PREGAME: Rd 03 vs Sydney

[Roost it far 8,255]

2 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

The impact on Gawn I’m most worried about is when he goes to CHF and provides a magnet for quick long kicks. We should be able to cover him in the ruck and it’s about time our backline stood up without him too.

The point I’m making is I think it’s a ‘must play well’ and I want to see our system hold up. If we come up a few goals short but play the right well I won’t be too worried because we’re missing a couple and it’s April.
 

If we play stodgy defensive [censored] and fall short I’ll be worried nothing has changed from last year. 

I'm the opposite on Gawn. I think we're at risk of going into our shell and not attacking through the corridor because we don't have Gawn a kick behind play. This is doubly so because Salem and Kossie are out. If the Swans keep the ball away from Bowey then who's kicking it out of the back half to the corridor knowing if they miss there's also no Gawn backup. I'm thinking the Swans clamp down on Bowey for this very reason. If the Swans go 3-4 goals up early do you think we have the dare to roll through the corridor? I'm still thinking we win this but......

Edited March 29, 2023 by Roost it far

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,817]

1 hour ago, Gawndy the Great said:

Im swinging between both possible outcomes quite frequently. On one hand, im expecting quite a significant response from the whole team. I expect hard running and frantic pressure, but on the other hand im also not sure what type of melbourne team is going to show up. 

 

That's not a great sign for a club that was supposed to be in contention for a flag this year. (and I don't disagree with you)

At this point in time, the only two sets of contending supporters that know what type of team are going to show up are Sydney and Collingwood right now.

Sydney lost a GF but have won 11 of their last 12, while Collingwood have won 15 of their last 18. And just as importantly, they put out a product that is successful and predictable to their supporters.

[picket fence 17,145]

3 hours ago, layzie said:

At least Sam Reid won't be there to destroy us. 

I think LADHAMS is also OUT!!

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

1 hour ago, loges said:

If not JVR this week then when? It would be a poor decision to leave him out imo .

Gotta give this fella his first look and with Sydney's ruck stocks way off their best the timing couldn't better.

JVR for Melk is also a no brainer on the pressure dept with Melk not exactly a renowned pressure forward.  JVR isn't shiiite hot here either but he's a fair way ahead of Macca and BBB.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

45 minutes ago, picket fence said:

I think LADHAMS is also OUT!!

Something about a split webbing issue Mr Fence yes?

[Demon Disciple 12,119]

32 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Something about a split webbing issue Mr Fence yes?

Well he is a swan I guess

[Dr. Gonzo 24,208]

4 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Grand Prix crowd might be 130,000 people. Let’s say 50% of them are footy fans, and 10% of that number are Melb or Swans fans. Suddenly you’ve lost 6,500 from the Sunday crowd. Not to mention people will choose to stay home so they have 2 screens going.

Its a stitch up of a fixture.

10% seems slightly high for a Melb/Syd crowd - surely most F1 followers are Richmond, Collingwood or Footscray supporters 🤣

[Demonland 72,161]

 

[dazzledavey36 54,863]

I tend to agree with Joey here. If Grundy is going to be the number 1 man then he simply needs to show his worth.

These shots from the weekend show that we simply need him to either get behind the ball when we need him to be but also present as a target. Seeing McInerney run off him doesn't exactly paint him well either.

1 mark in 2 games for an two time All Australian is not good enough. Backing him this weekend against Sydney to show why we brought him into the club.

 

[Guest]

9 hours ago, picket fence said:

TRAINING AT CASEY TOMMORROW IM RELIABLY INFORMED!

Not sure yet PF, but my training go-to thinks there’s no training at Casey tomorrow. He thinks it’s on Friday at Gosch’s. He’s waiting to hear back from the Club.  

[picket fence 17,145]

Interesting WCW I went to Casey yesterday and through the fence ( as usual, spied Richo and asked him and he said At Casey Thursday. Hope he wasnt spinning a line!!

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Interesting WCW I went to Casey yesterday and through the fence ( as usual, spied Richo and asked him and he said At Casey Thursday. Hope he wasnt spinning a line!!

He’s probably right. I can’t see why he’d give you a bum steer. But if I hear anything different I’ll let you know. 👍🏽

[picket fence 17,145]

1 minute ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

He’s probably right. I can’t see why he’d give you a bum steer. But if I hear anything different I’ll let you know. 👍🏽

Maybe he knows the Fence lurks!?

[old55 23,548]

https://squiggle.com.au/game/?gid=34285

Somewhat surprisingly the vast majority of computer models have us favourites

[Gawndy the Great 9,011]

5 hours ago, picket fence said:

I think LADHAMS is also OUT!!

Injured?

[layzie 33,794]

What's going on?

[Elwood 3184 1,301]

2 hours ago, Demonland said:

 

There’s nothing in that article suggesting that Ladhams will not play on Sunday.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Elwood 3184

[layzie 33,794]

5 minutes ago, Elwood 3184 said:

There’s nothing in that article suggesting that Ladhams will not play on Sunday.

Reckon it's bullplop?

[fr_ap 2,478]

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I tend to agree with Joey here. If Grundy is going to be the number 1 man then he simply needs to show his worth.

These shots from the weekend show that we simply need him to either get behind the ball when we need him to be but also present as a target. Seeing McInerney run off him doesn't exactly paint him well either.

1 mark in 2 games for an two time All Australian is not good enough. Backing him this weekend against Sydney to show why we brought him into the club.

 

He's not a marking player, I don't know how many times this needs to be repeated. Collingwood fans know it all too well. Any expectation that he's going to take 5+ marks a game with a good % contested is just wrong - he's not that player and at 28 he's not going to be. 

[JimmyGadson 3,455]

If we bring our best, we win. 

Over to you Melbourne. We're without a player who is arguably the most important link to our side. 

This game will be won on desire at the contest, ball and man with ball. Nothing else. 

How much do you want it Melbourne? And what tinkering will you do this week Goody that will catch the Swans off-guard? If we are just expecting to play our way, without Gawn and the Swans bring the heat you know they'll bring then we simply will not win. 

I can forgive a number of our top performing midfielders for one bad week. However players like Harmes need to simply be dropped. He is so underwhelming it's unbelievable and has just never consistently improved enough over the years. 2018 is one consistent year, that's not enough. He runs around with half arsed efforts at the man with ball giving away soft free kicks and doing nothing of value with the ball in hand. Not only that, he had zero impact checking a Brisbane mid. 

Bizarre. 

Throw Rivers back into a mid rotation as a point of difference, bring back a hungry Hibberd and May. Harmes and T Mac you're both out and it's time to Blood JVR. 

Calls for Jordan coming in are premature and off the money. We are coming up against a speedy and classy swans outfit. Jordan was great for our boring long down the line play last year but this year we cannot carry another predominantly inside and slow decision making mid in Jordan. Viney is enough for that. 

Intensity and passion. 

Bring it Melbourne, no excuses. You know what Sydney will bring.

[fr_ap 2,478]

9 hours ago, layzie said:

At least Sam Reid won't be there to destroy us. 

Watch Hayden McClean take his mantle...I can feel it

[DubDee 25,847]

9 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Grand Prix crowd might be 130,000 people. Let’s say 50% of them are footy fans, and 10% of that number are Melb or Swans fans. Suddenly you’ve lost 6,500 from the Sunday crowd. Not to mention people will choose to stay home so they have 2 screens going.

Its a stitch up of a fixture.

christ didn’t realise about the car race

surely melbourne supporters are too refined to watch cars race in a circle for 60 laps?

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 5,118]

3 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I tend to agree with Joey here. If Grundy is going to be the number 1 man then he simply needs to show his worth.

These shots from the weekend show that we simply need him to either get behind the ball when we need him to be but also present as a target. Seeing McInerney run off him doesn't exactly paint him well either.

1 mark in 2 games for an two time All Australian is not good enough. Backing him this weekend against Sydney to show why we brought him into the club.

 

Rather damning. Doesn't look like something that a switch can be flicked on 😬

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 5,118]

1 hour ago, fr_ap said:

He's not a marking player, I don't know how many times this needs to be repeated. Collingwood fans know it all too well. Any expectation that he's going to take 5+ marks a game with a good % contested is just wrong - he's not that player and at 28 he's not going to be. 

But the point if that particular analysis was, I think, that he wasn't at, or even trying to get to, where he was needed - or where his opponent was getting to?

But prove me/them/all wrong Brodie!

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 5,118]

10 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Grand Prix crowd might be 130,000 people. Let’s say 50% of them are footy fans, and 10% of that number are Melb or Swans fans. Suddenly you’ve lost 6,500 from the Sunday crowd. Not to mention people will choose to stay home so they have 2 screens going.

Its a stitch up of a fixture.

Worse still, a good handful of South Melbourne-ites will be looking for somewhere more amenable to be.

MCG?