Re Gleeson heavily strapped thigh came on and off. If it was a quad you would think he wouldn’t be there at all, maybe a corky.
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His thigh was strapped before the Cats game. Suggest its either a corky or a laceration. If it was a quad strain it would be weeks out. Surely.
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Great to read of the positives about McKenna. Unlikely to play this week, but once he’s selected I doubt he’ll lose his place.
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BRING MCKENNA IN SHOWS MORE PROMISE THAN ALL OUR OTHER HBFS
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I really hope we go with speed on every line, mcgrath or mckenna in please
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I agree with the comments about our first choice midfield not being able to pressure the opposition when they have the ball…
I think Zac Merrett is ok defensively, without being great, and Parish certainly gives intensity but is not strong in the tackle as yet… But the others are very much a worry. Hepp has never been good defensively, he goes a bit half hearted in his chasing and tackling for mine, And Watston is too slow to make a yard to get to an opponent breaking away. Zaka’s defensive intensity comes and goes, but generally it is not great.
Of the other players who play around the stoppages even if not formally “mids” (centre square), Goddard and Stanton are both slow, and Goddard doesn’t have a defensive mindset (Stants tries real hard but is limited like Watson by his slowness).
It is no wonder that Dangerfield did what he did in the 3rd qtr last week. We are a very easy side to run out of the stoppages against.
Maybe we need Hocking and Bird, who are limited offensively and not great ball winners, and a bit slow, but they give us some defensive pressure when the opposition win the ball, and we might struggle for first possession at stoppages with Smack our first ruckman.
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zach is ok defensively?
he gets like 8 tackles a game.
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…and opinion piece.
He pretty much leads our pressure acts every week and is always high in the tackle count. He pretty much sets the standard in there. And of course, unlike Hocking and howlett, he racks em up consistently while he does it
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Will there be training next Monday that’s open? I want to go
By far and away our best player.
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Parish is a tackling machine…always see him wrapping himself around the ball carrier.
More of a wrapping machine in that case
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I was going to say jockstrap.
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I’d have thought Hartley is every bit as much a lock as Hurley. Question on who the 3rd tall will be. From DJR’s report of the VFL practice match, Dea has almost played himself out of contention so it a question of Ambrose or Brown. I’d say Ambrose for his genuine lock down capabilities, and his ability to go with Gunstan aerobically and in the air.
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That’s pretty unfair, I reckon.
you’re probably right, especially after he was decent enough in the JLT. But that was the vibe I got from the VFL praccy, that he basically got toweled. If I’m honest, I have a big question on his disposal or his ability to really locked down on his opponent one on one anyway. But that’s just my opinion and as a default probably biases my view of his practice match.
You’re making your judgement from a game you didn’t even see?
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correct, 100% based on the vibe I got from DJR’s commentary of the game. Something which I thought was reasonably clear when I said “from DJR’s report of the VFL practice match”.
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Im generally pretty positive but based on what we have seen in the JLT games (3 losses),
returning players taking time to adjust, and TBC and Hooker yet to prove full fitness, it could be a tough season for us especially with Luey out for a few weeks.
Then again maybe it will all come together from about round 6 as they hit peak fitness, get their touch back, work out who should play where etc…
Fortunately we arent in a head space like Richmond who expect a flag every year and then mentally disintegrate when it doesnt happen. I think the players (if not the supporters) will deal with the losses pretty well as long as we keep making changes to the mix.
It will be interesting if Woosha is stuck on a certain mix that takes a while to work, but otherwise the players should remain upbeat even if its a slow start.