2 hours ago, Demon3 said:

Tomlinson was great, and much better replacing Petty than he was replacing May... but hard to see how he stays in to be honest, unless of course Lever plays. Toby Bedford is out.. although I'm sure Marvel will suit him better than most grounds, but is caught in that awful place of better than VFL.. not good enough for AFL. 

Clayton Obviously comes back in. As frustrating as he can be, the calls to drop Fritta are ridiculous. Tom Sparrow is the watch for me, I really like him, but he is often central to a broken chain of play. 

Also Christian Salem is a shadow of the player he was last year.. and obviously is coming from a long way back.. his strength is decision making and execution.. he is way of on both and looks slower that he usually does. 

This is a game that potentially could be lost at Selection.. Melky was pretty good and had a fair dinkum go.. but can he back up after an energy sapping Alice Springs and go again on a fast deck against a side will go quickly.

May - Naughton

Petty - Bruce

Lever  - JUH

Hibbo - Weightman

 

Like Geelong the Dogs would have studied us relentlessly

They will try something different and look a different side with Bruce in 

14 minutes ago, COOLX said:

Jarrod Waite started off as a full back for Carlton and ended up as a handy F.F for North. We know one of our defenders can play up forward. Tomlinson may be retained.  On the part where Tomlinson played forward for GWS with tepid results means "jack Sh.t". 

So I will pencil you in for a vomit emoji for my post?

I think we need another tall up forward against the dogs. Weid, M brown or JVR take your pick. 

I’d go melks out for one of the talls

Tomlinson out for a small. Bowey back or a debut from Laurie 

48 minutes ago, dee-tox said:

If Gawn and Jackson can't get it done then you wouldn't think Weed could just step in all of a sudden and answer our prayers! He's had more that 50 games to do that and it's worked twice.

With Tomlinson he doesn't play tall because overhead is a major weakness. 

It is more about making Gawn and Jackson more effective as a forward.  Playing a second tall draws a tall defender whether that is the second or third tall defender.  I just think our forward line needs another tall for balance, it then means fritsch gets the 4th defender making him more dangerous.

What is to lose we are having 2 small mid size forwards playing with little impact each week, adding a tall for team balance might just help the forwards click.

Only 5 rounds left so we need to settle the team down. If we are going back to two tall fwds and want to give JVR an opportunity then this must be the week to do it or just stay the way we are and maybe give Chandler a run over Bedford.

Edited July 18, 20222 yr by Bombay Airconditioning

1 hour ago, Demon3 said:

I think you stick with him as he has runs on the board, but hope we see increased output.

Christian Salem is super lean looks like he needs some more meat on his bones. Lol.!!

30 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Only 5 rounds left so we need to settle the team down. If we are going back to two tall fwds and want to give JVR an opportunity then this must be the week to do it or just stay the way we are and maybe give Chandler a run over Bedford.

JVR or it seems Laurie won't debut unless injuries or very poor form force Goody. What is more likely is that Bowey will return and might even be tried up forward. Chandler could be a medi sub or named on the bench as he deserves a chance. 

The time to try Laurie was against Port as he was In great form but Goody's conservatism shadows each selection. JVR is for 2023 I believe and will be a key in Casey winning a flag for us. Can't even predict Sam's next 2 months let's just say he could be any where between Hero and more likely Zero at Casey or on the G!!

17 hours ago, JimmyGadson said:

How Bedford was given another opportunity after the last few weeks was bizarre

Sometimes you have to give a player an extended run at.  It's a big step up from VFL to AFL.  It does take time, but he will need to show something soon.

Edited July 18, 20222 yr by one_demon

I don't know if Melksham played a good or a bad game because I don't know what role he was given. However, I do know Pickett played his best game for the year (or his whole career) and, I think, B Brown either played his best game for the year or was close to it. Did Melksham's presence allow those two to play better? If so, surely Melksham stays in. if not, he's on very shaky ground. Similar sentiment for any other fringe player such as Bedford and Tomlinson. 

Nevertheless, if Oliver and Petty are ready, they must come back in. As to who goes out depends on who is surplus to requirements when those two return. I suspect it will be Tomlinson and Bedford.

It's also worth remembering by the end of the week, there's a reasonable prospect of at least one unexpected  "Health and Safety Protocol" omission which will upset all our predictions.

In: Oliver, Petty, one of Weid or JvR

Out: Melksham, Tomlinson, Bedford

 

Not liking this small forward set up we have going. Feel we need another tall target as Ben Brown is often competing and taking marks on the wing with no other talls forward of him. Bedford has been great in the vfl and shows promise but has been poor for a few weeks now.

It's far too late in the season to trial this now, but as long as May and Lever are in the backline I feel Tomlinson is an adequate 3rd tall defender allowing Petty to swing forward.  Something I hope we go with next year with maybe Turner replacing Tomlinson.

3 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

… except we won. 🙄 

We never "win" we just almost lose 🙄

3 hours ago, binman said:

I said last week, I'd drop him for his burn in the cats game. 

But, you're right goody wouldn't. And won't. 

The media attention might do the trick in terms of sending a message.

When he burnt Spargo in the 1st I was curious because you could almost see it play out in slomo. So much so that I kind of thought his first instinct was go for goal, then he saw Spargo and thought about giving it off. He ended up doing neither and the ball just rolled out of bounds. So I was thinking afterwards whether he was caught in two minds and stuffed it altogether. I haven't watched the replay of it though so it may be he just went for goal and it was an awful kick

He definitely should have given it off though, it was a certain goal for Spargo who deserved reward for effort.

33 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I don't know if Melksham played a good or a bad game because I don't know what role he was given. However, I do know Pickett played his best game for the year (or his whole career) and, I think, B Brown either played his best game for the year or was close to it. Did Melksham's presence allow those two to play better? If so, surely Melksham stays in. if not, he's on very shaky ground. Similar sentiment for any other fringe player such as Bedford and Tomlinson. 

Nevertheless, if Oliver and Petty are ready, they must come back in. As to who goes out depends on who is surplus to requirements when those two return. I suspect it will be Tomlinson and Bedford.

It's also worth remembering by the end of the week, there's a reasonable prospect of at least one unexpected  "Health and Safety Protocol" omission which will upset all our predictions.

This.

We have no idea. Often players are given specific roles.

I haven't watched the game again but it seemed to me he was trying to keep Alir honest so he wasn't alone as the goalkeeper? So perhaps it was a defensive fwd role which he has done before.

4 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

We never "win" we just almost lose 🙄

We try to defend leads. 

It will cost us one day either with a loss or failed percentage boost.

4 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

This.

We have no idea. Often players are given specific roles.

I haven't watched the game again but it seemed to me he was trying to keep Alir honest so he wasn't alone as the goalkeeper? So perhaps it was a defensive fwd role which he has done before.

Seemed that way to me as well and if that was the case you'd say he played his role effectively.

4 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

The 7 days isolation is a legal mandate.  Our governments are currently considering reducing that based on latest evidence.

Of the scores of people I know that have had it, the symptoms last a few days and then ok.

Not aware of AFL players taking 2 weeks to recover so not sure where that idea comes from...

Could also be the flu which several players have had extended recoveries from (such as English).

I'm glad Bedford has been given a run of games. Showed some really good signs v the Lions but unfortunately hasn't been able to build on that performance. I think he goes out of the side and can have no complaints

The call seems to be stick with the extra small or bring the Weid back in. I reckon we should give Chandler a run and see how he goes. I just don't have faith the Weid can deliver

3 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Oliver back in and the temptation to pick JVR fresh off a bye against the Doggies are the 2 reasons I’m not sure Melk is safe. Otherwise I maintain he did his role and it was the right selection. 

We could’ve promoted Dunstan, but he can’t hit the side of the barn by foot and he’s seriously slow in transition. Harmes and Sparrow largely nullified Rozee and Boak’s running game. Boak got an early and a late goal but little in between. Rozee’s impact was far less than his stats, he had lots of nothing touches.

If you offered me the choice of:
A) Port winning around the ground stoppages and  hacking it to our backline 
B) Boak, Rozee, Amon, Butters getting time and space in transition
I’m taking A everyday of the week 

Individual brilliance went a long way to Pickett’s goals but he also got the ball with enough time and space to produce the brilliance. Whilst far from amazing the ball movement and forward line function after 1/4 time was solid. 

 

Agree with this, except that I think the clearances went too far in their favour. I'm prepared to cop that given it's been a long time since we went into a game without Oliver, but I don't think we did well enough in that area with the personnel we still had in.

2 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Like Geelong the Dogs would have studied us relentlessly

They will try something different and look a different side with Bruce in 

The Bruce inclusion is the main thing worrying me about the Dogs doing something different.

They changed a few things up in Round 1 (notably Libba on a flank) and they largely didn't work.

But Bruce in the forward line to help Naughton is a hugely different forward half dynamic to what they had in the GF and in Round 1.

I'm not sure how much they've been preparing for us though. They had their revenge game in Round 1, and flunked it. Geelong had to wait until last week. And the Dogs have been playing elimination finals for a few weeks now. They would have been equally focused on how to beat St Kilda, given that a loss coupled with the expected Richmond win was likely curtains for their season.

In - Oliver, Petty

Out  - Tomlinson, Bedford.

I feel sorry for Tomlinson who played easily one of his best games for the club, and a dramatic improvement from the Sydney game. They would have to move Petty (who incidentally kicked 3 goals against WB in 2019) forward for Tommo to retain his spot. Or he needs Lever not to come up.

Bedford has had 7 kicks in the last 3 games of footy. That's clearly not AFL standard and unfortunately has to provide more involvement if he want to stay in the side.

With regards to Josh Bruce, they say the second game back after a long lay off is the game they really struggle in. However, given he had 3 possessions and 1 mark for the game, perhaps the first game was his struggle game. 

With Naughton coming back in it will be interesting to see whether the Dogs go with English and Sweet. I hope they do.

Bowey would be a much better option in Bedfords current. Defensive pressure in the forward line too. I could see him as a small forward gun.

4 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I’m sorry but the way he is spoken about here makes me sick. I just don’t understand why he is so maligned by certain ppl here. And I’ll never understand it. Therefore, at the risk of irritating certain people, I’ll continue to point out each and every time he is unnecessarily bagged. 

Yeah I don't understand the animosity towards Melksham. People might point out that he only got 6 possessions, but his last quarter played a huge role in our win. He could've easily ended with 3 goals if he wasn't so selfless.

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

Agree with this, except that I think the clearances went too far in their favour. I'm prepared to cop that given it's been a long time since we went into a game without Oliver, but I don't think we did well enough in that area with the personnel we still had in.

I would’ve liked to have done better, but Port aren’t mugs. From a mids perspective Wines, Boak, Rozee, Gray, Drew, Butters, Amon is very solid and got them to back to back prelims. They were also 8-3 since their 0-5 start. I don’t think we took full advantage in the ruck but Dixon took a lot of centre bounces to nullify Max. They finished 13-11 but I’d imagine before the last 10 minutes that was probably even. Around the ground they seemed to push a lot of numbers up and at times I think the stoppage failures were on the forwards and backs as much as the mids.

 

BBB and Fritch just doesnt work.  We need another tall to spread the 2nd and 3rd best defender.  

Must play Weid for rest of season.  JVR is 2023....

Tommo had a good game and the role suited him - unfortunately he is depth at the moment - not best 22.  If Petty is back, he only stays if Lever is out.   Same with Melk - played his role but he is depth. 

In - Oliver, Weid, Petty

Out - Bedford, Melksham, Tommo  

Not fussed if Lever is out for his shoulder injury.  We beat the bulldogs in round 1 without him, without Petty, without Hbberd and Salem off in the first quarter.

They still have no all ground defence and their backman just don't cut the mustard. 

And their pressure isn't so great.

Undoubtedly Bevo will play games with his line-ups but at the end of the day they will lose.