Interesting to see at least 2 teams on the previous page alone with Jetta and Pedersen in who played no JLT, and no Bugg who played all 3 games.

Edited March 17, 20178 yr by Fifty-5

Have a feeling neither Pedersen or Weid will play Round 1.  Hogan, Watts and a resting Gawn/Spencer is more than enough.

13 hours ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

I kind of disagree with the outnumbering bit.  We did that a lot last year and got hurt by it.  Their one player would dive into the middle of our four and just belt the ball into space rather than try to take possession.  Then they have three extra outside players to run away with it. 

I think we got hurt by it not because it's a bad plan but because we made mistakes and didn't win the ball. Dogs and giants are very good at doing the same thing 

Based on JLT and expected Casey line up tomorrow.

B: melksham omac garland/j.smith

Hb: hunt tmac vince

R: gawn jones viney

C: lewis oliver salem

Hf: petracca hogan bugg

F: garlett watts weed/spencer

I: tyson brayshaw stretch harmes/anb

I'll be amazed if anyone outside that 25 plays (assuming no further injuries)

I can't believe I am saying this but, ATM Spencer offers more than Weed, even at Etihad, where he is probably not best suited. 

He is not slow, is very aggressive at the ball and man, allows Max to go forward, can take a mark and kick a goal , can compete in the ruck and just ATM has a few more pros than Weed. 

That said, soon it won't be a discussion, as Weed matures physically. 

1 hour ago, Fifty-5 said:

Based on JLT and expected Casey line up tomorrow.

B: melksham omac garland/j.smith

Hb: hunt tmac vince

R: gawn jones viney

C: lewis oliver salem

Hf: petracca hogan bugg

F: garlett watts weed/spencer

I: tyson brayshaw stretch harmes/anb

I'll be amazed if anyone outside that 25 plays (assuming no further injuries)

If Kent plays well tomorrow he's a chance.  I reckon Goodwin etc. really rate what he brings to the forward-line and would love to include him if it's not too big a risk.

1 hour ago, Petraccattack said:

Have a feeling neither Pedersen or Weid will play Round 1.  Hogan, Watts and a resting Gawn/Spencer is more than enough.

Agree. Personally I`d prefer Pedo ahead of Weid or Spence but having watched training yday I dont think Pedo is 100%. Was bent over in pain from his strapped shoulder, reaching for his pec. He kept training but I thought his intensity was down compared to most others out there and I`d hazard a guess he is still being troubled post surgery.

2 hours ago, ProDee said:

If Kent plays well tomorrow he's a chance.  I reckon Goodwin etc. really rate what he brings to the forward-line and would love to include him if it's not too big a risk.

Would be a mistake IMO.  I like Kent and he's in my 22 but only when 100% fit.

22 hours ago, rpfc said:

If Spencer spends more time in the ruck than Gawn, that would mean we have moved our AA ruckman to the forward line to accommodate our C+ pure ruck.

This may sound a bit MFCSS but that is so Melbourne...

Our AA ruckman was pantsed by by Hickey that kept illegally jumping into him. Unless the umps crack down on that I am happy for Specil to take the centre taps and crunch Hickey.

2 hours ago, ProDee said:

If Kent plays well tomorrow he's a chance.  I reckon Goodwin etc. really rate what he brings to the forward-line and would love to include him if it's not too big a risk.

1. How would you know that?

2. Kent has a bad habit of going missing, particularly in losses. His best is great but he needs to work on hos fwd pressure for the whole time he is one the ground.

Just watching the replay of the St Kilda / Sydney match from the JLT Series and the major point I've noted is that if Sydney got held up on the wing/high half forward, instead of kicking into the corridor or deep inside 50, the Swans would look for an option just inside 50, but right next to the boundary. They then pressed that contest and completely swarmed it on every side, preventing any exits. A quick blind kick out from St Kilda would clear the area, but would then involve one on ones down the ground.

I think this is a valuable lesson for us to learn. If we can move the ball quickly, by all means go through the corridor and the top of the square, but otherwise this is a tactic I believe we should employ. 

The other important note I was looking for was Sydney's pressure inside their forward 50. St Kilda's backs struggled with the pressure applied to them. We desperately need Kent and Garlett fit for Round 1. We can't afford ANB, Harmes and Bugg all to play. They're simply not good enough. We have shown we can carry one, but not all three.

Also, the ability to know when to go long, Sydney just have it. We don't quite yet. That's another big takeaway.

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

1. How would you know that?

I do Melbourne.

8 minutes ago, ProDee said:

I do Melbourne.

2018 membership campaign?

3 hours ago, ProDee said:

If Kent plays well tomorrow he's a chance.  I reckon Goodwin etc. really rate what he brings to the forward-line and would love to include him if it's not too big a risk.

I've been a critic of Kent for a few seasons now and am on record as saying he won't make it. He may still not, but I cannot deny when he's in the team and on song, the pressure he brings to our half forward line is invaluable. His inclusion could be massive.

1 hour ago, Goodvibes said:

2018 membership campaign?

Jenna Jamieson?

B        N.Jetta          T.McDonald     J.Melksham

HB     J .Hunt           O.McDonald    B.Vince

C        D,Tyson          J.Lewis          C.Salem

HF      C.Petracca    J.Watts           D.Kent

F         J.Garlett        J.Hogan         J.Spencer

R         M.Gawn        J.Viney           N.Jones

Interchange -      A.Brayshaw   B.Stretch  T.Bugg  C.Oliver

 

 

Less than a week to go til game time...  that team looks a bit too small in the back half considering all the Saints tall options.

Wouldnt be shocked at all to see Joel SMith play.

Edited March 18, 20178 yr by Petraccattack

18 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

B        N.Jetta          T.McDonald     J.Melksham

HB     J .Hunt           O.McDonald    B.Vince

C        D,Tyson          J.Lewis          C.Salem

HF      C.Petracca    J.Watts           D.Kent

F         J.Garlett        J.Hogan         J.Spencer

R         M.Gawn        J.Viney           N.Jones

Interchange -      A.Brayshaw   B.Stretch  T.Bugg  C.Oliver

 

 

Less than a week to go til game time...  that team looks a bit too small in the back half considering all the Saints tall options.

Wouldnt be shocked at all to see Joel SMith play.

Reckon you`ve just about nailed it and yep I think we need another tall in the backline, may even be Garland and perhaps Jetta comes out unless he absolutely tears it up for Casey, and if so maybe Melksham has to come out for a tall.

53 minutes ago, Hell Bent said:

Reckon you`ve just about nailed it and yep I think we need another tall in the backline, may even be Garland and perhaps Jetta comes out unless he absolutely tears it up for Casey, and if so maybe Melksham has to come out for a tall.

McDonald, McDonald and Garland all in the back-line?

Don't worry about the problem of turning the ball over at CHF, we'll be turning it over at CHB!

Closest thing we've got to a direct comparison on form is each team's pre-season game against Carlton.

Both St Kilda and ourselves scored more than 30 times against Carlton - St Kidla 18.14, Melbourne 17.14

Carlton failed to score effectively against either team, though their 4 goals 6 behinds against St Kilda was a special level of ineffectual.

But in the end, something has to be said about the teams that Carlton fielded agaisnt the Demons and Saints. Or more specifically, the teams they didn't field.

Of the 'best 22' Blues, Kreuzer, Gibbs, Docherty, Simpson, Murphy and Casboult, all played against the Demons but not the Saints.

Leaving Matt Korcheck as Carlton's lead ruck, Liam Jones as their primary contested marking target, Nick Graham as their chief clearance winner, and Billie Smedts as their only running half-back to have ever played a game of AFL.

Cripps was the only top Blue to play against Saints but not Demons, though he only played a half, for 38% total game time. Armfield also took the field against Saints and not Demons, for 68% game time.

So maybe there isn't much of a direct comparison after all. Time to look at the rest of pre-season.

 

St Kilda didn't score so freely in it's other games, despite both being at home, against Port and Sydney. Scoring just 8 goals and 10 goals.

Against Port they went in with full strength, with only Montagna, who is not expected to play round 1, missing from a line up which included all of last year's stars and stalwarts, as well as all the new inclusions.

Against Sydney it was a similar set up, and  the Saints' tall forwards managed just two goals between the four of them, three if you include Sam Gilbert's little adventure.

Fact is, St Kilda played at full strength throughout the pre-season competition, and didn't do anything of note except smash a Carlton team that was pretty ordinary even once it included it's top players, never mind when it was missing most of it's Best & Fairest group.

 

 

By the way, last season St Kilda has 11 players play all, or all but one, game for the season, and a further 7 players play 17 games or more.

From memory, the usual range for those numbers is about 6 'all' and 6 'most'.

Demons last season for the 21+ and 17+ games played was 8 and 4, so about normal.

Just food for thought.

 

 

28 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

McDonald, McDonald and Garland all in the back-line?

Don't worry about the problem of turning the ball over at CHF, we'll be turning it over at CHB!

We wont get a chance to turn it over without another tall because one of Riewoldt, Membrey Bruce or Mccartin if he plays will have an absolute field day outmarking our smalls.

Someone mentioned to me today that there was a push to have the game moved to the MCG due to the anticipated crowd numbers. 

Has anything been mentioned in the media over east?

I know it won't happen but interested to know if anyone has heard the same thing. 

Edited March 18, 20178 yr by Ethan Tremblay

2 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Jenna Jamieson?

I'll take a membership.

2 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Someone mentioned to me today that there was a push to have the game moved to the MCG due to the anticipated crowd numbers. 

Anything been mentioned in the media over east? 

More chance of me winning tattslotto tonight and I haven't even got a ticket.

2 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Someone mentioned to me today that there was a push to have the game moved to the MCG due to the anticipated crowd numbers. 

Has anything been mentioned in the media over east?

I know it won't happen but interested to know if anyone has heard the same thing. 

No chance.