The Adelaide game decision that is the gift that keeps on giving...

Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn is battling a PCL injury ahead of the Demons' clash against Collingwood at the Gabba on Saturday, in what shapes as a season-defining clash for the club.

Although the skipper remains a chance to play against the Magpies, he must be in doubt as he attempts to overcome the injury, which occurred when he copped a knock to his knee towards the end of the clash against Adelaide and missed the match against North Melbourne, which the Demons won.

Max Gawn battling PCL injury ahead of Pies clash

No worries. More kms and form into Tmac, good opportunity for Action. 

Who do you plan for now if you're Collingwood, if Gawn doesn't get up?

Grundy then has to be very careful about our mids sharking off him.

This is going to be fascinating.

I think the toughest thing is actually from our end down the line, how the hell we make Gawn more effective from stoppages. 

Grundy wont play, hes knackered.

Rest Gawn.

More opportunities for others

2 minutes ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

Grundy wont play, hes knackered.

Rest Gawn.

If I had no teeth and time-share on a brain cell (from Collingwood), I would rest Grundy if Gawn didn't play.  They have a real problem with talls, and you would see Cox or Cameron in the middle.  Maybe even Dunn in the ruck!

Max did not look fit during the Adelaide game

I suppose hindsight is a gift but that’s when he should have been rested. These things have a way of bitting you on the nethers 

Gives McDonald and Jackson another opportunity. 

If Gawn doesn't play then this weekend then this will show where're really at. Win this without Gawn and we should dare to dream again.

That makes 5 ‘season defining’ games in a row now

we've had 10 defining seasons in a row....

After watching the Pies last night I’m not overly concerned about this. 

Surely it is time for Preuss to play a few in a row. Give Max a month off. 

21 minutes ago, A F said:

Who do you plan for now if you're Collingwood, if Gawn doesn't get up?

Grundy then has to be very careful about our mids sharking off him.

This is going to be fascinating.

I think the toughest thing is actually from our end down the line, how the hell we make Gawn more effective from stoppages. 

I think it offers an advantage. We can plan according to our internal knowledge on whether Gawn will play while Collingwood has to plan contingencies. This game is massive in the context of our season, with Collingwood going only ok, and if we can keep improving each week could win our final 8 matches and finish top 4.

Certainly no point risking Max if he's sore, with the state Collingwood are in he shouldn't be the difference between winning or losing if he isnt right to go

Just now, Pulp Fritschon said:

Surely it is time for Preuss to play a few in a row. Give Max a month off. 

Agreed. Isn't this exactly what we got Mr Preuss for? Insurance for Max.

If he's fit, I'd tell him to crash into Grundy all game long. To quote ONJ, 'let's get physical' (within the rules)

LJ and Weid are starting to gel in the forward line. For now, let's keep them there as much as possible

9 minutes ago, Pulp Fritschon said:

Surely it is time for Preuss to play a few in a row. Give Max a month off. 

According to this, he's just played his first scratch match last Friday. Probably not fit enough yet?

Egan’s standouts from Round 11 practice match https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/793732

 

12 minutes ago, Pulp Fritschon said:

Surely it is time for Preuss to play a few in a row. Give Max a month off. 

Preuss only just played his first practice match according to Egan, so he might be a little while off (although he was named emergency on the weekend so who knows?!)

3 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Agreed. Isn't this exactly what we got Mr Preuss for? Insurance for Max.

If he's fit, I'd tell him to crash into Grundy all game long. To quote ONJ, 'let's get physical' (within the rules)

LJ and Weid are starting to gel in the forward line. For now, let's keep them there as much as possible

It was noted in the most recent scratch match thread Pruess played and "dominated" the ruck but it he was back from injury. Not sure he has the miles in the legs as yet. 

Grundy around the ground is the worry against a TMac or Jackson, if we can break even it goes a long way for us.

3 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Preuss only just played his first practice match according to Egan, so he might be a little while off (although he was named emergency on the weekend so who knows?!)

i wouldn't take too much notice of who gets named as emergergency

sometimes (not always)  i think it is done for encouragement/morale reasons. a sort of "hang in there, we haven't written you off" type of thing 

Tom Bowne, yes I know he is unreliable, tweeted that Gawn May miss 4-6 weeks.

With Adelaide and Nought both useless, and Whorethorn putting the cue in the rack i think it will be 10 wins to make finals this year

It is going to be a fascinating finish with all this travel

 

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by Sir Why You Little

17 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Preuss only just played his first practice match according to Egan, so he might be a little while off (although he was named emergency on the weekend so who knows?!)

Pretty sure Egan also said he is "super fit", or words to that effect..  So, who knows??

1 hour ago, Lord Nev said:

The Adelaide game decision that is the gift that keeps on giving...

Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn is battling a PCL injury ahead of the Demons' clash against Collingwood at the Gabba on Saturday, in what shapes as a season-defining clash for the club.

Although the skipper remains a chance to play against the Magpies, he must be in doubt as he attempts to overcome the injury, which occurred when he copped a knock to his knee towards the end of the clash against Adelaide and missed the match against North Melbourne, which the Demons won.

Max Gawn battling PCL injury ahead of Pies clash

That article from the AGE also says:

Gawn is expected to train with the Demons on the Gold Coast this week.

Really?  Bit odd for a team that is housed on the Sunshine Coast!

Grundy is struggling. I expect that they will give him a game off.  If not, in his current form, any combination of Preuss, Jackson, Weid and TMac should be sufficient.  I'd aim to have Gawn cherry ripe for our last 6 games.

Am I being overly cynical thinking that the reason Gawn wasn’t rested against Adelaide, was due to Goodwin being scared witless of losing that match and having his coaching career thrown into certain doubt?