Going for a risky backman POD, which one?

[Hagebear]

Birchall tonned up earlier this year v the Pies. I think Hodge and Buddy are more likely to be subbed out if the game is iced by 3 1/4 time.

[jamfrank]

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud. Too inconsistent this year.

Edit: Maybe I was a bit rash earlier calling him a spud  ;)

[BGK]

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

Go have a look at his scores for the last 3 years. Only sub 40 scores are this year, where he got tagged out in 1 game and the other he played out with a PCL injury. Hardly a spud.

Edit: Sorry there was 1 other last year.

[jamfrank]

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

Go have a look at his scores for the last 3 years. Only sub 40 scores are this year, where he got tagged out in 1 game and the other he played out with a PCL injury. Hardly a spud.

Edit: Sorry there was 1 other last year.

Not just 1 game he got tagged out of. 50 against Adelaide, 36 against GWS, 69 against Carlton. He doesn't work hard enough to break the forward tag. To me it seemed as though when he's side is winning (most of the time) he doesn't care if he's not getting a lot of it, and is happy to just sit out of the game with his tagger.

[Ricochet]

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

He was on the never again list ???

[BGK]

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

Go have a look at his scores for the last 3 years. Only sub 40 scores are this year, where he got tagged out in 1 game and the other he played out with a PCL injury. Hardly a spud.

Edit: Sorry there was 1 other last year.

Not just 1 game he got tagged out of. 50 against Adelaide, 36 against GWS, 69 against Carlton. He doesn't work hard enough to break the forward tag. To me it seemed as though when he's side is winning (most of the time) he doesn't care if he's not getting a lot of it, and is happy to just sit out of the game with his tagger.

Last I checked a score of 50 isn't a bs 40 score, But I get your point.

With the exception of Goddard and Heppell is there a back that hasn't been tagged out of a game?  Unfortunately it's just the way the cookie crumbles. Birchall is a premium back but he may get tagged. I personally wouldn't be bringing him in after 7 weeks out.

[jamfrank]

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

Go have a look at his scores for the last 3 years. Only sub 40 scores are this year, where he got tagged out in 1 game and the other he played out with a PCL injury. Hardly a spud.

Edit: Sorry there was 1 other last year.

Not just 1 game he got tagged out of. 50 against Adelaide, 36 against GWS, 69 against Carlton. He doesn't work hard enough to break the forward tag. To me it seemed as though when he's side is winning (most of the time) he doesn't care if he's not getting a lot of it, and is happy to just sit out of the game with his tagger.

Last I checked a score of 50 isn't a bs 40 score, But I get your point.

With the exception of Goddard and Heppell is there a back that hasn't been tagged out of a game?  Unfortunately it's just the way the cookie crumbles. Birchall is a premium back but he may get tagged. I personally wouldn't be bringing him in after 7 weeks out.

I guess you want guys who when put under pressure, aren't going to turn out a 36. You want worst case scenario 70 players. Malceski and Enright are good examples of those kind of players.

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

He was on the never again list ???

Definitely on mine. And I do remember a lot of complaining about him. In fact I remember the week he got injured someone saying "this is the week thousands of dream teamers turn their season around".

[BGK]

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

Go have a look at his scores for the last 3 years. Only sub 40 scores are this year, where he got tagged out in 1 game and the other he played out with a PCL injury. Hardly a spud.

Edit: Sorry there was 1 other last year.

Not just 1 game he got tagged out of. 50 against Adelaide, 36 against GWS, 69 against Carlton. He doesn't work hard enough to break the forward tag. To me it seemed as though when he's side is winning (most of the time) he doesn't care if he's not getting a lot of it, and is happy to just sit out of the game with his tagger.

Last I checked a score of 50 isn't a bs 40 score, But I get your point.

With the exception of Goddard and Heppell is there a back that hasn't been tagged out of a game?  Unfortunately it's just the way the cookie crumbles. Birchall is a premium back but he may get tagged. I personally wouldn't be bringing him in after 7 weeks out.

I guess you want guys who when put under pressure, aren't going to turn out a 36. You want worst case scenario 70 players. Malceski and Enright are good examples of those kind of players.

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

He was on the never again list ???

Definitely on mine. And I do remember a lot of complaining about him. In fact I remember the week he got injured someone saying "this is the week thousands of dream teamers turn their season around".

You obviously haven't checked out Malceski or Enright scores over the past couple of years. Both have been very susceptible to a tag

[pommyadam]

I guess you want guys who when put under pressure, aren't going to turn out a 36. You want worst case scenario 70 players. Malceski and Enright are good examples of those kind of players.

You obviously haven't checked out Malceski or Enright scores over the past couple of years. Both have been very susceptible to a tag

i guess you've also missed Malceski's 49 vs Hawthorn in rd7 (who he also plays GF day), his 56 vs GWS in rd2, and his 64s vs WestCoast (rd17) and Bulldogs (rd19)

[jamfrank]

You obviously haven't checked out Malceski or Enright scores over the past couple of years. Both have been very susceptible to a tag

It's this year that counts, though. Form changes year to year and within years, but the best data to extrapolate from is the most recent.

i guess you've also missed Malceski's 49 vs Hawthorn in rd7 (who he also plays GF day), his 56 vs GWS in rd2, and his 64s vs WestCoast (rd17) and Bulldogs (rd19)

true true. I don't own him, so didn't realise he'd had that many bad games, just see him pop up occasionally in the opponent's team lists. I think I had him last year and he was even more prone to the tag and hence putting out shower scores than this year, so I steered clear. Just like I will with Birchall.

[Ricochet]

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

He was on the never again list ???

Definitely on mine. And I do remember a lot of complaining about him. In fact I remember the week he got injured someone saying "this is the week thousands of dream teamers turn their season around".

He has 2 poor games and he's chucked on the never again list? Don't forget he is a proven backman who averages close to 85-90 in recent years. Not every team will tag him so it doesn't matter, he will make up for it in other games.

[HBTD22]

I like Birchall and I want Birchall but my gut is telling me he could be subbed at 3qtr time after getting to 70........

Maybe if they were playing someone who they were smashing. Can't see that with Collingwood, should be close for most of the game in which case they would leave him on.

[jamfrank]

Did I miss something here? Since when did birchall move off people's "never again" list? I ain't going near the guy with a ten foot pole. Gets tagged out too easily leaving you with a bs 40 score. Spud.

He was on the never again list ???

Definitely on mine. And I do remember a lot of complaining about him. In fact I remember the week he got injured someone saying "this is the week thousands of dream teamers turn their season around".

He has 2 poor games and he's chucked on the never again list? Don't forget he is a proven backman who averages close to 85-90 in recent years. Not every team will tag him so it doesn't matter, he will make up for it in other games.

I guess it was more that they came all together after the great start he had. Definitely slumped in form, or opposition teams realised how damaging he was and started to pay him closer attention.

Still too risky for mine.

[Alka]

2 poor games? A high of 81 in his last 7 is hardly awe inspiring. I'd say 69 v Carlton and only 78 v Melbourne are poor. I'm not quite in the "never again" boat but definitely "not this season".

You're right, not all teams will tag him. But with only 3 games left in this season, and what's more all 3 being teams he's already faced, it's easy to work out if they will or not.
Collingwood: Don't tag, he has a 106 on them from earlier. But it is his first game back.
North: Tag. 80 on them earlier, plus they don't cough up many points.
Sydney: Tag. 81 on them, not to mention a fairly poor recent record vs them.

So, why pick him?

[Ricochet]

2 poor games? A high of 81 in his last 7 is hardly awe inspiring. I'd say 69 v Carlton and only 78 v Melbourne are poor. I'm not quite in the "never again" boat but definitely "not this season".

You're right, not all teams will tag him. But with only 3 games left in this season, and what's more all 3 being teams he's already faced, it's easy to work out if they will or not.
Collingwood: Don't tag, he has a 106 on them from earlier. But it is his first game back.
North: Tag. 80 on them earlier, plus they don't cough up many points.
Sydney: Tag. 81 on them, not to mention a fairly poor recent record vs them.

So, why pick him?

I didn't say pick him, I was questioning how a proven defender can be on a never again list