In: Warnock, Bate (if fit)

Out: Rivers, Wonaeamirri (if Bate's fit).

Whilst Wonaeamirri will be better for the run, and is an important player, if Bate's fit he comes back and I can't really think of any other player to drop without upsetting team balance.

Garland was good, the calls for him to be dropped are off the mark. Bartram is getting better believe it or not, and he plays a role every week. Jones was terrible when he had or went near the ball but did his job shutting Pearce out and will get Bartel or Ablett or Chapman or someone good again this week.

Rivers has no match up and we need Warnock back.

IN: Bate, Bruce, Strauss, Warnock

OUT: Bartram, MacDonald, Rivers, Jetta (very, very stiff, would keep him in if Moloney is rubbed out)

Anyone on our list can replace Morton. He just does not have enough impact on games, it is a wonder how everyone thinks he is great.

Two contenders for worst post of the year.

Dropping Jetta is ludicrous. He was top 5. Bringing Strauss in is similarly unfounded.

And Green Machine obviously has it in for Morton but clearly has no idea about football.

I believe Morton will be better for the run. Skills were a bit off this week in the greasy condition but for first up he did extremely well. He has that great skill of running to the play or one step ahead to be a new target. I reckon he is a must for every game he is fit. He is just as important as the usual list of young guns, s..t..w...g...f.. + m....

What the hell?! Jetta was arguably BOG last night and you're dropping him for Strauss???? Why?? Because he was a higher draft pick???

I see your concern but I'm not actually dropping Jetta for Strauss but Bartram for Strauss to play as the small back pocket, draft pick order has nothing to do with it. If anything I'm actually dropping Jetta for Bate.

I'm looking at team structure. Could of dropped Wonna instead of Jetta I guess but just can't see the FD doing that.

Select for their forward line:

Mooney - Frawley

Pods - Warnock

These two could even switch roles.

Hawkins - MacDonald

Johnson - Bruce?

Varcoe - Bartram/Garland

Stokes - Bartram/Garland

Leaves Rivers to play free.

Podsiadly - Warnock

Mooney - Frawley

Johnson - Garland

Varcoe - Strauss

Stokes - Grimes/Morton depending on who of Chapman or Hawkins is forward or in midfield

Hawkins - Morton when playing forward

Chapman - Grimes when playing forward

Some changes will come down to how players recover. Be prepared for reports on how many kg's some players shed tonight...it's bound to happen.

For now I'll say just two changes: -

OUTS: Wonaeamirri (underdone, came off quite a bit). See how the defenders pull up. MacDonald ?

INS: Bate or Dunn (depending upon availability of Bate), Warnock.

That is all for now at this stage until we hear more. I thought the team played really well. Couldn't believe how much of the ball Port had in the last quarter. Frustrating. Good on the boys to win after being headed. Good win under the circumstances and a entertaining game.

I'd imagine Bruce might be close. If it's hammy trouble and if he is touch & go, I'd be inclined to rule him out early in the week, err on the side of caution.

I like the look of Bennell and Jetta up forward providing pace and spreading well the opposition's defence. If we are to trouble Geelong, we need to continue to do this and spread their defence.

edit: Another change. If Bruce is fit and ready to go, maybe a change for Rivers. I think he might suit Stevie J.

In addition to my post from page 1: -

B: Garland Warnock Bartram

HB: Grimes Frawley Bruce

C: Trengove Moloney Scully

HF: Sylvia Watts Davey

F: Bennell Miller Green

Foll: Jamar McDonald Jones

Int: Jetta Morton McKenzie Bate

Emerg: Rivers, Gysberts, Wonaeamirri

INS: Bruce*, Bate** (both if fit & available), Warnock

OUTS: Wonaeamirri, Rivers, MacDonald.

**If not Bate, then Dunn.

*If Bruce not right, Rivers IN.

edit: If Moloney is suspended for a week, emergency Gysberts to come in.

I see your concern but I'm not actually dropping Jetta for Strauss but Bartram for Strauss to play as the small back pocket, draft pick order has nothing to do with it. If anything I'm actually dropping Jetta for Bate.

I'm looking at team structure. Could of dropped Wonna instead of Jetta I guess but just can't see the FD doing that.

You can't see the FD dropping an unfit bloke who just went ok for a guy who was near best on ground. They must drop Wona this week. We played him because he knew the conditions in Darwin and attracted a vocal crowd that helped boost the team, but this week at Geelong besides changes to defenders (for example Warnock for Rivers) he'll be the first out of the side. He needs more time in the VFL.

Who will tag G.ABLETT?

Who will tag or play head to head with J.Bartel

Who will tag or play head to head with J.Selwood

Who will tag P.Chapman?

Ud expect jones to run with one

potentially bartrram may be a run with player

and then theres Mcdonald and McKenzie who love there tackles so may put up their hands

It's an interesting point this, because I mentioned in a thread last week that Moloney and Jones by no means are safe on our list over the next few years and one will probably become a reserve for the other. Jones showed the other night (by holding Pearce to few touches) that he has at least two strings to his bow. Moloney has to show us now, because atm, he's one of our most one dimensional.

I'd agree and expect Jones to tag again next week, just as Bartram and probably McKenzie will.

Edited May 23, 201015 yr by AdamFarr

I think the emphasis should not be on what changes need to be made, but who is ready and capable of covering for players with "General Soreness".

In all likelihood I beleive Cheney, Gysberts, Dunn, Bate, Warnock and Bruce are ready. Bail also deserves his chance based on early season AFL form.

That's up to 7 players who can step into the side without it loosing anything / and possibly gaining.

Up to one third of the side would then be fresh, despite the taxing conditions of Saturday night. This will have the flow on effec of freshening up the entire side.

I believe both Wonna and Morton were not match fit, but like Bate earlier in the season the best way to get match fit is by playing matches (AFL). Still places should be earnt and Wonna presently is behind both Bennel and Jetta as our small forwards.

Edited May 24, 201015 yr by Ungarie boy

IN- BATE, WARNOCK

OUT- MCKENZIE, GARLAND

This will be a week when "general soreness" might be cited a bit. As much as we like to talk about changes the day after the match, what happens will depend on how players recover during the week. Speculation is fairly useless.

You'd think Bate, Warnock and Bruce would have to come back in if fit. Gysberts and Maric are chances if some other players don't pull up well.

Who will tag G.ABLETT?

Who will tag or play head to head with J.Bartel

Who will tag or play head to head with J.Selwood

Who will tag P.Chapman?

Ud expect jones to run with one

potentially bartrram may be a run with player

and then theres Mcdonald and McKenzie who love there tackles so may put up their hands

i dont think we will tag their whole midfield and agree that head to head will be the best option with bartel and selwood.

i think that probably see bartram have a crack on ablett or even mckenzie, with jones lining up a head to head with chapman mainly due to body size.

then hopefully let our midfield take the one on one match ups, if we go into the match trying to control the damage of their midfield as opposed to try and run their midfield around we will get smashed. we need to back our midfielders into hopefully do a good enough job to compete against geelongs midfield.

i also think that we will attempt to have as many stoppages as possible as jamar can dominate blake in the ruck and id even back jake spencer (not that he will be played) to beat tom hawkins in the ruck.

ohh and wona although i love him should be dropped, clearly was not match fit and at times didnt even try to chase their defenders when running out of the backline, this leaves the spot for bate if fit, if not maybe maric will get a game, or dunn again, as dunn can even be used as a tagger if necessary.

Edited May 24, 201015 yr by Mad_Melbourne

Who will tag G.ABLETT?

Who will tag or play head to head with J.Bartel

Who will tag or play head to head with J.Selwood

Who will tag P.Chapman?

Ud expect jones to run with one

potentially bartrram may be a run with player

and then theres Mcdonald and McKenzie who love there tackles so may put up their hands

I have a sneaking suspicion that Junior will take him. He's been doing that quite a bit this year. It seems like he (or the coaching staff) has decided that as the senior player he should take the responsibility for controlling the best of the opposition mids. He's done some pretty good jobs on some good players this year while still getting plenty of the ball and sitting second on the tackle ladder.

As for the rest, I don't think tagging is what we'll see. If we tag everyone then we don't do anything ourselves.

Jetta could be a good match for Chapman as he can defend and still really hurt them in attack.

I'd have Scully on Selwood. He says that's the kind of player he wants to be, so let him get in there and see it firsthand.

Bartel could be an interesting one. From the matchups I've already got he's left with one of Jones, Moloney or Trengove. None of them have outstanding records defensively, so he could wind up being damaging. We would have to hope to have his man do as much damage going the other way.

This of course is the real problem with Geelong. They don't have any real weak links. You can shut down one or two of their good players, but there are a bunch more who will be freed up because nobody has the depth and evenness that they display. About the only area where we should have a real edge is the ruck. Even that may not be a great advantage given the midfield strength surrounding the contest.

IN - Warnock, Dunn, Maric, Gysberts, Spencer or Johnson, Bate & Bruce if available.

OUT - Whoever needs a rest. I suggest Jamar, Wonna, Garland, Bartram as possibles.

I hate to say this but for us to win against Geelong would be a Miracle

Im not saying Miracles dont happen but.........

That being the case I believe every player that needs a chance to

1./ Get some match fitness should play

2./ To improve on current Match fitness should play

3./ Rest, should get that full chance to recover from it.

Honestly players were spent from the Darwin game

4./ The only other thing we need to do in this game is be competitive if we can, for at least 3 of the 4 quarters, that

would be a acceptable result after the Darwin game.

If the match committee decides to go this way I would have no problems with it

However they are the ones on the scene, and they know how the players pulled up

So regardless of what we say its up to them and I dont think they really listen to what we post here anyway.

If they did Miller certainly shouldnt have played against port at least according to some.

Speculation is fairly useless.

Yeah, I agree..

You'd think Bate, Warnock and Bruce would have to come back in if fit. Gysberts and Maric are chances if some other players don't pull up well.

Out: Bartram, Garland, Aussie.

In: Warnock, Bate, Hughes.

Add to those changes: Moloney

Brent Moloney, Melbourne, has been charged with a Level Two bumping or making forceful contact from front-on offence against Tom Logan, Port Adelaide, during the fourth quarter of the Round Nine match between Melbourne and Port Adelaide, played at TIO Stadium on Saturday May 22, 2010.

In summary, his five-year good record means he can accept a one-match sanction with an early plea.

The incident was assessed as reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point) and high contact (two point). This is a total of five activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level Two offence, drawing 250 demerit points and a two-match sanction. He has an existing five-year good record, reducing the sanction by 25 per cent to 187.50 points and a one-match sanction. An early plea reduces the sanction by 25 per cent to 140.63 points and a one-match sanction.

The MRP are an absolute joke. Sylvia didn't "stage" like L(B)ogan and had his jaw broken yet no report laid.

In: Bate, Bruce, Warnock, (Gysberts)

Out: Wonaemirri, Rivers, Moloney, (McKenzie)

In: Bate, Bruce, Warnock

Out: Wonaemirri, Rivers, Moloney

This is a pretty realistic possibility excluding the unknown of how players recover from Sat night.

In: Warnock, Bruce, Bate (if fit)

Out: Maloney, Wonna, Jetta

Maybe i'm mad but I would love to see Scully play on Ablett on Saturday. He may get destroyed, but how much of a win would it be if he could run with G.A all day and come out alright. Would be a huge win for him and the club. He surely has got the tank.

Any thoughts??

Hears a thought out of left field.

Lets wear a loss this week, and rest, the kids that have had such a heavy work load. And bring in a few fringe players to give them a chance to show something. Lets manage the players and be ready to give Carlton and Collingwood a real show the following two weeks.

Hears a thought out of left field.

Lets wear a loss this week, and rest, the kids that have had such a heavy work load. And bring in a few fringe players to give them a chance to show something. Lets manage the players and be ready to give Carlton and Collingwood a real show the following two weeks.

I really hate these sugestions about resting players and not having a chance against the Cats.

How about we try and win!

I would love too see bail come back in (if he's not injured)

in: Bruce (if fit), bate (if fit), bail (if fit), Martin (only to play back)

out: wonna (needs fitness, and a few ahead at this stage), Joel mac (Martin too fill his spot), who ever else pulled up sore or needing a rest

I really hate these sugestions about resting players and not having a chance against the Cats.

How about we try and win!

Id love to beat the cats too, however two hard games could flatten us for the following couple of weeks. You need to be realistic, the cats at the cattery is near impossible but Coll at the G wow how good will that be. That game is our Grand final. It will be in front of 70-80 thousand and on TV. Lets not cut off our nose to spite our face.

In: Warnock, Bruce, Bate (if fit)

Out: Moloney, Wonna, Jetta

Maybe i'm mad

Yes, you are quite mad. Again, Jetta was near enough BOG. Not getting dropped.