Changes vs Hawthorn

[RalphiusMaximus 6,088]

Listening to the game on radio and not having seen any of it or read anything else about it, it's interesting how some players names get called regularly and others barely at all. Suggests to me the ones who's names are called regularly are working harder to get where the ball is although sometimes they make poor decisions and execution errors when (or if) they get the ball.

The players who - according to the radio call - seemed to be always in the game (in no particular order) were Jones, Tyson, McDonald, Howe, Vince, Terlich, Frawley, Jetta, Dawes and Bail. More importantly, the ones who's names rarely got called included Tapscott, Blease, McKenzie, Pedersen, Riley and Watts.

I would have thought the changes might come from this last group. If there are no injured players needing time out, perhaps Gawn should come in for Pedersen and Cross for McKenzie. I'd rather give Blease and Tapscott another chance than replace them with someone who's card is already marked - one way or the other.

While I agree with most of those, Watts needs to stay in the side. The reason you don't hear his name called has more to do with his teammates inability to spot him up than his inability to get involved. If you attend the game you will see him making lead after lead out of half forward and being totally ignored by teammates who either don't see him or lack the confidence/skills to kick it to him and instead go for riskier and less productive short passes. If we could get a half back or two who are good enough players to see him leading and hit him then his stats and involvement will skyrocket. As he said on TV, the reason he is sometimes seen jogging past the contest is because he's just made six leads, been ignored and is totally stuffed. Yes he still needs to improve his contested work. but his overall workrate is as good as any in the team.

[DeeSpencer 26,083]

Tapscott (knee), Blease (never again), Riley

Matt Jones, Cross, Gawn

FB: Garland Pedersen Jetta

HB: Dunn McDonald Howe

C: M. Jones N. Jones Vince
HF: Kent Dawes Bail

FF: JKH Gawn Frawley

Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross

Int: McKenzie, Viney, Terlich

S: Watts

Pedersen down back to play on the resting ruck, McDonald on Roughead don't care if he gets a bath he needs the learning. Dunn on Gunston, Garland on Breust or vice/versa.

Reinforcements to the midfield in Matt Jones and Cross.

Gawn to hopefully provide a bit of a spark forward and some ruck advantage.

Watts, Riley or if fit Tapscott for the sub spot, don't really care. So many limited footballers but my main focus was on who coming in because there's too many to actually drop

Can add Michie or Strauss in to the team if you think they'd actually be better than someone else getting a game

[Ethan Tremblay 30,970]

Tapscott (knee), Blease (never again), Riley

Matt Jones, Cross, Gawn

FB: Garland Pedersen Jetta

HB: Dunn McDonald Howe

C: M. Jones N. Jones Vince

HF: Kent Dawes Bail

FF: JKH Gawn Frawley

Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross

Int: McKenzie, Viney, Terlich

S: Watts

Pedersen down back to play on the resting ruck, McDonald on Roughead don't care if he gets a bath he needs the learning. Dunn on Gunston, Garland on Breust or vice/versa.

Reinforcements to the midfield in Matt Jones and Cross.

Gawn to hopefully provide a bit of a spark forward and some ruck advantage.

Watts, Riley or if fit Tapscott for the sub spot, don't really care. So many limited footballers but my main focus was on who coming in because there's too many to actually drop

Can add Michie or Strauss in to the team if you think they'd actually be better than someone else getting a game

Can't argue with that. The only thing I'd be wary of is Watts starting as sub, I'd rather drop him. I could see him cracking the sads like a spoilt little kid, coming on and not adding anything...oh hang on......

[Chook 15,022]

While I agree with most of those, Watts needs to stay in the side. The reason you don't hear his name called has more to do with his teammates inability to spot him up than his inability to get involved. If you attend the game you will see him making lead after lead out of half forward and being totally ignored by teammates who either don't see him or lack the confidence/skills to kick it to him and instead go for riskier and less productive short passes. If we could get a half back or two who are good enough players to see him leading and hit him then his stats and involvement will skyrocket. As he said on TV, the reason he is sometimes seen jogging past the contest is because he's just made six leads, been ignored and is totally stuffed. Yes he still needs to improve his contested work. but his overall workrate is as good as any in the team.

We need his disposal like a drowning man needs a life raft. Unfortunately you need good disposal to hit up players with good disposal. It's like a catch-22, and since Jack is incapable of winning his own ball (or seemingly even keeping his feet in a contest), he's pretty difficult to bring into the game with any regularity.

[bing181 9,328]

We'll be OK ... gallant loss, and in it until final quarter. We only go to pieces in matches we should win, not matches we should lose.

If anyone's interested, dig out some of the recent interviews from Michael Rogers - Ozzie cyclist. 2 stage wins at the Giro and one at the TDF this year because at the ripe old age of 34 and after quite a bit of soul-searching following a suspension, he's stopped being scared of winning.

Sport: It's a lot between the ears, and it's the weight of expectation that's killing us.

Tapscott, Blease out. Maybe Pedersen (nose?), and I'd see what happens this week with Tommy Mac. Was off the ground for treatment at 3/4 time, then for a slab of the last quarter - something's not quite right there.

Gawn and Cross in, perhaps Mitchie, but they could also be interested in having one last look at Strauss.

Start JKH, then Riley or Mitchie sub.

[demon3165 2,805]

While I agree with most of those, Watts needs to stay in the side. The reason you don't hear his name called has more to do with his teammates inability to spot him up than his inability to get involved. If you attend the game you will see him making lead after lead out of half forward and being totally ignored by teammates who either don't see him or lack the confidence/skills to kick it to him and instead go for riskier and less productive short passes. If we could get a half back or two who are good enough players to see him leading and hit him then his stats and involvement will skyrocket. As he said on TV, the reason he is sometimes seen jogging past the contest is because he's just made six leads, been ignored and is totally stuffed. Yes he still needs to improve his contested work. but his overall workrate is as good as any in the team.

Could not agree more, people should stop making him a scapegoat (while he does have his faults) if you keep an eye on him during the game you will see him make plenty of leads and running pattens, but as we saw they could not hit a barn at five paces let alone pin pointing a pass at 40 metres.

[Toorak 108]

Not 100% sure but Pederson might have a pretty nasty broken nose, not sure how long he will miss if at all.

Merret gets off!!! That guy is either a thug or incredibly clumbsy. I think the former.

[Bendigo Demon 115]

Am I the only person who was disgusted in Kent? Kicked 2 nice goals, but then decided that every time he got the ball he was going to have a shot. Missed Dawes 3 times on the lead, and showed how one dimensional and selfish he was. After his start, I was really disappointed.

Garland, well he was non existent. Doesn't realise it's a contact sport. Had no impact on the game. He is soft, poorly skilled, and in no way a leader at our club. Goes missing when it gets tough. No urgency in his play at all. He is the epitome of the issues at our club. Soft, no leadership, no physicality, new kids come to our club and look at him as a leader, and he isn't a leader's bum.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Am I the only person who was disgusted in Kent? Kicked 2 nice goals, but then decided that every time he got the ball he was going to have a shot. Missed Dawes 3 times on the lead, and showed how one dimensional and selfish he was. After his start, I was really disappointed.

Garland, well he was non existent. Doesn't realise it's a contact sport. Had no impact on the game. He is soft, poorly skilled, and in no way a leader at our club. Goes missing when it gets tough. No urgency in his play at all. He is the epitome of the issues at our club. Soft, no leadership, no physicality, new kids come to our club and look at him as a leader, and he isn't a leader's bum.

agree with all that

it's a bit of a worry for a 24-gamer to have such a selfish mindset, I wonder what has been said to him since. Chance to be dropped actually.

[Don24 103]

we need people who can dispose of it, sadly not many running around in the twos.

In Gawn, Strauss, Salem, Jones, Michie

Out Jamar, Blease, McKenzie, Riley, Bail

[old dee 23,872]

Just read on the MFC site that Grinmes will be out for 1 -2 more games.

Should be back for the last couple of games.

Devasting news!

[JV7 2,354]

A forgotten man is mitch clisby... His form at casey has been pretty solid this year, did miss a large chunk of footy in the middle of the year but has been in good form since he came back and thought he could have got a run in grimes' spot on the weekend

Edited August 4, 2014 by JV7

[Coup Cooper 610]

Tapscott (knee), Blease (never again), Riley

Matt Jones, Cross, Gawn

FB: Garland Pedersen Jetta

HB: Dunn McDonald Howe

C: M. Jones N. Jones Vince

HF: Kent Dawes Bail

FF: JKH Gawn Frawley

Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross

Int: McKenzie, Viney, Terlich

S: Watts

Pedersen down back to play on the resting ruck, McDonald on Roughead don't care if he gets a bath he needs the learning. Dunn on Gunston, Garland on Breust or vice/versa.

Reinforcements to the midfield in Matt Jones and Cross.

Gawn to hopefully provide a bit of a spark forward and some ruck advantage.

Watts, Riley or if fit Tapscott for the sub spot, don't really care. So many limited footballers but my main focus was on who coming in because there's too many to actually drop

Can add Michie or Strauss in to the team if you think they'd actually be better than someone else getting a game

Id like to see Harmes tried instead of Matt Jones.. Let Jones have a rest..

[What 18,810]

Am I the only person who was disgusted in Kent? Kicked 2 nice goals, but then decided that every time he got the ball he was going to have a shot. .

I love that about him

We are crying out for midfielders who aren't afraid to have a shot at goal

[SaberFang 7,151]

In fairness to Kent, Dawes can't mark anything right now and nobody else in the damn team was scoring goals. It was selfish, yes, but at least he was trying to take the game on and drag us forward.

Would be pretty uninspiring watching your teammates aimlessly handball backwards and forth all day to no avail.

[Nasher 33,617]

I love that about him

We are crying out for midfielders who aren't afraid to have a shot at goal

I agree, but he does needs to add an element of awareness of his surroundings though. Should get a rocket up his **** next time he costs the team a goal because he has a shot and misses when a player is free in the square. Will be a better player once he learns when it is appropriate to take a risk and have a ping, and when to pass it off.

[Nasher 33,617]

In fairness to Kent, Dawes can't mark anything right now and nobody else in the damn team was scoring goals. It was selfish, yes, but at least he was trying to take the game on and drag us forward.

Would be pretty uninspiring watching your teammates aimlessly handball backwards and forth all day to no avail.

Watching your teammates kick points isn't a big improvement. Should've passed it, no ifs or buts I reckon.

[bing181 9,328]

Id like to see Harmes ...

Not a bad idea, even if there have been comments about his defensive work, but Harmes is a rookie. Not sure of current upgrade status or possibility. Jetta has one, but can't remember if Georgio is still on the main list or not.

Edited August 4, 2014 by bing181

[monoccular 17,575]

Why is Pedersen suddenly in all the outs? Doesn't belong near Casey on form, and would be the first player of all time to miss a game with a broken nose if that's what people are worried about?

I suspect those who left Pedersen out have done so on the basis of the unfortunate accidental [ :-)] injury from Merret.

PS Very difficult to raise and interest or emotion any more. I was fortunate enough not to be able to get to the game Sunday, and also fortunate enough to only be able to listen to snippets, and watch even less on TV.

I have followed the Demons loyally for around 60 years - very easy to do so at first of course - but can at the moment only raise about as much enthusiasm as the team appears to. It saddens me deeply.

Edited August 4, 2014 by monoccular

[Red and Bluebeard 2,101]

I am an incurable optimist (and I like it that way, believe it or not ), but I think there is a case to make that we will be better this week. Our finest hours this season (precious few though they have been ) have come when we have nothing to lose --- both games in Adelaide, the last 2 minutes of the Essendon game, the win over Carlton. Conversely, our most face-palm-worthy moments have been like yesterday, when we could have and should have won, but instead kicked ourselves in the nuts. Perhaps that only shows that not all is right between the ears of our players ... (and others would say this poster has the same problem ).

Maybe it is just that I am really looking forward to the day when we finally beat those brown and gold @$@$@%^&$@s, and I want to be there to sing the song when we do!

[titan_uranus 25,045]

I'd drop Terlich, Blease, Tapscott and McKenzie, but they won't all go, mainly because I don't think we have four players to bring in for them.

Cross comes back, Michie gets another shot, and I think M Jones has done enough at Casey.

I don't see any point in giving Strauss four games. If he plays well what do we do, give him another year? Four games is hardly enough to warrant a spot on the list. I'd just accept that he's not going to make it and not play him.

[old dee 23,872]

I'd drop Terlich, Blease, Tapscott and McKenzie, but they won't all go, mainly because I don't think we have four players to bring in for them.

Cross comes back, Michie gets another shot, and I think M Jones has done enough at Casey.

I don't see any point in giving Strauss four games. If he plays well what do we do, give him another year? Four games is hardly enough to warrant a spot on the list. I'd just accept that he's not going to make it and not play him.

I think that has already been decided tu

[Jaded No More 68,974]

In: 100 point smashing

Out: Me. Don't think I can handle it.

[What 18,810]

what injury did Salem get on the weekend? the stats say he had only 1 possession for Casey

Edited August 4, 2014 by hogans_heroes

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

We need his disposal like a drowning man needs a life raft. Unfortunately you need good disposal to hit up players with good disposal. It's like a catch-22, and since Jack is incapable of winning his own ball (or seemingly even keeping his feet in a contest), he's pretty difficult to bring into the game with any regularity.

The problem is that his game shouldn't really be based around winning his own football, not that he doesn't need to work on keeping his feet and being able to affect the contest on the ground more, but he has significantly improved these qualities this season.

Often he is 5-10m out on his opponent and is missed, then the idiot in the crowd who often sits behind me will scream "that's your man Watts" where I think to myself, yes it is his man but if the pass had of hit him it wouldn't be an issue. The other problem with this is that when the ball is kicked to his advantage side he often is able to win a marking contest and position his body well against his opponent often enough.

At the end of the day, there is no coincidence that when Melbourne play well watts is playing well. There is no way he should not be in the side and he is very close to a top 5 best and fairest this year I would think. Definitely top 10.