Rd 3: Carlton vs Gold Coast: Pre Game Premonitions

[cookie2]

White for one will not be dropped - unless he's injured.

[jeza]

B : Weitering, Jamison, Buckley
HB : Docherty, Jones, Gibbs
C : Simpson, Cripps, Boekhorst
HF : Touhy, Casboult, C. Curnow
F : Everitt, Gorringe, Wright
R : Kreuzer, Murphy, E. Curnow
I/C : Phillips, Thomas, Graham, Sumner

IN : Buckley, Jones, Gorringe, Sumner
OUT : Walker, Rowe, White, Lamb

Walker didn't play last week.

[cookie2]

Walker didn't play last week.

He's shown as injured and out for 2 weeks on our last published injury list (5/4).

[LP]

He's shown as injured and out for 2 weeks on our last published injury list (5/4).

Yep Walker probably another two with a calf tear showing on the scans, SOSOS out for another three weeks with a Grade 1 hammy, and Armfield another week away at least.

Not sure about any others.

[DJC]

B : Weitering, Jamison, Buckley
HB : Docherty, Jones, Gibbs
C : Simpson, Cripps, Boekhorst
HF : Touhy, Casboult, C. Curnow
F : Everitt, Gorringe, Wright
R : Kreuzer, Murphy, E. Curnow
I/C : Phillips, Thomas, Graham, Sumner

IN : Buckley, Jones, Gorringe, Sumner
OUT : Walker, Rowe, White, Lamb

I reckon I've got more chance of being selected at CHB than Liam Jones has 

[cookie2]

I reckon I've got more chance of being selected at CHB than Liam Jones has 

Sorry DJC but I've already had a call from Bolts saying that if I'm not available they will be forced to name Jones!  )

[crashlander]

Jamo is one who is definitely polarizing opinions at the moment.  A number of people voted for him for his effort against Sydney: he received a couple of 5 vote mentions. However, his stats were ordinary and, for the 2nd week in a row, he struggled to get 10 possessions.
According to many he is really struggling. Others think he is doing not too badly.

To me, our new game plan often leaves our key defenders exposed. That isn't a surprise, it is almost par for the course. Most teams are playing a similar deference now and it does leave the opportunity to be caught out on the rebound as a high probability when we turn the ball over. This is also the case when we get beaten in the middle of the ground, something that was very much the case last week.
Jamo is used to a different way of dealing with things and a 1 on 1 defence. In fact, he has been an excellent 1 on 1 defender.

Rowe is in a similar position. He played OK in round 1, but for dropping too many marks. For his fumbles, he was almost dropped (even though he had more impact that Jamo did and more than twice the number of possessions). He was saved only by injury to Walker.
That may not have done him that much good, as he had very few possessions against Sydney, while the Sydney tall forwards got goals.

As a result, both Jamo and Rowe are under considerable pressure.

On the other hand, Weitering is doing a pretty good job, both in shutting down his man and getting the ball himself. However, this game plan is basically his 1st. Given that he is a top ranked recruit (neither Jamo nor Rowe was so ranked), he is coping with that game plan better.

Plowman, when he gets into the side, may well fit into a taller defensive role as well. He has more running ability than either Jamo or Rowe and is more of a run - off option  as well.

In some ways we are seeing the changing of the guard in our defence. It will be interesting to see how our defence evolves this season and who ends up in the main roles.

Another point of interest in considering Rowe especially, and to a lesser extent Jamo, is that neither of these guys has a history of starting the year off strongly. Jamo started pretty well early in his career, but has struggled early for the last few seasons (due to injury as much as anything else). Rowe has not started well in ANY of the seasons he was been with us. He has taken 3 - 6 weeks to find form and confidence, but has usually played better the longer the season has progressed. If that is to be the case again, and it would not be a surprise, then he should start to perform better in the next couple of weeks.
The question is, can we wait? Do we take the time and keep these guys in, waiting for Weitering to be able to take on the key role, or do we drop one or both and ask the kid to take on the League's best each week?
I don't have a good answer.

[RiverRat]

Jamo is one who is definitely polarizing opinions at the moment.  A number of people voted for him for his effort against Sydney: he received a couple of 5 vote mentions. However, his stats were ordinary and, for the 2nd week in a row, he struggled to get 10 possessions.
According to many he is really struggling. Others think he is doing not too badly.

Rowe is in a similar position. He played OK in round 1, but for dropping too many marks. For his fumbles, he was almost dropped (even though he had more impact that Jamo did and more than twice the number of possessions). He was saved only by injury to Walker.
That may not have done him that much good, as he had very few possessions against Sydney, while the Sydney tall forwards got goals.

As a result, both Jamo and Rowe are under considerable pressure.

Jamo is well past his best and no longer an elite player - still a very good defensive player but no longer offers much in an attacking sense.

Rowe seems willing to attack but his disposal skills probably don't deserve to be called skills.

They have limitations but should retain their places until a better option becomes available.

[RiverRat]

B : Weitering, Jamison, Buckley
HB : Docherty, Jones, Gibbs
C : Simpson, Cripps, Boekhorst
HF : Touhy, Casboult, C. Curnow
F : Everitt, Gorringe, Wright
R : Kreuzer, Murphy, E. Curnow
I/C : Phillips, Thomas, Graham, Sumner

IN : Buckley, Jones, Gorringe, Sumner
OUT : Walker, Rowe, White, Lamb

I like your idea about playing Jones in defence but I can't see it happening if they keep playing him as a forward in the VFL team. He had one reasonable game at FB last year but nothing since.

Gorringe will need to show much more before I would select him over White. I would also prefer Jones as a forward and a back up ruckman until Gorringe shows something.

Lamb didn't seem to contribute much against the Swans so I wouldn't be upset if he is dropped or if he gets another chance.

[madbluboy]

A number of people voted for him for his effort against Sydney: he received a couple of 5 vote mentions.

Murphy and Gibbs got votes despite being well beaten while Simpson and Casboult had shockers but still polled.