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PREGAME: Rd 21 vs North Melbourne

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in Melbourne Demons

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1 hour ago, Jaded No More said:

I learnt the hard way not to believe Goodwin when he tells me Oliver should be right in week x 😂

"Yep"
- Simon Goodwin, on being asked if Oliver will play again this season.

That's the first true thing he's said about Oliver's injury this year...

 
 
8 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Should Oliver come back via Casey?

Been a while.

No

    • Like 4
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    Back your form, win the next four and hit September off the back of 8 in a row and let the boys freshen up in the pre finals bye. Manage their time on ground if anything 

    • Like 11
    47 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

    Should Oliver come back via Casey?

    Been a while.

    Agree he needs a hitout but it can't be at Casey. Would be great if this bloopy game was in 2 weeks. 

    • Thanks 1
    On 7/30/2023 at 6:48 PM, Clint Bizkit said:

    Hibberd for Woewodin as well.

    Yes, Hibbo needs a run and exerts great backline authority; given our fwd line strengths (now someone has woken up to our advice across this whole season) JSmith can relieve Hibbo from the bench later in the game. I have an image of McVie, Bowser and Joel creating another backline fortification to that of May, Lever and Hibbo/Salem. A utility of Sparrow and Rivers supporting from the midfield into the defensive areas for clearances and sheer, mobile grunt.

     
    6 minutes ago, Deemania since 56 said:

    Yes, Hibbo needs a run and exerts great backline authority; given our fwd line strengths (now someone has woken up to our advice across this whole season) JSmith can relieve Hibbo from the bench later in the game. I have an image of McVie, Bowser and Joel creating another backline fortification to that of May, Lever and Hibbo/Salem. A utility of Sparrow and Rivers supporting from the midfield into the defensive areas for clearances and sheer, mobile grunt.

    If Petty can lockdown his forward role for the rest of the season I wonder if we will really consider going for @Pennant St Dee man Daniel Curtain in the upcoming draft. We already needed to bring in a key back to cover May. We may need to replace Petty in the backline now as well. 

    • Like 1

    17 hours ago, BDA said:

    I know all that Einstein. why give him a break when he obviously doesn't need one is my point. 

    So big brain, why do you think he needs a break after playing his 2 best games of the year? 

     

    17 hours ago, Fromgotowoewodin said:

    Feel free to read my last 2 posts on the matter, unless you’re hard of braining it should be pretty clear why I think this is the week to rest him.

    I also said I don’t think the club is going to do it because that’s not the performance philosophy but your big brain might’ve skipped that bit. 

    bone saw GIF

    • Haha 2

    I like the concept of managing players etc  (we have the depth - use it!) but I wonder how much, if any the strategic thinking has changed for the footy department because of the three sides above us losing last week.

    In my mind percentage has suddenly become even more relevant. I know you should never take any game for granted and ‘one week at a time’ thinking- but I hope the footy department is trying to maximise percentage gain this week and making sure we have a side that is best placed to take on and beat, no smash Carlton the following week.

    I would love to see that being a big statement game that makes the rest of the football world shudder. If that doesn’t happen I’ll just settle for the four points.
     

    • Like 5
    23 hours ago, old55 said:

    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.

    Like the thinking. We should win this week even if we rest a few stars and I think we need to look at the big picture. Some points I think about:

    • May looks like Frankenstein on the ground balls and looks to have a bad back. Will a week off help? Is he risking a leg injury?
    • Viney has a bad knee and bad shoulder. (Maybe he should be the sub this week.)
    • Gawn needs to be managed, either with less ruck time or week off. (We need him in peak condition for September.)
    • McVee is only 20 and could probably have a week off at some stage. (Maybe he should be the sub this week.)
    • Hibberd deserves to be playing AFL football.
    • Smith deserves to start in the 22 on form.
    • Sparrow is likely returning.
    • Oliver is unlikely and probably should be given another week given the opposition.

     

    • Like 2

    Bring in Oliver amd Grundy, rest the entire rest of the midfield.

    bring in hibbo and start J smith.  Rest the rest if the backmen

    leave petty and melk at full forward , the whole rest of the forward line gets the week off.

    6 v 23 against the Roos?  Still back us to win!

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    I know it’s weird, I’m nervous about the North game and I’m excited about the Carlton game the following week.

    The most dangerous thing a team can do is think they have won the game before play begins…. one week at a time…. respect the opposition no matter who they are and where they are on the ladder. GO DEES!

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    30 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

    Like the thinking. We should win this week even if we rest a few stars and I think we need to look at the big picture. Some points I think about:

    • May looks like Frankenstein on the ground balls and looks to have a bad back. Will a week off help? Is he risking a leg injury?
    • Viney has a bad knee and bad shoulder. (Maybe he should be the sub this week.)
    • Gawn needs to be managed, either with less ruck time or week off. (We need him in peak condition for September.)
    • McVee is only 20 and could probably have a week off at some stage. (Maybe he should be the sub this week.)
    • Hibberd deserves to be playing AFL football.
    • Smith deserves to start in the 22 on form.
    • Sparrow is likely returning.
    • Oliver is unlikely and probably should be given another week given the opposition.

     

    This is the fourth time these points have been made

    I would hate to think of the reaction on here if Goody actually implemented some of the changes being mooted, and we went on to lose. 
    North are a poor side, but beating them in Tassie is never as easy as everyone expects. Even in 2021 they did a number on us down there before some Bayley Fritsch brilliance got us out of jail. Clarko is back too, just to complicate things even further.

    Of course I still fully expect to win but I don’t advocate resting multiple players at all. Viney (shoulder) maybe, but only if he really needs it and only if Clarry is back. 
    Otherwise, we should take this game seriously and play our best side. Percentage is another crucial factor. 
    Fortunately Goody has never really been into resting players, even our pre season hit outs are normally best available. 
    With all that said and done, I’d like to see Harmes out for Sparrow. JJ can make way for Clarry the following week. Taj will probably get caught by Spargo at some stage. And then Fritsch will squeeze in. That’s about it. 

     

    • Like 8
    1 hour ago, buck_nekkid said:

    Bring in Oliver amd Grundy, rest the entire rest of the midfield.

    bring in hibbo and start J smith.  Rest the rest if the backmen

    leave petty and melk at full forward , the whole rest of the forward line gets the week off.

    6 v 23 against the Roos?  Still back us to win!

    So what you're really saying BN is ...

    In:  Casey

    Out:  Seniors


    If they are hurt then rest, if the suggestion is to rest because they've played a lot and might be tired then no. That's where the silly stuff comes in.

    • Like 1

    If Oliver is ready, I think this week is a great opportunity for him to play. He can play managed minutes, blow some cobwebs out and be ready for the Carlton game. 

    • Like 4
    6 minutes ago, OutOfTheCentre21 said:

    If Oliver is ready, I think this week is a great opportunity for him to play. He can play managed minutes, blow some cobwebs out and be ready for the Carlton game. 

    When he does play, I am 100% certain that it would be because he is 100% fit and ready. The club won't take even the smallest risk with him.

    If this week is the week he's ready, then he comes and plays and we can manage his minutes as you say. He can share TOG with Viney, which kills two birds with one stone, as Viney could use a lighter week, and Clarry could use some game time. 

    • Like 8
     
    On 7/30/2023 at 8:25 PM, DeeSpencer said:

    Clarko will be back and have something special, so we shouldn’t take anything for granted. 

    But at the same time we do have to consider the work loads of Gawn, Viney, Melksham, if we should or shouldn’t play Clarry and probably the most vital - a possible rest for Salem who’s looked off the pace the last few weeks.

     

    Define looked off the pace


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