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1 hour ago, Kent said:

You are Joking of course LN What has Melksham done to earn a recall?

I didn't say he has. I said probably no change, but Melksham could potentially come in. That 'potentially' would be based on what the coaches have seen from him at training and in the VFL praccy games.

 
6 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

I didn't say he has. I said probably no change, but Melksham could potentially come in. That 'potentially' would be based on what the coaches have seen from him at training and in the VFL praccy games.

Yes understood!! I just think Brayshaw is going to get better each week and will play an important role on the wing.

Edited by Kent

3 minutes ago, Kent said:

Yes understood!! I just think Brayshaw is going to get better each week and will play an important role on the wing.

Hopefully someone like Choco can work out the secret to unlocking Gus' full potentital, just hasn't been fully working for him for a long time now. He can be so much better than what he's shown the last 2 years.

 
Just now, Lord Nev said:

Hopefully someone like Choco can work out the secret to unlocking Gus' full potentital, just hasn't been fully working for him for a long time now. He can be so much better than what he's shown the last 2 years.

Agreed Nev!


Did I hear correctly in Goodwin’s presser that we won 6 of the last 9 games last year? If that’s correct, then we’re now at 8 from 11. It’s a long time since we were in that position. Brown played in none of those 11. Imagine what we could do if we had our best 22 on the park.  
 

11 hours ago, bing181 said:

Worth remembering that it's not all that long ago he was in a moon boot with a serious foot injury. He missed most of the preseason, and it costs. Worth persevering with while he builds form/touch - though not a free pass either.

I am personally always willing to give any player time to show they have the talent, or to get over injuries, to get back to their best, before labelling them as a delist/trade etc.

Given the lack of visibility re who’s playing well at Casey, it’s hard to know who might be commanding a spot in the senior team.

Structurally, Ben Brown (or Weid) will add a lot when ready as LJ is not quite there, so Max FT in ruck is my preference

Edited by PaulRB

 
4 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

I just don’t understand why he isn’t part of the midfield rotation.

It is strange, as he could be given a couple of centre stoppages each quarter, without overtaxing him.

12 hours ago, Lord Nev said:

50% kicking efficiency so far this year.

Also rated as below average for pressure acts.

difficult putting pressure on as a wingman sometimes, particularly how much we like using langdons side it becomes a lot of unrecognised running, coaches see it in gps results but it doesn't necessarily translate statistically 

2 hours ago, sisso said:

Hard to see any changes....be good for find a spot for Hibberd who is a quality player

hunt has had two bang average performances to date

1 hour ago, Lord Nev said:

Look, I agree mate, Melksham has been disappointing for a while, but Gus isn't clicking and dropping him has worked in the past, and I'm just trying to think of whom the most likely candidate for his role would be.

gus is our best option for that wing especially ahead of melksham so he gets to keep the spot, shoulda belonged to tommy phillips tho.


I thought Jetta was a caught out a few times with his opponent getting away from him - his lack of pace is an issue

How is it that Gawn continues to waste his knock work and the opposition can take the ball away from the centre bounces as often as they do - a large number of hit outs in the stats is misleading.

McDonald was important in the last half but Boy I hope Ben Brown comes in soon

 

 

36 minutes ago, Turner said:

difficult putting pressure on as a wingman sometimes, particularly how much we like using langdons side it becomes a lot of unrecognised running, coaches see it in gps results but it doesn't necessarily translate statistically

Sure, the wing can be a spot where you don't get as many tackles or put on as much pressure, but that should also mean you're involved more in receiving the ball and linking the play, so 13 touches, 9 of which were effective, is nowhere near enough of a contribution.

39 minutes ago, Turner said:

gus is our best option for that wing especially ahead of melksham so he gets to keep the spot, shoulda belonged to tommy phillips tho.

Why is he automatically the best option? He's clearly not playing well or that suited to being a winger. I believe you're saying that because of his potential rather than his actual output. Again, I believe we have too low a bar set for Gus.

I see we have avoided playing at the Giants home stadium and that this game is at Manuka in Canberra.

Pretty sure our record at Manuka is not so good but we played most games there when we were a basket case.

Brayshaw is my favourite current Dees player. When he is on I love his hardness, and his run and carry. But he has been really poor in rounds 1 and 2. I will cut him some slack because he has had little preseason, but the pressure on positions makes his place in the 22 shaky. Melksham in for him is a real possibility but would rather see Brayshaw recover his form.

Fritsch is killing me - don't know what to do about his goal kicking. 

No way do we stuff up good team balance and ream effort by bringing in Vandenberg or Hibberd just for the sake of it.


Interested to know what everyone thinks will happen when weid and bb are available. Jackson probably out but big Tommy Mac is playing well again. Fritta is important. Surely we can't play Tom Mac, weid an bb in the same forward line can we? 

23 minutes ago, Grouse said:

Interested to know what everyone thinks will happen when weid and bb are available. Jackson probably out but big Tommy Mac is playing well again. Fritta is important. Surely we can't play Tom Mac, weid an bb in the same forward line can we? 

it's 4 weeks away minimum

Unless one of the existing bunch has a form drop off or injury Weid will play at Casey for a few weeks. Brown will probably have one Casey game as well. Who will go out? LJ in the first week and then perhaps a rotation/rest system for a few weeks between the four talls.

If Weid shows form at Casey and no one drops off it would be a nice problem to have.

10 minutes ago, Grouse said:

Interested to know what everyone thinks will happen when weid and bb are available. Jackson probably out but big Tommy Mac is playing well again. Fritta is important. Surely we can't play Tom Mac, weid an bb in the same forward line can we? 

imo we are still a tall forward short atm, a number of times we bombed it to no one deep forward when we couldn't find an option. so i think ultimately BB will take Tmacs spot as the lead up forward and Weideman will play as the contested marking option deeper, as Jackson isn't doing much there so far.

then it's pick only one of TMac or Jackson as a versatile tall option to back up the ruck and fwd, as we can't afford to go too tall and play both. 

we're weeks away from it even being a consideration, but ultimately...

  • weid comes back, replaces fritsch as the deepest forward, freeing fritsch to move further up the ground, half-forward such as jones moves out of the f50 group and either to bench rotation or out of the best 22
  • ben brown comes back, replaces t mac as the main key forward, freeing t mac to move up to the wing role as was originally planned, or potentially out of the side depending on team balance and how the like of brayshaw is playing 

we'll also likely have harmes available again around the time of weid and sideshow bob from his broken wrist

ideally we want a lot of selection issues coming up cos the side is in ripping form :)

Edited by whatwhat say what

Hunt was the only played who I thought struggled for a period last night but he improved as it went on and his fourth quarter I thought was excellent.

Jones and Jetta IMO played their best games since 2018. Sparrow improved on Round 1 and Jordon continued to stay involved whilst laying 9 tackles.

Spargo's the best kick inside 50 we have, and he's adding proper defensive pressure to his game.

All that is to say this: I'm not sure there will be any change, even if Hibberd and/or Melksham are fit and ready to go.

 


9 hours ago, Pates said:

Just had a drift back I don’t think they’re saying drop him, only that his disposal isn’t good (I’d disagree personally). 

I thought Rivers was good, not his best but not his worst. It’ll be a struggle to squeeze into the team, it’s the way you want it, players should be challenging their teammates to take their spots. Eg if Weid and Brown were available right now no way do they knock TMac out. 

Agree Tmac is very valuable in his form and is so accurate!

BBB would get in Weid May struggle depending on form.

Plenty of upside with team over a whole season.

Langers is a gem and a great recruit to boot 

My Hope is Rosman can develop enough  to be our other winger ( played his best in VFL practice yesterday with 3 goals).

Just now, titan_uranus said:

Hunt was the only played who I thought struggled for a period last night but he improved as it went on and his fourth quarter I thought was excellent.

he didn't win a lot of the footy but his defensive awareness and clamp that he put on butler was first rate

38 minutes ago, Demon Dude said:

imo we are still a tall forward short atm, a number of times we bombed it to no one deep forward when we couldn't find an option. so i think ultimately BB will take Tmacs spot as the lead up forward and Weideman will play as the contested marking option deeper, as Jackson isn't doing much there so far.

then it's pick only one of TMac or Jackson as a versatile tall option to back up the ruck and fwd, as we can't afford to go too tall and play both. 

Weid will not Beat Jacko As one is more versatile so BBB Tmacand Jacko with Fritta Kossie Spargs and Prob ABN as forwards best mix.

 
1 minute ago, 58er said:

Weid will not Beat Jacko As one is more versatile so BBB Tmacand Jacko with Fritta Kossie Spargs and Prob ABN as forwards best mix.

Weideman kicks goals, Jackson doesn't. but they're not really competing for a spot imo, like i said before i think it's TMac and BB that are competing for the same role, then it's between TMac and Jackson as the 3rd/back up ruck. both TMac and Brown aren't great at contested marks and are better suited at lead up roles. i doubt we'll play both of them if all are fit, and i'd expect BB to be more dangerous than TMac. nothing wrong with what TMac is doing this year but i just think Brown will do it better.

7 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

No change 

Probably the best team performance in the last 4-5 years. Not one passenger

Best team performance since 2018 come on we have such short memories.


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