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Changes vs Sydney

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I'd bring Hunt in for Smith. He was struggling early in the season due to ongoing back issues hindering him throughout preseason. His ankle/foot injury will have given his back time off to recover. If he's injury free and fit now, then he's unquestionably better than 4-5 players in the 22 at the moment, and the most suited replacement for Smith. He could definitely be our x-factor come finals time.

Edited by Lord Travis

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    6 minutes ago, The Swimming Dee said:

    Probably not a popular call but Vandenberg was very poor...just so slow. I’d drop  him for Melksham.

    Not sure who to bring in for Smith 

    AVB is a beast and could have a break out game

    No one can tackle him!

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    Losing Smith and not having Hibberd available to come back is a bit of a blow

    We definitely need defensive coverage against the Swans - their swarm of small forwards (Ronke, Papley, Florent, Hayward, et al) combined with a genuine superstar in Buddy and an emerging tall in McCartin is going to be tricky...

    ...which is why we need to smash them thru the middle - Gawn, Oliver, Brayshaw, Harmes, Jones and Trac et al vs Sinclair, Kennedy, Parker etc is going to be MASSIVE

    Win the ball at the contest, limit their propensity to get it forward

    I reckon our midfield bats deeper but their experience can’t be seriously discounted

    I also don’t think we’ll throw the baby out with the bath water - they’ll back in our system to get it done

    OUT: Smith
    IN: Melksham

    B: Jetta - O Mac - Vince
    HB: Lewis - Frost - Salem
    ? Jones - Brayshaw - Fritsch
    HF: Petracca - Hogan - ANB
    F: Melksham - T Mac - Garlett
    Foll: Gawn - Oliver - Harmes
    I/c: Spargo - Tyson - vandenBerg - JKH

    whcih really means:

    jetta - o mac
    vince - lewis - frost - salem - fritsch
    gawn - oliver - brayshaw - harmes - jones - anb
    trac - hogan - garlett
    melksham - t mac
    bench: spargo - tyson - avb - jkh

    we CAN do this...

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    Haven’t given it proper thought yet but I don’t expect Melksham back. Maybe Dec K is the guy? 

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    I think that obviously Smith comes out but as far as other outs, Bernie is the only other that comes to mind.

    He is not the 40 plus possession winner (at his best) that he was and he struggles to get the pill these days. But he has a veteran head on his shoulders so he stays for the time being.

    That being said, next week is bloody important for him. We can't hold any passengers next young forward.

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    4 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

    I think that obviously Smith comes out but as far as other outs, Bernie is the only other that comes to mind.

    He is not the 40 plus possession winner (at his best) that he was and he struggles to get the pill these days. But he has a veteran head on his shoulders so he stays for the time being.

    That being said, next week is bloody important for him. We can't hold any passengers next young forward.

    We don't have a good defender to bring in to replace Smith yet alone Bernie.

    Hibberd and Hunt when right, and maybe Wagner the options but sadly the backline is copping it with injuries.

    Bernie has played 2 absolute stinkers against Carlton and GC in near 100 point wins. Maybe he likes to give those sides a bit of hope!

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    6 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

    We don't have a good defender to bring in to replace Smith yet alone Bernie.

    Hibberd and Hunt when right, and maybe Wagner the options but sadly the backline is copping it with injuries.

    Bernie has played 2 absolute stinkers against Carlton and GC in near 100 point wins. Maybe he likes to give those sides a bit of hope!

    Word is that Pedo has been playing down back for Casey.

    Is this the last rebirth of the Bear before he rides off into the sunset?

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    If Melksham is unavailable I’d bring Kent in for Smith.

    If Sydney decide to get tricky and bring another ruckman in to utilise Sinclair as a forward which they have done with some success in the past we could be stretched down back. JKH might have to be the other out for Pedersen in that scenario.

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    Pederson comes in for J Smith... Keilty could be considered but I think at this time of year Cams experience and versatility gets him the nod.

    Hunt might come in for Vince. And Kent will be considered over Spargo or JKH.

    Hunt will provide some dash off half-back and Kent X factor at half-forward. Pace and run and carry type players are crucial in our run into finals. We are going to have bring it on in matches against the Eagles and GWS. And into Finals! 

    Give Melk another week!

    Edited by Dee tention

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    As much as I would love Keilty to debut against the Swans, even though he's in great form I don't think they'll do it because it's too much of a risk.

    Hunt won't come in, has been out of form all year and is only 1 week back from injury, and didn't do a lot for Casey yesterday.

    If the club feels they need another defender, I think Pedo will come in. He's been in great form and was the best Melbourne player on the ground for Casey, had 31 disposals as a KPD (I know it was Carlton but still impressive)

    Melksham will definitely be back in so like others have said they might just do a straight swap for Smith and swing some others into the defence, although that might leave us a bit short.

    Will be interesting to see what they do.

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    2 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

    McCartin looks quite agile, Joel Smith would have been perfect as a match up.

    Might be robbing Peter to pay Paul but would you consider Fritsch in this role ? He's listed as 81 kg and 188 cm as opposed to MacCartin 82 kg and 192 cm 

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    9 hours ago, chook fowler said:

    Looking good for Declan - on to Buddy for game number 1

    Big call, love the confidence of it; I'd reckon that Frosty would be the man to stay with Franklin, however. 

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    8 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

    Harmes to tag Heeney, that's vital.

    Vital!

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    As good as Pedo has been there is no way he comes into that defense for Smith. They are completely different players. Pedo would leave us way too top heavy against that Swan’s forward line. I’d roll the dice on Hunt but have a feeling they’ll swing Fritsch back and play Melksham/Jones/JKH on those wings. 

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    3 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

    Big call, love the confidence of it; I'd reckon that Frosty would be the man to stay with Franklin, however. 

    It was a bit tongue in cheek however his vfl form has been consistently good. Buddy is their only good tall. Beyond him we need to cover their smalls in  Ronke and Papley who are dangerous so I think Wagner will come in.

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    1 hour ago, Tough Kent said:

    As good as Pedo has been there is no way he comes into that defense for Smith. They are completely different players. Pedo would leave us way too top heavy against that Swan’s forward line. I’d roll the dice on Hunt but have a feeling they’ll swing Fritsch back and play Melksham/Jones/JKH on those wings. 

    How about Tmac back and Pedo forward?

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    11 hours ago, Tom Dyson said:

    In: Hunt, Melksham 

    Out: J Smith (inj), JKH 

    Frost to buddy (OMAC won't have a drop of confidence against another good tall forward), Harmes to jack, parker, kennedy etc... (whoever needs a good tag) 

    I think for the team. TMac on buddy. Bring in pedo or weeds to be a focal forward and let hogan lose. Won’t need a big score against swan but need to restrict them.

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    30 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

    It was a bit tongue in cheek however his vfl form has been consistently good. Buddy is their only good tall. Beyond him we need to cover their smalls in  Ronke and Papley who are dangerous so I think Wagner will come in.

    Probably correct about Wagner, semi-tall, mobile, attacking and getting better at his disposal. Might be a 'gun' by this time, next year. 

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    11 hours ago, Jaded said:

    Vince can do only one thing well now, apply a pest-like hard tag in the middle. He was woeful today, his opponent kicked more than half of the oppositions score FFS! 

    He will be dropped when Hibbo is back. No doubt. Gotta go. 

    I see just one change next week with Melksham coming in for poor Smith. 

    Sadly no other quality players will be fit. 

    Can we stop it with the Vince the tagger myths, he hasn't done it all year, yes he did it a couple of years ago and had that blinder against Danger, but hasn't been played there this year.

    Sexton kicked 5, but there wasn't many that could be put down to a direct opponent, one was from 100 meters out and caught the wind/lucky bounce and a couple were from close in where the team defense should have been better.

    Not saying Vince had a great game at all (although to be fair we didn't have any bad players really), and if Smith hadn't have got injured and Hibberd was back he would have been my choice to make way, but I can't see him being dropped now.

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    In: Wagner & Melksham (if ready)

    Out: J. Smith & Spago

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    1 hour ago, chook fowler said:

    It was a bit tongue in cheek however his vfl form has been consistently good. Buddy is their only good tall. Beyond him we need to cover their smalls in  Ronke and Papley who are dangerous so I think Wagner will come in.

    The football department obviously rate him as he has been re-contracted

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    12 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

    The football department obviously rate him as he has been re-contracted

    The Collingwood first-gamer was an excellent choice for Franklin. We should definitely follow the lead on the one. 

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    Swans no injuries Saturday night and McVeigh and Jack will be better for the run and Hannebery and possibly Rohan may be back too.

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