Jump to content

Round 8 vs Adelaide

Featured Replies

Posted

Outs: Paul Wheatley. Out with a hamstring most likely (heard it from the horses mouth)

Cale Morton. Give the kid a rest, I dont want him breaking down.

Daniel Bell. I think he just needs a week at Sandy to get him that confidence that he had last year.

Clint Batram. Just struggling at the moment and also a confidence booster is required

Ins: Lyndenn Dunn. I just wanna see this kid more and let him have an extended run in the seniors.

Simon Buckley. Surely he deserves a game after his form in the 2s lately. Also a good replacement for Wheats.

Matthew Whelan. He needs to be in the side, hopefully he is not injured though as reports suggest from the weekend. If he is keep Bell in the side.

Colin Sylvia. Only play him if he is really cherry ripe to go. He is not a superstar and he may never be but he can more than handy

Id like to see Matty Warnock get another few weeks and also Mark Jamar just to see how they go without being thrown up and down between the two sides.

Thoughts and opinions?

 

Agree Bartram and Bell need to go back to Sandy but injury to Wheatley and illness to Whelan might save one of them. Plus the fact Sylvia won't be ready.

My tip would be:

Out: Bartram, Wheatley (inj)

In: Buckley, PJ

 

After the Fremantle game it would be tough to drop anyone, especially after a weeks rest. I'd be inclined to give everyone a weeks grace and only make forced changes.

After the Fremantle game it would be tough to drop anyone, especially after a weeks rest. I'd be inclined to give everyone a weeks grace and only make forced changes.

I agree. Why should we make 4 changes to a team that finally came together for a win last match when previously getting belted would only see 2-3 changes? I don't think it would be productive to drop players for the sake of being dropped. Give the current team a chance to gel together.


  • Author

I dont think we really have room for 3 ruckmen and I dont see any point in dropping Jamar after his game against Sandilands, what would that do for his confidence? I take back my omission on Morton as I completely forgot about the week off, which is I think he really needed. Speaking of confidence though how does a player like Buckley feel after playing very well in his last few Sandy games and still not getting a gig. I think Wheatley and one of Bell or Bartram will come out for Buckley and Sylvia (if fit). Lyndenn Dunn really has to take games at Sandy by the scruff of the neck by now.

Do we really need that many tall backman in the one side, there are 5. Frawley, Carroll, Rivers, Warnock and Garland. That is way to many, surely one has to go just for the sake of team balance. Otherwise play Carroll at Full Forward!

 

I'm inclined to agree about Morton, though I wouldn't give him a week off. His form has been a bit patchy the last couple of weeks, and ok, he's a young guy, so you expect that. But I think a week or two at Sandy could be good for him, just to remind him that its a privilege, not a right, to play AFL football, no matter how high you were taken in the draft.

Do we really need that many tall backman in the one side, there are 5. Frawley, Carroll, Rivers, Warnock and Garland. That is way to many, surely one has to go just for the sake of team balance. Otherwise play Carroll at Full Forward!

Garland seems to play on a small at this point in his career (from what I saw against Fremantle and read regarding his games at Sandringham).

Bell or Bartram would be most at risk this week for Whelan if fit, barring injuries to other players. Would like to see PJ come back in but for who?


Hmmm...

I think Bartram is genuinely struggling to get back in the rythm. Remember that he has basically never player at Sandy - just been injured or in the 22. Some time to readjust, understand where he is at and start to build again would seem like a good idea.

There are a lot of tall defenders in the side at the moment, however none stands out as being the one to drop.

I think there is an argument for keeping the lot, given that most of them are quite mobile as well as tall.

If Wheately is injured it makes more sense.

There's a case for making sure we can really hammer in with fresh bodies in the ruck contest, given Adelaide's total of about 15 games experience in the ruck.

This is a game for White to play with maximum mobility around the ground, to wear out and confuse his ruckman opponent.

Given PJ's versatility as well, I think there's a shot at overwhelming the Adelaide ruck without sacrificing too much of the mobile contribution.

Brace yourselves for the next comment - I think Jamar should be our primary ruckman at the ball-ups. :o

so, tentatively, I've got

Bartram and Wheatley (inj) out.

PJ in.

Whelan, Buckley and Sylvia are the next options to come in, where available.

In - SHANE VALENTI

Melbourne Squad

Backs: Frawley, C.Garland, D.Bell

Half backs: C.Bartram, J.Rivers, C.Bruce

Centreline: B.Green, B.McLean, M.Bate

Half forwards: C. Morton, R.Robertson, B.Moloney

Forwards: A.Davey, B.Miller, A.Wonaeamirri

Followers: J.White, J.McDonald, N.Jones

Interchange from: J.Bode, S.Buckley, N.Carroll, M.Jamar, P.Johnson, S.Valenti, M.Warnock

In: Buckley, Bode, Valenti, P. Johnson

Out: Wheatley (calf)

Interchange from: N.Carroll, P.Johnson, S.Valenti, M.Warnock

Thats what i would hope... So pretty much

In: Valenti, Johnson

Out: Wheatley, Jamar.

Bit harsh to jamar who has been in good form but PJ is better.


Melbourne Squad

Backs: Frawley, C.Garland, D.Bell

Half backs: C.Bartram, J.Rivers, C.Bruce

Centreline: B.Green, B.McLean, M.Bate

Half forwards: C. Morton, R.Robertson, B.Moloney

Forwards: A.Davey, B.Miller, A.Wonaeamirri

Followers: J.White, J.McDonald, N.Jones

Interchange from: J.Bode, S.Buckley, N.Carroll, M.Jamar, P.Johnson, S.Valenti, M.Warnock

In: Buckley, Bode, Valenti, P. Johnson

Out: Wheatley (calf)

this tells me chopper will be dropped... i think i called it at the end of the last round... will try and dig up my post

warnock has been in good form...

final bench if i were coach would read P. Johnson, S. Valenti, M. Warnock, M. Jamar... however i think Buckley will get a game ahead of Jamar...

Bucks needs to get a game ! He deserves it!

Give Bartram or Bell a rest at sandy!

OUT- Wheats, Barts, Jamar

IN- Buckley, Valenti, Johnson

Jamar is hard done by but because he has been fantastic.

this tells me chopper will be dropped... i think i called it at the end of the last round... will try and dig up my post

warnock has been in good form...

final bench if i were coach would read P. Johnson, S. Valenti, M. Warnock, M. Jamar... however i think Buckley will get a game ahead of Jamar...

I think Chop chop mightn't get a game this week either. Can't think of an obvious matchup. Ken Mcgregor? is he playing.

I think it'll be Warnock, Valenti, Jamar and Buckley. PJ stiff.

Bucks needs to get a game ! He deserves it!

Give Bartram or Bell a rest at sandy!

OUT- Wheats, Barts, Jamar

IN- Buckley, Valenti, Johnson

Jamar is hard done by but because he has been fantastic.

Yeah, unlucky Jamar, you have been decent, but PJ is simply better

Would like to see both Valenti and Buckley get a game at the expense of either Bartram or Bell who have been pants

IN: PJ, Valenti, Buckley

OUT: Wheatley, Jamar, Bartram/Bell

In valenti, buckley,

out wheatly, carroll.

PJ is in our best 22, but jamar played a good game, PJ now needs to win his spot back. we look a little top heavy down back, especially against adelaide, so i think carol will make way, although it could be warnock.

we are however a little short up forward, so perhaps either PJ will come in and play forward, or carroll will stay and garland will swing forward. i suggested buckley in to add some pace to the mid espec with valenti in and wheatly out. might depend on matchups, and i believe we will make as few changes as possible after the win.


What happened to Whelan?

injured at sandy i thought?

Sandringham reports - from BBR

Matthew Whelan - started well in the last line of defence but went off (presumably injured) and wasn't seen after half time.
Bucks needs to get a game ! He deserves it!

Give Bartram or Bell a rest at sandy!

OUT- Wheats, Barts, Jamar

IN- Buckley, Valenti, Johnson

Jamar is hard done by but because he has been fantastic.

Bartram is picked in first 18 so will not be dropped

Jamar has played his best two games ever, been fantastic as you say but you still want him dropped.

Well I have always thought him to be hopeless but I would never drop him now.

He has the chance to prove us all wrong and I hope he does

 

Some interesting decisions:

PJ v Jamar

Warnock v Carroll

Buckley v Bode

...and Valenti to play, since he was promoted.

In valenti, buckley,

out wheatly, carroll.

PJ is in our best 22, but jamar played a good game, PJ now needs to win his spot back. we look a little top heavy down back, especially against adelaide, so i think carol will make way, although it could be warnock.

we are however a little short up forward, so perhaps either PJ will come in and play forward, or carroll will stay and garland will swing forward. i suggested buckley in to add some pace to the mid espec with valenti in and wheatly out. might depend on matchups, and i believe we will make as few changes as possible after the win.

I think you might just have nailed it.


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Featured Content

  • PREVIEW: Gold Coast

    The Gold Coast Suns find themselves outside of the top eight for the first time since Round 1 with pressure is mounting on the entire organisation. Their coach Damien Hardwick expressed his frustration at his team’s condition last week by making a middle-finger gesture on television that earned him a fine for his troubles. He showed his desperation by claiming that Fox should pick up the tab.  There’s little doubt the Suns have shown improvement in 2025, and their position on the ladder is influenced to some extent by having played fewer games than their rivals for a playoff role at the end of the season, courtesy of the disruption caused by Cyclone Alfred in March.  However, they are following the same trajectory that hindered the club in past years whenever they appeared to be nearing their potential. As a consequence, that Hardwick gesture should be considered as more than a mere behavioral lapse. It’s a distress signal that does not bode well for the Queenslanders. While the Suns are eager to remain in contention with the top eight, Melbourne faces its own crisis, which is similarly deep-seated but in a much different way. After recovering from a disappointing start to the season and nearing a return to respectability among its peer clubs, the Demons have experienced a decline in status, driven by the fact that while their form has been reasonable (see their performance against the ladder leader in the Kings Birthday match), their conversion in front of goal is poor enough to rank last in the competition. Furthermore, their opponents find them exceptionally easy to score against. As a result, they have effectively eliminated themselves from the finals race and are again positioned to finish in the bottom half of the ladder.

    • 3 replies
  • NON-MFC: Round 15

    As the Demons head into their Bye Round, it's time to turn our attention to the other matches being played. Which teams are you tipping this week? And which results would be most favourable for the Demons if we can manage to turn our season around? Follow all the non-Melbourne games here and join the conversation as the ladder continues to take shape.

      • Haha
      • Like
    • 276 replies
  • REPORT: Port Adelaide

    Of course, it’s not the backline, you might argue and you would probably be right. It’s the boot studder (do they still have them?), the midfield, the recruiting staff, the forward line, the kicking coach, the Board, the interchange bench, the supporters, the folk at Casey, the head coach and the club psychologist  It’s all of them and all of us for having expectations that were sufficiently high to have believed three weeks ago that a restoration of the Melbourne team to a position where we might still be in contention for a finals berth when the time for the midseason bye arrived. Now let’s look at what happened over the period of time since Melbourne overwhelmed the Sydney Swans at the MCG in late May when it kicked 8.2 to 5.3 in the final quarter (and that was after scoring 3.8 to two straight goals in the second term). 

    • 3 replies
  • CASEY: Essendon

    Casey’s unbeaten run was extended for at least another fortnight after the Demons overran a persistent Essendon line up by 29 points at ETU Stadium in Port Melbourne last night. After conceding the first goal of the evening, Casey went on a scoring spree from about ten minutes in, with five unanswered majors with its fleet of midsized runners headed by the much improved Paddy Cross who kicked two in quick succession and livewire Ricky Mentha who also kicked an early goal. Leading the charge was recruit of the year, Riley Bonner while Bailey Laurie continued his impressive vein of form. With Tom Campbell missing from the lineup, Will Verrall stepped up to the plate demonstrating his improvement under the veteran ruckman’s tutelage. The Demons were looking comfortable for much of the second quarter and held a 25-point lead until the Bombers struck back with two goals in the shadows of half time. On the other side of the main break their revival continued with first three goals of the half. Harry Sharp, who had been quiet scrambled in the Demons’ first score of the third term to bring the margin back to a single point at the 17 minute mark and the game became an arm-wrestle for the remainder of the quarter and into the final moments of the last.

    • 0 replies
  • PREGAME: Gold Coast

    The Demons have the Bye next week but then are on the road once again when they come up against the Gold Coast Suns on the Gold Coast in what could be a last ditch effort to salvage their season. Who comes in and who comes out?

    • 150 replies
  • PODCAST: Port Adelaide

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 16th June @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect the Dees disappointing loss to the Power.
    Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show.
    Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

    • 33 replies