NAB Challenge 1 - Richmond v Melbourne

[CHAMP 347]

Except Blitcavs won Geelong's time trial where as when King was running a repeat 400m earlier he ended in preseason up on the ground in a pile of spew! But I agree on the sentiment, he's got an opportunity to show what he can do. He looks a nice moving and well skilled big man. If he can dig in and compete physically then it's a great opportunity to get a kick start to his career. Plus practice match or not it would be a huge thrill for the lad to wear the red and blue and play AFL.

Blicavs is an athlete turned to footy who ran a 8:18.9 3000m two years ago FFS. Max is a kid who played a bit of footy and cricket and basketball, mostly for fun, and who has it all in front of him. Any comparison at this point is just silly. Moreover one is 18 and the other turns 23 next month.

Edited February 10, 2014 by CHAMP

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Geelong won three flags without a trio of power forwards. Mooney while being serviceable for mine wasn't a star. Hawkins had a blinder against the pies but can also go missing. Freo had massive injury problems last year yet still made the GF. Good sides get on with the job, they worry about what they have got not what they havnt and play to those strengths. If they run out with a mindset of worrying about who's not playing they're already beaten.

Ahh, thats not correct.

If power forwards means large key forwards then:Cats had Mooney, Hawkins. Podsiadly over the 3 flags.

Its a simplistic claim that overlooks this group was well supported by an elite small to medium forward line that included: the amazing Stevie J (2007 NSM), Chappy (2009 NSM) and Bartel (2011NSM),

[rjay 24,040]

Blicavs is an athlete turned to footy who ran a 8:18.9 3000m two years ago FFS. Max is a kid who played a bit of footy and cricket and basketball, mostly for fun, and who has it all in front of him. Any comparison at this point is just silly. Moreover one is 18 and the other turns 23 next month.

I don't think anyones really making a comparison of the 2 players just the situation and it wasn't a serious point anyway, more about wishing Max well in his first game for the club.

[Coup Cooper 610]

Based on the intraclub the team I'd go for would be:

FB: Dunn Frawley Terlich

HB: Grimes McDonald Strauss

C: Watts Jones Vince

HF: Toumpas Hogan Salem

FF: JKH Pedersen Howe

Foll: Spencer Tyson Cross

Int: Michie, Matt Jones, Trengove, McKenzie, Blease, Jamar

S: Fitzpatrick, Kent

Unlucky: Clisby, Georgiou, Byrnes, Gawn, Evans, Bail

The rest: Barry, Nicholson, Hunt, Harmes, Jetta, King

Rested/Injured: Dawes, Viney, Clark, Riley, Garland, Tapscott

So I've picked who I thought was the best 22 based on the intraclub plus added Watts and Trengove who have been in full training and hopefully are right to go. Judging by the standard of running they were doing plus that they started training in the main group it's not unreasonable that Viney and Dawes would be available but I'm leaning towards them not being.

The most interesting thing might just be whether Roos picks Salem and/or JKH.

So Fitzpatrick is now behind Pedo? Righto

[whatwhat say what 19,644]

29 man squad including two subs, right?

Our likely forward line is looking distinctly make-do...

B: Terlich - Frawley - Dunn

HB: Grimes - McDonald - Strauss

C: Watts - N Jones - Vince

HF: Trengove - Pedersen - Viney

F: Fitzpatrick - Howe - Kennedy-Harris

Foll: Spencer - Tyson - Cross

I/C (from): Salem - Toumpas - Byrnes - McKenzie - Clisby - Blease - Michie - Evans - Barry - Giorgiou - King

I'm presuming along with the three key forwards needing some more time on the track the same will be true for Jamar, but who knows.

[Hannibal 5,814]

So Fitzpatrick is now behind Pedo? Righto

I'm not sure Fitzpatrick will be playing, but Pedersen most definitely will be, as Roos attests below.

“Cam Pedersen has been terrific,” Roos said.

“He was really good in the trial match. We probably saw him as a defender but three or four weeks ago we changed his mind set to a forward and he has been really good.

“He’ll have a big workload Friday night.”

[Nasher 33,166]

I'm looking forward to seeing what Max King can do. I know he's raw and the answer is probably not much at this stage, so my expectations are low, but I still find excitement in the opportunities given to second and third string players who would otherwise be completely invisible to me.

It is disappointing that neither Dawes nor Hogan could get up, but Roos seemed pretty firm on them being available for the second round. It's hard to see any potential forward line we have available kicking a winning score unless Pedersen plays out of his skin, but honestly, I'm just so excited that footy is back that I don't really care about minor details like that.

More than anything I want to see if our midfield can show any signs of being functional this early.

[hardtack 10,136]

29 man squad including two subs, right?

Our likely forward line is looking distinctly make-do...

B: Terlich - Frawley - Dunn

HB: Grimes - McDonald - Strauss

C: Watts - N Jones - Vince

HF: Trengove - Pedersen - Viney

F: Fitzpatrick - Howe - Kennedy-Harris

Foll: Spencer - Tyson - Cross

I/C (from): Salem - Toumpas - Byrnes - McKenzie - Clisby - Blease - Michie - Evans - Barry - Giorgiou - King

I'm presuming along with the three key forwards needing some more time on the track the same will be true for Jamar, but who knows.

I would probably swap Toumpas and Viney, and I'm not so sure Fitz is ready to go as he wasn't mentioned at all in the Roos article (would have thought he would have been one of the first mentioned as a stopgap forward), but otherwise looks about right.

[Slartibartfast 16,011]

I doubt Viney will play as he missed last week.

[Machsy 2,858]

Pop Gun?

I like it.

Ol' Pop Gun Pedersen is a lot better than "Pedo."

Pop Gun it is.

[Lordweaver 235]

I want to see Watts play a key forward role! And play Hogan ruck rover. The lord has spoken...

[rpfc 27,633]

I want to see Watts play a key forward role! And play Hogan ruck rover. The lord has spoken...

Well, sometimes the Lord makes mistakes (Joaquin Phoenix anyone?)...

Watts should continue to learn his new role in the midfield this Friday.

[Machsy 2,858]

I want to see Watts play a key forward role! And play Hogan ruck rover. The lord has spoken...

Great.

Thanks for that.

[P-man 13,276]

I want to see Watts play a key forward role! And play Hogan ruck rover. The lord has spoken...

The God(s) must be crazy..

[Satyriconhome 10,010]

I'm not sure Fitzpatrick will be playing, but Pedersen most definitely will be, as Roos attests below.

“Cam Pedersen has been terrific,” Roos said.

“He was really good in the trial match. We probably saw him as a defender but three or four weeks ago we changed his mind set to a forward and he has been really good.

“He’ll have a big workload Friday night.”

Pedersen is one who may surprise this season, Roos does not praise lightly, difference this year is Pedersen has had a full pre season with a new coaching set up, like everybody else would assume he wants to forget the last year or two and start again

[Bombay Airconditioning 5,968]

Ahh, thats not correct.

If power forwards means large key forwards then:Cats had Mooney, Hawkins. Podsiadly over the 3 flags.

Its a simplistic claim that overlooks this group was well supported by an elite small to medium forward line that included: the amazing Stevie J (2007 NSM), Chappy (2009 NSM) and Bartel (2011NSM),

Rhino, how good is your memory mate? Back in your day as a moderator you jumped to the wrong conclusion about one of my posts when you though I had bagged out Brad Green and Cam Bruce.

Hawkins didn't play 07, J Pod didn't play 07 or 09 and isn't your typical power forward ie Cloke, Brown, Clark, and Mooney didn't play in the 2011 flag. Yes they were all there at some stage but not all together in the same side. As for my simplistic claim that supposedly overlooks champions of the game such as Chappy, Bartell and Stevie J.....that was exactly my point. They didn't have big skilled powered forwards

(Mooney was serviceable at best) so they concentrated on what they did have. Quality tall backs, back flankers, the best midfield since the Brisbane Lions and mid/small forwards such as Stevie J and Chappy. I can only assume Roos will be instructing the players to worry about who is playing and play to their strengths.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Al's Demons

[deeko 937]

(Mooney was serviceable at best)

Slightly harsh on Mooney, believe he was an All Australian player in 2007.

[Tyson4Brownlow 154]

Here is a crazy thought. Really left field stuff, but hear me out......

Maybe Jack Watts could play up forward Friday night???

I reckon he may have played there at some stage before!

[Ted Lasso 17,108]

There is a bigger picture than one NAB challenge game, we are developing Watts as a midfielder and from what i have seen he will be very handy in that role, Pederson, howe and Fitzy will play forward and as Roosy said it's not as much about winning the games as being competitive and having little wins

[rpfc 27,633]

Here is a crazy thought. Really left field stuff, but hear me out......

Maybe Jack Watts could play up forward Friday night???

I reckon he may have played there at some stage before!

I really hope they don't. If he is going to play midfield in 2014, he should not be wasting his time filling in Hogan's shoes for a unglorified practice match.

[Tyson4Brownlow 154]

There is a bigger picture than one NAB challenge game, we are developing Watts as a midfielder and from what i have seen he will be very handy in that role, Pederson, howe and Fitzy will play forward and as Roosy said it's not as much about winning the games as being competitive and having little wins

Fitzy won't play Friday. And Howe and Pedo can't be on the field the entire game. Watts should play 50/50 on the wing then the goal square when on the field

[Tyson4Brownlow 154]

I really hope they don't. If he is going to play midfield in 2014, he should not be wasting his time filling in Hogan's shoes for a unglorified practice match.

Watts will spend time forward in 2014 at times anyway, just like Toumpas and Vince will, so what's the difference?

[Machsy 2,858]

Fitzy won't play Friday. And Howe and Pedo can't be on the field the entire game. Watts should play 50/50 on the wing then the goal square when on the field

Exceptionally short-sighted proposition.

To what end? So we can win a meaningless NAB Challenge match?

I'd happily see the midfield move the ball forward for little or no reward, due to a lack of targets.

Finding a target won't be & hasn't been the problem.

It's everything leading up to that.

Building confidence for the team will come from the midfield competently winning the footy, moving it forward with purpose, and running both ways.

It's about creating the opportunities to begin with, then we can worry about making sure we have the right guys in the F50 to capitalise.

[Vipercrunch 2,818]

The midfield setup and rotations should be the same on Friday as they are planned to be for the rest of the year. If the plan is for Watts to rotate through the forward line during the main season, then do it on Friday night too.

It is the midfield we are hoping to see the most improvement from and it is where the most change has occurred. Lets start getting it right from the get go.

If our forward line isn't able to kick a winning score then so be it. We know the talent we have missing and it won't be long before Dawes and Hogan are back on the park.

Midfield has to be the main focus so don't tinker with the plans just because the forward line is depleted.

[Bombay Airconditioning 5,968]

Slightly harsh on Mooney, believe he was an All Australian player in 2007.

Maybe, just my thoughts. Nathan Ablett goes down in history as s premiership player.