MATCH PREVIEW AND TEAM SELECTION - ROUND 21

[praha 11,240]

16 hours ago, hemingway said:

The saints will jump into Gawn at every opportunity. 

Like Mumford did last week?

[JV7 2,350]

11 hours ago, Abe said:

Rewoldt is In serious doubt to play at all.

they will also be without armitidge and Montagna 

its also at the G which the saints struggle to defend. 

Our strength is we should have a lot of potential goal scorers and lots of depth through the middle. The two biggest threats they have are membrey and Steven. I'd be happy for jetta to play a shut down role on membery 

we desperately need jack Viney and jack watts back to their best to win this game and go on and make finals. 

I think we'll definitely see hannan back in the side, not sure on brayshaw 

Dont worry Beau Wilkes/Maister will come out of retirement and kick another bag of 5 against us 

Edited August 9, 2017 by JV7

[Pates 9,660]

I feel like the key to this match is Gawn getting back to his best. If he can win us the clearances I feel our game plan will lock back into place. That said we also have to use the ball intelligently out of the middle. I feel like we've been doing far too many bomb and hopes in recent weeks. 

This is one of the most important games in our recent history. I bloody hope the good Melbourne turns up. I really want finals!!!

Edited August 10, 2017 by Pates

[jackaub 1,402]

2 minutes ago, Pates said:

I feel like the key to this match is Gawn getting back to his best. If he can win us the clearances I feel our game plan will lock back into place. That said we also have to use he ball intelligently out of he middle. I feel like we've been doing far too many bomb and hopes in recent weeks. 

This is one of the most important games in our recent history. I bloody hope the good Melbourne turns up. I really want finals!!!

Seems to me we have "important games in history " every week

I for one am over it. Simple turn up ready to play play simple basic football persevere under pressure tackle hard and take your chances. Tired of excuses tired or poor coaching very tired of poor leadership on the ground 

[Willmoy1947 4,085]

19 hours ago, --coach-- said:

I don't disagree at all that when he is rucking well we have a significant advantage in the center, trouble is he isn't as dominant as he has been in the past in my opinion. GWS was a great example as many of his taps when straight to GWS players.

what I'm saying is, if he's not having his best game and we are getting beaten in the middle what harm is there in mixing it up a little and putting him down forward?

For what it's worth, we have won 5 out of 10 games with Gawn in the side, and 5 out of 9 with him out of the side.

Dont get me wrong, I love the guy and want him on the ground in every single game for ever, just I think we can be more creative with him when things aren't going well.

Max has effectively been free kicked or mauled out of the contest this year because he plays for Melbourne. I don't know for sure whether the stats would testify to that, but its not just the stats. Remember when we were wondering how he was going to be combated as being nearly unbeatable at the start of the season, well the umps took care of that, and any chance of him getting BL votes as well.

He is always the only one going for the ball in the contest and rightly so because he's the biggest and he doesn't have to impede, but the opposing ruck always have to impede and they are constantly helped by pathetic made up decisions that are not in the book.

Hogan is another who because he plays for Melbourne is mauled out of the contest. We would have to be blind not to see it.....

[Die Hard Demon 1,224]

I'm SO GOD DAM SICK of hearing how our "young side" is starting to show signs of exhaustion after a long, hard, challenging season. While our soft supporters keep making these pathetic excuses.. Other "young" teams like Saints are beating the Eagles.. Blues are pushing possible finals bound sides in Essendon, Brisbane arguably the youngest side are pushing the Dogs to the very end.. and these sides mind you, have absolutely nothing to play for!

As far as i'm concerned, Melbourne are ahead of the saints, blues, brisbane & all the other teams below us.. in all facets.

Time to harden the F**K UP and just win .. NO MORE EXCUSES!

[—coach— 3,496]

25 minutes ago, willmoy said:

Max has effectively been free kicked or mauled out of the contest this year because he plays for Melbourne. I don't know for sure whether the stats would testify to that, but its not just the stats. Remember when we were wondering how he was going to be combated as being nearly unbeatable at the start of the season, well the umps took care of that, and any chance of him getting BL votes as well.

He is always the only one going for the ball in the contest and rightly so because he's the biggest and he doesn't have to impede, but the opposing ruck always have to impede and they are constantly helped by pathetic made up decisions that are not in the book.

Hogan is another who because he plays for Melbourne is mauled out of the contest. We would have to be blind not to see it.....

Totally agree. It won't change this season however so we need to find a way to combat it ASAP!

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

1 hour ago, JV7 said:

Dont worry Beau Wilkes/Maister will come out of retirement and kick another bag of 5 against us 

I laughed so hard at this.

 

[Willmoy1947 4,085]

Buggy back next week i hope.....

[Soidee 1,496]

1 hour ago, Die Hard Demon said:

I'm SO GOD DAM SICK of hearing how our "young side" is starting to show signs of exhaustion after a long, hard, challenging season. While our soft supporters keep making these pathetic excuses.. Other "young" teams like Saints are beating the Eagles.. Blues are pushing possible finals bound sides in Essendon, Brisbane arguably the youngest side are pushing the Dogs to the very end.. and these sides mind you, have absolutely nothing to play for!

As far as i'm concerned, Melbourne are ahead of the saints, blues, brisbane & all the other teams below us.. in all facets.

Time to harden the F**K UP and just win .. NO MORE EXCUSES!

Yes I agree very much!  This weekly comment that we are a young team tiring is just garbage.  We have the same level of fitness and fatigue as all sides.  These are pathetic excuses and frankly sick of hearing it.  We are in the mix and need to make a stand.  Don't give me young side and tired rubbish...give me what is expected and that is a finals appearance after 10 years of putrid football.

[dino rover 710]

Angus bray to play according to my unimpeachable source

Apologies if already reported

[64" 97]

Its make or break this week.We will really see if our club are real contenders after this weekend.

[leave it to deever 17,511]

Here we go. The latest spin from the MFC site/

MELBOURNE veteran Jordan Lewis is bullish about the Demons doing some damage in the finals – provided they make it.

Sunday's clash with St Kilda at the MCG is a classic eight-point match for the two emerging teams.

Melbourne are 10th and St Kilda are 11th, with only percentage separating them from eighth-placed Essendon three weeks from the finals.

"We've shown this year that no matter who we come up against, if we perform the way we want to perform, we can beat anyone," Lewis said.

"It does provide a really good opportunity. It's exciting.

"I would say there are some sides in the competition that, if and when we make the finals, they'll be worried about playing us."

 

From Others:

 

"We want to play the brand of footy that we know worked well in the first 15-16 rounds. Our brand of footy is some of the best in the competition and we know we can match it with anyone," Petracca said.

He said he would be as disappointed as anyone if the Demons did not make the finals, while Demons president Glen Bartlett said the club was on the right track.

"We want to play finals. We've got an opportunity in front of us. We've always said that it'll be a rocky road, not a straight line, and that there'd be challenges and adversity and we've experienced that," Bartlett said.

 

Enough FFS. Just shut up shop for once and as the old saying goes take one week at a time. We talk about things that havent happened all the time. 

(

Edited August 10, 2017 by leave it to deever

[Diamond_Jim 12,567]

Would be nice to have what used to be called a "regulation win" once in a while instead of all these season defining games

 

[Chook 15,012]

2 hours ago, 64" said:

Its make or break this week.We will really see if our club are real contenders after this weekend.

There's a difference between being a real contender and just making finals. A month ago I cared about whether we were a contender or not. Now I know we are not, so I just want us to make it one more match this year. 

Edited August 10, 2017 by Chook

[Demon_spurs 1,846]

2 hours ago, dino rover said:

Angus bray to play according to my unimpeachable source

Apologies if already reported

Not sure if this is true, however..... I was watching the replay of round one and Angus was excellent, and was looking forward to a good year (how quickly stuff changes) but he was hard at the contest and this opens up holes behind him, definitely best 22. Might be a real secret weapon heading into the F's

Edited August 10, 2017 by Demon_spurs
stuffed up

[deebug 1,754]

Be great to see Gus play again. Good luck hope all goes well?

[praha 11,240]

7 hours ago, JV7 said:

Dont worry Beau Wilkes/Maister will come out of retirement and kick another bag of 5 against us 

I hear Kent Kingsley is a small chance.

[Garbo 1,534]

Well Riewoldt out is a bonus 

[loges 6,767]

Always plays well against us so definitely helps

[The heart beats true 18,123]

Salem and Frost dropped!

Gus in Squad

Edited August 10, 2017 by The heart beats true

[DemonDave 1,089]

7 hours ago, Die Hard Demon said:

I'm SO GOD DAM SICK of hearing how our "young side" is starting to show signs of exhaustion after a long, hard, challenging season. While our soft supporters keep making these pathetic excuses.. Other "young" teams like Saints are beating the Eagles.. Blues are pushing possible finals bound sides in Essendon, Brisbane arguably the youngest side are pushing the Dogs to the very end.. and these sides mind you, have absolutely nothing to play for!

As far as i'm concerned, Melbourne are ahead of the saints, blues, brisbane & all the other teams below us.. in all facets.

Time to harden the F**K UP and just win .. NO MORE EXCUSES!

You don't believe our side is young?  I always take note of this stat every week in Burgos Round Review, it's been consistently like this all season, here's a snapshot of the last 5 weeks:

Experience differential
Games: GWS Giants (2467) v Melbourne (2138)
Goals: GWS Giants (1417) v Melbourne (1231)
Average age: GWS Giants (25 years, 154 days) v Melbourne (25 years, 116 days)

Games: North Melbourne (1947) v Melbourne (1193)
Goals: North Melbourne (1781) v Melbourne (1103)
Average age: North Melbourne (25 years, 71 days) v Melbourne (24 years, 85 days)

Games: Port Adelaide (2363) v Melbourne (1759)
Goals: Port Adelaide (1691) v Melbourne (1093)
Average age: Port Adelaide (25years, 82 days) v Melbourne (24 years, 78 days)

Games: Adelaide (2251) v Melbourne (1656)
Goals: Adelaide (1855) v Melbourne (1052)
Average age: Adelaide (25 years, 215 days) v Melbourne (24 years, 211 days)

Games: Carlton (1903) v Melbourne (1644)
Goals: Carlton (1114) v Melbourne (1039)
Average age: Carlton (24 years, 233 days) v Melbourne (24 years, 180 days)

It's not an excuse, but part of the reasoning for our inconsistencies and late season drop-off can be at least partially attributed to the demographic of personnel we put out there each week. Quite simply we're the lesser experienced and younger side every time we run out.

Carlton and Brisbane have lost 5 out of the past 5 and 4 out of the past 5 games respectively, Brisbanes win only because they played Carlton. We're miles ahead of these teams.

 

[McQueen 17,864]

Looks like the Weed will get a game too with that bench.

 

[whatwhat say what 22,732]

What're the actual changes? Still yet to see it

[Pates 9,660]

8 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

Salem and Frost dropped!

Gus in Squad

Wow didn't see those changes coming. Frost in particular has had a very poor second half of the year, while Salem hasn't been able to capture any form since returning from his injury. 

Not a bad kick up the bum for some. 

The ins are an interesting one though, not really sure how it will all pan out. Will Watts be dropped? Personally I want him out there, he's still one of our best ball users, make this the week he stands up or gets dropped.