The vulnerable players are:

PJ - If Jamar and Martin ruck.

Martin - If Jamar and PJ ruck, and there is no match-up in defence (I don't think there is)

Jones - Indiscriminate kicking may be grating on the coaching staff.

Miller - Has been down all year with a couple of exceptions.

Macca - If injured.

Bell - Harsh, but that's footy.

All valid points. Martin's an interesting one. If Cloke returns, then it might be Warnock to Cloke (worked wonders in Round 2), Rivers to Anthony and Martin to Leigh Brown (who played well last week). I think Martin could squeeze into this side.

Toughest week for selection this year. I never get the changes right, and again probably won't this week. But FWIW, my changes would be:

IN: Robertson, Cheney, WATTS!

OUT: Miller, Bell, McDonald (inj/rest)

Miller has been poor the last 3 weeks (hasn't kicked a goal or laid a takcle in that time), and should be sent back to work on those aspects of his game at Casey, like Robbo last week. Robbo is the likely replacement, kicking 3.6 and taking 12 marks and improving his defensive game at Casey. Newton could be an outside chance to replace Miller ahead of Robbo, although that's highly unlikely.

Cheney straight swap for Bell. Bell was solid last week, but Cheney has been knocking the the door off it's hinges for several weeks now and IMO was unlucky to be dropped in the first place.

McDonalds knee hyperextension looked really nasty, and although he came back on against the Saints, he'll be really sore in that knee. Rested for mine. Jack Watts is the big (confirmed) in, can't wait to see him in the red & blue!

Very hard week indeed.

My concern is for Watts though. Lets face it, he is going to be targeted, if Miller is out, who is going to protect him around the ball?

As much as i hate the Pies, i was thinking they are a good team to debut against because they are unlike a Port, Brisbane or an Essendon team of the past who would have absolutely targeted him. I think they play the game pretty fairly, and won't be over the top trying to collar Watts.

As much as i hate the Pies, i was thinking they are a good team to debut against because they are unlike a Port, Brisbane or an Essendon team of the past who would have absolutely targeted him. I think they play the game pretty fairly, and won't be over the top trying to collar Watts.

True. They are a youngish side again collingwood, and dont have alot of the bigger bodied players.

However, I reckon they will still have a fair go at him, and I hope Miller is there to look out for him.

True. They are a youngish side again collingwood, and dont have alot of the bigger bodied players.

However, I reckon they will still have a fair go at him, and I hope Miller is there to look out for him.

Funny how everything is reverting to a Watts thread however it is not just the Scum players he will have to be protected from but that Scum Bogan Cheersquad.

I agree he has been showing that he has a good future, but I think in order to help him develop he needs both time at the AFL level to get familiar with the speed, hardness and pressure, but he also needs games in the VFL where he can spend far longer in the midfield (which appears to be his destination). He isn't getting a hell of a lot of TOG and possessions at the moment for Melbourne, so I think it would be good for him to rotate between AFL and VFL to benefit from both levels.

I think that is the best way to get our young midfielders (and to some extent forwards) to develop. Our young backs are seeing enough of the ball at the moment to fast track their development, as long as they don't lose confidence.

To me it seems like he'll play off a flank or out of a pocket, playing that dangerous finisher/crumber role. I think he did his job last week. At least from the opportunities that arrose to him. I agree, he's gonna be a beauty.

In: Watts Jurrah

PLEASEEEEEEEEEE

Agreed. Though I'd add Newton as well, though I suspect I'm alone there.

I'm just about there too.

In: Watts, Cheney

Out: Miller, Whelan

Forward for forward, defender for defender. That's my final offering.

Hardest week for selections ever.

I can't see there only being two changes this week. I think there'll be at least three.

I think Jones has been pretty close for the last few weeks being named on the EIB and may miss this one after having another poor game. I think Bell will also get dropped - don't think he adds anything to the team and I'm sorry to say he doesn't look like being in the long-term plans for the club.

Jones will play. It's the sort of game he'll do well in. I don't recall the Pies having extreme pace through the middle. It's against these teams he'll struggle, but against the likes of the black and white, he'll be a ball magnet.

As for Bell, there's no way he'll get dropped this week. I don't think he should be in the long term plans for us, as we've got rising stars off half back, coming out of our behinds, but there's no point in bringing Bell in for one game and dropping him. Bailey will give him at least 2 or 3, if not more, before deciding on Bell. He is playing for his career and Bailey will want to see the best that he can deliver.

My concern is for Watts though. Lets face it, he is going to be targeted, if Miller is out, who is going to protect him around the ball?

It's an interesting point this, because most people seem to be going to a like for like, with Miller making way for Watts. I don't really have a solution to it myself.

It's an interesting point this, because most people seem to be going to a like for like, with Miller making way for Watts. I don't really have a solution to it myself.

Truth be told I am not sure any of us have any real clue.....

We have our list of things we want to see and we all have our bias's both for and against certain players, but at the end of the day no-one has any idea.

For mine Miller is definitely in the gun, but I am not convinced he will be dropped with Watts coming in and more than likely needing some physical presence around him (and honestly (not to mention sadly) we don't really have anyone else who can provide that). Common sensibility is that Robbo seems to have served his penance for stupidity but is what he did at Casey deemed enough? I don't know.

And from here it moves onto many a player from Bate to Bell to Maconald to Whelan to Martin to Johnson to Maric to Jones to whoever else might do something wrong ........

I for one have been fascinated with all the changes we are making. How can a side ever win games of football if there is never the same side two weeks in a row. The players cannot get used to eachother if we are consistently chopping and changing players around. Just my opinion but a team will not win games with the side changing every week.

For me it's:

IN: Watts, Robbo

OUT: Miller, Maric/Jamar

From what i saw last week, and i should say that i only managed to catch the second half (just my luck), every time we went forward we were crying out for a key target. Robbo may be erratic and just plain bizarre but he's a proven performer in games like this, so we need him back in, he's gone to Casey and served his penance. It was tough deciding who should come out for Watts and Robbo, i decided on Miller because he has been very poor the last few weeks and i think he not only needs a run at Casey but deserves it. Maric and Jamar were the only other players i could see coming out, PJ has been very good from what i've seen the last few weeks and shouldn't be dropped, so that left one of those two (forward for forward or a ruckman).

Good luck to the match committee, it ain't an easy week.

For me it's:

OUT: Miller, Maric/Jamar

Are you mad?

Jamar is playing the best footy of his career in the last few weeks (yes at casey but still showing good form)

Maric - Has had 2 good solid games

Simple - NOT A CHANCE THIS WILL HAPPEN!

IN: Watts, Robbo

OUT: Miller, Maric/Jamar

Jamar?!?! I thought he was one of our best, if not BOG for us last week.

And Maric is improving each week. We need to keep playing him.

If you're going to drop people, drop Bell. There's no future in him.

Very hard week indeed.

My concern is for Watts though. Lets face it, he is going to be targeted, if Miller is out, who is going to protect him around the ball?

Will be a little hard to protect him from the bench

They would not bring Watts in without bringing Robbo in, as the Magpies have a good underrated defence and this helps JW get an easier class of defender. If RR plays, JW will get the 2nd or 3rd defender, instead of the 1st or 2nd.

Jurrah is not ready and does not have the X/media/no.1 factor that is the main reason Watts was brought in.

Thus the extended squad will include the names Cheney, Watts, Robertson, and if McDonald is injured, then I think that our final Outs will be McDonald, Martin, for Watts and Robertson.

Whelan will stay in because the game is on a huge stage.

Jamar was BOG against the Saints.

He will play out the year.

I for one have been fascinated with all the changes we are making. How can a side ever win games of football if there is never the same side two weeks in a row. The players cannot get used to eachother if we are consistently chopping and changing players around. Just my opinion but a team will not win games with the side changing every week.

Yes agree to a degree but in our situation we need to play as many players as we can on our list to see if they are up to it and can play Bails plan. If you can't then you go back and work on it in the 2's. Once they think you are on the same page back you come.

I for one have been fascinated with all the changes we are making. How can a side ever win games of football if there is never the same side two weeks in a row. The players cannot get used to eachother if we are consistently chopping and changing players around. Just my opinion but a team will not win games with the side changing every week.

On the flip-side I'd like to think they'd be able to absorb sufficient information about each teammates game at training.

in: jurrah

I can't see there only being two changes this week. I think there'll be at least three.

Jones will play.

As for Bell, there's no way he'll get dropped this week.

It's very easy to say who won't be dropped and who will come in but who are the 3 players you think will be dropped for your 3 changes?

Jamar was BOG against the Saints.

He will play out the year.

Fair enough, as i said i only caught the second half of the saints game and i thought he was average-good. My point is that i think we need Robbo in this week if we want our best chance at winning, and given that a forward or a ruckam probably has to go they were the only players i could possibly think of, and i pointed out that i wouldn't be dropping Maric on form.

I for one have been fascinated with all the changes we are making. How can a side ever win games of football if there is never the same side two weeks in a row. The players cannot get used to eachother if we are consistently chopping and changing players around. Just my opinion but a team will not win games with the side changing every week.

Maybe this is part of the grand plan!

I for one have been fascinated with all the changes we are making. How can a side ever win games of football if there is never the same side two weeks in a row. The players cannot get used to eachother if we are consistently chopping and changing players around. Just my opinion but a team will not win games with the side changing every week.

thats true, but i think there has to be some players taken off our list at the end of the year, and this is a part of sorting it all out.