4 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

Hope Duncan is still injured- he normally kills us

Not in the 2018 finals. Had an absolute mare.

Stop the cats

1.  Make Tom Stewart accountable and man him up. He is the loose man and intercept mark. He leads counter attacks. 
 

2. Stop the Tomahawk. See Steven May 

3. Stop Cam Guthrie and Mitch Duncan. Selwood is good but Guthrie and Duncan do the gut running and get 30-35 possessions. 
 

4. Play at a pace. Don’t go slow. The cats get back quickly and are very good at defending in zones and spaces. You must take in the game and break lines. 
 

5. O’Connor will go to Oliver. We must help Clarry and get him support. 
 

Etc etc 

Hibberd for Jetta

sparrow good

spargo still making good decisions and making some DLers look silly

No to melksham. Lazy

21 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

I know we're 3-0 but tonight we had, IMO, four strugglers: TMac, Jetta, Jones, Sparrow.

If Brown or Weideman were fit I'd make that change for TMac, but as it stands I don't think Petty/Daw are good enough replacements. I'd back TMac in on the G, at least one more game, before we make any pre-Brown or pre-Weideman changes.

Jetta was good last week but terrible today. Is Hibberd a replacement for him? That's a change I'd consider.

Jones and Sparrow are just going right now. Sparrow only had four touches all game, but did lay four tackles which I'm sure is part of his role. Jones has 15 but just one tackle. He also reverted to early-career Jones, taking too many players on and not releasing when he had options.

His 300th is due to be played on ANZAC Eve. It will happen, barring injury. It's possible they move him to the sub, though, but then they risk there not being a spot to bring him back for the 300th and they simply cannot make him the sub on his 300th. So I suspect Jones stays for the next three, but then risks being shifted to the sub and then out of the side.

So I'd probably consider Hibberd for Jetta. Melksham needs a run, having sat on the bench all day today, so I'm not sure he gets Sparrow's spot.

Hibberd is needed as another clearance kicker with a little running physicality at the opposition. He can get up the ground towards the midfield, as well and pass with less pressure, on occasion. Jetta cannot and particularly cannot now. Sad but true.

Sparrow was going OK and against GWS, was a fresh and mobile unit. He has bulk and some good athletic pace when targetting an opponent or closing in on the melees. He also has some good hands at pickups and handballs. I'd keep him in as a utility for the back half and maybe a 'run-with' role against the Catty Puts who utilise one or two smalls to penetrate into deep forward and/or feed FFwd/Hawkins.

We can pull this one off, I'd reckon, with a good score and greater accuracy to score. With two keys down, and an ageing team capable of short bursts, only, we can outrun them again in straight lines through the midfield. 

Flankers beware: We must have outside readiness to join the goal pathway chain.

 

Edited April 5, 20214 yr by Deemania since 56

Sorry but, allowing for a week in the VFL, what round is Ben Brown supposed to debut?

I love Jetta, and he’s been good first two rounds but if we were looking to get Hibberd into the team he would probably be the one to make way. Possibly have him as the sub. 

Melksham can be an extremely dangerous player at his best but I just don’t know you can drop for him. We had a few players off but nothing that deserves being given the chop. 

3 hours ago, daisycutter said:

quite agree re the cats possession game. don't know why they persist with it

The Catty Puts persist with the possession game because the majority of KP players are old men now, unable to run and carry and continue the process for the length of the ground for the length of the game, using two or three smalls to achieve their ball momentum and forward thrust - and conning the umpire when Selwood is tackled in possession.

21 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Stop the cats

.........

5. O’Connor will go to Oliver. We must help Clarry and get him support. 
 

Etc etc 

if that happens then clarry should start tagging guthrie

that'll really confuse them

3 minutes ago, Deemania since 56 said:

The Catty Puts persist with the possession game because the majority of KP players are old men now, unable to run and carry and continue the process for the length of the ground for the length of the game, using two or three smalls to achieve their ball momentum and forward thrust - and conning the umpire when Selwood is tackled in possession.

i understand all that.....but it won't work against the better sides as they have too many geriatrics with no stamina/speed

According to Matthew Scarlett, Cameron will be back next week.

I am surprised at the lack of love for Sparrow and as none of us know what role the coaches have for him. But for me he chases, tackles gets hard balls and puts in. He is way ahead of melksham in that regard. Let meek, Hibberd and others earn their way into the team with form in the VFL. Until then they replace injured or clearly out of form players and after 3 rounds we ar playing as a team. Another tall up forward maybe

1 hour ago, FarNorthernD said:

Sorry but, allowing for a week in the VFL, what round is Ben Brown supposed to debut?

Nobody knows.

When are Weideman & Brown available? Reserves or seniors. 

Edited April 5, 20214 yr by Deeminion

54 minutes ago, KLV said:

According to Matthew Scarlett, Cameron will be back next week.

1 hour ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Stop the cats

1.  Make Tom Stewart accountable and man him up. He is the loose man and intercept mark. He leads counter attacks. 
 

2. Stop the Tomahawk. See Steven May 

Fritsch to Stewart? He took Haynes today (and did it in Round 17 last year too).

May to Hawkins. If Cameron plays, Lever takes him. 

Edited April 5, 20214 yr by titan_uranus

6 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Fritsch to Stewart? He took Haynes today (and did it in Round 17 last year too).

May to Hawkins. If Cameron plays, Lever takes him. 

Good plan for Stewart. Bloody good player. Fritsch was superb against Haynes in that R17 game and shut him down after a good start on Sunday.
If Cameron plays I'd probably give Thomo first crack at him. He's probably trained against him at the Giants and seems to perform best with a specific task.
We'll need pressure across the ground against Geelong. They will chip it around and look to change angles to open space up forward. Last year there were so many times we nearly forced them into a dump kick to a contest, only to have one bloke slip the chain & present up. More often than not that bloke was Grian Meirs. We didn't pay him & his workrate enough respect. 112 marks later, they beat us. We need to force them into contests & get the ball back.

20 hours ago, Chook said:

I recall it was vs the Saints. Our Round 3 win was vs Geelong.

Fact triumphs over ageing memory once again.

"Melbourne's Brownlow Medal favourite Cameron Bruce could be sidelined for up to six weeks after suffering a shoulder injury in his side's 47-point loss to St Kilda at Docklands yesterday.

Bruce injured his AC joint in the opening minute of play when he was tackled by St Kilda's Brent Guerra,"

I do remember it correctly as a sad day though. Kudos to those who were correct.

3 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Hibberd is needed as another clearance kicker with a little running physicality at the opposition. He can get up the ground towards the midfield, as well and pass with less pressure, on occasion. Jetta cannot and particularly cannot now. Sad but true.

Sparrow was going OK and against GWS, was a fresh and mobile unit. He has bulk and some good athletic pace when targetting an opponent or closing in on the melees. He also has some good hands at pickups and handballs. I'd keep him in as a utility for the back half and maybe a 'run-with' role against the Catty Puts who utilise one or two smalls to penetrate into deep forward and/or feed FFwd/Hawkins.

We can pull this one off, I'd reckon, with a good score and greater accuracy to score. With two keys down, and an ageing team capable of short bursts, only, we can outrun them again in straight lines through the midfield. 

Flankers beware: We must have outside readiness to join the goal pathway chain.

 

Sparrow and ANB (shared role) to Guthrie?

3 hours ago, daisycutter said:

if that happens then clarry should start tagging guthrie

that'll really confuse them

I would rather sacrifice Sparrow / ANB and/or Viney and give them the giant migraine of how to cover the dynamic duo (Clarry & Tracc) 

Edited April 5, 20214 yr by Rusty Nails

On 4/4/2021 at 9:14 PM, DubDee said:

Jones with 15 touches and 7 score involvements stays in. 

Sparrow couldn’t get near it so he’d the only one that will be looked at imo

This and I would have Vanders come in for young Sparrow.

Played off the bench with instructions to free up Oliver if Geelong try and copy the "hard tag" tactic.

5 hours ago, Rusty Nails said:

The only other spot up for grabs at the wide expanse of the G imv is TMac.  However, is he worth another roll of the die or do we risk bringing in MD for a fresh change up?  I'm not sold on either at this point and one could probably flip a coin here for a likely similar output on the day.

I think there is a good chance that if Jackson is managing the ruck duties, then Gawn can go forward and stretch the cats defence.  This will free TMac up a bit (he always plays better when he's not the no.1 forward target) and on the G his running ability should be an asset.  We seem to look much more dangerous with Max forward too.

1 hour ago, deelusions from afar said:

I think there is a good chance that if Jackson is managing the ruck duties, then Gawn can go forward and stretch the cats defence.  This will free TMac up a bit (he always plays better when he's not the no.1 forward target) and on the G his running ability should be an asset.  We seem to look much more dangerous with Max forward too.

It’s strange but Tom seems to play better when he is not directly targeted by our players but rather comes later to the forming pack and jumps with full conviction. This week he looked more like his 2020 self where he was having the ball kicked directly to where he was rather than him moving to accept it. 

I like Gawn having stints in the forward line at times but I also really like it when he plays the sweeper role that prevents other teams from kicking long. 

9 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Stop the cats

1.  Make Tom Stewart accountable and man him up. He is the loose man and intercept mark. He leads counter attacks. 
 

2. Stop the Tomahawk. See Steven May 

3. Stop Cam Guthrie and Mitch Duncan. Selwood is good but Guthrie and Duncan do the gut running and get 30-35 possessions. 
 

4. Play at a pace. Don’t go slow. The cats get back quickly and are very good at defending in zones and spaces. You must take in the game and break lines. 
 

5. O’Connor will go to Oliver. We must help Clarry and get him support. 
 

Etc etc 

Was at the Cats/Hawks game (Wife a cats supporter). Agree 100% with this assessment. Reckon Blicavs will shadow Jackson around all day. Shockingly boring game yesterday and if the focused Melbourne turns up the next two weeks and lowers their eyes should be two more wins. The one Hawthorn player that impressed us all was 29 -C Jiath. Very speedy and skilful half back - will have negate him.

5 hours ago, Rusty Nails said:

Sparrow and ANB (shared role) to Guthrie?

Would most probably work. ANB could do it all game. Sparrow could provide the mongrel and shadow.

6 hours ago, deelusions from afar said:

I think there is a good chance that if Jackson is managing the ruck duties, then Gawn can go forward and stretch the cats defence.  This will free TMac up a bit (he always plays better when he's not the no.1 forward target) and on the G his running ability should be an asset.  We seem to look much more dangerous with Max forward too.

Agree Tmac is much better suited to a big ground like the G DFA.  As i said bit of a coin flip as to the output of him or Majak.  Possibly save Majak for a smaller oval appearance like Marvel and/or against a lessor rated opponent to give him a decent confidence crack.

Maybe against his old club Norf in Rnd 7 would be ideal if TMac's form is off.  BB hopefully back by then also so he will obviously be a priority in vs any other KF we have on the list if ready.