Changes for Round 5 - GWS

[Burra]

I think it probably says more about the media than Aliir. They rarely see past Buddy and a few injuries. And, increasingly, Heeney.

Nailed it!

[Flying South]

I thought he was super against the Pies. One short kick to a contest was a poor decision but otherwise I thought his game was exemplary, defensively as well as offensively. But he had a poor game against West Coast, and didn't get his timing right (nor were his disposals as sure as they normally are).

I think people tend to forget he's still a very inexperienced player at senior level. It's to be expected that he'll have down games. I was a little surprised he was dropped this week, especially given the height of the Giants' forward line, but I also trust that the coaches know what they are doing to develop him into a long term, quality senior player.

I wonder also if he's carrying a niggle that they don't want to expose to senior footy. As I noted on Tuesday, he didn't train with the main group but rather spent the session running very slowly around the boundary. It's not unusual for players to not train fully in the first session of the week but still be right for the next weekend. Indeed, he did more than Buddy and was running alongside Lloyd. But it might also be a factor, especially given his interrupted pre-season.

Perhaps he's feeling the effects still from the LeCras bump. Which I'm surprised he didn't get a week for. Maybe he has a concussion from it.

[707]

A win tonight would be somewhat of a bonus given the start we've had and the return of probably underdone players.

So maybe some of the selections/non selections are with a view to the longer term, opening our account next week but then playing a better brand of footy to end up square or in positive territory at the bye. The week off before the finals has changed the landscape, top four is no longer necessary to win the flag so we are more relaxed about our positioning despite the horror start.

BTW, if you're a betting man, reckon we'll be over $3 to make the eight if we lose tonight :-)

[liz]

This issue aren't new for Allir, it's popped up regularly for him during his NEAFL career. It wasn't such a noticeable issue when he played his first AFL games last year, I suspect this was due to the fact he was regularly marking the 3rd best forward and/or the resting ruckman on the opposition team. Without Rampe in this year, he's been asked to take the next best forward and I think this deficiency in his game has been more glaring as a result.

I thought he was super against the Pies. One short kick to a contest was a poor decision but otherwise I thought his game was exemplary, defensively as well as offensively. But he had a poor game against West Coast, and didn't get his timing right (nor were his disposals as sure as they normally are).

I think people tend to forget he's still a very inexperienced player at senior level. It's to be expected that he'll have down games. I was a little surprised he was dropped this week, especially given the height of the Giants' forward line, but I also trust that the coaches know what they are doing to develop him into a long term, quality senior player.

I wonder also if he's carrying a niggle that they don't want to expose to senior footy. As I noted on Tuesday, he didn't train with the main group but rather spent the session running very slowly around the boundary. It's not unusual for players to not train fully in the first session of the week but still be right for the next weekend. Indeed, he did more than Buddy and was running alongside Lloyd. But it might also be a factor, especially given his interrupted pre-season.

[royboy42]

Several commentators in the Melbourne footy media have been shocked by the dropping of Alir. Perhaps he is more highly rated outside the club than inside it? The current backline is a worry for me going into this game. If the GWS give reasonable service to their forwards then we are in trouble.


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I think it probably says more about the media than Aliir. They rarely see past Buddy and a few injuries. And, increasingly, Heeney.

[Aprilbr]

Several commentators in the Melbourne footy media have been shocked by the dropping of Alir. Perhaps he is more highly rated outside the club than inside it? The current backline is a worry for me going into this game. If the GWS give reasonable service to their forwards then we are in trouble.


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[Ludwig]

Jack Hacker played 111 games for South Melbourne.

Was only 173 cm tall, but played in the ruck.



Nickname: McJack

[Mug Punter]

I thought we'd put the Hack name to bed forever? Captain of the club, premiership player and all round champ. Deserves more respect

I agree

[Xie Shan]

Not too surprised by Aliir's omission, he impressed a lot of people last year but he still has a few deficiencies in his game to iron out.

[Markwebbos]

I thought we'd put the Hack name to bed forever? Captain of the club, premiership player and all round champ. Deserves more respect

Sorry. That's my bad. I withdraw the name...

However I would like to express my concern at how much the game appears to have gone past our former co-captains and for how much longer they'll deserve a place in the team on merit?

[ugg]

This issue aren't new for Allir, it's popped up regularly for him during his NEAFL career. It wasn't such a noticeable issue when he played his first AFL games last year, I suspect this was due to the fact he was regularly marking the 3rd best forward and/or the resting ruckman on the opposition team. Without Rampe in this year, he's been asked to take the next best forward and I think this deficiency in his game has been more glaring as a result.

[Doctor]

I thought we'd put the Hack name to bed forever? Captain of the club, premiership player and all round champ. Deserves more respect

Couldn't agree more.

[RogueSwan]

I thought we'd put the Hack name to bed forever? Captain of the club, premiership player and all round champ. Deserves more respect

You forgot Crunch Grand Final Free Kick Goal Kicker??

[Steve]

Do you think maybe it's not the game plan, but we are simply not playing well and no game plan will work if you're turning the ball over?

We want to move the ball quickly through the corridor with crisp passing and overlap run, but it's just not coming together because we can't execute the skills. We have also been fumbling around with the ball in the back half and allowing the opposition to set up for our attempts to rebound out of defence.

It's certainly personnel, and if you put Rampe and McVeigh into the back 6 it immediately changes the way we move the ball out of that area.

For that reason I would have persevered with Allir - there is a predictable, uninspiring sameness about the way Grundy, Smith, Marsh and Melican all just bomb it long by default and aren't creative players. At least Marsh will run but generally it is a 15m burst and then just a long kick down the line to a contest.

I also think Allir is the type of player that won't get much out of going back to the reserves at this point. I think the easy option from a coaching perspective is to just banish the player to the reserves and say "improve on this/that, then we'll pick you again" - rather than working with a talented player to address issues along the way. I'd be concerned that as a confidence player, you potentially do more damage than good dropping guys like Allir, particularly when he provides something that you don't have nearly enough of (ie. attacking rebound from defence, can hit targets etc).

[liz]

Do you think maybe it's not the game plan, but we are simply not playing well and no game plan will work if you're turning the ball over?

Don't be silly.