CHANGES: Rd 04 vs Geelong

[DeeSpencer 25,678]

Jones does some good by knowing where the ball is going and can link up well. 
 

But he mixes in refusing to take the first option and he does things that do my head in like standing and watching a May kick roll out of bounds for a deliberate where if he jogged over we get the benefit of the doubt. 

The unchanged team has also been nice but squad depth is important too. If injuries hit we can’t be needing a raft of guys without recent top level exposure.

So I’d go Jones for Melksham this week, with Jones the sub and guaranteed his spot back the following week. Then it’s on Melksham, Sparrow etc to compete to stay in the side.

[DemonLad5 1,642]

expect Weid and Brown to both play this weekend in the VFL

[dpositive 1,665]

10 hours ago, deanox said:

These are the two changes that are on. This week? Maybe not, but they are the hard calls.

Geelong may be slow enough that Jetta (and Jones) stay safe. Sparrow didn't do enough, and as one of the last picked that always places him on shakey ground.

Spargo wasn't as good tonight as the first 2 rounds, but I think he did enough to hold his spot for now.

TMac is on thin ice when Brown or Weid are ready.

I like that you have considered the opposition.

i would like more options for team selection to be based on the makeup of the opposition.

Geelong is an older, harder more experienced and brutal team. We need a team that has greater resilience, physical and mental hardness. Speed perhaps not as important as ability to retain feet and deliver to a teammate calmly. Defensively need to run ahead of players who double back.

May obviously has all the attributes to match Tomahawk. Does ANB match up Biclavs, Viney defeats Touhy,

 Try and keep a mix of defence and offence from the likely matchups.

[spirit of norm smith 16,441]

? On Sparrow Spargo Jetta 

but a winning team so no need for changes 

it’s a nice position to be in 

Melksham and Hibberd on the fringe and could come in 

[IRW 1,387]

10 hours ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

Ridiculous 

Jones hit up Jackson for a textbook I50 and goal at the start of the 2nd

Also had 7 score involvements and played well as an inside competitor in fwd half

Its remarkable given the commitment and  service  Jones has given,  carrying a crap team on his shoulders for about 15 years that he gets so little respect from the cheap seats on here.

Obviously they want to get him to 300 games ( well duh) and he's only just best 22 but he's still going better relative to his best form than Neitz was when MFC gifted him his 300.

Get rid of Spargo. Hes played his 2 good games for the year 

[Maldonboy38 6,400]

Sparrow for Melksham definitely.

If either of Brown or Weid were fit, TMac would have to be in the spotlight, as much as I like what he brings to team balance.

Our main struggle against Geelong will be our young forward line against their defenders. Gawn and Jackson might need to rotate through forward 50 AND the bench, to being more size and physical options.

[Pickett2Jackson 3,904]

The Cats breaking our win streak would be awful.  They will throw everything at us and try every dirty trick to take us down, including injuring our players and going for the head.

This is the big test, make no mistake.

[deelusions from afar 1,810]

I find it quite laughable some of the calls being made here regarding players that should be dropped - whether it be Jetta, Jones, Sparrow etc

We all know there's a lot happening on the ground that is never caught on TV - and seemingly most people here weren't at the ground.

I'd be surprised if Jetta and Jones are in the side at the end of the year but they are both doing their job at the moment.  Yes Toby Greene kicked a bag of goals but not many of these can be directly attributed to Jetta.  Our whole backline was rattled by him which is why we had the situation of having multiple players fly for the ball and he was the only one stay down.  There was a goal he kicked in the last that Jetta had out positioned him and was in line to take the mark only for Lever to fly for the ball and not complete the mark.  If anything it's probably a communication issue but people on here seem to forget that even the good teams make mistakes and it is important that players are encouraged to take risks to play at their best.

I thought Jones had a number of important touches last night as did Sparrow.  In theory, having someone like Melkshem come in for one of them sounds great - but I'm not convinced he will do the hard two way running, the tackling, chasing, the selfless acts that are critical for the team like you know you will get from Jones and Sparrow.  I've got no doubt that he will be told that that is what he has to do to get back in the team - clearly his one on one marking, kicking and speed would be an asset to the team if he isn't a liability defensively.

Given the VFL side didn't play this week, I'd be very surprised if they made any changes.

[Mel Bourne 4,515]

11 hours ago, Jaded said:

Jones is NOT being dropped until he gets to 300, and nor should he. He’s so close and he deserves to get there. He’s more than holding his position in the team. 
 

Sparrow for me isn’t doing a lot, but I’m not sure what his role is. So hard to judge. 
For me, no changes. 

Unpopular suggestion perhaps, but I don’t think NJ’s looming 300th game should be a factor at all in team selection. Form, and form only. 

[Accepting Mediocrity 1,418]

I'm big believer that you don't drop someone after one bad game. Jetta has been solid the first couple of weeks of the season, in a defense that is operating as well as I've ever seen at the dees. He'd be stiff to be dropped, but I'd understand if he makes way for Hibberd.

I think Jones has done more than enough to keep his place in the side.

I've long given up hope that TMac will get back to his 2018 form. However, he showed in the first 2 weeks that he's starting to rediscover some touch. Last night, it almost appeared as though he put himself under too much pressure to perform, knowing that his career hangs in the balance with Weideman and Brown returning.

In my opinion it's hard to have too many good talls in the 22. West Coast probably have the best forward line in the league and they find a way to include Kennedy, Darling and Allen in the same side. I hope the coaches make it clear to TMac that his place in the team doesn't hinge on the availability of Jackson, Weideman and Brown.

[Lucifers Hero 39,737]

My concern with Melksham in is that his recent past shows no fwd pressure which in turn puts our mids and defenders under pressure when opps quickly move the ball out of our fwd 50.  In the last 3 weeks our fwd pressure has been excellent and not sure we want to disrupt that.

If he comes in I would a swap for Jones but that is unlikely given he is so close to his 300.

Edit  Reason for suggesting a swap for Jones is that I don't want to upset the fwd pressure we currently have by putting Melksham there.  He will be more value kicking into the fwd 50.  But as I said it is unlikely.  Someone else will probably make way.  I do like that he has been kept waiting.If Melksham does come in I hope he knows what the non-negotables are. 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Lucifer's Hero

[Little Goffy 14,521]

I'm pretty dirty on Melksham because I feel like he let us down badly last year. Certainly there's no current reason to believe that he would come in and be better than Jones.  Must prove he's got it together again at VFL level before I would trust him.

Tom McDonald I've mentioned elsewhere that I would keep him because even as a forward having a bad day he kept working and keep the forward pressure on which may have done a lot to restrict GWS counter-attacks. Edit:  I checked some numbers and even McDonald's bad day was better than most of what Melksham served up last year.

Don't have a strong opinion other than that.  There's a few touch and go - do you give the kid Sparrow another run because he kept doing team things and working hard?  Does Jetta have a match-up against Geelong?

 

Side note:

Cameron Bruce was injured at the first bounce of round 4 2005 by Brent Guerra driving his shoulder into the ground.  The game was against St Kilda but Guerra himself transferred to Hawthorn the next season so we would all have memories of booing him for eight years in a Hawks jumper. Confusion resolved.

Edited April 5, 2021 by Little Goffy

[Cheesy D. Pun 1,765]

12 hours ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

He needs to get on his bike more, he took few marks working up towards half forward/attacking side of wing, but then just sat back 30-40 metres from goal for 2nd half and seemed to want it kicked on his head far too often.   

Tom has never shied away from running, so I would imagine this is more a coaching issue.

We're a tall forward short at the moment and I'd imagine there's an instruction for him to hold his position (to some degree), particularly when Max isn't there.

As you've said that's not Tom's go. He needs to run them off their feet then get them on the way back.

I also think they may not have expected the Giants to close the game down so early. They are probably the first team to employ these tactics this season.

With such a congested front half, we were able to move the ball forward without the need for TMac and then he's stuck playing a traditional key forward role or being bypassed if he does come up.

[Rednblueriseing 824]

1 hour ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

The Cats breaking our win streak would be awful.  They will throw everything at us and try every dirty trick to take us down, including injuring our players and going for the head.

This is the big test, make no mistake.

Viney will bulldoze there midfield to pieces in turn Clarry and Tracc will dominate them. Dees to be 5/ 0 heading into a massive Anzac eve match in Jonesy 300th

[Redleg 40,895]

14 hours ago, Lord Nev said:

OUT: Jetta

IN: Hibberd

Bit worried about changing the dynamic in the back 6, but think that change seems likely.

 

We agree.

[siam juntaRus 92]

Definetely change the jumper for next weeks big game at the G.  lol

That bright blue red jumper looks awful and tacky.Geelong players will line us up like foxes in the spotlight.

Bring back the only real MFC jumper with navy blue and  red that doesnt stand out like a disco light.

No change for next week. bar injury . Players who were down yeterday know it and have a chance to bounce back against the cats. TMac holds his spot.

Bring  it on.

 

[pinkshark 950]

11 hours ago, Fanatique Demon said:

Jones is a polarising figure on here. I thought he was ok today, and at least better than in the first two rounds. On the votes thread, someone included him in our best six. Meanwhile, others are saying drop him now or let him get to 300 and retire. Proving once again, you can’t please all the people all the time.  

Call me a bit old fashioned  but Nathan Jones quite frankly should be given respect by us all on here.  We all on here have suffered miserably over the years supporting our not so mighty dees, and so too have many of the players.  None more so than him. Same as TMac and Jetta.  Warriors, for us, all of them . Jones deserves his 300th and I'm sure he'll earn it.  

[george_on_the_outer 7,590]

30 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

My concern with Melksham in is that his recent past shows no fwd pressure which in turn puts our mids and defenders under pressure when opps quickly move the ball out of our fwd 50.  In the last 3 weeks our fwd pressure has been excellent and not sure we want to disrupt that.

 

Exactly.  

Geelong play "rope a dope" and kick it short until they can punch into forward line.  They did this to us last year, and the year before.  We can't afford to bring in a player like Melksham who hasn't shown any desire to run and tackle and put pressure on the opposition.  

[Dee Zephyr 19,267]

Anyone know if Casey played a practice match  on the weekend and if not why not? There were at least a couple of VFL practice games over the weekend. 

[Docs Demons 1,790]

No changes again for me. Whilst we are not at our best, we have plenty of improvement in this team to come. Keep the faith with the boys doing the job, improve 5% and the Cats will be ours for the taking. Trust the Hawks make it tough for them today and we also have another extra day rest. 

 

[picket fence 17,142]

NO CHANGE

[Diamond_Jim 12,568]

Like many I'm a no to Melksham until we see him perform consistently at VFL level. Showed nothing in 2020.

Sure at his best h'es good for two goals a game but I think we have that aspect covered.

Hibberd/Jetta is more a match up question which I will leave to those more knowledgeable on the Geelong structure

I see our first "real" VFL game is Sunday April 18 at Box Hill.

PS.. just noticed our first home Casey game is not until 8 May... so much for practice on an MCG size ground.

Edited April 5, 2021 by Diamond_Jim

[Jaded No More 68,903]

1 hour ago, Mel Bourne said:

Unpopular suggestion perhaps, but I don’t think NJ’s looming 300th game should be a factor at all in team selection. Form, and form only. 

Team culture is sometimes just as important. Our team is winning and Jones is contributing and nobody else is knocking the door down. 
To get him to 300 will give his teammates an enormous lift and will get a massive crowd to our Anzac eve game. 
Unless he is stinking it up, which he isn’t, I just can’t see the harm in getting him to 300. He deserves it and it will be a very big deal for our club. 

[WA Demon Boy 966]

Jetta has to go, love him but I get so nervous when he's around the ball. 

I'd give Melk a run, but he needs a KPI of pressure acts or tackles. Sparrow is great but doesn't have the speed or kicking ability of Melk. 

Jones stays. 

Out: Jetts and Sparrow

In; Melk and Hibbs 

[Brownie 5,980]

14 hours ago, The Stigga said:

Noticed on the coverage after the siren tmac was looking mega [censored]

I noticed that too. I'm sure he realises he's got limited time to cement a place in the team.

It's good to see he seems angry about his poor game. There's many over the last couple of years who haven't.

Hope he bounces back next week and I hope he's not carrying an injury. He didn't seem to move like he did in the first two weeks.

I hate to say it about one of my favourites, but the game is speeding past Jetta now. Maybe Hibberd in for Nev.

I reckon Jonsey is going alright.