MATCH PREVIEW AND TEAM SELECTION - Round 15

[chook fowler 19,653]

Looks like the match will start in 20k + winds and heavy rain......

THE most powerful cold front to cross Australia’s southeast in years will hit this weekend with forecasters warning of freezing conditions.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/a-strong-cold-front-is-set-to-deliver-heavy-snow-and-wild-winds-for-much-of-australia/story-e6frflp0-1227434649892

Pity Frost isn't playing.

[titan_uranus 25,050]

I wouldn't have dropped the Toump and kept him instead of JKH. I saw last week as a setback when he had been building on form and was hoping he'd get some benefit of the doubt. I can live with it though.

The rest are logical and expected changes.

Best of luck to Harmes.

My thoughts exactly.

The changes clearly make us a better side, though I don't think we should have dropped Toumpas.

Very happy to see VDB, Harmes and JKH back in the side. Looking for JKH to apply consistent pressure all day from the forward line.

Perhaps i've got a touch of MFCSS but I'm feeling very uneasy about this weekend.

Harmes 0 games

Neal-Bullen 3 games

Stretch 5 games

Vandenberg 10 games

Hogan 11 games

Brayshaw 13 games

That's a lot of inexperienced players, albeit a some very good ones in there. Given the predicted weather conditions, I can't help but think a selection of Grimes/Newton/Riley/Michie may have been a wise inclusion at the expense of one or a couple of the younger guys.

Well they've also got:

Laverde (0 games)

Steinberg (4 games)

O'Brien (7 games)

Browne (8 games)

I'm also not sure why you think that rain makes inexperienced players worse.

[SaberFang 7,151]

JKH doesn't even need to score that much, he just needs to be dangerous in space and throw the Bombers off guard by creating options.

Edited July 9, 2015 by Lamashtu

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

Pity Frost isn't playing.

Classic.

[Devil is in the Detail 883]

Trade Toumpas for a fourth round pick

Or Ollie Wines

[daisycutter 29,795]

Great selections!

My tip either Vandenberg or Harmes will be the sub.

wouldn't be surprised if it's jkh. he hasn't got an inside game and it's going to be brutal with the wet conditions

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

That's got to be the best bench I've seen in a while!

Got to be vberg to sub for lack of match fitness

[Skuit 10,031]

Looks like the match will start in 20k + winds and heavy rain......

THE most powerful cold front to cross Australia’s southeast in years will hit this weekend with forecasters warning of freezing conditions.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/a-strong-cold-front-is-set-to-deliver-heavy-snow-and-wild-winds-for-much-of-australia/story-e6frflp0-1227434649892

Great. Melbourne supporters can book their annual ski-trip this year for the MCG. .

[monoccular 17,607]

Or Ollie Wines

I was wondering how long it would take.

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,602]

Such an important game to show that we can win more than four games in a season and to show that we can win when we are expected to.

West Coast are a far better team than people realise however.

My main concerns with the ins are only that they may be sluggish and not match fit. Vinet took a week or two to get back to match fitness.

probably thought Michie was a head of Harmes but ill trust the selection.

Think jkh just has more impact than Toumpas and his speed can be used as a spreading receiver in the midfield.

With garlett and jkh in the team im not sure we needed Stretch or Neal-Bullen as well. Seems a bit of a risk for me when matt jones might have been more settled.

Maxie monsters when there is a poor ruck opponent.

time will tell.

[Nascent 9,296]

I'm also not sure why you think that rain makes inexperienced players worse.

Rain makes inexperienced players worse? No. I believe having too many first year players will potentially expose any side to run out of legs and a wet weather game will be taxing on a young body.I wouldn't have thought it would be too unreasonable to suggest that hardened bodies with multiple pre-seasons under their belt could be beneficial in a game that is likely to be a slog and low scoring.

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,602]

Yepp - im tipping it. My dread is that we may lose this game.

[deanox 10,023]

I won't be tipping us. We should win. But this is classic Melbourne. I can't remember the last time that we won when we should have.

[PaulRB 6,422]

Dee's by 60+

The Don's think they've had their low point...

... they haven't...

... yet.

[rjay 25,197]

Rain makes inexperienced players worse? No. I believe having too many first year players will potentially expose any side to run out of legs and a wet weather game will be taxing on a young body.I wouldn't have thought it would be too unreasonable to suggest that hardened bodies with multiple pre-seasons under their belt could be beneficial in a game that is likely to be a slog and low scoring.

'Nascent', we don't play wet weather football anymore at AFL level.

It's just slippery conditions, not like the days of plowing through the mud. All you need to do is not overuse the ball and move it forward at all costs.

There was no slog in Adelaide tonight, just a lot of rain and not an once of mud to be found until you got to the Torrens.

[Je Roos Salem 661]

Happy to farewell Bail and Jones. No Spencer makes sense given the conditions although that should've been the thinking last week.

And it feels so weird to see all the tipsters in the Age backing us.

[Skuit 10,031]

Really, how many times over the past few years have we been genuinely expected to win and haven't learned later that our expected form guides might have been a tad misguided? Brisbane last year? In which games have we been favoured by bookies and then lost (other than perhaps our opening rounds the previous two seasons?). There's a lot of talk about typical Melbourne giving up a gimme but I don't recall too many matches in recent times where we weren't shite-house leading in and just hoped that the opposition would be worse.

[Skuit 10,031]

Of course I absolutely understand why people are apprehensive, but on form and on paper this is the first time in forever where we should have some serious confidence. To me the projected wet weather is a shame because it's been a fair while since we've convincingly belted someone.

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

Imagine what absolutely belting the bombers would do for the confidence of our group,time to beat up on a side

[Skuit 10,031]

Hopefully that same theory doesn't hold for the young Saints players over the next few weeks.

[deeko 952]

Stoked to see VaDemon back in, really missed his aggression around the pill and he really frees up Jones, Vince & Tyson to spread. His body shape is how I wanted Mortons to look.... As his prescence.

As for JKH, he needs to show a bit for me. Understand him coming in as our depth is tested (rather him over Bail, Matty J & Newton) but I struggle to see what others see when pumping him up. He isn't super skilled or super quick and I think Neal-Bullen has showed more in a similar role so far. If we ever get super lucky with our injury list and players find form would he get a gig over forwards Jeffy, Howe, Petracca, Trengove, Neal-Bullen and Kent?

Goddard is to good a player to stink it up twice in a row. Also Zaharakis usually kills us so I'm not super confident like others but hold them, Bernie does a job on Heppell we should be ok

[Little Goffy 14,664]

Love the weather forecast in combination with our clear advantage in the 'inside warrior' department.

[bing181 9,333]

Harmes in. Starting to see the benefit of solid drafting and equally solid development.

JKH as sub for mine. He brings that explosion of energy that you want a sub to bring. But what the heck, happy with the changes.

[CBDees 3,167]

Stoked to see VaDemon back in, really missed his aggression around the pill and he really frees up Jones, Vince & Tyson to spread. His body shape is how I wanted Mortons to look.... As his prescence.

As for JKH, he needs to show a bit for me. Understand him coming in as our depth is tested (rather him over Bail, Matty J & Newton) but I struggle to see what others see when pumping him up. He isn't super skilled or super quick and I think Neal-Bullen has showed more in a similar role so far. If we ever get super lucky with our injury list and players find form would he get a gig over forwards Jeffy, Howe, Petracca, Trengove, Neal-Bullen and Kent?

Goddard is to good a player to stink it up twice in a row. Also Zaharakis usually kills us so I'm not super confident like others but hold them, Bernie does a job on Heppell we should be ok

Of the six forwards you mentioned, Howe has been named in the back pocket. Personally, if Howe is to stay in the side only to play in the back pocket, I would have preferred to drop him in preference to Toumpas.

[1964nowMORE 492]

Love this side, genuinely excited for the game. Very happy to see Stretch named at HBF again, having played there the last two weeks. We have been weak this this area, if he can defend the smalls it will be a big win, as he can kick it. Maybe a Brodie Smith style impact.

Will done Harmesy, you have helped keep some others kids dream alive of playing for the team they follow.