Hogan IN = tick; Melksham OUT = big tick.

McDonald needs to play, as we are in a world of trouble if a tall goes down (see Geelong & Richmond games for what happens). Plus I like him in the team because it frees up his brother and Frost.

I assume one of Stretch & Neal-Bullen will play, alongside Tyson, Salem & McDonald. Maybe Stretch plays, and Neal-Bullen has a week off as the player held back from the VFL.

No great need for Wagner, especially not until he builds some decent match fitness.

I'll be interested to see what hoops they make Melksham jump through to get back in the team. Hopefully it is not a Dawes-style omission where you don't have to earn your spot back. His tackle count and contested possession numbers will make interesting reading.

Melksham use to tear us apart, it seems he still is.

That Hawthorn side is very strong on paper - I know they are aging but they are very capable of putting together a complete performance - see the West Coast game. After Clarkson talking about 'catastrophic changes" and then not making any this is just about Custer's last stand for this Hawthorn group - they'll be fired up with Cyril and Birchall back and it's the best 22 they can put out there.  Plus they will be fired up v Lewis and they will still believe we are brittle.

We need to start well and not give them a sniff, once they've been a few goals down their spirit has dissolved, but if they get ahead early - look out.  This is a very tough game for us and any type of win will be a great result.

It a good team to meet at this stage, we need to learn to come out guns blazing from the first bounce and break teams before they get rolling.

This week, with Hogan back and Lewis playing his old mob, we should be treating it as an opportunity to practice the approach that wins elimination finals, and scars opposition teams.

Really want a 4 quarter belting against these [censored]. ?

Melksham is out and Bernie is named in the midfield - I know that doesn't mean he'll play there but he did well there last week.  That's 2 out of last week's back 7.

Hawks have Roughy, Gunston and O'Brien as tall forwards and Sicily on the extended bench.

I think the ruck set-up with TMac in the back half worked well last week, I'll be surprised to see OMac come out.

I won't be surprised if it's just In: Hogan Out: Melksham

45 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

That Hawthorn side is very strong on paper - I know they are aging but they are very capable of putting together a complete performance - see the West Coast game. After Clarkson talking about 'catastrophic changes" and then not making any this is just about Custer's last stand for this Hawthorn group - they'll be fired up with Cyril and Birchall back and it's the best 22 they can put out there.  Plus they will be fired up v Lewis and they will still believe we are brittle.

We need to start well and not give them a sniff, once they've been a few goals down their spirit has dissolved, but if they get ahead early - look out.  This is a very tough game for us and any type of win will be a great result.

Goody's not taking this at all lightly i suspect.

Has " Danger Will Robinson" in neon about this game.

Essendon was a coulda shoulda ( did eventually ) game.

This is a real how far have we come/grown quality about it.

Dees by 20

I'm tipping us but with absolutely no confidence at all. 

Just another week as a dees supporter I suppose!!

13 hours ago, Pates said:

Let's stick with the old cliche of "one week at a time". Let's deal with the Hawks, they'll be under fire after last week and people questioning their resolve. Hope Lewis smashes them, will be interesting to see if the Hawks fans boo him. 

I just hope when Hogan first gets a hold of the ball the Demon fans give him a big cheer and if/when he kicks his first goal the boys really get around him. 

Im sure they will. In fact despite that Hawthorn will come out firing.........Melb players have a big reason to win.....to show support for their brother.

2 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

I'm tipping us but with absolutely no confidence at all. 

Just another week as a dees supporter I suppose!!

Im tipping us for the same reason I tipped us against Essendon.....we have lost 3 games we could have won.This side is going places.

5 hours ago, ProDee said:

More a minor union minion than a company man.

Never been in a union in my life, have aiways worked

Just not like all the other 'experts' on here

 

 

I don't think Langford will play, which will leave 14 premiership players in their 22.  But it's got too hard for them and their lower tier players are ordinary.  They'll win some games this year, but I don't expect it to be against Melbourne.

I can see a nasty and spiteful game (hope so).  Oliver will seek out Rioli at every opportunity and Jones, Viney, and Lewis will play close to the edge.  We're better on the inside around the stoppages and will hopefully spread with better and more efficient ball movement. 

I expect us to be 'on' and I expect a win.

1 minute ago, ProDee said:

I don't think Langford will play, which will leave 14 premiership players in their 22.  But it's got too hard for them and their lower tier players are ordinary.  They'll win some games this year, but I don't expect it to be against Melbourne.

I can see a nasty and spiteful game (hope so).  Oliver will seek out Rioli at every opportunity and Jones, Viney, and Lewis will play close to the edge.  We're better on the inside around the stoppages and will hopefully spread with better and more efficient ball movement. 

I expect us to be 'on' and I expect a win.

I sense a lot of frustration might spill over to silliness. Hawks coming apart at the seams. 

Can see them pushing us hard. 

Funny feeling Hogan going to tear them a new one....just because they're first up.

All in all i sense they're a bit more worried about us than we are of them. 

21 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

I sense a lot of frustration might spill over to silliness. Hawks coming apart at the seams. 

Can see them pushing us hard. 

Funny feeling Hogan going to tear them a new one....just because they're first up.

All in all i sense they're a bit more worried about us than we are of them. 

I agree. First time in years that Hogan will playing 'Free'.

Got a feeling Jesse will step up big time in the next month or so.

Edited May 5, 20178 yr by Lord Ivanhoe

Last week was at times comedic ...Cirque du Sunday

This week ... Possibly much more feisty ... Melbus Gladius

3 hours ago, PaulRB said:

This week, with Hogan back and Lewis playing his old mob, we should be treating it as an opportunity to practice the approach that wins elimination finals, and scars opposition teams.

Let's hope that doesn't result in any more suspensions.

Agree with @Clint Bizkit that the Hawks won't be a pushover, and I highly doubt they'll allow a side to pull down their pants again like the Saints did last week.  They will come out all guns blazing and it will be up to our side to match it.

On the flip side, I have faith in this side that they can get the job done.  If they turn up to play and do it all day then we'll be okay.  If not, then the Hawks could well beat us.

They wont rough up Lewis...theyll want him to put in a good word

7 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Agree with @Clint Bizkit that the Hawks won't be a pushover, and I highly doubt they'll allow a side to pull down their pants again like the Saints did last week.  They will come out all guns blazing and it will be up to our side to match it.

On the flip side, I have faith in this side that they can get the job done.  If they turn up to play and do it all day then we'll be okay.  If not, then the Hawks could well beat us.

Composure and a min 3&1/2 qtr effort needed

4 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

That Hawthorn side is very strong on paper - I know they are aging but they are very capable of putting together a complete performance - see the West Coast game. After Clarkson talking about 'catastrophic changes" and then not making any this is just about Custer's last stand for this Hawthorn group - they'll be fired up with Cyril and Birchall back and it's the best 22 they can put out there.  Plus they will be fired up v Lewis and they will still believe we are brittle.

We need to start well and not give them a sniff, once they've been a few goals down their spirit has dissolved, but if they get ahead early - look out.  This is a very tough game for us and any type of win will be a great result.

Whilst I don't give a S?"!  about Hawthorn, other than that we start returning their favours of the 9 years prior to 2016, for the sake of accuracy Clarkson did not foreshadow catastrophic changes this round. His actual statement was "We need to correct that, because if we continue to have performances like that then there'll need to be catastrophic change, and that's not usually the way we go about doing things."

It's the media that are responsible for this misconception because they have peddled that line all last night and this morning, ever since the Hawthorn lineup was announced. 

Anyway - just sayin'.

 

 

4 minutes ago, xarronn said:

Whilst I don't give a S?"!  about Hawthorn, other than that we start returning their favours of the 9 years prior to 2016, for the sake of accuracy Clarkson did not foreshadow catastrophic changes this round. His actual statement was "We need to correct that, because if we continue to have performances like that then there'll need to be catastrophic change, and that's not usually the way we go about doing things."

It's the media that are responsible for this misconception because they have peddled that line all last night and this morning, ever since the Hawthorn lineup was announced. 

Anyway - just sayin'.

 

 

Indeed, "continue to have performances like that then " that's why this is Custer's last stand for this group.  Expect a response.

11 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Agree with @Clint Bizkit that the Hawks won't be a pushover, and I highly doubt they'll allow a side to pull down their pants again like the Saints did last week.  They will come out all guns blazing and it will be up to our side to match it.

On the flip side, I have faith in this side that they can get the job done.  If they turn up to play and do it all day then we'll be okay.  If not, then the Hawks could well beat us.

We are in the box seat here and the win or loss is in our hands.

I could care less what they do, the reality is whilst they still have some champions in their team the game has past some of them by.

When it's over it's over.

It's there for us to win or lose.

If we've grown as a team we will win comfortably.

13 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Agree with @Clint Bizkit that the Hawks won't be a pushover, and I highly doubt they'll allow a side to pull down their pants again like the Saints did last week.  They will come out all guns blazing and it will be up to our side to match it.

On the flip side, I have faith in this side that they can get the job done.  If they turn up to play and do it all day then we'll be okay.  If not, then the Hawks could well beat us.

So they lost to THE SUNS by 86 points. Then played Geelong the next round, at the G, and lost by 86 points. Next they played the worst travelling team in the comp and beat them by 50 points. And last round travel to their second home and get beaten by 75 points, which is less than the last 2 hiding they had, but they won't drop their pants again.  I think their pants will be dropped and a damn good, well deserved spanking will occur.

I too am weary of the old Lion, but have much more faith in the hungry young one.

Would like to see this again on the weekend

Still my favourite piece of play. One handed against a 3 time premiership player. Impressive

Expect a fired up Hawthorn this week. They got a rocket from the new CEO last weekend. Apparently she dropped into the players meeting after the Saints game and said  " We need to pull our socks up ". That type of comment always got us going when I was in the under 11's.

19 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Would like to see this again on the weekend

Still my favourite piece of play. One handed against a 3 time premiership player. Impressive

I see Jordan Lewis got a great view of it.