Changes for Rnd 17 v The Saints.

[The_Jam]

I often wonder why we stay with such a tall forward line besides the obvious: it is working so why change it? And today I remembered a comment by Roos that may be telling of the thinking.

I don?t remember which game, but a while ago Roos said that the coaching panel consider LRT to be quite good below his knees. Add to that Goodes? skills at roving (that is, when he bothers to pick the ball up) and we might have a forward line that plays ?smaller? than its height would suggest.

The only problem with this theory, I think, is that it in practice our forward lines works well when we are taking contested marks and is rather lame when we are not (when we start to rely on midfield goals). So I don?t know, but it might be what the coaches are thinking.

Nevertheless, on LRT staying in the team, I thought he was on fire before he was subbed off in the last game. He was really looking comfortable and I thought, along with the Brisbane game, it was a really good sign that our forward line starting to gel. And while Parker, when fit, is in the best 22 (and, on the form he was in, probably top 10) I don't want to mess with the forward line that is starting to work.

[Melbourne_Blood]

They have Mcevoy back now though. He is a very good ruckman. Also Fischer is back, I don't think he played when they beat us. It will be a tough game.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Last time we played the Saints, some RWOers were concerend we were going in too tall (especially down back) and we'd have trouble keeping up with the Saints mosquito fleet at Etihad.
That ended up being one of the reasons we lost. If there are no changes to the team this week we will if anything be slightly more top heavy than that.
Is this a worry?
Maybe, but some things will be different:
1) The Swans media machine is talking up Parker, which suggests that LRT's brain may still be rattling and he will be replaced by Parker (which would increase our legspeed a bit).
2) Last time Pike got ambushed by Blake, l cant see Mummy falling for that nonsense.
3) It's at the SCG

[Industrial Fan]

I hope not, The Ghan runs between Adelaide-Alice Springs-Darwin. Might be a case of Lewis Returning Triumphantly Not So Express.

Haha! Might be a case of the "BLT out" crew putting him on the wrong train to be back for Sunday?

[GongSwan]

I don't think that's quite right. He had a dilated pupil, indicative of swelling on the brain, which is why he was taken to hospital for further examination.

Yep I think yr right, that's exactly what he said

[billyboob]

Doc Larkins reckons LRT will have a rest, he actually had some swelling of the brain, and LRT has a big brain to start with.

I don't think that's quite right. He had a dilated pupil, indicative of swelling on the brain, which is why he was taken to hospital for further examination.

[GongSwan]

Someone reliable and hard at it needs to sit on Hayes, Dal Santo maybe an out for them, Goddard back fresh. I think we lost the game in the ruck last time, may be different now

[Ludwig]

Whether it's this week or next, we will have to face the selection problem of what to do when Parker is ready to play. I think our best side is with both Parker and Bird playing and Everitt as sub. This leaves the selection dilemma of who goes out. It would seem to come down to either Pyke of LRT.

This leaves us with the standard structure employed by most teams this year with 3 tall forwards, one of which is the 2nd Ruckman. The way Pyke is playing, he seems to offer slightly more than LRT because he can split time more evenly with Mummy than LRT and still offer a very good tap Ruckman. With Reid and Goodes as our key forwards, plus the resting ruckman, another tall seems superfluous. One of our strengths has been the ability to rotate our mids through the forward line. The rotation of the rucks and mids should allow us to spread the midfield load more and help us play a better 4 quarter game, that we have been aiming.

This seems to be our strongest team this year, with TDL as the next in line for a small forward, Armstrong for halfback, and LRT as the next tall, either back of forward.

Being such a good clubman, perhaps LRT knocked himself out to make Longmire's selection job easier.

Hopefully these 25 players, the starting side plus emergencies, will take us through the rest of the season. If so, I think we can go deep into the finals.

We are just in a fortunate position at the moment with few injuries and good depth, with all the regulars and several in the reserves playing well at the moment.

It seems that Longmire wants Parker in, and if he's fit, I think he'll play. I think he wants a bit more midfield grunt considering how we were beaten in the contest when we played the Saints in May.

[bloodsman]

Assuming we play collingwood in the prelim or grand final who would bird successfully negate. He's not a good match for quite a few of their mids as he's a bit slow. Perhaps he could play on beims. I think with parker, jack, kennedy, bolton, rok etc winning the contests we ensure we get enough ball to kick a winning score. Play to win I say. Without the extra hardnut in the contests we let them get the ball and they generally make you pay. Having said all that I agree that everitt is no certainty to stay.

[ernie koala]

Hopefully LRT gets a rest - not for form but that looked pretty nasty.

Spangher's injured isn't he, and even if not, hasn't played even ressies for a few weeks so no chance.

If LRT's not playing, I'd say Everitt to start and TDL to sub.

Yeah I'd go with this....I'd also go with Everitt to start, Parker sub.....And then of course there's Armstrong.....

I'm happy with any of them coming in...Don't think I've ever thought that before...

With our lack of injuries we really do have some depth to draw on.

Can't see any complacency coming in this week after the hiding they gave us a few weeks back.

I predict we'll give them a spanking.

[Melbourne_Blood]

That's what my post says, when he's fit. He's not a straight swap for Everitt in terms of size ad how they play, but Everitt didn't come into the side replacing a tall that went out, and doesn't often play as a traditional tall does. He's more of a running flanker, midfielder. He doesn't use his height much , so I don't think we'd be undersized without him. We still have LRT, Mummy, Pyke, Goodes, Reid, Ted, Grundy even AJ so I don't think size is an issue for us. Parker is a better player, and if he is fit, Everitt is the only player I can see being expendable.

[Dirtyburt]

Agree Bird is In our best 22 without question. However, if and when Parker is fit, he is also in our best 22. Surely people haven't forgotten his form before his injury. Everitt has been playing reasonable footy, but I don't think he can impact a game for 4 quarters like Parker can. Not on what he's shown so far. Parker can crash in like a bull for four quarters, tackle, win clearances, rack up possessions and kick goals. He has to be In the side when he's ready.

He is in our best 22 when fit, don't think he is yet, sub at best. Hardly a straight swop for Everett though, would leave us undersized in matchup forward.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Agree Bird is In our best 22 without question. However, if and when Parker is fit, he is also in our best 22. Surely people haven't forgotten his form before his injury. Everitt has been playing reasonable footy, but I don't think he can impact a game for 4 quarters like Parker can. Not on what he's shown so far. Parker can crash in like a bull for four quarters, tackle, win clearances, rack up possessions and kick goals. He has to be In the side when he's ready.

[Dirtyburt]

Bird was one of our best against WC. His shut-down job on Hurn was magnificent. He has a defensive game that Parker simply does not have yet. Parker is also far less consistent, so even though his best is better than Bird's, Bird is a more reliable player. Bird is also a fantastic decision maker, one of the best in the team. His disposal occasionally lets him down (been much better this year though), but he's incredibly smart and creative with ball in hand.

Parker also hasn't played this week, so he's a little short of match time. If LRT stays in, I'd say Parker will get another week in the reserves.

Spot on, bird was very very good against the eagles. I wonder if I watch different games sometimes.

[liz]

Assuming LRT does play then I'd think parker should come in for Bird. I'm not saying Bird has been poor by any means its just that Parker is harder, tougher and a great decision maker. He's just a better player. Everitt is a different type of player which can offer something up forward on occasions and is probably quite well suited as a sub.

Bird is a role player though. We've come a way since 2005/6 when 2/3 of our midfielders were generally tagging. Most of our mids currently focus primarily on winning the ball, even if at times a variety of them do play quite defensively on an opponent (eg ROK's focus on Priddis at the weekend in the first half, before he became a rampant ball winner in the second, McGlynn's late season job in 2011 on Selwood). Bird is the one player still primarily given a defensive role on either a midfielder or a rebounding defender. I thought his form had been down a little over the past couple of weeks but he was great yesterday on Hurn.

Although it is nice to see the balance change, don't underestimate the importance of being able to lock down on at least one dangerous opponent, particularly one whose use of the ball is integral to the opposition team. Hence it was Rich who Bird was assigned to tag against the Lions (with mixed results - better in the second half) and Hurn against the Weagles. Expect Dal Santo to be the one targeted this weekend.

Much as I'd love to see Parker in the team, he's shown nothing yet to suggest he'd do the Bird role as well as Bird does it. So leave Bird to do it. It has been a very important part of the team's success this season.

For Parker to come into the side, one of the taller players needs to make way (either Everitt, or Longmire to decide that one of Pyke or LRT is superfluous from a structural point of view) or we get an injury.