Just now, loges said:

We also need Pickett and Spargo to have some influence on the game.

100%. But I think having more players around who apply pressure will help them. ATM they have had Melksham, Fritsch and Hannan, and none of them are doing much chasing and tackling.

4 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Yep that's fair. Think we needed to get a smaller quicker forward mix this week anyway, hoping Bedford comes in too.

I wouldn't mind seeing Chandler again, I thought he was OK in the couple of games he played last year.  Would be happy to see either Bedford or Chandler though, maybe both and Spargo can get out

4 minutes ago, loges said:

Good points, If TMac is out surely it"s time to see what Brown can  bring otherwise who's our second key forward, it Certainly can't be Preuss

St Kilda has two ruckmen. Maybe Preuss and Gawn will both play changing in the forward line. That would leave no room for McDonald hence his suggested omission.

2 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

100%. But I think having more players around who apply pressure will help them. ATM they have had Melksham, Fritsch and Hannan, and none of them are doing much chasing and tackling.

Hannan will when he's on song, to me he's the biggest enigma in the side, shows plenty of ability at times but just can't put a full game together..

2 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

He told Harmes it was backline or nothing. It's just another example of Goodwin's stubbornness. Refuses to change things until it's too late.

Fritsch was late to training and dropped. Ok fair enough. vandenBerg did something just as un-Melbourne like with the undisciplined free after the siren that cost us a crucial goal, also gave away a couple of dumb 50s... Nothing.

I think there's a major cultural difference between being late to training and a mistake (albeit a big one) in the middle of a game.

i'm not excusing vandenBerg, btw - indeed, I am not sure he should be playing right now given his output and the clangers/turnovers outweighing the positives he brings.

As to Harmes, I agree. I am firmly of the view he shouldn't have been moved to the backline and I think he probably should have been tried as a forward/mid before being dropped.

7 hours 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.   

 

Jordon is injured he had an op for his finger

9 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

St Kilda has two ruckmen. Maybe Preuss and Gawn will both play changing in the forward line. That would leave no room for McDonald hence his suggested omission.

Yea, I just don't think Preuss has shown much when he's gone forward.

2 minutes ago, loges said:

Yea, I just don't think Preuss has shown much when he's gone forward.

At least we are trying something different....

3 hours ago, Lord Nev said:

 

 

Don't think Jones helps with our lack of pace against speedy St.Kilda. Hope I'm wrong but I think Jones isn't a automatic best 22 any more.

1 minute ago, cantstandyasam said:

Don't think Jones helps with our lack of pace against speedy St.Kilda. Hope I'm wrong but I think Jones isn't a automatic best 22 any more.

Agree on both points. Goodwin said in his presser today that Jones and vandenBerg may both play in the middle with Sparrow out, so hopefully that means we have some quicker legs on the outside.

Goody has certainly made some perplexing selection decisions this year.

Given their form I have no issue them dropping Tmac and Harmes per se, and i'd need to know the circumstances before judging the decision dropping our leading goal scorer. 

But given Swallow is out injured and Preuss likely makes way for Gawn dropping two players makes (at leas) four changes for this game.

Four is a lot given we are a system based team where everyone has to know their role for it to work and synergy is important. 

2 minutes ago, cantstandyasam said:

Don't think Jones helps with our lack of pace against speedy St.Kilda. Hope I'm wrong but I think Jones isn't a automatic best 22 any more.

Well with Fritsch suspended, Sparrow injured and TMac and Harmes allegedly dropped, we're not necessarily fielding our best 22 this week.

3 hours ago, DemonOX said:

Has Jones stopped any teams run of half back previously?

I like Jones I just think the game has passed him by.

I really hope he retires and its done right as he deserves that much.

I think he'll want to play on next year to get to 300, not sure that's the best thing for team first thinking, though.

Just now, binman said:

Goody has certainly made some perplexing selection decisions this year.

Given their form I have no issue them dropping Tmac and Harmes per se, and i'd need to know the circumstances before judging the decision dropping our leading goal scorer. 

But given Swallow is out injured and Preuss likely makes way for Gawn dropping two players makes (at leas) four changes for this game.

Four is a lot given we are a system based team where everyone has to know their role for it to work and synergy is important. 

Add Fritsch and that's five changes (unless we keep Preuss - but I don't like our chances if we do that).

1 hour ago, Wiseblood said:

 

Cutting off our noses.........and give the opposition an advantage - only Melbourne.  

38 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I'd like to know more about what happened to Fritsch before we all get stuck in.

But if he did something stupid I hope he learns his lesson. Could well cost us a finals spot.

If TMac is out, and we drop Preuss, then you'd imagine we must bring in Brown. If not, we'll likely be rucking Weideman when Gawn rests, and we can't afford to do that.

If Harmes is out, I will agree with that call, but I will question how Melksham survived being dropped all season.

I don't think Brown is much of a ruck...

...but if the Dogs can ruck dunkley then maybe we can run Melk back into form in the ruck????

Only half joking.

2 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

 

When Andy Maher said there was a rumour about a player in one of the weekend teams....

Well, why did I know it was a Melbourne player.

It's a team game and I'm guessing they're all staying together.

I feel like dropping the team.

Surely someone could sort this out.

Lockhart has been dropped

is the only way fritsch can be disciplined is to punish the whole team also? doesn't seem a major indiscretion on the surface 

42 minutes ago, loges said:

Good points, If TMac is out surely it"s time to see what Brown can  bring otherwise who's our second key forward, it Certainly can't be Preuss

Preuss can go ok as a key forward.  Has been holding onto his grabs better than T Mac and he's both a good kick for goal from set shots and got surprising agility and goal sense when the ball is in general play. 

His biggest downfall previously as a deep forward was his lack of run and players just running off him rebounding out of defense.  It's a bit hard to gauge from his work around the ground in the ruck, but my impression is that he has slimmed down a bit and looks like he's a bit more mobile and developed his tank a bit from last year.

Anybody getting the sinking feeling that the wheels are falling off this team of ours

1 minute ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Anybody getting the sinking feeling that the wheels are falling off this team of ours

Don’t, we are an aqua duck and can float. Amphibious I think is the word .

2 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Anybody getting the sinking feeling that the wheels are falling off this team of ours

Well Jim ................the wheel nuts were always a bit loose !

I might be in the minority here but Fritsch has been annoying me lately and to be honest I feel his recent goals have been a lot of junk time goals. It is a little concerning that they drop TMac as well which will surely drop our goal kicking potential. 

I could see us playing Brown as well as Preuss, Max does a lot of backline sweeper roles and we could play Preuss predominantly as our off-the-bench ruckman. Brown can move into a combination of Fritta/2nd tall, and we really need Melksham and AvB to do some positive this week. 

If it’s true Harmes is being dropped I’m disappointed in Goodwin and Co. He has shown himself to be a good footy player when used properly. If a positional shift were to happen I’d much prefer seeing him in the forward line playing as an offensive tagger on the dangerous opposing HBF.

Frittata is very talented but looks to lack intensity - it may be the rocket he needs.