MATCH PREVIEW AND TEAM SELECTION - Round 10

[Nasher 33,616]

1 minute ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Anal techno nerd.

?!

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I'm bloody annoyed to be honest.

I for the life of me cannot work out what the coaches are thinking.  Here is a great opportunity for us to get a win against Port Adelaide and potentially get into the top eight but this is unlikely to happen with Jimmy Toumpas not in their team.

In all seriousness, our backline scares me to no end. Let us pray that Dixon, Westhoff and Trengove don't get many opportunities from their midfield because the two McDonald brothers and Garland will be in all sorts of trouble.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,239]

3 minutes ago, Nasher said:

?!

Boolean Algebra doesn't solve everything. Let your instincts run wild and go with an option. Create the logic  later.

[special robert 438]

I also have a deep seated fear and can't sleep thinking about what might happen in Alice Springs.....there is such a well of morose black feelings I have when I think about the club........all those thrashings....I can't let go of all the pain that easily.

[bing181 9,230]

9 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

In all seriousness, our backline scares me to no end. Let us pray that Dixon, Westhoff and Trengove don't get many opportunities from their midfield because the two McDonald brothers and Garland will be in all sorts of trouble.

But who would you have brought in? Dunn isn't even listed as an emergency (and may well have played his last game for the club), which says something of how the coaches rate him. Terlich? Mitch White? When it comes to KPD's, the cup does not runneth over.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Just now, bing181 said:

But who would you have brought in? Dunn isn't even listed as an emergency (and may well have played his last game for the club), which says something of how the coaches rate him. Terlich? Mitch White? When it comes to KPD's, the cup does not runneth over.

Frost, but I never would have moved him to the forward line in the first place.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

im sorry but O'mac just isn't ready. I believe he will become a player but he is so skinny and weak at the moment. Who is he actually going to play on? Currently he is named on Westhoff. yikes

Edited May 26, 2016 by The Song Formerly Known As

[special robert 438]

It has to be the next area we look to...we have all the midfielders.....get Hurley.

[DemonLad5 1,642]

21 minutes ago, The Song Formerly Known As said:

im sorry but O'mac just isn't ready. I believe he will become a player but he is so skinny and weak at the moment. Who is he actually going to play on? Currently he is named on Westhoff. yikes

I still don't think a lot of us get it. (Admittedly I could too be wrong) our diamond defence means that our defenders guard space, not players. It assures that opposition forwards are not getting 1 on 1s and getting space to lead into. Our set-up forces the opposition to bomb it in long, and its pretty hard to mark a high ball with 6 other blokes jumping at it. I know we are very shallow defensively, but it's really not as bad as we make it out to be

Edited May 26, 2016 by DemonLad5

[DemonLad5 1,642]

And Frosty will be in soon once he learns the diamond defence playing as a full back and plays a few good, consistent games in the 2s

[The Backyard Charizard 1,202]

Have a funny feeling that Dawes may get a run...

Would O-Mac out/Dawes in be a crazy move?  Considering we could more than likely then use Watts as a defender (who has accurate field kicking) and play Dawes and Hogan out of the 50... Giving each a chance to move up the ground and present the long lead... With Dawes pinch hitting the ruck...

I made a great junior coach but never graduated to seniors, so don't howl me down people... Would be a risk moving Watts from a position where he has played very well this season but the kid has some confidence now and we all know how that affects certain players

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Nah let's not tempt fate and risk Watts' confidence.  I just hope we don't run out of legs,  but in all honesty,  there was probably only a couple more changes we could have made. 

As much as I know this is a must win and it is anything but a "lock",  I can't help but look forward to the Hawks the following week.  I know it's one game at a time,  but if we beat the Power and can sneak home over the Hawks,  we're as good as final contenders! The next 2 weeks are really going to show how far we've come,  and if we can be a destination club sooner rather than later 

[hemingway 7,627]

11 minutes ago, DemonLad5 said:

I still don't think a lot of us get it. (Admittedly I could too be wrong) our diamond defence means that our defenders guard space, not players. It assures that opposition forwards are not getting 1 on 1s and getting space to lead into. Our set-up forces the opposition to bomb it in long, and its pretty hard to mark a high ball with 6 other blokes jumping at it. I know we are very shallow defensively, but it's really not as bad as we make it out to be

I hope your right but i do not share your optimism.

[dazzledavey36 54,913]

How on earth does Oscar keep his spot. Seriously if we are fair dinkum about winning crucial games then Oscar simply does not play. He is slow, weak at the contest and has minimal intensity.

We have Dunn and Frost who are bigger and much better defenders yet we continue to throw the baby amongst the wolves.

[hemingway 7,627]

7 minutes ago, KrazyJay said:

Have a funny feeling that Dawes may get a run...

Would O-Mac out/Dawes in be a crazy move?  Considering we could more than likely then use Watts as a defender (who has accurate field kicking) and play Dawes and Hogan out of the 50... Giving each a chance to move up the ground and present the long lead... With Dawes pinch hitting the ruck...

I made a great junior coach but never graduated to seniors, so don't howl me down people... Would be a risk moving Watts from a position where he has played very well this season but the kid has some confidence now and we all know how that affects certain players

I like it but don't see it happening but good thinking. It makes sense but Dawes is short of a gallop. 

[The Backyard Charizard 1,202]

1 minute ago, hemingway said:

I like it but don't see it happening but good thinking. It makes sense but Dawes is short of a gallop. 

I just have a horrible feeling that if our midfield is not 'ON' and they start heaping the inside 50s on us then we may struggle to contain the likes of Coxon and Hipsterhoff...

If this is the case then we will more than likely see one of Watts or Hogan dropping back any way...

But then again, I am ignoring the fact that this is a vastly different Melbourne side with a nice balance of skill, effort, toughness & confidence...

I should just relax and enjoy the win!

[hemingway 7,627]

5 minutes ago, KrazyJay said:

I just have a horrible feeling that if our midfield is not 'ON' and they start heaping the inside 50s on us then we may struggle to contain the likes of Coxon and Hipsterhoff...

If this is the case then we will more than likely see one of Watts or Hogan dropping back any way...

But then again, I am ignoring the fact that this is a vastly different Melbourne side with a nice balance of skill, effort, toughness & confidence...

I should just relax and enjoy the win!

You are a true Demon supporter meant in the nicest way.

[Deespicable 2,726]

I just hope that people realise that we have taken a few huge gambles by going so small at selection again.

Last week we decided to go small, except for our defence, and thankfully against a young side like Brisbane with inexperienced tall forwards it did not come back to bite us.

This week we stayed loyal to this small side - Michie being omitted because presumably they felt there was no clear match-up - Neade and Impey being small but quick livewires and probably more easily matched by Hunt and Kennedy.

But to go with so much youth and a small forward line again is either courageous or stupid and we will find out on Saturday.

If conditions are good then Dawes should be playing - apart from Jones, he is the most experienced player on our list and we have decided to bank on no injuries to our talls - god help us if Gawn goes down. 

Then there's the decision to play Newton again ahead of Grimes. If ever there is a player who has been hard done by, it's Grimes.

He was pushed out early last year and came back and played decent football - yes I know he's not a thumping kick or huge mark or mega quick, but he's bloody fit (second to only T-Mac pre-season time trials, he's been playing huge games in the VFL and he's been 23rd man on three occasions and then had to watch as that honour amounts to nothing, whereas all other 23rd men have eventually got games.

Last year he was generally told to play left side half-back because we had no decent left footers once Salem was out and he coped - sure he wasn't a star, but he was serviceable.

This year he's been told that he has to go to the wing and he's proved he can be a reliable linkman. He was useful pre-season in that role, scored the odd goal (unlike Matt Jones) and then he's had to watch on as virtually every possible midfielder other than Jack Trengove has got a shot before him.

I get that Paul Roos doesn't rate him that highly, but to treat him like this is disgraceful. He is a senior player who plays the percentages and does team things. He creates space and he's selfless. I get that we want speed, but please don't try and tell me that Newton or Michie or Neal-Bullen add speed. They don't. They have their own strengths but speed isn't one of them.

Thankfully Port are at a lowpoint at the moment and, as with Brisbane, our confidence and intensity around the stoppages may be enough to get us across the line.

But you can't buy experience and Hawthorn, the tall Pies and Sydney are just ahead. Let's see if our youth can buy us a win.

 

 

 

 

  

[The Backyard Charizard 1,202]

25 minutes ago, hemingway said:

You are a true Demon supporter meant in the nicest way.

Standard week for me this season....

Mon - Wed = Full of confidence either that we will bounce back or string another win together

Thurs = Begin to have doubts about selection and the anxiety begins to come in small waves

Fri = Footy weekend begins and generally end up watching a cracking game of footy on TV, albeit not involving Melbourne

Game Day = Stomach in knots, anxiety is more like a tidal wave, borderline myocardial infarction for 3 hours, followed by beers of joy or sorrow

 

My heart beats true for the wins that are few

and I try hard not to spew,

Should all the losses be forgot

keep your eye on the Red and the Blue!

 

The next day would've been fine if I didn't hit the wine,

that's the reason that I feel so sick, sick, sick

I feel like death so please don't yell,

thanks to Dazza and those other pricks!

                    

 

Edited May 26, 2016 by KrazyJay
Accuracy

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,393]

2 hours ago, picket fence said:

Oh yeah, just watch Westhof tear Oscar Mc Donald a new ONE!

"Shudder before you fall"!

Wonderful!!

 

Don't panic, he'll be dropped once his brother has signed.

[At Least I Saw a Flag 5,243]

Clearly Frosty couldn't be selected in warm conditions. For obvious reasons ...

[PaulRB 6,363]

I like the team, it's quick and learning how to wear teams down with relentless contested ball, tackling and runners who go both ways. 

Our "midfield" now runs from Jeffy to Nev with all expected to attack courageously and defend relentlessly and contest everything.

Oliver's a big out but Petracca's step up of recent weeks has added another outrageous talented young bull to our mid/forward mix. If we can win the lions share of control out of the middle and implement our forward press we hold the ball where we have our best talent, the forward line, which will go a long way toward getting the job done... 

[SaberFang 7,151]

Would love this to be the week Petracca really explodes onto the scene. He's been building gradually and you just know he's only a few games away from kicking a bag.

[Monocology 1,109]

Toumpas is a big out for us, not confident CB.

 

[CHF 2,738]

I like the look of this team. I had hoped that there would be a bit of freshness in the team but if you have a look at it there is with Jetta and Tyson coming back in after having a week of not playing footy and with Newton and ANB retaining their places. I think that if our midfield plays with the drive we have seen during most of the first 9 rounds of the season we believe we can outscore anyone. I think they will be asking Petracca to step up especially when Watts is in the ruck. He showed a couple of things last week which made me think he could fill into a very mobile CHF position. 

I will be getting up early (my time) to watch with the bowl of muesli and a pot of strong coffee. The muesli has not been a Dee's fan but the coffee is on board. If the muesli does not commit I will have to change my eating habits.