I'm stunned Salem is in. I trust the FD, but I fully expected Salem to have a run at Casey to get his legs back.

The other changes are all as expected. It's tough for Bedford but we had one too many small forwards and whilst he kicked two goals last week, he disappeared after that.

Hunt deserved to hold his spot over Rivers, whose form just hasn't been great all year IMO.

No excuses this week. We're really now only one player off our best 22 (May).

As an aside - we're so close to making history. If Rivers is the sub, then we're only two players off fielding the Grand Final side, which has never been done before. May replacing Tomlinson brings it down to just one. Would have to find a reason to get Hibberd in over Hunt, which likely won't happen barring an injury to Hunt, but still, so close.

1 hour ago, Chook said:

People have been saying that about Hibberd for 3 years. And yet he has a medal around his neck and notwithstanding the fact he was injured has had a hell of a time recovering from that this year, he deserves a shot to get back in the team and begin showing everyone what a surprisingly effective footballer he is once more.

 I don’t disagree but Hunt has been in great form doing a very important defensive job. He cruelly missed out on a flag last year and deserves every opportunity he’s had so far this year. Can’t see Hibbo coming in to replace him unless he’s injured. 

Watched AFL 360 tonight.

Our friend King was on ... Does anyone backflip more than him?

He should only have been on for half the show, cos he's the 180 expert!  

Edited June 2, 20223 yr by Winners at last

4 minutes ago, Winners at last said:

Watched AFL 360 tonight.

Our friend King was on ... Does anyone backflip more than him?

He should only have been on for half the show, cos he's the 180 expert!  

Just the worst. He will just say whatever is in his head at that moment without engaging the brain to understand if it contradicts anything he has ever said in the past. Plus he has zero accountability. No one ever pulls him up on it.

 

14 minutes ago, Winners at last said:

Watched AFL 360 tonight.

Our friend King was on ... Does anyone backflip more than him?

He should only have been on for half the show, cos he's the 180 expert!  

The guy is a drunken disgrace.

Go back to last year before the preliminary final game and he was so adamant that Geelong would have our measure and would knock us off.. he was more raving of them and admitted that he couldn't fully trust Melbourne at that time because he thought we hadn't been fully tested.

 

 

The funniest thing he said on First Crack was this was evident in the last few weeks. But the last few weeks he was saying it’s Melbourne then, Flemington straight, then everyone else. 

4 hours ago, 4_Kent_Watts said:

I'd personally prefer Hibberd to Hunt in defence but not unless he's full fit and that'll mean a couple of games at Casey. 

Pig can play on the bigger guys when required, would have been very handy last week

5 minutes ago, CYB said:

The funniest thing he said on First Crack was this was evident in the last few weeks. But the last few weeks he was saying it’s Melbourne then, Flemington straight, then everyone else. 

From the beginning of the season he has been saying, up till this week, on all his spots on fox and sen that freo aren't the real deal.

He maintained that line even as the evidence suggested he was wrong. 

On his spot on sen (the means test) after the loss to the pies, the second loss in a row, he doubled down. Basically said they weren't up to it. Even joked about flagmantle and the anger he copes from dockers fan.

Meanwhile he gives the lions a complete pass for their pathetic loss to the hawks in tassie, despite the fact they gave up 117 points and maybe put a home game in the first week of finals at risk.

Freo come out the next week, are super impressive and a clear contender, and roll the unbeaten premiers.

The lions get opened up by the giants, a team with a stand in coach in his second game, and are lucky to get a (unconvincing) win. 

Not a single negative comment about freo or any follow up on the bagging he has been giving them on the first crack.

Nothing on the watch list spot on 360 (haven't listened to the means test this week or watched 360 tonight)

Shameless.

3 hours ago, Winners at last said:

Watched AFL 360 tonight.

Our friend King was on ... Does anyone backflip more than him?

He should only have been on for half the show, cos he's the 180 expert!  

Just to be clear, he tipped Melbourne and said we would make a statement. He mentioned we have a few holes and our pressure has dropped from 2021. Nothing unreasonable, I don't think fawning would add much to the conversation. And I think he gets plenty of feedback on Twitter, I plan to give him some there too when he makes booboos. Personally thought Joey's observations about ANB and Petracca was interesting, and tbh, wish he hadn't (-;

13 minutes ago, DEE fence said:

Just to be clear, he tipped Melbourne and said we would make a statement. He mentioned we have a few holes and our pressure has dropped from 2021. Nothing unreasonable, I don't think fawning would add much to the conversation. And I think he gets plenty of feedback on Twitter, I plan to give him some there too when he makes booboos. Personally thought Joey's observations about ANB and Petracca was interesting, and tbh, wish he hadn't (-;

Anything said on 360 or any media platform wouldn’t surprise an afl coach. These guys know much more than what is discussed and if they don’t, then they are not in the right job. 

4 hours ago, CYB said:

Anything said on 360 or any media platform wouldn’t surprise an afl coach. These guys know much more than what is discussed and if they don’t, then they are not in the right job. 

I know,  MFCSS has morphed into paranoia.

What was wrong with salems knee he seems to back a bit to soon

It’s a risk. Sydney have some pretty speedy small players. Salem has many great qualities but pace isn’t one of them. Without Rivers (who it’s true has been struggling), and Salem in after a 10 Week layoff, we look a tad slow down back. I’m worried. 

11 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Must agree OD it surprised me. These days however with closed training sessions we see little of what is happening.

There is also the problem that the VFL standard is so low it does little to hone the skills.

Trust the Force Luke !!

Trust I will!

Footy changes. 

So much accepted wisdom is no longer relevant.

For example I assumed that the dees would be at a disadvantage compared to every other team other than the dogs becuase of the shorter preseason.

Why? Because in the 45 odd years i have actively followed footy, that trope was repeated every year (not the demons part - the premiership bit).

But in the interview we did with yze on the Demonland podcast, I asked about that and he said the shorter break actually helped, gave us an advantage because the players were with the club longer (ie not having to train alone for so long - tbey now have to train at high intensity 12 months a year,  break or no break).

Conventional wisdom is that even the best players come back through the twos after a long injury break. But more and more it seems that accross the comp, best 22 players are coming straight back in, as is the case for salo.

No doubt it depends on tbe injury eg comng back from a knee injury might play some twos to get some confidence in the knee (though hipwood didn't). The other common  rationale seemed to be that players need to regain their touch and get some match fitness, whatever that is.

But if a best 22 player is fit and in our case has been training at match like intensity (which is how goody approaches training), then I guess why not bring him straight back in.

 

1 hour ago, London Demon said:

It’s a risk. Sydney have some pretty speedy small players. Salem has many great qualities but pace isn’t one of them. Without Rivers (who it’s true has been struggling), and Salem in after a 10 Week layoff, we look a tad slow down back. I’m worried. 

That is true but woe betide a player who gets within tackling distance - they stay down while Salem keeps his feet and takes off, at not great speed, with the ball.

Edited June 2, 20223 yr by Lucifers Hero

27 minutes ago, binman said:

Footy changes. 

So much accepted wisdom is no longer relevant.

For example I assumed that the dees would be at a disadvantage compared to every other team other than the dogs becuase of the shorter preseason.

Why? Because in the 45 odd years i have actively followed footy, that trope was repeated every year (not the demons part - the premiership bit).

But in the interview we did with yze on the Demonland podcast, I asked about that and he said the shorter break actually helped, gave us an advantage because the players were with the club longer (ie not having to train alone for so long - tbey now have to train at high intensity 12 months a year,  break or no break).

Conventional wisdom is that even the best players come back through the twos after a long injury break. But more and more it seems that accross the comp, best 22 players are coming straight back in, as is the case for salo.

No doubt it depends on tbe injury eg comng back from a knee injury might play some twos to get some confidence in the knee (though hipwood didn't). The other common  rationale seemed to be that players need to regain their touch and get some match fitness, whatever that is.

But if a best 22 player is fit and in our case has been training at match like intensity (which is how goody approaches training), then I guess why not bring him straight back in.

I think coming back via Casey depends on how long a player has been in the system. 

After 5-6 pre-seasons and played most games per year they are 'battle hardened' and as long as their rehab has been thorough which I undoubtedly think our medic/sports scientists make sure it is, they come back in.

A player with a lesser body of work would come back via Casey.

In Salem's case, even a 70% match fit Salem is far better than most other players at 90%.

Edited June 2, 20223 yr by Lucifers Hero

14 minutes ago, binman said:

No doubt it depends on tbe injury eg comng back from a knee injury might play some twos to get some confidence in the knee (though hipwood didn't). The other common  rationale seemed to be that players need to regain their touch and get some match fitness, whatever that is.

The difference with Salem’s knee, particularly compared to returning ACL’s, is that he’ll have no worries about ‘instability’ of the knee, the fear of which usually requires post-ACL players to gain confidence via a stepped entry to match play. His knee injury is all about loading. I would guarantee he’s been loaded up at match day levels (time and distance covered), with the requisite number of kicks, marks, pivots, etc. As to notion of ‘match fitness’, I agree with you that it’s a jelly construct, particularly compared to the elite experience which Salem has in spades. We shouldn’t expect his top-of-form best, but I don’t doubt he’s ready and raring. 

I'm surprised to see so many people want to see Rivers as the sub. He needs to get a full game with Casey, and get some confidence and form back. The last thing he needs, particularly with a bye coming, is to sit on the bench and not get a run.

I'm more than happy for Melksham to be sub, as it doesn't hurt us in the long run if he doesn't get a game this week. If he does play, hopefully he pulls his finger out and contributes more than he has in recent times.

22 minutes ago, Webber said:

The difference with Salem’s knee, particularly compared to returning ACL’s, is that he’ll have no worries about ‘instability’ of the knee, the fear of which usually requires post-ACL players to gain confidence via a stepped entry to match play. His knee injury is all about loading. I would guarantee he’s been loaded up at match day levels (time and distance covered), with the requisite number of kicks, marks, pivots, etc. As to notion of ‘match fitness’, I agree with you that it’s a jelly construct, particularly compared to the elite experience which Salem has in spades. We shouldn’t expect his top-of-form best, but I don’t doubt he’s ready and raring. 

always grateful of your insight.

35 minutes ago, Webber said:

The difference with Salem’s knee, particularly compared to returning ACL’s, is that he’ll have no worries about ‘instability’ of the knee, the fear of which usually requires post-ACL players to gain confidence via a stepped entry to match play. His knee injury is all about loading. I would guarantee he’s been loaded up at match day levels (time and distance covered), with the requisite number of kicks, marks, pivots, etc. As to notion of ‘match fitness’, I agree with you that it’s a jelly construct, particularly compared to the elite experience which Salem has in spades. We shouldn’t expect his top-of-form best, but I don’t doubt he’s ready and raring. 

I should always defer to Webber on injury-related issues.

Makes me feel silly for being so surprised he's coming straight back.

I reckon Rivers had to go, but still think he is unlucky. Hope the young fella take sit on the chin and gets to work, because he has been a really important player since arriving. 

Its a much better balanced team. being 10-1 is great and no panic stations at all, but think its a really important game for us. Hoping BBB can clunk a couple.. in front 20m out.. thats where he needs to get them. 

Technically it's five players coming in, but practically it's six given Petracca was on the field in name only last week.

LOL at the 'Team' announcement headlines:  Demon's dump/axe four not Demons recall 4 premiership players!

Talk about going for the negative/click bait headline

Edited June 3, 20223 yr by Lucifers Hero

3 hours ago, DEE fence said:

I know,  MFCSS has morphed into paranoia.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you