4 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I'm not sure a better option is on our list.

Hibberd 

1 hour ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

I think the modern vernacular is, 'Well, that pivoted!'

i can shorten for you.

best 22 - Gawn and Salem out

Hibbo has to come in, we need his hardness and aggression in the backline. 

Edited March 27, 20232 yr by MrFreeze

6 hours ago, Flower Magic said:

Haven't read the whole thread, but the popular out for May (if fit) seems to be Tomlinson. I disagree strongly, Petty should go even if he's fit to play. Thommo has played far better than Petty in both matches and is more versatile. Petty has looked really poor on many occasions because he panics when out of position and his sure marking seems to have temporarily deserted him. I can't recall him spoiling either. McDonald will get another chance but JVR must be a near certainty to get a run against the lesser teams in forthcoming rounds. Grundy proved he is fit enough to ruck nearly all game so given Goody's reluctance to change the team, I think May will be the only inclusion, with Petty out.

Or move Petty forward and drop TMac? Just a thought hey

4 minutes ago, MrFreeze said:

Hibbo has to come in, we need his hardness and aggression in the backline. 

who would you drop? Judd Mc?

So it’s Gawn , Thommo, Harmes and Melksham out

JVR, Hibberd, May , Jordan in

Edited March 27, 20232 yr by DeeZee

29 minutes ago, DeeZee said:

So it’s Gawn , Thommo, Harmes and Melksham out

JVR, Hibberd, May , Jordan in

tommo stiff as

out - Gawn Harmes

in - JVR May

13 minutes ago, DeeZee said:

So it’s Gawn , Thommo, Harmes and Melksham out

JVR, Hibberd, May , Jordan in

I think May comes in for Tommo Hibberd to come in for Harmes The Gawn replacement will be interesting do they go with an extra midifelder in Laurie and Jordon and keep faith with McDonald as the second ruck or do they bring in van Rooyen. I'm not sure they can play together maybe they can time will tell. Jordon or Laurie will take Melksham's spot.

Out:

Tommo, Harmes and Gawn

In:

May, JJ and JVR

We have to be very careful about JVR and T-Macs work load in the ruck though.  I actually think Schache is better suited for that role but unavailable.

Tommo is unlucky but May is a lock.  Hibbard has had a good game in the VFL but the backline has been ok,  I wouldn't be against Brayshaw going back into the middle and Hibbo getting his flank/pocket.

Harmes just hasn't got the runs on the board atm and I think rd 1 if Salem, May, Viney and Fritch were fit he probs wasn't in the B22.

1 hour ago, MrFreeze said:

Hibbo has to come in, we need his hardness and aggression in the backline. 

And experience especially under heat

23 minutes ago, Travy14 said:

Out:

Tommo, Harmes and Gawn

In:

May, JJ and JVR

We have to be very careful about JVR and T-Macs work load in the ruck though.  I actually think Schache is better suited for that role but unavailable.

Tommo is unlucky but May is a lock.  Hibbard has had a good game in the VFL but the backline has been ok,  I wouldn't be against Brayshaw going back into the middle and Hibbo getting his flank/pocket.

Harmes just hasn't got the runs on the board atm and I think rd 1 if Salem, May, Viney and Fritch were fit he probs wasn't in the B22.

Didnt we try Gus in the middle in one or two of the finals?  Seem to recall it was a bit of a fail

Kozzy out is a real bummer at the mo as any others going through the middle dont have the zip and finish that he brings.  Cat amongst the pidgeons for the oppo.

Edited March 27, 20232 yr by Demon Dynasty

8 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Didnt we try Gus in the middle in one or two of the finals?  Seem to recall it was a bit of a fail

Kozzy out is a real bummer at the mo as any others going through the middle dont have the zip and finish that he brings.  Cat amongst the pidgeons for the oppo.

Gus was outstanding in the middle in our last 4 games before finals.  And was actually pretty good in the finals also. 

He is a very handy 4th midfielder in the rotation, agree Kossie is a big loss and a massive point of difference especially with changing angles.

 

B: Lever, May, McVee

HB: Bowey, Petty, Rivers

C: Hunter, Brayshaw, Langdon

HF: Petracca, McDonald, Neal-Bullen

F: Fritsch, Brown, Spargo

FOLL: Grundy, Oliver, Viney

IC: Hibberd, Laurie, Sparrow, Chandler

SUB: Jordon

I think it will be wise to play an extra midfielder against the Swans considering our midfield woes last week. McDonald and van Rooyen aren't ruckmen so they will lose the tap outs anyway.

 

Reserves

B: Adams, Tomlinson, D.Smith

HB: K.Turner, D.Turner, Buntine

C: Howes, Dunstan, Sheppard

HF: Moniz-Wakefield, van Rooyen, Melksham

F: Sestan, Jefferson, Grey

FOLL: Bell, Harmes, Munro

IC: Gregory, Valentine, Steele, Burgoyne, Cross

5 hours ago, Travy14 said:

Gus was outstanding in the middle in our last 4 games before finals.  And was actually pretty good in the finals also. 

He is a very handy 4th midfielder in the rotation, agree Kossie is a big loss and a massive point of difference especially with changing angles.

 

On the few occasions he did get played in the guts in 2022, whch im pretty sure was the match or two (maybe three?) after his big contract signing (where it was suggested he asked to be played there more often as part of his contract lol), it is my understanding that he was sluggish, sloppy and got caught a number of times ie;  the experiment was as fail (in that instance).

And that following that experimental horribilis, thereafter he didnt play any significant time through there bar occasional brief cameos.

You may be getting confused with 2018 where i believe he looked and (from memory) was quite effective in the middle when he was given a bit more time through there, i believe as a result of JV's absence for a while due to injury.

JV then returned later in the season and pushed him out with some suggesting that Gus was the better of the two through the middle that season.

13 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Salem... 6-8 weeks !!!

Hell

When did this happen???? Was close last week had a minor knee strain and goes out not by the dreaded 4 to 6 but ^6to 8 Geeeesus!!!!

7 hours ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Didnt we try Gus in the middle in one or two of the finals?  Seem to recall it was a bit of a fail

Kozzy out is a real bummer at the mo as any others going through the middle dont have the zip and finish that he brings.  Cat amongst the pidgeons for the oppo.

Gus moved back to the midfield last season but went to the backline to cover while Salo was injured. His best position is..... everywhere.

I reckon Tomlinson would be extremely stiff to miss out given the way he's been playing but its difficult to find a spot in the team for him. May comes straight in for him.

I like the Hibbo v Papley matchup which probably means either Harmes or McVee come out and really comes down to whether we want an extra midfield/forward rotation (Harmes) or want to add to our backline (McVee). We could play Harmes and use McVee as the sub but I reckon we should play McVee instead of Harmes then it frees up Brayshaw to rotate into the midfield. Thommo could be the sub in case we lose a tall and then gives us the flexibility to play Petty or May forward if we become desperate.

Edited March 27, 20232 yr by chookrat

Not confident this week.

Feel like we are flaky, when it doesn't go our way we fall to bits.

Again all these comments about TMac but nothing about BBB. BBB played well yes? Maybe because TMac is doing his role? Not every player has to get 30+ disposals and kick 3 goals, even in the forwards line. What about Clarrys game? That was very Tom Mitchell like. Horrible disposal, dump kicks, weak tackles. No I don't want Clarry dropped but it's not all TMacs or Melkys or any one person's fault. We lost our Captain in the first 5 minutes, it rattled them, they feared the worst just like us. Imagine how Viney felt knowing he was the one that did it?

My point is we have to be better at overcoming what we can't control and concentrate better on what we can.

It is that time of the year to make Sam Reid look like Plugger! 
 

9 hours ago, DubDee said:

tommo stiff as

out - Gawn Harmes

in - JVR May

Agree. Thought Tommo got swept up in the overall bad performance, made some mistakes but did another serviceable job. Appeared to spend most of the night minding Hipwood who had 7 touches and no goals.

7 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

B: Lever, May, McVee

HB: Bowey, Petty, Rivers

C: Hunter, Brayshaw, Langdon

HF: Petracca, McDonald, Neal-Bullen

F: Fritsch, Brown, Spargo

FOLL: Grundy, Oliver, Viney

IC: Hibberd, Laurie, Sparrow, Chandler

SUB: Jordon

I think it will be wise to play an extra midfielder against the Swans considering our midfield woes last week. McDonald and van Rooyen aren't ruckmen so they will lose the tap outs anyway.

 

Reserves

B: Adams, Tomlinson, D.Smith

HB: K.Turner, D.Turner, Buntine

C: Howes, Dunstan, Sheppard

HF: Moniz-Wakefield, van Rooyen, Melksham

F: Sestan, Jefferson, Grey

FOLL: Bell, Harmes, Munro

IC: Gregory, Valentine, Steele, Burgoyne, Cross

Joel Smith injured again Werridee?

10 hours ago, DubDee said:

who would you drop? Judd Mc?

That would be my choice

15 hours ago, adonski said:

Hugely disappointed that Verrall will miss an extended period was hoping to get plenty of games into him as I think he really does have potential.

To beat Sydney, you have to play a fast high-pressure brand of footy for 120 minutes. Unfortunately, last week our team turned up for 12 minutes after the lights went off.

That will not be nearly good enough to win this game. Time for a big response IMO.

It's going to be an absolute arm wrestle. both teams missing their big contested marking force around the ground in Reid and Gawn makes for an interesting Dynamic 

on the flip side BBB seems to have found some very solid form he hasn't really had as a Dee, Fritsch will be better after the run last week and Trac and Oliver are building nicely. 

I think if we manage to win this game it'll really help set our season up and give the lads some believe we can do some damage regardless of which players are in or out.