COAST TO COAST

[Demon_spurs 1,916]

Its a shame Casey had a bye last week too, no chance for fringe players to impress, IMO Dunn for the sub, so far its been a forward/mid for the sub

[Freak 100]

How can anyone justify Watts being in the team before Ricky Petterd? Bizarre.

Petterd is clearly double the player at this stage and has shown he can take a better contested mark etc. There is no logical decision to have Watts in the team before Petterd other than of course for player development reasons.

[Choko 493]

Its a shame Casey had a bye last week too, no chance for fringe players to impress, IMO Dunn for the sub, so far its been a forward/mid for the sub

Surely Dunn should have made way for Petterd. Who are we kidding with Maric?

I have to say, on the other side of the coin, WCE's backline is very unimpressive, as is their centreline. Kerr is also not the player he was. We should really win this.

[PaulRB 6,432]

The big Russian said it in his interview on the MFC site today, "as a young bloke you get gifted a couple of games but when you get older you have to earn them".

JW is just around the corner from his coming out game, here's hoping it is this week. Perhaps Ricky is too similar to LJ to be a walk up at the moment..?

Go Dees.

[daisycutter 29,892]

I'd guess Bennell to sub.

Assuming they don't do a late change. its gotta be Dunn or Bennell

[Jaded No More 68,975]

How can anyone justify Watts being in the team before Ricky Petterd? Bizarre.

Petterd is clearly double the player at this stage and has shown he can take a better contested mark etc. There is no logical decision to have Watts in the team before Petterd other than of course for player development reasons.

I might be slightly high on lots of drugs (of the pain killer variety!), but even in this state I can understand why Petterd and Watts have nothing to do with each others' place in the side. They are not competing for the same position. Petterd is a third tall, he is not a CHF. If anything, Watts' competition is Bate, possibly Newton (yes that made me lol!).

If you want Petterd in the team, you need to drop Dunn. He has been in average form, and only his defensive game is saving him for now. I'd suggest that another ordinary game from him and Petterd will be back in the team.

[PaulRB 6,432]

I think Dunn adds a heavy body in the forward line to help clear a path (for Liam) and apply defensive pressure.

Bennell has burst speed which will be useful in the final Quarter at Subi...

[titan_uranus 25,174]

Well, I'm flabbergasted. Serious groin injury in Round 1, and only 4.5 weeks later he's back. Hopefully he's not actually at full fitness.

Won't be Martin as the sub, and I doubt they'll put Morton back in there again. So I think it will be Dunn or Bennell, which makes sense as they were two of our worse players against the Gold Coast. I'm still a bit surprised Dunn's held his spot over Petterd. Last chance saloon I guess.

[Choko 493]

I think Dunn adds a heavy body in the forward line to help clear a path (for Liam) and apply defensive pressure. Bennell has burst speed which will be useful in the final Quarter at Subi...

I would add a heavy body to the forward line too. If the best he can do is provide a decoy, I would take Petterd first any time.

[Striker475 696]

Well, I'm flabbergasted. Serious groin injury in Round 1, and only 4.5 weeks later he's back. Hopefully he's not actually at full fitness.

Doubt it. They were saying a 6 week absolute minimum on that one initially, possibly up to 10 weeks. He's back in five, which means he's definitely been rushed.

[The Great One 99 125]

I think that Watts may play well on the bigger ground. He likes to get around the ground abit and use his tank to rack up a few numbers. If he can do this, and then drift forward again regularly, he may just be in for a big game.

I will stick my neck out and predict he will kick at least 3 goals and 20 odd touches.

[Robbie57 2,026]

Is he going to be the sub?

[daisycutter 29,892]

Warnock must be feeling frustrated.....

• 5 times emergency
  
• long, long time since he had a game
  
• some top games for the Scorps
  
• couldn't get a game when Frawley was out
  

[The Great One 99 125]

Is he going to be the sub?

Dont think so. But if he is, then i will say goodbye to my neck.

[Demon_spurs 1,916]

Can they name a player in the starting line up and then make him the sub before the game? Or does the sub have to come from one of the interchange?

[Robbie57 2,026]

Dont think so. But if he is, then i will say goodbye to my neck.

Sorry you snuck in between posts, I mean Le Cras.

I am hoping your neck is safe.

[loges 6,767]

I would add a heavy body to the forward line too. If the best he can do is provide a decoy, I would take Petterd first any time.

Petterd full forward (see last years early games). LeCras no certainty to play surely?

[old55 23,833]

Crucial game for the Dees this one. absolutely has to be one where we must draw a line in the sand.

Do we need to take our own sand? Are you sure it's OK to take that on board the plane? Or can we draw the line back here?

[PaulRB 6,432]

Petterd was best when Liam was not playing, and with Liam, Green and Jamar as FF options Ricky's lack of defensive pressure at times seems to be keeping him out.

[Striker475 696]

Do we need to take our own sand? Are you sure it's OK to take that on board the plane? Or can we draw the line back here?

Park the plane halfway across the Nullabor, draw it there.

[Felix 92]

Petterd full forward (see last years early games). LeCras no certainty to play surely?

he is in the 18.. LeCras that is.

[Al`s DEMONS 0]

I don't see why playing Watts as a sub was a mistake. Dean Bailey explained it as picking the team for the occasion and that Watts was the player best placed to be the substitute. My view was that the team for the Gold Coast game was similar in forward structure to Carlton's which beat the Suns on the same ground a fortnight earlier.

In respect to any given game being important to win, I accept that we're still in that part of our development where the future is part of the bigger picture we need to strive for but we can't be accepting of performances like Q3 v Hawthorn and a win v last year's premiers should be part of our expectations if for nothing else than to show they've moved ahead from last year.

we need a tall forward, if its watts ,then play him. you dont pick your forwards to your opponents backs, its the other way round.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

I might be slightly high on lots of drugs (of the pain killer variety!), but even in this state I can understand why Petterd and Watts have nothing to do with each others' place in the side. They are not competing for the same position. Petterd is a third tall, he is not a CHF. If anything, Watts' competition is Bate, possibly Newton (yes that made me lol!).

If you want Petterd in the team, you need to drop Dunn. He has been in average form, and only his defensive game is saving him for now. I'd suggest that another ordinary game from him and Petterd will be back in the team.

agree with the bold, but i keep that with dunn too, dunn is a different player to petterd aswell, who is much smaller than dunn

Dunn and Watts: competition from Bate, Newton, Cook, Howe

petterd is more a small forward and competes more with wonna, bennell, jurrah, green, and maric and jetta out of the team.

[Al`s DEMONS 0]

Crucial game for the Dees this one. absolutely has to be one where we must draw a line in the sand.

We have been pathetic interstate and are playing a team coming off a spoon with a bit of form. We need to bury them.

I will be disappointed if we do our usual trick of chasing them after getting jumped early, show some typical flashes of good play, coast to coast stuff, but end up letting too many goals through playing our attacking game where the midfielders do not defend properly.

Blokes like Davey, Sylvia, Moloney, Green etc are good enough to hurt this team but when will they stand up and play well when it's a bit tougher without a home crowd?

I am bracing myself for a game where we play decent football in patches, but don't have what it takes to beat what is an ordinary side with an average midfield interstate.

10 losses in a row over there. when will it stop ? we started developing players in 2007 with a longer term view. We should be winning these games by now.

good post. hit them hard early. as yes davey, someone might tag you, so what, your all class , beat it

[Samsara 65]

LeCras would have to be half done at best. If he does actually play (still not convinced), he won't pose to much threat.