PREGAME: Rd 21 vs North Melbourne

[YearOfTheDees 3,118]

If someone is carrying an injury thats one thing but if we just rest players we will lose next week. What we need is the best team we have and go for a kill. Need some space between us and the Lions if we really want 2nd spot. If we treat this game like an easy win we will get beaten. 

Edited July 30, 2023 by YearOfTheDees

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Can we give May a rest this week? The poor bloke can barely bend over to pick the ball up.

[SPC 2,969]

4 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Can we give May a rest this week? The poor bloke can barely bend over to pick the ball up.

Great suggestion- Yes he should be managed this week. Smith to play back to cover him. Gawn out, Grundy in and Viney rested- Sparrow if fit to come in. JJ and Harmes both lucky to survive till Clarry is back. With our forwardline functioning I see Trac almost 100% mid time.

[Jaded No More 59,250]

22 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Can we give May a rest this week? The poor bloke can barely bend over to pick the ball up.

I reckon that's old age, and no rest will fix it.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

1 minute ago, Jaded No More said:

I reckon that's old age, and no rest will fix it.

[Jaded No More 59,250]

6 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

I know exactly how he feels 🤣

[Nasher 33,177]

No resting players. Viney, Max etc can rest in the week off. Right now it’s full steam ahead, I don’t want us to get cute and compromise the momentum we are building.

Strongest available team against North and kick them while they’re down, please. 

[Nasher 33,177]

25 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Everyone aged between 32 and 40 just went “oof”.

39 represent ;)

[Colm 1,486]

I’m happy for us to rest a couple of players against both  North and the Hawks in a couple of weeks. 
Cats were able to do it last year and still win games and had players in great shape for finals. 
It’s not like we are resting them and bringing average players in. Hibberd, Grundy, Sparrow are quality replacements.  
If Sparrow isn’t fit this week I’d hold off until the Hawks game to rest Viney. 

[Jaded No More 59,250]

This week is probably the last week we have left to tweak and play around with a few things . Also probably the last week to bring in a debutant.

With Spargo in poor form, and us needing a little more pressure players inside 50 to allow Kosi to play higher up the ground, do we debut AWM, who had a ripper game at Casey? 

Could replace Woey Jnr, and still allows us to bring Sparrow in for either JJ or Harmes. 

[BDA 20,679]

We're building cohesion and momentum in the run-up to finals. I doubt we'll rest anyone. 

[Dee Zephyr 18,086]

I’d be shocked if we rested Max and Viney, just cannot see it. And I’d love to see the look on May’s face when they tell him he’s being ‘managed’ this week. 

Edited July 31, 2023 by Dee Zephyr

[Jaded No More 59,250]

7 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

 And I’d love to see the look on May’s face when they tell him he’s being ‘managed’ this week. 

 

Let Melksham break the news... 

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,534]

I truly do not understand the calls for Dunstan to be picked. He's another in a long line of great accumulators with poor disposal skills. Players like him look great at VFL level. We've had our fair share before with players like Magner, Valenti, McKenzie and Godfrey. All looked fantastic at VFL level but found wanting in the seniors. 

We shouldn't be "resting" players on game day. They can get plenty of rest during the week, if they need it. If they are injured or sore, that's different. The only changes I would make are to bring in Oliver and Sparrow if ready, probably for Woewodin and Harmes. I can't see a spot for Hibberd unless a defender is injured. 

[MrFreeze 1,548]

We will manage our players without dropping them through reducing TOG. May will get a rest as the ball will not be in our D50. Max can also spend time behind the ball while JVR is doing the F50 rucking. Either way, it is full steam ahead right now, we've put the work in during the season to let it rip till finals. All gas no breaks. 

In: Clarry (I hope), Sparrow (if fit) 

Out: JJ, Harmes

I'd also consider Hibbo for Bowey/McVee. Hibbo is too good for the VFL but so are the other two. Gus may play extra backline minutes with 2 mids returning, but I think Hibbo is best 22 and needs to fit in somewhere. 

[DeeSpencer 23,509]

2 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Can we give May a rest this week? The poor bloke can barely bend over to pick the ball up.

Given he’s been that way for 2 years what makes you think a rest will help?

He’s afraid to get tackled and caught holding the ball or illegal disposing it, it’s a mental problem not a physical one. 

[david_neitz_is_my_dad 3,946]

Wish this was at Marvel

[old55 21,748]

Magnificent success of the Petty, JVR, Melksham combination - that has to continue for the foreseeable future until Fritsch returns, but then I'm firmly in the Fritsch OR Melksham camp because of the associated forward pressure.

I'm firmly in the three tall defenders camp too, so that means it's Tomlinson or Smith.  I'm leaning towards Smith for his athleticism which complements May, who has lost his and, Lever who can lumber.  That means it's McVee vs Hibberd IMO.  But did anyone else think that it appeared that Salem can't bend down?  He took some nice marks and made some nice plays towards the end of the game but there was at least one ground ball where he starkly tried to soccer it instead of bending down.  I feel he has an injury and that may open a spot for Hibberd, at least temporarily.

Alright, now to the major thesis, like Ulysses' sailors, I'm sticking to my line that the reason Max has been able to dominate solo for 3 matches is because Grundy has lessened his load throughout the season.  I think it's seductive to hear the sirens' call that we go with him solo for the run in. but I remain doubtful that he can sustain the rage.  In the next two weeks we have North (Goldstein and Xerri) and Carlton (Pittonet and TDK) who play two rucks, in addition Casey have the bye, I'm pretty sure the plan will have been to bring Grundy back against North and that's what I think we should do.

He needs to come in for a small, most likely Woewodin, and that will place more load on our midfield which isn't ideal.  Sparrow for JJ will help.  I thought Harmes was pretty good apart from his two sprayed shots early and I'd retain him and maximise his minutes against North.  I'd bring Smith into the team for Tomlinson, and go with a mid as sub to enable us to spread the midfield load that results from the loss of a small.

In: Grundy, Smith, Sparrow
Out: Woewodin, Tomlinson, JJ
Sub: JJ

The thesis gets interesting at the pointy end though.  We may decide that there comes a point where we go with Max solo again at the crunch, and Grundy is sacrificed, like a lead-out rider in the TDF, for team glory.

[Clintosaurus 6,703]

Rest players in game. I reckon most of our guns will have lower TOG% this week and the role players will cover it.

[Roost it far 6,250]

15 hours ago, old55 said:

I'd bring Grundy in to give Max an easier game. North have Goldstein and Xerri. We'd have to go with one less small in the rotation, probably Woey. Harmes (74%), Jordon (69%) to play more gametime.

Who goes out for Grundy? This is the issue he’s facing. He has no logical swap besides perhaps JVR???

[old55 21,748]

8 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Who goes out for Grundy? This is the issue he’s facing. He has no logical swap besides perhaps JVR???

My more detailed plan is above, RIF

[Tracca 642]

4 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

It's to give Gawn a chop out for a week. He'll more than likely get dropped for the Carlton game when we get Clarry back.

Ah that makes sense if we give gawn a rest

[Tracca 642]

5 hours ago, Hawny for Gawny said:

Not based on Grundy form rather he has played well when playing #1 ruck and it is a chance to rest Max before finals, obviously I'm not a fitness expert and the high fitness coaches know what they are doing but Gawn is vital to a premiership push and playing him against Norf and him taking a beating again isn't necessary espaiclly with Grundy as an option.

No I def agree if we give gawn a rest. I think from a conditioning perspective though as it's a grinding role we would want him to keep playing. It's a hard one!

 

 

[Hawny for Gawny 403]

4 minutes ago, Tracca said:

No I def agree if we give gawn a rest. I think from a conditioning perspective though as it's a grinding role we would want him to keep playing. It's a hard one!

 

 

Yea realistically only Selwyn and his crew will have a good idea about whether he just needs the minutes in game or a rest to make sure he's good to go, I trust the FD to manage him correctly.

[Dee*ceiving 1,163]

16 hours ago, old55 said:

I'd bring Grundy in to give Max an easier game. North have Goldstein and Xerri. We'd have to go with one less small in the rotation, probably Woey. Harmes (74%), Jordon (69%) to play more gametime.

I agree. if not resting Max entirely at least lighten his workload a touch. Plus it provides a chance to experiment with Grundy in the forward line. He won't be learning much forward craft at Casey with a bye or scratch match at best