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CHANGES: QF vs Sydney

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All this talk of the medical sub. Most games (including friday hopefully) it will not even be used.

All things going well it will have zero impact on the game just like finals last year

 
1 hour ago, homsar said:

I understand the calls for Bowey over Salem. But imo Salem’s contest work is elite, and well ahead of Bowey, and that is what will see him in over Bowey. But gosh we need to find a spot for Bowey some time soon… he’s far too good to rot away in the twos. 

Bowey gets in there - gets possession - represents an elite disposer of the ball - has more hunger than Salem - can run further all game - whereas there have been limits to the form and consistency from Salem in recent times.

    • Like 1

    I could see Salem in for Bowey but he would be stiff. He is a very calm player that has time with the ball and is very measured in his delivery. The same could be said re Salem. Bowey sticks his tackles and, without looking up the stats, I would say he has more defensive tackles than Salem per game..

    Medi sub? How about Tmac? Can cover attack and defense and if he does not get a run on Friday night he can get a run with Casey. I think we have enough variety and flexibility in the rest of the team to cover most situations. 

    • Like 1
     
    1 hour ago, Deespicable said:

    As to our back seven match-ups, here my stab at them.

    McCartin on Brown, McCartin 2 on Jackson/Gawn, Rampe on Fritsch, Fox on Melksham, Blakey on Kozzie??, Lloyd on Spargo and Florent on ANB.

    Melksham will definitely go to one of the McCartins as a negating forward. I suspect Paddy as he seems the better intercept player.

    Goodwin will try and stretch their defence and force them to put Rampe on Gawn/Jackson leaving Fritsch to get Fox.

    Bowza should be sub. Can play half back, wing, half forward.

    Would play him over ANB or Sparrow to be honest and simply hope for the best, but Safe Simon would never!


    4 minutes ago, DubDee said:

    All this talk of the medical sub. Most games (including friday hopefully) it will not even be used.

    All things going well it will have zero impact on the game just like finals last year

    It was a miracle really that May didn’t go off during the PF after his hamstring. Can you imagine if that happens again and the game is a lot tighter compared to the Geelong game? Smith coming in to give us that flexibility could be crucial.

    • Like 1

    I think it is safe to assume Salem will come in

    Bowey would be stiff to be dropped, thought arguably not as stiff as JJ was, but he is the logical player to come out.

    • Like 8

    Well we know we’ve hit a ‘sweet spot’ at the right time, when recent discussion in the Changes thread is focused primarily on who will be our medi sub.  
    For what it’s worth, I think Joel Smith’s versatility gives him the edge over other candidates.

    • Like 1
     
    35 minutes ago, Deeoldfart said:

    Well we know we’ve hit a ‘sweet spot’ at the right time, when recent discussion in the Changes thread is focused primarily on who will be our medi sub.  
    For what it’s worth, I think Joel Smith’s versatility gives him the edge over other candidates.

    I just can’t get excited over J. Smith.

    • Like 3
    1 hour ago, Redleg said:

    I just can’t get excited over J. Smith.

    I understand where you are coming from Red.  Joel is unlikely to be a 'game changer', but that's not his role as medi sub.  I just think he has the attributes / flexibility to adequately slot-in in a variety of positions around the ground, and to do so without the need to make significant 'in-game' changes to team structures. 

    • Like 1

    14 minutes ago, Deeoldfart said:

    I understand where you are coming from Red.  Joel is unlikely to be a 'game changer', but that's not his role as medi sub.  I just think he has the attributes / flexibility to adequately slot-in in a variety of positions around the ground, and to do so without the need to make significant 'in-game' changes to team structures. 

    ....& what happens when your medi sub needs subbing?? 🙁 - the lads' had some rotten luck 

    • Like 1
    • Shocked 2
    16 hours ago, FlashInThePan said:

    Someone in a post match interview mentioned that Harmes had volunteered to have a major cramp.

    Sounds like the team player he is.

    Trac could have come off for leather poisoning and still won the Norm.

    Edited by leave it to deever

    • Haha 1

    So Salem in and Bowey Medi sub? Or is that too simple?

    Edited by layzie

    This is groundhog day right?

     

    • Thanks 1

    12 hours ago, Redleg said:

    I just can’t get excited over J. Smith.

    Lucky for Joel!

    • Haha 2

    We go in with a relatively small fwd line.

    But it's fast and agile and since we are a team that can move the ball quickly it may just work really well.

     

    17 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

    Bowey gets in there - gets possession - represents an elite disposer of the ball - has more hunger than Salem - can run further all game - whereas there have been limits to the form and consistency from Salem in recent times.

    I think you are making stuff up. Salem is better than Bowey in most categories. He might well have been a Norm Smith Medallist he was that good.

     

    As for running further...

    Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

    Ed Langdon, 15.30km
    Christian Salem, 14.20km
    Alex Neal-Bullen, 13.88km
    Clayton Oliver, 13.61km
    Jake Bowey, 13.33km

    Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2020
    Ed Langdon, 13.3km v Sydney, round 15
    Christian Salem, 13.3km v Gold Coast, round 6
    Ed Langdon, 13.1km v GWS Giants, round 17
    Christian Salem, 13km v Collingwood, round 12
    Christian Salem, 13km v GWS Giants, round 17

    Oh and did I mention speed?

     

    Top five fastest Melbourne players in 2021
    Jayden Hunt 35.24km/h
    Kysaiah Pickett 34.56
    Alex Neal-Bullen 33.95
    Ed Langdon 33.91
    Christian Salem 33.80

     

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 2
    • Love 1
    10 minutes ago, Melb-A-Toast said:

    Salem is a certainty 

    If fit he is in - you never leave out your best.

    • Like 3

    I would have Smith as the sub (or TMac if he were match fit or JVR if he had got some senior experience).  It seems to be our key position players that go down and we have midfield depth with ANB, Petracca, Sparrow spending time forward, Brayshaw able to play back.

    If May / Lever / Petty / Brown go down we don't have a logical backup.  This is our Achilles heel - which is even more apparent with playing only one tall forward (and a resting ruck).

    • Like 2

    If as the other ‘training’  thread is saying that Hibberd was not training this morning (gastro symptoms?), who replaces him?

     
    1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

    I think you are making stuff up. Salem is better than Bowey in most categories. He might well have been a Norm Smith Medallist he was that good.

     

    As for running further...

    Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

    Ed Langdon, 15.30km
    Christian Salem, 14.20km
    Alex Neal-Bullen, 13.88km
    Clayton Oliver, 13.61km
    Jake Bowey, 13.33km

    Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2020
    Ed Langdon, 13.3km v Sydney, round 15
    Christian Salem, 13.3km v Gold Coast, round 6
    Ed Langdon, 13.1km v GWS Giants, round 17
    Christian Salem, 13km v Collingwood, round 12
    Christian Salem, 13km v GWS Giants, round 17

    Oh and did I mention speed?

     

    Top five fastest Melbourne players in 2021
    Jayden Hunt 35.24km/h
    Kysaiah Pickett 34.56
    Alex Neal-Bullen 33.95
    Ed Langdon 33.91
    Christian Salem 33.80

     

    Enlightening. Thanks.

    • Like 1
    7 minutes ago, Deemania since 56 said:

    Enlightening. Thanks.

    I looked this up before and was surprised at his running ability. Its not that obvious.


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