1 minute ago, titan_uranus said:

The three keys IMO are getting on top in the middle, being efficient in our forward 50, and pressuring them in our back half before they get out.

If they get on top in the middle, we won't score enough to win.

If we waste our chances forward of centre and turn it over, they'll destroy us on transition.

And if we don't pressure them from their kick ins, they'll waltz out of the backline like the Dogs.

We're capable of winning this, but in all likelihood we won't be able to do all of this at once.

Yep

Our best is shown when we get the game played on our terms.  So we need to do most things right and hope the Saints are not at their absolute best.  Ratten is a good coach though so they will be well prepared.

The win can happen of course but when we've been up against the testing material this season we've fallen short. 

But you never know,  losing the way we did yesterday will sting so the group (coaches included) will at least know what we need to do.  As LH mentioned,  we need to be ready and totally switched on.

14 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Hunt, Bedford and Jones all in, but Harmes out. Who's taking Harmes' rotation in the back half?

If you're going to drop Harmes and Spargo, I'd suggest only two of these three forwards come in, and Rivers gets the other spot.

Fair call. Might leave Harmes in that case although could equally have Jones/Brayshaw rotate in the back half.

Such was the nature of the performance I’m even flirting with the idea of playing Harmes forward. Our smalls let us down badly.

We always have problems against sides that play a run and carry with transition movement Eagles, Saints Dogs yesterday etc lets have a look at our kickouts always to the left either a short kick then down the line or long bomb from the goal square nothing changes, lack of leadership from the midfield how many times the dogs just took it away while on the run not one of the midfield try to change anything, forwards always behind their opponent so if a goes in from a contest we are always caught short.

If you look at the North game our goal kickers were running in a straight line yesterday Fritsch running in an arc same with Oliver no set routine.

Goodwin well is it time to part ways not sure but gee it makes it hard to defend him you could see what was happening in the third but bugger all changes the saints play they same way as the dogs so I hope it does not end up with same result.

 

Speed on the outside is critical against the saints and I'm starting to think the Baker idea could be worth thinking about. We seem to do a lot better when there is bit more run and carry as shown from Oliver recently, the quick hack kick and down the throat method isn't doing anything right now. 

In   Joel Smith         Out     T Mac
In   Toby Bedford     Out   Charlie Spargo
In   Max Gawn          Out    Preusss
In   Trent Rivers        Out   Harmes
In    Harley bennell    Out  Sparrow

Lucky -  Hibberd, Hanna, AVB, Melksham
 

Jones not ready if he hurt his quad.   Joel Smith to play forward where he belongs.

 

B        Jay Lockhart            Steven  May            Michael Hibberd
HB     Trent Rivers              Adam Tomlinson     Jake Lever
C         Ed Langdon              Clayton Oliver         Harley Bennell
HF      Bayley Fritsch           Joel Smith              Christian Petracca
F         Toby Bedford           Sam Weideman       Kysaiah Pickett
R         Max Gawn                Angus Brayshaw     Jack VIney

Bench   Christian Salem    Mitch Hannan    Aaron Vandenberg   Jake Melksham
 

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Pickett2Jackson

Broken record, but I'd be after some more leg speed and class, especially around half forward and on the opposite wing to Langdon.

Out: Preuss, Sparrow, Vandenberg, Hannan

In: Gawn, Hunt, Rivers, either Bennell or Baker

Harmes to take Sparrow's role and Rivers to play half back.

20 hours ago, Jaded said:

Melksham has been woeful in all but one game this year. He keeps getting games seemingly because he’s mate with Goodwin. He needs to be dropped. If it’s good enough for Hibbo, Jones and Jetta it’s good enough for Melksham. 

I understand the frustration, but at least he typically kicks a goal or two and creates a couple. Hannan has less impact and gives nothing in his poor games!

Pickett also needs a week off, not hitting the scoreboard or creating goals.

Just finished watching the Saints game. Let's hope for rain, mud.

They lost by 2 points to the Bears. We’ll lose to them by 56.

Preuss Out 
Gawn In

Sparrow Out
Rivers In (give Harmes minutes in the middle and up forward)

Other possible ins would be Oskar Baker for Sparrow and Hunt for Hannan perhaps?

Melksham is a bit like Fritta they keep bobbing up for cheap goals here and there but both I feel aren't fulfilling their roles. Both should be aiming for 15+ possies and 1-2 goals a game.

25 minutes ago, D4Life said:

I understand the frustration, but at least he typically kicks a goal or two and creates a couple. Hannan has less impact and gives nothing in his poor games!

Pickett also needs a week off, not hitting the scoreboard or creating goals.

Pickett is a small flea who is overrated. Hannan has big potential and kicks goals. Give Hannan a chance.

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Coq au vin

Just now, Coq au vin said:

They lost by 2 points to the Bears. We’ll lose to them by 56.

We lost to the Lions by 4 points, arguably matched them better across the game than the Saints did who should've been down by 30+ points at 3 quarter time.

But we fail big time against good opposition.

I watched Saints v Lions. Saints are really good. Demons ... no nope. They'll run us off the park.

9 minutes ago, Coq au vin said:

They lost by 2 points to the Bears. We’ll lose to them by 56.

There are a number of reasons why we are likely to lose to St Kilda.

This sort of analysis isn't one of them.

We lost to Brisbane by 4 points. Like St Kilda, we had fewer scoring shots but were relatively more accurate and kept ourselves in the game. Like today, if Brisbane had kicked straight, the margin would have been bigger.

8 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

There are a number of reasons why we are likely to lose to St Kilda.

This sort of analysis isn't one of them.

We lost to Brisbane by 4 points. Like St Kilda, we had fewer scoring shots but were relatively more accurate and kept ourselves in the game. Like today, if Brisbane had kicked straight, the margin would have been bigger.

Like Adelaide we are a poor team. Mr tight bottie. St Kilda recruited well in the off season. We got Brown who has played one game, Tomlinson who is bog ordinary, Pickett who is a tiny tadpole, Jackson who is injured and won’t be back this year And Bennell who is skilled but a pale shadow of his former self. How’s the [censored] isis mr constipation haemorrhoid? By the way I cooked mr Fowler into coq au vin.

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Coq au vin

23 hours ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

In Gawn: Out Tmac

In Rivers Out Sparrow

In: Bedford Out Hannan

In Hunt Out Melksham

 

Adjusting this based on todays scratch and an acceptance Melksham through all his flaws had enough score involvements and 1.3 could have daily been 4 straight

In Gawn, Out TMac

In Rivers Out Sparrow (Harmes takes Sparrows role)

In Hunt Out Hannan

In Baker Out AVB ( we need to promote speed and we if Baker is up to it now fit)

 

5 minutes ago, Coq au vin said:

Like Adelaide we are a poor team.

If this is your best attempt at analysis, I'd consider trying to follow a different sport.

15 minutes ago, Coq au vin said:

Like Adelaide we are a poor team.

No one can compare to Adelaide this year, they are a category unto themselves. 

Here are some actual reasons that you can use on why we may lose to the Saints:

- Similar to the dogs they seem to have good outside run, which we have been vulnerable to

- when their pressure game is on they are always in it up to their eyeballs, when pressure comes on us we have wilted

- King could have a day out against us if our midfield don't put enough pressure on up the ground

- Ratten is a very good coach, and Goodwin was most definitely out-coached against Bevo this week

- We always seem to lose to the Saints

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Pates

7 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

If this is your best attempt at analysis, I'd consider trying to follow a different sport.

Like teasing you? My favourite sport. How’s the rectal stenosis?

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Coq au vin

11 minutes ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

Adjusting this based on todays scratch and an acceptance Melksham through all his flaws had enough score involvements and 1.3 could have daily been 4 straight

In Gawn, Out TMac

In Rivers Out Sparrow (Harmes takes Sparrows role)

In Hunt Out Hannan

In Baker Out AVB ( we need to promote speed and we if Baker is up to it now fit)

 

Bold choice going for a Preuss and Gawn combo, not against it either. The question comes do we play Weid further up the ground as the CHF and Preuss deep and give him a simple instruction of "if you can't mark it bring it to ground" then have Kozzie and Spargo darting around at his feet.

Is Neal-Bullen available yet? I know he’s no world beater, but a runner playing forward who can clog up outlets seems pretty obvious given how easy the doggies moved the ball yesterday.

I assume he has one more game left to serve?

16 minutes ago, Coq au vin said:

Like Adelaide we are a poor team. Mr tight bottie. St Kilda recruited well in the off season. We got Brown who has played one game, Tomlinson who is bog ordinary, Pickett who is a tiny tadpole, Jackson who is injured and won’t be back this year And Bennell who is skilled but a pale shadow of his former self. How’s the [censored] isis mr constipation haemorrhoid? By the way I cooked mr Fowler into coq au vin.

5 minutes ago, Coq au vin said:

Like teasing you? My favourite sport. How’s the rectal stenosis?

Excellent stuff. Can't stop laughing.

As to your "analysis" of the recruiting: what has any of that got to do with your horrendous argument that we're like Adelaide?

I’d like to see us retain Preuss for next week. If we are going on form he stays in to play alongside Max to combat Ryder and Marshall. Looks a lot more agile than T Mac at the moment. Can we make it work? 

In : Gawn, Hunt

Out: T Mac, Sparrow 

15 minutes ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

Adjusting this based on todays scratch and an acceptance Melksham through all his flaws had enough score involvements and 1.3 could have daily been 4 straight

In Gawn, Out TMac

In Rivers Out Sparrow (Harmes takes Sparrows role)

In Hunt Out Hannan

In Baker Out AVB ( we need to promote speed and we if Baker is up to it now fit)

 

Having read the report from the MFC website, the changes you suggest here are all very likely. It does not sound like Bedford did much today, but has some form, so maybe he replaces Pickett. The reports were highly complimentary of Wagner, so would not be surprised to see him in, although I never think he adds much at senior level and has consistently underperformed.