Would we do the unthinkable?

[Dry Rot]

OK, most of the side struggled last match but what if Murphy continues to struggle - would we drop him to the Bees to find form? Ditto Darcy?

I thought they might each get a few games first up with the Bees to get their eyes in, and perhaps they still need still need this. Ditto hahn?

Thoughts?

[Bulldog Revolution]

I think its very much a suck it and see approach - ideally they both hit form and its not an issue.

Murphy - is starting to look a lot more confident in his movement

Darcy struggled on the weekend but then most guys who started in the centre square did, and he was probably marginally better than Minson at the centre bounce

[Dry Rot]

OK, I obviously hope they improve but what if they don't and struggle?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I think its very much a suck it and see approach - ideally they both hit form and its not an issue.

Murphy - is starting to look a lot more confident in his movement

Darcy struggled on the weekend but then most guys who started in the centre square did, and he was probably marginally better than Minson at the centre bounce

Murphy is the one who has struggled in the opening two rounds, whilst Darcy has shown some good signs.

Darcy contested very well against The Cats in the forward line and created a few goals from it. When he went into the Ruck, he didn't do too bad either.

Against The Crows, Darcy didn't do anything forward partly due to the delivery. No idea why we decided we wouldn't kick it to him. So it's hardly Darce's fault there. When hew ent into the Ruck, I thought he did OK and made some really good taps, even finding himself on the end of one after he'd tapped it to somebody. He was far better then Minson, and considering Darcy has played 2 games in 2 years, I think he's doing more then was first expected.

I'm confident Darcy will be a quality player this year, particuarly as we enter the business end of it.

Murphy on the other hand is struggling. He couldn't get near it against The Cats, and was barely seen against The Crows. Did a bit better when he went back, but I think his confidence is way down. IMO Murphy DOES need a spell of two or three weeks - at least - in Werribee to find some form and to gain some much needed confidence IF he struggles again this week against The Saints.

[Topdog]

I don't think a great deal would be achieved by sending either of them back to Werribee. It'll take them both a while to adjust to the pace of the AFL and Werribee won't do anything to help in that aspect.

[bulldogtragic]

^

Yep. Exactly.

[Go_Dogs]

I personally thought Darcy was ok on the weekend, and Murphy seems to be getting more confident too. I'd prefer to see Murphy left up forward and really work at his game and get confidence back that way, it's all good and well to pick up a few cheap touches down back, but I think he'd benefit from playing more time in the forward line than he has done over the past few weeks.

[Sockeye Salmon]

I personally thought Darcy was ok on the weekend, and Murphy seems to be getting more confident too. I'd prefer to see Murphy left up forward and really work at his game and get confidence back that way, it's all good and well to pick up a few cheap touches down back, but I think he'd benefit from playing more time in the forward line than he has done over the past few weeks.

I thought Darcy was OK but Murph really struggled.

[Raw Toast]

I thought Darcy was OK but Murph really struggled.

Agreed. Thought Murphy looked a bit lost and wasn't providing the lead-up target we needed, though he did show a few signs when he got the ball.

I don't think Eade's scared of dropping players if he thinks it is for the best. Did it to Hahn a couple of years ago. I reckon Murphy will come good before then though.

The whole forward line will take a bit of time to settle imo. Not surprising when you think that we've been fitting five players into it that weren't there for more of last year (Aker, Darcy, Murph, Higgins and McDougall) and trying to play with a taller structure.

I know alot of the pre-match talk has been about their attack/our defence and our midfield concerns, but how does our attack stack up against their defence? Do they have a Basset type who can take Johnson? Sam Fisher might match up well against Darcy as he did ok against Brown.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Agreed. Thought Murphy looked a bit lost and wasn't providing the lead-up target we needed, though he did show a few signs when he got the ball.

I don't think Eade's scared of dropping players if he thinks it is for the best. Did it to Hahn a couple of years ago. I reckon Murphy will come good before then though.

The whole forward line will take a bit of time to settle imo. Not surprising when you think that we've been fitting five players into it that weren't there for more of last year (Aker, Darcy, Murph, Higgins and McDougall) and trying to play with a taller structure.

I know alot of the pre-match talk has been about their attack/our defence and our midfield concerns, but how does our attack stack up against their defence? Do they have a Basset type who can take Johnson? Sam Fisher might match up well against Darcy as he did ok against Brown.

Both Fisher's could probably be trialled on Johnson, but I agree Sam would likely be given a taller assignment firstly. I'm thinking it'll be McDougall; but who does that leave for Darcy?

IMO we are in a good position to dictate terms. If we play Darcy at FF & Doogs at CHF, it means Kosi will have to play CHB and thus our backline will only have to contend with Riewoldt & Gehrig. That'd be an enormous win for us, as in years gone by, we've had to attempt to blanket all three which has been impossible for us.

Harris/Gehrig.
Wight/Riewoldt.
McDougall/Kosi.
Darcy/Fisher.

I'd be happy enough with those match-ups, with Hargrave another option to play on Riewoldt.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Both Fisher's could probably be trialled on Johnson, but I agree Sam would likely be given a taller assignment firstly. I'm thinking it'll be McDougall; but who does that leave for Darcy?

IMO we are in a good position to dictate terms. If we play Darcy at FF & Doogs at CHF, it means Kosi will have to play CHB and thus our backline will only have to contend with Riewoldt & Gehrig. That'd be an enormous win for us, as in years gone by, we've had to attempt to blanket all three which has been impossible for us.

Harris/Gehrig.
Wight/Riewoldt.
McDougall/Kosi.
Darcy/Fisher.

I'd be happy enough with those match-ups, with Hargrave another option to play on Riewoldt.

I'd go with:

Harris/Gehrig
Wight/Riewoldt
McDougall/Kosi

Morris/Del Santo
Boyd or Cross will go head-to-head with Harvey.

Whoever gets Goddard, get him the buggery out of the way.

Shaggy could have a go forward with Darcy.

[Cyberdoggie]

i'm not sure they struggled any more than some of our other guys but they do look slow at times, that may improve a bit, although they do need another year to get back to their best.

I thought murphy was a lot slower in turning. Doesn't have the power in his legs back that's for sure. There was a passage of play across the back flank where he tried to duck and weave out of a jam and the adelaide player was on him like white on rice.

[Raw Toast]

I'd go with:

Harris/Gehrig
Wight/Riewoldt
McDougall/Kosi

Morris/Del Santo
Boyd or Cross will go head-to-head with Harvey.

Whoever gets Goddard, get him the buggery out of the way.

Shaggy could have a go forward with Darcy.

Goddard is tricky because if his opponent simply plays as a decoy then he'll zone off and damage us anyway. Wouldn't mind us continually trying to isolate him in the goal-square and/or playing through him whenever Goddard gets a bit loose (both tactics Crows used for Gilbee). Don't want to see Goddard as the loose man for them as he sliced us up last time.

Wouldn't mind seeing Shaggy up forward, though my sense is he plays better running towards goal. We missed his run a bit against the Crows.

Happy with Morris on Dal Santo, though I wouldn't mind Power on him either (I say this every year). Power might play as a defensive forward on Goddard I reckon.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Power might play as a defensive forward on Goddard I reckon.

I don't mind that idea although Power didn't seem to curb McLeod much last week (although I'm not sure who would have, the form McLeod was in).

[Dry Rot]

OK, most of the side struggled last match but what if Murphy continues to struggle - would we drop him to the Bees to find form? Ditto Darcy?

I thought they might each get a few games first up with the Bees to get their eyes in, and perhaps they still need still need this. Ditto hahn?

Thoughts?

Always thought having 3 ACL victims returning was too many. Add in other injured players (McMahon, Griffen, Acker etc), loss of confidnece all round and you get yesterday.

Will Eade have the balls to drop Darcy and Hahn?

[southerncross]

Always thought having 3 ACL victims returning was too many. Add in other injured players (McMahon, Griffen, Acker etc), loss of confidnece all round and you get yesterday.

Will Eade have the balls to drop Darcy and Hahn?

I'd be surprised if Hahn was demoted but Darcy might get a spell. At a guess I don't think Eade is the type of coach that likes making wholesale changes.

Slightly off the subject but does anyone else think the club diverted the media's attention away from our shocking performance against the Swans by raising the whole issue of selling off home games? The media seemed to focus on that rather than question our insipid performance.

I think the club did this expecting that we would bounce back against the Blues and that it would just blow over. Now that we missed that opportunity as well we really need to have the blow torch applied to the players and coaches so try and lift us from this slump.

Thoughts?

[Mofra]

At a guess I don't think Eade is the type of coach that likes making wholesale changes.
Yes, so how does he send a meseage to the team without wielding the axe?

Via a shock demotion.

Someone high profile will be playing for Werribee next week. It could be Darcy.
Consider some of our best players at Werribee last week - Minson, Doogs, Everitt, Skipper.
At 193cm, Skipper is the shortest of the bunch.

[GVGjr]

Yes, so how does he send a meseage to the team without wielding the axe?

Via a shock demotion.

Someone high profile will be playing for Werribee next week. It could be Darcy.
Consider some of our best players at Werribee last week - Minson, Doogs, Everitt, Skipper.
At 193cm, Skipper is the shortest of the bunch.

While Minson is a more likely inclusion, it wouldn't surprise me to see Skipper get the nod as the replacement for Darcy and to support Street. Skip was pretty good on Saturday.

[Dry Rot]

Seems most here think Darcy should get the chop?

[southerncross]

Seems most here think Darcy should get the chop?

Only for a week or so. I want him to get a bit of the ball at the Bees before returning. Still very much in the plans as far as I am concerned.

[Go_Dogs]

I'd still be pretty surprised if Darcy missed.