Round 1 - Blues v Tigers (21 March) Pre-Game

[flyboy77]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/lync...50yn3.html

[ElwoodBlues1]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/lync...50yn3.html

Unlikely to play round 1 IMO...cocky Tigers probably think they can take us easy without him and will keep him on ice......just be nice to beat them and
start the season on the front foot..

[LP]

Cannot underestimate the Nthmond playing list.

The reason they are so hard to coach or play against is that Dimma is almost just a figure head, the players run the show and they are very innovative when it comes to leveraging rule changes!

The only thing that may be a problem for them is that they have been caught out a bit by the AFL's rule changes around rucks, stoppages and general play.

[flyboy77]

Cannot underestimate the Nthmond playing list.

The reason they are so hard to coach or play against is that Dimma is almost just a figure head, the players run the show and they are very innovative when it comes to leveraging rule changes!

The only thing that may be a problem for them is that they have been caught out a bit by the AFL's rule changes around rucks, stoppages and general play.

I'll keep saying it - reckon they've (in recent times) got the best out of a motley bunch....reckon they've peaked well and truly - Lynch or no Lynch....ruck division non existent - a major weakness imo.

Best players - Dusty (almost 28), Rance (29), Riewoldt (30), Cotchin (almost 29) etc.

Negate Rance and Dusty (not easy granted) but they are entirely beatable.

Midfield - after the top 4 or so (who aren't getting any younger), meh!

- Higgins, Jack 20 19yr 10mth 19 Mar 1999 177cm 76kg Oakleigh Chargers Midfield
Forward
45 Naish, Patrick 0 20yr 1mth 15 Jan 1999 182cm 71kg Northern Knights Midfield
Forward
3 Prestia, Dion 130 26yr 4mth 12 Oct 1992 175cm 82kg Calder Cannons Midfield
4 Martin, Dustin 201 27yr 7mth 26 Jun 1991 187cm 92kg Bendigo Pioneers Midfield
6 Grigg, Shaun 214 30yr 9mth 19 Apr 1988 190cm 85kg Nth Ballarat Midfield
9 Cotchin, Trent 220 28yr 10mth 7 Apr 1990 185cm 85kg Northern Knights Midfield
26 Collier-Dawkins, Riley 0 19yr 3 Feb 2000 193cm 88kg Oakleigh Chargers Midfield
27 Ross, Jack 0 18yr 5mth 3 Sep 2000 186cm 88kg Oakleigh Chargers Midfield
28 Turner, Fraser 0 18yr 1mth 26 Dec 2000 187cm 76kg Clarence Midfield
32 English, Luke 0 18yr 5mth 20 Aug 2000 181cm 79kg Perth Midfield
34 Graham, Jack 23 20yr 11mth 25 Feb 1998 181cm 82kg North Adelaide Midfield
37 Menadue, Connor 33 22yr 4mth 19 Sep 1996 187cm 80kg Western Jets Midfield
10 Edwards, Shane 231 30yr 3mth 25 Oct 1988 182cm 81kg Nth Adelaide Midfield
Forward
22 Caddy, Josh 139 26yr 4mth 28 Sep 1992 186cm 88kg Northern Knights Midfield
Forward
23 Lambert, Kane 74 27yr 2mth 26 Nov 1991

[LP]

In fairness, I think modern sports medicine has pushed back the boundary regarding peak performance versus age and career length.

34 is now the new 30 in terms of physical abilities, ignoring other factors like a person's mental ability to maintain and persist.

[townsendcalling]

I think one area they are exposed in is a backup ruckman.  With the new rules, Grigg wont cut it and they wont risk Lynch. They'll need another tall hanging around which might upset their balance. 

[flyboy77]

In fairness, I think modern sports medicine has pushed back the boundary regarding peak performance versus age and career length.

34 is now the new 30 in terms of physical abilities, ignoring other factors like a person's mental ability to maintain and persist.

Yes, tend to agree with that....look at tennis for example....

[LP]

I think one area they are exposed in is a backup ruckman.  With the new rules, Grigg wont cut it and they wont risk Lynch. They'll need another tall hanging around which might upset their balance.

Let's hope so, of course our guys have to cross the white line fit and healthy!

[DamonBlue]

I'm probably echoing most people's thoughts in saying that I can imagine us winning this, but can equally imagine getting trounced.

If Kreuzer plays, you'd think that would give us an edge over them with the new rules and our good centre clearance record from last year. Obviously, having first use and the extra space to get it forward should help the three talls to actually kick a score.

On the other hand, our defence really worries me. I re-watched last year's round 1 game again last night and, jeez, we let them have such an open forward set up and Weiters, Jones, Marchbank and Plowman looked completely lost, out of position and slow for much of the time. I'd be going with more of a man-on-man approach this time, which means having some pacier smalls. I'd actually try Polson down there, rather than forward, and O'Brien. Newman will also be crucial. If we can give Richmond the idea that the ball can come bouncing back out with some purpose, that might make them play less frenetically.

Reckon it will be a high-scoring game. We'll win if we stick tight in defence. If they open us up there, we'll get flogged.

[Gointocarlton]

I'll keep saying it - reckon they've (in recent times) got the best out of a motley bunch....reckon they've peaked well and truly - Lynch or no Lynch....ruck division non existent - a major weakness imo.

Best players - Dusty (almost 28), Rance (29), Riewoldt (30), Cotchin (almost 29) etc.

Negate Rance and Dusty (not easy granted) but they are entirely beatable.

Midfield - after the top 4 or so (who aren't getting any younger), meh!

Ponder this. We had them 5 goals to nothing rnd 1 last year, got a few injuries and ran out of steam. We will be a better side round 1 this year, will they? If we can stay in games longer and score more goals from fwd entries. we may just surprise/trouble a few sides.