I continue to be surprised that Frost isn't used a bit more in the ruck. This seems to suggest that Pedersen's place is secure as without him Gawn has no apparent back-up. It seems the rotations on and off the ground of Gawn-Pedersen-Frost-Watts-Hogan are working well, so I can't see Petracca coming in for Frost or Pedersen. If he is to come in, it's more likely to be for a player playing a similar role.

All of M Jones, Oliver, Petracca and ANB seem ready to play (assuming Jones is over his soreness) . So, one niggle or one bad game might be enough for a player to lose his spot. If no-one is sore, I think Brayshaw and Kennedy were our worst on Sunday night. Neither played badly, as in Neeld-era badly, but both might find that their relatively poor performances are enough to see them miss next week.

So, I can see Oliver and Petracca in for Brayshaw and Kennedy, both of whom can consider themselves unlucky.

 

 

9 hours ago, jnrmac said:

SO you didn't see Frost take the ball in the backline, run the length of the field take a ball on the run and have a shot on goal (that hit the post)?

Can do more for sure but he he clocking up some miles and competing really well.

Sure that was good, but you have to do more than one or two good things a game to get a regular spot in this team,especially with the depth of talent knocking on the door.

7 hours ago, SaberFang said:

I'd be very wary dropping two experienced players for a 0-gamer and a 3-gamer respectively, in Petracca and Oliver. Has disaster written all over it.

Brayshaw I can understand, but the senior players will cope far better with the 5.5 day turnaround than kids will.

Oliver is playing better than Brayshaw, so no loss there (presently a gain) and Frost is a 28 gamer.  Petracca offers more in his first game than Frost in his 29th.  Frost has kicked 2 goals from his 4 games and averages 10 possessions.  A few pressure acts and 1%ers don't cut the mustard for me.

One change for me
IN: Oliver
OUT: Salem (groin)

2 minutes ago, DavidNeitz9 said:

One change for me
IN: Oliver
OUT: Salem (groin)

How bad is Salem's groin?

Just now, Bombay Airconditioning said:

How bad is Salem's groin?

Not sure Bombay, didnt come back on after he went off on Saturday night. I wouldn't risk him after the issues he had with his hammy, give hima weeks rest

We will go smaller and quicker this week, those calling for names like Hunt, Harmes and Kennedy to come out, and even Frost given his speed, have got rocks in their head. Fair chance we will drop a tall, especially if you look at the different lineups we tried at Etihad last year and which ones had some success. ANB a definite chance to come in, Oliver a lock, it's probably close to time for Trac but geez I'm nervous about his first game being on that rubbish surface.

 

I hope to see Trac play this week. 

2 minutes ago, stuie said:

We will go smaller and quicker this week, those calling for names like Hunt, Harmes and Kennedy to come out, and even Frost given his speed, have got rocks in their head. Fair chance we will drop a tall, especially if you look at the different lineups we tried at Etihad last year and which ones had some success. ANB a definite chance to come in, Oliver a lock, it's probably close to time for Trac but geez I'm nervous about his first game being on that rubbish surface.

 

makes sense Stuie, if Salem is fit i would drop Pedersen for Oliver. Pedo would be stiff but it would be a better balance against the Saints

Just now, DavidNeitz9 said:

makes sense Stuie, if Salem is fit i would drop Pedersen for Oliver. Pedo would be stiff but it would be a better balance against the Saints

Obviously totally different teams, but we went tall against the Dogs last year and they destroyed us, small against GWS and we won. Salem out would be a huge loss, has been building nicely, and even I think Pedo would be very stiff to be dropped, has done a few nice things, but now that we have a bit of depth we can actually start to adjust our team for the opposition and the conditions and not lose out on talent.

Who is the saints second ruck?

8 minutes ago, Gorgoroth said:

Who is the saints second ruck?

They don't have one. They played Hickey last week and no second ruck. Longer is in the seconds i think

Edited April 25, 20169 yr by DavidNeitz9
spelling

What a great position to be in.  On VFL form we have Petracca, Trengove, ANB and Grimes, yes Grimes he has been good for Casey this year keeping the pressure on the AFL side. Add in Oliver and when fit O MacDonald and Dawes, plus Stretch and White, 9 blokes that can slot into our side when needed with a couple more developing at Casey for 2017.

Next week is a tuff call Brayshaw looks out of sorts, the role he is playing more a forward with a little midfield, seems to question his running capacity through the middle as he is a pure midfielder.  If we want to bring in a midfielder Oliver comes straight back in for Brayshaw, if you want the forward that can run through the midfield Petracca comes in.  I reckon it will be Petracca for Brayshaw.

1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I continue to be surprised that Frost isn't used a bit more in the ruck. This seems to suggest that Pedersen's place is secure as without him Gawn has no apparent back-up. It seems the rotations on and off the ground of Gawn-Pedersen-Frost-Watts-Hogan are working well, so I can't see Petracca coming in for Frost or Pedersen.

 

 

We had big issues getting clearances against Richmond when Gawn was rested. Would love if one of those blokes could at least compete a little better in ruck contests. I like Pedo, but he gives nothing in there.

Drop Watts, the last time we played at Etihad we won, and he wasn't playing. (for those of you that are too serious, that was a joke.)

IN: Clarry

OUT: Gus

I really think Gus is having the second year blues, not finding the ball, even when he was running around in the middle.  Go to Casey, have him, Petracca, Trenners, ANB all playing off each other, continue to push the senior guys, then be more than ready to pounce when the opportunity arises.

2 hours ago, DeeZee said:

Sure that was good, but you have to do more than one or two good things a game to get a regular spot in this team,especially with the depth of talent knocking on the door.

Could say the same about Pedersen though...

 

10 hours ago, bjDee said:

That's odd. Thought you called for Hunt out last week as well, before the Tiges game.  Hunt and Oliver I think you said.  Or was it Hunt and M Jones?  Doesn't matter - I'm sure Hunt was the common denominator.  And then he backs it up with a really big improvement in his second game - and you call for him to be dropped again?  Please tell me that you don't have a pre-conceived judgement in your head about any of our players???

I'm just been realistic, if you lined up our list and picked the best 22 Hunt would be round about that 22nd spot IMO, ergo he is one of the first out if changes are made.

I don't know who comes out, but i think Petracca will come in. He did the full warm up with the players on Sunday night, so maybe they are getting ready to unleash him on Saturday......

2 minutes ago, deelighted3 said:

I don't know who comes out, but i think Petracca will come in. He did the full warm up with the players on Sunday night, so maybe they are getting ready to unleash him on Saturday......

Huh? Sure that wasn't ANB the designated emergency?

 

1 minute ago, stuie said:

Huh? Sure that wasn't ANB the designated emergency?

 

ANB probably did as well, but it wasnt from seeing the warm up, I was in the bar at that stage. I heard from someone in the know he was completing the full warm up sunday night. 

On 24 April 2016 at 7:49 AM, Whispering_Jack said:

I don't believe I've ever started one of these threads before but I was surprised not to see one prominently displayed on the Demonland boards this morning and even more surprised to discover that one hadn't been started at all.

It must be a sign of the times.

So I started searching around for reasons why we should have a changes thread.

Injuries? None were reported from the game although there were some suggestions about Christian Salem (hammy?) or Angus Brayshaw (a knock or "general soreness", perhaps needing a rest?)

But you don't really want to have a rest for "general soreness" these days. Matt Jones was almost a fixture in the side this time last week and then he contracted the mystery injury "general soreness" and look where he is now?

In a long queue for a gig in the side along with Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Jack Trengove, Alex Neal-Bullen and Viv Michie.  

Complacency? Some might say we're winning so we shouldn't change the team, besides it's good enough to beat the Saints but if we think we're a shoe in to beat St Kilda at Etihad - forget it. We haven't beaten them in 10 years and they almost beat Hawthorn a fortnight ago. 

And one of their fans on Saintsational had this to say -

"Saints v Melbourne - Round 6

by Devilhead » Sun 24 Apr 2016 8:32pm 

We will smash Melbourne next week"

We need to be alert. Our new-found fame and fortune means that we must continue to thrive for a better team.

Demon fans - over to you.

Yes, complacency is the last thing we need, and I do think at least one of our losses this year can be partially put down to decisions at the selection table. I'm thinking of leaving Dunn out when he was ready and willing to play. We need to have our best team in each week, but I accept the need to rest youngsters to keep them fresh, especially Brayshaw who I think is still suffering from the after affects of the concussion he had earlier in the year. At least he is playing like it, with nothing like the intensity he has displayed in the past. He will be back as one of our key players, but a rest and some limited time in the 2's is needed to get him right.

I agree with the decision to rest Oliver, but he is definitely in our best 22, and I thought one of the reasons we did not capitalise as we should have from Max's ruck dominance was we missed his dominant clearance work. He has to be back this week.

For mine:

ins:.  Petracca, Oliver

Outs:. Brayshaw, Frost

15 hours ago, CHF said:

Another tough one for the selectors. A good win with the third game in a row that we have kicked more than 100 points and had 10 different goal kickers. Hate to have to search the record books to find out the last time that happened.

 

Burgs has done the first part for us. Surprisingly during the Viney era (Rnd 22-24 2011), when in my opinion we weren't really all that interested in winning. A spread of 8 - 9 - 11 goal-kickers for the record. 

A lot of posters are keen to drop forwards Brayshaw and Frost, but it needs to be noted that we have kicked 36 goals in the last two weeks. While neither has had a major impact with ball in hand, they both apply great pressure and are designated to play lesser roles at stoppages. I would be reluctant to alter with the mix of our forward line too much.

My view is that if we are looking to pick a side purely for St Kilda, then Matt Jones (if fit) is the first player to come into the side. He offers great transition run and a point of difference to our midfield.

And if we are looking to pick a side with the longer-term future in mind, Brayshaw shouldn’t be dropped. He is still young and inexperienced and needs games to get used to the pace of AFL footy. But in saying this, Petracca and Oliver are in the same boat.

We have an incredible amount of depth at the moment. Casey by 10 goals

6 minutes ago, deelighted3 said:

ANB probably did as well, but it wasnt from seeing the warm up, I was in the bar at that stage. I heard from someone in the know he was completing the full warm up sunday night. 

Seems like a slightly strange thing to do, especially the day after he's played. Can you grill your buddy to see if they know any more about it?

19 hours ago, Biffen said:

Hogan had a shocker but still took  the most marks on the ground.

Our aerial dominance is the reason we are winning.Frost is a part of that and so is Max of course as well as Watts,Tom Mac and Frost to a lesser degree.

The quicker ,smaller players are the ones under the microscope but I can't see them getting dropped either.

He would have taken more marks if Maxy had not dropped in front of him 2 or 3 times as well.