57 minutes ago, DemonLad5 said:

I have VERY little confidence about this game 

I think we'll all go in with very little confidence this weekend.  If we were fielding the side we had against the Dogs, while adding the return of Gawn and Hogan, then you would go in with plenty of confidence.  But it's hard to see the positives with so many out.  Danger game for sure.

14 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Maynard will surely play, hes 25, a mature body, smooth mover and is racking up the footy in VFL.  Why draft him if we arent gonna play him when our midfield is depleted?

In -     Hogan, Garlett, Maynard, J.Smith

Out - Viney (inj), Tyson (inj), Bugg (susp), White 

 

Harmes, ANB and Stretch all need to lift, they were pitiful vs the Swans and are lucky to be in the team.

.I'd bring Maynard or BenKen in. But the club will know if Maynard was ready. I thought it was a good move to bring White in this week, and he wasn't ready. He turned the ball over a lot. So it looks as though there is a big gulf between VFL and AFL, and perhaps a bigger gulf than I previously thought. Whether that gulf is quite as large for an inside midfielder - I am not sure. It may be that contested ball is a weaker area in the AFL - as opposed to the position Mitch White was playing, where if you miss a target you will be exposed. 

8 minutes ago, KingDingAling said:

White in this week, and he wasn't ready. He turned the ball over a lot.

A note on White, reminded me of another elite kick, half back we had at the club who struggled with confidence at AFL level...

Not so much on game style but both with so called elite kicks, both with no confidence to kick apart from little chip kicks that miss targets.

Anyone know who I'm talking about???

1 minute ago, rjay said:

A note on White, reminded me of another elite kick, half back we had at the club who struggled with confidence at AFL level...

Not so much on game style but both with so called elite kicks, both with no confidence to kick apart from little chip kicks that miss targets.

Anyone know who I'm talking about???

Strauss?

2 minutes ago, Mud Dogs Gonna Win said:

Strauss?

Yep, rabbit in the spotlight at AFL level.

2 minutes ago, rjay said:

Yep, rabbit in the spotlight at AFL level.

I thought he was going alright at AFL level until he broke his leg.  Never the same player.

10 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

I think we'll all go in with very little confidence this weekend.  If we were fielding the side we had against the Dogs, while adding the return of Gawn and Hogan, then you would go in with plenty of confidence.  But it's hard to see the positives with so many out.  Danger game for sure.

I have never thought this will be our year. All that hype after a few wins was very over- blown. We have done well with the major outs we have suffered - still filthy on all those who got suspended and cost us wins. However many positives have emerged especially with our game style which is ideally suited to finals. We also have a good game day coach with good tactical nous. Que sera sera this year but watch out from next year on.

Edited July 2, 20178 yr by chook fowler

Just now, chook fowler said:

I have never thought this will be our year. All that hype after a few wins was very over- blown. We have done well with the major outs we have suffered - still filthy on all those who got suspended and cost us wins. However many positives have emerged especially with our game style which is ideally suited to finals. We also have a good game day coach with good tactical house. Que sera sera this year but watch out from next year on.

Such a Melbourne supporter thing to say, chook, even if it's crossed my mind from time to time.  You almost find it hard to believe sometimes that we've been playing well, but play well we have.  If not for injuries and some silly decisions from key players then we would be looking at potentially playing quite a few games in September.  

Season isn't over till it's over though.  I do share the optimism for years to come as well.

Those expecting Watts to play, I wouldn't hold much hope.

Having had chronic hamstring problems back in the day, I could almost pick Watts had done his as soon as I watched him limping around. My own hammy had a bit of a twinge in sympathy.

If he's had a setback at training this last week then he's at least another 3 weeks off.

It's those slight ones that get you, they can be really tricky to deal with and easy to come back too soon...

 

Just now, Wiseblood said:

Such a Melbourne supporter thing to say, chook, even if it's crossed my mind from time to time.  You almost find it hard to believe sometimes that we've been playing well, but play well we have.  If not for injuries and some silly decisions from key players then we would be looking at potentially playing quite a few games in September.  

Season isn't over till it's over though.  I do share the optimism for years to come as well.

I remember it being reported from People that had spoken to Macca at some of those meet the coaches sessions at the beginning of the season that he felt this year was another development year and expectations were low for a premiership tilt. We are still the youngest list with a first year coach and yes we have been playing well but it has taken its toll with the physicality required for the type of football played. Will be very happy to be proven wrong and I agree it's very easy to negative as Dee supporter. 

James Strauss typifies Melbourne of that era

• Selcted at 19 in the draft which was way above where he should have gone
• Shoulder reconstruction 
• First AFL game and he is given the kicking out duties against a rampaging Hawthorn outfit. First game! The Hawks were rightly all over him and I'm guessing his confidence was shot. Nothing is ever made of this but it is a far, far worse debut than the Watts debacle. 
• Breaks leg horrendously after colliding with (Carltons) Jeff Garlett. 

So so a combination of incredible bad luck and amateur hour stuff from our club. None of which was Strauss's fault

6 minutes ago, rjay said:

Those expecting Watts to play, I wouldn't hold much hope.

Having had chronic hamstring problems back in the day, I could almost pick Watts had done his as soon as I watched him limping around. My own hammy had a bit of a twinge in sympathy.

If he's had a setback at training this last week then he's at least another 3 weeks off.

It's those slight ones that get you, they can be really tricky to deal with and easy to come back too soon...

 

Having a look at your avatar rjay I would really like to know how you tweaked your hamstrings 

12 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

I have never thought this will be our year. All that hype after a few wins was very over- blown. We have done well with the major outs we have suffered - still filthy on all those who got suspended and cost us wins. However many positives have emerged especially with our game style which is ideally suited to finals. We also have a good game day coach with good tactical house. Que sera sera this year but watch out from next year on.

WHATEVER will be will be?

Emphasis on whatever.. We are in the goddam 8 and if the finals were played tomorrow we would have a home final against the Weagles at the G and be a realistic chance of WINNING!

I wrote us off after the hawks game. But somehow we are back in it up to our eye balls! Just need to hold on in the next month! 

Assuming we beat Carlton.

we just need to beat 1 of Adel Port or Norf and then we should have close to our best available. With 3 winnable games to finish at the G!

11 minutes ago, Mud Dogs Gonna Win said:

WHATEVER will be will be?

Emphasis on whatever.. We are in the goddam 8 and if the finals were played tomorrow we would have a home final against the Weagles at the G and be a realistic chance of WINNING!

I wrote us off after the hawks game. But somehow we are back in it up to our eye balls! Just need to hold on in the next month! 

Assuming we beat Carlton.

we just need to beat 1 of Adel Port or Norf and then we should have close to our best available. With 3 winnable games to finish at the G!

If we do get there it will be an almighty achievement. I don't think I have ever known a team to be so cruelled by injuries. The players missing are not only top 22 but top 10. I will be the first in line to be slapped for my pessimism if we prevail

The dogs got smashed by injury last year and got them all back late would be interesting to compare where the dogs were at with wins and injuries at the same point as us 

Do any of you guys actually watch the games. Clearances and turnovers are the only things that matter, they create inside 50's that result in scores. Last year we had apparently the worst midfield in the comp. Now it looks as though more than half are out injured, Swans absolutely killed us. Vfl replacements won't do. Smell the Roses.??  This is not a ruckman we are missing this time.

 

2 minutes ago, brendan said:

The dogs got smashed by injury last year and got them all back late would be interesting to compare where the dogs were at with wins and injuries at the same point as us 

10-4

Heres the ladder after 14 games last season

Not trying to be that "Mr Positive" guy but there were not too long ago a fair amount of players that were banging down the door of the selection committee and the only reason they weren't getting a game was because we were doing so well.

Wagner and White were terrible of the weekend, honestly don't think I can say much more. But Wagner is definitely a lot better than what he dished up, he was in good form before he was dropped and was basically the victim of someone being available who is front of him. That's not the case now, so time to shine. 

This will be Goody's biggest test. Very easy for the players to fall back into the veil of negativity that seems to hang over the club. But if we do manage to get back Jeffy and Jesse, maybe just maybe that'll be enough to keep the confidence up. 

Petracca is going to have to be the man I suspect, Oliver is going to have to recapture his early season form, and those coming in will have to play out of their skins. 

Tough times ahead, but let's see how we go with week one. 

FB: Jetta  Frost  Hibberd
HB: Lewis  Oscar  Hunt
C: Stretch  Oliver  Harmes
HF: Melksham  Hogan  Petracca
FF: Pedda   T Mc    Garlett
Foll: Gawn  Vince Hannan 
Int: Wagner Maynard  2 out of 4 of ANB/Kent/Kennedy/JKH

Out: Bugg, Tyson, Viney, White
In: Hogan, Maynard, hopefully Garlett and whatever other forward flankers they want to try

Vince to Gibbs
Lewis to spend the full game at half back directing traffic and away from contested situations and two way running
Maynard and others to put a body on Cripps
Melksham to Docherty
Petracca and Hannan to both play midfield minutes to get more speed around the contest
Hogan to rotate in to the midfield as well

16 hours ago, Return to Glory said:

You know that as a supporter you support the players who play for the club right?

A few months ago people were pleading the case for Lumumba being misunderstood and a great bloke who deserved our support, presumably just because he happened to wear our jumper for five minutes. They were wrong.

Now they are saying the same thing about Bugg.

I support the club, and will always stand up for players who do the right thing by the club. Those who sh!t all over the club can go and get stuffed, preferably somewhere else.

Hence I hope Bugg never pulls on the jumper again, and am totally ambivalent about seeing any of Kennedy-Harris, Kent, Spencer or Kennedy again.

For this week, Wagner & White both need to be dropped. Melksham, Neal-Bullen & Lewis survive because there is nothing at Casey.

Trengove & Smith to come in, hopefully with some or all of Hogan, Watts & Garlett.

 

This is assuming Viney and Tyson are injured and Bugg is suspended. And that Hogan is available and Watts is not.

Out: Viney, Tyson, Bugg, White

In: Kennedy-Harris, Hogan, Kent, Garlett/Kennedy

·         I would have Tom McDonald play in the midfield and play a defensive role on Cripps at stoppages. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, with Hogan coming back, our forward line becomes too top heavy with all three of Hogan, McDonald and Pedersen. And secondly, we have a big hole in our midfield this week and Cripps is an important player to stop.

·         I don’t like dropping a young player after one poor game, but the balance of our side is wrong with both White and Wagner in defence and I have more confidence that Wagner has the intensity of AFL football.

·         Melksham to play on Docherty.

Hunt OMcDonald Hibberd

Jetta Frost Wagner

Vince TMcDonald Stretch

Kent Hogan Garlett/Kennedy

Hannan Pedersen Melksham

Gawn Oliver Petracca

Kennedy-Harris Harmes Neal-Bullen Lewis

1 minute ago, poita said:

A few months ago people were pleading the case for Lumumba being misunderstood and a great bloke who deserved our support, presumably just because he happened to wear our jumper for five minutes. They were wrong.

Now they are saying the same thing about Bugg.

I support the club, and will always stand up for players who do the right thing by the club. Those who sh!t all over the club can go and get stuffed, preferably somewhere else.

Hence I hope Bugg never pulls on the jumper again, and am totally ambivalent about seeing any of Kennedy-Harris, Kent, Spencer or Kennedy again.

For this week, Wagner & White both need to be dropped. Melksham, Neal-Bullen & Lewis survive because there is nothing at Casey.

Trengove & Smith to come in, hopefully with some or all of Hogan, Watts & Garlett.

 

This is the biggest load of dribble I ever heard.  

We have had one loss and one bloke does something silly and you want to crucify him. 

Get a clue 

Frost is doubtful.

1 minute ago, martin said:

Frost is doubtful.

Let me guess, hamstring tightness?

7 minutes ago, martin said:

Frost is doubtful.

Wow