THE ROAD TO ROUND 1, 2015

[PaulRB 6,435]

I'm struggling to resist looking forward to season 2015.

The MFC is like a wayward girlfriend, who just needs to wriggle her hips and I come creeping back.

Only, 5 months of hip swinging to go...

[jazza 1,323]

I'm struggling to resist looking forward to season 2015.

The MFC is like a wayward girlfriend, who just needs to wriggle her hips and I come creeping back.

Only, 5 months of hip swinging to go...

Love the hip wriggling and enjoy every part of off season.

Although wont be the same without Blease,Morton,"Col" and a few other park champs training the shouse down.

Looking forward to R1 and the whole season,Thinking we make the 8 and maybe pinch a final.

Anyway back to the tasmanian beer for me.

[demoniac 1,337]

Any training reports yet!

[boydie 655]

Any training reports yet!

Someone is no doubt tearing up the track, someone is having his first proper preseason, and someone is fully fit after carry a niggle all year but they'll roll their ankle in mid Jan and miss 2 - 30 weeks.

[Dinosaur Rover 197]

My wife took me to the royal for the first time. She is a good girl

My bucks turn paid a visit

[Adam The God 30,638]

Jetta McDonald Dunn

Lamumba Garland Grimes

Michie Viney Toumpas

Vince Dawes Howe

Gartlett Hogan Watts

Jamar Tyson N Jones

Int: Petracca, Kent, Cross

Sub. Brayshaw

emerg: Frost Salem Gawn

2nds , Mckenzie, Bail, JKH, Terlich, Barry, Hunt, Spencer, Stretch, Fitz, Pedersen, M Jones, JT* (LTI)

Looks alright, but I don't expect us to beat GCS unfortunately. I know it's on our turf and we should be in with a shot, but they should have too much class in the midfield. Still, a few months to pass under the bridge yet though. We could have some inspiring/creepy Saty training reports that induce us into a false sense of optimism. All of a sudden, Demonland will be bleating: "if we don't beat GCS we won't win a game for the rest of the season". An early win will undoubtedly help a spike in membership though, so I hope we get it.

[WERRIDEE 5,595]

Jetta McDonald Dunn

Lamumba Garland Grimes

Michie Viney Toumpas

Vince Dawes Howe

Gartlett Hogan Watts

Jamar Tyson N Jones

Int: Petracca, Kent, Cross

Sub. Brayshaw

emerg: Frost Salem Gawn

2nds , Mckenzie, Bail, JKH, Terlich, Barry, Hunt, Spencer, Stretch, Fitz, Pedersen, M Jones, JT* (LTI)

Dawes is suspended for rnd 1.

[GawnWithTheWind 604]

(How could I miss out on Tyson!)

After seeing a few trainings and reports, early prediction for round 1 team:

Jetta - Frost - Dunn

Lumumba - McDonald - Garland

Watts - N.Jones - Vince

Howe - Pedersen - JKH

Garlett - Jamar - Hogan

Gawn - Viney - Cross

Kent - Grimes - Tyson

M.Jones

- Dawes Suspended

If we can get the ball into the hands of that center line, our fwds will have some pretty nice delivery. Throw JKH and Kent into a high half forward, and our three/four talls should be pretty happy with the supply.

Not sure where Grimes fits at the moment, maybe into a midfield rotation. Maybe he could be our new tagger.

Excited to see Kent+Garlett+JKH for the next few years.

[rpfc 28,955]

I like that team AOD. S-load of run.

10 runners plus Lumumba in the 22.

We won't win it out of the Middle much again so transition is what we have to about.

[DeeSpencer 26,446]

FB: Jetta Frost Dunn

HB: Garland McDonald Grimes

C: Vince Jones Watts

HF: Kent Hogan Bail
FF: Garlett Gawn Howe

Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross

Int: Lumumba Viney Toumpas

S: Salem

Backline; I don't think a few NAB challenge games is enough form for Grimes to be dropped from. He's the captain. So far in preseason he's fit and training well and there's just not a long list of gun half backs to take his spot. I think Lumumba is best utilised swinging between half back and midfield. He's not a great ball user or defender, his strength is his run. So in that regard I like him on the wing and more half back when the game opens up. Gold Coast typically play the 3 bigs. I can certainly see Frost in the side.

Forwards: With half decent NAB challenge form I think Garlett and Kent are pretty likely. Garlett has runs on the board as a goal kicker. Kent will come off a preseason much fitter and he's got the form in a decent finish to 2014. Hogan for sure. How to cover the back up ruck and other bigs is interesting. It will come down to form, but at this stage I'd rather go with Gawn and Howe as a big and small combination instead of Pedersen because then we become too big. Fitzy hasn't impressed me in preseason so far. I eventually think Howe will end up back or in a swingman role. But I'd love to see him forward early. I'm a big Bail fan. I don't think he'll be best 22 all year, but I think what he does is make others around him better (besides when he kicks) and will put the onus on others to take his spot.

Mids: Jones, Tyson, Vince (once fit), Viney and Cross pick themselves. It's a matter of what's left for the other spots bearing in mind Lumumba gives you significant time on the wing as well as Kent and Bail being part of the rotation. I really hope it's the likes of skilled guys like Toumpas and Watts (plus Salem if he's not sub) who step up and claim those spots. We know what we get from Matty Jones and it probably isn't good enough. Watts' best games are more than good enough, we just need to see them more than once a month. Toumpas is a 3rd year mid, that's improvement time. He looks stronger. He's running well. From his first season he's always shown ability to run like a good wingman, it's just a matter of him getting the ball (or the ball getting to him) and then him having composure to use it. Hopefully it's his time.

Sub: Salem was a great sub this year. With a preseason I can't see him any worse. JKH could take that spot as well. The only other thing would be if you went for some tactical genius move and picked McKenzie as sub. Close games against the Gold Coast are determined almost purely by G Ablett. Bringing a fresh McKenzie on to him and freeing up Crossy (to a wing maybe, then Vince as a forward etc) could be the best way to keep Gaz from that 10 touch 2 goal final quarter that breaks your heart. Just something to think about. How much impact do you get bringing on a half forward compared to putting all focus on stopping Gaz?

[DeeSpencer 26,446]

I like that team AOD. S-load of run.

10 runners plus Lumumba in the 22.

We won't win it out of the Middle much again so transition is what we have to about.

We certainly wont without Dom Tyson!

[Wunders 397]

Sub: Salem was a great sub this year. With a preseason I can't see him any worse. JKH could take that spot as well. The only other thing would be if you went for some tactical genius move and picked McKenzie as sub. Close games against the Gold Coast are determined almost purely by G Ablett. Bringing a fresh McKenzie on to him and freeing up Crossy (to a wing maybe, then Vince as a forward etc) could be the best way to keep Gaz from that 10 touch 2 goal final quarter that breaks your heart. Just something to think about. How much impact do you get bringing on a half forward compared to putting all focus on stopping Gaz?

That's if Ablett is back round one.. The set back sounded quite bad.. If he isn't playing wonder what the odds will be

[CBDees 3,167]

FB: Jetta Frost Dunn

HB: Garland McDonald Lumumba

C: Vince Jones Watts

HF: Howe Hogan McCartin
FF: Garlett Gawn Kent

Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross

Int: Brayshaw Viney Toumpas

S: Salem

E: Grimes, Bail JKH

[Ted Lasso 19,564]

Anyone else reckon frost could theoretically chop out in the ruck?

[rjay 25,315]

Anyone else reckon frost could theoretically chop out in the ruck?

I wouldn't have thought so, he's been brought in as a defender.

[Ted Lasso 19,564]

When I first saw him i was shocked how big he is

Pretty dangerous trio of small forwards in Kent, jkh and garlett

[rpfc 28,955]

Anyone else reckon frost could theoretically chop out in the ruck?

The logistics of a backman being 2nd ruck are troublesome to say the least.

[Neitz the Great 555]

FB: Jetta Frost Dunn

HB: Garland McDonald Lumumba

C: Vince Jones Watts

HF: Howe Hogan McCartin

FF: Garlett Gawn Kent

Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross

Int: Brayshaw Viney Toumpas

S: Salem

E: Grimes, Bail JKH

I like it but I really think for Round 1 roosy would put Brayshaw in as the sub and start Salem (whos looking pretty good atm)

[monoccular 17,680]

The logistics of a backman being 2nd ruck are troublesome to say the least.

Len Mann? Trevor Johnson??

[chook fowler 19,717]

Also Max Walker used to play back pocket when resting as a ruck man. As did Brent Jones way back when.

[P-man 13,367]

FB: Jetta Frost Dunn

HB: Garland Grimes McDonald

C: Vince Jones Toumpas

HF: Kent Hogan Watts

FF: Garlett Gawn Howe

Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross

Int: Viney Brayshaw Lumumba

S: Salem

Normally would hesitate on a new draftee in Round 1 but AB looks as ready as anyone.

Giving Toump a start due to overexcitement from training reports #notevensorry

[Ethan Tremblay 31,263]

FB: Jetta Frost Dunn

HB: Garland Grimes McDonald

C: Vince Jones Toumpas

HF: Kent Hogan Watts

FF: Garlett Gawn Howe

Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross

Int: Viney Brayshaw Lumumba

S: Salem

Normally would hesitate on a new draftee in Round 1 but AB looks as ready as anyone.

Giving Toump a start due to overexcitement from training reports #notevensorry

I think you're spot on p man.

Do you think Grimes will be co-captain next season and if so is this the reason you have selected him?

He did a couple of ok things last season but from what I can remember was a big liability and was pretty nervous when he got his hands on the ball.

[DeeSpencer 26,446]

Len Mann? Trevor Johnson??

Naming people who played presumably prior to our players births doesn't really lend much weight.

Gold Coast will likely have Smith or Nicholls rucking, then 3 big forwards - Lynch, Day, Dixon.

When (most likely) Dixon goes in to the ruck the starter will spend time on the bench, but they could also go forward. If at the same time Frost went in to the ruck that would leave us a big defender short at times.

There's also the effect that you'd want Frost on one of the better of those big guys and you wouldn't want to disturb his match up if he was playing well. Nor physically drain him by throwing him in to the ruck then expecting him to play well as a key defender.

With Dawes out of the side suspended we will be naming a second ruck/forward. It will likely be Pedersen or Gawn if not both. Come the right match ups on the right days I'm all for Frost to spend some time in the ruck but I very much doubt round 1 against the Gold Coast will be that day.

[rjay 25,315]

Len Mann? Trevor Johnson??

Also Max Walker used to play back pocket when resting as a ruck man. As did Brent Jones way back when.

Lucky the game hasn't changed in 50 years...

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,337]

That's if Ablett is back round one.. The set back sounded quite bad.. If he isn't playing wonder what the odds will be

Ablett will be playing round 1.

He's already back training. Even if he wasn't right, they'd play him in the fwd pocket all day.