McGrath Reid Laverde
Roberts Ridley Johnson
Duursma Merrett Clarke
Martin Caddy Langford
Kako Wright Guelfi
Goldy Caldwell Durham
Prior Setterfield Tsatas May Lual
I think Brad will keep Parish in but I’d give Elijah the opportunity. Our centre clearance numbers are shocking and Parish since his return has done nothing to help us here. Parish, Hobbs and Perkins are out on form alone and Blakiston and Vigo get omitted to make room for some more experience in Ridley and Goldy. Reid in is an absolute no brainer so I’m shuffling Martin, Durham and Merrett into the half forward line to help with our offence.
McMahon has thrown his hat into the selection mix with a classy 5 goals in the reserves.
For the first time in a long time we are going to have selection pressure as the only senior injured players are Draper, Bryan and McKay.
Jones also I guess but still we are in much better shape than a few weeks ago
Whatever else happens, Perkins must be dropped. It seems like the selectors are getting the message, he was sub vs Freo. Surely, next he needs to be dumped.
I’m pretty bloody nervous about what we are going to see after the bye. It has been refreshing giving the kids a dip.
Season is done - so question is really what we want to achieve out of the remainder of the year? Either we could try and play our “best” team to create some momentum going into next year.
OR we can keep getting a look at the deeper parts of our list to inform list decisions, hopefully only win one or two more and finish as low as possible? I hope it’s the latter but can’t see Brad doing it.
Things I’d like to see:
Vigo stays in until he needs a rest
May stays in and Langford plays VFL
Clarke, Johnson and Lual stays in
Tsatas gets an unbroken run with decent mid time, for better or worse
We find an opportunity to give McMahon and Smartt a couple of games each before making calls on them
Blakiston gets a game or two as second ruck to see what he is like there-
Returning senior guys genuinely have to show better VFL form than the guys they are replacing to get a game
Agree with all your points but I’m not sure how this one happens without yet another ruck injury. The club will prioritise Caddy and May’s development over Blakiston, and I can’t see 2MP being dropped to allow space for Blakiston to play part time ruck. Even by Scott’s standards that seems a bit tall.
Vigo battled hard but if he performs like he did against Jackson, we put the backline under significant pressure and the midfield start with one hand tied behind their back.
I think people are already setting themselves up to be angry. North, Richmond and West Coast wouldn’t have their Ridley and Langford equivalents play extended VFL time if fit.
I think there’s more than enough room to keep May, Johnson and Clarke in the side though.
There’s going to be more injuries too. There always is.
Whilst we don’t know what level of training loads the soon to be available players will have done would hope that in particular those who’ve had very interrupted years are put through VFL initially. For one (managed minutes) if not two (full game).
That is Langford & Ridley. Reid despite playing all the games he did should really play at least one given his injury history, albeit I think they’ll likely slot him back in asap
Redman been out a short time and I think he could come straight back in. Likely would see Clarke return to wing and perhaps Lual goes to sub
The 3 tall fwd setup we played I’d expect the club will want to continue trialling (was some good connection going on with all of 2MP, Caddy & May)so if Langford is to return he needs to be at full match fitness IMO for it to work with them.
McMahon kicking a bag again knocking on door but it would have to be at the expense of May which I don’t think happens. We can’t play 4 tall fwds
Vigo has had a taste and showed plenty, the athletic type in Jackson did suit even though he was dominant. Witts is a beast though, Goldy to return I think for GC but we will see Vigo for a few more games in back end of season for sure
There’s dreams and there’s fantasies, unfortunately yours is the latter with our coach.
Recent history says he will be still thinking finals as long as it is mathematically possible.
I was very impressed with Vigo, but he is 19.
We’ll break him if we regularly send him up against seasoned AFL ruckmen.
To do the right thing by him we need to play him primarily in the VFL and prioritise his strength conditioning.
This means weights and core strength.
I’d even limit his VFL game time against older physical rucks over the next 12 to 18 months but continue with plenty of ruck craft training with Goldy and the odd AFL game here and there. Patience is the key here and we’ll have a 10 year generational player.
NB I probably still have scar tissue from what happened to Paul Salmon and Joe D.