Melbourne v Brisbane thread

[Sir Why You Little 36,971]

Nope!

Port vs St Kilda is being shown on Channel 10...we're on Fox Sports.

Really you are kidding me, that sucks. Obviously nobody wanted to touch us over summer. We must prove them all wrong!!!! B)

[deanox 9,898]

In: Martin, Rivers

Out: Dunn, Beamer (if suspended)

If Beamer gets off *fingers crossed*, I'd just swap Dunn with Martin.

I'd play an extra man in defense (god knows we usually only play 3 forwards anyway), and have Martin zoning off to help Frawley (Fevola) and Warnock (Brown).

In the middle, Junior will need to go with Power and I'd actually give the job of Black to Bruce. Get him out of the backline for next round, please!

If we can get away with a 3-4 goal loss that would be great, but I wouldn't be surprised if we lose by 10 goals if the Fevola-Brown show takes off. We have to keep the midfield pressure on and hope that this will lessen the quality of the delivery to these two, to give our defenders a fighting chance.

In an ironic and delicious move, I hope to see Grimes play on, and beat, Travis "Jesus" Johnstone

no way we should drop players after a 55 point win.

dunn has performed well the past 2 weeks and won't be dropped for a player who doesnt have a position and who is not dominating at vfl level.

similarly, if you were brisbane and you were coaching against the mfc side from today, where do you play merret? at fb presumably but he cant gith green or sylvia both too mobile. same goes for bate. bringing in martin just gives their big guy a match up that he is likely to win.

there is no way either bail (great running game capped off with 2 goals) or bennel (genuine play maker who has time and space, as well as good disposal AND who went with the body this week when it was his turn) will be dropped for martin.

imo you only get in this week if someone is injured or suspended, or if you played a blinder. i dont think anyone wll add enough to our team to change it after the win.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,115]

I dont think anyone deserves to get dropped this week but it is alot to ask Jamar to go all game against Clark and Leunberger.

[armstrong35 262]

if we stop brown and fev we are a good shot.

our defence is what has helped us this year.

the backline in the first half was pretty poor then really stepped up in the second half and thats what got the game going.

i am looking forward to next week

go the dees

[deanox 9,898]

why? he went all day against jolly/fraser and against simmonds/vickery? if it wasn't an issue in those games, why this week?

i have no problems bringing in another ruck to help jamar, but at this stage i genuinely don't believe that any of the options are worth bringing in to the 22. spencer doesn't offer enough around the ground to justify a spot, and is still only learning the ruck thing. the brisbane duo would thrash him. And martin is hit and miss up forward and there are no guarantees he will perform much better than dunn in the ruck; nothing he has shown me so far suggests he can/will.

[grazman 7,406]

I dont think anyone deserves to get dropped this week but it is alot to ask Jamar to go all game against Clark and Leunberger.

I tend to lean the other way. I think Jamar enjoys rucking alone, in fact he seems to thrive on the responsibility. Letting him ruck 90% of the game means we can have one extra runner on the bench. I'm not sure they'll bring PJ in anyway after only one match at Casey. If we're going to beat Brisbane it'll have to start and finish in the midfield, the extra run will be required.

[Jaded No More 68,867]

I dont think anyone deserves to get dropped this week but it is alot to ask Jamar to go all game against Clark and Leunberger.

Absolutely.

Nobody deserves to get the flick, which is why I didn't consider dropping guys to make room for Rivers.

But as you said, we can't ask Jamar to go alone against two quality rucks, and we are playing with fire by doing so. If he goes down, we are unbelievably screwed.

He needs help and Dunn won't cut it.

Having seen the replay, Dunn tries hard but his decision making at times is laughable. He probably isn't part of our future, but the health of Jamar is.

I can't believe people want to drop Bartram. He has been fantastic in the last 3 weeks, and you can't go into a match without small defenders. Bartram is very good defensively and in no way deserves to be dropped, nor will he be.

[Redleg 40,834]

I dont think anyone deserves to get dropped this week but it is alot to ask Jamar to go all game against Clark and Leunberger.

I agree and to that end I would play Martin and ( don't jump down my throat ) I would rest Trengove. I thought he looked a little tired today and in my opinion we need to look after the younger boys and not over do it. I would not play him at Casey but give him a complete one week rest to freshen after a hard pre season. I would rest Scully later on in the same way. It makes sense this week to have another tall rucking/marking option. The lions have Clark, Leuenberger, and the two big forwards, what do we have?

[red&blue&true 0]

The lions have Clark, Leuenberger, and the two big forwards, what do we have?

Jamar, whos thrashing any ruckmen that come near him, and Bate, Green, Sylvia & Petterd all in form up forward

No reason to change the formula that has the boys up and about

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,115]

why? he went all day against jolly/fraser and against simmonds/vickery? if it wasn't an issue in those games, why this week?

i have no problems bringing in another ruck to help jamar, but at this stage i genuinely don't believe that any of the options are worth bringing in to the 22. spencer doesn't offer enough around the ground to justify a spot, and is still only learning the ruck thing. the brisbane duo would thrash him. And martin is hit and miss up forward and there are no guarantees he will perform much better than dunn in the ruck; nothing he has shown me so far suggests he can/will.

Fraser is not really a ruckman more a follower and Vickery is just a kid. We will not have the luxury of 5 minutes with Dunn in the middle not hurting us against a quality pair in Clark and Leunberger. Playing Jamar on his own was never going to cost the game today. Next week it is a risk I dont think we should take. Martin is not the best ruckmen but he offers flexibility at both ends and should be able to negate for short periods in the middle.

[dreamin' man 0]

Weather forecast: windy with showers. Will that help us?

[Akum 2,660]

I dont think anyone deserves to get dropped this week but it is alot to ask Jamar to go all game against Clark and Leunberger.

Right - it's not a metter of dropping anyone, more a matter of team balance and "horses for courses" against a very different team from the one we just played. Against Brisbane, we need insurance against being ripped apart in any number of ways.

IMO Martin has to come in, for 3 reasons:

(1) To give us a "big Forward" option, should we need it;

(2) To give us another option on Brown, should we need it;

(3) To give Jamar help in the ruck, should he need it.

Now it's entirely possible that our smallish forward line will function sensationally, Brown will get smashed (or injured), and Jamar will slaughter Clark & Leuenberger, and Mrtin will end up warming the pine for most of the afternoon. But I doubt it.

Who goes out? Not sure, but definitely not Bartram, we might need him as insurance against one of their midfielders killing us & pumping it again and again into their forward 50.

But whoever goes out, it's not for performance, it's for team balance.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Akum

[Lost Highway 31]

Dunn is not for the drop, he played quite well today and is presently the only player anywhere near 'tall' for forward duties of any kind, even if intermittent.

Bennell is not for the drop, he has speed, balance and class and newfound guts. Things look good for us when he gets the ball.

The only change should be to bring in a tall - Spencer or Martin. No need to bring in Rivers, and I'm not sure he's right anyway.

I don't think they'll bring in Watts yet, against such a formidable side.

Newton won't get another go.

So, who to drop for a tall? The only ones I'd consider would be Bartram, who admittedly has been OK, Bruce who seemed to get quite a lot of the ball today and will simply be considered too experienced a defender to drop, and Trengove on the excuse of needing a rest. But I like the idea of the young guys playing and I think Trengove has played well most of the time - he was just about our best in round 1 and up to today was superior to Scully, who played really well today. Who ever said he can't kick?

I wouldn't mind betting they'll go with Jamar alone in the ruck one more time, but I'd rather make room for Martin or Spencer. If Sylvia goes down, which would be a joke, the club won't have to agonise.

[e25 5]

I agree and to that end I would play Martin and ( don't jump down my throat ) I would rest Trengove. I thought he looked a little tired today and in my opinion we need to look after the younger boys and not over do it. I would not play him at Casey but give him a complete one week rest to freshen after a hard pre season. I would rest Scully later on in the same way. It makes sense this week to have another tall rucking/marking option. The lions have Clark, Leuenberger, and the two big forwards, what do we have?

I thought the same thing about Scully last week (that he looked tired) and look how he did today.

I'd bring in Martin not necessarily to play forward, but to help Jamar in the ruck and be another option down back if one of our boys struggles with either Fev or Brown.

Personally I'd prefer Chippa to go with Brown.

And who matches up on Brennan? I'd consider even sending Col Garland to run with him, but I'm not sure at all about his fitness.

Maybe Bruce in that case.

I like our mid-sized mobile fwd line for now, it needs minimal tinkering.

Tough decision on who to drop, but considering the mature bodies in the lions midfield I think it needs to be one of the kids.

Trengove or Scully seem the best option to me.

[e25 5]

Actually, Dunn on Brennan.

That works best.

I'd love to have Trengove run with Black and Scully with Power if it works out.

We haven't really pitted them against any bluechip midfields yet.

How is Davey travelling? Was he just out of sorts, or did he look proppy?

[H_T 3,043]

No change.

Beamer case will be thrown out.

[stueyspencer no12 73]

why? he went all day against jolly/fraser and against simmonds/vickery? if it wasn't an issue in those games, why this week?

i have no problems bringing in another ruck to help jamar, but at this stage i genuinely don't believe that any of the options are worth bringing in to the 22. spencer doesn't offer enough around the ground to justify a spot, and is still only learning the ruck thing. the brisbane duo would thrash him. And martin is hit and miss up forward and there are no guarantees he will perform much better than dunn in the ruck; nothing he has shown me so far suggests he can/will.

No he didn't go all day in any of the 3 matches since Spencer dropped out. In the 2 `earlier matches Newton had 7-8 minutes each quarter on the ball. Today Dunn filled in-not too badly but against a decent ruckman he'd be killed. And, hell, what happens if Jamar is injured in the first few minutes? The dominance and drive he's given us could be replicated against us if we don't have any additional ruck power. I say Martin should play--only question is who goes out.

[Rogue 585]

I'd have Frawley on Fev BRFE, don't think Warnock would have the pace.

Agreed.

As for bringing in a second ruck, Martin > PJ.

PJ isn't good enough as first ruck, and doesn't have a second string to his bow.

[kieranbj 111]

Bruce to Brennan for mine.

Massive job for the boys down back. Warnock to Fev and Frawley to run with Brown. But it won't matter who is on them if our midfield does not continue to put the opposition under immense pressure as the move the ball forward.

Big test.

Edited April 18, 2010 by kieranbj

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

Bruce to Brennan for mine.

Massive job for the boys down back. Warnock to Fev and Frawley to run with Brown. But it won't matter who is on them if our midfield does not continue to put the opposition under immense pressure as the move the ball forward.

Big test.

Spot on. If the mids can slow the delivery down we have a chance if not we will get blown out of the water. Next week will give us a very real idea of where we are and how the plan is working.

[Adelaide Demon 0]

Yeah Brennan is a big threat that most people haven't really mentioned. The bloke has freakish abilities and can turn it on and rip a game apart in an instant. Not sure who we should play on him.

I don't understand the people calling for Grimes to play on Johnstone. Johnstone played behind the ball and around the back flanks/wings from most of what I saw on Saturday night. Grimes plays across half-back for us. I would take Grimes out of defence to play him on Johnstone just to prove the point that we got the better end of that trade. Everyone knows that the TJ trade has turned out superbly for us, we don't need to prove that to anyone. When Grimes gets All-Australian next year or in 2012, that'll be enough.

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

I don't understand the people calling for Grimes to play on Johnstone.

To me it just seems like a silly "up yours" gesture. I would assume the coaches have no such axe to grind.

[Goodvibes 3,596]

No change.

Beamer case will be thrown out.

Not so sure. Chipped tooth has me worried.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Goodvibes

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Warnock on Brown.

Frawley on Fev.

Bruce on Brennan.

Hope we win the midfield battle.

[Guest Balls_Grinter_14]

Weather forecast: windy with showers. Will that help us?

Not sure it will 'help us'. But in any event it will be somewhat of a disdvantage to their Forwards. Fev and Brown hopefully will have to contend with a wel, slippery pill. Hard to mark overhead. We on the other hand will have smallish forwards swooping the crumbs and kicking goals.,haha..Dreamin'

I heard SEN talk last week and all the panel agreeed that J Brown is as good a wet weather footballer as they have see. eeeek!!!