TEAM SELECTION AND MATCH PREVIEW - ROUND 1

[In Harmes Way 7,767]

There's some elements to this team selection that I really like, some elements I'd do differently - but what I'm really pleased to see is that Goody in picking his first up team hasn't gone safe. He's honouring the guys who have pre-requisite fitness through a hard pre-season and it gives the squad clear evidence that there's a spot in the team for you if you continue to do the right things. 

We have a good team on paper this week, and our depth understanding that they've got good future prospects given a match committee who fully considers all options.

The only way is up.

[Gator 17,332]

31 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

How quick are Hannan and Smith?

 

Not sure re Hannan, although one hears he's quick.  

The word inside the club from a senior coach is that Smith is as fast as Hunt.

[ArtificialWisdom 4,045]

12 minutes ago, poita said:

For all our supposed depth, that is a fairly ordinary side for round 1. No way Weideman & Neal-Bullen should be playing - Neal Bullen is a VFL player only, and Weideman is at least 12 months off being a decent player. I don't know Hannan at all but it is asking a lot for a bloke who wasn't even played a JLT game.

I love the logic that says that Hannan, Jetta and Garlett can play off one game at Casey, but Tyson and Kent (who both finished top ten in the B&F last year) can not.

I'm worried by our lack of height in the back line, and our lack of cover for any of our key position players. Pedersen at even 50% at least gives us some flexibility that we don't currently have. Frost is a massive out, as he is a good match up for any of St Kilda's tall forwards. I'm glad Spencer wasn't named, but not sure he was given such a prominent role in the pre season if he wasn't part of our plans going forward.

My logic on this is they both had long injuries that prevented them for running for extended periods. Garlett and Jetta both got through the majority of the preseason before having a short period imparing running and Hannan was a shoulder. But when it comes down to it we are 4 short of the best 22.. it was never going to be our strongest side

[sisso 2,580]

We've gone with a quick team with a lot of excitement and X factor - Goodwin wants to attack the game hard obviously.

St Kilda's side looks solid but they have are a lot of B-C graders and they look kind of pedestrian to me (Ross, Armitage, Brown, Gilbert, Savage).

On paper we maybe look a bit light on for experience, so our most naturally talented players like Hogan, Gawn, Watts and Petracca need to fire and then we are in with a serious chance.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

11 hours ago, Farmer said:

If you are pumped to see this team you are easily pumped ! It is a very weak team, without Tyson, Kent, Hibberd, Frost, VdB.

Bugg and Harnes are needed in R1 rather than a new kid Hannan. Spencer has played all practice matches yet is dropped. Hannan has played none and is picked. . For some reason coaches have lost direction at the last minute. I predict a thrashing . Will be happy with 60 points loss. I'm not bullshitting, I think it's an awful team

You think wrong, Wiz, but I guess that's what makes the world go round.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

11 hours ago, A F said:

 

Unfortunately, ANB has shown absolutely no sign he's capable of playing midfield at the highest level. Really strange call and wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't near it if Kent was fit.

That's a fair comment, but then he hasn't exactly had a whole heap of opportunities to play in the midfield during his time in the senior side.  He's been played primarily as a small forward with small stints in the midfield.  I'd say Hannan is the direct replacement for Kent, while ANB may be a replacement for Tyson.  Hopefully ANB gets a good run at it in the midfield to show what he's capable of, whatever that may be.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

23 minutes ago, sisso said:

We've gone with a quick team with a lot of excitement and X factor - Goodwin wants to attack the game hard obviously.

Hopefully that doesn't lead to leaking easy goals out the back like we normally do against St Kilda.

[Die Hard Demon 1,224]

The one area the Saints have dominated us in the past is getting numbers around the contest & then smashing us on the spread. This is the area we lacked gut running & pace. I think we've shown in all our JLT matches that we have rectified this. Our MOST talented extractor did not play once against saints last year. Oliver.. who has developed a tank. If he can win 50/50s more often than not, & get the ball out to our new runners in hunt, stretch, hannan & smith. All of a sudden we look like a quick unit who can reverse the trend & beat saints at their own game. I'm not saying we're going to win, but i am saying we could finally have what it takes to beat the saints. Which we have never realistically been in that position. 

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

The opinion I hold on Hannan is that he is a player that can adapt to the level of competition around him. His athleticism was always on show from his u/19s to seniors and never really played a bad game at those levels and same at VFL. 

 

Heres hoping he can adapt to AFL and contribute in a role in round 1

[hemingway 7,627]

4 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Hopefully that doesn't lead to leaking easy goals out the back like we normally do against St Kilda.

I reckon its inevitable Clint, given the zone defence. 

Goodwin seems set on an attacking game plan which will result in leaking goals. Will we leak less goals than the Saints? We can only hope.

All I know is that we are not going to win with an uneven contribution. We will need a complete team effort across the entire ground.

We have added pace and grunt. That will help us. I suspect that a few Demons are going to upset a few Saints with their attack on the ball and man.

Still a possible goal shootout in store. .

[Demons11 7,008]

Really sick of supporters who bang on about betting on St Kilda to win.   If you're happy to outlay your money on an opposition team good luck to you but I along with many others I assume have no interest in hearing about it. 

[old55 23,550]

13 hours ago, rpfc said:

Hang on a sec, wasn't I told by 'the people' on here that Jetta was done?

I resemble that remark

I love what Nev brings in consistency, one-on-one against dangerous small fwds like Betts and Wingard, attack on the contest and reliable sort kicking and I'm happy to see him in the team.

But he was conspicuous in his absence in the JLT, he didn't go to Perth when he was ready to play.  Maybe he's experienced enough not to need AFL trials.

He does have limitations and it will be fascinating to follow his progress this year.  He's not a counter-attacking back and therefore plays closer to the defensive goal in the zone where it's likely that he'll get exposed to height mis-matches.  It happened last year to comical effect.  Hunt, Melksham, Vince, J.Smith, Hibberd have the height to make a marking contest with tall forwards they may find themselves matched with, Jetta doesn't.

I hope he has a great year.

 

[CBDees 3,167]

1 hour ago, ProDee said:

Not sure re Hannan, although one hears he's quick.  

The word inside the club from a senior coach is that Smith is as fast as Hunt.

I think that if you watch Hannan's highlights you will find that he combines the leap of Howe with the speed of Hunt. He also knows how to find the goals! Go Dees!

 

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2016-11-26/pick-46-mitch-hannan-highlights

[What 18,810]

33 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

Really sick of supporters who bang on about betting on St Kilda to win.   If you're happy to outlay your money on an opposition team good luck to you but I along with many others I assume have no interest in hearing about it. 

 

They are called attention whores.

[Demons11 7,008]

1 minute ago, Petraccattack said:

 

They are called attention whores.

Ha, indeed

Edited March 24, 2017 by Demons11

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

16 minutes ago, CBDees said:

I think that if you watch Hannan's highlights you will find that he combines the leap of Howe with the speed of Hunt. He also knows how to find the goals! Go Dees!

 

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2016-11-26/pick-46-mitch-hannan-highlights

Similarities to a very young Fyfe? Shows much promise. Understand the selection if he's showing that sort of form on the track. Reads play well with burst of speed and nice reach for his height also. Can play small/tall and nice closing speed for the run down tackle. Might add to forward pressure when played up front?

[Maldonboy38 6,401]

The balance of the selected side is very different to most of the teams we fielded during the Roos years. The difference seems to be that Roos would lean towards hard-at-it moderate footballers like Harmes, VBB and Bugg, while Goodwin lwans towards dare and skill. It is not the strongest side and does look a bit thin on defence all over the ground, but it looks set to really take the game on.

Hannan and Weideman are the 2 interesting ones. Hannan is a complete unknown at AFL level. Weideman hasn't had a lot of the footy but flies for it so well in the air. I am not overly confident but can't wait to see them play. 

Edited March 24, 2017 by Maldonboy38
Rubbish typing

[old55 23,550]

Weideman has to play if we're not going with Spencer and it makes sense especially at Etihad.  Otherwise Hogan is the only tall contested target and that's just not viable, particularly when we also want to use him up the ground on acassion.  In the long run Weed will take the 2nd ruck duties too but one step at a time.

Hannan seems to be a replacement for VDB IMO which also makes sense.

[jnrmac 20,059]

2 hours ago, ProDee said:

Not sure re Hannan, although one hears he's quick.  

The word inside the club from a senior coach is that Smith is as fast as Hunt.

Wow. OK he could be another weapon inside defence then..

[Lord Travis 10,729]

Not 100% sure of the selections going with two debutants over proven experience, but love the idea of what Goodwin and the selection committee are doing here. They've gone for a quick side that's not too top heavy because St Kilda have torched us time and time again with pace and run. They've picked a team with a slightly different dynamic than we're accustomed to and IMO it's a good thing.

I do hope Kent and Tyson come straight back in after a week or two, but I love that they've gone with run and skill to suit our attacking gameplay. Based on pre=season form I'm expecting big games from Oliver, Brayshaw and Hunt.

Go Dees!

[Dante 2,739]

Just had a look at the selected side and it's altered from the originally published one. Salem, Watts and Jetta in the starting side and Smith, Oliver and ANB on the bench.

Not unhappy with that side and it's good to see the two new ones on the bench until a bit of the heat goes out of the game.

Back in 2007 we were expected to do well, but I looked at the team and remarked at the time we hadn't changed much, if any at all and we were knocked out early in the finals the previous year, at that time I wasn't confident about 2007. This year we have new faces, we have fresh talent and we have natural improvement in some of the very highly rated youngsters, I think we will do well and expect to win.

We have a couple of auto select players out, but that just makes it more interesting and will put pressure on those that are in to stay and they will have to perform to do so.

[Gator 17,332]

1 minute ago, Dante said:

Just had a look at the selected side and it's altered from the originally published one. Salem, Watts and Jetta in the starting side and Smith, Oliver and ANB on the bench.

Not unhappy with that side and it's good to see the two new ones on the bench until a bit of the heat goes out of the game.

Back in 2007 we were expected to do well, but I looked at the team and remarked at the time we hadn't changed much, if any at all and we were knocked out early in the finals the previous year, at that time I wasn't confident about 2007. This year we have new faces, we have fresh talent and we have natural improvement in some of the very highly rated youngsters, I think we will do well and expect to win.

We have a couple of auto select players out, but that just makes it more interesting and will put pressure on those that are in to stay and they will have to perform to do so.

The bench won't reflect the bench at the beginning of the game.  They never do.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,388]

15 hours ago, rpfc said:

Hang on a sec, wasn't I told by 'the people' on here that Jetta was done?

Is Hibberd playing?

[In Harmes Way 7,767]

2 hours ago, Die Hard Demon said:

The one area the Saints have dominated us in the past is getting numbers around the contest & then smashing us on the spread. This is the area we lacked gut running & pace. I think we've shown in all our JLT matches that we have rectified this. Our MOST talented extractor did not play once against saints last year. Oliver.. who has developed a tank. If he can win 50/50s more often than not, & get the ball out to our new runners in hunt, stretch, hannan & smith. All of a sudden we look like a quick unit who can reverse the trend & beat saints at their own game. I'm not saying we're going to win, but i am saying we could finally have what it takes to beat the saints. Which we have never realistically been in that position. 

If he's an 80% chance to win a 50/50 ball, then in all probability we're between a 50-100% chance to win the game.

take it to the bank.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,753]

2 hours ago, hemingway said:

I reckon its inevitable Clint, given the zone defence. 

Goodwin seems set on an attacking game plan which will result in leaking goals. Will we leak less goals than the Saints? We can only hope.

All I know is that we are not going to win with an uneven contribution. We will need a complete team effort across the entire ground.

We have added pace and grunt. That will help us. I suspect that a few Demons are going to upset a few Saints with their attack on the ball and man.

Still a possible goal shootout in store. .

If that's the case, win or lose, it's going to be a hell of a lot better than watching us play just 4 years ago.