It’s a shame that the recovery time for each team is so different heading into a marquee game like this. 

Richmond played on Thursday and we played late Sunday. We saw last year the difference an extra day can make in leg fatigue. This is 4 days difference.

It would have been nice to see the Dees up against the Tiges with a similar recovery time, just to see what the difference is between the teams at this point. I’m not saying we’ll definitely lose, not by any stretch, but it’s a tall ask.

  On 18/04/2021 at 09:00, MurDoc516 said:

OUT

Petty - good 2nd half after an atrocious 1st

M. Brown - Unlucky, tried but didn't influence the game til the last quarter

Sparrow - Melksham drops to the sub

IN

May for Petty

Fritsch for M. Brown

Weid for Melksham

B. Brown unlucky miss.

My thoughts exactly.

  On 18/04/2021 at 21:48, Spargonicus said:

It’s a shame that the recovery time for each team is so different heading into a marquee game like this. 

Richmond played on Thursday and we played late Sunday. We saw last year the difference an extra day can make in leg fatigue. This is 4 days difference.

It would have been nice to see the Dees up against the Tiges with a similar recovery time, just to see what the difference is between the teams at this point. I’m not saying we’ll definitely lose, not by any stretch, but it’s a tall ask.

Fair points. There is no doubt rhe team with extra recovery time gets an advantage. Particularly when one team only has a six day break.

Hopefully that disadvantage is mitigated somewhat by our seemingly superior fitness. And the fact up to four changes are possible,

With may and fritter avaible and weed making it hard not to pick him, that's three. And perhaps they will manage jordon who must be feeling the pinch

 

  On 18/04/2021 at 15:09, Alex Flood said:

My question is how does Jackson fit in the team when Wied, B Brown & Fritsch are all up forward ?

Jackson is essentially an extra midfielder and his presence has allowed Gawn to take his game to the next level. I wouldn’t worry about fitting Jackson in. He can interchange with Gawn. He isn’t part of a permanent forward group and I don’t think he ever will be.

The one who would be nervous is TMac. To his credit he has taken it all in his stride and has had a good solid start to the season. But to play all 3 of BB, Weid and TMac, one of them has to play further up the ground as a link man. That won’t be BB who will play deep forward. So essentially one of Weid or Tmac will need to prove that they can play a more mobile role and still provide plenty of defensive efforts inside the forward 50. Otherwise one of them won’t be getting a game. 
Fritsch and Melksham are also vying for the same role and for me Fritsch is the one. I don’t know how we play both of them along with 3 talls and not significantly compromise on our forward pressure game. 

The risk with Weideman or B. Brown is that neither have played AFL for nearly a year which can be easily exploited on the MCG by a fit and fresh Richmond.

For mine neither did enough defensively yesterday and this year has shown if we don't bring the fwd pressure we get opened up.  

I'm really reluctant to change what is working.  It is far too important a game to take risks with.  Changes:

• One of Fritsch/B.Brown/Weideman in for Brown. 
• May to replace Petty if fit.
• Swap Sparrow and Jordon from/to the medisub. 

It is Dusty's 250th and he will be up for a big game.  We need to minimise his impact: if such a thing is doable:  Tag him when in the middle eg Viney, Melksham (or even Sparrow if selected but he may be too inexperienced) and run with him when he goes forward eg Hibberd. 

Nail biting game coming up!

Edited April 18, 20214 yr by Lucifer's Hero

I’m finding it impossible to know who to drop for May , Fritsch, Weed , Brown and maybe Bedford.

I can only think of Petty, M Brown, Jordan, Maybe ANB, or Melksham would be unlucky. I don’t know.

I worry about forward pressure moving forward.

Melk in for sparrow and our pressure dropped a little. Mitch brown in for fritsch and similar i'd say (don't think Fritsch is really a pressure forward).

So if Brown and Weid come back i was wondering where TMAC goes that doesn't further reduce our pressure and speed around the ground. I believe the obvious solution is Jones's position (not this week - he gets 300 regardless of how crap hes playing). But afterwards i'd say who would you prefer? Jones who is not tall, slow and is according to our 2021 stats page on Demonland the worst player on the ground against Hawthorn by a fair margin or Tmac? Currently, i would say Tmac and i'd play him in Jones' position/ or on the wing (making Brayshaw go into Jones' position). Jones could also go sub moving forward as another option.

Would love may, fritsch, weids and Bedford to come in 

I was confident melks wouldn’t play next week but his last qtr might have saved him

 

Tough choices ahead , not sure bringing in both weed and brown in  this week is a good idea , might unbalance side , tigers are not box hill . . May coming back would be a bonus . Petty and m brown are likely outs . fritsch may need another week of recovery

  On 18/04/2021 at 23:11, Lucifer's Hero said:

The risk with Weideman or B. Brown is that neither have played AFL for nearly a year which can be easily exploited on the MCG by a fit and fresh Richmond.

For mine neither did enough defensively yesterday and this year has shown if we don't bring the fwd pressure we get opened up.  

I'm really reluctant to change what is working.  It is far too important a game to take risks with.  Changes:

• One of Fritsch/B.Brown/Weideman in for Brown. 
• May to replace Petty if fit.
• Swap Sparrow and Jordon from/to the medisub. 

It is Dusty's 250th and he will be up for a big game.  We need to minimise his impact: if such a thing is doable:  Tag him when in the middle eg Viney, Melksham (or even Sparrow if selected but he may be too inexperienced) and run with him when he goes forward eg Hibberd. 

Nail biting game coming up!

Agree with most of this - I think M Brown didn't contribute in a big way in terms of defensive pressure so can make one of them as you say.

I reckon they will want to wait a week to try a forward line with Weid, Brown, Jackon and Fritsch and play TMac on the wing - if it works against the roos, they'll see how it goes against the swans.

I think TMac on the wing could go either way - most wingers will not have the size or aerial capacity to go with him but he will be a liability if he's on someone with good pace.

If everyone is available it is May back in for Petty and Fritsch for M Brown. Weid and Brown another solid hit out at Casey. Need to try to maintain consistency of personnel and roles with the caveat that all players maintain their form and younger ones might need a rest. Injuries will inevitably provide opportunities to bring in new role players. 

What a dilemma to have! I can't remember ever having a selection headache like this in the past, we've truly got a squad of 31/32 now, and I hope we get games into everyone before the end of the season to keep them all fresh and engaged. For this week I'd be only changing May for Petty (as long as there's no further chance of damage) and Weid for M Brown. If Fritta proves he's not just fit but can handle taking marks in all sorts of situations/pressure/contact, then I'd think about giving Jordon a rest this week.  

  On 18/04/2021 at 21:48, Spargonicus said:

It’s a shame that the recovery time for each team is so different heading into a marquee game like this. 

Richmond played on Thursday and we played late Sunday. We saw last year the difference an extra day can make in leg fatigue. This is 4 days difference.

It would have been nice to see the Dees up against the Tiges with a similar recovery time, just to see what the difference is between the teams at this point. I’m not saying we’ll definitely lose, not by any stretch, but it’s a tall ask.

They played in GF, we started pre-season far earlier so I'm not sure the extra days will matter. We still have a 6 and a half day break which is plenty given the talk of our fitness/pre-season. It's round 6, not round 18.

It's a tall ask for reasons other than that. This is Richmond. The real deal. If we bring the same intensity we did for the first four weeks around the ball and are mor accurate at goal than the first four weeks then I csn genuinely see us winning. 

Anything less than that and they'll just cruise to victory. Their system is so unbelievably consistent so this is the real test against quality oppo.

Im hopeful, but cant quite see us doing it. 

Imagine how hard the lid is going to fly off if we do manage to get over the line...

To the people who are suggesting we blood Ben Brown in one of our biggest games of the season: did you actually watch him play the other day? He is clearly not ready for a game like this.

If we’re going to go for a sentimentalist approach by including Jonesy in our starting 22 this week, could we please not take any other needless chances?

 

 

B Brown kicked two in the first Q and then was not involved much - fair to say he needs another week to get match fit

Fritsch in for Brown 

May in for Petty

Weed in for Melksham 

and our team lol so much better

  On 18/04/2021 at 21:53, binman said:

My thoughts exactly.

I am no fan but how do you drop milkshake who kicked 3 goals and had three of the best side ways kicks to team mates I have ever seen. And you want to replace him with the Weid who’s strike rate at senior level is average at best. Yes he kicked seven but he was playing against Box hill who are far from the best running around in the VFL. 

  On 19/04/2021 at 00:39, Mel Bourne said:

To the people who are suggesting we blood Ben Brown in one of our biggest games of the season: did you actually watch him play the other day? He is clearly not ready for a game like this.

If we’re going to go for a sentimentalist approach by including Jonesy in our starting 22 this week, could we please not take any other needless chances?

 

 

Could not agree more.

Not a chance in hell Jones gets dropped this week. The club will be selling it all week - to the fans to come along to the 'G, and to the players as motivation. It will be milked till the last drop!

Can't wait till Saturday it's going to be a huge game!

  On 19/04/2021 at 00:04, Red and Blue realist said:

What a dilemma to have! I can't remember ever having a selection headache like this in the past, we've truly got a squad of 31/32 now, and I hope we get games into everyone before the end of the season to keep them all fresh and engaged. For this week I'd be only changing May for Petty (as long as there's no further chance of damage) and Weid for M Brown. If Fritta proves he's not just fit but can handle taking marks in all sorts of situations/pressure/contact, then I'd think about giving Jordon a rest this week.  

I think we would be foolish to rush either back, it is not August and we are not playing for a spot in the eight. 

In: May, Fritta and Weed

Out: Petty,  Brown and Jordon

Melk and Tracc play higher up and take Jordons role

  On 19/04/2021 at 01:17, tincan said:

 The club will be selling it all week - to the fans to come along to the 'G, and to the players as motivation. It will be milked till the last drop!

Can't wait till Saturday it's going to be a huge game!

I hope Jack Watts doesn't read this he will have flashbacks.

  On 19/04/2021 at 01:13, old dee said:

I am no fan but how do you drop milkshake who kicked 3 goals and had three of the best side ways kicks to team mates I have ever seen. And you want to replace him with the Weid who’s strike rate at senior level is average at best. Yes he kicked seven but he was playing against Box hill who are far from the best running around in the VFL. 

I think reluctantly you are right. There is a discussion in my mind to be had to  include conditions, obviously along with injuries, in team selections. We could quite possibly win this game in the middle, and cut off supply to R"S forward line, Lynch and Riewoldt who kicked six against Hawthorn. May is a key key here, but more so in September than not at all.

Not all eggs in basket or on show just to prove to [censored] media that we have them. In past years the Tigers haven't brought out both their big forwards together until mid to late season unless they have to,  like now.

NATHAN JONES MUST PLAY and lead the team on to, and off, the G.  Can Nieters be at the gate too ??

Leave BB for that crap venue BA; he'll know which way the wind blows.  Every kick for goal at that ground is a banana kick.

{ I sat on the grass and watched North V Dees at BA a few years ago and it was just plain stupid. Never ever again AFL.}

I'm pretty sure this will go down like a lead balloon with some posters, however if the club is fair dinkum about winning games and building a premiership winning team then we should put sentiment aside and drop Jones for this week; against the Tigers his lack of leg speed would be a liability.