If Gawn gets his leg amputated for the love of god play him! It's a must win game if we don't win this it's shut of shop for the rest of the season.

10 hours ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

Saints dont have much depth in the big forward department either.

 

Membrey always lines up for his game of the year against us!  Seems to take 100 marks.

6 hours ago, Jjrogan said:

i respectfully disagree. Part of being good is being consistent. Too many of our players are not consistent whether thats year to year, week to week, or even disposal to disposal. Yes those players you mention can reach fabulous heights but by and large its not in a consistent and dependable manner (id say clarry, gawn may exceptions).   Coaching obviously is meant to address some of this but at some point yea, you just have to admit maybe this is just the player they will always be. Ie not consistently good. 

Exactly

19 minutes ago, ProperDee said:

Membrey always lines up for his game of the year against us!  Seems to take 100 marks.

And also they have Dean Kent.

10 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Listening to Alan Richardson on Talking Point, he mentions that we'll look at bringing in players with a bit of run and carry.

Hunt? Baker? C Wagner?

why didnt we do that against the Bulldogs

22 minutes ago, Kent said:

why didnt we do that against the Bulldogs

We hadn’t done our learnings then. We’ve learnings now though. 

1 minute ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

We hadn’t done our learnings then. We’ve learnings now though. 

Really Blind Harry the miner could have told us about the Bulldogs spread!!

Thought in  good space at half  time No attacking players  at best and upside really possible. Could see we dodged some bullets in hindsight!

Went  completely Pear shape as Bont and Wallis took over for 20 mins!!!

No one minding Marcus and Wallis too crafty Not sure who was on him? Hibberd? 
Salem ?  Harmes in form but not at half  back May have done well on him.

Need all contributing to best Saints  as their RUN and CARRY will test us.

1 hour ago, ProperDee said:

Membrey always lines up for his game of the year against us!  Seems to take 100 marks.

Surely May needs to urgently go on him from the opening bounce. Not after half time when he's already put 3 on us.

I've never seen a player own the Melbourne Football Club as much as Membrey.

Handy if King doesn't play, as May would've probably had the task on him.

3 minutes ago, 58er said:

Really Blind Harry the miner could have told us about the Bulldogs spread!!

Thought in  good space at half  time No attacking players  at best and upside really possible. Could see we dodged some bullets in hindsight!

Went  completely Pear shape as Bont and Wallis took over for 20 mins!!!

No one minding Marcus and Wallis too crafty Not sure who was on him? Hibberd? 
Salem ?  Harmes in form but not at half  back May have done well on him.

Need all contributing to best Saints  as their RUN and CARRY will test us.

 "....... many would’ve thought they would be a very good chance against the Bulldogs..... Alas, after half time, an unanswered six goal blitz pretty much put an end to their prospects of taking the four points, and now Melbourne find themselves back outside the 8 and in that middle bracket jockeying for a spot for finals action. A win would’ve consolidated their position, but as is often the case, when it really counted, they just couldn’t get it done." Mongrel Punt

That's it in a nutshell we can't deliver when we are expected to and that's been a problem for zonks, I remember Carey saying once "you can't trust Melbourne" and I disagree I reckon you can trust us to break our hopes. If only the midfield group could click and play accountable football rather than chase kicks and kick indiscriminately into the forward 50. You'd think they'd have some composure by now. If we any chance to beat St.Kilda, we need better delivery lowering eyes and an injection of pace.

 

34 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

We hadn’t done our learnings then. We’ve learnings now though. 

I hate that word

This week will show us exactly where we are. Effort has never been in question w this side imo. they’re very very rarely thrashed and always hard at it. 

We either have the personnel and ideas to beat the faster teams or we don’t. this and last week were the crunch test games. If we go down vs saints there is going to have to be changes ... to the playing list , the coaching set up ideas etc. last roll of the dice. 

even if this IS the case and we’ve been treading water  while other styles and teams have passed us, we’re not that  far away. The core of this team is really good but its obvious now we’re lacking speed and class. As such we are having  to work with a game plan that’s suited to our players. Good in theory but not quite good enough to be in the upper bracket. a mini rebuild on the cards. Look how fast the saints rebounded. 

sat eve will reveal a lot . 

23 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Surely May needs to urgently go on him from the opening bounce. Not after half time when he's already put 3 on us.

I've never seen a player own the Melbourne Football Club as much as Membrey.

Handy if King doesn't play, as May would've probably had the task on him.

KENT Kingsly?

9 minutes ago, Kent said:

KENT Kingsly?

Membrey (2.8 goals a game)  just nudges Kingsey (2.7) over roughly the same amount of games against us.

But yes, Kingsley tore us a new one in the early 2000's.

Edited August 27, 20205 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

Big changes coming....

Gawn for Pruess

Jones for Hannan

Brown for TMac

Rivers for Harmes

OMac for Lockhart

JWags for Sparrow 

... and another?

 

 

 

 

Why would they rest King when they have a bye next round?

It would suggest some arrogance (and a tad of disrespect...) to simply leave out a key fwd in such a critical game. 

37 minutes ago, Wells 11 said:

This week will show us exactly where we are. Effort has never been in question w this side imo. they’re very very rarely thrashed and always hard at it. 

We either have the personnel and ideas to beat the faster teams or we don’t. this and last week were the crunch test games. If we go down vs saints there is going to have to be changes ... to the playing list , the coaching set up ideas etc. last roll of the dice. 

even if this IS the case and we’ve been treading water  while other styles and teams have passed us, we’re not that  far away. The core of this team is really good but its obvious now we’re lacking speed and class. As such we are having  to work with a game plan that’s suited to our players. Good in theory but not quite good enough to be in the upper bracket. a mini rebuild on the cards. Look how fast the saints rebounded. 

sat eve will reveal a lot . 

But have they? Beaten by North and Freo, fell in against Gold Coast, thumped by Collingwood and Geelong, got Richmond at their lowest, very good against Port. Probably travelling a little better than us at the moment, and should win this one. But they have also been inconsistent this year.

Just now, Lucifer's Hero said:

Why would they rest King when they have a bye next round?

It would suggest some arrogance (and a tad of disrespect...) to simply leave out a key fwd in such a critical game. 

I wondered that also Luci. He's still a kid - maybe soreness or injury.

16 minutes ago, grey wolf said:

Big changes coming....

Gawn for Pruess

Jones for Hannan

Brown for TMac

Rivers for Harmes

OMac for Lockhart

JWags for Sparrow 

... and another?

What?!

The most interesting decision for me is who replaces Sparrow. A look at the list of choices shows that we don't really have obvious midfield replacements. To my mind the options for Sparrow's role are Jordon, Harmes, Salem, Jones or, at a stretch, C Wagner or Dunkley. No-one else who's on the list would seem suitable.

I can't see Salem being moved into that role and I think neither C Wagner or Dunkley are under any consideration whatsoever. I also think it's been accepted by the footy department that Jones is no longer able to meet the requirements of playing midfield (and may not be fit to play anyway). So, does that mean Jordon gets his chance? Or does Harmes move to the midfield and Rivers, Smith or Jetta take his spot in defence? I'd like to see what Jordon's got to offer.

Other than that, I expect Gawn will replace Preuss and if Jones is fit, he'll replace Hannan. If Jones isn't fit, I could see Hunt or Bedford replacing Hannan anyway. While Spargo had a poor game last week, I'd give him another chance. But he must know - whether he's told it or not - that he's on thin ice.   

 

My two cents.

Ins: Gawn - Rivers

Outs: Sparrow - TMac

----

B: Hibberd - May (Membrey) - Lockhart (Butler)

HB: Salem - Tomlinson (Resting ruck) - Lever

C : Langdon - Viney - Harmes (Hill)

HF: Fritsch - Weid - Melksham

FF: Spargo - Preuss - Pickett

R: Gawn - Oliver - Trac

I: Brayshaw - Hannan - Rivers - Vanders (crush Billings or someone like that)

E: Jones (too slow for the saints), TMac (need to rest Gawn more fwd)

14 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

The most interesting decision for me is who replaces Sparrow. A look at the list of choices shows that we don't really have obvious midfield replacements. To my mind the options for Sparrow's role are Jordon, Harmes, Salem, Jones or, at a stretch, C Wagner or Dunkley. No-one else who's on the list would seem suitable.

I can't see Salem being moved into that role and I think neither C Wagner or Dunkley are under any consideration whatsoever. I also think it's been accepted by the footy department that Jones is no longer able to meet the requirements of playing midfield (and may not be fit to play anyway). So, does that mean Jordon gets his chance? Or does Harmes move to the midfield and Rivers, Smith or Jetta take his spot in defence? I'd like to see what Jordon's got to offer.

Other than that, I expect Gawn will replace Preuss and if Jones is fit, he'll replace Hannan. If Jones isn't fit, I could see Hunt or Bedford replacing Hannan anyway. While Spargo had a poor game last week, I'd give him another chance. But he must know - whether he's told it or not - that he's on thin ice.  

Unfortunately, Jordon is injured.

Agree re Jones.  Its hard to see where he fits in this week.  The wing isn't an option as he would be up against Hill or bro Zac.  While the latter has some nice romanticism about it he and Hill would run rings around him and burn him for speed.

I would love the moves you suggest that see Jetta come in for this, the Alice game but hard to see it if the club is looking for speed.  At least I hope he is an emergency as he is so popular with locals and given he designed our indigenous jumper he deserves to be there in some capacity.

This is when I really miss the training reports from track watchers...

...reportedly we want speed so are Baker or Bennell options...

Edited August 27, 20205 yr by Lucifer's Hero

19 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Unfortunately, Jordon is injured.

 

My bad. In that case Harmes to the midfield and Rivers to the HBF would be my choice to replace Sparrow. I'm afraid I can't see Jetta playing again unless we're out of contention for finals and he's given a much deserved farewell game. 

13 hours ago, Redleg said:

What has happened to Bedford? 

Funnily enough, Richo is Bedford's biggest supporter and a huge influence in the reason he was selected in Round 1. 

4 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

My bad. In that case Harmes to the midfield and Rivers to the HBF would be my choice to replace Sparrow. I'm afraid I can't see Jetta playing again unless we're out of contention for finals and he's given a much deserved farewell game. 

He's contracted for another year and won't be released early from his contract due to financial and his impact, culturally, on the group. 

10 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

My bad. In that case Harmes to the midfield and Rivers to the HBF would be my choice to replace Sparrow. I'm afraid I can't see Jetta playing again unless we're out of contention for finals and he's given a much deserved farewell game. 

That was one of your suggestions, which is what I was responding to, adding I didn't see him playing this week. 

Regardless, would still like to see him in Alice in some capacity.

Edited August 28, 20205 yr by Lucifer's Hero