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OPPOSITION WATCH: Rd 1 vs West Coast

Demonland
in Melbourne Demons

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29 minutes ago, Demonland said:

West Coast Eagles

PLAYER INJURY ESTIMATED RETURN
 Oscar Allen  Ankle  Test
 Jack Darling  Cheekbone  Test
 Luke Foley  Pubic bone  TBC
 Jeremy McGovern  Heel  Test
 Daniel Venables  Concussion  Season
Updated: Tuesday, March 3

Early prognosis

McGovern is pushing for round one and could even play minutes against Fremantle on Saturday after an impressive training run on Tuesday. Carefully managed to this point, he is taking part in most drills and hitting good pace. Allen has had a summer interrupted first by a hernia problem and then an ankle scare. He trained with the main group on Tuesday and looked in good shape. Contact work for Darling has been limited but his touch is excellent. Foley is slowly lifting his training workload. The Eagles confirmed Venables will step away from the game in 2020 as he manages lingering concussion symptoms. – Nathan Schmook

Damn they are in really good condition!

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    Another tough injury scenario for the Eagles yet again! Yes the have issues with NicNat but that is about it, injury wise. 

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    16 hours ago, Demonland said:

    West Coast Eagles

    PLAYER INJURY ESTIMATED RETURN
     Oscar Allen  Ankle  Test
     Jack Darling  Cheekbone  Test
     Luke Foley  Pubic bone  TBC
     Jeremy McGovern  Heel  Test
     Daniel Venables  Concussion  Season
    Updated: Tuesday, March 3

    Early prognosis

    McGovern is pushing for round one and could even play minutes against Fremantle on Saturday after an impressive training run on Tuesday. Carefully managed to this point, he is taking part in most drills and hitting good pace. Allen has had a summer interrupted first by a hernia problem and then an ankle scare. He trained with the main group on Tuesday and looked in good shape. Contact work for Darling has been limited but his touch is excellent. Foley is slowly lifting his training workload. The Eagles confirmed Venables will step away from the game in 2020 as he manages lingering concussion symptoms. – Nathan Schmook

    Just wondering, but how might we use AVB on various opponents (specifically McGovern, Darling, Allen) to our advantage across a whole game, as it is as good as a practice run. As his (AVB) role in the Club is to rest opposition players by helping them to get down on the ground for a rest with a tackle - or even checked-out by their doctor for an integrity audit - and to win the ball for his MFC team, AVB might prove a theory or two about the attractiveness of the Australian Football Code for all to enjoy.We might also win the game!

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    17 hours ago, Pates said:

    Damn they are in really good condition!

    I hope they're at full strength in R1, we want the best possible test.

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    50 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

    I hope they're at full strength in R1, we want the best possible test.

    Disagree.  We want the maximum probability of winning.  If they happen to not be at full strength, then so be it.  If we are not at full strength, I presume you would not say that gives us an even better test.   It's not testing we want. It is winning, especially to get the season off to a good start.  I'm happy to be tested in the GF thanks.

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    1 hour ago, Fifty-5 said:

    I hope they're at full strength in R1, we want the best possible test.

    Totally agree FF.  We have to beat the best to be the best

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    We also have to beat the crowd, probable local umpires and the trip. Admittedly WC have to do the same at the G but the G isnt a coliseum of hate and booing.

    Id be happy if Darling, Yeo or Gaff werent up to scratch.

     

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    1 hour ago, Salems Lot said:

    Totally agree FF.  We have to beat the best to be the best

    No we have to win enough games to make finals.

    That requires good play and luck with injuries, umpiring etc.

    You can lose to good teams and still make the finals and win it.

    The only thing that matters is getting to the GF and on the day winning, not being the best team all year.

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    Yes and no, at risk of sounding like our friend SWYL, for years we have looked at ways to accept the weaker option.  The mindset of hoping the other team is off full strength has played out for us many times over the years only for those teams to beat us anyway.  When we are a fully competitive premiership unit we will spend far less time focussing on the oppositions individual players and more on the oppositions team weaknesses.  

    Having said that, you are correct that it will take a bit of luck too!!

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    1 hour ago, Salems Lot said:

    Totally agree FF.  We have to beat the best to be the best

    Yep - on grand final day. Not necessarily in round 1.

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    We're in flag mode now, we need to know if we're up to it or not and if not why not.

    We need to put WC at full strength to the sword on their own dung heap and not have to see them again until the last weeks of the season.

    If we can't do it we need to work out why and fix it.  Too many times we've fallen at this hurdle in big finals.  It's time to rectify that.

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    4 hours ago, Salems Lot said:

    Yes and no, at risk of sounding like our friend SWYL, for years we have looked at ways to accept the weaker option.  The mindset of hoping the other team is off full strength has played out for us many times over the years only for those teams to beat us anyway.  When we are a fully competitive premiership unit we will spend far less time focussing on the oppositions individual players and more on the oppositions team weaknesses.  

    Having said that, you are correct that it will take a bit of luck too!!

    I was answering your post that we had to beat the best to be the best, we don't .

    I wasn't posting about hoping other teams have injuries, that is the luck aspect, that all Premiership teams have.

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    1 hour ago, demonstone said:

    I'd be rapt if their best ten players were missing.  I just wanna win, godammit!

    Personally so would I.

    I am sick of moralising.

    Win games and win a flag, I don't care about the hows and whys and whos. 

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    I hope they have their very best side in.

    And realise half way through the first quarter they made an error rushing players back as some key players struggle, others get hamstring tightness and have to sit out and still others both.

    We win easily and the only annoying thing is having to listen to the commentators talk about how unprepared the eagles were not how fit and fierce we were.

    Oh and the umpires are woeful so that is annoying, albeit expected. But given they are down to 15 fit men we are not too worried.

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    10 hours ago, Damo said:

    We also have to beat the crowd, probable local umpires and the trip. Admittedly WC have to do the same at the G but the G isnt a coliseum of hate and booing.

    Id be happy if Darling, Yeo or Gaff werent up to scratch.

     

    It's not the same 59k Eagles fans v 1k Dees full house as opposed to 30k Dees and 2-3k Eagles at the G

    Less intimidating for the umps

    Get a good start and silence the crowd like we did last season and in Rd 22 2018

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    4 hours ago, FireInTheBennelly said:

    He's the original Beau Wilkes

    Thanks, but I'm none the wiser.  I'm French and living in France so it might be something I missed somewhere. 

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    Average Kin

    7 hours ago, Fanatique Demon said:

    I don't understand the Kent Kingsley reference.  Anyone?

    Fanatique Demon - Average footballers (Kingsley and Wilkes) have days out against Melbourne - kick 5 goals, rarely if ever do it against anyone else 

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    How about Tim Membrey, Mr 5 straight, v the Dees every game he plays

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