason to hope we do well - those Crows fans will be unbearable if they win.
As I've said above, I don't agree that there is a "fair" case for the Crows fans to be bitter about Tippett's departure. Kurt played for them for six years (the first year in the twos I think) - the same as Jetta played for us. So it's not as if Tippett left as soon as his draft period was complete. It's pretty clear he was not happy living in Adelaide, which I can understand for a young man of his age, who loves surfing and who didn't grow up there.
But I've just read an article from the Adelaide Advertiser saying the fans are lining up to boo Tippett Saturday night. As the best remark from the comments section said "Crows would boo there (sic) own mothers!"
I agree. I tipped us at 6-8. Collingwood was tipped by some to be a top 4 side, Buckley's now got his team etc.etc. When we beat, I mean, smashed them, I was very pleasantly surprised. But results have since shown that Collingwood has, officially, a sh@@ team. (I really enjoyed writing that) Therefore that win has to have some perspective. We thumped, and should have thumped, Carlton. GWS is definitely on the improve. We have not been tested, but we can only beat the teams before us.
I see the Dogs (sad about Bob Murphy) and Hawks as the pinnacle - they have both played electrifying footy. Dunno about West Coast. I really don't know how we stack up to them, but our footy this year, to me, is light years ahead of our footy last year.
Hard to tell with Adelaide. They had the season from hell, but despite that, made the finals. Lost a gun. Lost to Norf, thumped Port, but Port, too, are sh@@. Beat Tigers, who also are ordinary.
We are undefeated at Adelaide Oval - we should win.
A long winded introduction to:
Hewitt - rested.
Macca in, on the half back line. (If fit).
Jones on the ball. I liked his work in the mids last few games.
If Macca isn't fit, Towers in at half forward, Benny rotating through the mids.
The loss of Swan has hurt the pies badly. And Clokes form is horrible. They rely on these older style players more than any other club.
I think WC will improve, and I think Jetta will be a boon for them. Hawthorn I cant see them getting back to a grand final, and the dogs are pretenders.
WC v Sydney grand final.
Agree with the sentiment that whilst we haven't beaten much, we've played some really good footy and look to have made significant improvements in key areas. Pretty excited about the year ahead, look forward to a cracking game Saturday night, followed by my first visit to the SCG in 6 years against West coast! Macca in for Hewett.
I hope so, but I hear Jetta's out of shape after a pre-season injury. Someone needs to pull him aside and flog him on the training track. - his best year for us was after he did all that off season work.
Agree with this. They'll have plenty of time to fit in. Often the break at this stage does wonders.
Captain, I am detecting large quantities of win in this sector
I can understand the reasons we've trained up Jones to play the running halfback role. We hadn't found a true replacement for Malcieski, let alone Shaw. Jones played in defence (as well as midfield) as a junior. He's tough, quick, aggressive and has a raking kick. He hasn't been bad, but doesn't show the discipline or composure required of a defender. After 3 games, which is a small sample, he seems to be more suited to the midfield than defence. I can also see him as a defensive, pressuring forward.
I think we will eventually see McVeigh and Rohan take the places of Jones and Mills in defence. It's not exactly a problem, but we keep finding players whose best position is in a midfield already stocked with stars, so we have to find alternative spots for players like Jones, Mills, Heeney, Hewett and Robinson.
Heeney is fine as a half forward, with his marking and goal kicking ability. He has provided a good link through the midfield. We also have Rose and Towers from our reserves squad who can play that role as well.
What we do with the others is hard to say. Mills looks to be a super talent and I would love to find a spot for him in the team every week. We can play him just about anywhere. He's a great overhead mark and he's going to nail a few of those kicks for goal from outside 50 soon. Hewett is very composed and an excellent kick. He would probably do better in the midfield playing behind the ball. He's very good at picking out open targets. I prefer seeing Jones in the midfield or forward of the ball. Robinson has been playing midfield and doing well in a supporting role for our elite midfielders. I think the others have more raw talent, but it's hard to knock Robbo's performance so far.
I'm not worried about our pace, even though the commentators for the GWS game kept bringing it up as a weakness. If you can kick the ball accurately, you don't need to be a speed demon.
Who does Macca replace? I don't have an answer, but it will probably require a bit of positional reshuffling and perhaps some musical chairs with the NEAFL as well.
I look at the game from the weekend and all the media comments about how clarkson handled Sicily after the geelong game.
Hewitt played important roles in both the previous games and although he was quiet in the GWS match he will learn a great deal especially he has the confidence to know that one bad game does automatically relegate him to the NEAFL where he learns nothing.
Jones provides a different lens on the game genuine aggression a component we need. We have too many nice players, we need some mongrel in the back line especially when we have a real youngster like Mills being targeted as he has been.
I am loathe to react and would rather we allow the recent additions to grow into the team.
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