1 minute ago, Redleg said:

Ordinary batch for a big game.

Isn’t 20 the umpire who awarded about 15 frees to an Adelaide side in Adelaide and none to us, or have I got him mixed up with another umpire?

I  f...f...[censored] hope so Red

Maybe the club wants to get as many games into Salem as possible before the finals.  I may be wrong but didn’t he come back much later in the season last year .  maybe the club thinks he didn’t have enough time to get back to his best. 

4 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Ordinary batch for a big game.

Isn’t 20 the umpire who awarded about 15 frees to an Adelaide side in Adelaide and none to us, or have I got him mixed up with another umpire?

Port fans will tell them which ones to pay.

1 hour ago, SPC said:

Will be a good watch on Salem. I trust the clubs judgement, but he was so out of touch last year when back from injury. Feel he needs a run in the VFL, but we will see. Love the idea of Rivers in the centre more, so if Salem offers that option, then I’m comfortable.

TMAC while limited, offers more forward pressure than BB, rain and slippery conditions also favour him.

Okay ins I guess.

Good perspective 👍🏻

23 minutes ago, Demonland said:

You know their names?

"Know thy enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle."

I learnt his name the night I nearly jumped the fence to murder him. 

52 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Dixon has kicked 12 goals in 10 matches.

Was hoping he was picked... dang 

29 minutes ago, Demonland said:

You know their names?

"Know thy enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle."

What tosh. What if both sides know their enemy and know themselves? Who wins then? Pop culture philosophy Sun Tzu was...

Edited May 18, 20231 yr by Chook

13 minutes ago, Chook said:

What tosh. What if both sides know their enemy and know themselves? Who wins then? Pop culture philosophy Sun Tzu was...

They don’t fight

I have no issue with Salem coming straight back in

He did almost a full preseason, struck down with the thyroid in Feb, then the knee later. Our medics and performance staff know best.

Salem is a gun, watch the GF if you have doubts.  His experience and class at the back is crucial for us, especially with kids like Bowey and McVee. If our medics had any doubt, he obviously wouldn't be coming back in as there is no urgency

1 hour ago, Tarax Club said:

Venit hora Venit homo

Yeah......nahhhhh 

1 hour ago, Jontee said:

Well he hasnt committed to the club and obviously there is an offer on the table.  Why would you put games into someone who is leaving?

The club hasn't fully committed to him. Play him in the 22 every week and that might encourage him to sign. 

No inside info, but I get a feeling the club may rest McVee and bring in Smith. Just a hunch with Salo being named

In the excellent Demonland podcast interview with Selwyn Griffith, Selwyn makes a point about the high performance team striving to have injured players return "AFL ready" (ie without the need to return via VFL). He goes on to describe some of the strategies used to achieve this. 

Seems they didn't get it right with Salem last year. That doesn't mean don't try again. Hopefully, they've learnt from the experience and prepared him better this time. Will make for very a interesting subplot to a great match. 

At the start of the year, I would not have thought Salem, Bowey and McVee play in the same team. Nor Pickett, Spargo, Neal-Bullen and Chandler. Yet here we are with all of them playing. 

Loving the way the club is prioritising fast and accurate ball movement and experimenting with personnel. 

For all you naysayers questioning Salem’s selection…..in Round 1 are we “match fit”? So what’s the difference here? Salem is a gun, he has just come off a mini pre season, fresh as a daisy, watch him go!

6 minutes ago, bobby1554 said:

For all you naysayers questioning Salem’s selection…..in Round 1 are we “match fit”? So what’s the difference here? Salem is a gun, he has just come off a mini pre season, fresh as a daisy, watch him go!

Are we match fit...   well.... at that point in time youve done pres season... practice games and preseason games... 

So....  whats Chistian done lately ??

It's not a trick question...take your time by all means.

By comparison.... it's impossible for Salem.to be...match-fit...    for youve had to have played some recently.  😉

4 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Are we match fit...   well.... at that point in time youve done pres season... practice games and preseason games... 

So....  whats Chistian donee lately ??

It's not a trick question...take your time by all means.

By comparison.... it's impossible for Salem.to be...match-fit...    for youve had to have played some recently.  😉

Clearly enough to get selected by people who know a s..t load more than you and I bud

3 hours ago, Jontee said:

Well he hasnt committed to the club and obviously there is an offer on the table.  Why would you put games into someone who is leaving?

Could be right, though when he plays, JJ is very team orientated. Always first option, role and safe plays. I would expect if he is going, then he would take it on more, and hit the riskier but higher reward plays.

Edited May 18, 20231 yr by kev martin

3 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Wow... genuinely shocked. I know Goody mentioned it in his presser but didn't think it come to fruition.

Where's the selection integrity in all this? No VFL game off the back of a serious injury and comes straight in? Guys like Jordon, Laurie, Harmes all putting in solid performance at VFL level and still get overlooked.

Don't think coaches have learnt anything from last year lol..

I think "selection integrity" is a bit OTT.

Gawn didn't play VFL after a month out, and no one complained (there was a query about him being fit enough to play at any level by Round 6, not "he should play VFL" queries though).

Hibberd and May missed the first few games this year and came straight back into the AFL.

So we know that some players don't come back through the VFL.

Salem's best is elite. We know he's been back at fitness for a few weeks, so he's at least been training at full tilt. I think we can be OK with bringing him back into the AFL rather than the VFL.

So we're replacing Sparrow's midfield minutes with Rivers/Brayshaw (either split between them or just one of them moves into the middle), and then Salem replacing the Rivers/Brayshaw minutes.

Given Sparrow's been a mainstay of the side for a while now, once his suspension is over and assuming no other injuries, there is a lot of pressure on for selection now. 

As for TMac getting Petty's spot - I'm very "meh" on this. I personally think Brown's Round 1-2 form was strong enough to have him back but the FD clearly want him to work on something (you'd imagine it's something to do with his defence/pressure) and don't seem to be interested in picking him until that's sorted out. TMac gets a chance, I hope he takes it. Getting something like 2021 TMac would be such a win. 2022/23 TMac though...

3 hours ago, mauriesy said:

Brown's not selected, even as an emergency.

And this will come back to haunt us deep into September... BOOKMARK IT!😱

13 minutes ago, picket fence said:

And this will come back to haunt us deep into September... BOOKMARK IT!😱

Neither him or Tommy are playing well enough to be selected.

I'm guessing the only reason Tommy is getting the gig ahead of BBB is because he can provide some cover in defence if needed.

9 minutes ago, rjay said:

Neither him or Tommy are playing well enough to be selected.

I'm guessing the only reason Tommy is getting the gig ahead of BBB is because he can provide some cover in defence if needed.

Christ if thats the thinking we are struggling then! T Mac is totally cooked IMO

4 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Christ if thats the thinking we are struggling then! T Mac is totally cooked IMO

Not sure we're struggling but with you on Tommy...looks totally cooked.

Let's hope looks are deceiving & he can turn back the clock.

1 minute ago, rjay said:

Not sure we're struggling but with you on Tommy...looks totally cooked.

Let's hope looks are deceiving & he can turn back the clock.

Okay his new nickname will be TARDIS but I aint banking on it!😆