On paper this is our weakest team all year.

Missing Rivers, Carroll, Whelan, Wheatley, Sylvia, Dunn and Neitz

That's a hell of lot of hard bodies missing.

It pains me to say but I think we will get absolutley trounced.

Has CJ ver been given a decent run in the side? Needs to be played for 6 weeks in a position. Give the bloke a chance FFS.

You don't get 6 weeks for a chance to show what you've got, 2-3 should be plenty and he has been given that before. I agree bringing him in and out isn't going to do anything, but by now if you perform at Sandy you should at least able to show SOME of that form in the big league. I want to give him a chance but every time he walks out on to the field he looks like a headless chook.

He will need to establish himself in the chance he get from now on, or he's not going be apart of our future.

The team this week looks vulnerable at best, the efficiency the crows had last week V our defense was scary, but the midfielders are going to have to work 5x as hard against the Hawks. Accountability will be the biggest key to not letting this become a blowout of monumental proportions, and whoever we drop back as the extra man will need to be ready to back into packs at just about every Hawk forward thrust.

My opinion, give (P) Johnson a big time run in the ruck and have White as the extra man down back. The other option is Bruce or Green. I've got my hopes for Frawley, i don't think he was as bad as everyone was saying V Adelaide, the fact is they know how to move it quickly and get space in their forward line. When you're faced with those odds there isn't much you can do as a defender. In saying that though i think he will miss the cut this week.

And i REALLY hope Yze can recapture some of his spark, when up and running he was unpredictable and highly skilled, it's sad to see what he's become now.

My interchange: Buckley, Holland, Yze, Valenti

Holland and Yze, very confused about those but lets wait and see the final team.

If Yze is selected, this will be the reason why (from an article on the MFC website):

Yze’s form at Sandringham over the past three weeks has been outstanding, with his experience amongst the younger players a highlight.

out of interest, C Johnson, Buckley and Yze are all named on the ground for sandy, while Frawley, Holland, Bode and Valenti are named on the Sandy bench.

I dont know if it counts for anything, but usually the dees pick the starting 18 and the outs come from the extended interchange bench, so i wonder if this could be happening in reverse (ie the sandy defs are named in the sandy 18 and the interchanges could be moved up to afl)...

I used to think that but I'm pretty sure PJ was named on the ground for Sandy last week yet still managed a call up vs Adelaide.

Our defence for this week is not terribly confidence-inspiring. I think Yze has to play this week if only for some experience and leadership down there. Hopefully Frawley keeps his spot, he simply has to keep playing on the good forwards of the league to improve. Maybe Frawley to Roughead?

I don't want him to go, but will Valenti keep his spot? I guess maybe he could make way for CJ's or Bode's last chance. I hope not though.

We need to tag Mitchell and Bateman. If they're getting too much of it, then it'll be a disaster.

JMac on Bateman

Bartram/Bruce on Mitchell

Oh and Sewell is also a gun in the making. But i think if we can take it 2 of these 3 then we will should be "competitive".

Holland will play fwd if he is picked.

We need to tag Mitchell and Bateman. If they're getting too much of it, then it'll be a disaster.

JMac on Bateman

Bartram/Bruce on Mitchell

I agree they are the two to be tagged but I'd switch the taggers around. Bateman would be a bit too quick for Junior I think.

We need to tag Mitchell and Bateman. If they're getting too much of it, then it'll be a disaster.

JMac on Bateman

Bartram/Bruce on Mitchell

Oh and Sewell is also a gun in the making. But i think if we can take it 2 of these 3 then we will should be "competitive".

Holland will play fwd if he is picked.

McLean to go head to head with Mitchell. Bartram on Bateman.

One change...

Benny Holland is in!!!

BENNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

if i was dean bailey my bench would read...

B.Holland, C.Johnson, S.Valenti, J. Frawley

J.Bode, S.Buckley, A.Yze

however i think he'll play buckley ahead of johnson...

thought so... final side, out jamar in holland...

MELBOURNE v HAWTHORN

MELBOURNE

B: Matthew Warnock, Colin Garland, Daniel Bell

HB: Clint Bartram, Paul Johnson, Cameron Bruce

C: Brad Green, Brock McLean, Matthew Bate

HF: Cale Morton, Russell Robertson, Brent Moloney

F: Aaron Davey, Brad Miller, Austin Wonaeamirri

Foll: Jeff White, James McDonald, Nathan Jones

I/C: James Frawley, Simon Buckley, Ben Holland, Shane Valenti

Emg: Adem Yze, Chris Johnson, Jace Bode

In: Holland

Out: Jamar (omitted)

Why is Holland in the side?

Aren't we looking to the future?

Why is Holland in the side?

Aren't we looking to the future?

I'm all in favour of playing youth but I also believe it's possible to reach a point where you're playing too many young players all in the team at once and then your youth policy can become counterproductive. You need some experienced hands on the ground and, in the absence of Jared Rivers, I think the selectors saw the need to have Benny as a back up. He's been playing quite well at Sandy so I think it's justified especially in view of the fact that the other youth candidate Stef Martin has just been so so the last couple of weeks at Sandringham.

I think that it's simply exploiting the fundamental weakness of Hawthorn - they lack a gorilla defender, and bringing in Holland forces Croad to him or else a total mismatch. I don't have any problem bringing in older players for specific roles, but preference should be given to the kids. We don't have a young gorilla to expose Hawthorn.

I'd very surprised if Holland was selected to play in defence

Why is Holland in the side?

Probably because our key defenders at the moment are Garland, Frawley and Warnock

Holland to play on Roughhead.

Otherwise FF.