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MATCH PREVIEW AND TEAM SELECTION - ROUND 23

Demonland
in Melbourne Demons

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I am confident Watts and Salem will come in for Stretch and Wagner...

I would have liked to have seen Kennedy get his go. But Salem nudges ahead as Goodwin will be settling on best 22 for finals.

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    1 hour ago, Copuchas said:

    Back slaps for Watts and Salem at training this morning after the huddle in the centre of Gosch's Paddock towards the end.  They are in the team.

    Frost prominent in terms of a bowed head for much of training - the separate thread on his future may well have some currency.

    Big call, Copuchas. Those back slaps might be quoted at 6:26 pm tonight as meaning something else if they are left out.

    FWIW, if true, then they are good ins but also a massive game for those two if it couldn't get any bigger.

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    Collingwood have something to play for, no doubt. 

    But we have so much more to play for. The team is playing for finals, individuals are playing for spots in a finals team (with Viney to come  back in none of ANB, Harmes, Hannan, Tyson, Salem, Watts or Brayshaw would want to have a bad game) not to mention playing for OUR pride in the jumper, our coach and our fans. 

    This team is as close to our best 22 as we've had all year, Collingwood is missing a number of their best players including the one who towelled us up last time (Greenwood),  there are no excuses, we are favourites for a reason, just win!!

    I'm banking on Watts for Wagner, Salem for Stretch, Viney unlikely.

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    57 minutes ago, Goodvibes said:

    I think your average Demonland punter fails to acknowledge the emotional impact selection can have on the playing group. Morale is super important. If the players see inconsistency in selection or the coach playing favourites then they lose heart. Good football clubs are built on trust and honesty. When the coaching group lays down expectations and leaders create minimum standards you can't just throw that stuff out when we get to September and say "just name the best 22 regardless of form". They need to see follow through on all the talk coming from the coaches and leaders. Team-first is an expression we hear a heap. We also hear a heap about players who know and understand their role. 'Best 22' is an interesting concept. Best 22 in talent? Best and most balanced 22? Maybe we should focus on the most effective 22. And then perhaps go further and focus on the most effective 22 against the opposition for that week. I fear for Jack Watts. If our gut instincts are right and he gets selected tonight, I hope he delivers. It's been a long and arduous journey and I've held on to the belief that one day Jack will be smiling along with the rest of us but he can't dish up what we saw since his return this week. When up and about there's no doubt he's in my most effective 22 against any opposition but inconsistency continues to plague his game. And it's hard to trust someone whose performance fluctuates as much as his.

    Jack Watts has the opportunity to be a legend of this footy club over the next two months.

    don't fear for him, he haas played 150 games, his time is now.

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    15 minutes ago, Grand New Flag said:

    AFL.com says Watts in.  No surprise really.

    Now for the interesting part, him performing on Saturday... which Jack will show up?

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    20 minutes ago, PaulRB said:

    Now for the interesting part, him performing on Saturday... which Jack will show up?

    I am really confident he will. 

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    Sooo, anyone else excited to hear the boys sing the team song after the Saturday win? Talk about the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. It will be sung loud and it will echo through the whole MCG.

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    11 minutes ago, 3726062254 said:

    Sooo, anyone else excited to hear the boys sing the team song after the Saturday win? Talk about the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. It will be sung loud and it will echo through the whole MCG.

    Omigod - buying finals tickets....organising a road trip....sandwiches and a thermos for the trip....

    It's going to be so exciting!!

    Bloody long time coming

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    20 hours ago, Jibroni said:

    The Pies will have a decent team on paper and wont be easy (they nearly beat Geelong last week) and their seniors will only have De Goey, Greenwood, Scott Pendlebury, Ben Sinclair and Wells N/A.

     

    But if we stick it to them early and dont switch off we should be too good in the end.

     

     

    I don't buy this "nearly beat Geelong" thing.  Geelong aren't much good, and then take them away from their safe house that is Kardinia Park, and they generally get shown just how slow of a football team they are.

    Would dearly love to play Geelong in a final this year on the MCG.  Even at Etihad I would like our chances.

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    What we have to ask here: Is the Pies desire to knock us out of the finals (even though they have nothing to play for) greater than the desire for us to play in the finals. I'm putting my money on the latter.

    I'll be watching from Albany, WA and it will be a very boozy afternoon on the southern coast following a big win to the Dees!

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    The Geelong vs Pies game was a very average standard. Even then the cats didn't get out of second gear except in the final term to make sure of it.

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    2 minutes ago, layzie said:

    There's never been a bigger game for Jack Watts. Make no mistake this is a career game.

    Sorry, i think you have made a mistake

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    8 minutes ago, DeeWiz said:

    What we have to ask here: Is the Pies desire to knock us out of the finals (even though they have nothing to play for) greater than the desire for us to play in the finals. I'm putting my money on the latter.

    I'll be watching from Albany, WA and it will be a very boozy afternoon on the southern coast following a big win to the Dees!

    It wont be about relative desires....in the end. I suspect about ability.

    I'm backing us on that, but worry they might like to punch above themselves to garner a last savoury result.

    Going to be close I reckon.

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    8 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

    It wont be about relative desires....in the end. I suspect about ability.

    I'm backing us on that, but worry they might like to punch above themselves to garner a last savoury result.

    Going to be close I reckon.

    Every Demons game is close irrespective of the first 3q. Pies will be into us early, just hope we can keep focus on the contest. Defensive pressure, contested footy, outside run and multiple goal kickers required. We don't want to be Hogan centric. And please please let's not over possess the footy by over use of handball when a direct kick will get the ball moving quickly. And let's hope the umpires..............you know what I mean!

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    24 minutes ago, binman said:

    Sorry, i think you have made a mistake

    Don't know what you mean.

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    6 hours ago, Goodvibes said:

    You get the connection between form and performance right?

    Performance?

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    18 minutes ago, layzie said:

    Don't know what you mean.

    I think you are mistaken in saying there's never been a bigger game for Jack Watts and that this is a career game. 

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    1 minute ago, binman said:

    I think you are mistaken in saying there's never been a bigger game for Jack Watts and that this is a career game. 

    It might be bold, I know there's been plenty of 'big games' for Jack but do they come much bigger? 

    I hope he really puts a stamp on this game and reminds how valuable he can be.

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    14 minutes ago, layzie said:

    It might be bold, I know there's been plenty of 'big games' for Jack but do they come much bigger? 

    I hope he really puts a stamp on this game and reminds how valuable he can be.

    Goody had this to say about Jack today:

    "Clearly there's a lot of hysteria around Jack and how he's performing, (but) he's improving," Goodwin said on Thursday.  

    "His two games at VFL level show he's progressing and he's performing now to the level that we think is really appropriate. 

    "We're really hopeful that Jack is continuing to improve and we're looking forward to seeing him play his best football shortly.

    "I've said this a bit and I'll say it again, because it's clearly something that's not getting through, Jack will be treated like every other player on the list."

    As someone said about him being dropped there is n mystery.  he was out of form. Got dropped and now is back. He would have to play a howler not to get selected for the finals.

    But if he does have a howler i have little doubt he will be dropped. So perhaps from the perspective of being at risk of missing finals you are right and it is is his biggest game. but i can't agree that it is therefore a career game. 

    So how about i amend my comment to partially mistaken. :goody:

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    http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-08-24/keilty-upgraded-to-senior-list

    Keilty upgraded - a sign that he will play this week?

    Someone reported that Tom Mc looked sore so Declan could come in.

    IF so its, a very big game for him to debut in!!

     

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    3 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

    http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-08-24/keilty-upgraded-to-senior-list

    A sign that he will play this week?

    Someone reported that Tom Mc looked sore so Declan could come in.

    IF so its, a very big game for him to debut in!!

     

    Surely not. Maynard was upgraded earlier this year and didn't play until like 3 weeks after

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