Team for Round 4 and beyond

[meher baba]

I'm assuming that Wood and Webster are gone for a while. I believe there are also slight injury concerns about NWM and Stocker: fingers crossed that these do not prevent them from playing.

I'm pessimistic that many of our long-term injured are going to be back much before the bye: perhaps Membrey and Steele, but not even them until Rd 8 or 9. Assuming that the club wants to play in the finals - and, against all expectations, we have shown that we are certainly good enough to do so - then our goal is to win at least 4 of our next 8 games and go to the bye 7-4 or better.

While we are getting pretty close to the bottom of the barrel, we have more reasonable options than you might think for replacing existing and future injuries (while hoping like hell there aren't any of the latter).

1. Bytel: a good quality midfield backup. We could have used him at times last night and he might come in against the GC or more likely the Pies to strengthen us in the engine room. (Although we know Lyon hates mucking around with his preferred structure). The drawback with Bytel is that he can't play anywhere else.

2. Campbell: could replace Cordy as a tall forward and second ruck. Cordy could then replace Webster, with Paton playing on the wing in place of Wood.

3. Highmore: can also replace Webster.

4. Peris: if he has a good game today, perhaps he could be a left-field replacement for Wood. The GC at home wouldn't be a bad occasion on which to try him out.

5. Sharman: another potential replacement for Webster, or could go into the forward line and free up Owens to play on the wing in place of Wood (where I reckon he'd go ok). The problem with Sharman up forward is that he doesn't provide a tall target like Caminiti or Cordy or Campbell and he isn't sufficiently agile to do the sort of things Owens or Phillipou can do. Down back, he is a GOP: I think Highmore or Cordy are potentially better performers in the role.

6. Heath, Adams, Van Es, Connolly: we'd need to have 3-4 more injuries to consider playing any of these IMO.

[tony74]

Unfortunately a couple of key injuries

[meher baba]

Unfortunately a couple of key injuries

That’s more than a little Delphic. Do you mean a couple of injuries other than those we already know about? ie, Webster and Wood

[asiu]

i'd bet my last dollar on
.... confirming the seriousness of the two we know about


***

round four heading for top four , bottom four or 4zip

samesame

[saynta]

Unfortunately a couple of key injuries

[SaintPav]

Hopefully the team Dr is wrong on Wood but I doubt it as he would have assessed the shoulder and there would have been obvious symptoms of a busted shoulder. He’ll probably be out for 5-6 weeks.

Jimmy will be missing for a few games as well.

I think at some stage these injuries are going to really bite hard, especially with the younger players which means we will probably fall off a cliff given the taxing style of game they play. I hope I’m wrong.

[spert]

Hopefully the team Dr is wrong on Wood but I doubt it as he would have assessed the shoulder and there would have been obvious symptoms of a busted shoulder. He’ll probably be out for 5-6 weeks.

Jimmy will be missing for a few games as well.

I think at some stage these injuries are going to really bite hard, especially with the younger players which means we will probably fall off a cliff given the taxing style of game they play. I hope I’m wrong.

Wood was unfortunate, but it came about due to his manic attack on the contest, which the team really switched on in the last quarter. If he goes out, we are losing one of the most in-form players in the comp. We still lacked clean work in the middle last night, and Bytel has very clean disposal by hand and foot and doesn't need huge possessions to be effective, so may get a look in. If Sharman has a big game with Sandy, then maybe he takes Pou's position, as the young fella got a bit lost in play last night, and a run at Sandy wont hurt...he is a long term project. Highmore probably for Webster. See what happens.

[Teflon]

Hopefully the team Dr is wrong on Wood but I doubt it as he would have assessed the shoulder and there would have been obvious symptoms of a busted shoulder. He’ll probably be out for 5-6 weeks.

Jimmy will be missing for a few games as well.

I think at some stage these injuries are going to really bite hard, especially with the younger players which means we will probably fall off a cliff given the taxing style of game they play. I hope I’m wrong.

I agree
We’ll drop soon and bounce later in the year
Who cares ….blood the kids it’s about 24 onwards
23 Owens is a bonus

[asiu]

no

play the poo

last nights game will do him good


he's a proud little bugger
... lets see how he responds

[meher baba]

I couldn’t see much wrong with Phillipou’s effort last night. Sometimes the ball doesn’t come your way. The Bombers did a good job mostly keeping our talls quiet in attack, but that opened the game up for Butler, Higgins and Gresham. It’ll be different next week. He should definitely stay in: I he’s a dangerous player.

[Banger9798]

NWM up to the wing for Wood?
Paton starting backline
Highmore covers for Webster
Bytel sub

Any danger of us getting someone back from the injury list?...they seem to go there and stay there

[saintsRrising]

I'm assuming that Wood and Webster are gone for a while. I believe there are also slight injury concerns about NWM and Stocker: fingers crossed that these do not prevent them from playing.

I'm pessimistic that many of our long-term injured are going to be back much before the bye: perhaps Membrey and Steele, but not even them until Rd 8 or 9. Assuming that the club wants to play in the finals - and, against all expectations, we have shown that we are certainly good enough to do so - then our goal is to win at least 4 of our next 8 games and go to the bye 7-4 or better.

While we are getting pretty close to the bottom of the barrel, we have more reasonable options than you might think for replacing existing and future injuries (while hoping like hell there aren't any of the latter).

1. Bytel: a good quality midfield backup. We could have used him at times last night and he might come in against the GC or more likely the Pies to strengthen us in the engine room. (Although we know Lyon hates mucking around with his preferred structure). The drawback with Bytel is that he can't play anywhere else.

2. Campbell: could replace Cordy as a tall forward and second ruck. Cordy could then replace Webster, with Paton playing on the wing in place of Wood.

3. Highmore: can also replace Webster.

4. Peris: if he has a good game today, perhaps he could be a left-field replacement for Wood. The GC at home wouldn't be a bad occasion on which to try him out.

5. Sharman: another potential replacement for Webster, or could go into the forward line and free up Owens to play on the wing in place of Wood (where I reckon he'd go ok). The problem with Sharman up forward is that he doesn't provide a tall target like Caminiti or Cordy or Campbell and he isn't sufficiently agile to do the sort of things Owens or Phillipou can do. Down back, he is a GOP: I think Highmore or Cordy are potentially better performers in the role.

6. Heath, Adams, Van Es, Connolly: we'd need to have 3-4 more injuries to consider playing any of these IMO.

Webster's most obvious replacement is Paton. Paton has a lot of experience in the back pocket.
Though possibly as long as Socker is also not out Highmore could come in to play back, but he is more your intercepting defender type. Paton will be a better option for option smalls.


Wood we do not have a real replacement for. HE IS A CRUCIAL LOSS FOR US. Arguably he is our best and most effective player this season. Even with no injuries we have no one else that has ALL of his skillset. Owens as you say is an option, but no one is near Wood in this role at present. Owens has also been a live wire up forward.

Importantly he has been a huge cog in to our new rapid run gameplan. His pace, endurance, marking and physicality mean that we have no one that adequately replace him.. Losing him is ging to hurt.

Campbell. We subbed out Cordy as he was slowing us down. Campbell has a number of assets, but pace and run are not part of them.


We struggled in our clearance work against the Dons.

So if it is Webster and Wood out. I would bring in Paton and Bytel.

[The Fireman]

Bytel will play

[CQ SAINT]

Bytel for sure
Paton to the bench
Owens moves onto wing.
I'd drop Cordy and give Heath reward but Lyon probably won't.

[The Fireman]

In 2 weeks we have lost 2 players at the top of their game The footy gods are are angry my friends

[saynta]

In 2 weeks we have lost 2 players at the top of their game The footy gods are are angry my friends

Steele...BOG.....then injured.

Wood....BOG.........then also injured.

[Sanctorum]

Based on today's VFL game, Paton and Bytel in for Webster and Wood with Highmore as sub, I expect the selectors to pull another rabbit out of their hat and give Phillipou and Owens a chance to play around the ground a la Mason Wood.

Cordy to remain at CHF.

[SaintPav]

Higgins and Butler should do well again now they have a taste for it.

[asiu]

In 2 weeks we have lost 2 players at the top of their game The footy gods are are angry my friends

not angry

just making sure we don't get ahead of ourselves again

[saynta]

In 2 weeks we have lost 2 players at the top of their game The footy gods are are angry my friends

Yep, they have tried to hog tie us but so far we have escaped their noose.

[Otiman]

Paton for Webster
Bytel for Wood
Byrnes to take Wood's wing role

There are also some options, but hard to take any of them at 3-0.

Heath for Cordy
Sharman to replace Wood
Peris to Sub

[CQ SAINT]

Paton for Webster
Bytel for Wood
Byrnes to take Wood's wing role

There are also some options, but hard to take any of them at 3-0.

Heath for Cordy
Sharman to replace Wood
Peris to Sub

Byrnes and Wood are both wingers, Byrnes is 181and 84kilo, Wood is 192 and 86kg. How do we make Byrnes play like Owens or Phillipou, so he can take Woods position?

[Vortex]

Paton for Webster
Bytel for Wood
Byrnes to take Wood's wing role

There are also some options, but hard to take any of them at 3-0.

Heath for Cordy
Sharman to replace Wood
Peris to Sub

Byrnes and Wood are both wingers, Byrnes is 181and 84kilo, Wood is 192 and 86kg. How do we make Byrnes play like Owens or Phillipou, so he can take Woods position?

I'll have a guess at this one, the same way we make Heath play like Max Gawn, Sharman like Bailey Fritsch and Peris play like Nick Daicos.

Heath, Sharman and Peris a fair way off AFL pace atm.

[Impatient Sainter]

On the reports and training footage Im pretty confident Wood will play.

Webster is definitely out and possibly Stocker given that he only walked laps yesterday after finishing the game on Saturday proppy. Paton is an automatic inclusion and hopefully Stocker is ok? Otherwise I guess Clark goes back to play as a small defender and Bytel comes into the midfield.

That might not be the worst scenario as GCS have a strong midfield and ruck so adding Bytel will help. They also dont have really quick small forwards so Clark might be able to manage?

Cordy will get another chance and lets hope he can improve on last weeks performance (1 possession).

[Otiman]

Paton for Webster
Bytel for Wood
Byrnes to take Wood's wing role

There are also some options, but hard to take any of them at 3-0.

Heath for Cordy
Sharman to replace Wood
Peris to Sub

Byrnes and Wood are both wingers, Byrnes is 181and 84kilo, Wood is 192 and 86kg. How do we make Byrnes play like Owens or Phillipou, so he can take Woods position?

Have been following Byrnes very closely this year and is very good in the air.