11 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

Grundy is barely going at the moment.  O'Brien comfortably beat him tonight.  Unless Gawn is near to fully fit I'd give him another game off.

Check out the Magpies forum, most want Grundy rested against us.

17 hours ago, Dannyz said:

In what sense has Tomlinson "struggled" as a key defender? Has he bad a bag kicked on him or been thoroughly beaten? I haven't seen it. 

Furthermore, Langdon aside, he's the only MFC player I see regularly receive the ball with some space ahead of him. Stays in the team for mine. 

Agreed, spaceman he certainly can be out there in the loneliness of the wing between hbf and hff.

Our team has a distinct preference for the LHS flank - other than the LHS of the midline. As yet, I think that the rest of the 'team' haven't scanned widely to have noticed Tomlinson, his great positioning and his run, and carry skilling out there in the modern game's nowhere land. If they had noticed, there is often a space of 80 or so metres blank and largely unmanned on Tomlinson's flank - what a handy progress of the ball to moving forwards that would be!

HIbberd seems to be aware of this, and has on occasion cleared well through him. Langdon is doing a fine job on the other flank so wouldn't it be nice if our backs, in particular, looked and move to activate the other flank just as well?

He stays in the side, for mine; it is a team game that we should be taking better advantage of as well as developing 'prongs' of metres to be gained. 

Interesting to hear all the positivity on here about Demons beating the Pies. 
 

all we have done is beat the two worst teams in the comp. and lost to the two best teams. I wonder where we really sit? Somewhere between 7th and 12th I’d wager. 
 

the Pies are starting favourites for the game at the bookies. With their injuries and coming off a 4 day break we’d have to be a good chance 

Caught up and don't change my thoughts too much.

i did like the comment that Collingwood is basically a team of midfielders, that could just solve the conundrum of us having too many midfielders, play em all.

Rest anyone who played two games in four days and hasn't come up cherry ripe after six days off.

Speed could be the most valuable attribute, catch em when they have the ball, run away from them when we have the ball.

13 minutes ago, dpositive said:

Caught up and don't change my thoughts too much.

i did like the comment that Collingwood is basically a team of midfielders, that could just solve the conundrum of us having too many midfielders, play em all.

Rest anyone who played two games in four days and hasn't come up cherry ripe after six days off.

Speed could be the most valuable attribute, catch em when they have the ball, run away from them when we have the ball.

you might be right.  The reserves write up mentions Hunt and Smith as possible to come in. maybe for Jones who could use a rest

On 8/9/2020 at 9:29 PM, Tom Dyson said:

Definitely not dropping T'mac on tonights stats (13 disposals, 7 tackles, 3 marks and a goal). You can't drop a man with those numbers. however the three tall forward did not work against port so i'm scratching my head as to what to do. if he does go, i think that would be very stiff. 

which therefore means,

out: Harmes, Tomlinson 

Ins: Viney, Gawn 

The thing we are missing is that we can play Gawn, TMac and Jackson, but play jacko as a mobile mid who also takes throw ins sometimes. When he was recruited they said he could play ruck or midfield. I think we are too short a side anyway, so three talls l think works well, but just slightly redefine jacko’s role. After all if Jim stynes can play on the wing or up forward which he did regularly particularly later in his career when Jeff White was emerging, then it is good enough for Jacko. Might even be a match winner, and greatly strengthens our side. 
 

Nearly all commentators after last weekend wrote the Dees off as a finals team because they said we lacked height and strength up forward. That’s mainly because we weren’t playing Gawn. Gawn, Weid and Jacko is retry powerful. Even better when you add TMac. What many forget is that TMac has been consistently in the top three runners on our list. He has a lot to offer... 

In -     Viney, Lockhart

Out -   AVB, Jones

On 8/10/2020 at 7:29 PM, WERRIDEE said:

That's just stupid

Melkshake is a forward. He is one of the few who is a good kick.

5 hours ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

Check out the Magpies forum, most want Grundy rested against us.

Absolutely makes sense.  He is spent. Can barely raise a trot.  I reckon he's carrying an injury too.

2 hours ago, DubDee said:

you might be right.  The reserves write up mentions Hunt and Smith as possible to come in. maybe for Jones who could use a rest

Yeah I know it's opposite of what I said but I'd be inclined to keep Jones. He may be slow in the legs but gets to better positions more often. Maybe he thinks a bit faster than others. He certainly should think that he owes the Pies and should remind his teammates of that often and quickly.

This is one of those matches that we can thank 2020 for moving away from the G. 

Lochhart, Bennell, Viney

Jones, Harmes, AVB

 

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by John Demonic

 Looks like Pendles is back. 

On 8/11/2020 at 8:17 AM, dazzledavey36 said:

Would not be surprised if they rest Jackson this week.

That would be a huge mistake.

2 hours ago, Demonland said:

 Looks like Pendles is back. 

Ffs. Can’t Pendlebury have a few more days off 

8 minutes ago, Stein9193 said:

That would be a huge mistake.

I made that comment before the Gawn PCL injury came out. 

If Gawn doesn't get up then Jackson plays.

I think Gawn should come in but Preuss if he is not available. By all accounts, Preuss played a good practice match against St Kilda the other day.

obviously Viney should return, maybe for AVB?

if Kosi needs management, interchange him with Bennell but I don’t like the idea of having him out of the side

Sportsbet have the odds at Demons $1.90 Filth $1.90

21 hours ago, buck_nekkid said:

Interesting there is little love for Harley to be shoehorned back in to the team....

I want him in, because he is such a great goal converter and we don't get rewarded enough for all our forward entries.

 

Really don’t envy the selectors this week.  I thought all the inclusions last week were good to great and the guys that were rested are pretty much automatic inclusions if fit.  I guess the selectors jobs may be made a little easier by having actual knowledge of the injury status of the guys to come back in, but that’s about it.

I also think a case can be made to keep the most obvious omissions in the side as well:

Harmes – was absolutely horrible at times, with his countless fumbles.  But every time we have bagged out one of our on ball stars this year, they have responded with brilliant runs of form there after (thinking of Oliver and Brayshaw in particular here).  Give Harmes the job on Sidebottom and let him go to work.  The anti will go up significantly in this game from those we have just played against North and the Crows.  I think we will need to step it up physically, make a big statement in this game and I think Harmes is just the sort of player that will rise to that occasion.

Jones – looks like a shadow of his former self at times, but one thing I did noticed in our wins of the past few weeks is that he made good space/position, used the ball well and was in a significant number of our most potent attacks.

Melksham – not in scintillating form by any means, but similar to Jones keeps kicking important goals and along with Patracca is a often a key cog in our fast ball movement through the centre of the ground that breaks the game open and results in goals.

Experience and physical presence – really important in a big game Vs the Pies.  They are  somewhat depleted and were not particularly impressive against the woeful rabble that is the Crows, but Collingwood would realise that this is backs to the wall time and that if they don’t win this game, they can just about write off their season.  I really think this makes guys like Jones, Melksham, Harmes and AVB really important – big game players and I expect they will rise to the occasion.  Should throw both of Harmes, AVB into the guts early, get them angry, fired up and along with Viney putting on some big, hard, but fair hits that really hurt Collingwood and set the tone - this really is like a final for us I recon and we need those guys to set the tone.

I’d also be leaning towards playing T Mac over Gawn if there is any lingering injury concerns over the later.  Don’t want to destroy Gawn and as good as Jacko has been, he’s an 18 yo and I don’t think we want to be destroying his physical development by overworking him in is first year either.  For that means if there is an opportunity to work T Mac into some form for later in the season there is some huge benefit.  I don’t underrate T Mac’s ability to take big pack busting marks, go back and reliably kick big goals when on song – different players, but I’m not sure that the Wied or Jacko quite have that in them yet

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

10 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Ffs. Can’t Pendlebury have a few more days off 

Seems to me that the sports editor at The Age needed to keep a closer eye on what the reporters were writing, but depending on which story you read in today's edition, Pendlebury is both likely and not likely to play this week.  

11 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Ffs. Can’t Pendlebury have a few more days off 

He is having a fitness test today.   Would be lovely if he flunks it.

20 minutes ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

He is having a fitness test today.   Would be lovely if he flunks it.

He's a Collingwood player. He's more likely to cheat than flunk it.

11 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Ffs. Can’t Pendlebury have a few more days off 

 

34 minutes ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

He is having a fitness test today.   Would be lovely if he flunks it.

 

13 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

He's a Collingwood player. He's more likely to cheat than flunk it.

Pies 'official' injury list as of last night.

•  Dayne Beams Mental health Indefinite
•  Jordan De Goey Finger 6-8 weeks
•  Jamie Elliott Ear -Test
•  Will Hoskin-Elliott  Knee -Test
•  Jeremy Howe  Knee 6-8 weeks
•  Will Kelly Elbow- Season
•  Scott Pendlebury Quad 1-2 weeks
•  Isaac Quaynor  Shin 1-2 weeks
•  Adam Treloar Hamstring  3-4 weeks

Updated: Wednesday, August 12

The Pendlebury ref could be a furfy.

Even if Elliot and Hoskin-Elliot play their fwd line doesn't look too flash.  Haven't kicked more than 65 pts in the 8 weeks since they left Melbourne. 

And, didn't Roughead not finish the game due to concussion?  3.5 day break to our game would put him in doubt.

Edited August 13, 20205 yr by Lucifer's Hero

Pretty disappointing there's been no injury updates on the club website since before the Crows game.

38 minutes ago, loges said:

Pretty disappointing there's been no injury updates on the club website since before the Crows game.

Latest from AFL website:

• Max Gawn Shoulder/Knee - Test
•  Marty Hore Quad/Toe - Indefinite
•  Kade Kolodjashnij Concussion - Indefinite
•  Jay Lockhart Corked thigh - Test
•  Alex Neal-Bullen Suspension - 3 matches
•  Harry Petty Groin-  Indefinite
•  Aaron Nietschke Knee - Season
•  Jack Viney Concussion - Test

Updated: Tuesday, August 11

Edited August 13, 20205 yr by Lucifer's Hero