PREGAME: Rd 01 vs Western Bulldogs

[Dee Zephyr 19,269]

Would be very happy to have all 3 back for the Brisbane game next week.

[dazzledavey36 55,853]

Glad we're not taking the risk. 

Season is a marathon, not a race.

[Fritta and Turner 4,675]

Getting nervous...

[sisso 2,588]

Makes sense to not drive guys who aren't quite right as we did last season - a change from the Darren Burgess run them into the ground philosophy (which worked great in 2021 admittedly)

Edited March 15, 2023 by sisso

[TRIGON 4,792]

31 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

In the GF May settled a score with Hannan and legally dropped him in play the first quarter.  If he plays fwd he will steer clear of May 🙂

Quite possible; Mitch is supposed to be intelligent.

[DeeSpencer 26,266]

27 minutes ago, Left Foot Snap said:

Hope I am very wrong, but I just don't see 'it" in Laurie.

If he’s picked it’s not really to make a huge impact with the ball, although I’d hope he has some moments of class. He’d be picked because he’s a disciplined and smart off ball runner, he did a pretty good job keeping goal side of the tigers half backs.

[Kick_It_To_Pickett 3,293]

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

Social media let a small clue slip with a prominent Laurie photo.

Logically it with be Laurie or Woey and I think they’ll stick with Laurie as the forward.

Same 22 as the Tigers game.

Doubt they mess around with talls for no reason 

What has Laurie shown at any level in the past 12 months? Genuine question. I thought his pre season matches were awful. He looked well off the pace

[Tarax Club 4,092]

Given the doubts about his chances going forward and whether he’d fit the bill. Recent dispatches about Bailey Laurie, give the distinct impression here is a young fella flying under the radar, about to be given a chance to make it in the big smoke. His game last year with Casey at sCat Park was one of the more noteworthy individual performances of the season IMO. If he gets a gig this Saturday night some of that would be terrific.

Edited March 15, 2023 by Tarax Club
Viva le Smokie!

[Demonland 73,465]

 

[roy11 3,965]

 

Don't have a sub to HS but the photo is Clarry and May.

 

 

[Demonland 73,465]

Hold the phone .....

 

[Demonland 73,465]

19 minutes ago, roy11 said:

Don't have a sub to HS but the photo is Clarry and May.

It's Steven May!!!!!!1111

Melbourne has been hit by a fresh injury setback to star defender Steven May who is in doubt for Saturday night’s season-opener with a calf problem.

In a potentially massive blow for the Demons, May only completed light duties at main training on Wednesday and will have to prove his fitness on Friday to take on the Western Bulldogs and their four-pronged forward line at the MCG.

May looked sore during the warm-up on Wednesday and was limited in his movement before walking off the ground where he spent time on the exercise bike at Casey Fields.

It means he is in a race against time to recover from the calf issue only three days out from the season-opener in another injury problem for the club.

The Demons are already missing Jack Viney, Christian Salem and Bayley Fritsch for their first game of the season.

While the club maintained May could still play against the Dogs, the full-back’s absence casts significant doubt over his availability for the round 1 blockbuster.

Defender Joel Smith trained well on Wednesday and could be called up as May’s replacement.

It is a significant headache for Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin who is planning to stop one of the tallest forward combinations in the league on Saturday night.

The Dogs look set to play Aaron Naughton, Sam Darcy, Rory Lobb and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan in the same attacking line-up as part of a forward combination which could stretch the Melbourne back line.

[DeelightfulPlay 2,673]

10 minutes ago, Demonland said:

It's Steven May!!!!!!1111

Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.

Melbourne has been hit by a fresh injury setback to star defender Steven May who is in doubt for Saturday night’s season-opener with a calf problem.

In a potentially massive blow for the Demons, May only completed light duties at main training on Wednesday and will have to prove his fitness on Friday to take on the Western Bulldogs and their four-pronged forward line at the MCG.

May looked sore during the warm-up on Wednesday and was limited in his movement before walking off the ground where he spent time on the exercise bike at Casey Fields.

It means he is in a race against time to recover from the calf issue only three days out from the season-opener in another injury problem for the club.

The Demons are already missing Jack Viney, Christian Salem and Bayley Fritsch for their first game of the season.

While the club maintained May could still play against the Dogs, the full-back’s absence casts significant doubt over his availability for the round 1 blockbuster.

Defender Joel Smith trained well on Wednesday and could be called up as May’s replacement.

It is a significant headache for Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin who is planning to stop one of the tallest forward combinations in the league on Saturday night.

The Dogs look set to play Aaron Naughton, Sam Darcy, Rory Lobb and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan in the same attacking line-up as part of a forward combination which could stretch the Melbourne back line.

Good God, did somebody kick a leprechaun in the past few days?  Not Maysie!!!

[dazzledavey36 55,853]

May in doubt.

 

[adonski 12,903]

Good things don't happen when we retain our first round pick 

[dazzledavey36 55,853]

13 minutes ago, Demonland said:

It's Steven May!!!!!!1111

Melbourne has been hit by a fresh injury setback to star defender Steven May who is in doubt for Saturday night’s season-opener with a calf problem.

In a potentially massive blow for the Demons, May only completed light duties at main training on Wednesday and will have to prove his fitness on Friday to take on the Western Bulldogs and their four-pronged forward line at the MCG.

May looked sore during the warm-up on Wednesday and was limited in his movement before walking off the ground where he spent time on the exercise bike at Casey Fields.

It means he is in a race against time to recover from the calf issue only three days out from the season-opener in another injury problem for the club.

The Demons are already missing Jack Viney, Christian Salem and Bayley Fritsch for their first game of the season.

While the club maintained May could still play against the Dogs, the full-back’s absence casts significant doubt over his availability for the round 1 blockbuster.

Defender Joel Smith trained well on Wednesday and could be called up as May’s replacement.

It is a significant headache for Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin who is planning to stop one of the tallest forward combinations in the league on Saturday night.

The Dogs look set to play Aaron Naughton, Sam Darcy, Rory Lobb and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan in the same attacking line-up as part of a forward combination which could stretch the Melbourne back line.

I'd be incredibly shocked and bewildered if Joel Smith was his replacement considering he's had zero pre season and zero match fitness.

For me it's either Daniel Turner steps up or they move McDonald back and bring in JVR/Schache as replacement.

[DeeSpencer 26,266]

42 minutes ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

What has Laurie shown at any level in the past 12 months? Genuine question. I thought his pre season matches were awful. He looked well off the pace

It's always hard to judge on ballers from the ground so I couldn't say much about what he did or didn't do v the saints in the first game, but I thought his positioning and work rate was pretty solid against the Tigers.

They could go JJ but he's never looked comfortable at half forward. And I'd consider Taj Woey, but I think Laurie has trained all summer (and years previous) as a half forward and they'll want someone who gets the defensive positioning right.

[DeeSpencer 26,266]

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I'd be incredibly shocked and bewildered if Joel Smith was his replacement considering he's had zero pre season and zero match fitness.

For me it's either Daniel Turner steps up or they move McDonald back and bring in JVR/Schache as replacement.

Yep I was going to say the same, that's Jay Z just taking a guess. McDonald back and JVR in at CHF for me.

[DubDee 26,296]

May with a calf?  [censored] off!

although if they think Joel Smith is the one to come in, it shows how little they know about footy so might be BS

[DubDee 26,296]

4 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Yep I was going to say the same, that's Jay Z just taking a guess. McDonald back and JVR in at CHF for me.

T Mac only very rarely goes back and we need him up front with no Fritsch out

We need to bring a full time defender in for May if he's out.  We have depth

[DubDee 26,296]

4 of our best 8 players out is far from ideal.

[DeeSpencer 26,266]

1 minute ago, DubDee said:

T Mac only very rarely goes back and we need him up front with no Fritsch out

We need to bring a full time defender in for May if he's out.  We have depth

Do we have depth? Tomlinson hasn't been able to win a contest since his knee injury, anyone who saw him play v the Saints wouldn't be picking him.

Disco is a good young prospect but he's best suited filling in for Petty or Lever rather than being tasked to take someone like Lobb or Naughton. His best footy is up the ground intercepting rather than being isolated on bigger and stronger talls.

I don't want to weaken the forward line but with the rucks and BBB we have avenues to goal and height up forward. The 2nd key forward role is more supportive so I'm ok with JVR in that role. Fritsch is a loss regardless but one we'd like to be able to cover with Chandler and a rotation of Tracc/Pickett. 

[Lord Travis 10,793]

MFCSS kicking in here. If we’re missing those 4 well struggle to win this opening match. Viney and Salem less of an impact, but Fritsch and May are big losses. That’s our best defender and best forward out. Disco Turner in? Might not have the size yet to handle those big talls of the dogs. Tomlinson in?

Edited March 15, 2023 by Lord Travis

[Vipercrunch 2,847]

Not great news about May.  I hope we are more conservative with player management this year though so from a big picture point of view, I am ok if he misses.  Not going to try and guess which way the club will go with a replacement.

I'm backing BBB to have a massive first half of the year.  Many of the players interviewed in the last week or so (and some Demonland trackwatchers too) referenced with awe his marking and goal-kicking form he showed in some intraclub match practice, so unless the cool change comes late on Saturday, I'm tipping him to kick 6+ goals and remind Liam Jones just how hard life can be as an AFL defender.

[Jaded No More 68,975]

Curse you Norm Smith / Jack Watts

I need someone to blame for this!