I just remember Tomlinson having the game of his life running off Dawes.

One things for sure 'Adam', Max is a ruckman and not a forward and if we go in too tall we get killed.

I would prefer us to go in with Tommy Mc or Frost when available forward and pinch hitting in the ruck. Petracca will step in as a forward/mid next year but maybe another mobile forward would help if (when) Howe goes.

I think, as Roos mentioned in his press conference post-Geelong, it'll be a horses for courses thing with playing two ruckmen. We shouldn't do it when facing a speedy opposition, so really we shouldn't do it this weekend, but why am I so tempted to say we should? The reason probably starts with Chris Dawes.

Edited July 15, 201510 yr by AdamFarr

Horses for courses - a popular comment for cricket teams, but very true for the Dees selection tonight.

Courses: A wet week means potentially a fairly slippery MCG surface and less need for outside players - hence the omission of Stretch and potentially Kennedy-Harris, although I suspect that because JKH only got a limited run last week, he will be kept ahead of Neal-Bullen. I'm tipping it will only be a short 2-3 week spell back in VFL for our Glenelg teens.

A wet week means Riley, who was unlucky to miss out last week, will also play and last week's big VFL tackler Grimes, who was unlucky to get injured after Saints game, is recalled.

The return of Martin to back up Leuenberger means the Lions have a couple of big horses - so we must decide how best to cope with a good tandem ruck pair.

Can Dawes cope as back-up ruckman - unlikely.

Is Fitzy going to cope - less unlikely but he does have advantage of being potentially able to cope with their height when they rest up forward.

Are Spencer or Jamar (both superb in VFL) worthy of a recall to back-up Gawn. Yes, but neither can easily match up with Martin or Leuenberger down back.

So I'm going three ins: Riley, Grimes and Fitzy.

The three outs are: Stretch, Neal-Bullen and Dawes (although it wouldn't surprise me if Hoges is still a but tight and may miss, allowing Dawes to stay).

T-Mac goes forward. Harmes gets his second chance, a key part of any club's youth program, but starts as the sub.

Crossy goes to Beams like last year v Pies. Vince goes to Rockliff. Viney/Riley pick up Hanley, depending on whether he starts on wing or halfback. Lumumba gets Zorko, Nev gets Christensen and Grimes gets Taylor/Mayes/Bewick or whoever is resting forward.

Side:

B: Jetta Fitzpatrick Garland

HB: Lumumba Dunn Grimes

C: Watts Cross Viney

HF: Brayshaw T-Mac Kennedy-Harris

F: Garlett Hoges Vandenberg

Ru: Gawn Vince N.Jones

Int: Tyson, Howe, Riley, Harmes (sub)

For me,

Grimes, Newton in.

Stretch, ANB out

I can't see us going taller and I highly doubt they will drop Dawes.

The Lions midfield looks ominous on paper. They haven't clicked yet, lets just hope its not this week.

We do have an uncanny ability to play teams, and players, into form.

Not sure if anyone's mentioned it but Hogan was a no show at training yesterday and Howe stood on the sideline/did some light jogging

Can someone Jog my memory, have we won a game with both Dawes and Hogan in the side? I seem to remember the wins seem to have one of these players missing, though i could be wrong. Never seems balanced with both in the side.

Not sure if anyone's mentioned it but Hogan was a no show at training yesterday

Anyone got any more info on this?

Might have been one of his 'maintenance' sessions

Not sure why so many have Fitzy coming in.

Considering he is playing for his career in a new position at FB and we are playing against a side who literally have no dangerous key forwards, I don't understand the inclusion.

Tom McDonald needs to continue to try and find form in the backline and this week you'd think he could get his touch back. That's where he's played his best football and it's where he needs to stay. A quarter of football in the forward-line shouldn't mean he plays there the following week..

Ins for me: Jamar and Newton

Outs: ANB and Stretch

Sub: Harmes

Jamar has now had some solid form in the VFL and I think he deserves a game because of it. He also provides a strong target deep forward rotating with Gawn in the ruck. I can't see him being offered another contract next year so you'd think if he gets his chance he'll be wanting to prove a point. I'd be playing Hogan as the roaming CHF in this game and Dawes as the third tall who can hopefully provide us with some marks and goals this week. I think Hogans aerial ability, running ability and field kicking ability is needed up the ground for this game. Especially considering we are so slow and stagnant coming out of defence and when in possession of the ball. I think he should be used as that kind of a player in this game.

Newton provides some class and kicking skills which we're in desperate need of.

I think ANB and Stretch have been okay but they're not providing enough for the team atm. They've had a taste. Now they need to go back and perform consistently well at the level below.

JKH and Garlett need to have time in the midfield to provide some spark, run and creativity. We're very one-dimensional in there atm. Vince needs to get back to being a smart user of the ball and should be hitting forwards more often than not. Tyson must be playing injured because his lack of gut running and defensive accountability is killing us.

This is a danger game. Brisbane have a really solid midfield and we absolutely have to play with the right attitude from the start.

Edited July 16, 201510 yr by stevethemanjordan

Anyone got any more info on this?

Might have been one of his 'maintenance' sessions

I overheard Viney tell Brendan McCartney "JKH is out too" (even though he was training) which made me think they'd said something about Hogan being out beforehand.

Actually you're probably right about the maintenance thing as i don't think Vince was there either.

I overheard Viney tell Brendan McCartney "JKH is out too" (even though he was training) which made me think they'd said something about Hogan being out beforehand.

Actually you're probably right about the maintenance thing as i don't think Vince was there either.

Vince and Goody were at the memorial service.

Not sure why so many have Fitzy coming in.

Considering he is playing for his career in a new position at FB and we are playing against a side who literally have no dangerous key forwards, I don't understand the inclusion.

Tom McDonald needs to continue to try and find form in the backline and this week you'd think he could get his touch back. That's where he's played his best football and it's where he needs to stay. A quarter of football in the forward-line shouldn't mean he plays there the following week..

Ins for me: Jamar and Newton

Outs: ANB and Stretch

Sub: Harmes

Jamar has now had some solid form in the VFL and I think he deserves a game because of it. He also provides a strong target deep forward rotating with Gawn in the ruck. I can't see him being offered another contract next year so you'd think if he gets his chance he'll be wanting to prove a point. I'd be playing Hogan as the roaming CHF in this game and Dawes as the third tall who can hopefully provide us with some marks and goals this week. I think Hogans aerial ability, running ability and field kicking ability is needed up the ground for this game. Especially considering we are so slow and stagnant coming out of defence and when in possession of the ball. I think he should be used as that kind of a player in this game.

Newton provides some class and kicking skills which we're in desperate need of.

I think ANB and Stretch have been okay but they're not providing enough for the team atm. They've had a taste. Now they need to go back and perform consistently well at the level below.

JKH and Garlett need to have time in the midfield to provide some spark, run and creativity. We're very one-dimensional in there atm. Vince needs to get back to being a smart user of the ball and should be hitting forwards more often than not. Tyson must be playing injured because his lack of gut running and defensive accountability is killing us.

This is a danger game. Brisbane have a really solid midfield and we absolutely have to play with the right attitude from the start.

Big mistake carrying an extra tall 'steve', we should have learned our lesson by now.

If Jamar comes in Dawes goes out, however neither Gawn or Jamar are forward/rucks and Dawes is just not an AFL level player

Not sure why so many have Fitzy coming in.

Considering he is playing for his career in a new position at FB and we are playing against a side who literally have no dangerous key forwards, I don't understand the inclusion.

Tom McDonald needs to continue to try and find form in the backline and this week you'd think he could get his touch back. That's where he's played his best football and it's where he needs to stay. A quarter of football in the forward-line shouldn't mean he plays there the following week..

Ins for me: Jamar and Newton

Outs: ANB and Stretch

Sub: Harmes

Jamar has now had some solid form in the VFL and I think he deserves a game because of it. He also provides a strong target deep forward rotating with Gawn in the ruck. I can't see him being offered another contract next year so you'd think if he gets his chance he'll be wanting to prove a point. I'd be playing Hogan as the roaming CHF in this game and Dawes as the third tall who can hopefully provide us with some marks and goals this week. I think Hogans aerial ability, running ability and field kicking ability is needed up the ground for this game. Especially considering we are so slow and stagnant coming out of defence and when in possession of the ball. I think he should be used as that kind of a player in this game.

Newton provides some class and kicking skills which we're in desperate need of.

I think ANB and Stretch have been okay but they're not providing enough for the team atm. They've had a taste. Now they need to go back and perform consistently well at the level below.

JKH and Garlett need to have time in the midfield to provide some spark, run and creativity. We're very one-dimensional in there atm. Vince needs to get back to being a smart user of the ball and should be hitting forwards more often than not. Tyson must be playing injured because his lack of gut running and defensive accountability is killing us.

This is a danger game. Brisbane have a really solid midfield and we absolutely have to play with the right attitude from the start.

Some really good comments Steve. Agree Newton should come in. There is an argument for inclusion of Jamar, but I would prefer not. Jamar is simply too slow, is a poor overhead mark, and has long ceased to be a forward target. He can hardly get off the ground. We need to select players who are our future. Also agree with rjays comment that we should not play an extra tall. I still think Dawes offers more than Jamar, although not much more on present form. Agree that Hogan needs more space and would be better off at centre half forward where he can move into space. I know JKH has had limited games, but I am beginning to wonder about him. He just does not do enough.

Horses for courses - a popular comment for cricket teams, but very true for the Dees selection tonight.

Courses: A wet week means potentially a fairly slippery MCG surface and less need for outside players - hence the omission of Stretch and potentially Kennedy-Harris, although I suspect that because JKH only got a limited run last week, he will be kept ahead of Neal-Bullen. I'm tipping it will only be a short 2-3 week spell back in VFL for our Glenelg teens.

A wet week means Riley, who was unlucky to miss out last week, will also play and last week's big VFL tackler Grimes, who was unlucky to get injured after Saints game, is recalled.

The return of Martin to back up Leuenberger means the Lions have a couple of big horses - so we must decide how best to cope with a good tandem ruck pair.

Can Dawes cope as back-up ruckman - unlikely.

Is Fitzy going to cope - less unlikely but he does have advantage of being potentially able to cope with their height when they rest up forward.

Are Spencer or Jamar (both superb in VFL) worthy of a recall to back-up Gawn. Yes, but neither can easily match up with Martin or Leuenberger down back.

So I'm going three ins: Riley, Grimes and Fitzy.

The three outs are: Stretch, Neal-Bullen and Dawes (although it wouldn't surprise me if Hoges is still a but tight and may miss, allowing Dawes to stay).

T-Mac goes forward. Harmes gets his second chance, a key part of any club's youth program, but starts as the sub.

Crossy goes to Beams like last year v Pies. Vince goes to Rockliff. Viney/Riley pick up Hanley, depending on whether he starts on wing or halfback. Lumumba gets Zorko, Nev gets Christensen and Grimes gets Taylor/Mayes/Bewick or whoever is resting forward.

Side:

B: Jetta Fitzpatrick Garland

HB: Lumumba Dunn Grimes

C: Watts Cross Viney

HF: Brayshaw T-Mac Kennedy-Harris

F: Garlett Hoges Vandenberg

Ru: Gawn Vince N.Jones

Int: Tyson, Howe, Riley, Harmes (sub)

I like the way you've thought this through, but it will be dry on Saturday and Sunday. By the time we play this game, the ground should be well and truly dried out.

In: Mark Jamar, Jack Grimes, Aidan Riley

Out:

MELBOURNE has added three players to its squad for Sunday’s clash against the Brisbane Lions at the MCG.

The Demons have included ruckman Mark Jamar, former co-captain Jack Grimes and midfielder Aidan Riley into their mix.

The trio has been named on an extended interchange, along with midfielder Dom Tyson, forward Jay Kennedy-Harris, first-year Demon Alex Neal-Bullen and rookie James Harmes, who all played in Melbourne’s nine-point loss to Essendon at the MCG last round.

No changes have yet to be made.

Interesting to see Jamar named this week instead of Fitzy. It seems the experiment of trying Macca at CHF isn't going to be perservered with this week!

Whilst I think they can drop guys out of the 18 not just the extended bench I get the feeling they won't. So Dawes and Howe likely survive which means no Jamar.

Do Grimes and Riley come in for any of Harmes, ANB or JKH? Maybe.

There's really little to do short of being brave and throwing McDonald to CHF to fix the forward line. So I guess you just hope they play better.

Whilst I think they can drop guys out of the 18 not just the extended bench I get the feeling they won't. So Dawes and Howe likely survive which means no Jamar.

Do Grimes and Riley come in for any of Harmes, ANB or JKH? Maybe.

There's really little to do short of being brave and throwing McDonald to CHF to fix the forward line. So I guess you just hope they play better.

I wouldn't bet on it unfortunately 'George'...

edit: looks like we could be going in top heavy again.

Edited July 16, 201510 yr by rjay

I thought Newton would have made the squad.

"No changes have yet to be made."

The grammar Nazi in me had quite a chuckle at this ...

Get the kids out and get some experience in....Brisbane will be licking their lips lining up against Harmes, Stretch and ANB...who are not ready yet! I believe they will be good players after time but we are already playing Hogan, Brayshaw and Vandenberg who are all in their first years. Surely having 6 first year players in the same team is going to expose us..just as we saw last week...

or you could say that roos is backing the talented kids in.

what does it matter if the kids get more exposure? brisbane is not that experienced themselves.

i'd rather stretch and anb in as midfield movers than matt jones or bail.

i personally think there'll be a late withdrawal - hogan. he looked sore last week and wasn't presenting up the ground like he has in previous weeks.

or you could say that roos is backing the talented kids in.

what does it matter if the kids get more exposure? brisbane is not that experienced themselves.

i'd rather stretch and anb in as midfield movers than matt jones or bail.

i personally think there'll be a late withdrawal - hogan. he looked sore last week and wasn't presenting up the ground like he has in previous weeks.

lol - dawes and howe are kids?

Clearly I meant the 2015 debutants - Hogan, Brayshaw, vandenBerg, Harmes, ANB and Stretch.

Edited July 18, 201510 yr by DemonAndrew