Team Changes for Round 7

[Jaded No More 68,972]

Out: Bate, Dunn

In: Aussie , Bell

Aussie didn't have a great game with Casey, but he is a proven performer (as proven as they can be when they've played one season) and we're crying out for crumbers. If Martin plays up forward again, we really don't need either Bate or Dunn running around like a pair of headless chooks.

Bate has to go back and work on his marking, kicking and most of all ability to pick the ball up off the ground. Please Bater, learn to bend over.

Bell adds another strong body to the midfield, and gives us the ability to push him down back and possibly play Ricky or Bennell on the wing.

I would bring in Whelan too, but feel he needs another game with Casey. We can't afford for him to break down within the first quarter.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Wona was lamentable yesterday and short of gallop. He needs at least a couple of weeks at Casey to regain fitness.

Bell was average at Casey yesterday. He is battling to have an impact at VFL.

Whelan was smooth at VFL level but did not extend himself. He is still weeks away.

Bate and Dunn might not have good today but I would prefer to make changes that benefit the side.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Out: Bate, Dunn

In: Aussie , Bell

I agree with who will come out (Bartram was earned himself another game) but Aussie did not look fit yesterday and Bell wasn't great.

Cheney will most likely look to come in as will Whelan. I wouldn't be surprised if Newton gets called back in.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,088]

Again with the Dunn bashing! He was far from disgraced today. I don't know why you'd want to dump him.

Bate I agree on. He has to go until he learns to put in. Aussie can come in for him and everyone will be happy. Well, except for Bate.

I'd also like to see whoever the umpire in the middle was during the last get sent back to the reserves. How many times was Morton grabbed and dragged away from the ball while the Umpire was birdwatching?

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,233]

Out: Bate, Dunn

In: Aussie , Bell

Jaded did you actually see yesterdays game? Lets reward the 2 worst performed Melbourne players from Casey yesterday with promotion......

Out Bate

In Newton

[Jaded No More 68,972]

Jaded did you actually see yesterdays game? Lets reward the 2 worst performed Melbourne players from Casey yesterday with promotion......

Out Bate

In Newton

I did.

Bell I thought was fairly good, and I did mention that Aussie had a poor game, but he's had a great pre-season and we need him out there. So many times today the ball hit the deck and Geelong ran away with it. The pressure in the forward line when Robbo and Bate are in there, is terrible. Robbo, at 30, is never gonna change. Bate should, but probably won't. Aussie's pressure is something we sorely lack at the moment.

To be fair, Valenti was better than Bell, but won't be promoted at this stage. Grimes is clearly not fit, and while I'd like to see Bail debut, he probably needs a bit more game time with Casey.

Newton does not deserve a game on the back of one performance. Especially given how terrible he's been at AFL level this year.

As for Dunn, he pulled out too many times today. At least with Bell I know he'll throw himself head-first into every single contest.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,088]

I'm just not that big a fan of Bell. I think he'll be in the next round of cullings and probably we won't be able to trade him. He may try hard, but he's just not that good. Can you really see a place in the side for him two or three years down the track?

[45HG 1,559]

I wonder if Bennel will be given a rest this week, or if they'll wait a week so he can play in his home town.

I'd love to see Grimes in the Seniors. He's a class act who deserves a taste of the big time IMO, the more he sees the quicker he will develop.

Dunn, Bate would be concerned about their spots I'd think

[Kiss of Death 755]

Aussie needs another week at Casey before he comes into consideration - but i wouldn't be complaining if Bater joined him. Only problem is, the two i would most want to promote would be Cheney or Wheels... but we can't really slot them into Bate's position can we?

Do we leave Stefan up forward and then get Cheney/Wheels down back?

[PeterJames 46]

Dunn bashing to much? i'll bash him everytime he squibs at a contest, so i still have at least three up my sleave from today...

Dunn and bate must go...

BAte for a half forward just cannot take a overhead mark... maybe promote hughes to play the lead up forward, is better over head, just his fitness at the moment from comming back from injury.

To replace dunn either grimes or maybe bail... or promote valenti he has worked hard enougha nd played well enough to deserve a call up.

Whelan if fit has to play is a gun... and wona still a couple of weeks away

[DaveyJones'sLocker 647]

jaded still harping on about bell....

had a soft spot for him for too long...

[Brocky 4]

Bell I thought was fairly good

How about without the rose-coloured glasses.......

[Dannyz 2,851]

Out: Bate.

In: McNamara.

I'd keep Martin forward and use McNamara down back.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,233]

I did.

Bell I thought was fairly good, and I did mention that Aussie had a poor game, but he's had a great pre-season and we need him out there. So many times today the ball hit the deck and Geelong ran away with it. The pressure in the forward line when Robbo and Bate are in there, is terrible. Robbo, at 30, is never gonna change. Bate should, but probably won't. Aussie's pressure is something we sorely lack at the moment.

To be fair, Valenti was better than Bell, but won't be promoted at this stage. Grimes is clearly not fit, and while I'd like to see Bail debut, he probably needs a bit more game time with Casey.

Newton does not deserve a game on the back of one performance. Especially given how terrible he's been at AFL level this year.

As for Dunn, he pulled out too many times today. At least with Bell I know he'll throw himself head-first into every single contest.

Play favourites much?

Bell was poor yesterday.

Aussie had a great preseason that has now been wasted by his inability to run when he did his hamstring. His game yesterday was pedestrian aside from a couple of tackles. He needs to earn an opportunity.

Newton was not terrible at AFL level. If he had kicked straight in his last 2 games you would probably be praising him as much as you are bagging him now. He performed well at VFL level yesterday and Bates lack of performance means he deserves another opportunity ahead of him.

He is the only change I would make, otherwise you're making changes just for the hell of it.

[Dannyz 2,851]

I did.

Bell I thought was fairly good

Your talking out your ass again

[w00dy 146]

Out: Bate, Dunn

In: Aussie , Bell

Worst changes ever...

Dunn bashing to much? i'll bash him everytime he squibs at a contest, so i still have at least three up my sleave from today...

Dunn and bate must go...

I don't agree on the Dunn bashing. People going on about how he "squibs" a contest, I don't see it... He's not the hardest player in our side, but he doesn't have to be... He puts his body on the line enough, and unlike a number of our players he uses the ball well...

Addam Maric was appalling today, but we all know he's better than what he showed. His form for Casey gives him another week.

I lliked the look of Stef Martin forward, have been wanting to see that for a while... Has the pace, strength to play the position, needs to work on where he leads a bit, but definitely worth perservering with...

So having said that...

In: Tom McNamara

Out: Bate

With Stef to play forward. Otherwise bring Juice back in, and send Stef back down back...

[Jerry Lundergard 420]

Out: Bate.

In: McNamara.

I'd keep Martin forward and use McNamara down back.

I agree with this one. I liked the look of T-Mac yesterday.

[Jaded No More 68,972]

Well clearly nobody valued Bell's ability to win the contested ball yesterday with Casey.

At the end of the day, Bell needs to prove himself so that we know whether or not he is worth keeping on the list at the end of the year. He has had a good pre-season and showed plenty as a midfielder. Had he not broken his thumb he would have been a certainty to play Round 1.

No he isn't the greatest footballer going around, but he goes in hard, is a superb tackler, has a bit of pace to burn and his disposal is generally good.

That IMO puts his ahead of Dunn for example, who too often just doesn't go in hard enough... the one quality that you cannot forgive a footballer for.

If Grimes was fit, I'd play him ahead of Bell, if Bail was ready, I'd play him ahead of Bell too. But Dunn needs to go back to Casey and prove that he isn't scared of getting hurt. Bell seems the logical replacement (given the others aren't fit, and Valenti won't be promoted). So it's not changes for the sake of changes IMO.

Aussie may not deserve a game on the strength of his performance on Saturday, but he definitely deserves a game on the back of his pre-season and efforts last year. Just as we can't judge Newton on one good VFL performance, we can't judge Aussie on one poor VFL performance.

We know he can perform at the highest level, so just play him.

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,294]

OUT: Bate

IN: Whelan

[brey9186 102]

west coast dont really do the tall forward thing, so leaving stef up forward, and maybe bringing in cheney would be ok

in: cheney, newton

out: bate, dunn

would love to fit jetta in as well, so maybe he could come instead of newton

[Nasher 33,617]

Out: Dunn (,Bate)

In: Grimes (,Newton)

I've never seen a player hear footsteps like Dunn does. He just is not an AFL grade player IMO. Does some nice things now and then but IMO offers absolutely nothing we couldn't get from Grimes. Vanlo -- if you want an example, I think it was in the first or second quarter -- spilled a sitter of a mark on the wing and it went out of bounds as a Geelong player was bearing down. It was incredibly painful to watch.

I'd consider the second change (Newton for Bate) as well, but I'm a bit more nervous about it. I don't think Newton, even after 5 goals at Casey, has magically redeemed himself as a player. His woeful kicking for goal seems to me to be a confidence thing, and that's one thing he can work on at a lower level. Newton's worst is also worse than Bate's worst, which is a significant risk. That said, 5 goals in the VFL is a good return and there's no better way to push for selection.

I saw the Casey game on TV and don't think Bell or Wonaeamirri did themselves any favours in pushing for selection. McNamara did his own case no harm, but where would he play, and whose spot does he take? I don't think he offers anything that is currently missing from our side.

The only other player beyond Grimes and Newton I'd consider at this stage is Cheney, but for whom? Bartram played a good game today. Bennell?

Maric had an ordinary day out, but most of his mistakes seemed to be simply due to rushing. I hope he gets another week (at least) to adjust to the pace of the game and show his true wares.

[Ghost 0]

I lliked the look of Stef Martin forward, have been wanting to see that for a while... Has the pace, strength to play the position, needs to work on where he leads a bit, but definitely worth perservering with...

It would be good if we could turn Martin into an 'Adam Hunter' type, who can swing both forward and back the way Hunter does for the Eagles. He certainly has pace and can take a grab.

The only issue I have about playing Martin as a forward is his footskills. He doesn't seem to have great kick, so I wonder how damaging he could be as a goal kicker.

It seems Bails would like to find out at least.

[gOLLy 401]

Out : Bate (shoulda been out 3 weeks ago)

In : Juice (Deserves a recall on yesterdays effort)

[Jaded No More 68,972]

It would be good if we could turn Martin into an 'Adam Hunter' type, who can swing both forward and back the way Hunter does for the Eagles. He certainly has pace and can take a grab.

The only issue I have about playing Martin as a forward is his footskills. He doesn't seem to have great kick, so I wonder how damaging he could be as a goal kicker.

It seems Bails would like to find out at least.

Would be great if he could become an 'Adam Hunter' type, but drop the Adam Hunter bit

And his goal kicking ability can't be worse than that of Bate, Miller or Newton. Besides, I don't see any evidence to support that his footskills are poor. He hit Robbo on the chest, under pressure, with the outside of the boot.

If playing him as a forward means he gets to keep his spot in the team, and we don't have to debate which one of Rivers/Garland/Warnock/Frawley/Martin should miss out (when all are fit obviously), then that's what we should do.

[rpfc 28,726]

Bate really could have kicked a couple but agree that his second efforts were particulary non-existent today.

Dunn would be struggling to get a contract for next year. Bell in the same boat. They are both ok in all positions but good in none.

Maric showed little but 'yo-yo-ing' youth should not be the go for us this year.

PJ and Meese were beaten easily, although Meesen is more of a competitor when the ball hits the ground - he had 3 clearances.

Big trip next weekend and runners are required at Subi.

Out: Dunn, Bate

In: Jetta, McNamara

Or possibly Newton, Cheney, Bail, or Grimes. Whelan might need another couple of games.

At least we have options, and they're young.