Did anyone else see how out of it the players looked in the final minutes? Particularly Petracca. Was clutching his knee. Kept trying to stretch it out like a cramp. If cramp then was the longest cramp in history. Was also more concerned with his knee. When the ball was live he chased and pushed like a maniac still. Only pulled up sore when the ball stopped dead. Looking at the review, it's a concern. Can't find anything online about it though.

Harmes has made things difficult for selection panel.

I have to laugh at all this "Weed had 5 tackles" stuff. I was more impressed with his two marks of dump kicks and the speed with which he turned and looked for options. He's doing things right, sure... but he's not doing anywhere near enough for a side that's pushing for finals. In fact he could be a couple of years off. I got given a hard time for suggesting JKH's defensive forward stuff was more important than his hitting the scoreboard. And the same people are excusing a goal-less performance by a KP forward because he "had 5 tackles." That's just not right. If he kicks 2 behinds, then fine. But he's there to be a target. And he almost never is. Don't get me wrong, I like him, but he's way too far off the pace.

Hard to drop anyone after the equal best win of the last 10 years tho. Hogan will be hard pressed.

Kent will be dropped - got caught looking a few times and needs to work on goal kicking and tackling. Hannan was good in those areas as was the weed . Hogan in for kent and Anb or stretch in for hunt to play forward and play Bernie off half back . 

4 minutes ago, CityDee said:

Kent will be dropped - got caught looking a few times and needs to work on goal kicking and tackling. Hannan was good in those areas as was the weed . Hogan in for kent and Anb or stretch in for hunt to play forward and play Bernie off half back . 

I disagree.  He did far more than JKH did in the previous three weeks and he gives us more X factor than a Harmes or Ben Kennedy would.

It took him a half to get back into the game but his second half was good.  What he has is good peripheral vision and a deadly left foot - one of his disposals in the third term where he kicked it 50 metres back inside to Pedersen, which lead to a goal, was a ripper.  

At the time he deserved to be dropped, but unless there is a sharp drop off in form I can't see it happening again, nor should it.

1 minute ago, Wiseblood said:

I disagree.  

I sometimes think when selection is a tough question (gonna be the norm for the next few years), the decider to me is what the opposition will have to come up with. I dunno that an opposition coach will be stressed coaching against JKH. Maybe they might worry about how zippy he is. But they wouldn't be based on what he's produced this year. Kent, even out of form, you have to put someone on. he's too quick. Kicks it too well and too far. He's beatable certainly... But I don't mind that. Sort of the same deal as Hogan. He's getting double teamed a lot, and everyone complains he's not kicking lots of goals... but that's because he's the #1 guy every time he plays. That's a GOOD thing. Kent has a bit of that about him. He's not starring and killing teams, but you have to account for his pace. That's why he gets games for mine... I'd love to see him become like Jeffy. This would have to be his best season. He's doing everything right.

depending on hunt, i think there will be no change this week. just a feeling.

No change.... for once it is relatively easy

will feel a little easier if I hear that Petracca is training freely.

No excuses for not winning this weekend. North is on its way down and we need the win to salvage this annus horribilis

21 hours ago, Demons11 said:

Bugg was good on Saturday night, he stays 

 

20 hours ago, P-man said:

Hannan played one of if not his best pressure games for the season. Bugg chipped in at important stages and kicked a couple of goals.

Hogan for Weed the only change, although Stretch in for Wagner wouldn't upset me greatly.

Fair calls, I'll put it down to not being able to watch the game live/properly and all that. Very hard to 'see' pressure efforts when so much happens off camera. For what it's worth, I do think Hannan is a valuable piece of the puzzle that is coming together, something just seems right about him. I'm sure one day he'll be the loose element in a final that the opposition plan doesn't quite account for. I'm also not a Bugg hater - I love his pest quality. Some goals he kicked last year, I swear he did it as much to annoy his opponent as to add points to the scoreboard.

19 hours ago, dimmy said:

I have gone through this thread and it is the first time for 5 years there has not been a call for one of the MacDonalds to be sacked.  Hooooray !!

Strange times indeed. I wonder how long it would take for people to forget their vendettas? Sometimes I wonder if their dad was a serial killer or something, there's so much hate for that family.

If Tom plays forward a bit more for a while, particularly as Hogan beats his illness, he would actually become the only legitimate key position 'swingman' currently playing AFL. Maybe Jeremy McGovern the only rival?

OUT: Hannan

In: Stretch

 

 

36 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

No excuses for not winning this weekend. North is on its way down and we need the win to salvage this annus horribilis

It's a magical new era where 'annus horribilis' is a 4-4 record with a percentage of 111, and win basically guarantees a climb into the 8.

Not long ago 4-18 result that avoided the spoon would have been an improvement!

Of course, if 'annus horribilis' means that absolutely crappackage of major injuries, personal crises and brain-damage anxieties the players have had to work through, then I'm absolutely with you.

I guess it's a bit like a farmer expecting a bumper crop, only to have it wrecked by a late season flood, but still being able to get a 'ok' harvest out.

English is missing a word for this situation.

Not so much a change but perhaps Tom McDonald can play Hogans role until he gets back

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

will feel a little easier if I hear that Petracca is training freely.

I reckon Tracc is carrying a knee that he got against Richmond. Will probably have it all season.

We don't have a habit of dropping blokes after 1 week but I reckon Kent was the one player whose intensity wasn't up with the rest of the team. He has X factor but just needs to get the basics right.

19 minutes ago, Garbo said:

Not so much a change but perhaps Tom McDonald can play Hogans role until he gets back

I don't think we play TMac forward if we can help it. Good as a change up, but he is too good down back and it really depends on the opposition.

Quick ball movement and space in the forward line is key. 

If Hunt is good to go then I'd only like to see one change, Wagner out and Stretch in.

I just feel we are a little top heavy in the back line and that extra runner will help on the large MCG wings. I also feel Wagner is still a little off his game at the moment and could use a week or two at Casey.

B:    Jetta        OMac        Hibberd     

HB: Hunt         Frost          Lewis

C:   Vince        Jones          Tyson

HF: Petracca   Watts           Kent

F:   Garlett      Wedieman   Hannan

R: Pederson    Oliver      Viney

Int: Bugg    Salem   TMac   Stretch   

1 hour ago, juzzk1d said:

OUT: Hannan

In: Stretch

 

 

Not likely as Hann was fantastic with his pressure on Sat.

5 minutes ago, Is Dom Is Good said:

If Hunt is good to go then I'd only like to see one change, Wagner out and Stretch in.

I just feel we are a little top heavy in the back line and that extra runner will help on the large MCG wings. I also feel Wagner is still a little off his game at the moment and could use a week or two at Casey.

B:    Jetta        OMac        Hibberd     

HB: Hunt         Frost          Lewis

C:   Vince        Jones          Tyson

HF: Petracca   Watts           Kent

F:   Garlett      Wedieman   Hannan

R: Pederson    Oliver      Viney

Int: Bugg    Salem   TMac   Stretch   

stretch was pretty average in the magoos on sunday

harmes and anb had much better outings

then there is melksham who was suspended for sunday but had a blinder in the magoos the week before

think these 4 would be the only players in contention. still think no changes most likely depending on whether hunt comes up. then it would be who could best play hbf

Based on form, if there were to be any changes it would have to be Harmes or Nibbler in for Hannan. Melksham's break would surely see him have another week in the two's. Having said that I think keeping the team the same as last week is the best option. Hannan is slowly getting there and being at the game Saturday night he works hard off the ball. Hunt apparently OK, if he doesn't come up though you'd have to pick a like for like and for mine that is Stretch. Poor Jesse and Gus. Can't buy a break those two. Wish them all the best. 

With the news that Hogan is out and Hunt seems fine, no change.

23 minutes ago, OldDee said:

Can't buy a break those two.

On a site filled with demons and devils, you can't think of ANY WAY to "buy" them a break?

While we're at it, OldDee, are you a better kick than Viney?

I forgot that Nth Melbourne have the option of playing two Ruckman.

Bit of a worry if they opt to go for the two bigs especially with Waite coming back in.

They're a very tall side.

20 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

Not a list change as such, but I'm really liking Tracc having spells in the middle and hope this increases. Such a damaging player.

While I do like him in the middle, I think the more time he spends in the forward line the more damage he does.

4 minutes ago, mongrel said:

I forgot that Nth Melbourne have the option of playing two Ruckman.

Bit of a worry if they opt to go for the two bigs especially with Waite coming back in.

They're a very tall side.

so i thought were the crows

19 minutes ago, Nasher said:

With the news that Hogan is out and Hunt seems fine, no change.

I find these threads a bit frustrating in so far as often it is not clear if a poster is predicting what WILL happen or positing what they think, in their opinion, SHOULD happen.

In any case i think there WILL be no change and also believe that is what SHOULD happen.

If i was on the selection panel and making the decsion i reckon the players up for discussion would be Kent, Weed and Hannan.  Kent was ok, though still needs to tackle more. Hannan only had 8 disposals but there is something i like about what he brings (a mix of x factor, competitiveness and that way he attacks the ball when flying for marks). Weideman is borderline. Agree with Dapper Dan a key forward needs more than just 5 tackles to earn his keep. Marks and goals are his KPI's. 

But in the end if it was my call i would leave it unchanged. You don't make changes to a side after such a performance. And i expect Goody will agree. 

I really hope Weed stands up this week. it is a great opportunity to make a statement and he has the chance to cement his spot in the absence of Hoges. I have a funny feeling that he will have a cracker. 

 

23 minutes ago, Nasher said:

With the news that Hogan is out and Hunt seems fine, no change.

Agree.

14 minutes ago, mongrel said:

I forgot that Nth Melbourne have the option of playing two Ruckman.

Bit of a worry if they opt to go for the two bigs especially with Waite coming back in.

They're a very tall side.

Agree, we always have trouble with their height. Also in the past, their physicality, so it will be interesting to see how we respond to their aggression. The one bonus is that there is no Boomer this year. A real test for our young Demons. We will need to move the ball very fast and direct. However, no change for me after such a good win.