10 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

Need to at least consider tmac.

Have been his biggest fan but his last nine games he has kicked  six goals and returned to the player he was last year.

Credit due to his other 11 games but this is the flag at stake and hes hit a long slump going into and including finals.

Do we have options?

Maybe not. Its a concern though. He didnt go near it today. I know he had two weeks off but do we keep going with him. Hard call. 

May be Mitch Brown coupla marks coupla goals per game

It won't matter, we we will beat either of them in 2 weeks time. In fact they can put together a combined team and we will still win.

47 minutes ago, old dee said:

It won't matter, we we will beat either of them in 2 weeks time. In fact they can put together a combined team and we will still win.

Love your optimism, od. 

Agree with your assessment.  PF is ours to lose and I don't think we will.

Although Hunts kicking can be wayward at times it’s better than it used to be, he breaks lines and was playing well enough before injuring his ankle. Bowey will be better for the experience and his disposal puts him ahead of others.
 

Hunt for Smith.

I think we need to stick with Tmac.

In games of old how many times would we see Tom run down the ground and mark .

Maybe he was given instructions to stay put but yesterday he hardly moved. It was bb who was down the ground taking a total of nine marks.

Since the Dons game and excluding Port where he was very good, Tom has really struggled.

So hoping he can improve. 

1 hour ago, Kent said:

May be Mitch Brown coupla marks coupla goals per game

Its a bad time to be making this change though.

 

4 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Its a bad time to be making this change though.

 

Yes Agreed But TMAc is clearly struggling with his back problem so what do the FD do?

11 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

Can anyone who was at the ground tell us if Salem or Smith was on Cameron at the start of the game?

I was at the ground at the defensive end of the ground in the first quarter.  In my opinion smith was playing on Cameron.  At least he was his opponent when the ball was bounced.
 

But there seemed to be some indecision between who was manning up who at each bounce and there were a few swaps just as the ball was bouncing, but each time Cameron was next to smith from what I could tell.

4 minutes ago, Kent said:

Yes Agreed But TMAc is clearly struggling with his back problem so what do the FD do?

He now has a two week break. No change.

I feel a bit sorry for JJ who has had a pretty good year and put in the hard work quite creditably. But Sparrow has been given the opportunity and has well and truly grasped it.

10 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Melbourne V Geelong - Friday 17 September. 8:10pm EST. Optus Stadium.

No change.

Do you have crystal balls?

10 hours ago, Jaded said:

WA was generous enough to give us permission to bring over 75 people. Such kind souls. 
Anyways the club obviously prioritized players over extra support staff which I think is wonderful. 
Ben Gibson doing the water boy work is hilarious. Just shows how insane Covid has been that people are doing so many roles just to get the games done. 

Gibbo Insta famous, quite a few yelling out to him from the boundary line from where we were sitting.  I think he was bemused anyone knew who he was :.)

 

3 hours ago, FritschyBusiness said:

Smith was right next to Cameron and turned the wrong way as Salem handballs it to him.

Cameron capitalises because Smith wasn't looking, it was the worst of his mistakes for the night

Sorry to rain on the Hang Smith parade. But Salem is clearly responsible for Cameron from the Centre bounce in this instance. I don't know why, it's clearly not the norm, perhaps there was an undesirable interchange switch after Clarry's goal. But Salem comes up to the contest fails to clear it and leaves Charlie out the back. Not at all a smith mistake

AFAIK Smith was on Cameron and was well beaten but he wouldn't have been Robinson Crusoe.

Bowey was caught twice by the increased pace and pressure of finals and looked vulnerable, but I liked the way he backed himself in the last quarter and played some good footy.

I think Hunt comes in for one of them.

TMac is not having the direct impact of the first half of the year but he provides structure and allows Fritsch, Brown, Jackson and Gawn freedom.  I don't think we need another small forward with ANB, Kossie, Spargo added to by Sparrow, Harmes and Viney. I'd persist with TMac.

Sparrow has made it very tough for JJ, Jones and VDB.

11 hours ago, demon3165 said:

Are you for real was i at the ground suggest you get off the sauce, was you there, as for Salem it is time to take the diaper off soft as melted butter.

Keen to hear your assessment of "the rugby player"?

Joel smith has to go for anyone 

It's got to be dependent on who we play doesn't it?

Geelong - Keep Smith in for Rohan

Bombers - Hibberd in for Stringer, Smith out

Dogs - Hunt in, Smith out

 

12 hours ago, Bates Mate said:

Hunt in, Smith out

 

 

 

Nahhh, Hunt may well come in - benching I'd reckon at the start - but I'd keep Smith as he is full of the one-per cent coverages that contribute to the lines of defence, at present. I'd still like to see Smith back into the forward line for some minutes - perhaps later in the game to come, whoever it may be against.

 

2 hours ago, Kent said:

May be Mitch Brown coupla marks coupla goals per game

TMac has been around a while - perhaps he is sorted by other clubs and their strategies. MBrown in is a change and can contribute with those coupla marks and coupla goals, most likely. He is also more mobile than TMac, at present. 

13 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Smith, Bowey out.

Hunt and Hibberd in.

We have again kept our opponent ( the highest scorers this season) to 60 , 5 points below our 2021 abbey age and you want to drop 2 defenders.

Yes I would like Hibbo in and Hunty also but NOT at Boweys expense. He was understandardably a little nervous early on but finished the game snd last half brilliantly.

Smith was ok but if he was on Charlie Cameron early he was very loose. Not sure who matched up all day!

only one change Hunty or Hibbo for Smithy perhaps. 

56 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

It's got to be dependent on who we play doesn't it?

Geelong - Keep Smith in for Rohan

Bombers - Hibberd in for Stringer, Smith out

Dogs - Hunt in, Smith out

 

We play the winner out of GWS or Geelong. 

5 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

We play the winner out of GWS or Geelong. 

Ahhhhh gotcha, sorry.

Ok, revised version:

Geelong - Keep smith for Rohan

GWS - Hunt in, Smith out

We often forget that even if Tmac is having a bad game he takes a big name player out of the game which allows Fritsch to become very dangerous. Smith still worries me but not sure if Hunt would fire first game back. 

8 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Ahhhhh gotcha, sorry.

Ok, revised version:

Geelong - Keep smith for Rohan

GWS - Hunt in, Smith out

On Fridays form Rohan could be in trouble come selection. Another finals series and another very poor game from Rohan. Cats fans have had enough with his soft efforts.

I think Hunt has to come in somehow. He was hitting some top form just before his ankle injury.

If we are to meet Port in the grand final and that's a big IF.. then their small forwards who are all quick could cause us some problems if not matched up properly. 

3 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

On Fridays form Rohan could be in trouble come selection. Another finals series and another very poor game from Rohan. Cats fans have had enough with his soft efforts.

I think Hunt has to come in somehow. He was hitting some top form just before his ankle injury.

If we are to meet Port in the grand final and that's a big IF.. then their small forwards who are all quick could cause us some problems if not matched up properly. 

Yeah agree that they'll try to get Hunt back in, hard call though hey? Smith is the obvious out, but I still feel he's a good matchup for Rohan, so don't know what we do there. TBH I prefer Rivers and Bowey to Hunt at the moment, both are just so much more 'safe' IMO.

In saying that, for pretty much anyone but Geelong I would drop Smith for Hunt.