Rnd.3 V Richmond.

[aardvark]

Horse might give one of the youngsters the job on Dusty as a learning experience. Warner maybe?

[Faunac8]

If Rampe plays on Dusty, we will potentially be one tall defender short. If Mills plays on Dusty (mid and back) that solves the problem, although that's not enough of a reason to do so.
I always wonder why players don't duck their heads when they try to tackle Dusty in the hope of getting under his fend off, or getting a fend off to the head (i.e. milking a free kick)

As an ex rugby player myself who then had a belated crack at Aussie Rules I was always surprised at how poor the quality of the tackling in AFL was. The desired result of the tackle varies between the two codes however the purpose is the same namely stop the progress of the player with the ball.
Dustys fend is straight out the rugby playbook and any player trying to tackle that high deserves a push in the moosh 😀
In Rugby the hips and midriff are the target area and I have always felt that in AFL just aiming a little higher than that with an aim to wrap the arms but with the tackler keeping the head down a bit lower would achieve better results.
Although having said that I am not exactly well qualified and I am sure that our coaches do have the players practice tackling , although when I played AFL it didn’t receive much attention.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

I like the idea of Mills following Dusty everywhere. Not sure he’s quick enough though.

If memory serves, I believe George has blunted his effectiveness as well as any. I think we should give him the task.

[Captain]

We can win this!

Rampe to take Jack, McCartin to take Lynch and Hewett to put a hard tag on Dusty.

[aardvark]

Is this Longmire’s “greatest challenge” at Sydney?

[Bangalore Swans]

Apologies. I forgot about the 5 day break. I need to resubmit the team.

Outs:

Buddy (Managed)
McDonald (Managed)
Gulden (Managed
Campbell (Managed)
Wicks

Ins
Sinclair
Heywood
Stephen’s
Rowbottom
Melican

I don’t see any upside in sending our eldest player and our youngest players on a plane to Melbourne against a hard team and getting them to back up 5 days later.

We need to have our best team for Thursday night prime time at the SCG. We need those extra tickets being sold and more exhilarating football being played. For the exhilarating football to happen you can’t have Buddy or 3 first year players getting tired and weary.

The 5 guys coming in will all ad something and will be chomping at the bit to get their seasons going.

It’s a long season. We don’t need to use up the young players fuel on the best team on a large oval on a 5 day break.

Let’s hit Richmond later on in the season with our best team.

[longmile]

Is anyone else worried about our defence? All of a sudden we have gone from having a great backline but no forward line, to having a great forward line but a weakish backline. Rampe looks shakey, I'm unsure of Hewett in defence, Lloyd is great at rebounding but not so much at defending and I'm not sure if Dawson is really a defender. I think Richmond will really expose our backline this week unless we make some changes.

Howver without Brand and Fox its hard to know what to do and Melican is just not up to it. I'd suggest moving Mills to the backline and potentially Reid, with Hewett back in the middle (or tagging Dusty). Does anyone else agree about our defence? Be good to get others thoughts here

[bloodspirit]

I agree our defence so far this season has been worrisome. I trust the coaches are working on it. I think partly it's the personnel and their form, partly it's the new rules. Rampe and Melican are both searching for form. Mills has departed for the midfield. Gould hasn't got there yet. Brand isn't fit enough. Fox hurt his finger. Teddy, Reg & Smooch are long gone.

Still, we were good defensively last year so I think we can adapt with the personnel we have once we regain form and fitness. Even so, I hope we recruit another KPP as well as a ruck the coming off season.

Don't at all agree with Bangalore Swans suggestion to rest so many. Far better we rest them for the Essendon game if needs be. We have a chance to beat Richmond!

[Cosmic Wizard]

We need to change things up a bit; too many defenders looking really shaky.

Out: Sweet Caroline: the words "touching you, touching me"; this is how global pandemic really get going!

The eighties bogan who chose the music between goals: I watched the replay, can clearly hear Billie Idol

Lloyd, looked really bad out there, couldn't tackle, lack any speed, can't kick long, Campbell and Dawson far better than him, lets try someone else.


In: Stephens and Gould, they are good enough!

[Bangalore Swans]

I agree our defence so far this season has been worrisome. I trust the coaches are working on it. I think partly it's the personnel and their form, partly it's the new rules. Rampe and Melican are both searching for form. Mills has departed for the midfield. Gould hasn't got there yet. Brand isn't fit enough. Fox hurt his finger. Teddy, Reg & Smooch are long gone.

Still, we were good defensively last year so I think we can adapt with the personnel we have once we regain form and fitness. Even so, I hope we recruit another KPP as well as a ruck the coming off season.

Don't at all agree with Bangalore Swans suggestion to rest so many. Far better we rest them for the Essendon game if needs be. We have a chance to beat Richmond!

We do have a chance to beat Richmond, however 4 points is 4 points it doesn’t matter if it happens against Richmond or Essendon.

I just feel that Gulden, Campbell and McDonald will slow down at some point unless you manage their season. I would rather have those guys firing with Buddy on a Thursday night than coming back from Melbourne batted and bruised by the best team in football.

We can easily be 3 and 1 after next Thursday by smartly managing the next week. Why spend all the tickets trying to beat Richmond for just 4 points.

[barracuda]

Apologies. I forgot about the 5 day break. I need to resubmit the team.

Outs:

Buddy (Managed)
McDonald (Managed)
Gulden (Managed
Campbell (Managed)
Wicks

Ins
Sinclair
Heywood
Stephen’s
Rowbottom
Melican

I don’t see any upside in sending our eldest player and our youngest players on a plane to Melbourne against a hard team and getting them to back up 5 days later.

We need to have our best team for Thursday night prime time at the SCG. We need those extra tickets being sold and more exhilarating football being played. For the exhilarating football to happen you can’t have Buddy or 3 first year players getting tired and weary.

The 5 guys coming in will all ad something and will be chomping at the bit to get their seasons going.

It’s a long season. We don’t need to use up the young players fuel on the best team on a large oval on a 5 day break.

Let’s hit Richmond later on in the season with our best team.

I'm keen to understand why you drop Wicks when he had game high pressure acts of 27, equal team high tackles at 7, kicked a goal, had disposal efficiency of 87% and tagged the crows best backline play maker Brodie Smith out of the game.

[barry]

As an ex rugby player myself who then had a belated crack at Aussie Rules I was always surprised at how poor the quality of the tackling in AFL was. The desired result of the tackle varies between the two codes however the purpose is the same namely stop the progress of the player with the ball.
Dustys fend is straight out the rugby playbook and any player trying to tackle that high deserves a push in the moosh 😀
In Rugby the hips and midriff are the target area and I have always felt that in AFL just aiming a little higher than that with an aim to wrap the arms but with the tackler keeping the head down a bit lower would achieve better results.
Although having said that I am not exactly well qualified and I am sure that our coaches do have the players practice tackling , although when I played AFL it didn’t receive much attention.

I think bits because a tackle in AFL around the hips is largely ineffective because the ball holder has free use of his arms to handpass off.