45 minutes ago, Neitz the Great said:

MELBOURNE
1. Jesse Hogan, 2. Nathan Jones, 3. Christian Salem, 4. Jack Watts, 5. Christian Petracca, 6. Jordan Lewis, 7. Jack Viney, 9. Jack Trengove, 10. Angus Brayshaw, 11. Max Gawn, 12. Dom Tyson, 13. Clayton Oliver, 15. Billy Stretch, 18. Jake Melksham, 20. Colin Garland, 23. Bernie Vince, 25. Tom McDonald, 26. Sam Weideman, 28. Oscar McDonald, 29. Jayden Hunt, 30. Alex Neal-Bullen, 32. Tomas Bugg, 33. Jake Spencer, 43. James Harmes

Notable absentees: Michael Hibberd, Dean Kent, Cam Pedersen, Aaron vandenBerg, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Jeff Garlett, Neville Jetta

Wow that's some interesting selection.

Looks like the FD have a structure they want to play with Garland in for Hibberd and Trengove (who played HF in the intraclub) in for VDB.

The big absentee for me is Nev Jetta assuming he's recovered from his injuries - I'm a very big fan - he's great 1:1 against the best small forwards in the AFL - consistency, hardness, agility, nice kicking over short distance.  I think two things might be working against him and the main one is his height at 180.  I think we will continue to play zone defence and we therefore need taller players in the back 6-7 with Melksham the shortest at 185cm.  Nev's strength is his 1:1 against like opponents e.g. Betts or Wingard but we can't guarantee a direct match-up with strict zones.  He plays deep and I noticed last year he got caught out deep against much taller opponents and was out marked in comical mis-matches.  The other factor is his lack of attack, he's not going to provide run and penetration off HB because that's not his strength.  (On that theory I'm not sure how Nathan Jones goes back there either but he will generally play less deep, more attacking).

My predicted quote from goody

Jack has worked really hard in the last 3-4 ans has been training witg the right intensity. This is the level he needs to stay at and im confident he will. Jack will make a big contribution to our side this year and will rip the saints a new one....

7 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

I don't think Garland will play round 1 unless there's further injuries so I'd be willing to live with having an eagles tall kick a couple of goals just from being too big and to get the other defenders a good run for the first half and then sub Garland in after the break. I think Jayden Hunt would be a pretty good match up for Darling anyway.

If Hibberd, Frost and Wagner all miss round 1, I can't see how Garland doesn't play round 1.

Wouldn't we need a 3rd medium-tall defender to take Membrey?

The 2 Macs will take on McCartin and Bruce but who's going to take the dangerous Membery?

i see this as a full dress rehearsal for Garland as we likely don't have anyone left as that third tall defender available to us in round 1.

Good test to see where we're at....

Eagles posting a strong lineup. Round 1 dress rehearsal 

Also good test to see if we actually have decent depth with alike for like with selection

2 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

If Hibberd, Frost and Wagner all miss round 1, I can't see how Garland doesn't play round 1.

Wouldn't we need a 3rd medium-tall defender to take Membrey?

The 2 Macs will take on McCartin and Bruce but who's going to take the dangerous Membery?

i see this as a full dress rehearsal for Garland as we likely don't have anyone left as that third tall defender available to us in round 1.

In that scenario Garland or J.Smith and Garland has been selected this week.

7 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

If Hibberd, Frost and Wagner all miss round 1, I can't see how Garland doesn't play round 1.

Wouldn't we need a 3rd medium-tall defender to take Membrey?

The 2 Macs will take on McCartin and Bruce but who's going to take the dangerous Membery?

i see this as a full dress rehearsal for Garland as we likely don't have anyone left as that third tall defender available to us in round 1.

Smith?

52 minutes ago, billy2803 said:

I had achilles soreness once, Iva.  Think it only took 18 months to get over it.  Got to the stage where I considered playing a game so that it would just snap so that I could go through a proper, "normal" rehab program with it.  One of the most frustrating injuries I have ever had was the old achilles "soreness".

I strained an Achilles stealing third base in baseball. The catcher overthrew the third baseman and I trotted home for a score. Didn't even know about my Achilles until after the game and I had cooled down. It took about 18 months before I could say I was totally over the strain.

1 minute ago, dworship said:

Smith?

Yes forget about Smith.

If Garland has a cracking game, then he's in for round 1 I reckon.

Whilst Smith's JLT 1 was outstanding, he was sloppy against Carlton and that may have opened up the door for Garland.

Smith has more upside than Garland but I'd give experience the nod for such a crucial Rd 1 game.

1 hour ago, Wiseblood said:

You can add Sam Frost as well, considering he played the majority of games last year.

We are going in with a pretty strong side, although we are still missing 5-6 of what I would consider our best side.  I'm very interested, and a little nervous, to see how we go on Thursday night.

And is this the final squad, or do two players get left out before the game?

24 named and 6 interchange allowed, so it seems final with no emergencies....strange

Just now, daisycutter said:

24 named and 6 interchange allowed, so it seems final with no emergencies....strange

possible that they dont want to send players to perth who arnt playing

3 hours ago, daisycutter said:

it was very, very basic all round. a very average experience

(i believe too that if you go to germany (at least years ago it was true) you can (could) buy a very low spec mercedes at a very cheap price, that wasn't available for export. with more global manufacturing now this may no longer be the case) 

My Great Uncle bought back a BMW in 1976 for a very low price after he had driven it through Europe for 6 months

sounds like a similiar deal

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-03-07/watts-named-for-jlt-series-game

1. Jesse Hogan
2. Nathan Jones
3. Christian Salem
4. Jack Watts
5. Christian Petracca
6. Jordan Lewis
7. Jack Viney
9. Jack Trengove
10. Angus Brayshaw
11. Max Gawn
12. Dom Tyson
13. Clayton Oliver
15. Billy Stretch
18. Jake Melksham
20. Colin Garland
23. Bernie Vince
25. Tom McDonald
26. Sam Weideman
28. Oscar McDonald
29. Jayden Hunt
30. Alex Neal-Bullen
32. Tomas Bugg
33. Jake Spencer
43. James Harmes

so that would be out SMITH and JKH?

In Watts and Garland

1 minute ago, Stretch Johnson said:

so that would be out SMITH and JKH?

In Watts and Garland

Dom Tyson is also in and Hibberd is also out.

Starting to get concerned about Jetta, Kent and Hibberd round 1

It would be exciting to see some good form from Trenners...fingers crossed for him he gets a bit of a run

42 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Dom Tyson is also in and Hibberd is also out.

oh and Trengove...

out vandenberg

12 minutes ago, Stretch Johnson said:

oh and Trengove...

out vandenberg

Is Vandenberg injured too?

Anyone enlighten me to what's happening with Jetta?

1 minute ago, Demonland said:

Is Vandenberg injured too?

Hobbling around on a wonky ankle I hear...

16 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Hobbling around on a wonky ankle I hear...

Our entire small forward brigade is injured.

23 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Hobbling around on a wonky ankle I hear...

Worrying the club hasn't updated us on how bad it is....makes you think it's real bad

16 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Anyone enlighten me to what's happening with Jetta?

I get the feeling Goodwin just prefers defenders with bigger tanks who can run both ways. Melksham, Hunt, Vince, Lewis even James Harmes can push up the ground and link up, spread and then move back in the zone. If we were to play one on one footy Jetta would be one of the first picked, but that's now how Goodwin wants to play. I still think Nev has to at least be a chance for round 1 and if not then he'll be very useful throughout the year especially against certain opponents and as winter sets in and play slows down, but  I can see where Goodwin is coming from.