11 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

And drop OMac, Salem, Harmes replacing them with muscle and pace - who are hungry for the game.

Muscle and Pace don't play for the Dees, we have 'Deer in headlights' and 'Flora extra soft' waiting for a run

I have a problem with the must win the next two, I've heard it from Goodwin Mahoney and countless others. What ever happen to just winning the next game. 

A short week then 4 days later,  both games need to be treated together, but aiming to have our best result for both

Jones is done,  TMac is done, at least for this match, if they smarten up maybe back for the Kangeroos

Brayshaw in the middle,   working at big Maxy's feet     and Viney can move through the fwd line

OUT:  Jones,  TMac,   and 2 of Fritsch, Harmes, Hannan, 

IN: Bennell, Rivers, vandenBerg,  ANB or Tomlinson,    maybe keep AVB for the North game

Maybe swap Rivers and Lockhart for one of these two games.  maybe ANB to the wing and Tomlinson to a HFF,  We will also need to look at when we should play Spargo, Bedford, Brown, Dunkley, Chandler and anyone who is not injured. Fresh legs against a team that's only had a four day break might be very telling in the last quarter.

Interesting times.....

12 minutes ago, 640MD said:

A short week then 4 days later,  both games need to be treated together, but aiming to have our best result for both

Jones is done,  TMac is done, at least for this match, if they smarten up maybe back for the Kangeroos

Brayshaw in the middle,   working at big Maxy's feet     and Viney can move through the fwd line

OUT:  Jones,  TMac,   and 2 of Fritsch, Harmes, Hannan, 

IN: Bennell, Rivers, vandenBerg,  ANB or Tomlinson,    maybe keep AVB for the North game

Maybe swap Rivers and Lockhart for one of these two games.  maybe ANB to the wing and Tomlinson to a HFF,  We will also need to look at when we should play Spargo, Bedford, Brown, Dunkley, Chandler and anyone who is not injured. Fresh legs against a team that's only had a four day break might be very telling in the last quarter.

Interesting times.....

Simple message to all players. Leave nothing in the tank this game. Forget about the turn around. Burn all your energy. We are going to rotate you guys, no exceptions.

4 hours ago, Rednblueriseing said:

Muscle and Pace don't play for the Dees, we have 'Deer in headlights' and 'Flora extra soft' waiting for a run

Well, no need to overlook these two talented and promising recruits for their first games, is there? Deer in Headlights is a real hoofer, from what I am told - and as for Flora Extra Soft in waiting, I saw him leave a big mark on the BBQ table when tackled perfectly by a 4 year old grandson. It's just great that you can 'scout' so quickly because the existing options just 'aint working. 

11 hours ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

wow North beat the Crows by 70 today and we have an extra 2 days break .   They are winless.

I think we know which way this is going...

Yes, absolute certainties Adelaide. Should get some good odds too

2 hours ago, Mr Steve said:

I have a problem with the must win the next two, I've heard it from Goodwin Mahoney and countless others. What ever happen to just winning the next game. 

Classic Melbourne Steve. It’s called counting your chickens.......get on the Crows, dead set certainty

If Omac makes the team, he is on watch. 
 

He was completely owned by an 18 year old kid in the first quarter of that last game. 

Edited August 2, 20205 yr by Mel Bourne

2 hours ago, Half forward flank said:

We are going to rotate you guys, no exceptions.

Definitely      and as you say   no exceptions !!

In: AVB, Bennell, Tomlinson, ANB

Out: Jackson, Pickett, Jones, Hannan

I like the kids, but with a heavy workload block in their first year they will probably be due for a break. Jones seems ineffectual if he's not in the guts, sad to see but I not sure where I would slot him into our team. Hannan can have some great cameos and apply good pressure, but far too often he goes missing for significant portions of the game.  Brayshaw and Harmes very lucky. As is 90% of our list from the Port game to be honest.

Rivers, Smith and Jetta could/should be considered for an extra back rotation. My preference would be Rivers.

Also wouldn't be surprised if Jones stays and Sparrow gets the chop, although I hope for his sake he gets some continuity and doesn't become a scapegoat when all the senior players around him failed so badly. 

On 7/30/2020 at 10:34 PM, Docs Demons said:

Lets play the kids even if they can't play that well. Need to look to next year and get games into these youngsters. The kids from Port killed us plus Boak. No use playing the same blokes that keep on doing the same pathetic things. I'd rather us lose with at least kids having a go.

That is so much rubbish! Win the next two games, and with a winnable game in hand we are a good chance to make finals. Throw out half the team and give the season away . I again urge u to look at the teams we’ve played. We’ve played the 4 most tipped teams for the flag, in fact The five most tipped, WC, Rich, PA, Brisbane, Geelong .

it is a very odd season .Freo have just beaten the Pies ( I’m heartbroken) 

 

On 8/1/2020 at 10:01 PM, loges said:

Still worried about our key forward set up. TMac appears done, Weid has been ok, just, and first year player in Jackson. So we are relying on Weid suddenly becoming Tom Hawkins or Jackson having a breakout game.

 

I think u are correct. I love Jackson’s potential. But as this stage I would play TMac and give Jackson a rest.

 Might sound like heresy but I  would  also rest Kosi. His actual impact is v limited at this stage 

2 hours ago, Farmer said:

I think u are correct. I love Jackson’s potential. But as this stage I would play TMac and give Jackson a rest.

 Might sound like heresy but I  would  also rest Kosi. His actual impact is v limited at this stage 

Not heresy at all, I think he has been tiring a little of late and would probably benefit from a week off. Perhaps though it might be the North game gets his rest. 

Weid, until Port, had been decent for us. He was taking pack marks, making contests and getting shots on goal. His kicking is a concern, especially since his routine actually looks ok, but if he’d kicked straight against the Lions everyone would be saying he’s in ripper form. 

I think he’s our key forward for now, Tom’s slowness really worries me, if he doesn’t get the ball immediately his ground work is awful. At least Jackson has speed and athleticism. Again his rest could come against North. 

 I’m genuinely unsure as to how our selection will go this week, I think we’ve got it pretty right since GC but Port wasn’t good. 

3 hours ago, Farmer said:

I think u are correct. I love Jackson’s potential. But as this stage I would play TMac and give Jackson a rest.

 Might sound like heresy but I  would  also rest Kosi. His actual impact is v limited at this stage 

Heresy to play TMac again. Time to give Brown a chance, otherwise it's up there as the most useless list inclusion since Preuss. Rest Jackson if they must.

Edited August 2, 20205 yr by John Demonic

On 7/30/2020 at 10:34 PM, Docs Demons said:

Lets play the kids even if they can't play that well. Need to look to next year and get games into these youngsters. The kids from Port killed us plus Boak. No use playing the same blokes that keep on doing the same pathetic things. I'd rather us lose with at least kids having a go.

Jesus Christ. Another rebuild.

Suspect TMac, Jones, Pickett.

My ins: ANB, Bennell, Brown

7 hours ago, Pates said:

Not heresy at all, I think he has been tiring a little of late and would probably benefit from a week off. Perhaps though it might be the North game gets his rest. 

Weid, until Port, had been decent for us. He was taking pack marks, making contests and getting shots on goal. His kicking is a concern, especially since his routine actually looks ok, but if he’d kicked straight against the Lions everyone would be saying he’s in ripper form. 

I think he’s our key forward for now, Tom’s slowness really worries me, if he doesn’t get the ball immediately his ground work is awful. At least Jackson has speed and athleticism. Again his rest could come against North. 

 I’m genuinely unsure as to how our selection will go this week, I think we’ve got it pretty right since GC but Port wasn’t good. 

With TMac so out of form I think They've got to give Brown a try just to see what he can bring, otherwise why did we recruit him.

24 minutes ago, praha said:

Suspect TMac, Jones, Pickett.

My ins: ANB, Bennell, Brown

For me much depends on the approach goody takes.

For me the team was not physically ready for the port game. It is clear they should have brought fresh players in. Ironic that one of the 2 players they did bring in was not fit.

That does not excuse the players for not being mentally ready or their performance and the fact they were neither physically or mentally ready damns the FD.

But with the six day break to the crows game the team won't be fatigued, particularly given it was such a soft, no pressure game and we had no injuries.

The question is does goody punish the team and swing the axe. In which case harmes, gus, hannan, fritter, and no doubt others are all good chances to be dropped.

Or does he offer the players a chance to redeem themselves and make minimal changes?

In that sceario I agree tmac and Jones go out (tmac simply has to).

Maybe kozzie too as he looks like he needs a rest, but I reckon they will play him.

Agree benell in, but I doubt we will go with a third tall again (by the by, playing the top of the ladder team is a weird time  to experiment with key structures) so no brown. 

ANB won't help our ability to hit a target but you can't fault his effort and after last weeks debacle I would like to some of that.

But surely Tomlinson comes out of purgatory this week.

Edited August 2, 20205 yr by binman

19 hours ago, bobby1554 said:

Yes, absolute certainties Adelaide. Should get some good odds too

I"m already set got on Adelaide  before last Thursdays debacle

odds not so good now

19 hours ago, bobby1554 said:

Classic Melbourne Steve. It’s called counting your chickens.......get on the Crows, dead set certainty

The Dees always seem to be the ones to lose the dead certainty games. In 1993 I remember the Swans hadn’t won for 26 games straight then played us in Sydney.  They won by 7 goals and didn’t win another game all year.  They were totally hopeless yet we played like lambs.  

On 7/31/2020 at 1:03 AM, Dr. Gonzo said:

Where is the coaching and development? Oliver came in with heaps of promise but hasn't improved and had gone backwards if anything. Brayshaw has not improved since coming to the club. Weideman hasn't improved other than natural development that comes with a more mature body. TMac never developed beyond the raw athleticism he had before his foot injury. Salem showed promise early and has not improved, no development since his first game against the Swans.

Petracca and Gawn are the only two players on our list who can honestly say they've taken their game to another level in the last 5 years. Maybe Viney as well. Jones developed earlier on in his career. The evidence suggests that unless the players have the inner drive or footy IQ to develop off their own bat the club will not help them get there. It's an utter indictment on the culture of the club.

Totally disagree with this. Salem has developed into a highly skilled half back. Viney is playing out of his skin and has probably hit his ceiling as a player. Trac's development has been phenomenal, as has Gawn's.

Our improvement in this area has been significant. It wasn't long ago that being picked as a Melbourne player was a career killer.

We were terrible on the weekend but lack of development would be one of the last things I'd point to as a reason for poor performance. 

I think we need to be careful not to throw out the baby with the bathwater when things go bad. This club has done so many good things in the last 6-8 years to get us out of what was a very deep and dark hole.

There are so many examples of strong clubs reaping the benefits of backing their personnel and making subtle changes rather than treating a lack of on-field success as a crisis.

 

On 8/1/2020 at 2:00 PM, leave it to deever said:

And Lever.

The rest are fair game.

If this team were stock you would unload it asap.

 

 

Actually, I think we're now a stock to buy. The President's public comments which I assume were made after he'd made some private ones to Goodwin and Mahoney have given the club an opportunity to make some bold choices for our next game. I had earlier suggested three changes; I now think there will be five so as to send a message.

In: Tomlinson, vandenBerg (if fit), Rivers, Bennell and Jordan. If vandenBerg isn't ready, one of Bedford or Hunt.

Out: Pickett, Jackson, Jones, Harmes, Hannan

On 7/31/2020 at 8:09 AM, rjay said:

I think it might be time to try Tomlinson as a defender.

I'm not sold on OMac...

Great idea Im all for this!

Anyone that has Tommy in the team this week has no idea and that includes the coach if he continues to play him...

Haven’t read whole thread, so apologies if already mentioned - when are the teams released for the Crows game? Or any game in this mid-week round for that matter?