4 minutes ago, DubDee said:

yeah one game in 6 months is too much.  best rest them up

and the quote "we now know we are going to be competative this year" are you for real?  so you expect us to be good based on that one practice match?

just like when we beat geelong away last year and then lost to bombers and Blues.  

Gee I hope the Dees do not have this soft, defeatist attitude.  what if they injured?  they could just as easily get injured in training - eg elliot, swallow, jones etc

 

we need to get this young team playing together at every possible chance, how many games has our best players under 21 played together?

Amen Brother...

11 hours ago, Deespicable said:

Ok, hopefully the title got you reading, but here's my 50 cents worth as to why we should ditch our policy of playing our best available side this week and rest up Gawn, Hoges and Salem.

I think last week Roosy stated how he would be playing his best side each week of the NAB Challenge because he felt we needed the confidence that comes from being competitive.

But the Port game just changed that. We now know we are going to be competitive this season, it's just a matter of whether we have most of our star players available each week and are committed on the day/night and our coaches aren't out-thought etc.

The three listed above for a rest are, IMO, the three most important to our line-up for Rd 1.

Gawn, as we saw on Sat, is clearly now among the best six ruckman in the league - Goldy, Nic Nat, Sandi, Jacobs and Mummy are the others - and realistically, he now should monster any ruckman he's up against - the exception being when he's up against the Fab Five big boys at NM, WC, Freo, Adelaide and GWS.

He's mega fit (it's almost like watching Mottram run against the Kenyans in the sprints at the moment) and he's now had two practice matches - one internal against Spencer. So what point is there to take another risk in a game that is not for premiership points against a ruckman like Minson and Campbell, both of whom will try and negate him and potentially hurt him. A rest will help stop the hype about him (at least for a week) and he can still play our last practice match against St Kilda and be perfect for a shot against Mummy in Rd 1. A rest will also allow Spencer (assuming his foot's right) or King (to get a development run). Spencer dominated the Dogs in our MCG win last year and needs a good hit out against a ruckman (Minson) who is more his standard. And our midfield needs to get used to occasionally not winning the tap - it will happen a bit against Mummy, no matter how well Gawny goes against him.

We all know without Hoges we don't have a key forward - although Pedo did well against Port. So why again would we risk him. We need to beat St Kilda because it's our last practice match and this week we are heading to Craigieburn where the surface is never going to be as good as an AFL venue. If we beat the Dogs and he gets injured in the process, are we going to say great, we beat the Dogs. There is now just no need for us to pick our best side and this is the last chance we get to rest anybody. It also gives Weed a chance to play - even though he clearly is a while off being ready to dominate at this level. 

The final player I want rested this week is Salem. He copped a couple of knocks late in the game against Port and he's our key man down back because he can split a defence apart with his kicking - just like Hodgey does at Hawthorn. His absence will allow Wagner, who was a revelation when he got on in the second half against Port, to have a real go. He may even play on Stringer, if our heirarchy wants to test him out to see where he's at. He's got the pace to go with him and he spoils well, we may as well find out if he's ready to play Rd 1 or whether he's someone who will need a handful of VFL games before being promoted.

Sure you can make a case for T-Mac being rested too, but he may as well get used to being under seige after the unusual situation of not having to do much in the second half against Port.

Viney can also be eased back a bit this week - sharing time with Nat Jones and Vince, assuming they're back. We also need to give Neal-Bullen a rare go in the middle after his omission last week.

I guess my overall point of contention is that we got a glimpse of where we are at against Port. We now are one of the quickest sides in the comp - just two years ago we were clearly the slowest - and as a result we can play a forward press that has a chance of working. So just like Hawthorn and the otehr top sides, we can afford to play the safety before Round 1 game properly and save our stars and test out our fringe players and in the Weed's case, our future.

The following week against St Kilda, we go back to our best side and we attempt to make sure the Saints know that they no longer have the  wood on us. Another week off and then the real stuff begins.

 

  

   

  

 

disagree Deespicable.  we need momentum so the other players in not so form can adapt more easily... we aren't at a position in our abilities to win almost at will,  to be able to do what you suggest.

11 hours ago, Ted Fidge said:

Let's play our best team, no experiments, and try to WIN WIN WIN as much as possible.

 

These boys need the sensation of WINNING.

totally TF.  they need that blooding that comes from the thrill of the kill.

 

11 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

This^^^

don't flirt with form

you can, but we aren't in the position to have that luxury.

 

20 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

The opening post is on the money. It is a long season and as much as you want to be at optimal performance for round 1, the other rounds are all also worth 4 points.

we have to learn to take chances, to dare to win, not curl our tails under & hide from whatever.  we have to dare to win to learn how to as a club...

 

this is part of the conservatives approach,,,  that keeps us safe,   but down the bottom as wine drinking cellar dwellers.

 

we MUST dare to WIN.  dare to take calculated chances.  dare to play footy & play hard.  if we cop an injury then deal with it its footy,  if we get a suspension cope,  its footy & its contact game.

 

We've got to lose this cotton wool approach,  that keeps the Fuscia's alive in this red/blue jumper,  instead of being Demons !

 

.

Let's play our best team! I want to win the NAB Cup for once!!!

Can this now serve as the NAB game 2 thread or do we need to start two more?

Out of interest who plays on the Package?

Viney on Libba?

I think we have to play Spencer (if fit) in one NAB game.  I think this week would be the one to do so and make the final game the real dress rehearsal.  If Spencer comes in, do we want to play two rucks in the one side?  I think Gawn's form showed he probably doesn't need to play all three NAB game.

Hogan and Salem, however I think do need to play.  I don't think they got involved quite as mush as they and the coaches would have liked.

If we were to rest any other guns other than Gawn, I would rest Viney.  I think he is our best player now.  He is fit and in apparent very good form.

Who needs to come in this week?  Vince? Jones? ANB? HarryO? JKH? To fit them in, we have to leave some out.

3 hours ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Can this now serve as the NAB game 2 thread or do we need to start two more?

Out of interest who plays on the Package?

Viney on Libba?

"The Package"?

Is that you Mark Stevens?

6 minutes ago, Members' Wing said:

"The Package"?

Is that you Mark Stevens?

I thought BT was behind his name?

5 hours ago, Chook said:

Let's play our best team! I want to win the NAB Cup for once!!!

It's no longer the NAB Cup but the NAB Challenge. There is nothing to win (and no $300,000 prize money)!

Let's leave it to the coaching and fitness staff. They have an intimate knowledge of the playing group, and will hopefully have a detailed plan as to who plays each game for how long.

6 hours ago, Fat Tony said:

The opening post is on the money. It is a long season and as much as you want to be at optimal performance for round 1, the other rounds are all also worth 4 points.

I'm inclined to agree about resting Gawn. I'm uneasy about a hot day on a dry ground. And I agree that our other ruckmen must be given some exposure. If Spencer is ok I'm more relaxed, but is he? I rate him as a knock ruckman. But what happens if both Gawn and Spencer are unavailable? Is King ready for a senior gig?

the other bloke I'd be inclined to rest is Viney. It is interesting to ask the question--who, of the 26? who played on Saturday, will not be picked in R1? Assume Jones and Vince come in and we had to cull 4 anyway, I think I'm right in saying that 6 will miss out. I assume that Petracca and Lumumba will not play R1.

there are a few obvious candidates. Hunt and O McDonald were not great, tho I think the latter will turn out to be very good. Is Wagner going to be promoted from rookie?

Somehow,I would try to play both Pedersen and Frost but this may be unrealistic. Will Stretch play? Harmes? ( I thought he was pretty good) And I agree--I would like to see ANB in action

it all adds up to much ( lovely) speculation. I do think the last NAB match is more important than the next

I'm interested to see whether this game we reign in interchanges a bit?

46 minutes ago, CBDees said:

It'snolongertheNAB CupbuttheNAB Challenge. Thereisnothingtowin (andno$300,000 prize money)!

Oh. Then I guess just winning self-respect will do.

Bulldogs fans reckon they will rest a lot of their players (all the good ones). I hope not...

strongly disagree

Don't flirt with form or momentum.

That said, it wouldn't be a bad thing to give Spencer (assuming fit) a run to asses his mettle, and for that reason only, but not to "protect" gawnius maximus, would I consider not playing him.  

 

3 hours ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

I'm interested to see whether this game we reign in interchanges a bit?

May depend a bit on the weather.  Predicted low 20s in Melbourne. 

14 hours ago, Goodvibes said:

I remember when the Ox had played a ripper shortly after returning from his third knee and we'd had a comfortable victory, Daniher was asked why he didn't give the Ox a rest and ensure he didn't get injured. Daniher's reply was simple. "I just like watching him play". The OP may well be right but where's the fun in that?

I think you'll find that was Neil Balme after we beat Footscray in the semi's in 1994.  Balmy was asked why he didn't take the Ox off as well as Lyon (who kicked 10 goals). The question and answer was right, just the wrong Neil and it was before The Ox first injured his knee.  

11 minutes ago, Palace Dees said:

I think you'll find that was Neil Balme after we beat Footscray in the semi's in 1994.  Balmy was asked why he didn't take the Ox off as well as Lyon (who kicked 10 goals). The question and answer was right, just the wrong Neil and it was before The Ox first injured his knee.  

Palace. You stole the words from my mouth.  

It was that amazing finals series from the Ox - the Carlton game was a stunner. We could all see him preparing to eclipse Carey.  Unfortunately he was concussed in the dying moments of the Footscray game and was just about unsighted the following week vs ?Dockers.  Then the knee the following preseason ? 

If the dogs play close to their best side I think we need to as well.

I can't see that Carlton achieved too much on the weekend, except a very unhappy bunch of supporters who will think twice before going again. I think Melbourne needs to practice winning and beating the bullies will be a tough task and any message to the playing group that we're going in soft will result in a "pantsing" by the dogs and back to square one. Saints are no easy beats either and if we lose both our remaining NAB games the win over Port will be a distant memory for everyone.

Some posters here are getting waaaay ahead of themselves, hopefully not the players. We need genuine momentum going into the season, not some false bravado that we can turn it on when we like. 

42 minutes ago, Palace Dees said:

I think you'll find that was Neil Balme after we beat Footscray in the semi's in 1994.  Balmy was asked why he didn't take the Ox off as well as Lyon (who kicked 10 goals). The question and answer was right, just the wrong Neil and it was before The Ox first injured his knee.  

I thought when I was typing all that that my memory could very well be wrong. It was definitely Balme which of course means it was pre knee. I really am starting to get old. I repeat stories, reminisce about the old days and make more sense of dee-luded's posts than I did a decade ago. Thanks for setting the record straight.

Never ever mess with a winning formula. In fact, we should negotiate a trade for Jones and Vince now.

Who the hell is "The Package"? I clearly don't watch enough Fox Footy. What happened to the good old days of just referring to people by their actual names?

6 minutes ago, Nasher said:

Who the hell is "The Package"? I clearly don't watch enough Fox Footy. What happened to the good old days of just referring to people by their actual names?

Nasher, it seems that you've fallen victim to watching Fox Footy with the volume turned on. "The Package" is Jake Stringer, I believe. 

I don't mind the occasional nickname being thrown up, but it makes things bloody confusing when they never refer to certain players by their actual names.

8 hours ago, deespicable me said:

If the dogs play close to their best side I think we need to as well.

I can't see that Carlton achieved too much on the weekend, except a very unhappy bunch of supporters who will think twice before going again. I think Melbourne needs to practice winning and beating the bullies will be a tough task and any message to the playing group that we're going in soft will result in a "pantsing" by the dogs and back to square one. Saints are no easy beats either and if we lose both our remaining NAB games the win over Port will be a distant memory for everyone.

Some posters here are getting waaaay ahead of themselves, hopefully not the players. We need genuine momentum going into the season, not some false bravado that we can turn it on when we like. 

I agree with this.

I'd add that the club has made clear the plan is to play best side but use the extended bench and no interchange cap to manage load and injuries that might be fatigue related (eg gawn being off the ground for most of the last quarter - which BTW makes the win all the more meritorious).

 Changing this strategy now would impact on their planning too much.

 Besides I'm going and want to see our best players!

Tom liberatore and Tom Boyd are set to play this weekend.