1 hour ago, FarNorthernD said:

Honestly Tomlinson was unlucky to be dropped. Definitely deserves another shot. The backline will miss Lever but will be fine

Well it certainly won’t be a suitable excuse. 

He played through injury last year and when finals came along he was done.

We will be fine. Good teams can manage with injuries.

7 hours ago, Demonstone said:

Why must you be so aggressive and antagonistic in yours posts, @58er?

If this is what you are like in real life, you must be a real pain to be around.

Strange isn't it.

Made that exact point to them not that long after they started posting.

I have vision of someone yelling at clouds.

I'm actually really impressed posters who cop it mostly let it go through to the keeper. 

 

1 hour ago, Kit Walker said:

Tomlinson straight to Stringer

I reckon that is both very likely and a good move.

Hibbo would have got him. But tomo is a good alternative. 

He's strong enough. Can sit on him - and run off him (stringer is not afl fit) and exploit stringer's lack of fitness.

And stringer wont be able to exploit tomo's relative lack of speed and mobility 

And stringer is a good one on one mark when he can use his strength. Tomo's height will help negate that ability. 

1 hour ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

I am amazed that more people dont expect May to play on Stringer when forward. He has been playing generally as a small full forward this year moreso than a mid/high half forward. Brown, TMac, JVR forward. Petty will play the Lever role, Tomlinson the tall back and May on Stringer. 

Fair call.

Assuming stringer does play as a full forward.

He has only played two games this year, so I don't think that is big enough sample size to be confident that will be his role going forward.

May has destroyed franklin and darling in consequetive weeks.

If he lines up on Stringer he will monster him

9 hours ago, 58er said:

BO BO 

Maybe you don't have kids? Maybe you don't read much about the Dees draw in advance ? Maybe you are just not up with the fact that tickets for Gather Round were available about 2/3 mths ago. That rock that you are under sure does a good job or are you a resident of Cooper Pedy perhaps? 

Enjoy oh and Dees play on Sat twilight!! 

What a piece of work you are.

Someone steal your stash of Easter eggs?

13 minutes ago, binman said:

I reckon that is both very likely and a good move.

Hibbo would have got him. But tomo is a good alternative. 

He's strong enough. Can sit on him - and run off him (stringer is not afl fit) and exploit stringer's lack of fitness.

And stringer wont be able to exploit tomo's relative lack of speed and mobility 

And stringer is a good one on one mark when he can use his strength. Tomo's height will help negate that ability. 

Agreed.

Also, Thommo is focussed and calm under pressure, whereas Stringer loses his s*** when the heat is on and things don't go his way

1 hour ago, Demon Jack said:

Equal leading goalkickers so far this year alongside Fritsch with 9 to date.

I know many here have mixed feelings about Brown, but he's been finding the middle of the big sticks this year.

Got no problem with his form, love it. Wondering if he could have been rested another week though. Could be a wet one that night.

2 hours ago, binman said:

I reckon that is both very likely and a good move.

Hibbo would have got him. But tomo is a good alternative. 

He's strong enough. Can sit on him - and run off him (stringer is not afl fit) and exploit stringer's lack of fitness.

And stringer wont be able to exploit tomo's relative lack of speed and mobility 

And stringer is a good one on one mark when he can use his strength. Tomo's height will help negate that ability. 

Has Jake Stringer ever been AFL fit whilst being at Essendon? Feels like his best years were at the dogs and his time at Essendon has just been Meh

The changes make sense - Tomlinson and Petty replace the forced changes in Lever and Hibberd, and Brown replaces Petty in the forward line.

Since losing Gawn we've had a look at a Brown, Petty and JVR forward line, then a TMac, Petty and JVR forward line, and now this week a Brown, TMac and JVR forward line. That's all three combinations and with Gawn now 1-3 weeks away, we're getting a good handle on our options and what we might do to fit him back in.

Having said that, if it's teeming with rain, we may not want all three of Brown, JVR and TMac in the same side. Brown would IMO be the most likely to be a late withdrawal for Melksham or Laurie, if we want to go smaller. 

Genuinely concerned about being too tall at both ends in this weather. 

Especially so if the game isn't played predominantly in our forward half. 

Brown in the wet is just a bit eek

Yeah worried about the extra height.

Anyone sitting with or near the DA on Saturday, there’s been a change. We’ll now be sitting in Bay 124, directly behind the goals (River end) which is the home cheer squad bay. The Port cheer squad have decided to let us have this bay for the duration of our match and they’ll sit in Bay 125. After our match… swapsies. Of course that’s subject to change. 

4 hours ago, BoBo said:

Yeah fair point. Was thinking today, if I had known about this round earlier in the year, I probably would’ve done just that! 

I knew about it Dec 2022 & 4 of us made the decision to drive & booked our accommodation pre xmas. That’s how early the round dates were  announced 

On 4/12/2023 at 4:09 AM, Sir Why You Little said:

Yes it is as easy as Changing Cables   They all use the same Cameras. 
I worked on many outside broadcasts. 
Please don’t tell me TV Stations are not flexible to time slots. They always have standby programs ready 
The Reason for this Farce is for one reason only. To STOP PEOPLE WATCHING NRL. That is it. 
all 9 games should be on Free to Air, all 9 games should be on Cable  

Blanket Coverage for 1 weekend 

It’s a half assed joke

 

At the end of the year, I'd love a tutorial from you SWYL as to how you choose what words should be in capital letters. Capital C for camera, cables and coverage. But lower case j for joke. I am intrigued!

7 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

Having said that, if it's teeming with rain, we may not want all three of Brown, JVR and TMac in the same side. Brown would IMO be the most likely to be a late withdrawal for Melksham or Laurie, if we want to go smaller. 

Laurie had an excellent game at Casey last week and uaually goes ok in the wet.

We wouldn't go with a forward line with four talls in shiiitefest weather surely?

On 4/12/2023 at 7:35 PM, Demon Dynasty said:

Might be better to play Jordan as sub and bring him on for a tall if super ugly

Tracc could then play more time forward once JJ is subbed in

I like this thinking should the weather deteriorate rather poorly. 

BOM. Is predicting 1-20mm of rain on Saturday and we want to go tall still. BBB would not be on that flight unless as coverage incase Tmac or JVR get injured. Petty back, wouldn’t play Thommo. Go smaller, Jordon should be playing. 
I think if we go tall as selected this only helps Essendrug

I am not up with Don’s small forwards as the attention is always Stringer focused but presume if weather dictates we will sub out a tall back or forward early.

Don’t think the predicted conditions will suit TMac nor BBB.

Sure the weather will be a leveller but irrespective we are a much better team than them. Our mids will overpower theirs and force the ball forward. Kossie, chandler, spargs, ANB will take care of the rest. Can’t see them getting enough forward momentum and entries to apply any scoreboard pressure on us. 

hail rain or shine we got this folks. 

Think this is a good game for Jordon but will trust their judgement.

Essendon are likely to only have the resting ruck, and Jones as their main tall targets and Stringer kinda 

I reckon we could get away with going slightly smaller at both ends against the Bomber 

Do we know how long Lever will be out for?

Stop Stringer stop Essendon as far as I'm concerned. He's one of the few who can cause us serious problems.