Just now, dees189227 said:

When did Spargo cop that knock to the throat & who did it?

2nd quarter he received a free for a high tackle. Not sure who it was but was an accident

Reports saying T-Mac isn't ready which is a bummer.

with that my changes are:

IN: Smith (i can't believe i am saying that), Brown or JVR (sub)

Out: ANB

with clouds over Melk, Trac and Fritta i think we need to have a fwd as sub, with smith being able to go back if we need cover down there.

In: Bedford, Smith, Dunstan

Out: Neal-Bullen, Melksham, Harmes

I would seriously consider bringing in Bowey for Salem but, it just won't happen. I feel like he's just been playing severely underdone since his serious knee injury. He's as a shell of himself. He's an absolute star at his best but, I feel like his body is really affecting him.

I'd bring in Bowey for ANB,

Bowey to the back pocket and put Salem on the HFF, setting up our passes into forward 50 aka the Gary Ablett role from a couple of years ago. Its probably the fastest way to improve our i50 efficiency as its too late in the year to train skills. Let Salem get his 20-25 touches and watch the i50's improve. Just an idea, but the simplest most effective one I can think of.

Surely SG hasn’t shown all of his cards just yet?

Gotta get Bowey in 

Melksham on notice. As so much, he will probably kick 6 from HFF

No changes.

10 hours ago, old55 said:

Brayshaw went into the midfield partly to enable Petracca to play more forward.  With Petracca on one leg it's unlikely Angus will come out of the midfield rotation.

Then play Dunstan inside!!!!

13 hours ago, Garbo said:

 

Now we are in finals we need to be playing with making the grand final in mind by resting players and making changes with that in mind, we should be aiming to win the lot even at the risk of going out in straight sets. No point winning this week if it all but guaranteed we lose to cat because trac is on one leg and we still have a non functioning fwd line. I’m not here to celebrate top 4 finishes and say well done 

Definitely not and it would be a disappointment if we didn't make it but we'd at least have made the bare minimum requirement. 

Goodwin has got us back to 2nd on the H & A ladder and (if we beat Brisbane) to a prelim in 2022 so it's a pretty successful year but you don't need to be a brain surgeon to see the faultlines running through our team and it's almost impossible to see us beating the last two opponents to win the thing this year.

We are probably the 4th best team in it.

So he mose well keep loyal to these players till we go out but if we lose to Brisbane all rain and hail and cataclysmic unrest will pour forth in the name of CHANGE

So, ah, good luck guys.

10 hours ago, Simon Port said:

I would seriously consider bringing in Bowey for Salem but, it just won't happen. I feel like he's just been playing severely underdone since his serious knee injury. He's as a shell of himself. He's an absolute star at his best but, I feel like his body is really affecting him.

This.

10 hours ago, Simon Port said:

I would seriously consider bringing in Bowey for Salem but, it just won't happen. I feel like he's just been playing severely underdone since his serious knee injury. He's as a shell of himself. He's an absolute star at his best but, I feel like his body is really affecting him.

Salo started reasonably well but then they sent Clarke to him and he slowed down dramatically. Clarke has got quite the list now of putting the brakes on rebound HBFs. I agree he's been down and who knows how badly the knee is affecting his game but I'd give him the benefit of the doubt this week.

14 hours ago, Winners at last said:

Better to die on your feet than live on your knees.

What does this mean, with respect to this thread? That we're better to play Petracca than not?

(Also, I'm not sure I agree with the literal meaning, anyway.) 

I think Bowey has to play, while we have exceptional marking backs and great rebounders, Bowey is the cleanest when it hits the ground, which is an area that Brisbane can do some great work in, with Cameron, McCarthy and Bailey.

To enable this to happen I'd do 1 of 2 things, either move Salem to the wing - Trac will play more forward and Harmes/Sparrow more midfield so it'll open up this spot or drop Rivers. We have 1 surplus mid/small back with Salem, Bowey, Hunt and Rivers in the team, so unless we move Salem to the wing, and then maybe ANB is the medi sub or Melk goes out with Trac forward we'll need to have someone come out of the team. 

40 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Better to die on your feet than live on your knees.

We have the Oils to look forward to next week (twice), regardless of outcome.

2 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

What does this mean, with respect to this thread? That we're better to play Petracca than not?

(Also, I'm not sure I agree with the literal meaning, anyway.) 

I take the opposite view. Playing Petracca and parking him in the forward line is almost the 'safe' option. Take the punt ... don't play Trac (his well being surely paramount) and play Dunstan instead.  

And otherwise be brave with selections .. JVR in, Bowey in ... Melksham/ANB out.

 

Edited September 6, 20222 yr by Winners at last

Has Salem ever played on the wing?

14 minutes ago, loges said:

Has Salem ever played on the wing?

No, not at AFL level. Half back or half forward (early career). His junior days I believe he played more forward/wing.

I agree with the Bowey chat, i think he has to play somehow.. could he be any worse that ANB has been? i know people will say ANB plays a selfless team role, but i reckon Bowey is clean and neat and tough so its not such a stretch to say he could replace him? 

I dont know.. its a really hard selection week.

I'm warming to the idea of bringing Bowey in. Or at least trying Salem HFF if he is struggling to get into the game down back . 

11 minutes ago, Demon3 said:

I agree with the Bowey chat, i think he has to play somehow.. could he be any worse that ANB has been? i know people will say ANB plays a selfless team role, but i reckon Bowey is clean and neat and tough so its not such a stretch to say he could replace him? 

I dont know.. its a really hard selection week.

Bowey was drafted purely from playing as a wingman/half forward. He was a highly rated junior prospect because of his ability to get on the outside and deliver the footy with precise kicking skills.

Even if he doesn't play again this year, I reckon the clubs needs to get Bowey back training with the mids and forwards in the pre season and get him playing to his strengths.

Bowey's outside speed and skill is exactly what we're crying out for right at this minute. 

13 hours ago, Simon Port said:

In: Bedford, Smith, Dunstan

Out: Neal-Bullen, Melksham, Harmes

I dont think you can point to one game where Goodwn has made wholesale changes such as those you are suggesting. Its not his DNA.

And he certainly won't do it in an elimination final.

He will back in his players to improve. Thats just how he is.

15 hours ago, fr_ap said:

I made no such suggestion....we are the reigning premiers. We came 2nd. Lost a QF to a red hot young team who are clicking at the right time and kicked opportunistic goals, aided by 50m penalties. It's hardly the time to throw everything out and make 'courageous change'. 

If in 3 years we are still kicking to the pocket then sure - make courageous change then. 

I'm not sure why you're simultaneously lauding Geelong's change whilst in the next sentence deriding that it took them 5-10 years to make it. 

As for the G once being exclusively ours - completely irrelevant to the here and now. It's well known that Geelong's home ground provides them an advantage over visiting teams. It stands to reason, then, they are better placed to make 'significant change' at home with the knowledge they carry a headstart into every game. 

What an odd exaggerated response you've come up with! 

I said nothing about courageous changes this week pal.That ship has sailed and won't be back on port until next season when apparently we a looking at getting an aging injury prone ruckman who,as good as he may be ,isn't good enough for a hot young team without a first choice ruckman to want to keep. 

Perhaps that's your view of courageous?

We need another powerful running mid

We  really need some one with the potential to recharge our " bottom six" because apparently there isn't anyone waiting in the wings  or surely when we had the the chance at 10 zip we would have trialed them ( sort of like the freedom of Geelongs ground).

This week I accept they may just shuffle the deck chairs  and it may be enough for a 50/50 game given that we last year we were the best team going around. 

Next year is time for a new attitude. 

Has the FD got that ability? We have most of the attributes in place if they have the courage.

19 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

I dont think you can point to one game where Goodwn has made wholesale changes such as those you are suggesting. Its not his DNA.

And he certainly won't do it in an elimination final.

He will back in his players to improve. Thats just how he is.

It might be just enough to convince Harmes to look for a trade if he does.

Just sayin