when thinking blindly, i also thought bizzell brought abit to the team, however as i sat watching him closely vs fremantle, i realised that he is only really effective when being played as the loose man in defence. This is pretty much an unexceptable argument for selection...can you imagine any of the tough teams (i.e. sydney, adelaid WC) picking players on this merit. The other teams that do this are also languishing on the bottom of the ladder (i.e richmond and bowden)...

dont get me wrong, i understand the need for the dees to drop players behind the ball in defence, especially as we are so undermanned, but you need a senior player like clint to be able to man up on an opposition player and do a "defensive job" as this is his primary objective as a defender

Here 'Tis

MELBOURNEfc Team

Backs: C.Bruce, N.Carroll, P.Johnson

Half backs: N.Brown,J.Rivers, D.Bell

Centreline: B.Moloney, J.McDonald, A.Yze

Half forwards: C.Johnson, B.Miller, B.Pickett

Forwards:L.Dunn, M.Jamar, A.Davey

Followers:J.White, M.Bate, T.Johnstone

I/C:R.Petterd, S.Godfrey, C.Sylvia, C.Garland

Emergencies: C.Bizzell, D.Ward, S.Buckley

In: J.Rivers, B.Moloney, T.Johnstone, C.Johnson, R.Petterd, C.Garland

Out: P.Wheatley, M.Whelan, N.Jones, B.Green, Ward, Bizzell

Hmmm, why do I have a feeling that there'll be two late emergencies. Hope I'm wrong but if I'm right that'll be the worst Melbourne side I think I've ever seen. Who would've thought 5 weeks ago that we'd even go close to seeing a side like this...

Oh well a good chance for Petterd, Garland to show what they've got and an even better chance for C. Johnson to stake a claim for a permanent place in the side. If he can't now they never will...

Where on earh did you get this team from?

Bizzell has been dropped

Garland is named in the best 22

Why have you swapped them?

I think that if Moloney & TJ are truly fit (I don't believe TJ did his hammy but as reported a hand,badly bruised) then we have a lot of Quality midsized players to lineup, & doggy I think is sore in the calf & injured, he may miss. Also if it's wet in Sydney on the night game we may not need PJ re balance, so i believe for team balance that either Ward or preferably Bizzell might be in.

I also feel a little suspicious that they will play CG after so few games, in such an important season defining game as this, he has talent but is not all that strong just yet...this is just a gut hunch...

Here 'Tis

MELBOURNEfc Team

Backs: C.Bruce, N.Carroll, P.Johnson

Half backs: N.Brown,J.Rivers, D.Bell

Centreline: B.Moloney, J.McDonald, A.Yze

Half forwards: C.Johnson, B.Miller, B.Pickett

Forwards:L.Dunn, M.Jamar, A.Davey

Followers:J.White, M.Bate, T.Johnstone

I/C:R.Petterd, S.Godfrey, C.Sylvia, C.Garland

Emergencies: C.Bizzell, D.Ward, S.Buckley

In: J.Rivers, B.Moloney, T.Johnstone, C.Johnson, R.Petterd, C.Garland

Out: P.Wheatley, M.Whelan, N.Jones, B.Green, Ward, Bizzell

Hmmm, why do I have a feeling that there'll be two late emergencies. Hope I'm wrong but if I'm right that'll be the worst Melbourne side I think I've ever seen. Who would've thought 5 weeks ago that we'd even go close to seeing a side like this...

If anyone comes in, I hope to the Lord it's Simon Buckley.

That would be unreal for the three guys to debut at once and I can't see any reason why we shouldn't - what have we got to lose?

I've been dying to see Buckley play on the big stage since the practice game against Hawthorn I think it was?

I don't understand the criticism of Wheatley. He has been one of our best the last couple of weeks IMO.

BTW, he hasn't been dropped, he's injured along with Whelan, Jones and Green.

Ward and Bizzell have both been dropped, a big statement seeing we've got so many injuries.

because his lazy undisipline football may well have costed us the game vs hawthorn......

goood enough reason for me..... when the going gets tough the tough get going... goodbye wheatley....

Its is great to see petterd, garland and c. johnson get a game. Hope petterd can convert his good form and have a great debut game.

Great to see we are bringing in another foward option, because jamar up in the foward line is useless. I was really hoping to see newton get a game, but either way at least a youngster is playing. Seeing garland come in to the team will hopefully motivate newton and so he can break his way into the side.

C.johnson gets another chance, he better make sure he doesn't waste it, he has to go hard at the ball like when he came in last year against the saints and the eagles and racked up 20 possesions in both games.

I think the criticism of wheatly is his hardness, he just doesn't look like a tough nut and his skills aren't the greatest, he is being over taken by youngsters who show a lot more improvement than him

and C'mon col sylvia find your feet at afl level just like mclean, just keep the hard work up and the results will come

its a massive ask agianst the swans especially at the scg for the young kids i hope people dont put too much on their games

the bizz out is a shocker! absolute shocker!

ditto

and C'mon col sylvia find your feet at afl level just like mclean, just keep the hard work up and the results will come

You make it sound so easy

The poor kid has the body of an 86 year old

You make it sound so easy

The poor kid has the body of an 86 year old

He'll find his fitness and his youth, he just needs time. Col has the ability, if he has the desire, commitment and puts in the hard work he will become a star

next best news before saturday night is that doggy pulls out and buckley gets a game!!

i like the kids coming in, i like the waste being dropped

i like no neitz coming in, let him recover, good choice by ND

because his lazy undisipline football may well have costed us the game vs hawthorn......

goood enough reason for me..... when the going gets tough the tough get going... goodbye wheatley....

Oh, you mean the game he dislocated his shoulder and kept playing.

Oh, you mean the game he dislocated his shoulder and kept playing.

no the game where he fell into the back and gave away a certain goal in the dying stages of a cruical game.... poor effort....

and he shouldnt be playin if he has shoulder problems anyway.....

and he is crap with or without shoulder problems

Oh, you mean the game he dislocated his shoulder and kept playing.

I don't know why we're even discussing Wheatley.

He wasn't dropped, he is injured.

It was a great effort from him to get back on the ground and defend with one arm on Sunday, but clearly the selectors favour players who have 2 functional arms. Who would have guessed!

I don't know why we're even discussing Wheatley.

He wasn't dropped, he is injured.

It was a great effort from him to get back on the ground and defend with one arm on Sunday, but clearly the selectors favour players who have 2 functional arms. Who would have guessed!

Exactly Jaded, but just to clarify the situation, the original injury was from the Hawthorn game, he then reinjured the same shoulder in the Freo game.

The end is nigh for Clint. There's no way he'll be offered another contract. I'd much rather see Chip being played in the backline when he's fit as part of our sudden 'youth policy'. The Bizz has never recovered from his injury, no fault of his own, but you don't want to get that at the latter stage of your career. Time for new blood and a new broom.

ahh...someone who sees clearly without the tint of melancholy !!

this bold and postive ( esp for ND )

good to see..

dont expect miracles... just a different air about the place :-)

I agree with you belzebub........

I see these selections as a very positive, but rather uncharacteristic move from Daniher.

Although considering the position we are in at the moment, if they didn't debut now, then when exactly would they have?

Hopefully they really show something :D !!!

I am looking forward to being at the SCG and watching the game on Saturday night with a fair amount of renewed optimism, not unnecessarily for a win

(although that would be just grand) but for a glimpse at what we may be developing for the future.

On the other side of the coin, I am genuinely sorry for The Bizz.........

I was also hoping he would get at least some run in what will probably be his last year, as I have always been a fan of his.

And while I didn't think his game was too bad last week, and that he showed more, composure at least, than a few others, the end really is nigh .

No Bizzell.

Disgraceful.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see some new faces but Bizzell in no way deserved to be dropped.

Speaking of faces Biz hasn't really put in a decent game since he had his caved-in.

I'm absolutely stoked with these selections.

Ward and Bizzell out speaks volumes.

I also agree with Fan, Jaded et al about Wheatley. He'd definitely be playing if it wasn't for the injury and deservedly so.

I see these selections as a very positive, but rather uncharacteristic move from Daniher.

Although considering the position we are in at the moment, if they didn't debut now, then when exactly would they have?

Hopefully they really show something :D !!!

very much so Queen.. along with probably yourself ..and dare I say thousands of others I couldnt fathom why you would wait til no real choice to debut some talent. Possibly in an idwwal world you might ease one or two into a side at a go. Goive them a taste, let them show all what possibly they have on the big stage. If positive continue. If not then put them back in teh oven for a whiles longer , then try again waiting til the chioce is forced must diminish choices and permutations.

But without caring much now for the reasons why , Im glad that some fresh feet will take to the turf. Again I expect no miracles but maybe the sheer exuberance of the kids might prove infectious. Its not something we would really want to think, but fresh faces might exert pressure on some of the supposedly more settled ( read lethargic passengers ) and coax them back into a better frame of mind.. Nothing like feeling your possie is threatened to get a few moving :-))) Or put into another perspective, you may not be terribly competitive if theres no real need to compete !!

Go Dees

Just a decent game, anything else is cream

very much so Queen.. along with probably yourself ..and dare I say thousands of others I couldnt fathom why you would wait til no real choice to debut some talent.

Firstly, does the "PLAY THE KIDS" posse have any idea where the actual fitness or readiness to play of any the kids they tout or do they all go gooey just at the Chariots of Fire type romance of having a first gamer regardless of whether the player is fit or ready for AFL and whether there were better options?

For the record, Pettard has just recovered from injury and needed a run a Sandy to establish fitness and continuation of the form he showed pre season. I am gob smacked how he could have played earlier but I am sure the "PLAY THE KIDS" faction has all the answers. Frawley who is out injured would have played earlier if fit. Buckley is still to show he has the consistency at Sandy to deliver at AFL. Newton is not there yet. Weetra has just returned from injury. Garland is a selection that reflects the extent of the injuries to KPPs

Secondly, there are a number of sub 4-year players and experienced players who are both floundering in the absence of key players and dealing with their own form crisis. Hardly a conducive time to intoduce on mass junior players many of whom would have been underdone.

I am sure there will be those that say Collingwood did it and look at them. Collingwood had close to their strongest line up (bar Buckley) and provided a more established platform to ease youngsters into the fray especially as they had given signs that this would be a potential development year given they traded Tarrant.

no the game where he fell into the back and gave away a certain goal in the dying stages of a cruical game.... poor effort....

and he shouldnt be playin if he has shoulder problems anyway.....

and he is crap with or without shoulder problems

He is not that bad! Dont remember seeing u at the game either! Have u even watched the game??

Awesome news! Not only has Ward been dropped, but we'll finally see some debutants too! I don't mind if we get smashed, as I'll be happy seeing some of our future prospects in action!

For what its worth, I really hope that Garland plays well tomorrow - heaven knows we need some decent key position players coming through

But I think the selection committee got this one wrong. I'd take the 4 points, over giving game time to a player that hasn't earned the jumper yet. Holland or Bizzell should have been played ahead of Garland, especially considering it looks as though its gonna be one scrappy affair.

One player debuting is enough.

im extremely happy to see 2 new faces ....

seriously i never thought ND would do such a thing....

maybe ND is changing LOL

its a real shame jones is injured

lets be honest i think ward brown and probably wheatley even though hes been the best by far of the 3 shouldn't really be playing gave a way a free against hawks that i think cost us the game ferguson and warnock should be on the back line ( im still not convinced that warnock should be playing with us )

i also see that bukley was emergency ... nearly 3 in 1 weeks amazing he must be pushing for selection soon maybe?