I honestly think this weekend is the worst one that we'll have to deal with because of the Martin issue, plus who we're up against.

North: Goldstein & Petrie vs....Gawn & Juice?

StK: McEvoy & Kosi vs Gawn/Martin & Juice

Dons: Bellchambers? Ryder & Hille vs Martin & Campbell/Juice

Carlton: Warnock & Kreuz vs Martin & Campbell/Juice

That's the next 4 weeks. Honestly, of those ruck teams, the North one strikes me as the biggest and baddest, followed by Warnock & Kreuzer.

Good post, i was thinking of posting the exact same thing but got lazy. If we can get through the next couple with Gawn/Martin, Campbell should be ready by the Bombers game and will give us a huge boost.

I'm still struggling to see how this is a better answer to having a fully fit, fully big Gawn in the side, rucking for the majority of the game.

You didn't see my other posts re selection..

If Martin is out, I'm suggesting playing the 3 of Martin/ Newton/ Campbell,,, or Newton/ Campbell/ Gawn.

Trying to maintain the most experienced and fittest combination to suit this week at the dome. If it was at the 'G' with wider wings and more running the lines, we may want to have an extra running player.

IMO, we need to maintain what we've just begun this past week of injecting maturity and experience into the lineup to try to build up some winning momentum, especially prior to the next months games. I'd rarther go in too big @ Edieshat, than too 'nice'. Lets keep the 'attitude' going before its snuffed out.

This is my attitude to these big tests before us. I love these sort of challenges, backs to the wall stuff. It makes it easy to know the right way out of this sort of strife: survival, come out swinging. so to speak. Go Dees!

I would love to see Gawn out there. 208 cm and 104kg can and should be used as an asset. Throw him in the deep end see wwhat happens. Many players have looked average in VFL only to blossom in the ones.

Edited May 11, 201114 yr by Jack_Watts

Even if Martin is fit and selected I think Juice gets a guernsey also as a backup.

If Martin can't go, Campbell or Gawn must accompany Juice at the selection table.

Juice/Dunn combination is asking for trouble.

I don't understand why so many posters consider Stef Martin to be a walk up start - poor skills under pressure, low conversion rate when he gets his opportunities, lacks footy 'smarts' (obviously not ATAR score smarts, though!)

He's a big guy with great presence that plays timid. I don't think he's done enough to get a recall.

Try someone else - remember, we're building towards an assault on the big one in 2013..........

I don't understand why so many posters consider Stef Martin to be a walk up start - poor skills under pressure, low conversion rate when he gets his opportunities, lacks footy 'smarts' (obviously not ATAR score smarts, though!)

He's a big guy with great presence that plays timid. I don't think he's done enough to get a recall.

Try someone else - remember, we're building towards an assault on the big one in 2013..........

I don't think he's a walk-up start, but there are three guys who can ruck for us this weekend, I think we need two, and he's one of them.

I'd go for Campbell... He knows his way round a footy field. With Juice as a backup...

And put some thought into just assuming the ruck will be terrible, and food the team with our best mids to run them off their feet.

The one good thing about this is that we're entirely unpredictable. Jamar is our first player picked, but he's been doing it alone for 2 years now... This could be a shakeup the Roos don't see coming.

I'd go for Campbell... He knows his way round a footy field. With Juice as a backup...

He's played half a game in the magoos' magoos. You'd choose him?

I'd go for Campbell... He knows his way round a footy field. With Juice as a backup...

Do you not consider Campbell's considerable lack of match fitness as an issue? And are you absolutely confident his body is actually capable of playing a full game of footy at the top level? Bearing in mind the Hawks didn't believe it was and we haven't in any way tested the waters yet in so far as playing out whole games of footy - at ANY level.

It would be like starting your 1974 Toyota Corona - which you haven't started since 1996 - to drive to Broome in. After all, that car was crackingly reliable in its day.

Do you not consider Campbell's considerable lack of match fitness as an issue? And are you absolutely confident his body is actually capable of playing a full game of footy at the top level? Bearing in mind the Hawks didn't believe it was and we haven't in any way tested the waters yet in so far as playing out whole games of footy - at ANY level.

It would like starting your 1974 Toyota Corona which you haven't started since 1996 to drive to Broome in. After all, that car was crackingly reliable in its day.

Exactly. Much as I'd like to see Campbell out on the park, he is at least a few weeks off being ready

When are early team sheets released?

No matter the outcome of who plays ruck, we are DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMED!!!

When are early team sheets released?

They go on AFL website at 5pm tomorrow.

For those suggesting we play Juice as backup ruck, are you prepared to drop Bate for him, because there is no chance we're playing Dunn, Bate and Juice in the same side, no matter how horrendous our current ruck stocks look.

I don't understand why so many posters consider Stef Martin to be a walk up start - poor skills under pressure, low conversion rate when he gets his opportunities, lacks footy 'smarts' (obviously not ATAR score smarts, though!)

He's a big guy with great presence that plays timid. I don't think he's done enough to get a recall.

Try someone else - remember, we're building towards an assault on the big one in 2013..........

That's rubbish! If he's fit he must play.Has been playing so much better this year until W.C. That's why so many of us were stunned he was dropped.

And in response to a later post--yes Bate should be dropped for Newton. We need as many chaps as possible to do a bit of ruck work. I recall Newton was a cause of Collingwood's loss of confidence in Josh Fraser last year--in R2 Newton beat Fraser quite frequently in the centre of the ground [to everyone's amazement]

I don't understand why so many posters consider Stef Martin to be a walk up start - poor skills under pressure, low conversion rate when he gets his opportunities, lacks footy 'smarts' (obviously not ATAR score smarts, though!)

He's a big guy with great presence that plays timid. I don't think he's done enough to get a recall.

Try someone else - remember, we're building towards an assault on the big one in 2013..........

Possibly spot on here Jumbo. However, you think it's worth testing this and asking him to step up this week? (provided he isn't carrying a severe injury of course)

When else is an appropriate time if not now? At least we'll have a better idea after this weekend whether he has the smarts or whether he needs further development in the Magoos.

Maybe even the next 3 - 4 weeks as a baptism of fire, subject to weekly review/match up requirements and form of other alternatives in the Magoos.

I'm not convinced that Martin is THE back up yet either. Just putting this forward and interested in your's (others') views.

I don't understand why so many posters consider Stef Martin to be a walk up start - poor skills under pressure, low conversion rate when he gets his opportunities, lacks footy 'smarts' (obviously not ATAR score smarts, though!)

He's a big guy with great presence that plays timid. I don't think he's done enough to get a recall.

Try someone else - remember, we're building towards an assault on the big one in 2013..........

Utter garbage! He had been a revelation this year until West Coast, and he was dropped for balance as much as form against Adelaide.

Possibly spot on here Jumbo. However, you think it's worth testing this and asking him to step up this week? (provided he isn't carrying a severe injury of course)

When else is an appropriate time if not now? At least we'll have a better idea after this weekend whether he has the smarts or whether he needs further development in the Magoos.

Maybe even the next 3 - 4 weeks as a baptism of fire, subject to weekly review/match up requirements and form of other alternatives in the Magoos.

I'm not convinced that Martin is THE back up yet either. Just putting this forward and interested in your's (others') views.

RN, I'll respond to your post as I ignore those who are rude and have no substance to their post.

Granted, the big fella might need more development time (like Jamar I suppose) but there's been no....presence. He hasn't shown in any of his games that he is capable of being intimidatory with his skills or his work rate.

The club will probably play him because they're desperate, but I'm not a fan.

RN, I'll respond to your post as I ignore those who are rude and have no substance to their post.

Granted, the big fella might need more development time (like Jamar I suppose) but there's been no....presence. He hasn't shown in any of his games that he is capable of being intimidatory with his skills or his work rate.

The club will probably play him because they're desperate, but I'm not a fan.

Fair enough Jumbo.

I think we're both seeing him at this point as a "work in progress". Opinions divided as to where he's at.

I'm willing to give him a good go in seniors while Jamar's out to see what he's got for us.

I've been pleased with this year compared to last (yep, Wet Coke game excluded, but hey....the list there would be as long as your arm!). Appears to be putting in the hard yards off the field. Lets hope he can keep on improving from here for the team's sake.

People will still read your stuff even if it isn't bolded.

And if you ever have a point you want to make - you can make it stand out by bolding it.

agree its bloody annoyn

agree its bloody annoyn

People will still read your stuff even if it has correct spelling and grammar.

And if you ever have a point you want to make - you can make it stand out by allowing posters to understand what you are talking about.

Do you not consider Campbell's considerable lack of match fitness as an issue? And are you absolutely confident his body is actually capable of playing a full game of footy at the top level? Bearing in mind the Hawks didn't believe it was and we haven't in any way tested the waters yet in so far as playing out whole games of footy - at ANY level.

It would be like starting your 1974 Toyota Corona - which you haven't started since 1996 - to drive to Broome in. After all, that car was crackingly reliable in its day.

You want Gawn.

We get it.

You want Gawn.

We get it.

A++++++ post. Would read again.

People will still read your stuff even if it isn't bolded.

And if you ever have a point you want to make - you can make it stand out by bolding it.

Oh I dunno.... I COULD ALWAYS USE CAPS!!