Demons season opener v Saints

[beelzebub 23,390]

who's Clark ?

[DeeSpencer 26,273]

I tend to agree with you D26, for me the really sad part is I now have to consider Perdersen will be a regular this year.

As for Clark that is in the lap of the gods and even they are struggling

Get just one of Dawes, Hogan or Clark back and surely we can go with Fitzy and Howe and spare us from Pedersen. Even if Gawn gets fit and plays 2nd ruck/forward then Fitzy might be the CHF. I'm hoping like crazy it's a new and vastly improved Pedersen this year. Or he can keep drawing soft ruck free kicks and bombing goals from outside 50.

[Slartibartfast 17,999]

He doesn't take "pack" marks, sook.

I agree. But there are very few in the AFL that do. With the way the game is played it's no biggie.

We didn't get what we expected with Watts but that doesn't mean he won't be a very good player. We'll know by the end of this year if not sooner.

[rpfc 28,906]

I don't want Watts forward - he is trying to become a midfielder, throwing him forward in his first game after gearing up to be a midfielder would be defeating that aim.

And while the 4 points are important - a forward line can be constructed around Howe and Fitzpatrick.

The key is for the mids/flanks to not bomb the ball in and that will be a key whether Watts is down there or not.

Toumpas, Byrnes, Kennedy-Harris, Bail, Blease, and Trengove can all provide small/medium size options through the forward line.

Having Dawes/Hogan there would have been great (let alone both or the other one aswell) but how the mids deliver will be the key.

[old dee 24,001]

who's Clark ?

Love it bb

I think you have already won my quote of the day award

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

I know others disagree but i think Watts should play CHF til we get at least Hogan back, he can have stints in the midfield but i think we need to keep the structure

[PaulRB 6,432]

Pedo will win the Bradbury award this year!

Starting 4 back to dominate at CHF!

[autocol 448]

I reckon Pedo might be a good foil for Fitzy with Howe and Byrnes playing third up and crumber (I'll bet Roosy goes with Byrnes rather than JKH for round one, much as I love the youngster).

Pedo runs hard, makes space, is a great mark for a middling sized KPP, and is good enough to take a defender with him. Fitzy, as we know, is lightning fast, which combined with another smart player making space for him can be really dangerous.

I'd be quite comfortable going into the Saints game with Fitzy, Pedo, Howe and JKH/Byrnes (here's hoping for the former) as our permanent forwards, with two resting mids filling the flanks. Dunn and Pedo can switch roles if Pedo is struggling up forward or it works from a match-up perspective.

[drdrake 3,203]

I know others disagree but i think Watts should play CHF til we get at least Hogan back, he can have stints in the midfield but i think we need to keep the structure

No, we have others that can fill that role. Fitzy proved last year that he is capable, Howe is a gun and Pederson looks fit. Watts will spend time in the forward line like most of our midfielders and if you look at our goal kickers our mids are kicking goals.

Watts needs to be settled in the role he has being prepared for.

[DeeSpencer 26,273]

When people say Pedo runs hard do they mean he covers a lot of distance with a high work rate or do they mean it's hard for him to run. Could argue it's the latter.

[mjt 640]

I know others disagree but i think Watts should play CHF til we get at least Hogan back, he can have stints in the midfield but i think we need to keep the structure

The structure is him in the midfield that's what he's trained for all summer .

[mjt 640]

He doesn't take "pack" marks, sook.

How many pack marks have you taken ? Im sure JW wouldn't give a flying toss how you rate him most people would've chucked it in after the crap he's copped but he has something that you most likely lack and that's work ethic and a brain! Edited March 7, 2014 by mjt

[Little Goffy 14,750]

I'm quite comfortable having one less tall forward if it means having the extra running player to pad out the midfield while it gets a grip on the game plan and gradually irons out the errors. Especially if there's the possibility of simply overhwleming the grossly understrength St Kilda midfield, and means being able to better push back to cover the space that Riewoldt needs to run into in order to be his most effective.

Howe is clearly a valuable presence as a mobile medium forward with bonus contested marking skills.

I'm sure a lot of people will be nervous about a forward line led by young Fitzpatrick, and 'troubled' by the presence of Pederson anywhere near the field.

But one thing I'll say in favour of both of them is that they make an effort to follow the forward structures, they lead hard and they make an effort to get out of the way of other forwards.

If a midfield is really dominant, then it doesn't take a 'winning' forward to create shots on goal, it just takes a hard-working one. Especially with our new hero JKH out there to tidy things up!

Ah - a quick disclaimer; I'm under no illusions about Pederson and I'm aware that when playing in defence Pederson had real trouble with exactly the things I've just praised him for as a forward. Thankfully, we can reasonably hope we'll never have to watch that spectacle again! Pederson will surely be a mix of depth forward at AFL and a regular forward at VFL for the remainder of his career.

[Little Goffy 14,750]

Also, yes, Watts has been training as a midfielder, has been mentally preparing as a midfielder, and like every player who anyone has spoken to, he has been vocal about the comfort of knowing there is one game plan, it will be consistent, and he knows his role in it.

So I'd be both surprised and disappointed to see this confidence-led player muddled around and sent forward before he has even played a single AFL game in the midfield. I daresay so would he!

Watts can and does (occasionally) take, pack marks. Not generally 'bash and crash' ones, more a case of once in a while he is simply the one who reads it best, takes a step at the right moment, and ends up with the ball. But let's just say they are 'not a major feature of his game'.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,289]

I want Watts delivering the ball into our key forwards. He is not a key forward and, while I have seen him win one on one marking contests, I have not seen him take a strong "pack mark". Watt's can be a fantastic contributor to our side but not as a key forward. I just hope we get at least one of those big bastards back asap.

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,252]

I hope people around here have stopped declaring how much we're going to spank that 'rabble' St Kilda by. It's disrespectful and a bit delusional considering the last 2 years of the MFC.

I can't believe the cockiness of a few considering they barrack for a 2-20 side.

I see this as an absolute flip of the coin affair.

[Redleg 41,942]

I hope people around here have stopped declaring how much we're going to spank that 'rabble' St Kilda by. It's disrespectful and a bit delusional considering the last 2 years of the MFC.

I can't believe the cockiness of a few considering they barrack for a 2-20 side.

I see this as an absolute flip of the coin affair.

Without our 3 key forwards, only Spencer in the ruck and without Garland, I agree it is a toss of the coin job.

[Gorgoroth 13,184]

Def agree this could go either way, but on paper if we play well we should win.

I'm not confident tho.

[beelzebub 23,390]

was really looking forward to Dawes and Hoges lining up

Im really wondering whether we'll EVER see the 3 amigos on deck simultaneously

would be nice

[old dee 24,001]

was really looking forward to Dawes and Hoges lining up

Im really wondering whether we'll EVER see the 3 amigos on deck simultaneously

would be nice

It would be very unwise to hold your breath bb.

Clark and Dawes are injury prone and Hogan is out for 6 - 8 weeks IMO

The chance of all three be injury free on the same week must be astronomical.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,289]

Once again OD we sad and pathetic MFC supporters have had our hopes raised ... only.. once again to have them snatched away through injury. The mental fantasies of Clark, Dawes and Hogan befuddling hapless defenders seem gone forever. Will we never learn that hope is for those who support other clubs and we must remain eternally mired in bitterness, recrimination and refuge through alcohol?

Edited March 7, 2014 by Bitter but optimistic

[PaulRB 6,432]

It must be time for this...

[DeeZee 7,445]

who's Clark ?

He's that photographer guy.

[DeeZee 7,445]

Bail. Pederson JKH

Howe. Fitzpatrick Toumpas

Watts. Viney. Vince

Dunn Mcdonald Grimes

Trengove Frawley Terlich

Spencer Jones. Tyson

Blease,Michie,Cross,Georgiou

Pretty confident this Will be close to how they will line up now.

[Red and Bluebeard 2,101]

who's Clark ?

Something to do with rubber? Or is he the mild-mannered reporter for the Daily Planet?