I like the idea of minimal changes. If there is one thing this year that has made it relatively harmonious it is that we don't hear on Thursday night that there have been five changes to the Melbourne team.
So for mine (and it is has been said about 100 times on this thread so I'm being far from original): Dawes for Gawn.

saw on news, Ball, Grundy and Swan back

I personally think Swan is in doubt, he appears to have been carrying something for a few weeks, got the better of him, if it is his heel as reported, they can be a really annoying injury

I personally think Swan is in doubt, he appears to have been carrying something for a few weeks, got the better of him, if it is his heel as reported, they can be a really annoying injury

I am so saddened by this news Saty

I am so saddened by this news Saty

Yes but he will probably get up, I walked past whilst they were training last week, there was no sign of him, want to see vision on how he is moving

The reason Gawn was ineffective, particularly with his marking, is that he's making NO advantage of his height. He had a very odd method of dropping his body against his opponent, thinking he was keeping him off the ball, but just making it easier to spoil over the top. He doesn't trust his body strength yet, and becomes too passive on account. Stand tall and reach skywards Maxy. They can't get to you that way.

I have noticed this too. Compare that to Sandilands - Sandi jumps ( not all that high) , but always taps or marks with body straight and arms vertical and stretched making it near impossible to combat. Gawn will learn ( or be taught) to make the best use of his height.

For me Gawn for Dawes and Riley for Toumpas. We need Dawes and we will be a little top heavy with Gawn in. I didnt mind Jimmy's game but at this stage he doesnt bring the X factor that both JKH and Salem are providing. Riley is pure grunt - but am nervous about Viney and him killing each other to get to the ball first.

In: Dawes

Out: Gawn

I like the look of Toump as the sub, and think he may now get that role for a few weeks in a row like JKH and Salem did. So keep him in.

I think Frawley starts forward, but if Cloke even looks like getting on top of his opponent, then he needs to go back. Cloke is too strong for anyone in our back six at the moment, so if he looks threatening then I think Chip needs to take him. We can then switch either Dunn or Howe forward.

If Cloke starts to look threatening then it is to late to make the move, he is a confidence player and we can't give him a head start. We need to get on top of him so the decision will need to be made before the game, McDonald or Frawley.

Roos just slipped in this comment on 360....."at some stage chip may go back "....this week against cloke maybe ?

Yeah picked up on that.

My immediate thought was if / when Hogan gets back

The reason Gawn was ineffective, particularly with his marking, is that he's making NO advantage of his height. He had a very odd method of dropping his body against his opponent, thinking he was keeping him off the ball, but just making it easier to spoil over the top. He doesn't trust his body strength yet, and becomes too passive on account. Stand tall and reach skywards Maxy. They can't get to you that way.

Well observed - he mentioned this in his richmond post match interview - he shoul be seeking separation - perhaps not enough leg strength against stronger players with low centres of gravity

I have noticed this too. Compare that to Sandilands - Sandi jumps ( not all that high) , but always taps or marks with body straight and arms vertical and stretched making it near impossible to combat. Gawn will learn ( or be taught) to make the best use of his height.

For me Gawn for Dawes and Riley for Toumpas. We need Dawes and we will be a little top heavy with Gawn in. I didnt mind Jimmy's game but at this stage he doesnt bring the X factor that both JKH and Salem are providing. Riley is pure grunt - but am nervous about Viney and him killing each other to get to the ball first.

I don't think there is any risk of a collision. Viney is a lot quicker than Riley

Dawes in,

Toump out... as he's not probably doing enough atm. I'm sure he will though.

Frawley has been pantsed by Cloke previously. He (Frawley) isn't really strong enough for Cloke. So I'd play McDonald on Cloke. That's not to say Frawley won't play in the backline, if required, though. On balance, however, I suspect Frawley will play forward along with Dawes and Pedersen for the simple reason that it works.

Frawley has been pantsed by Cloke previously. He (Frawley) isn't really strong enough for Cloke. So I'd play McDonald on Cloke. That's not to say Frawley won't play in the backline, if required, though. On balance, however, I suspect Frawley will play forward along with Dawes and Pedersen for the simple reason that it works.

Cloke is probably too strong for any individual in our backline one out, i'm sure we will be trying to drop howe infront of him or grimes

Frawley has been pantsed by Cloke previously. He (Frawley) isn't really strong enough for Cloke.

Any time a forward pants' the defender it is usually because he is taking lead up marks because the midfield is not putting enough pressure on the ball coming or, ( as we saw with Rivers a couple of years back), the ball is coming in too easily and the defender is isolated. Kick the ball to Cloke when his opponent is isolated and all you need to do is kick to a 60% advantage position and the defender is in trouble.

Cloke is probably too strong for any individual in our backline one out, i'm sure we will be trying to drop howe infront of him or grimes

What we have done successfully this year in most matches is not let the ball waltz into the forward line unopposed. This is key.

Frawley has been pantsed by Cloke previously. He (Frawley) isn't really strong enough for Cloke. So I'd play McDonald on Cloke. That's not to say Frawley won't play in the backline, if required, though. On balance, however, I suspect Frawley will play forward along with Dawes and Pedersen for the simple reason that it works.

Frawley not strong enough for Cloke? I would have thought he is just about our strongest player (perhaps behind Jamar). Certainly stronger than T Mac i would gave thought.

Any time a forward pants' the defender it is usually because he is taking lead up marks because the midfield is not putting enough pressure on the ball coming or, ( as we saw with Rivers a couple of years back), the ball is coming in too easily and the defender is isolated. Kick the ball to Cloke when his opponent is isolated and all you need to do is kick to a 60% advantage position and the defender is in trouble.

Agreed if we let their midfield and half back run rampant and kick laces out to Cloke with space to lead into, he will flourish no matter who is on him, we want hurried kicks that he has to snatch at or ground ball

I am afraid they did, they pick up content from a few places, but it is only the MFC media team who can post to MFC site

This is correct, but it is the AFL that has created the content and then offered it up to MFC to post on the website.

It's a low-level decision and I doubt any thought was given to it - whoever uploaded the videos would have just whacked up all the demons-related content supplied to them without discretion.

Frawley has been pantsed by Cloke previously. He (Frawley) isn't really strong enough for Cloke. So I'd play McDonald on Cloke. That's not to say Frawley won't play in the backline, if required, though. On balance, however, I suspect Frawley will play forward along with Dawes and Pedersen for the simple reason that it works.

I agree with Nutbean, that Frawley has been beaten by Cloke only because an inordinate lack of pressure on the midfielders serving the ball up to him.

That and being a member of a defence under siege, where instead of having teammates coming over to help in a marking contest, Frawley has had to partially leave Cloke to cover other free players in the F50.

I can't remember the last time I saw Frawley (as a defender) beaten by an opponent where there weren't extenuating circumstances making it exponentially more difficult for him.

Watching Collingwood I think the real key to beating them is not allowing them time and space, they have some fantastic field kicks

Langdon in not very long has become a key for them off half back and I expect Watts to go to him and drag him deeper potentially creating a miss match

I reckon Dunn will get Elliot

TMAC gets cloke

Garland gets White

Cross will go to Beams

Nathan Jones will play the role he did on Cotchin and Murphy on Pendels

hopefully Dawes footy smarts makes him too much for the pies defence to control

McKenzie should come in -- we need a tagger vs collingwood, and his VFL form is very good.

Not so sure about dropping Gawn because i think that he and Jamar would provide a ruck dominance that is too valuable to dismiss. Weather may make this decision easy though.

Riley would also be a good in vs collingwood.

And Dawes is a no-brainer.

Gawn ??? on last week..."GAWN".. Sorry but has to go back to Casey and learn to hold on to his marks... I think he may be worth persevering with..

Yeah picked up on that.

My immediate thought was if / when Hogan gets back

Roos virtually admitted that "Chip" moving to the forward line is/was an experiment and intimated he would eventually return to defence.. A logical move I believe.. Maybe Howe should be placed back on the forward line and we need to closely look at Grimes as he is sadly lacking in pace now at this level...He looks like a Giansirancusa type role to me

I guess that answers my question. If we had thought there was any chance of him being suspended, I presume we wouldn't have included the clip (which I still haven't seen, by the way).

Which raises a different question. Why would we choose to put that specific clip on the website? Perhaps to show that we're prepared to give as good as we get? To boost Jamar's self esteem? To provide the younger players with confidence that the Big Russian will look after them? Curious.

You could say it was a "clip" that wasn't really a reportable "clip" , if you get my drift...lol...

I have noticed this too. Compare that to Sandilands - Sandi jumps ( not all that high) , but always taps or marks with body straight and arms vertical and stretched making it near impossible to combat. Gawn will learn ( or be taught) to make the best use of his height.

For me Gawn for Dawes and Riley for Toumpas. We need Dawes and we will be a little top heavy with Gawn in. I didnt mind Jimmy's game but at this stage he doesnt bring the X factor that both JKH and Salem are providing. Riley is pure grunt - but am nervous about Viney and him killing each other to get to the ball first.

Sandilands doesn't HAVE to jump all that high..He is already "up there" before he lifts a foot..lol I Like Riley a lot..He will be good for us..

Watching Collingwood I think the real key to beating them is not allowing them time and space, they have some fantastic field kicks

Langdon in not very long has become a key for them off half back and I expect Watts to go to him and drag him deeper potentially creating a miss match

I reckon Dunn will get Elliot

TMAC gets cloke

Garland gets White

Cross will go to Beams

Nathan Jones will play the role he did on Cotchin and Murphy on Pendels

hopefully Dawes footy smarts makes him too much for the pies defence to control

Can't see Dunn getting Elliot, more likely to be Jetta or Garland depending on how they line up.

The reason Gawn was ineffective, particularly with his marking, is that he's making NO advantage of his height. He had a very odd method of dropping his body against his opponent, thinking he was keeping him off the ball, but just making it easier to spoil over the top. He doesn't trust his body strength yet, and becomes too passive on account. Stand tall and reach skywards Maxy. They can't get to you that way.

Apart from which it seems that his opponent could just about have carried out a ritual disembowelling and not given a free away. There were many times Gawn simply wasn't able to get to the contest or get his arms up because he was being illegally held back or blocked.

But if the umps don't pay it first time, they tend to let it go the whole game. Anything goes in a jostle these days. I doubt Pedo would have got a free if he hadn't held on to the mark in the goalsquare. And a forward bodily throwing a defender out of the contest before the ball arrives seems to be OK too.