Melbourne Vs West Coast Round 2

[chook fowler 18,465]

Im sure Roos will set some achievable standards for this weeks game - winning wont be one of them alas.

[drdrake 3,058]

I don't think we can kick a winning score agaisnt them, but it's important we defend hard and try and be in the game at 3/4 time, if we can lock a team like this down, even if we lose it will be great for the belief of everyone

I don't think we can keep them to under 15 goals, I fear that we are facing a 100 point loss

[Akum 2,660]

Maybe a better team than we think, but not really an improvement when you think really the only experienced midfielder they had was Ray

Clint Jones & David Armitage say hi. Yeh, both B-grade.

But their midfield has played together much more than ours has, so they combine much better, especially at stoppages.

Our midfield (as a combination) will only improve as the season goes on.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Akum

[Vitamin Dee 849]

West Coast are quite a big team, we have been depleted of our tall stocks and may have further injuries to Fitz, TMac and maybe Howe.

I think it is the perfect time for Stephen Gough and his team to undergo extremely thorough irrigation training at the MCG - All week, hold their calls.

[Striker475 696]

OUT:

Pederson (dont slam the door on the way out buddy)

JKH (simply not ready, deer in headlights)

Byrnes (offers so little it's not even funny)

Bail (could one player butcher so many opportunities? Apparently so)

IN:

Gawn (play him at FF as a stopgap, Maxy's pretty good up forward)

Blease (green vest)

Viney (give him the 'forward opportunity' you talked about Roosy)

Kent (replacement for Bail in the midfield rotation, offers similar disposal but more run)

[InVINCEable 358]

OUT:

Pederson (dont slam the door on the way out buddy)

JKH (simply not ready, deer in headlights)

Byrnes (offers so little it's not even funny)

Bail (could one player butcher so many opportunities? Apparently so)

IN:

Gawn (play him at FF as a stopgap, Maxy's pretty good up forward)

Blease (green vest)

Viney (give him the 'forward opportunity' you talked about Roosy)

Kent (replacement for Bail in the midfield rotation, offers similar disposal but more run)

I honestly don't think Kent will play a game this year, a more realistic one is McKenzie

[olisik 4,060]

I honestly don't think Kent will play a game this year, a more realistic one is McKenzie

Whats wrong with Kent?

[rpfc 27,663]

Out: kicking backwards and slow ball movement

That is a part of the gameplan, especially with the forward line being so talentless and small.

Roos wants us to maintain possession of the footy and hit targets rather than look for territory and contests.

We don't have a good list for any style of football but especially not for this game style - it requires good decision making and excellent skill execution.

But it is best that the blokes that will be around for a few years learn how to play this style so we can progress quickly when the talent at the club rises in the coming years.

[Roger Mellie 3,612]

I don't think Roos will play underdone players, which rules out Kent and Viney (amongst others).

Bail will stay in to be a defensive forward on Hurn, when not butchering the ball.

I hope T-Mac and Fitz come up so we can drop Peder for stand-in Gawn, but we're so lacking in tall options he might stay.

For mine:

Out Pedo and JKH for Blease and Gawn

NB Response to striker

[InVINCEable 358]

Whats wrong with Kent?

No nothing I love him but I think Roos thinks he needs more work

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

just read on another thread that grimes dosent eat meat. no wonder he looks like an Aus-Kicker and gets man handled so easily. drop him backto casey until he learns to eat properly and stops letting his team mates down. FFS.

[jazza 1,323]

just read on another thread that grimes dosent eat meat. no wonder he looks like an Aus-Kicker and gets man handled so easily. drop him backto casey until he learns to eat properly and stops letting his team mates down. FFS.

thank you sammy kekovich.

peter siddle says gurday.

[DemonOX 8,551]

On a positve note we are 11th on the ladder.

Best position we have been for a very long time.

I know it won't last but hey u gotta take what u can get when u get it.

[rpfc 27,663]

OUT:

Pederson (dont slam the door on the way out buddy)

JKH (simply not ready, deer in headlights)

Byrnes (offers so little it's not even funny)

Bail (could one player butcher so many opportunities? Apparently so)

Off JKH so quickly?

And the constant barrage of Pedersen and Byrnes is a muscle memory. I will let Roos decide how they fulfilled their roles.

And Bail had 22 touches and worked very hard.

For any of them to be thrown out after 1 game - 3 of them for good - isn't reflective of good player management.

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

thank you sammy kekovich.

peter siddle says gurday.

siddle doesnt play a contact sport in a position that requires strength and tackling

[Wiseblood 24,636]

If McDonald doesn't get up for Sunday then Pedersen plays, and plays down back. I don't think we can go in with just Chip and Georgiou as they play very tall with Kennedy, Darling and NicNat/Cox, and you would want someone like Dunn playing on LeCras who tore the Bulldogs a new one yesterday.

Hopefully Fitzpatrick gets up and Gawn comes into the side to at least give us some height and take the pressure off Howe. Blease would have to be considered and, if they think he is up to it, Viney would be a handy addition to the midfield as well.

If we can play as hard as we did on Saturday and bring the turnovers down a little then I think we can be right in the game. I am more positive going in than I have been in years.

[InVINCEable 358]

Grimes isn't a vegetarian

[Striker475 696]

Off JKH so quickly?

And the constant barrage of Pedersen and Byrnes is a muscle memory. I will let Roos decide how they fulfilled their roles.

And Bail had 22 touches and worked very hard.

For any of them to be thrown out after 1 game - 3 of them for good - isn't reflective of good player management.

JKH shouldn't have been the sub. Pure and simple. We don't have the 'mosquito fleet' because we don't have the ground speed. Dude has done well in the pre-season, but he had situations where he didn't know where to run or move. I'm not saying it's for good, but he really isn't ready for H&A standard footy.

Pedersen was awful. Plainly awful. Had no confidence in his goalkicking WHEN HE IS PLAYING AT FULL FORWARD. Inexcusable.

Byrnes was better but was typified by running back into traffic in the midfield halfway through the second, getting caught and watching us nearly give up the pill, then getting it back in a similar fashion a minute later streaming I50 only to butcher the kick to the contest and miss it entirely.

And Bail, as I said. 22 touches, sure. What did he do? All I could remark of him was taking a mark 60+m out from goal and then missing a target. Three or four times.

[Guest]

This week, the end margin was close because our midfield was up against a makeshift group comprised of Dunstan, [censored] Clinton Jones, Armitage and no-one else of any real recognition.

Next week, we're coming up against a ruck division of Naitanui and Cox, surrounded by a midfield of Selwood, Priddis, Shuey, Gaff, Masten, and Rosa, amongst others.

Not to mention they have a forward line comprising of Darling, Kennedy, Lecras, Naitanui/Cox and Sinclair.

We are going to get slaughtered, unfortunately

[ManDee 7,093]

If McDonald doesn't get up for Sunday then Pedersen plays, and plays down back. I don't think we can go in with just Chip and Georgiou as they play very tall with Kennedy, Darling and NicNat/Cox, and you would want someone like Dunn playing on LeCras who tore the Bulldogs a new one yesterday.

Hopefully Fitzpatrick gets up and Gawn comes into the side to at least give us some height and take the pressure off Howe. Blease would have to be considered and, if they think he is up to it, Viney would be a handy addition to the midfield as well.

If we can play as hard as we did on Saturday and bring the turnovers down a little then I think we can be right in the game. I am more positive going in than I have been in years.

I don't think there is far enough back for Pedo to play. Gawn forward, Dunn forward Trenners forward. Try Howe back

[jazza 1,323]

just read on another thread that grimes dosent eat meat. no wonder he looks like an Aus-Kicker and gets man handled so easily. drop him backto casey until he learns to eat properly and stops letting his team mates down. FFS.

Grimes isn't a vegetarian

a little sorting out needed here.

[Deespicable 2,574]

If McDonald doesn't get up for Sunday then Pedersen plays, and plays down back. I don't think we can go in with just Chip and Georgiou as they play very tall with Kennedy, Darling and NicNat/Cox, and you would want someone like Dunn playing on LeCras who tore the Bulldogs a new one yesterday.

Hopefully Fitzpatrick gets up and Gawn comes into the side to at least give us some height and take the pressure off Howe. Blease would have to be considered and, if they think he is up to it, Viney would be a handy addition to the midfield as well.

If we can play as hard as we did on Saturday and bring the turnovers down a little then I think we can be right in the game. I am more positive going in than I have been in years.

The Eagles are even taller than you say - the first side to go in with three ruckman (add Lycett) plus two tall forwards - so agree with you that Pedo knockers are going to have to wait until Garland, Hogan and Dawes are fit before they can get rid of him.

I can't see too many changes after Rd 1, especially given we won the Inside 50 count for the first time since GWS Rd 3 last year.

I suspect our two big problems from the game will see the only two changes, unless injury forces more.

The lack of a key forward/back-up ruck means Gawn is a monte to come in.

The lack of pace - apart from Watts and M.Jones - means Blease is also a cert. Yes I know he makes errors and is selfish, but he's a linebreaker and can be effective on the counter with his speed.

Gawn and Blease were after all the two best in the VFL according to Demonland reports.

I'd like to see Jack Viney back and Kent, but I doubt they will be rushed in for fitness reasons and because it is Rd 2 - there's a long way to go yet and the guys who played and missed shots on goal deserve another crack at it - unless you are trying to show no loyalty.

Nicho and Evans were the emergencies and they are the only others that I can see likely to get a crack at it.

Nicho's run and speed (yes, I know he is a turnover man) means he could get the nod to play on LeCras, but that would mean getting rid of another player and that's unlikely unless there's more injuries than predicted.

The two outs are tricky - except for those Demonlanders who now have Pedo and Byrnes as their whipping boys.

JKH was last man in and is an obvious swap for Blease. I'm sure Blease will start, so I suspect Bail will be the sub.

The other out will either be Fitzy or Tom Mc due to injury. If they are both out we have a bigger problem than normal.

Ultimately, whoever we name this week, we are most likely to be in for a world of pain against a side that is red-hot at moment.

But I think with our Roosy gameplan we can at least be competitive and hold them up a bit.

But Dom and Jonesy are going to have to do well to win clearances this week against Priddis and Selwood, especially since they will have good service from their giants.

We will also know where Michie is at after this game because he is there to win hardballs and if he can't get the pill, then I'm afraid he's heading back to the magoos.

The only good news I have is that Jamie Bennell is playing - he had a fantastic last quarter yesterday when the game was all over - so that means the Eagles are playing one man down.

I reckon Byrnes and Blease will be praying he lines up on them.

[T-34 409]

Maybe a better team than we think, but not really an improvement when you think really the only experienced midfielder they had was Ray

Think the most experienced mid playing was in fact Clint Jones, may have played a different role but has been playing defensive mid/tagger role for some years.

[Deespicable 2,574]

the first side to go in with three ruckman (add Lycett) plus two tall forwards

Apologies for error in saying Lycett - I meant Sinclair - both big lugs - hard to believe how they have stockpiled so many.

Just read that Bennell has taken on David Wirrpunda's No.44 top because he obviously thinks he plays like him - laugh!

[Bimbo 911]

siddle doesnt play a contact sport in a position that requires strength and tackling

And is not the bowler he was