Keep in mind that we lost to the reject team that this rabble was able to field in the NAB Challenge. I wouldn't be overly complacent going into this game, it would be typical of Melbourne to lose this.

In: JKH, Fitzpatrick, Newton, Riley/Harmes

Out: Spencer, Bail, M. Jones, Howe

Edited July 5, 201510 yr by Good Times Grimes

Yep think he got his odds mixed up. Bombers are paying $2.40, best you can get for us is $1.67

best i check the odds. Dees at 2.40..? Golly.. must have changed

The odds flipped after yesterday's game. We moved from $2.60 - $1.60 overnight. The bombers went the other way.

When a team goes in tall to expose the opposition defence you need to at least have players who can mark the ball, otherwise you are not exposing anything other than the fact you don't have the cattle to do the job.

I'm sick to death of people posting rubbish on here about so & so's work rate, leadership, how they provide a contest ...bring the ball to ground.

Contest & bring the ball to ground...we had 4 players in our forward line to do that job on the weekend and when they did get to the contest and bring it to ground WC waltzed away with the ball. A novel idea is to get some players who can mark the ball and a few others who can crumb and provide defensive pressure.

I think Howe in current form is a waste of space, Dawes needs to be traded or retired and we can only go in with one true ruck.

Someone seemed to think those of us wanting Harmes to get a game are delusional, well that might be but his form has been good, he is a tough inside player who can play outside, kicks a goal and can take a strong mark.

I might be delusional but I think we could use someone with those traits.

You forgot to mention "speaks well" and "polished media performer".

Dawes is contracted for next year, wouldn't care what we got for him if someone took over his contract.

I think the worst offender by far in our current line up in giving up possession is Toumpas. It is very frustrating because he gets the ball well, but all the time seems to give it up by hand and foot. He also lacks pace for the position he plays. I think he needs to go back to the twos to get his confidence back. For me, this week is:

OUT: Toumpas. Bail. Spencer. M Jones

IN. Grimes. Fitzpatrick JKH. Newton

All the feedback re Essendons side from both supporters and commentatators apart from their lack of effort etc is that they are very slow.

Any changes we make should be about exploiting that by bringing in our quickest players.

Out: Bail, Jones, Spencer

In: Newton, JKH, Riley

In: JKH, Newton, Fitzy

Out: Bail, MJones, Spencer

I'd play Howe on a wing this week, and have JKH and Jeffrey at the feet of Hogan and Dawes.

If Brayshaw doesn't get up, then Riley comes in.

Newton plays sub, unless Riley plays.

OUT: Spencer, Bail, M.Jones

IN: JKH, Newton, Harmes (sub)

All the feedback re Essendons side from both supporters and commentatators apart from their lack of effort etc is that they are very slow.

Any changes we make should be about exploiting that by bringing in our quickest players.

Which is why, despite their efforts on the weekend, Bail and M Jones may be worth playing this week. They've both had moments during the year and can play well when given a role to play against poorer opposition.

EDIT - especially if Brayshaw is out

Edited July 5, 201510 yr by Dr. Gonzo

Wouldn't surprise me if we lose this game, after which I will tear all my hair out and question all my life choices

Any chance you could do so publicly? If we lose, I'm going to be more interested in hearing about your life choices than following football.

Out: Bail, Jones, Spencer

In: Newton, JKH, Riley

Add Heritier to the possible inns( depending on fitness) and you may have it!

Which is why, despite their efforts on the weekend, Bail and M Jones may be worth playing this week. They've both had moments during the year and can play well when given a role to play against poorer opposition.

EDIT - especially if Brayshaw is out

You are having a laugh aren't you? Both have been OKAY (Mediocre, did not f%%k TO BADLY, Still made mistakes but had others playing well around them, still miss easy goals and butcher their kicking) when we have won, but they are horrible heartless fottballers who squibb the contests and crucify us with their sh23THOUSE foot skills.

Ben Newton may have a future, Michie may have a future, JKH has a future .....enough is enough. I would rather lose with kids getting experience than persist with these duds.

If it's about pace, M Jones and Bail stay in.

Spencer out for JKH.

Newton is quite skilled, but has no second gear.

Has JKH played enough good footy to come back in? I thought he was on the cusp of being dropped before his injury and haven't heard much in the way of positive reports from his games coming back through Casey. I'm not madly against him coming in, but I thought we were past gifting games to players on potential.

Like many, I am really looking forward to having Salem and Kent back fit. I would love them to come back for the last 4 or so this year.

If it's about pace, M Jones and Bail stay in.

Spencer out for JKH.

Newton is quite skilled, but has no second gear.

Yep, just like last week where we would expose WC's defence with our tall forwards.

It's not about pace, it's about if you can play footy at this level. Jones and Bail whilst I don't ever question their endeavour are not the way forward.

If it was about pace then we might as well go for Hunt, he is the quickest at the club.

Pace is great if you can use the football.

These two cant even hold a chest mark so running fast doesn't bloody help.

If we lose to Essendon this week it will be the lowest point in my 30+ years of being a member of this club, lower than the 2000 GF, lower than the final in which we gave up an 8 goal lead at 3/4 time, and lower than the 150 point flogging we copped two years ago.

Please don't let me down.

PS. I don't see the point to Michie or Newton coming back in when they have done nothing in the VFL to suggest their recent dreadful AFL form is behind them. Are Bail and Jones any better? Perhaps not, but at least they performed in the VFL so have some form to speak of.

You are having a laugh aren't you? Both have been OKAY (Mediocre, did not f%%k TO BADLY, Still made mistakes but had others playing well around them, still miss easy goals and butcher their kicking) when we have won, but they are horrible heartless fottballers who squibb the contests and crucify us with their sh23THOUSE foot skills.

Ben Newton may have a future, Michie may have a future, JKH has a future .....enough is enough. I would rather lose with kids getting experience than persist with these duds.

Whoah. I can accept an argument that Bail and M Jones may not be highly skilled but I think you must be thinking of someone else when you argue that they are "heartless" and "squibb (sic) the contests". Bail and M Jones try as hard as anyone.

In - Lumumba, Harmes, JKH

Out - Bail, M.Jones, Spencer

We will need to make 3 changes minimum coming back from Darwin, and will need to bring in fresh legs.

Pleas Roos, don't do in too tall AGAIN

Praying Gus is ok to play.

I dont get too tall

We played two key tall forwards and a resting ruck

So did west coast

You are having a laugh aren't you? Both have been OKAY (Mediocre, did not f%%k TO BADLY, Still made mistakes but had others playing well around them, still miss easy goals and butcher their kicking) when we have won, but they are horrible heartless fottballers who squibb the contests and crucify us with their sh23THOUSE foot skills.

Ben Newton may have a future, Michie may have a future, JKH has a future .....enough is enough. I would rather lose with kids getting experience than persist with these duds.

Well...that was angry.

Please put me in the "they are not heartless squibs" camp - just a lazy way of criticising players you don't like.

They don't get it enough, their skills aren't reliable and they struggle to beat players in one-on-one situations which makes it hard for them to play in the backline.

Has any explanation been given for Lamumbas injury?

Would be handy for this weeks game

Whoah. I can accept an argument that Bail and M Jones may not be highly skilled but I think you must be thinking of someone else when you argue that they are "heartless" and "squibb (sic) the contests". Bail and M Jones try as hard as anyone.

Both feared contact when running back with the flight of the ball inside 50 and dropped easy marks. When Jack Watts missed a similar one earlier this year this site crucified him. BOTH had easy marking opporrtunities in the F50 and crapped their dacks fearing an oncming opponent. Irony was that there was no opposition player coming at them.

DUDS...Absolutely duds. We have put up with it for 5 years.

Bombers weren't to bad against Hawks and Meth Coast in their previous outings before the bye, Like Brissy today for 3/4's, Suns yesterday and Toiges yesterday you must bring the right attitude because if you go into any AFL game with the wrong mindset it is gone and their tails are up before you can do anything about it leaving yourself playing catch up and using a hell of a lot of tickets in the process which is not ideal coming back from the heat of Darwin.

We need to bring the intensity to this game which we brough to Geelong, Richmond and Dogs, make it known early we are switched on hit them harder than the Saints hot them this week under no circumstances do we allow them to get any confidence up. Play the video of 2013 in the closing stages and what they did to us and what they did to our fans, show them Bomber blitz and us being tin rattlers, Long's hit on Simmonds in 2000, numerous Matty Lloyd articles/interviews slating us, fook em do whatever it takes but it is time to make a statement against this club we haven't forgotten and our time is coming

Said before, i like this brutal approach but Roos won't do any of it. He is too much of a nice guy.