Welfare or potential finals?

[jumbo returns 6,741]

I've been thinking about next week.

Do we rest the young bodies (ala the FD's decision on Scully and Trengove V Geelong) or go for it?

Hawthorn are a tough, physical side that go out of their way to injure and maim every time they lay a tackle or they're involved in a marking contest.

Does it make sense to bring in hard, toughened bodies like Warnock, Miller, Moloney (walk up start, anyway) and Bate to take on the bigger Hawks? Rest Bennell, Watts Trengove and Scully? Should we look at the long term future rather than 3 weeks ahead?

Thoughts?

Edited August 8, 2010 by jumbo returns

[Jaded No More 68,965]

Nobody is getting rested unless they are sore, finals or no finals.

Scully doesn't seem bothered one little bit by the workload, and Watts has also gotten better the longer the season has gone on. Trengove just had 2 weeks off.

If we don't let these kids feel the heat and pressure of finals-like matches now, when will we?

Bate has done nothing in the VFL to suggest he deserves a call up to the seniors. Warnock is criminally hard-done-by because our defensive unit is killing everything in its sight, and Miller is just plain unlucky that he is kicking 10 goals for Casey when our forwardline has finally started to function.

Nothing beats winning form. We've won 4 in 5 weeks, and we're starting to develop a settled line-up. Why the hell would you mess with that? And what sort of message are you sending these players, if you're unwilling to expose them to the tough tasks? They can all handle it, and if they can't, they should rethink their career choice.

[Friday 71]

lol @ big bad hawthorn

harden up will ya, it's football.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

True - so what message were the football department sending to all the players when they decided to rest picks 1 and 2 against the Cats? This club, under DB has always been about the bigger picture - saying that, it makes sense to pick a bigger team against Hawthorn, if you go by the precedent that has already been set.

[e25 5]

I think first year kids and otherwise will all be lining up to get a crack at the Hawks after what they did to us in round 1.

Don't underestimate the pride our boys have in themselves.

[Friday 71]

Believe everything the club tells you. Like Jones being dropped on Thursday.

Teams drop players to get over any injuries that are stopping them performing at 100%.

It didn't matter that it was Geelong that round. Look at our form going into that game. We had 3 losses in a row then went to darwin in 4000% humidity in a 37deg night game where players were drinking their body weight in water to get through.

Hawthorn aren't any rougher than any other team. I reckon they're softer. Apart from that spell of wins, they aren't much chop.

Best chance we have to beat them is this week. They looked slow and poor against sydney!

If we run and spread and play great footy like we did in the last quarter today, we'll SMASH them

[jayceebee31 761]

Believe everything the club tells you. Like Jones being dropped on Thursday.

Teams drop players to get over any injuries that are stopping them performing at 100%.

It didn't matter that it was Geelong that round. Look at our form going into that game. We had 3 losses in a row then went to darwin in 4000% humidity in a 37deg night game where players were drinking their body weight in water to get through.

Hawthorn aren't any rougher than any other team. I reckon they're softer. Apart from that spell of wins, they aren't much chop.

Best chance we have to beat them is this week. They looked slow and poor against sydney!

If we run and spread and play great footy like we did in the last quarter today, we'll SMASH them

Trengove maybe lucky to hold his place.

[two sheds jackson 3]

True - so what message were the football department sending to all the players when they decided to rest picks 1 and 2 against the Cats?

This happened because the Geelong game took place 6 days after the Darwin game; an intense, physically draining ordeal that we barely managed to get through. According to some reports, Watts and Trengove blacked out and could not remember parts of the final quarter; that's how grueling it was. The footy department decided it would be irresponsible to play Scully and Trengove after that, particularly in a game that we had absolutely no chance of winning. We didn't rest them to protect them from Geelong's big-bodied players.

[beelzebub 23,380]

Trengove maybe lucky to hold his place.

??

He just came back.. whilst not setting the world alight played ok. Will play much beter next week for this weeks run.

His poise and decisions will be ably utilised against the Hawks

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Trengove maybe lucky to hold his place.

I seriously doubt that. Our biggest game for years and we are going to drop a player who will be one of the cornerstones of our next 10 years.

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 389]

I've been thinking about next week.

Do we rest the young bodies (ala the FD's decision on Scully and Trengove V Geelong) or go for it?

Hawthorn are a tough, physical side that go out of their way to injure and maim every time they lay a tackle or they're involved in a marking contest.

Does it make sense to bring in hard, toughened bodies like Warnock, Miller, Moloney (walk up start, anyway) and Bate to take on the bigger Hawks? Rest Bennell, Watts Trengove and Scully? Should we look at the long term future rather than 3 weeks ahead?

Thoughts?

Tapscott to debut! He's big enough to take 'em on, and I hear he can play some good footy too...

[John Crow Batty 8,871]

I think given the importance of the game, Melbourne should field their best team possible. They are not playing for draft picks anymore but for a finals crack. If they lose they can rest half the side because it wont matter any more for the rest of the season.

Edited August 8, 2010 by america de cali

[harry 1]

lol @ big bad hawthorn

harden up will ya, it's football.

Agree 100%.

[Rogue 585]

There are only a few weeks left. I'm not sure we need to rest too many guys at this stage.

[monoccular 17,432]

True - so what message were the football department sending to all the players when they decided to rest picks 1 and 2 against the Cats? This club, under DB has always been about the bigger picture - saying that, it makes sense to pick a bigger team against Hawthorn, if you go by the precedent that has already been set.

I would have thought that the main thought in "resting" Trengove vs Cats was the fact that they were absolutely physically drained and exhausted after the visit to the tropics the weekend before, and not the fact that they were playing against a terrific midfield.

To withdraw them vs Hawks would be just plain molly coddling not due to exhaustion but due to intimidation. After all, they played vs Hawks round 1 - sure they were "beaten up" mainly mentally, but they survived and hopefully have learned from the experience.

Had they been physically up to it I am sure they would have played vs Geelong to learn from it.

[Real Demon 232]

Watching the ferocity, and attack on the ball we had against the Swans, Lions, and Tiges, the Hawks should be the ones resting players!

The great thing about the team at the minute is that every player is putting their body on the line when it's their turn to go.

Bring on the Hawks.........our kids have shown how tough they are against the top teams all year..........forget resting them!

There's going to be pay back this week for round 1!

As Bails said about the trident on the new emblem:

“The symbolism of the trident is actually quite a powerful one too – even an aggressive one, because we’re an aggressive footy club, playing in an aggressive football competition.

“’Checker’ Hughes coached us from 1933 and through the war years and he took on a side that was struggling. ’Checker’ Hughes turned us into Demons and went on to show the other clubs what a team of Demons could do.”

Come on Dees, smash the Hawks!

[Adzman 2,154]

The Dees have forged themselves as one of the harder tackling teams in the comp. Not only that, but they are now one of the quickest teams in the comp.

We play our best side, and put ourselves to the test against a Hawthorn side that could have been top 5 this season.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

I brought this topic up and there's been some excellent debate.

In some ways I've underestimated the passion these boys now have for this club - reminds me of the Northey years when it was 'us' against 'them'

Can't wait for this week!!

Edited August 10, 2010 by jumbo returns

[DemonWA 3,936]

they have the whole off season to rest! They get payed to play!

[jumbo returns 6,741]

they have the whole off season to rest! They get payed to play!

I think there's more involved here than just the coin.....

[jnrmac 20,104]

The whole game is about turnovers, I50's and stoppages. Minimise turnovers increase our I50s and win the stoppages and we have won the game. Simple really.

Against the Toiges we didn't win the I50s but made them pay for their turnovers, had minimal ones ourselves and won the stoppages. Our I50s were extremely efficient which is a credit to our fwd line. We cannot afford to do the same against the DOrks. We need to be tighter and cleaner.

Must shut down Mitchell, Hodge, Bateman and Lewis. Their backline isn't much chop so a draw in the midfield will see us in with a good shot. A win in the centre will see us go a long way to winning the game.