On 25/02/2014 at 22:35, Colin B. Flaubert said:

I know that there is a gap there rjay. And the unprofessionalism was displayed by the fact that we would basically write the game off before it began. Not this year. Sure, we shouldn't be unrealistic and think we will win by 10 goals but no more of this 'It's going to be a great experience for the boys to see how a power club does it.' We should stop aiming to learn from power clubs and try to become one ourselves. We have viewed ourselves as the poor cousin for two long.

Agree

Such a shame that no Gawn, Viney, Kennedy-Harris or Viney!

My guess is similar to D26 as follows, however I concede that Pedersen may play CHF as suggested:

Back: 41. Alexis Georgiou 8. James Frawley 46. Dean Terlich,

Half Back 31. Jack Grimes 25. Tom McDonald, 14. Lynden Dunn,

Centre 4. Jack Watts 2. Nathan Jones 5. Jimmy Toumpas

Half Forward 38. Jeremy Howe 48. Jack Fitzpatrick 9. Jack Trengove

Forward 17. Sam Blease 1. Jesse Hogan 44. Rohan Bail

Followers 42. Jake Spencer 12. Dom Tyson 23. Bernie Vince

Interchange: 22. Viv Michie 18. Daniel Cross 45. Matt Jones 21. Cameron Pedersen

Subs: 29. Jayden Hunt 13. Jordie McKenzie

,

Emerg: 10. Shannon Byrnes, 15. Mitch Clisby, 26. Daniel Nicholson, 33. Dom Barry, 39. Neville Jetta

,

I think resting Kennedy Harris isn't a bad thing and he's still in line for round 1 if he can play well against the Hawks. Disappointed there's no Viney, Dawes and Gawn. I wouldn't fully rule them out of round 1 but they aren't looking great at the moment. Gawn and Viney you probably say ok we go with Fitzy and other mids, but really hope Dawes is back otherwise we are looking at Pedersen round 1!

Dean Kent is the other one I'm surprised has got a chance. He showed plenty in the intraclub and has been training for a while. He's a big favourite of mine so I hope he gets in the team soon.

  On 26/02/2014 at 01:59, CBDees said:

Such a shame that no Gawn, Viney, Kennedy-Harris or Viney!

My guess is similar to D26 as follows, however I concede that Pedersen may play CHF as suggested:

,

Emerg: 10. Shannon Byrnes, 15. Mitch Clisby, 26. Daniel Nicholson, 33. Dom Barry, 39. Neville Jetta

,

You get 6 on the bench for these Nab Challenge games so pick 2 more Emerg's to play. I suspect in Alice that Barry will be one of them. Who knows with the rest, maybe Byrnes given there's no JKH as a small forward.

I do hope Hunt plays. I like the idea of giving a kid a chance in a game that doesn't matter just to make him feel comfortable with team mates and know that he can do something at AFL level. For example I'm sure young Max King is really fired up for the VFL games now that he knows that he can get some touches against AFL players.

Roos goal has to be getting the strongest team Rd 1, even if those players (Dawes, Viney, Clark, Garland) have had minimal game time (i.e. a solid hit out for Casey) prior to Rd 1 they should play if fit.

  On 26/02/2014 at 02:04, the master said:

You get 6 on the bench for these Nab Challenge games so pick 2 more Emerg's to play. I suspect in Alice that Barry will be one of them. Who knows with the rest, maybe Byrnes given there's no JKH as a small forward.

I do hope Hunt plays. I like the idea of giving a kid a chance in a game that doesn't matter just to make him feel comfortable with team mates and know that he can do something at AFL level. For example I'm sure young Max King is really fired up for the VFL games now that he knows that he can get some touches against AFL players.

Does not alter "no small forward"

1. Jesse Hogan, 2. Nathan Jones, 4. Jack Watts, 5. Jimmy Toumpas, 8. James Frawley, 9. Jack Trengove, 10. Shannon Byrnes, 12. Dom Tyson, 13. Jordie McKenzie, 14. Lynden Dunn, 15. Mitch Clisby, 17. Sam Blease, 18. Daniel Cross, 21. Cameron Pedersen, 22. Viv Michie, 23. Bernie Vince, 25. Tom McDonald, 26. Daniel Nicholson, 29. Jayden Hunt, 31. Jack Grimes, 33. Dom Barry, 38. Jere...my Howe, 39. Neville Jetta, 41. Alexis Georgiou, 42. Jake Spencer, 44. Rohan Bail. 45. Matt Jones, 46. Dean Terlich, 48. Jack Fitzpatrick

NOT NAMED:

Garland, Colin

Clark, Mitchell

Dawes, Chris

Viney, Jack

Jamar, Mark

Kent, Dean

Gawn, Max

Evans, Michael

Salem, Christian

Strauss, James

Tapscott, Luke

Riley, Aidan

Harmes, James ®

Kennedy-Harris, Jay

King, Max ®

There are not many players who are 'match fit' in Feb/March.

The point of playing these practice games is to progress ones match fitness.

  On 26/02/2014 at 02:18, rpfc said:

There are not many players who are 'match fit' in Feb/March.

The point of playing these practice games is to progress ones match fitness.

You are correct rpfc,

The problem is history.

The big ones never seemed to be at any time of the year.

  On 26/02/2014 at 02:20, old dee said:

You are correct rpfc,

The problem is history.

The big ones never seemed to be at any time of the year.

Clark and Dawes have the issue of not being fit - they would have to be fit to progress to worrying about match fitness.

  On 26/02/2014 at 02:04, the master said:

You get 6 on the bench for these Nab Challenge games so pick 2 more Emerg's to play. I suspect in Alice that Barry will be one of them. Who knows with the rest, maybe Byrnes given there's no JKH as a small forward.

I do hope Hunt plays. I like the idea of giving a kid a chance in a game that doesn't matter just to make him feel comfortable with team mates and know that he can do something at AFL level. For example I'm sure young Max King is really fired up for the VFL games now that he knows that he can get some touches against AFL players.

I already had six on the bench as follows [two of who are subs and one of which was Hunt]:

Interchange: 22. Viv Michie 18. Daniel Cross 45. Matt Jones 21. Cameron Pedersen

Subs: 29. Jayden Hunt 13. Jordie McKenzie

  On 26/02/2014 at 01:46, Demonof94 said:

The fact is that he's not fit, and he's not a walk-up start this season. Will spend a few weeks at Casey before he plays his first home-and-away game for the year

You are assuming he is not fit, maybe the club would rather give him one more week don't travel him to the middle of Australia and get him cherry ripe leading into round 1. I think this would be the same with Dawes, two games is enough to get you ready.

  On 26/02/2014 at 02:47, CBDees said:

I already had six on the bench as follows [two of who are subs and one of which was Hunt]:

Interchange: 22. Viv Michie 18. Daniel Cross 45. Matt Jones 21. Cameron Pedersen

Subs: 29. Jayden Hunt 13. Jordie McKenzie

No what I mean is you get 6 on the bench AND 2 subs.

  On 26/02/2014 at 03:12, drdrake said:

You are assuming he is not fit, maybe the club would rather give him one more week don't travel him to the middle of Australia and get him cherry ripe leading into round 1. I think this would be the same with Dawes, two games is enough to get you ready.

If they were fully fit they would be playing this game and then the one against the Hawks with the week off leading in to round 1. It makes no sense to rest Viney and Dawes if they were right to go. Yes there is travel involved but it's not impossible and the benefits of them playing with their team mates in 2 consecutive games are worth any travel risks.

I agree that they can still get up for round 1 but they'll need to be ready by next week. With Dawes' soft tissue history last year would you only give him 1 week off with calf tightness?

Wonder why Salems not getting a run?

Must be earmarked for the hawks clash along with Viney and Gawn perhaps

Two more sleeps. Damn I'm getting excited again!

They will try and play their best team against Hawthorn in the lead up to round 1.

  On 26/02/2014 at 04:35, ManDee said:

Two more sleeps. Damn I'm getting excited again!

Watts in the midfield, Hoges up forward, that's all I need

Pedo Out - http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-02-26/demons-injury-setback

Not hard to imagine what they'll say about Dawes -

'look if it was a home and away game he'd play but he had a bit of tightness in his calf after the intra game, no real issue but we figured no point putting him in a plane and sending him to Central Australia for practice match. He'll do full training on (insert day the non Geelong game players do training) and his normal running, the camp in Leongatha and be right to go for the praccy match against the Hawks down at Casey. So yeah perhaps a little frustrating for Dawsey as he was keen to have a game and perhaps we are being a bit conservative but look there are no probs and he'll play next week'

  On 26/02/2014 at 05:48, Curry & Beer said:

Watts in the midfield, Hoges up forward, that's all I need

You are easily pleased C & B

  On 26/02/2014 at 06:08, binman said:

Not hard to imagine what they'll say about Dawes -

'look if it was a home and away game he'd play but he had a bit of tightness in his calf after the intra game, no real issue but we figured no point putting him in a plane and sending him to Central Australia for practice match. He'll do full training on (insert day the non Geelong game players do training) and his normal running, the camp in Leongatha and be right to go for the praccy match against the Hawks down at Casey. So yeah perhaps a little frustrating for Dawsey as he was keen to have a game and perhaps we are being a bit conservative but look there are no probs and he'll play next week'

I think you have it covered there binman

Isn't AFL speak a wonderful thing?

  On 26/02/2014 at 06:07, PaulRB said:

Pedo Out - http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-02-26/demons-injury-setback

Casey will be devastated!

Glad we're being pretty conservative with the guys this year, the slightest little knock and it's straight out. There's over 3 weeks to go until the real stuff so heaps of time for the likes of Dawes, Viney, Salem, Garlo and maybe even Clark to prove their fitness, if Roos has them in his Round 1 plans.

  On 26/02/2014 at 04:13, DeeZee said:

Wonder why Salems not getting a run?

Must be earmarked for the hawks clash along with Viney and Gawn perhaps

Maybe because as Roos has stately continuously he's not a fan of throwing the first year guys in. Salem doesn't have AFL level endurance or strength. He's had a set back in preseason with a thyroid condition. He's only done part of sessions in training. And he's only played parts of two pretty modest intraclubs. He sure impressed in the first but then in the second just did well nothing too exceptional. Time to adapt to the Roos way of thinking. It's likely for the hawks game that we decrease the squad from the current 26 per game back to something like 22. I highly doubt we will see Salem.