Jump to content

MATCH PREVIEW AND TEAM SELECTION - Round 16


Demonland

Recommended Posts

So assumption then? No worries.

I see where you are coming from, but it's hardly fair to call Stretch, ANB and Harmes as possible NQR players. Tyson, JKH and McDonald are also stiff. They may not be the players we want them to be but they certainly have plenty of time on their side to prove they are, and most of them have shown that they can do it.

yeah but I'm talking about this weeks game specifically

None of those 6 can you logically expect to put in a quality performance given where they are at, age or form wise

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only "name player" that I can think of in recent times who held off from signing all year before putting pen to paper was Cloke.

The only "name player" that I can think of in recent times who had the balls to say I'm off at years end was Phil Davis and subsequently dropped for the rest of the year.

We have had VB, Angus and Petracca (possibly others I can't recall) all extend their contracts. We've heard nothing with regards to the Toump.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing I have been doing for a while is to look at the 22 prior to a game and count how many players I don't have full confidence in to play a game of AFL standard footy. If a player has had a rubbish season incontrast to seasons prior he still gets NQR cos its about form.This applies also if we are talking about kids who may very well look the kids but are unlikely to have a genuine impact. The higher the NQR factor the higher our chance of losing (obviously). This week, bolded NQRs:

Colin Garland , Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta

Jeremy Howe, Tom McDonald, Billy Stretch

Daniel Cross, Bernie Vince, Heritier Lumumba

Aaron Vandenberg, Chris Dawes, Jeff Garlett

Angus Brayshaw, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts

Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney

Dom Tyson, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Alex Neal-Bullen, James Harmes

That's exactly half at 11, which worries me about our future, even though 6 of the 11 are still very young

For a long time being internet ignorant (and possibly dyslexic) I assumed NQR to mean 'not required' rather than Not Quite Right. None of our player are quite right. Skilled without any grunt or aggressive inside while lacking requisite foot-skills. Fantastic contested marks that can't kick straight or frustratingly the exact f'n opposite. Not Quite Right is a harsh determination for a few on your list compared to some others. Max is a potentially star ruckman slowly working on his previous deficiencies and Tmac was not last season but fairly recently in top form. Stretch, ANB and Harmes have barely played a handful of matches between them while Watts and Lamumba will never be quite right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


One thing I have been doing for a while is to look at the 22 prior to a game and count how many players I don't have full confidence in to play a game of AFL standard footy. If a player has had a rubbish season incontrast to seasons prior he still gets NQR cos its about form.This applies also if we are talking about kids who may very well look the kids but are unlikely to have a genuine impact. The higher the NQR factor the higher our chance of losing (obviously). This week, bolded NQRs:

Colin Garland , Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta

Jeremy Howe, Tom McDonald, Billy Stretch

Daniel Cross, Bernie Vince, Heritier Lumumba

Aaron Vandenberg, Chris Dawes, Jeff Garlett

Angus Brayshaw, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts

Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney

Dom Tyson, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Alex Neal-Bullen, James Harmes

That's exactly half at 11, which worries me about our future, even though 6 of the 11 are still very young

I think Cross is a role we need and Gawn is our best ruck option. I think McDonald is firm in his role too. Apart from that it's a fair assesment. I'd argue we're playing too many unproven young players who all had pretty poor games last week. Newton looked ok early in the season and looked as though he could play out the season but he's fallen off the radar, Fitzy played a couple of solid games in defence and Toumpas has been unlucky too If it weren't for significant injuries this season I think we could've made greater inroads into firming a best 22.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Cross is a role we need and Gawn is our best ruck option. I think McDonald is firm in his role too. Apart from that it's a fair assesment. I'd argue we're playing too many unproven young players who all had pretty poor games last week. Newton looked ok early in the season and looked as though he could play out the season but he's fallen off the radar, Fitzy played a couple of solid games in defence and Toumpas has been unlucky too If it weren't for significant injuries this season I think we could've made greater inroads into firming a best 22.

Yes Cross has been a good aquisition and all, but the last 6 weeks or so he's been shocking. He gets in the right spots, buries into packs with no regard for his safety, puts his spine on the line to take grabs but then he just dishes it over, undoing all his good work. Watch the replay of last week, see how many times he punched a loose ball to the opposition's advantage, he's losing touch with the tempo of the game, which is only to be expected. In any case, I started a discussion about the future of our club, which he is clearly not a part of.

McDonald was the outright best KPD in the comp after about 8 rounds. Seriously. Since then, he has been an absolute liabilty. Only at Melbourne does this happen. Yep OK fellas lets lock in our FB, at least that's one thing we don't have to worry about. No more will we have to worry about mediocre opposition KFs taking us to the cleaners. OH wait, inexplicably, the guy has taken a bath from every star forward he's been assigned to for 2 months straight. Can someone explain to me how this is possible? Step right up Cloke and Daniher, you stink, but we have the minder for you to have a bit of a day out and cost the dees a game. Make no mistake, we would have beaten both the Pies and Dons had those key forwards not kicked bags and in both cases it falls squarely on the shoulders of Tom McDonald

So that's 2 guys that I have to take from the OK list to the NQR list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Clearances are won by midfielders, not ruckmen.

The problem is that good midfielders simply read the taps of Gawn and Jamar when they dominate the ruck. And most of those good midfielders have not been wearing red and blue lately.

Gawn was tapping it down to no one pretty much after quarter time. It's also up to him to communicate where he's going to hit to. It's no coincidence Roos highlighted his game as needing some work.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right. So let me see if ive got this straight. If an in needs to come out, then an out may come back in to replace the in that came out notwithstanding the ins that arent yet in because the outs arent for sure until we know whos in. Right? Ok got it.

Thanks for simplifying. It seems as though Roos & Co opted for the ins to stay out unless a late out causes us to require one of the out ins to come in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Loving the belief that continuing to play Howe will fool every other club's recruiters into thinking that he's worth more than a fringe player.

'Cos they're all so easily fooled, so there's no way they'll figure it out.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only reason I dislike going in with no changes is that we're going to be rucking Dawes against either Martin or Leuenberger. Given that Dawes struggles in the ruck against nobodies, I'm worried about that.

I'd have thought Grimes would be an improvement over Harmes, ANB or Stretch (the latter two appearing tired to me), but changes in these sorts of players are not going to make us win or lose this game. The result will come down to our senior players, as it always does.

Loving the belief that continuing to play Howe will fool every other club's recruiters into thinking that he's worth more than a fringe player.

'Cos they're all so easily fooled, so there's no way they'll figure it out.

If we drop him, there's no chance his value stays high.

If we don't drop him, there's the chance he'll positively impact a game of football (I don't see it happening, but there's always a chance), and it will be noticed around the league.

In other words, one option gives us 0% chance, the other gives us >0%.

If he wasn't out of contract this year, I'm a lot more confident he'd be playing VFL right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Loving the belief that continuing to play Howe will fool every other club's recruiters into thinking that he's worth more than a fringe player.

'Cos they're all so easily fooled, so there's no way they'll figure it out.

One look at his stats and vision from a couple of games and they will be lucky to offer a 4th rounder for him

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about the need for some consistency with the Casey team.

Dont bring too many up and weaken that team

Let them come up and learn the pace and what is needed at AFL seniors but dont let them become infected with the losing mentatlity.

Drop a few of the newies so they get the taste of winning.

JAmar played well last week and may provide relief for GAwn off the bench. Means a different style for Bears to adjust too as well.

Howe well I give up. Reckon hes gone unless he shows some significant change to his game impact.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do players "trade value" really fluctuate that much based on current form? Damaged good scenarios aside (ala Garlett) I think in general the price is dictated by the players ceiling - we didn't give up pick 2 because of Tyson's injury riddled, disjointed couple of seasons at GWS after all.

I really doubt other clubs will look at Howe's stat sheet for this season and go "nup, fourth round pick". Everyone knows Howe is a better player than what he's exhibited this year. If they want him, they can pay accordingly or sod off - he's not a FA after all.

The whole idea that selection policy is driven by trade value is just rubbish to me. Howe is getting selected now for the same reason Watts was earlier in the year and Dawes is now - because he's a good player in the eyes of those in charge and they want him to find form in the seniors.

I never understand why people find themselves drawn to hidden meanings behind things when the more obvious reason is the more likely one.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Team v Geelong

B: Daniel Cross, Tom McDonald, Neville Jetta

HB: Jeremy Howe, Lynden Dunn, Heritier Lumumba

C: Jimmy Toumpas, Dom Tyson, Jack Viney

HF: Jack Watts, Chris Dawes, Billy Stretch

F: Jeff Garlett, Jake Spencer, Angus Brayshaw

FOLL: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince

I/C: Aidan Riley, Alex Neal-Bullen, Rohan Bail, Matt Jones

Team v Brisbane

B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta

HB: Jeremy Howe, Tom McDonald, Billy Stretch

C: Daniel Cross, Bernie Vince, Heritier Lumumba

HF: Aaron vandenBerg, Chris Dawes, Jeff Garlett

F: Angus Brayshaw, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts

Foll: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney

I/C Dom Tyson, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Alex Neal-Bullen, James Harmes

We have a better team out on the park than what we had vs Geelong, the boys have lost the confidence they gained during that match but if they get it back then we will win.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Team v Geelong

B: Daniel Cross, Tom McDonald, Neville Jetta

HB: Jeremy Howe, Lynden Dunn, Heritier Lumumba

C: Jimmy Toumpas, Dom Tyson, Jack Viney

HF: Jack Watts, Chris Dawes, Billy Stretch

F: Jeff Garlett, Jake Spencer, Angus Brayshaw

FOLL: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince

I/C: Aidan Riley, Alex Neal-Bullen, Rohan Bail, Matt Jones

Team v Brisbane

B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta

HB: Jeremy Howe, Tom McDonald, Billy Stretch

C: Daniel Cross, Bernie Vince, Heritier Lumumba

HF: Aaron vandenBerg, Chris Dawes, Jeff Garlett

F: Angus Brayshaw, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts

Foll: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney

I/C Dom Tyson, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Alex Neal-Bullen, James Harmes

We have a better team out on the park than what we had vs Geelong, the boys have lost the confidence they gained during that match but if they get it back then we will win.

A better team yes, but Geelong had no ruckman and the Lions have 2 that are in decent form.

Also the average age of our centre and wingmen is 30!

Even with rotations I think we will struggle to win clearances in the midfield and stoppages and then we will get limited inside 50's..

40/60 game Dees/Lions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never would have guessed...

Who would play his position? Or would you alter how the forward line functions (or doesn't function, if I can trample on a line there)?

Sorry 'rpfc', my internet connection has been down and I know the final selections have now come through.

On a horses for courses selection I would have gone in with another mid type player and played Tommy Mc forward to give us more run. I just don't think we are mobile enough or dangerous enough forward.

I know you are a forward and see Dawes as a role player but he's just not getting to contests and putting enough pressure on to be value in his role.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    BLOW THE SIREN by Meggs

    Fremantle hosted the Demons on a sunny 20-degree Saturdayafternoon winning the toss and electing to defend in the first quarter against the 3-goal breeze favouring the Parry Street end. There was method here, as this would give the comeback queens, the Dockers, last use of the breeze. The Melbourne Coach had promised an improved performance, and we did start better than previous weeks, winning the ball out of the middle, using the breeze advantage and connecting to the forwards. 

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons

    GETAWAY by Meggs

    Calling all fit players. Expect every available Melbourne player to board the Virgin cross-continent flight to Perth for this Round 4 clash on Saturday afternoon at Fremantle Oval. It promises to be keenly contested, though Fremantle is the bookies clear favourite.  If we lose, finals could be remoter than Rottnest Island especially following on from the Dees 50-point dismantlement by North Melbourne last Sunday.  There are 8 remaining matches, over the next 7 weeks.  To Meggs’

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons

    DRUBBING by Meggs

    With Casey Fields basking in sunshine, an enthusiastic throng of young Demons fans formed a guard of honour for the evergreen and much admired 75-gamer Paxy Paxman. As the home team ran out to play, Paxy’s banner promised that the Demons would bounce back from last week’s loss to Brisbane and reign supreme.   Disappointingly, the Kangaroos dominated the match to win by 50 points, but our Paxy certainly did her bit.  She was clearly our best player, sweeping well in defence.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 4

    GARNER STRENGTH by Meggs

    In keeping with our tough draw theme, Week 3 sees Melbourne take on flag favourites, North Melbourne, at Casey Fields this Sunday at 1:05pm.  The weather forecast looks dry, a coolish 14 degrees and will be characteristically gusty.  Remember when Casey Fields was considered our fortress?  The Demons have lost two of their past three matches at the Field of Dreams, so opposition teams commute down the Princes Highway with more optimism these days.  The Dees held the highe

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 1

    ALLY’S FIELDS by Meggs

    It was a sunny morning at Casey Fields, as Demon supporters young and old formed a guard of honour for fan favourite and 50-gamer Alyssa Bannan.  Banno’s banner stated the speedster was the ‘fastest 50 games’ by an AFLW player ever.   For Dees supporters, today was not our day and unfortunately not for Banno either. A couple of opportunities emerged for our number 6 but alas there was no sizzle.   Brisbane atoned for last week’s record loss to North Melbourne, comprehensively out

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 1

    GOOD MORNING by Meggs

    If you are driving or training it to Cranbourne on Saturday, don’t forget to set your alarm clock. The Melbourne Demons play the reigning premiers Brisbane Lions at Casey Fields this Saturday, with the bounce of the ball at 11:05am.  Yes, that’s AM.   The AFLW fixture shows deference to the AFL men’s finals games.  So, for the men it’s good afternoon and good evening and for the women it’s good morning.     The Lions were wounded last week by 44 points, their highest ever los

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 3

    HORE ON FIRE by Meggs

    The 40,000 seat $319 million redeveloped Kardinia Park Stadium was nowhere near capacity last night but the strong, noisy contingent of Melbourne supporters led by the DeeArmy journeyed to Geelong to witness a high-quality battle between two of the best teams in AFLW.   The Cats entered the arena to the blasting sounds of Zombie Nation and made a hot start kicking the first 2 goals. They brought tremendous forward half pressure, and our newly renovated defensive unit looked shaky.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 11

    REMATCH by Meggs

    The Mighty Demons take on the confident Cats this Saturday night at the recently completed $319 million redeveloped GMHBA Stadium, with the bounce of the ball at 7:15pm. Our last game of 2023 was an agonisingly close 5-point semi-final loss to Geelong, and we look forward to Melbourne turning the tables this week. Practice match form was scratchy for both teams with the Demons losing practice matches to Carlton and Port Adelaide, while the Cats beat Collingwood but then lost to Essendo

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons

    WELCOME 2024 by Meggs

    It’s been hard to miss the seismic global momentum happening in Women’s sport of late. The Matildas have been playing to record sell-out crowds across Australia and ‘Mary Fowler is God’ is chalked onto footpaths everywhere. WNBA basketball rookie sensation Caitlin Clark has almost single-handedly elevated her Indiana Fever team to unprecedented viewership, attendances and playoffs in the USA.   Our female Aussie Paris 2024 Olympians won 13 out of Australia’s all-time record 18 gol

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    AFLW Melbourne Demons 3
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...