VFL Round 10: Northern Blues vs Box Hill at Box Hill

[laj]

Kreuzer has to adapt.

He hasn't ever. Not sure he will now and trying to make him won't help much. A 2nd ruckman just clogs up space we can use for another type of player. Not needed when we can just take one ruck, ruck Casboult and bring the likes of Jaksch and SOSOS in. 2 rucks means either one rests at FF, where key forwards are no good, that hurts our forward line alot, or we play two key forwards and two ruck, which hurts our run. I know which way was best, as was borne out on the Collingwood and Port games.

[madbluboy]

We can't sacrifice the team for onr player no matter how good they are, and lets be honest he's a B+ ruckman at his best.

[cimm1979]

He hasn't ever. Not sure he will now and trying to make him won't help much. A 2nd ruckman just clogs up space we can use for another type of player. Not needed when we can just take one ruck, ruck Casboult and bring the likes of Jaksch and SOSOS in. 2 rucks means either one rests at FF, where key forwards are no good, that hurts our forward line alot, or we play two key forwards and two ruck, which hurts our run. I know which way was best, as was borne out on the Collingwood and Port games.

We'll play two rucks. Can't have a game like today where we got absolutely no service.

The Saints would have based their match strategy on getting the ball on the outside and running away from our mids. Our plan would have been to make it a contested ball situation at the stoppage.

We couldn't that because their ruckman put it anywhere he wanted.

Phillips will be in next game because GWS have even more speed on the ball.

and effective ruckman don't clog up space, they create a mismatch in the forwardline .

[ElwoodBlues1]

We'll play two rucks. Can't have a game like today where we got absolutely no service.

The Saints would have based their match strategy on getting the ball on the outside and running away from our mids. Our plan would have been to make it a contested ball situation at the stoppage.

We couldn't that because their ruckman put it anywhere he wanted.

Phillips will be in next game because GWS have even more speed on the ball.

and effective ruckman don't clog up space, they create a mismatch in the forwardline .

Bit of credit to the Saints coaching as well...Dunstan did the job on Cripps and Gibbs was also well held(could have been Weller)......
Agree on their game plan....they probably had only the one weapon over us and that was leg speed and they played on most times they took possession and I thought they also
had done some work on our game plan and had us zoned off and even when we tried to switch play they had enough numbers to hold us up..
Good learning experience and we probably need a plan B for the future..

[laj]

We'll play two rucks. Can't have a game like today where we got absolutely no service.

The Saints would have based their match strategy on getting the ball on the outside and running away from our mids. Our plan would have been to make it a contested ball situation at the stoppage.

We couldn't that because their ruckman put it anywhere he wanted.

Phillips will be in next game because GWS have even more speed on the ball.

and effective ruckman don't clog up space, they create a mismatch in the forwardline .

We probably will but it doesn't do us much good normally as history shows time and again. Would rather an extra player elsewhere and set up to a losing ruck. We'll get more value around the ground. Way more important to me than a few tapouts, especially when about only 20-25% go to advantage anyway. Tapouts are great but overrated compared to value around the ground. Prefer our best set up year and year, as proven time and again, Kreuzer and Casboult than some other lumbering ruckman taking up space. May not have done brilliantly in the tap dept but we were so much better around the ground. Went well with Wood and Casboult last year too, one of the few things. We won the clearances near all year last year, did us no good. Geelong rarely won clearances at their best but set up accordingly. Freo didn't often win the clearances when Sandliands was rucking as the opposition set up to a losing ruck.

As Hinkley said, you need either a winning ruck or a losing ruck so you can set up accordingly. He the worst situation was when it was neither winning or losing as it affects the way you set up.

I rather concede and set up with a different structure. One ruckman for me as it's proven to be best for us many, many times. If Kreuzer is still out of sorts following his knee op then don't play him. Play Phillips on his own.  Two ruckmen never suits us. Best performances this year on ball, Collingwood and Port games.

[DJC]

If form is any guide, Phillips and Jones will be in contention for senior selection. 

Phillips' tap work, marking around the ground and ability to hit the scoreboard make him a monty to come in.  Bolton and Capuano will have think about how best to use Phillips and Kreuzer. 

Jones may be less likely to come in but, if he can reproduce the effort and effectiveness he showed on Saturday, our forward line would be far more capable of kicking a winning score.

I don't think Buckley did enough to deserve consideration, Silvagni and Jaksch are close but not quite there.  Unfortunately, we seem to be fresh out of speedy midfielders.

[Baggers]

Agree re Phillips and Jones, but I'd experiment a bit.

Phillips and Kreuz share the ruck with Phillips up forward a little more and taking the forward 50 boundary line tap ins and throw ups. Gorringe replaces Everitt as the 3rd tall forward. Move Byrne up the field and give Gowers a go at half back.

So, in Phillips and Gorringe replaces Everitt up forward. Rest White. Just like to see how Billy goes in the seniors. Big strong boy with a terrific attitude.

Just thoughts.

[DJC]

Agree re Phillips and Jones, but I'd experiment a bit.

Phillips and Kreuz share the ruck with Phillips up forward a little more and taking the forward 50 boundary line tap ins and throw ups. Gorringe replaces Everitt as the 3rd tall forward. Move Byrne up the field and give Gowers a go at half back.

So, in Phillips and Gorringe replaces Everitt up forward. Rest White. Just like to see how Billy goes in the seniors. Big strong boy with a terrific attitude.

Just thoughts.

I was thinking along similar lines but decided that Everitt is offering more than Gorringe at this stage.  Gorringe would really have to add something to his bag of tricks so that he's not just another ruckman trying to be a forward.  I'm not sure that we can have Kreuzer, Phillips and Gorringe in the same team at the moment.  The problem is that Gorringe will more than likely be played as ruckman when he goes back to the NBs.

I'd like to see Gowers get a run but he's a rookie and I believe he would have to be upgraded.  I liked his attack on the footy and I think he would play a little tighter than Tuohy and Byrne.  Gowers is one of those blokes who plays taller than his size and he has a crack.  I'd like to see Tuohy and Byrne used in the midfield rotations.

[jeza]

Gorringe and White (or Everitt) out.

Silvagni and Jaksch in.

Still baffling that KJ has not had a crack at the seniors yet. I don't like 2 rucks. Kreuzer's best form coincides with Phillips injury. Kreuzer has been that way since the Warnock days.

[cimm1979]

Gorringe and White (or Everitt) out.

Silvagni and Jaksch in.

Still baffling that KJ has not had a crack at the seniors yet. I don't like 2 rucks. Kreuzer's best form coincides with Phillips injury. Kreuzer has been that way since the Warnock days.

Nope.