1 hour ago, praha said:

This game has "Spanked by an interstate team at the MCG" stank about it.

Well, given we are 1.37 to win this game - not much more than what winx was running around at - you should load up on freo.

You win either way then.

2 hours ago, JimmyGadson said:

Agree regarding Kozzie. I can't understand it. 

The other bug bear of mine is our lack of cohesion and role through the midfield at the moment. 

To me, we look like we're reverting back to the same old 'see ball get ball' style of play within our midfield group which means our midfield shape just falls to pieces and if we're not clean with that first possession in tight, we're cooked on the outside and the oppo gain a clearance and not only a clearance, but clean clearance without much pressure. 

Big worry. 

I don't know what our mids are told atm but to me it just doesn't look like there's a whole lot of cohesion. 

I'd love to see plan put in place on the weekend so that one of Serong and Brayshaw are marked. We have a defensive marking mid who holds space if their opponent is out of the action, a head to head play ball player and an offensive mid in the Petracca mould. Gawn and Grundy need to get more physical and bring a serious presence. 

I'd give Sparrow a defensive role on Serong and tell him to get physical. I'd have Viney go head to head with Brayshaw and tell him to play ball and hard and I'd give Petracca a licence to get on the move at a stoppage. 

Pickett can play Tracs role when he comes in, Brayshaw to play Sparrow's role and Riv can go head to head with Andy Brayshaw. 

Challenge them to beat their opponents. 

I’ve also felt that “bees to the honeypot” has crept back into our midfield over the past few weeks.  I think the biggest culprit is Brayshaw when he’s in the middle / stoppage. I’m gonna watch for this and him carefully this week. 

My indigenous guernsey and Narrm beanie arrived in the mail in Amsterdam today! Both look fantastic, can't wait to wear the guernsey this weekend, though I'll keep the beanie in the closet til winter. Can't wait for this weekend's match.

14 hours ago, Orion said:

If we have to resort to Joel Smith as a forward we've got big problems 

Skase.

8 hours ago, praha said:

This game has "Spanked by an interstate team at the MCG" stank about it.

No it doesn’t.

Heavily on notice this week,

T.Mac , Van Rooyen, Langdon

On Notice

Kossy, Bowser,Grundy,Spargo

IMO! 

Brayshaw, Serong and O'Meara haven't watched a collective 60-plus hours of video packages of Butters, Rozee and Horne-Francis last week pulling apart the effectiveness of the lauded Demons' midfielders in Oliver, Petracca and Viney
 

courtesy of our friend Damien “the demons hater” Barrett

I just hope we win this week. We need to be better in the midfield to do so.

I love the narrative around football.  Melbourne haven’t beaten anyone, Freo have found form.  Freo have beat a completely wounded Swans and Cats 

What a boring, predictable and underwhelming side. 20 months on from the 2021 grand final and Goodwin is still nursing that group of players. 18 premiership players named, plus the GF sub is likely to be sub again on Saturday.

Of the four missing premiership players: Oliver and Petty would clearly be playing if fit, and Jackson obviously plays if he was still at the club. That means one player (Brown) has lost his spot in the team in 20 months.

No wonder we look tired and stale, and every other team has worked us out. What it will take for Goodwin to try something different?

42 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Heavily on notice this week,

T.Mac , Van Rooyen, Langdon

On Notice

Kossy, Bowser,Grundy,Spargo

IMO! 

Maybe so but where are the replacements?

8 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Maybe so but where are the replacements?

And where are the refreshments? 

27 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Brayshaw, Serong and O'Meara haven't watched a collective 60-plus hours of video packages of Butters, Rozee and Horne-Francis last week pulling apart the effectiveness of the lauded Demons' midfielders in Oliver, Petracca and Viney
 

courtesy of our friend Damien “the demons hater” Barrett

Is he wrong though ??? 

17 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Maybe so but where are the replacements?

SMITH

BBB

WOEWODIN

TURNER

MELKSHAM

People get so offended by people in the media paid to make opinions. 

For me my biggest concerns are 

1 : disposal by hand and foot. So many kicks just thrown on the boot and bombed fwd. Our entries inside fwd 50 haven’t improved. Can we try Bowey up on a fwd flank to try and improve this? 
Our handballs seem to take for ever to get to their destination allowing the opposition time to cover. You often here of the Bulldogs bullet like handballs.

2 : Players in the wrong positions on the ground. Where are our smalls at the drop of the ball. Or players not knowing when to hang back to receive the handball or go in and help. 
 

3 : Way too predictable. When we kick out opposition teams will now almost circle Gawn / Grundy, try and force the ball to ground, then gather the ball and run in numbers.

We need to look at how Collingwood is currently playing or we can write this year off. We need to play the first 2 qtrs with a play on / run at all costs style of play,  be daring and use corridor. This comes with its fair share of turn overs but we’re good enough defensively and this style of play really rattles teams. Then ideally with a decent lead we can slow things down a bit.

 

Petty's absence should not be underestimated.

I was surprised when I saw it was Harmes in rather than Jordon. However, upon reflection, I wonder whether the Match Committee was worried about the relative inexperience of Sparrow and Jordon compared with the combined experience of what we lose with Oliver and Hunter both being out. Especially given the continued inclusion (which I am not criticising) of McVee, van Rooyen and Bowey.  

It's a fascinating watch this weekend to see how we line up. We have selected 8 potential defenders (Brayshaw, Salem, Rivers, Bowey, McVee, Lever, May and Hibberd) so who out of that lot plays midfield, wing or somewhere else? 

To win this one, our defence will need to be impenetrable. May and Lever will need to play strong games.

Max will need to dominate in the ruck and around the ground. Last time they beat us, it was in the air. Surprised not to see another tall defender, but maybe Max will drift back. 
Taking my young daughter who is pumped, weekend in the city, so looking forward to getting out of Ballarat cold to enjoy Melbourne cold. 
Go Dees!! 

36 minutes ago, Winners at last said:

Petty's absence should not be underestimated.

It’s hurting us at both ends of the ground. 
Underrated king. 

11 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I was surprised when I saw it was Harmes in rather than Jordon. However, upon reflection, I wonder whether the Match Committee was worried about the relative inexperience of Sparrow and Jordon compared with the combined experience of what we lose with Oliver and Hunter both being out

Possibly, also think the 'in-case-of-emergency-tag' option of Harmes could be useful against their midfield. Maybe feeling a bit burnt after last week

I’m getting vibes that Woey jnr will be the sub this weekend. 
Whilst I hate the idea of a debut coming off the bench as sub, I still think it’ll happen. 

Do the emergencies not used go to Casey game at Werribee, which is starting at same time?

 

12 minutes ago, Bystander said:

Do the emergencies not used go to Casey game at Werribee, which is starting at same time?

 

two of them usually would stay until the AFL game has started. In theory they could be at Werribee and warmed up in time to come on in the second half. This would mean Casey would be two players short for a half.

All in all I can't see it happening

3 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

two of them usually would stay until the AFL game has started. In theory they could be at Werribee and warmed up in time to come on in the second half. This would mean Casey would be two players short for a half.

All in all I can't see it happening

Would be a shame if 2 players don't get a run at all.