20 hours ago, McQueen said:

Leave out VDB forTrengove. VDB was woeful last weekend.

 

14 hours ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

Trengove should be given a game ahead of Harmes or ANB based on last weeks performance. 

Or, because it's just a practice match you could decide that the players who performed poorly should be given more not less game time and those experienced players that don't need extra work could be rested. In which case, maybe Lewis and Vince would not play. 

36 minutes ago, hardtack said:

A reasoned response is considered as being "a tad sensitive"? Physician heal thyself.

It was a very well-reasoned response to what would ordinarily be recognised as a deliberately unreasonable proposition. 

16 hours ago, CHF said:

Looks like minimal changes for this game which surprises me as I would have thought we would use this series of games to have a good look at as many of the players as possible.

 

 

Some received wisdom has crept in re. clubs ideally fielding strong-weak-strong teams across the three pre-season hit-outs. (Maybe the Dogs last year?). But we have an away twilight fixture in WA leading into the season to deal with so I expect some of the boys will get a rest for that (similar to WC going in weak against GWS) which equates to having a look at the newbies. 

What I'd like to see for this one though is to go in positionally 'weak', with our second-string and run-through mids - Petracca, Melksham, Harmes, Vanders, ANB etc. spending more time in the centre alongside our senior mids, while Salem, Brayshaw and Oliver etc. are stationed up front for longer periods.  

 

35 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Some received wisdom has crept in re. clubs ideally fielding strong-weak-strong teams across the three pre-season hit-outs. (Maybe the Dogs last year?). But we have an away twilight fixture in WA leading into the season to deal with so I expect some of the boys will get a rest for that (similar to WC going in weak against GWS) which equates to having a look at the newbies. 

What I'd like to see for this one though is to go in positionally 'weak', with our second-string and run-through mids - Petracca, Melksham, Harmes, Vanders, ANB etc. spending more time in the centre alongside our senior mids, while Salem, Brayshaw and Oliver etc. are stationed up front for longer periods.  

 

Skuit, I take a slightly different view on the midfield. During the season the 'run through' midfield players will be playing as a slot in to a more stable group that act as our core players in the middle and therefore I would like to see that replicated as much as possible in these games. Identify a slightly more expended core group and have that as the stable part of the midfield during these games and then look to run the other alongside those players so they get that experience of playing within that core group.

During last weeks game i found it interesting to watch who lined up for us at the center bounce. At one stage we had Viney, Oliver and JK-H. Jones and Vince were hardly ever in there but had a presence across HBF.

29 minutes ago, CHF said:

Skuit, I take a slightly different view on the midfield. During the season the 'run through' midfield players will be playing as a slot in to a more stable group that act as our core players in the middle and therefore I would like to see that replicated as much as possible in these games. Identify a slightly more expended core group and have that as the stable part of the midfield during these games and then look to run the other alongside those players so they get that experience of playing within that core group.

During last weeks game i found it interesting to watch who lined up for us at the center bounce. At one stage we had Viney, Oliver and JK-H. Jones and Vince were hardly ever in there but had a presence across HBF.

In essence, I agree. My rationale was that if we were going strong-weak-strong (or the like) then this would be a 'rest' game for the young key-mid group while sharpening their skills and gaining more experience in their resting positions .e.g half-forward. The experienced mids would then get a genuine rest next week while the young mids went back to the middle and the run-throughs back to their half-forward and back slots. In the meantime, I believe players like Harmes, Vanders and JKH will benefit from more responsibility and getting their hands on it for a week in the middle alongside the veterans (Viney included).

Basically, the idea is to manage workloads on field across the games by rotating the roles of the three groups of mids - while experimenting with versatility and practicing in the different positions. You said you were initially surprised we weren't fiddling more by trialing the youngsters?

The Dees need to be ruthless and win big (80 pts plus) a bit like the Hawks were last year. Never give a sucker a chance.

Can someone kindly suggest a good place to park if I want to avoid the main carparks? Quite happy to walk a fair way to not be in a post-game traffic jam. Thanks. 

Pre-season or not, I rested easy last night knowing that we don't have to deal with Cripps in the centre today. 

Edited February 25, 20178 yr by Demon Jack

Really hoping Trenners gets a go today.

Geez, Carlon will be fielding 29 players today.

37 minutes ago, Demon Jack said:

Pre-season or not, I rested easy last night knowing that we don't have to deal with Cripps in the centre today. 

I'll lose the plot if we let Gibbs and Cripps get another 80 possessions between them in round 2.

if we can somehow quell the influence of both of them, then we're a chance to win that game.

I don't know what it is but we match up terribly against Carlton.

14 hours ago, ENYAW said:

The Dees need to be ruthless and win big (80 pts plus) a bit like the Hawks were last year. Never give a sucker a chance.

Can't see it happening. We match up terribly against them and we're lacking in the small forward department.

Just looked at Carltons line-up. Had no idea Rhys Palmer played for them. 

7 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Just looked at Carltons line-up. Had no idea Rhys Palmer played for them. 

Palmer was certainly an adequate replacement for Stevie J in the prelim last year ?

Edited February 25, 20178 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

What time do we kick off?

 

15 minutes ago, Wadda We Sing said:

What time do we kick off?

 

2:10

4 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

2:10

Thanks. i was getting confused because SEN keep saying something about 11am..

9 minutes ago, Wadda We Sing said:

Thanks. i was getting confused because SEN keep saying something about 11am..

Might be the women's game that is on before it.

Trenners misses. 

17 minutes ago, Vogon Poetry said:

Trenners misses. 

Shaky ground 

51 minutes ago, Vogon Poetry said:

Trenners misses. 

Don't see why we're not giving more guys a go. He deserves a chance to prove himself outside of training.

Rhys Palmer is playing his first game with the Blues after being traded from GWS with pick 135. 

He'll kick 6 today.

4 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Don't see why we're not giving more guys a go. He deserves a chance to prove himself outside of training.

Agreed. Really want to see Trengove have a run before the season proper.

But for what its worth, Dion Johnstone gets his first run today albeit at the expense of Garlett.

7 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Don't see why we're not giving more guys a go. He deserves a chance to prove himself outside of training.

Good sign of a strong and healthy list.

I have a feeling Carlton are going to take this game very seriously, come out pumped and give it a real crack.