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PREGAME: Rd 01 vs Western Bulldogs

Demonland
in Melbourne Demons

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Just now, spirit of norm smith said:

Bulldogs love pace. That’s how they beat us at Docklands last year.  I think they see us as beatable again with forwards and pace.  Tough one with 4 of our best 12 players.  

I thought they beat us at the G last year and we beat them at Marvel 🤔

 

What backline would everyone prefer this week 

Round 1 2022 

J.smith S. May J. Hunt 

J. Bowey A. Tomlinson A. Brayshaw/T. Rivers

or this weeks 

J. Lever H. Petty J mcvee 

J. Bowey A. Tomlinson A. Brayshaw/T. Rivers

i took Salem out of the 22 line up as he was injured in 1st quarter, even without May I still think we have enough to cover the dogs 

    • Like 2

    Notable absentees: Steven May, Jack Viney, Bayley Fritsch, Christian Salem

    That's 4 of our top 10 or so players missing, including our key back and forward. May out is massive, our backline is just ordinary without him as the general, and the absences of Viney and Fritsch take the edge off around the ground and up forward.

    It'll take a miracle to win this, all those outs to key players have turned us into Essendon or something.

    • Like 1
     
    1 minute ago, AzzKikA said:

    I thought they beat us at the G last year and we beat them at Marvel 🤔

    That happened in our premiership year.

    • Like 1

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    1 minute ago, brendan said:

    What backline would everyone prefer this week 

    Round 1 2022 

    J.smith S. May J. Hunt 

    J. Bowey A. Tomlinson A. Brayshaw/T. Rivers

    or this weeks 

    J. Lever H. Petty J mcvee 

    J. Bowey A. Tomlinson A. Brayshaw/T. Rivers

    i took Salem out of the 22 line up as he was injured in 1st quarter, even without May I still think we have enough to cover the dogs 

    I’d take this years line up but it’s comparing apples to oranges given their tall lineup this season. 

    1 minute ago, Demonland said:

     

    B: Taylor Duryea, Liam Jones, Caleb Daniel
    HB: Bailey Dale, Alex Keath, Ed Richards
    C: Bailey Williams, Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae
    HF: Bailey Smith, Aaron Naughton, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan
    F: Anthony Scott, Sam Darcy, Rory Lobb
    R: Tim English, Tom Liberatore, Adam Treloar
    Int: Jason Johannisen, Josh Bruce, Mitch Hannan, Oskar Baker

    Emerg: Buku Khamis, Toby McLean, Jordon Sweet, Hayden Crozier

    Considering we have a stack of unproven talent - Chandler, Laurie, Mcvee and probably Tomlinson (jury's out) and they've added a seasoned ruck forward and full back, I think they are clearly the stronger side on paper. Not sure why we are saying 'their depth must be in trouble' with Baker when we're starting Chandler who's no more accomplished and a member of the same Casey premiership side 

    • Like 1
    6 hours ago, Red But Mostly Blue said:

    Silly?

    Give me a spell. There aren't many other clubs missing the number and caliber of guys that we are. No?

    I get injuries during the year. They happen. But given we were so banged up towards the mid/end of last year, it worries me that we ALREADY have injuries to 4 of our top 10 BEFORE the year has even started. Not a couple. Not our depth players. Our elite. 

    I DO LIKE, however, that we are acting conservatively with these guys. Perhaps I can reframe that maybe it is decisions like these that may mean we are not so banged up, again, at the end of the year. At least I hope we won't be facing the same issues post Burgess. 

    Salem is a Thyroid issue, so that leaves three.

    Fritsch had someone land on his foot, could happen anytime!

    May 30 plus a calf issue, common for older players!

    Slight over reaction to our injuries!

     
    1 minute ago, spirit of norm smith said:

    Bulldogs love pace. That’s how they beat us at Docklands last year.  I think they see us as beatable again with forwards and pace.  Tough one with 4 of our best 12 players.  

    It's a tricky match up, especially as they still have a lot of elite ball users in their back half and midfield. They'll definitely miss having decent crumbers in their forward line though.

    36 minutes ago, Winter Dan said:

    Perhaps we put JVR in as sub and if things arent going well, we sub him in and put TMac back. 

    Nailed it. Has to be the strategy given the starting 22.


    1 minute ago, fr_ap said:

    Considering we have a stack of unproven talent - Chandler, Laurie, Mcvee and probably Tomlinson (jury's out) and they've added a seasoned ruck forward and full back, I think they are clearly the stronger side on paper. Not sure why we are saying 'their depth must be in trouble' with Baker when we're starting Chandler who's no more accomplished and a member of the same Casey premiership side 

    Chandler and Laurie….I’d have had Sauce Baker ahead of both at this stage of their careers. Agree with you

    Tomlinson ????? You have got to be joking. This cannot be real.

    On 3/15/2023 at 9:53 AM, sisso said:

    Luckily the Bulldogs haven't got any tall forwards....wait what?

    I’m helluva more excited 😜 by our debutants than the bullies. Premium Michelins for the Jaguar v retreads on the Trabant.

    Edited by Tarax Club

    • Like 1

    Hmmm, seeing that line up of the dogs isn't as strong as I thought it would be. Not anything super scary in their back 6, nothing on that bench that is all that alarming, we match or beat their midfield but we have better depth to run through there... They got a good trade with Jones, but I still fail to see what Lobb offered them, they lost Hunter and bought in Baker (with respect) but thats not a positional upgrade for them.  

    Yes they are going in with the 4 talls, but they don't really have other options, it's not just a case of Bevvo being bold. I honestly think they are the best players they can field...

    Thommo for us is a bit of a surprise, but it's round 1, will back in the selection committee.

    Dees by 21.

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1
    6 minutes ago, bing181 said:

    Notable absentees: Steven May, Jack Viney, Bayley Fritsch, Christian Salem

    That's 4 of our top 10 or so players missing, including our key back and forward.

    Yep, any opposition side would be thrilled with that luck, i'm currently in the process of negotiating with my self that we shouldnt be favourites and its ok if we dont get up wk 1. 

    Resetting expectation. 


    7 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

    Considering we have a stack of unproven talent - Chandler, Laurie, Mcvee and probably Tomlinson (jury's out) and they've added a seasoned ruck forward and full back, I think they are clearly the stronger side on paper. Not sure why we are saying 'their depth must be in trouble' with Baker when we're starting Chandler who's no more accomplished and a member of the same Casey premiership side 

    They have Jones as an upgrade at full back, they did not need Lobb, it's still bizarre why they chased him so hard. 
    Why compare Baker to Chandler. Compare Baker to Hunter. Chandler has worked hard and deserves the chance in the team. McVee has been rewarded for a solid preseason.  Laurie and Tomlinson are surprises I admit, but even without May, Salem, Fritter and Viney Cannot agree the dogs are stronger on paper.  

    Tomlinson has been selected so lets all just get on board and support and encourage him.

    This negativity is getting tiresome.

    • Like 16
    • Clap 1

    The way we will be rotating players through our midfield might just overwhelm the dogs especially as the game goes on I can see it being close then we run away with it simply because our mids like clarry and track will be fresher if they are getting a chop out, bulldogs have lost most of there midfield depth over the off season 

    • Like 2

    1 minute ago, monoccular said:

    Tomlinson has been selected so lets all just get on board and support and encourage him.

    This negativity is getting tiresome.

    Agreed, we're all on the same team wether we like it or not

    • Like 3
    9 minutes ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

    Chandler and Laurie….I’d have had Sauce Baker ahead of both at this stage of their careers. Agree with you

    Ok, but for what role?  Baker plays as a wing, we have Langdon, Hunter, Brayshaw, with JJ & Howes that can play that role for us and arguably better than Baker.  I'm not bagging out Baker here, but Laurie and Chandler are going to play different positions. Compare them perhaps to Anthony Scott or someone like that as a fair comparison. 

     
    5 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

    interesting that it's hamstring not calf for may

    not great, bob!

    Where did you read or hear that? Richo stated he had calf tightness and that’s why he misses this week.


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