Add Rivers to that he's our slowest backman he hasn't had much of the ball and has turn it over a fair bit too only experience has kept him in the side.

I thought Rivers had his best game for the year on Kozi last week. Slowly but surely his regaining form. Hopefully he'll be back to his best nest year.

Is it just me or would McDonald not be missed if he doesn't make it this week?

It's not just you B-B-P. His skills for the most of the year have been terrible.

However his tackling and pressure has been fantastic and he's clearly leading the way for the younger players in this regard.

It's not just you B-B-P. His skills for the most of the year have been terrible.

However his tackling and pressure has been fantastic and he's clearly leading the way for the younger players in this regard.

I agree with you both. If he is not at least 80% fit he should not play and I don't think that will necessarily be a bad thing.

His age means he will not be part of our next premiership side and why not get more AFL games into players who might be.

Leadership will come from Brock, Rivers, Moloney, Green and Bruce.

RE: Final Side: If Junior does not come up.*

Bench should be

PJ, Jones, Maric, Bennell, Cheyney*

The forward line is a big worry. Harry o'Brien and Nick Maxwell willl match up well on some of the players we will have working through the forward line and I can see a low scoring arm wrestle as I think our backline matches up well on their forward line:

Rivers to Cloke, Warnock to Anthony, Frawley to Medhurst, Whelan to Didak (Support from other midfielders when not in forward line), Bennell to Dick/Davis when in forward line.

Davey more in the midfield to add pace and quality inside 50 ball use to an "inside midfield"

Bruce and Green to add Class to a forward line crying out for fire power.

Hopefully our man Jack can take a few nice clunks and jag a few snags floating forward and put a few on the [censored] of Robbo and co.

I'd say Whelan has been given a 'farewell' Queens birthday. Then Cheney may take Whelan's place for Essendon if he's ineffectual.

i hope you are right, cheney is the future, didnt see last weeks game so interestred to see what Bell can do.

RE: Final Side: If Junior does not come up.*

Bench should be

PJ, Jones, Maric, Bennell, Cheyney*

I'd exchange Jones for Macca in the middle then and have PJ, Maric, Bennell and Newton on the bench.

Final Teams:

MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOOD

Melbourne

B: Matthew Whelan, Matthew Warnock, Daniel Bell

HB: James Frawley, Jared Rivers, Aaron Davey

C: Jack Grimes, Cale Morton, Brock McLean

HF: Colin Sylvia, Russell Robertson, Jack Watts

F: Brad Green, Matthew Bate, Cameron Bruce

Foll: Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, James McDonald

I/C: Paul Johnson, Addam Maric, Nathan Jones, Kyle Cheney

Emg: Jamie Bennell, , Lynden Dunn, Michael Newton

In: Robertson, Watts, Cheney

Out: Brad Miller, Stefan Martin, Bennell

Collingwood

B: Harry O’Brien, Simon Prestigiacomo, Shannon Cox

HB: Nick Maxwell, Leigh Brown, Sharrod Wellingham

C: Brad Dick, Tarkyn Lockyer, Dale Thomas

HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis

F: Alan Didak, John Anthony, Heath Shaw

Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Shane O’Bree

I/C: Nathan Brown, Martin Clarke, , Steele Sidebottom, Alan Toovey

Emg: Paul Medhurst, Ben Reid, , Cameron Wood

In: Travis Cloke

Out: Wood

Bennell out? Don't like that, especially when Bell's still in the team. But good to see Cheney.

Medhurst didn't make it. What a pity.

Bennell out? Don't like that, especially when Bell's still in the team. But good to see Cheney.

Medhurst didn't make it. What a pity.

Nobody deserves that final spot on the bench more than Cheney, so I'm very happy that he is in.

One player cannot possibly be so close to selection and miss out that many weeks in a row (particularly when he didn't deserve to get dropped).

And Bailey never drops players after a single game in the seniors, particularly if they are returning from injury.

Still a strong chance Bennell will play if Junior doesn't pull up.

Thank god Medhurst isn't playing.

Final Teams:

MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOOD

Melbourne

B: Matthew Whelan, Matthew Warnock, Daniel Bell

HB: James Frawley, Jared Rivers, Aaron Davey

C: Jack Grimes, Cale Morton, Brock McLean

HF: Colin Sylvia, Russell Robertson, Jack Watts

F: Brad Green, Matthew Bate, Cameron Bruce

Foll: Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, James McDonald

I/C: Paul Johnson, Addam Maric, Nathan Jones, Kyle Cheney

Emg: Jamie Bennell, , Lynden Dunn, Michael Newton

In: Robertson, Watts, Cheney

Out: Brad Miller, Stefan Martin, Bennell

Collingwood

B: Harry O’Brien, Simon Prestigiacomo, Shannon Cox

HB: Nick Maxwell, Leigh Brown, Sharrod Wellingham

C: Brad Dick, Tarkyn Lockyer, Dale Thomas

HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis

F: Alan Didak, John Anthony, Heath Shaw

Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Shane O’Bree

I/C: Nathan Brown, Martin Clarke, , Steele Sidebottom, Alan Toovey

Emg: Paul Medhurst, Ben Reid, , Cameron Wood

In: Travis Cloke

Out: Wood

Bennell didn't play today so does that mean Macca could be out and Bennell in to replace him.

I know this has nothing to do with this thread however the word from Scum supporters that MFC shouldn't be playing Watts and he is only being played because the AFL has threatened the Club with taking our only "Blockbuster" away from the club because of poor crowds in the past. Watts is being used as a marketing tool only. I cannot describe how I hate the Scum supporters and if JW could kick the winning goal well you wouldnt wipe the smile of my face for the rest of the year.

The filth are only playing ONE ruckman. Hooray.

It doesn't say much for what they think about Jamar and Johnson though which I think will prove to be their undoing. Not that I rate Johnson highly as a ruckman, but he can do just as much as Fraser around the ground or resting in the forward line. And Jamar....well Jamar will have him sh$%^^g his pants in the ruck contests.

Go Dees - Building for the Future

Is it just me or would McDonald not be missed if he doesn't make it this week?

Don't get me started. Why would Whelan be playing a farewell game? He's been better and is younger than Junior and he is 4 million times better than Bell.

Does anyone know why Valenti didn't play today is he a chance to come in?

Don't get me started. Why would Whelan be playing a farewell game? He's been better and is younger than Junior and he is 4 million times better than Bell.

Does anyone know why Valenti didn't play today is he a chance to come in?

Valenti is apparently injured.

As for the side, I'm pretty happy with the final bench. Disappointed to see Bennell out as I reckon he can play, but at the same time Cheney's VFL form made it impossible to leave him out. I would've dropped PJ and played both Bennell and Cheney, but that was never going to happen realistically.

And as has been mentioned already, Bennell didn't play in the VFL today, Newton and Dunn both did, so he's the emergency kept on ice incase needed.

Thank god Medhurst isn't playing.

dont be so sure ... malthouse loves playing ducks and drakes...he could easily play.

I would've dropped PJ and played both Bennell and Cheney, but that was never going to happen realistically.

So would I.

Collingwood dropped Wood in the end, so in reality we really could have had Jamar vs. Fraser.

Hopefully PJ does a great job outplaying Fraser around the ground, although if it was my choice, I would have dropped PJ and kept Martin in the side for that purpose.

On the other hand, we might actually beat a side in the ruck for once!

dont be so sure ... malthouse loves playing ducks and drakes...he could easily play.

True.

But I hate the [censored] and hope for the best :D

Hopefully PJ does a great job outplaying Fraser around the ground, although if it was my choice, I would have dropped PJ and kept Martin in the side for that purpose.

On the other hand, we might actually beat a side in the ruck for once!

i wouldnt bet on it.

didn't fraser give him a bath around the ground in round 2 along with spencer?

i wouldnt bet on it.

didn't fraser give him a bath around the ground in round 2 along with spencer?

Didn't help PJ and Spencer were unaccountable all day.

I expect us to win the ruck and win easily to be completely honest, Fraser is average in the ruck and gets a lot of cheap touches around the ground a la Jeff White circa 2006.

pretty dissapointed no bennel considering he looks liek the type of player that would just turn it on on such an occasion, though i do believe Cheeney is deserving of his spot.

Bell you better take advantage of this mate.

Interesting to see that Bennell got dropped, but if there is a late out for the dees Bennell will definitley play cos Dunn and Newton both played for Casey today. I'm glad that Cheney finally gets a game because I think he has been delt pretty harshly to not have his spot in the team each week.

Bennell out? Don't like that, especially when Bell's still in the team. But good to see Cheney.

I'd play Bennell over Cheney, but I'd also play Cheney over Bell. That said, the reason I wouldn't is because Bell has to prove himself over the next 12 weeks, in order to stay on the list and therefore we have to give him the opportunity to do so. Cheney will be here next year, but Bell probably won't.

Medhurst didn't make it. What a pity.

It'd be very Collingwood to have Medhurst come into the side for someone else as an emergency, just to throw us off. Perhaps, we're keeping Bennell up our sleeve for him?

bell has successfully shut down didak in the past. might be a plan there, he has the pace to go with him on the lead, only real issue is if didak plays a crumbing role.

Bennell didn't play at Casey yesterday. I believe that he is kept out in case someone (Junior?) doesn't come up and if they do then he will get a week's break which being a first year player his body may well welcome.

On the other hand, we might actually beat a side in the ruck for once!

We did smash St Kilda in the ruck last week, 44-22 in the hitouts, as well as the Hawks the week before 31-28, so we've been doing alright in that regard. Our midfielders have been the bigger issue, not able to win the clearances despite our winning in the ruck.

Valenti is apparently injured.

As for the side, I'm pretty happy with the final bench. Disappointed to see Bennell out as I reckon he can play, but at the same time Cheney's VFL form made it impossible to leave him out. I would've dropped PJ and played both Bennell and Cheney, but that was never going to happen realistically.

And as has been mentioned already, Bennell didn't play in the VFL today, Newton and Dunn both did, so he's the emergency kept on ice incase needed.

Agree on playing Bennell and Cheney; with PJ out. Could still happen. Now that Wood is out for Collingwood.

Bennell didn't play at Casey yesterday. I believe that he is kept out in case someone (Junior?) doesn't come up and if they do then he will get a week's break which being a first year player his body may well welcome.

I just got back from the Junction oval, J Mac was out on the track and looked fine. Bennell was also training so Im not sure If there will be any late changes. Good to see a few people down there this morning having a look.

wheelan dropped for cheney, sanity provailed