The players under the most pressure heading into finals - Footy Classified

for me there's no one with more at stake one way or another than Ken hinley in this final series these next 30 days if they don't Define they may Define him like he's got this uh reputation of getting clubs into good positions in finals amazing effort to finish top four with this team after being booed he's rebuilt a football club Craig he's done more than getting him into and his reputation can be frank forever with a grand final or a Premiership and it can also be a big asterisk if they go out and straight it's I think it's all all on the line here for can in the next month yeah I mean he's the figure under the most pressure in this final series no doubt about it I I think it's us against them that's the way I'd be going into this final series and when I say against them I'm talking about the club's own supporters who do not want him there so once again what he's done to get them in this position after the challenges that he's faced nothing but extraordinary I think there's some real deficiencies in their list but they got a favorable first up matchup at home you've seen the finals record the reputational Delta is big for him no doubt and and it's Grand he's got to be a grand final that will be the only thing that though he lost to really I I can give you all the excuses in the world but when you've been there for 12 years when you're into another home qualifying final against the side that has vulnerabilities and you can't get it done there's just not going to be any excuses for him p in jalong on Thursday night starts our final Spotlight and Matthew Lloyd takes a look yeah you want to start with uh K jong's Captain hutchy and the importance that he has on this team is it an over Alliance on Patrick Dangerfield at his age so the damning numbers are those green ones so when he doesn't play they're ranked 14th for clearance scores and when he Center bounce scores 15th and points against so William Drew Kan do you think he's the man that goes to Patrick D he does did a great job on song has been in really good form so he's the go-to shut down midfielder and you're right so relying on Patrick Dangerfield so that's the area of weakness for uh jalong and you want to speak about their small forwards which is their advantage L yeah so no Kane Farrell no Dan Houston and the small forwards of jalong are a wonderful quartet so there's four of them so there's Myers there's close there's Sangle uh and there's Dempsey and Dempsey as and Rowan kicked two the last time these two teams met so this one was a Sixpoint win to Port Adelaide but stingle kicked four close kick two row kicked two M kicked one so big opportunity Kane who did Port throw back to support this def yeah I think it's a bit of a wild card I I think it's the captain Conor Rosie and and the reason I say this is this game where pad like kick the first eight and then jalong stormed home and if not perhaps for an umpiring decision they win this game but this may be a little bit radical but it's not really when you look into it deeply he's been a little bit off isn't he yeah he has been H he meting great form and this is him in 2018 playing across halfback in a s Grand Final he was drafted after this I know but look at this look at the sideways movement the running carry you lose Farrell you lose Houston who can replicate what they can do he's strong in the air took a number of intercept Marks here and he's just not going that well in the Midfield the reason I say I've Got Confidence in doing this is because of Drew wines is back in form The brownly Medalist me's been important and of course Butters and Horn Frances so with no farell no Houston that is something that could surprise and could be a favorable move and they invented Port Adelaide the Tom Stewart tag they the architect of it not once but twice they set the tone for the rest of the competition jalong have answered by playing him as a defensive mid and no one seemingly or very few have been able to tag him in that role since do you think port double down in tag and do they have to give away a midfielder to do it I'm certain of it so there's his numbers Tom Stewart against the rest versus against port aday in the last two seasons you can see everything has dropped off the one I want to focus on is interet marks they are paranoid about him how do they do so they do it with Mac so this is the vision of ma and Stewart this is the couple of times P have done it now it's different now that he starts on ball I get that but mckinty starts as a half forward he takes Tom Stewart after the center bounce horn Francis or buts then spits forward and replaces mckinty as that high half forward now I think it's a big final series for Tom Stewart I think he's he's vulnerable mentally and and when teams have gone after him this year he hasn't been able to cope with it so this is another challenge for him on the biggest stage where teams not going to allow him to do what he's done to be the champion of the game that he is but he's fragile padl know it and I think it's a big final series for him car on the yeah and on the interesting what you said about him being fragile mentally Matthew on the big forwards so Charlie Dixon looks like he's coming straight back in would you what about Marshall are you surprised they're probably not going to play him I don't know how much footy he's missed Marshall but I'd play Marshall if you over Dixon Dixon worries me I just think if Charlie Dixon's playing I'm not sure they can go all the way point because he's been a real worry at ground level and theing looks like we'll play for the cats Friday night Cara We cast your attention it's box office the Bulldogs and Hawthorne it's a big stage Friday night it caused issues the aflw match now has been moved to the MCG so it's a big double header but it wasn't an easy thing to do for anyone involved no and it hasn't landed all that well with the two elimination finalists I mean Hawthorne is saying they're quite happy if they ever made a grand final they'll get much less preparation on the ground than they will be on Friday night but the AFL told them that the game would end an hour and 50 minutes before the elimination final It's actually an hour and 20 minutes the view at both Hawthorne and the Bulldogs that the the AFL mucked up this um fixture absolutely from the beginning and um obviously it sort of it's just disappointing the Bulldogs women's team I think it's a fantastic the Bulldogs women's team are going through a low point they're rebuilding they got absolutely thrashed on the weekend and there were people who were going to go to the MCG and this might be first experience of aflw I'm just disappointed it's not a stronger fixture and I don't know why they did this when they knew the Bulldogs wanted to play the game at then new um you know fixed up um venue speaking of the Bulldogs are they're in great shape and there's a lot of publicity in hype around what they can do and can they do what they did in 2016 and come from outside the top four but my one concern is sort of every four or five weeks this year they've just put in an unexplained shocker now I I don't suspect it's going to happen in a final where they'll be highly motivated but I can't explain any of those results a lot of those against teams that they should have beaten it's every four or five weeks they turn one up and have a big loss and the effort looks like it's not there so as I said I don't think it'll be this Friday night but just one to watch out for with the dogs and those unexplained poor performances and the final Spotlight let's have a look at the Bulldogs as well yeah let's do that uh AI because the big forwards have struggled to dominate in finals they got three of them they got three of well a couple of really good ones I'm not sure Norton is in that category but certainly Yugo haen and dar yard bit of rain around on on Friday night there's Aaron Norton who my focus is on I'd love for him to play a good game I'm I don't know I don't know if I'm harded him or not don't you think he's just sharing the ball more than he was that's why numbers are down I don't think you're a sharer if you're an you're one of three rather than one of one yeah you're the man though eight years million bucks how about you dominate a game of football so I think his reputation in this final series is a bit like keros I think he needs a big one he's had 29 coaches votes in two seasons two seasons Aaron Norton Jeremy Cameron had 63 this year I just don't see the love that he gets I think he is an overrated player and I think he needs a big final series Aaron Norton the three forwards are a factor because hathorne are fixing this problem but they deficient a little bit down back and rain's the interesting one with it happen this is a game though the MCG holds up beautifully so unless it's pouring it'll be fine for the Western Bulldogs tall forward so you have a look at them and uh this is obviously a HW form where they rank amazingly well where they run the ball out they run in waves they're a smaller defense which has been good for them this year but when you look at it this is what they're up against so this is the man Kane just spoke of Aaron Norton he's a brilliant contested Mark ugle Hain added that to his game this year and you got Darcy who's just the hottest Prospect in the game but if they don't mark it this is what happens so it's can the dogs mark it and put this game to bed where they're going to have to have scrim shore on someone wed all on a tour Frost all questionable but if they can get it to ground on your interview Kane he called it hot ball so this is hot hot ball is get it make it hot make it live so it's going to be a fascinating game for that do the dogs mark it or do the Hawks get it the ground and hurt them in that area and the other aspect is the Hawks the dogs have only played two games at the MCG so it's more their marble ground these are these forwards we just touched on before so these are the halls in final since 2014 not many of them and a lot of those are from your sort of your medium or your smaller forward Stevie Johnson and Bailey FR not many key forwards have dominated in finals so can they do something out of the ordinary in September and have a big performance like a Darcy kick you know he's four or five I think it's unlikely tonight let's get into Carlton on Friday night huge decisions to be made they've stumbled into the eight Kane and Matthew and now they got to work out how to sift through this list and who plays yeah absolutely Hatchy and and I think that um it's it's all about balance so you just can't look at the names and go just get them all in what would you do uh well it's well Kel and Mai pick themselves I don't think the coning is fit enough uh that's what you hear mcgo comes in uh with with Doc I don't know where Cher and Williams are at but I would only pick maybe one or so more more um do four um but again it's it's on balance and you just take someone out but just on Sam doy I wouldn't play him I just think it'd be one of the I won't say silly decisions but one of the more bizarre decisions when a guy hasn't played for 25 weeks and you think often not one game you can walk into the gabber and play a game of AFL football in a final I I just think that would be the wrong and there's six months to get him fully yeah so watch I don't know what your view on that Kane is yeah no I wouldn't play docky but I'd roll the on a few of the others this is the form that they've been in the Blues and really they've only beaten West Coast and North Mourne to the worst sides in it so I just think they they're almost making up the numbers in this game there is no pressure on the Blues in this game so I just think they' got to get as much talent back into this lineup and try and do something special got to bring that effort and pressure you've bought in the last two weeks but that's only going to get you so far at the gabber against a really good Brisbane side so I'd be rolling the dice on probably all of them other than docky and Martin car the second most at stake in this final series for me behind Ken is Chris Fagen all B from a five seed you wrote a strong column on Saturday defend as you've done a long time you gave me a drive by here too which was extraordinary wasn't a drive by it was just effect Craig you've said I've continually targeted Fagan is lacking the mat day coaching skills to win a Premiership which is complete rot well you've done it several times on this show no I've answered your question probably six times when you go on about it what I said was once that he needs he's a brilliant I cannot believe you arguing that he's a brilliant man manager who needs Ric help and I've said and I've mentioned that David King has constantly said that and I said In fairness king is not alone and you're another one you are don't own it I can I have I can keep answering it the same way but you can keep running over it again can we talk about their goal kicking or am I too early to talk about that go go for it you all all in on them as as well no I'm not all in on them I just think like Ken hinley Chris Fagen cops it unfairly you think Fifth's are acceptable finish for them with that list oh I think the way they started the season it's pretty acceptable I mean look they lost two games towards the end of the Season otherwise they'd be top four really disappointing they blew top four had yeah they blew it had they kicked straight they would have been in the top two of the ladder at the end of the year and after an impassioned speech about Joe Daner before the last game in against essendon in round 24 we have a look at Chris Fagen and Joe danaher at the end of the game having a nice chat they've beaten essendon but it wasn't entirely convincing and then he just gets pretty animated the coach in fact he gets very animated and it's all about the goal kicking what on is going on why can't we kick straight and I think they've ignored it it's been the elephant in the room Matthew they've talked about it what do they do now going into this game well can can I ask you are they just too selfish with the way they kick for goal like in basketball I know hate to say it you're always trying to get put the score in a better position they've got some typo personalities who like to have pings at goal yeah you were you discussing our production meeting yeah look at these numbers so shots from Corridor a 13th so that's not team first accuracy and then the rest of it's just accuracy so that's I think they they're mentally fragile um in that regard I think it builds the pressure builds once the first player misses and the next one misses it builds they have often done it in finals as well car so um and Hatchi made a point which is a really good one that they they don't they often just blaze so you made a good point hat I think there's a lot of Team blocks that just blaze away rather than lowering their eyes and then once one block does it you don't trust each other I think there's be a lack of trust that can build Within These players but I think it'd be a massive failure car if they go out in the first week they have underachieved as badly as anyone in that regard because they are too good a squad Kane talks about the dogs often being the as good a list as there is I think that's right up there with as good a list there is in the competition I think they definitely will they they should beat they absolutely should beat Carton and I think if they could achieve top four from where they are I think that's they've made you know they've retrieved a bit of their season and from an individual playing point of view uh Carlton have a player who is part of the final spotlighted who also takes some significant pressure into this final SE yeah and he does houch in and this may be harsh cuz he's not going to be at 100% but he's 27 years of age now Charlie kerno he'll be 28 next season and this is his final Series last year these are his averages and not only were his averages poor he was beaten badly comprehensively by mccarten there that we've seen he's beaten badly against Steven May been badly against Harris Andrews from from Brisbane so not only did he not impact he allowed his direct opponent to do this and get off and intercept we're seeing that the May Vision here now so he just has to compete lordo you've driven this discussion you've questioned his body language at times I think you've said the words that he doesn't fight hard enough so if he needs to do one thing even on a bust an ankle he's got to fight this weekend that is 100% right Kane and there's being beaten and but there's there's also putting up a fight and that that's poor vision that's as damning As It Gets in a final Series so he's got to fight harder than that and also just from a Caron perspective Brody Kemp I'd keep him forward and I'd send him straight to Harris Andrews to allow uh them to upset him because I think Dara Joyce and also pay are really vulnerable uh so hosin Elliot played on him late and it was just this and he upset him stopped his interet marking so can Brody or Kemp can do that just upset him make it where you know he might be trying to get to a KERO or a maai but then Kemp's continually going to him and upset him you upset him you're half a chance game and have a look at the final Spotlight and it's an out of formed gws super who forms part of this as well as the swans yeah there's the potential inss firstly for Sydney so they may roll the dice with probably papley maybe lto maybe the one that they're going to take a slight risk but he's so important to them but here is the final Spotlight H and I'm shining it on the Giants Captain Toby green who has had a poor year by his standards didn't make the all Australian Squad after captaining it last year so there's his record in finals and it is a good record so maybe maybe he's just learned to manage himself like the more experienced clubs like jalong do to Peak at the right time and I'm back him in I think if there's one person that can have a huge final series and almost be the player of the finals I think it can be Toby green I think he's going to deliver why do you think he's been off this year Kan yeah I think Hogan's been so important he spoke in the preseason Toby gry hasn't won as many one-on-one contests and he maybe he's lost a little bit of strength and maybe some confidence in his body but I reckon he after the week off will be fresh and ready to go Toby bedford's been one of the revelations of the year for the gws Giants and he took Chad Warner last time and he kept him the 20 disposals he kicked a couple of goals late Chad when they to release the tag so I'd go there again I think he's too big for him bedford's not going to go out to a wing on Gordon I think you go after the Warner and limit his scoring so he's been wonderful for them and I think that Chad is a real barometer for the team yeah he can rip your heart out I agree with you I think straight to Chad Warner and I'm just shining the light as well on Brody Grundy who I I just don't think he's been physical enough in the last 10 weeks I think often he goes back with the Flight of the ball and isn't strong enough in the contest but here's the last time they met and Briggs is vulnerable like he's got this shoulder so I'd love to see this what what Brody gry was doing in the first 10 to 11 weeks I think there's a real opportunity with the dodgy shoulder that Briggs has got to really Dominate and insert his influence or assert his influence on this game of footy Brody Grundy so he needs a big one I reckon CU his form has also SLI