[member=57]ElwoodBlues1[/member] I understand your points, but a couple of clarifications.
I suspect Hewett, Kennedy and some others are carrying injuries, it's the only thing that explains MC decisions, nursing these blokes through the main season to get them to finals in good enough condition to have an impact.
Our Midfield was down, but we have Cerra back, we don't expect our midfield to perform less competently when you add Cerra but as you mention he's out of form which should probably be expected from a player who has missed so much footy. But now is the time to run him into form and match fitness, not a week before finals.
btw., I often think AFL strength and condition coaches get it wrong, they go too far in the strength and not enough in the condition stuff. Cerra looked heavy and slow, his legs looked significantly bulkier, but he has lost some pace. He like our other Mids needs every trace of pace they can muster.
We brought Cottrell straight back, perhaps the MC honouring a promise to player who lose a spot due to injury, but he's come back in stone cold out of form and having little impact. Same timing issue applies to Cottrell, if we are going to carry him at any stage it has to be now, not in 4 or 5 weeks time!
I get your comment about TDK being in the midfield less, but he can't go the full season like that and not break down, and technically Pitto averages more clearances than TDK. The suggestion we lose clearances is not correct, if we lose anything it's spread, but even yesterday Pitto delivered first possession to a team-mate multiple times and they immediately turned it over. We could have been running Big Nick or Farmer and still would have been done over!
I suspect Hewett, Kennedy and some others are carrying injuries, it's the only thing that explains MC decisions, nursing these blokes through the main season to get them to finals in good enough condition to have an impact.
Our Midfield was down, but we have Cerra back, we don't expect our midfield to perform less competently when you add Cerra but as you mention he's out of form which should probably be expected from a player who has missed so much footy. But now is the time to run him into form and match fitness, not a week before finals.
btw., I often think AFL strength and condition coaches get it wrong, they go too far in the strength and not enough in the condition stuff. Cerra looked heavy and slow, his legs looked significantly bulkier, but he has lost some pace. He like our other Mids needs every trace of pace they can muster.
We brought Cottrell straight back, perhaps the MC honouring a promise to player who lose a spot due to injury, but he's come back in stone cold out of form and having little impact. Same timing issue applies to Cottrell, if we are going to carry him at any stage it has to be now, not in 4 or 5 weeks time!
I get your comment about TDK being in the midfield less, but he can't go the full season like that and not break down, and technically Pitto averages more clearances than TDK. The suggestion we lose clearances is not correct, if we lose anything it's spread, but even yesterday Pitto delivered first possession to a team-mate multiple times and they immediately turned it over. We could have been running Big Nick or Farmer and still would have been done over!
"Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck ....... Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck"