22 minutes ago, olisik said:

Have loved our luck this season with opposition teams seemingly to always get players up and back from injuries against the dees. Buddy Franklin, Lachie Neal and now Port likely with Butters and Hartlet

Hartlett back in will help Melbourne significantly 

10 hours ago, BW511 said:

Think Jordon has dropped off because he’s been replaced by Viney, get him back around the footy and he will be fine.

He offers a good point of difference to our other mids because he is accountable and tackles

Viney is a very ordinary footballer not helped by critical injuries he will not in my opinion play out his contract

Jordon is a good footballer learning his craft

3 hours ago, adonski said:

IN: Brown
OUT: Sparrow

Viney to play as a small fwd, Jordon to the wing, Brayshaw as the 3rd mid - Gus won't get sucked into to the contest 

Viney cant kick and he is running like a busted mule  Please our midfield is better without him is is jus so obvious

 

Wouldn'tbe surprised to see three ins with the short turnaround.  Likely to see Brown and Melksham, with Vanders a chance. 

2 hours ago, bobby1554 said:

Goodwin was asked this very question in his press conference during the week, and said we are not. His very words “we are not going to start getting too cute”. No, of the top 6 teams, our form in the last month has been the worst by far. Fitness shouldn’t be one of the reasons. We are putting our best 22 (bar Tomlinson) on the park. And getting beaten by bottom half clubs. At least the 2018 team won a couple of finals, this one won’t.

He was asked about resting players not what training they are doing 

As others have mentioned I wouldn’t mind Hunt playing as a forward this week. Unlike most of our list, Hunt can actually nail a set shot and takes a good mark while leading at out at full pace inside 50.

Our inaccuracy finally cost us a game of footy and blokes like Hunt, BBB and Melksham can assist in this department. 

22 hours ago, Lord Nev said:

What I think it will be:

IN: vandenBerg, Melksham, B.Brown
OUT: Sparrow, Kozzy, Jordon

What I would do:

IN: B.Brown, Melksham/Jones, Bowey
OUT: Sparrow, Harmes, Hunt

Play TMac higher up, but on purpose this time, get Gus and Jake/Chunk to take on the Sparrow & Harmes roles.

I really think Jackson can play more time deep in the forward 50, swapping with Maxy. When rucking they should focus their efforts between the 50 m arcs and as needed, deeper in defence. TMc to play higher up the ground as suggested, primarily b/w wing and flank. We need to open the forward line up more I think. The opposition are regularly flooding our forward 50.

I didn't  see the Casey game, but based on stats alone, BB was very ordinary. No stats at all available indicating %TOG.

This is what I was talking about Match Committee being too smart for its own good. They go in to a game they think they can play around with, even on the back of terrible form (but rp they had 14 marks inside 50 against Ess - yeah, where and who what did they do with it?). 

They then watch the calamity and then smash the gear box putting it in reverse and keep Brown and Melksham from playing heavy minutes in the 2s inviting pressure onto Brown specifically for not ‘dominating’ his limited time.

It really is farcical tbh. My message to the FD and MC heading into finals - Stop second guessing and being clever. You had a plan to play with two talls and the second ruck. Using Jackson as a point of difference and not relying on his marking. 

STICK TO YOUR GUNS.

Oh, and stick it to your guns - Oliver and Petracca are getting into some old habits. Namely the ****ty hand pass and the blaze away respectively.

No need to throw magnets; I would bring Brown in for Sparrow and Melksham for Spargo. 

Harmes, Viney, and our stars to lift tho - we are  going to win on their backs.

I was at the game and my observation was that in several moments throughout the game the GWS players were more desperate to get in first in the 50/50 contests and consequently took possession and took control of the play far more often than we did. 

This is an attitudinal issue first and foremost 

3 minutes ago, pineapple dee said:

I was at the game and my observation was that in several moments throughout the game the GWS players were more desperate to get in first in the 50/50 contests and consequently took possession and took control of the play far more often than we did. 

This is an attitudinal issue first and foremost 

We lost because we were smashed at the clearances and around the ball, particularly in the first half.

And I watched Oliver seemingly tagging Kelly at centre bounces. Didn't make sense.

Think van den Berg might be in next week to harden up the mid-field.

12 hours ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

Harmes played a crucial role through the middle when we looked good in patches in 2nd half

He was wasted in the forward line earlier

Yeah after watching the replay this morning he was better than I thought but his errors just stood out to me. He probably offers more than Sparrow at this stage so I'd drop Sparrow for Brown.

Watching from the Southern Stand sometimes things that happen on the members side get missed which is why I like watching the replay even if we lose.

29 minutes ago, rpfc said:

No need to throw magnets; I would bring Brown in for Sparrow and Melksham for Spargo. 

Harmes, Viney, and our stars to lift tho - we are  going to win on their backs.

On form you would drop Kozzie before Spargo, Spargo has been pretty consistent all year but was off yesterday. Kozzie has the potential to rip a game open but hasn't looked it in the last 3 games. Is it form? Or is he tiring after a sub-optimal preseason?

On 7/3/2021 at 10:19 PM, Rusty Nails said:

 

Don't mind this at all.  We are overweight mids and underweight a KTF.  Would push Jordan into Kozzie's role and allow Jones to cover Jordan's mid time.  Can't be any worse than we saw today.  Today was bottom of the barrel this season.

Kozzie is due for a two to three week reset in the McGoos . I would go one further and bring Lockhart in for for Spargo for a block of three games and send both the small forwards to Casey for a reset / spell.  They are both badly out of form right now and a partly the reason why we aren't posting decent scores of late.  Lockhart is playing some decent intense footy at VFL last two matches and him and JJ might be just the tonic we need inside 50 vs Spargo/Kozzie in the short term who both need to find some form again.

All for Jay getting a run but he hasn’t played a forward role for a long time. He did come to the club as a forward though, and did well in his first few matches there. 

45 minutes ago, rpfc said:

No need to throw magnets; I would bring Brown in for Sparrow and Melksham for Spargo. 

Harmes, Viney, and our stars to lift tho - we are  going to win on their backs.

You'd bring in a good ball user who doesn't tackle for a good ball user who does tackle?

I concur on Brown for Sparrow, but if you want to get Melksham into the team, it has to be at the expense of Fritsch. Another guy who doesn't tackle.

This week I'd give Fritsch and Brown another go as our deepest pair. Melksham should have to work really hard to earn back his spot.

Edited July 4, 20213 yr by A F

12 minutes ago, A F said:

You'd bring in a good ball user who doesn't tackle for a good ball user who does tackle?

I concur on Brown for Sparrow, but if you want to get Melksham into the team, it has to be at the expense of Fritsch. Another guy who doesn't tackle.

This week I'd give Fritsch and Brown another go as our deepest pair. Melksham should have to work really hard to earn back his spot.

Spargo averages 2.5 tackles and under 12 pressure acts. He had one tackle on the weekend. 

That’s Fritsch level stuff. He’s not there for his pressure.

He’s nowhere without his ability to stick to structures and deliver into the forward line. Melksham should do both and provides more.

I would bring in Melksham for Spargo or Fritsch but I get what Fritsch brings that we don’t have a lot of; natural forward who knows forward movement and delivery (when he wants to).

We should go full 2018 vibes and start Clarry, Gus & Harmes at every CBA 

29 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Spargo averages 2.5 tackles and under 12 pressure acts. He had one tackle on the weekend. 

That’s Fritsch level stuff. He’s not there for his pressure.

He’s nowhere without his ability to stick to structures and deliver into the forward line. Melksham should do both and provides more.

I would bring in Melksham for Spargo or Fritsch but I get what Fritsch brings that we don’t have a lot of; natural forward who knows forward movement and delivery (when he wants to).

One tackle is Fritsch level stuff average wise, but Spargo, along with the rest of the forwards and mids had a poor defensive game yesterday. I guess we disagree that Melksham would provide more. Unless Melksham kicks 2 or 3 he's a liability by comparison to Spargo whose contested work is good. Each to their own I guess.

On 7/3/2021 at 9:12 AM, bobby1554 said:

Well, Ben Brown ain’t coming in on that performance. 3 disposals. Weid gets another crack. I thought we had this nice dilemma of having multiple forward options. WTF has gone horribly wrong? 

Majak is worth a try at full forward.  Give 3 weeks.

4 hours ago, olisik said:

Have loved our luck this season with opposition teams seemingly to always get players up and back from injuries against the dees. Buddy Franklin, Lachie Neal and now Port likely with Butters and Hartlet

We have our share of luck this year. Check the first 6 games with opposition teams either having a few injured or getting injuries during the game 

17 hours ago, layzie said:

Take away the stigma of Brown for a sec. we need somebody in our 50 to:

a) Provide a target inside 50

b) Make a contest and bring it to ground

c) Take a good defender. 
 

When T-Mac gets up the ground and takes a good contested mark we are a tall short up forward and we just need that foil. Ok so it doesn’t need to be bombing in constantly but we seemed to like that option yesterday and may need it as a last resort occasionally. 

If people are happy with our current forward setup then fine, but our small forwards aren’t giving much in terms of goals right now and we need other ways to get a look at goal.

 

The forward line set up worked well early in the year when the weather was warmer and we were flicking the ball around. In the heavier conditions of wimter a key forward is a must from a structural perspective. Doesn't make it essential in September however

8 hours ago, A F said:

One tackle is Fritsch level stuff average wise, but Spargo, along with the rest of the forwards and mids had a poor defensive game yesterday. I guess we disagree that Melksham would provide more. Unless Melksham kicks 2 or 3 he's a liability by comparison to Spargo whose contested work is good. Each to their own I guess.

Bowey is your man ,get him in

As much as I like Vanders l don't remember his last block of AFL games being too flash.

On 7/4/2021 at 12:28 AM, Simon Port said:

I would also seriously consider dropping Viney and building up his confidence in the VFL. He is a serious liability for us out there at the moment. He is laboring around the ground and can't hit a target to save his life. I fear due to the foot injuries he will lack leg speed for the rest of his career.

I agree and commented during Saturday’s game. He looked slow and has lost the edge to get away in a contest. Still as hard and determined in the fight for the footy and tackle.  He’s the sort of player we need v Power but unfortunately he might need a week  or two at Casey.  In Burgo we trust to manage him as well. 

In B Brown, Bowey, Melksham 

Out Harmes, Hunt, Viney