Cometh the hour, cometh the Stef...

[Mofra]

https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1002376/martin-in-the-mix

He's underdone and may suck as the game wears on this weekend, but I'm backing him in.

I don't think we're winning anything with English as first ruck. I do thing English is a threat forward of the ball - a 208cm, bloke who can mark and kick is bound to attract attention.
Martin in allows English to spend more time forward to cover for Bruce. Stef can bash and crash whatever first ruck the other team put up and English is comptetive against any second ruck in the comp.

It's a higher risk strategy but who ever achieved anything in life by playing it safe?

I don't want us to try and just scrape a win in a final. Let's be greedy, let's be hungry. let's roll the dice in an all or nothing shot at taking the whole damn thing.

[Grantysghost]

Agree straight in for all the reasons you mention.

Apart from Bruce and McLean we have a pretty clean bill of health. Time to go hard or go home.

[MrMahatma]

https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1002376/martin-in-the-mix

He's underdone and may suck as the game wears on this weekend, but I'm backing him in.

I don't think we're winning anything with English as first ruck. I do thing English is a threat forward of the ball - a 208cm, bloke who can mark and kick is bound to attract attention.
Martin in allows English to spend more time forward to cover for Bruce. Stef can bash and crash whatever first ruck the other team put up and English is comptetive against any second ruck in the comp.

It's a higher risk strategy but who ever achieved anything in life by playing it safe?

I don't want us to try and just scrape a win in a final. Let's be greedy, let's be hungry. let's roll the dice in an all or nothing shot at taking the whole damn thing.

It's not massively high risk though. I mean, say we have Young as the Medi Sub. If Stef goes down, we roll out the sub and we more or less line up as we would if Stef didn't play. Sure, there's a chance we cop another injury but in the scheme of things, the injury sub makes a move like this much, MUCH lower risk than when there wasn't an injury sub.

Bring it on! I really, really hope he plays and gets through the game. It's the biggest improvement we'll have outside of the rest of the team who have been down finding form (or Naughton kicking straight...). Actually, we've got loads of upside. Bring on the weekend!

[bornadog]

Could be the Clarke Keating of the finals - come on Stef, we need you

[bulldogtragic]

We need to go with three tall defenders against Port.

Keath, Gardner/Cordy & Schache. Schache also the third line of ruck after Tim if Stef goes down. Or to run with Ladhams and/or take D50 ruck contests to save Stef having to run huge miles.

[The Pie Man]

He has to play - especially now the pre finals bye has been cancelled, he just has to play now.

Would be crook to lose him during the game, but can be covered by English in this scenario.

Play him

[comrade]

Unleash the silver fox.

[jazzadogs]

Win this week, win next week, get a week off and freshen up for a prelim. EASY!!!

[MrMahatma]

Win this week, win next week, get a week off and freshen up for a prelim. EASY!!!

Then get another week off before the GF.

[The Underdog]

We need to go with three tall defenders against Port.

Keath, Gardner/Cordy & Schache. Schache also the third line of ruck after Tim if Stef goes down. Or to run with Ladhams and/or take D50 ruck contests to save Stef having to run huge miles.

Totally this. Reckon it’s probably too big a risk to go in with Gardner and Martin off long breaks, but Keath, Cordy and Schache with Schache as the break glass back up ruck option is the go for me.

[EasternWest]

Help us stupid, sexy Stef. You're our only hope.

[bulldogtragic]

Help us stupid, sexy Stef. You're our only hope.

Can you record you giving that message so a droid can later play it to Stef to rescue us?

[Danjul]

It's not massively high risk though. I mean, say we have Young as the Medi Sub. If Stef goes down, we roll out the sub and we more or less line up as we would if Stef didn't play. Sure, there's a chance we cop another injury but in the scheme of things, the injury sub makes a move like this much, MUCH lower risk than when there wasn't an injury sub.

Bring it on! I really, really hope he plays and gets through the game. It's the biggest improvement we'll have outside of the rest of the team who have been down finding form (or Naughton kicking straight...). Actually, we've got loads of upside. Bring on the weekend!
Do we really want Schache in the ruck with a suspect knee? One centre bounce knock could put him out of the game if there is a problem. Your suggestion about Young is a good idea.

[EasternWest]

Can you record you giving that message so a droid can later play it to Stef to rescue us?

Pfft. Implying I haven't already.

[jeemak]

Do we really want Schache in the ruck with a suspect knee? One centre bounce knock could put him out of the game if there is a problem. Your suggestion about Young is a good idea.

If he's not fit enough to be able to do that you'd question whether he's fit enough to play at all, given he's still a speculative prospect as a key defender anyway?

Not sure he's the player we take into contests underdone one way or another.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

We've introduced Dunks, Treloar and Vandermeer underdone after very long lay-offs and that hasn't been too successful. I'm really worried that adding an underdone Martin is just exacerbating that problem.
I think we should be trying to find other ways to mitigate our opposition centre clearance scoring issues...like getting our mids to put some time into a defensive posture on occasions when we're not on top.

[WBFC4FFC]

We've introduced Dunks, Treloar and Vandermeer underdone after very long lay-offs and that hasn't been too successful. I'm really worried that adding an underdone Martin is just exacerbating that problem.
I think we should be trying to find other ways to mitigate our opposition centre clearance scoring issues...like getting our mids to put some time into a defensive posture on occasions when we're not on top.

Totally agree with your first paragraph. I have been saying this for a while and even Bevo said this before we played the West Coke about their side having too many underdone players in the team.

Maybe we have been forced into it because Footscray has had so many games cancelled.

[boydogs]

We've introduced Dunks, Treloar and Vandermeer underdone after very long lay-offs and that hasn't been too successful. I'm really worried that adding an underdone Martin is just exacerbating that problem.
I think we should be trying to find other ways to mitigate our opposition centre clearance scoring issues...like getting our mids to put some time into a defensive posture on occasions when we're not on top.

I actually hope you're right because it means our form slump has been due to bringing players back early so they find their feet in time for finals

Martin this week or not at all

[Ghost Dog]

Start pulsing Stef.

[Mofra]

Sounds like Stef got through the scratch match well.

Last game against out likely opponents Essendon we got murdered in the ruck, 2MP played the game of his life and they still only just scraped over the line.

To me, a Young for Martin swap is an easy decision. Keep English forward - Esendon's defenders are not in Port's class.

[Vred]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/western-bulldogs/afl-news-2021-western-bulldogs-vs-sydney-swans-scratch-match-stefan-martin-injury-jordon-sweet/news-story/8bd6132bd460ffab0ac7e62dfb0632ad


Stefan Martin put his hand up for selection with an impressive display in the Western Bulldogs’ scratch match against Sydney on Saturday morning.
The Whitten Oval match – which consisted of eight, 12-minute quarters – had several players that will push for senior selection in the first week of finals.
Martin’s presence in the ruck, where he swapped with Jordon Sweet, was significant, but it remains to be seen whether he did enough to force his way back into Luke Beveridge’s best team.

[bornadog]

Sounds like Stef got through the scratch match well.

Last game against out likely opponents Essendon we got murdered in the ruck, 2MP played the game of his life and they still only just scraped over the line.

To me, a Young for Martin swap is an easy decision. Keep English forward - Esendon's defenders are not in Port's class.

Would you swing Young to the backline? I think he would be better than a Cordy

[chef]

Stef is our hail Mary.

[azabob]

Stef Martin > Clark Keating

[comrade]

Would you swing Young to the backline? I think he would be better than a Cordy

100% but it won’t happen.

[SonofScray]

I am all for BDSM.

He’s got a role to play, strap him up, get him ready to get his hands on the kangaroo leather. Let’s flog the Essendon Olympic Committee.

[Eastdog]

:D:D

[Raw Toast]

Could be the Clarke Keating of the finals - come on Stef, we need you


Stef Martin > Clark Keating

I've had this hopeful comparison in my head for awhile now as well.

I think that we played our best footy with Stef in the side, and while I understand not rushing him back against Port, I'd like to see him swivel to the rescue this week.

[SonofScray]

I've had this hopeful comparison in my head for awhile now as well.

I think that we played our best footy with Stef in the side, and while I understand not rushing him back against Port, I'd like to see him swivel to the rescue this week.

BDSM to tie up Draper.

[EasternWest]

BDSM to tie up Draper.

But not to get involved with Cox.

[Grantysghost]

But not to get involved with Cox.

Suckling?

[EasternWest]

Suckling?

Why you hefta cheapen such highbrow conversation?

[Mofra]

Would you swing Young to the backline? I think he would be better than a Cordy
I'd be tempted to play Schache ahead of Cordy (especially if we're otherwise going to throw Hannan in as a relief ruck) but if Young goes into the backline I'd say it's for Wood rather than Cordy. Either way I can't see it happening.