THE ROAD TO ROUND 1, 2015

[hardtack 10,537]

A fit Garland will be like a new recruit as well.

I also think that despite his late season injury, big Max Gawn is going to be much bigger and much stronger and I'm half expecting a break out year from him in 2015.

[P-man 13,366]

Looking at the round 1 line up from Demonlanders, many have left out Bail, M. Jones and the co-skip Grimes.

I respect the efforts of Bail and Jones but the sooner the likes of Salem, Toump and JKH step up (whilst the new boys are developing) and take their spots the sooner we will rise.

I have been watching the 2014 replays on Foxtel with a focus on Grimes as many on this board have pointed out his weaknesses. I have always been a fan of Franky but he is not agile or quick enough to play on the smalls, and is 50/50 disposing of the ball to a Dees jumper when not kicking sideways/backwards. I admire the way he puts his body on the line but I really can't see where his positon is in 2015 (especially with Lulumba and Frost coming in to the back six).

Watched a replay of the Port game last night. The one where we dominated the match outside of the first and last 10 minutes and somehow lost. Yeah, that one. Still frustrating, but enjoyable all the same. We played exceptionally well in long patches winning a majority of 50/50 contests, with Viney and Salem giving enticing glimpses of the future.

Anyhow, Grimes was giving me fresh headaches. His mistakes, one of them a turnover in front of goal, led to a number of Port scores. In a game they ended up winning by 20 points.

Having your captain make crucial and silly mistakes again and again hurts the rest of the team. I have him in Round 1, but if it's the same Grimes from last season, he needs to be dropped. We can't afford it anymore and frankly we are now assembling a list where we don't need to afford it.

His stint as co-captain for the time being should also be over.

[Wunders 397]

Just modified your team HH:

B - Neville Jetta - Sam Frost* - Lynden Dunn

HB - Heritier Lumumba - Tom McDonald - Jeremy Howe

C - Bernie Vince - Dom Tyson - Jimmy Toumpas*

HF - Christian Petracca - Cam Pedersen - Dean Kent

F - Max Gawn - Jesse Hogan - Jeff Garlett

R - Mark Jamar - Jack Viney - Nathan Jones

I/C - Daniel Cross - Viv Michie - Jack Watts - Angus Brayshaw

Swapped:

-Garland for frost - havent seen frost play live, but like him over garland as id like to see someone with that size and speed playing in the backline (garland was our best defender like 3 years ago so he could easily be back in - pre-season will tell).

-JKH for Toumpas - Toumpas can kick, he can run, he trains as hard as cross.. i have a great feeling about him this year (especially with Hogan in to give him that target who can & will mark anything in front of him [still have flashbacks to the Geelong pre-season game last year]).

Also, Brayshaw and Michie are the two most likely to not be in the team if Roos was to drop anyone, although i like them both and want them in the team.

Round 2: drop pederson for Dawes. Go Dees

[jabberwocky 2,301]

I also think that despite his late season injury, big Max Gawn is going to be much bigger and much stronger and I'm half expecting a break out year from him in 2015.

Keeping a lid on it but I would think the potential for a fairly large improvement in 2015 is exciting.

Objectively looking at the list, barring an injury explosion.... if we have a couple of players return to form, a couple of mature recruits perform, and a couple of draftees contribute then that could pave the way for some fairly substantial gains. The only thing we have lost from 2014 is Chip, on the face of it the gains are great.

We have the staff in place to get the best out of them, there are some good and concrete reasons to be optimistic.

[Fat Tony 5,228]

Jetta – Dunn – Garland
Howe – McDonald/Frost – Grimes ©
Lumumba – N Jones © – Watts
Bail – Hogan – Kent
Petracca – Pedersen – Garlett
Jamar/Gawn – Tyson – Vince
Viney – Brayshaw – Cross
Salem

[CBDees 3,167]

Just modified your team HH:

B - Neville Jetta - Sam Frost* - Lynden Dunn

HB - Heritier Lumumba - Tom McDonald - Jeremy Howe

C - Bernie Vince - Dom Tyson - Jimmy Toumpas*

HF - Christian Petracca - Cam Pedersen - Dean Kent

F - Max Gawn - Jesse Hogan - Jeff Garlett

R - Mark Jamar - Jack Viney - Nathan Jones

I/C - Daniel Cross - Viv Michie - Jack Watts - Angus Brayshaw

Swapped:

-Garland for frost - havent seen frost play live, but like him over garland as id like to see someone with that size and speed playing in the backline (garland was our best defender like 3 years ago so he could easily be back in - pre-season will tell).

-JKH for Toumpas - Toumpas can kick, he can run, he trains as hard as cross.. i have a great feeling about him this year (especially with Hogan in to give him that target who can & will mark anything in front of him [still have flashbacks to the Geelong pre-season game last year]).

Also, Brayshaw and Michie are the two most likely to not be in the team if Roos was to drop anyone, although i like them both and want them in the team.

Round 2: drop pederson for Dawes. Go Dees

I would like to see salem in the side possibly in lieu of mitchie [or whoever is injured from your list come round 1]. I agree with Pederson playing round 1 in place odf dawes as that will enable us to settle our structure.

[CBDees 3,167]

Jetta – Dunn – Garland

Howe – McDonald/Frost – Grimes ©

Lumumba – N Jones © – Watts

Bail – Hogan – Kent

Petracca – Pedersen – Garlett

Jamar/Gawn – Tyson – Vince

Viney – Brayshaw – Cross

Salem

I would be tempted to include Frost & McDonald instead of Grimes

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

If Grimes is to stay half back then

Howe will return to the Forward Line. (Kent will be the sacrifice for Howe)

McDonald will pick up the big mobile tall irrespective whether that is FB or CHB

I also believe Petracca (HFF) and Brayshaw will line up Round 1. Their bodies are strong and hard. The next 2 months will tell.

Things will be made a lot simpler if the co captain role is stripped from Grimes. (Although going by training reports he has lifted his game)

[Demon Jack 6,907]

My first crack at a round 1 team

FB - Jetta - Dunn - Garland

HB - Lumumba - TMac - Grimes

C - Vince - Viney - Watts

HF - Petracca - Pederson - Howe

FF - Kent - Hogan - Garlett

R - Jamar - N.Jones - Tyson

INT - Brayshaw - Gawn - Cross SUB - JKH/Salem

EMG - Frost - Bail - Toumpas

Dawes is obviously suspended which allows Pederson to come in and play a half forward role and maybe pitch in with the ruck work (rotate with Gawn?) I can see that many people cut Grimes from their round one squad. Being our (co) captain, I expect him to take it up a notch next year. Fingers crossed.

With the addition of Garlett in the forward line, JKH just squeezes into the side as the sub while Salem should also be considered for the role (although I'd prefer him to play midfield and half-back). Hoping Howe returns to the forward line as well, but wouldn't mind if he stayed down in defence.

No guarantees Bernard Vincent will be a available for selection considering he's coming off a shoulder op. I'd expect Salem to slip into his spot if he's unavailable for selection.

Toumpas extremely lucky to miss out.

[BIG JIM 508]

I would think Newton will be ahead of all the new draft guys as he has been in the system for a few pre seasons. The best thing would be to see both the high draft picks come in and earn there chance like Salem and JKH and I'm sure that's how Roos will do it again.

Let's hope they have good pre seasons and really put there hands up for a start in round 1. We must remember these kids are NOT our saviours in 2015. They need time it's toumpass and watts who need to really stand up next year.

GO DEES

[What 18,810]

I think Michie is going to surprise a lot of people, I have no problem putting him in my round 1 team

[WERRIDEE 5,468]

MELBOURNE

B: JETTA, MCDONALD, DUNN

HB: GRIMES, FROST, LUMUMBA

C: BRAYSHAW, JONES, CROSS

HF: VINEY, HOGAN, PETRACCA

F: WATTS, HOWE, GARLETT

FOLL: JAMAR, VINCE, TYSON

IC: GARLAND, GAWN, KENT

SUB: BAIL

GOLD COAST

B: MCKENZIE, MAY, HARBROW

HB: MALCESKI, THOMPSON, KOLODJASHNIJ

C: RISCHITELLI, ABLETT, O'MEARA

HF: BENNELL, LYNCH, MARTIN

F: MATERA, DAY, DIXON

FOLL: SMITH, SWALLOW, PRESTIA

IC: STANLEY, SHAW, HALLAHAN

SUB: LEMMENS

KEY MATCH UPS

FROST V LYNCH

We recruited him to play on the monsters, no better test than going head to head with Lynch.

GRIMES V BENNELL

It's going to be a tough task but Grimes needs a new role to revive his career and becoming a tagger might be it.

We need someone to eventually replace Cross as our number 1 tagger.

CROSS V O'MEARA

He done a good job on him last time.

I expect us to lose by about 5 goals.

I really can't see us kicking enough goals Dawes's suspension really hurts us he really could have stretched the Gold Coast defence.

[flamindees 16]

FB: Jetta, Frost, Dunn

HB: Lumumba, T Mac, Grimes

C: Vince, Tyson, Watts

HF: Howe, Pederson, Hogan

FF: Garlett, Gawn, Salem

R: Jamar, N Jones, Viney

IC: Cross, Toumpas, Garland

Sub: JKH

Emergencies: Kent, Newton, M Jones

* Let Hogan play on a flank/ pocket until he is comfortable in the seniors- not to mention his last game for Casey was August '13, CHF may be beyond him first up.

* I don't want any of our draftees debuting in round 1, let them learn their craft and build their confidence up at Casey. Gifting our kids games to appease impatient fans must be a thing of the past.

Only play them when form and team balance demands that they be played.

[P-man 13,366]

I don't want any of our draftees debuting in round 1, let them learn their craft and build their confidence up at Casey. Gifting our kids games to appease impatient fans must be a thing of the past.

Only play them when form and team balance demands that they be played.

One thing I am absolutely certain of is that if any draftees debut in Round 1, it won't be to appease fans. It will be because they have trained hard and have done enough in the coaches' minds to warrant selection.

[GawnWithTheWind 604]

After draft day....

FB: Frost - Dunn - Jetta

HB: Garland - T-Mac - Prince

C: Vince - Tyson - Watts

HF: Howe - Pedo - Kent

FF: Garlett - Jamar - Hogan

R: Gawn - Jones - Cross

I: M.Jones - Viney - Grimes

S: Petrecca

E: JKH - Salem - Toumpas

If its wet, take Gawn out and play Pedo as the second ruckman. JKH would come in for a high forward role.

The exciting thing is I wanted to squeeze about 5 players into that side, and couldn't. Can't remember the last time that has happened.

- Pedo is an endurance player who can crash packs and mark. He is needed at the moment. Line up Bennell at the bounce and take him clean out for the game. Let the league know we aren't stuffing around anymore. If he gets suspended, Dawes can come in

- Grimes to play a tagging role, his skills aren't up to it to be a good midfielder on his own. He needs to use his tank and smarts to shut down their best player.

- Prince plays half back for a bit of leadership, however besides Frost, the backline is quite mature and capable.

- Garlett and Kent to swap who plays high and who plays deep, both are capable for either position.

- Jamar to own the 25 meters around from goal, not many better marks in our team than the russian.

- Hogan is roammmmmmmmmm. He won't take a backward step.

[Pates 9,660]

Dawes is suspended for round 1

Yes forgot about that little detail!

[Mondê 525]

Hey guys, any idea if the new boys will be training on Monday morning? Cheers in advance.

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

Remember one thing in your teams.

The coach loves Bail.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

HS just reported that Ablett isn't playing the next NAB Cup game and is in serious doubts for round 1.

Good for us, although saints were decimated with injuries last year and we all know how that turned out.

[At Least I Saw a Flag 5,235]

HS just reported that Ablett isn't playing the next NAB Cup game and is in serious doubts for round 1.

Good for us, although saints were decimated with injuries last year and we all know how that turned out.

He'll play.

[Pipefitter 2,159]

I'd rather he play. We seem to play even worse when the other team is undermanned.

[Allen Jakovich 516]

Reporting O'Meara in doubt too.

[SaberFang 7,151]

Ablett will play even if only 90%.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,386]

He'll play.

SC will go into meltdown.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,816]

Tom Lynch is a very handy out.