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PREGAME: Rd 04 vs West Coast

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On 4/3/2023 at 11:15 AM, Action Jackson said:

Salem struggled with injury all year.

Once he is back they need to give Salem a solid training block, plus 3-4 games at Casey before he is up for selection in my view.

A fully fit and firing Salem is in our best side still.

2021 Salem is in our best side. Any other Salem version is not on current form of McVee, Bowey and Rivers. 

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    4 points

    No injuries

    %

    In that order. 

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    5 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

    Yep we should belt them but remember this time last year West coast played the Pies at Docklands with a WAFL squad and did the number on them. Can't take any game lightly and hopefully we display our ruthless edge this week.

    Win first, everything else later.

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    On 4/4/2023 at 1:34 PM, Fat Tony said:

    A low centre of gravity is an advantage when the ball is in close, but the game has evolved into far more of a running game since Peter Daicos and Carey. Heavy set players like Petracca and Martin are the absolute top of the tree, but having that elite power and also being able to cover 10-12km in a game is very unusual.

    I see Sestan as a prospect a bit like Darcy Fogarty for the Crows, who is in his sixth year and finally looking like he could break out and star at AFL level. It took Fogarty five pre-seasons before he was an accretive AFL player, so I think we need to keep our expectations in check for a while.

    I'd like to see some comments from Yze and Chocko in regard to Sestan - a talent well and truly 'on-the-way' who could be enormous with some addition seasoning.

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    1 hour ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

    2021 Salem is in our best side. Any other Salem version is not on current form of McVee, Bowey and Rivers. 

    100%. Dropping Bowey for Salem for our two finals last year was a big mistake. Salem didn’t look quite right and Bowey was immense in our round 23 flogging of Brisbane. Hopefully we’ve learned our lesson, 2019-21 Salem is one of our absolute best. 2022-23 sore Salem needs to get right back to his very best to fight his way in, with our current backline balance I’d even be tempted to move him to a forward/mid role, although there’s stiff competition there too.

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    3 minutes ago, deejammin' said:

    100%. Dropping Bowey for Salem for our two finals last year was a big mistake. Salem didn’t look quite right and Bowey was immense in our round 23 flogging of Brisbane. Hopefully we’ve learned our lesson, 2019-21 Salem is one of our absolute best. 2022-23 sore Salem needs to get right back to his very best to fight his way in, with our current backline balance I’d even be tempted to move him to a forward/mid role, although there’s stiff competition there too.

    Wouldn't say Bowey was immense at all....

    He had 10 disposal for the night and played like someone who was overthinking it knowing that he spot was under pressure.

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    20 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

    I see that the AFL injury site lists five key Eagles as TBC... does that really mean they're a chance.

     

    It can mean, which i think is the case for some WC players listed as TBC, that they don't actually know yet how serious an injury is or how long they might be out. 

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    On 4/2/2023 at 7:28 PM, david_neitz_is_my_dad said:

    IN: Kysaiah Pickett

    OUT (to be sub): Spargo or ANB

    I'm sorry, DNIMD, but can we please stop rubbishing out two excellent forward flankers/pockets? Judging them on how many goals they kick is just old fashioned (although it's great when they do score majors). Nibbler, in particular, and Spargs cover almost as much ground as Lingers and the new winger. They are always helping out down back. If you are looking for a marginal forward to drop, cast your gaze to Melky. 34pc ToG but not a single tackle and 1 goal (after it was all over). Spargs 63pc ToG, 2 goals, 2 tackles. Nibbler, 73pc ToG, 2 tackles, 1 goal (and 308 metres gained!). There are other factors that I can't easily find (pressure acts, metres covered) or cannot be readily put into statistics, but the small forwards are there to pressure the opposition as well as score goals. I don't know how Nibbler became a whipping boy, but I wish it would stop.  Besides, won't Kozzie come in more as a mid-fielder, pointing the dropping stick more at JJ?

    Edited by GOLORDIE

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    Play Kozzie as the Sub..He will be raring to go when opportunity arises. 
    no one in last week’s Win deserves to be dropped. 
     

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    10 minutes ago, GOLORDIE said:

    I'm sorry, DNIMD, but can we please stop rubbishing out two excellent forward flankers/pockets? Judging them on how many goals they kick is just old fashioned (although it's great when they do score majors). Nibbler, in particular, and Spargs cover almost as much ground as Lingers and the new winger. They are always helping out down back. If you are looking for a marginal forward to drop, cast your gaze to Melky. 34pc ToG but not a single tackle and 1 goal (after it was all over). Spargs 63pc ToG, 2 goals, 2 tackles. Nibbler, 73pc ToG, 2 tackles, 1 goal (and 308 metres gained!). There are other factors that I can't easily find (pressure acts, metres covered) or cannot be readily put into statistics, but the small forwards are there to pressure the opposition as well as score goals. I don't know how Nibbler became a whipping boy, but I wish it would stop.  Besides, won't Kozzie come in more as a mid-fielder, pointing the dropping stick more at JJ?

    Nibbler: 13 pressure acts

    Spargo: 10 pressure acts.

     

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    The eagles have won 3 games out of their last 29 games

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    I really hope DL doesn't become a jinxing machine. We got 100+ point margins being predicted in this thread already and now this to sink our superstitious teeth into. 

    Edited by layzie

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    41 minutes ago, david_neitz_is_my_dad said:

    OUT (to be sub): Spargo or ANB

    Hence dropping Melky

    There is ZERO chance Spargo and Nibbler won't be in the starting 22 (unless injured of course).

    I'm not having a shot at you, but i honestly don't get how any dees fan who is passionate enough about the club to post on Demonland, and therefore i assume watch us play regularly, could fail to understand how important Spargo and ANB are and how incredibly unlikely it is either will be dropped or made sub.

    Even if someone doesn't understand how important Spargo and ANB are, surely the fact that the last time either was dropped from the ones was 2020 should be enough evidence they are both absolutely best 22 locks and are going nowhere (maybe ANB was dropped once last year? If so, that is the only game he has missed in two and a bit seasons).

     

    Edited by binman

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    Melksham to the VFL to play a whole match.

    Sparrow to the sub this week.

    Picket to the starting 22.

     

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    14 minutes ago, binman said:

    There is ZERO chance Spargo and Nibbler won't be in the starting 22 (unless injured of course).

    I'm not having a shot at you, but i honestly don't get how any dees fan who is passionate enough about the club to post on Demonland, and therefore i assume watch us play regularly, could fail to understand how important Spargo and ANB are and how incredibly unlikely it is either will be dropped or made sub.

    Even if someone doesn't understand how important Spargo and ANB are, surely the fact that the last time either was dropped from the ones was 2020 should be enough evidence they are both absolutely best 22 locks and are going nowhere (maybe ANB was dropped once last year? If so, that is the only game he has missed in two and a bit seasons).

     

     

    2017 loss to the Essendon VFL side cost us a finals berth. That side's only win for the year as I recall it.

    I like to think flakey performances like that are behind us

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    4 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

    2017 loss to the Essendon VFL side cost us a finals berth. That side's only win for the year as I recall it.

    I like to think flakey performances like that are behind us

    *2016

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    3 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

    Melksham to the VFL to play a whole match.

    Sparrow to the sub this week.

    Picket to the starting 22.

     

    I think this may be it and perhaps a tall like Tomlinson in for Hibbo who appears to be injured. Harsh on Sparrow but Kossie has to come in. TMac may come in for BBB. Over time they may rotate the sub through some of the younger players like JJ and Sparrow to give them a chop out.


    8 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

    2017 loss to the Essendon VFL side cost us a finals berth. That side's only win for the year as I recall it.

    I like to think flakey performances like that are behind us

    7 players remain from that fateful day.

    Interestingly only 4 from Essendon. 

    Edit: It's not that interesting. 

    Edited by layzie

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    It is possible that after 3 weeks Melksham won’t be sub again and will have a full run at Casey not to lose fitness. 
    If we bring Pickett in for BB then we should have Tomlinson as sub. 

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    On 4/2/2023 at 9:59 PM, Big Col said:

    And if Harmes is available, what do we do with him?
     

    I really hope there is a genuine realization from the FD that Jordan is a much more effective, reliable player at the moment compared to Harmes. At least thats what this naive supporter believes

    Hopefully, Harmes is either one of either sub, emergency or lines up for Casey. I hope everything with Harmsy is OK with possibly family member passing away. 

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    1 hour ago, layzie said:

    I really hope DL doesn't become a jinxing machine. We got 100+ point margins being predicted in this thread already and now this to sink our superstitious teeth into. 

    Don't worry layzie the dees don't do 100 point victories. 60 is the max IMO. 

    Does Hibbo go out, Petty back (thus replacing the def) and then Pickett comes in for Hibbo - I think they’ll go with Petty on a case by case basis, I don’t think this is now a permanent thing - especially as he played the defensive forward/nullifying the aerial intercept role…it’s definitely not the last time he plays there, but it might be just a case of moving the magnets around on certain weeks…


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