Changes v Suns

[bigcarl]

Out: Ryder (susp), Long (stiff)
In: Hayes, Higgins.

Long unlucky as he played well. Campbell unlucky but Hayes’ versatility gets him the nod.

[stkfc1]

Think Long will stay in and one of the kids will be dropped. Neither deserve to be but we'll want Longs pressure, mature body around the contest. Hayes comes in for sure. Ruck is our main concern against Suns. Their midfield is class and Witts is one of the best rucks in the comp. He leads hitouts ATM. Don't think either Marshall or Hayes can go with him so we need to be smart. I back our bookends against theirs though.

[Ghost Like]

Think Long will stay in and one of the kids will be dropped. Neither deserve to be but we'll want Longs pressure, mature body around the contest. Hayes comes in for sure. Ruck is our main concern against Suns. Their midfield is class and Witts is one of the best rucks in the comp. He leads hitouts ATM. Don't think either Marshall or Hayes can go with him so we need to be smart. I back our bookends against theirs though.

Agree, I think Campbell may come in to try to, at worst, break even in the centre.

Higgins for Windy, as mentioned, unlucky.

[bigcarl]

Think Long will stay in and one of the kids will be dropped. Neither deserve to be but we'll want Longs pressure, mature body around the contest. Hayes comes in for sure. Ruck is our main concern against Suns. Their midfield is class and Witts is one of the best rucks in the comp. He leads hitouts ATM. Don't think either Marshall or Hayes can go with him so we need to be smart. I back our bookends against theirs though.

Agree, I think Campbell may come in to try to, at worst, break even in the centre.

Higgins for Windy, as mentioned, unlucky.

Possibly right re one of the kids missing. Shame to have to drop anyone after a win like that, but Higgins should come in.

One the ruck situation, what do we do with Campbell when he is not rucking? Can he hold down a key position in the forward line structurally like Hayes?

I’m concerned as always about long bombs to a triple-teamed Max King

[saintsRrising]

INS:

Higgins straight back in

One of Campbell or Hayes. The two Sun rucks are Witts 208 and Chol 200 cm. Chol will mainly be a key forward.

OUTS:
Webster looked sore at the late in the game. I wonder how he will pull up?

Ryder . I doubt he will get 2 down to 0, but may get it to one.

The other out to be one of Wood, Nasiah, Windhager or Long.

Which one?

Well first I desperately hope that Rats is not truly considering putting Hill back to HBF, and especially this week.

Problem is that Higgins is going to play forward, as will Butler. And Gresham pushing forward will add to the scoring power.
So it could just be Higgins for Long. Though Long while very, very good against the Tigers, was not as good against the Hawks. His experience and pressure game I think may keep him in.

Or it could mean that Hill will spend time on the wing, as well as rotating through high HF.

Given this that means one of Dmac, Wood or Nasiah is excess to requirements for tis game, or Windhager as he mainly played wide.

Dmac is 100% safe.

Wood has been quite good, and when pushing forward or back offers more than Nasiah. I think that as tis is a crucial game that they will opt for Wood if they are choosing between Nasiah and Wood.


I tend to think that the choice will be between Nasiah and Windhager. If either go they are not being dropped so much as just being squeezed out.

[saintsRrising]

One the ruck situation, what do we do with Campbell when he is not rucking?


Can he hold down a key position in the forward line structurally like Hayes?

Well he can, but Hayes is the much better and more mobile key forward. Plus Hayes will be better around the ground as a follower.

Whereas Campbell is ok, but not good at both those roles. But he is a genuine ruck. He will lose to Witts who is a very good tap ruckman and physically a beast, but can compete. He may be better than Chol in the ruck.

Hayes will easily get beaten in the ruck. So if Hayes is the No2 ruck, then Marshall is going to need to take as many of the ruck contests as possible.

If Marshall was 100% fit, I would go Marshall/Hayes. I am concerned though that Marshall is not quite back to full fitness yet.

[meher baba]

I reckon it's one of Wood or Windhager to come out for Higgins. I'd go for Windhager: Wood played his position well on Sunday and made a reasonable number of tackles: the ball didn't head out his way very often, which was not his fault.

Campbell to replace Ryder looks pretty obvious due to match ups and also the fact that Marshall appears to be carrying a bit of an injury. As others have said, if we're not going to play Campbell now, when would we play him?

If they do go with Hayes, I reckon we'd want an extra midfielder to help us deal with losing most of the hitouts. That would surely be Byrnes, in which case both Wood and Windhager might miss.

[Trev from the Bush]

Get another game into Windhager, NW-M for a game with Sandy. Hayes in for Paddy, not really a ruckman but good, steady hands anywhere around the ground.

[Otiman]

Play the kids in 3 game bursts, NWM moves out for Higgins. Windhager plays the next two and Owens can come in for 3 after that.

Witts was BOG last week, you either play Hayes to exploit him or Campbell to negate him. Playing all 3 is a long shot but would need some thought and team balance.

Coming back from injury is Higgins who should slot straight in. My opinion is that when Higgins and Butler play together, they can't both play well, but you can't drop Butler either.

Geary to come back through VFL unless there is a specific role for him.

Billings and Clark probably not ready to come back in yet.

Out: NWM, Ryder
In: Higgins, Campbell/Hayes
Lucky: Long

[Ghost Like]

I'm not sure Otiman that I agree with the regimented 3 game giveaway for the kids. I want to see those kids make it impossible to be dropped, thereby improving our overall 22.

At this stage, neither NWM or Windy have done much wrong but I'm not sure either has done enough to keep Higgins or a Clark / Billings (if available) out of the side.
NWM may get managed, allowing Higgins' return & Windy another game.

I do agree with your INs & OUTs though if Paddy's suspension remains

[StPeter]

Campbell has looked ok in the Sandy games I have watched this year.

Certainly an improvement on our back-up ruckmen of recent years.

If the ruck power of the Marshall/Hayes combination is in question, Campbell may well be selected.

The player to go for Higgins is a bit of a raffle. An argument can be made for retaining any of the players under consideration.

[meher baba]

The kids only came into the team because there were potential spots for them and their form was good (Owens had apparently been training the house down before Rd 1). So why would be adopt any reason for selecting them or deselecting them other than form and structural requirements?

NWM has been playing really well, and had a better game on Sunday than Windhager. So I certainly wouldn't support dropping him and retaining Windhager, unless there is a clear and obvious need to "manage" NWM.

[saynta]

INS:

Higgins straight back in

One of Campbell or Hayes. The two Sun rucks are Witts 208 and Chol 200 cm. Chol will mainly be a key forward.

OUTS:
Webster looked sore at the late in the game. I wonder how he will pull up?

Ryder . I doubt he will get 2 down to 0, but may get it to one.

The other out to be one of Wood, Nasiah, Windhager or Long.

Which one?

Well first I desperately hope that Rats is not truly considering putting Hill back to HBF, and especially this week.

Problem is that Higgins is going to play forward, as will Butler. And Gresham pushing forward will add to the scoring power.
So it could just be Higgins for Long. Though Long while very, very good against the Tigers, was not as good against the Hawks. His experience and pressure game I think may keep him in.

Or it could mean that Hill will spend time on the wing, as well as rotating through high HF.

Given this that means one of Dmac, Wood or Nasiah is excess to requirements for tis game, or Windhager as he mainly played wide.

Dmac is 100% safe.

Wood has been quite good, and when pushing forward or back offers more than Nasiah. I think that as tis is a crucial game that they will opt for Wood if they are choosing between Nasiah and Wood.


I tend to think that the choice will be between Nasiah and Windhager. If either go they are not being dropped so much as just being squeezed out.

Being a selector at the moment would be f****** hard, Difficult decisions lie ahead.

[Zed]

Witts is a giant of a man, so I think Campbell gets the nod over Hayes and we use Campbell against Witts and Marshall against Chol.

Higgins in for Windhager. A bit stiff but he gets the opportunity to go back and work on his game. Long’s pressure was outstanding and deserves another crack.

[cwrcyn]

Campbell's a slow moving train. Do we take the strength and size of Campbell or the mobility and versatility of Hayes?. Campbell can't play forward. We need that third tall forward as much as we need a ruckman, so for me it's Hayes. Centre bounces could be a nightmare, but at throw ins and other bounce downs Hayes and Marshall may be able to negate Witts

In: Higgins Hayes

Out: Ryder Byrnes

Long as medi-sub

[Vortex]

Hayes and Higgins in.

Windy and Paddy out.

[WellardSaint]

Cannot see Long as emergency.
He's always been tough and skilled, and he always taps on to advantage if he can't take the ball without getting nailed.
His pressure is through the roof.

Hayes in because he can cover the ground quick and get to lots of contests, and may not win the ruck, but he's tough and hard at it

[CQ SAINT]

Higgins and Hayes in for Paddy
Take Wood out and get King and Hayes on their bikes leading right up and back down the ground, trying to isolate Higgins and Marshall in the 50 with Butler Gresh and Hill rushing in.
We are going to see just how fit we are but we should out run and outscore them.

[saintbob]

Ins
Campbell and Higgins

Outs
Wood (unlucky) and Ryder


Windhager and NMW derserve to keep their spots

Marshall and King start deep in the goal square

[Scollop]

I think we need to treat the next 2 games without Paddy as a block of two and Ratts always uses the phrase ‘horses for courses’

Well it’s time to put that into practice with team selection and the match ups against both the Suns and the Giants

I think we nurse Campbell through this week (use him as emergency and don’t even play him in the magoos) and pick him for the match against GWS against big Braydon Preuss

Play Hayes and Marshall this week up against Witts. Big Tom Campbell plays in the game up at Canberra and possibly Hayes out for that one

So for this week, I’d have Hayes in for Paddy and barring any soreness or any other injuries, I think Windy out and Jack Higgins in.

[SaintDippa]

Hayes for Ryder is a given.
Higgins in for probably Long. Long's kicking is a risk, yep Higgins.. I know, but playing percentages it's the way I'd go.
Windhager gets a couple more until Clarke or Billings ready then rested.
WangMill gets a couple more until Jones or Billings ready then rested.
Byrnes needs to get his kicking technique sorted out then in later in the season.

[saintsRrising]

I think we nurse Campbell through this week (use him as emergency and don’t even play him in the magoos) and pick him for the match against GWS against big Braydon Preuss

Play Hayes and Marshall this week up against Witts. Big Tom Campbell plays in the game up at Canberra and possibly Hayes out for that one

As " big " Braydon Preuss is actually smaller than Witts why would you play Campbell only against the latter? Witts for mine is also the better ruckman.

Preuss is 206cm and 113 kg. Witts is 209cm and 111kg.

[Ghost Like]

I think we play Campbell against both these monsters with Marshall to give him a breather. I like Hayes and I like what he brings to the side & club but it would be folly to allow both the GCS & GWS midfields guaranteed centre clearances. I'm sure our defenders would agree.

[samuraisaint]

We tried playing blokes based on height last year several times actually more than several times, and it ended in tears every time.

Hayes in, and negate Witts influence by a defensive midfield set up.

Hayes and Marshall are good around the ground, and play forward and are damaging hitting the score board. I expect Hayes to be better this week than he was against Richmond.

[saintsRrising]

We tried playing blokes based on height last year several times actually more than several times, and it ended in tears every time.

If you mean McKernan he was cooked when he arrived. At at 196 he was for a ruckman not tall.

If you mean Hunter he was a bad call and simply not up to it.

Our recruiters have made many good calls in recent years, but those two players were not a good call.


Campbell is no star but he is a lot more capable than either of those two players.
Hayes looks very good, but against true tall rucks he is going to be a problem in ruck contests. He mainly needs to ruck against other fill in rucks. Chol is a bit better than a fill in ruck.
I would be ok with either choice, but there are pros and cons to each.

Campbell may be get picked is Marshall is not 100% fit. Otherwise we just run with the more attacking Hayes.