I am also in the Brodie camp to come in against Sydney. He didn't run around like a hairy goat all day today for nothing.

He is getting ready for Finals in my OP esp Wobbles. 

I want Tomlinson to succeed (as I do all our players), particularly after his cruel 2021 after early great signs, but...

On what it is claimed he does to release Lever, I note that in Jake's biggest intercept quarter today, the last, Adam had been subbed off.

Early, too, it looked like body and brain are starting to let him down: Koschitzke(?) got the jump on him more than once.

Got some sympathy, though, for the Tommo-as-sub idea (subject to those other tantalising 'ins' prospects...)

Edited August 20, 20232 yr by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

6 hours ago, Dee-monic said:

Fritsch (if medically cleared) surely needs a run for match fitness, and TMac also deserves a shot. Van Rooyen had his moments today but he is yet to become the kind of key forward who can win finals.

In the backline, Hibberd for Bowey could also be an option.

And maybe we could even give Grundy a full game and let Max rest up to sort out any niggles from the batterings he takes every week.

The trouble is that the team will have to be chosen before we know whether upsets in earlier games have opened up an unlikely pathway to grab second spot on percentages. In that case, we would obviously want our best 22 on the park.

Grundy's days at the MFC are done.. Play Grundy and we lose.

1 hour ago, David-Demon said:

Grundy's days at the MFC are done.. Play Grundy and we lose.

Yep spot on. He only plays again this year if Gawn goes down injured. He’ll 100% seek a trade at season’s end which will be granted.

1 hour ago, Glorious Day said:

Yep spot on. He only plays again this year if Gawn goes down injured. He’ll 100% seek a trade at season’s end which will be granted.

And we will be the winner from that trade with at least a first or second-round pick, (or players of our liking) 

I've always preferred a traditional two-pronged KPF set-up, with maybe two mediums and a fleet of smalls. 

With Petty down, I now think we need to give up on that idea and ride our luck with an unusual approach.

In the parlance of footy-fans, Brown and Tomald are cooked and Schache isn't up to it. Love them all. 

Milk has come out of nowhere, Fritsch always contributes, and Smith is a growing threat (love his tackle pressure). 

Three athletic/dynamic mediums plus a KPF in JVR is unusual, but would stretch defences and confuse planning. 

I think Fritta in for Laurie (last-in first-out) is the way to go, and lock it in for the finals. Tommo stays back. 

May and Lever seem to have more trust in Tomlinson that Smith, whatever the former's limitations. 

I would put in on JVR: "We know you're only 20, but we think we can win the flag if you attack every ball'.

I also think that calls for Hibberd over Bowey have merit. Would have never thunk the Essendon duo for 2023.  

 

 

 

 

 

15 minutes ago, Skuit said:

I would put in on JVR: "We know you're only 20, but we think we can win the flag if you attack every ball'

Yes. Matthews to Brown 2001

🏆 🏆 🏆 

Mcdonald for Laurie

Hibberd for Bowey

Fritsch can have a run at Casey so we can manage his minutes

10 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Looking forward is there a Casey match in the post Rd 24 bye week...(assuming we win the wildcard round next week)

Yes

12 hours ago, ElDiablo14 said:

I am very anxious of Fritsch playing at this game 😬😬 , would rather bring him on only for finals.

Did he play at Casey this week? If not wait until he does before selecting him for finals

7 hours ago, Binmans PA said:

It's about synergy and giving the forwards at least one game to understand whether they'll work together and how.

There's every chance we play JVR, Melksham and Fritta in the same forwardline, with either Smith or TMac. Either alternative, they've never played together as a group before.

Sydney in a tough game away from home, where they've got their backs up, is a very good dress rehearsal for the finals series.

I’d like to see this Adam, but not sure the SCG is big enough for multiple points of entry into F50 to warrant three marking options (I think we need to go 2 with 4 crumbers). 
I’m not even sure it’s a good dress rehearsal, because of the size of the ground. Good opponent though.

1 hour ago, poita said:

 

Hibberd for Bowey

 

Agree with this.

12 minutes ago, In Harmes Way said:

I’d like to see this Adam, but not sure the SCG is big enough for multiple points of entry into F50 to warrant three marking options (I think we need to go 2 with 4 crumbers). 
I’m not even sure it’s a good dress rehearsal, because of the size of the ground. Good opponent though.

Are Chandler and Kosi not the 2 crumbers?

I think by the time our game comes around we will be locked into fourth place, we should still play to win but with the fwd line we intend to use come week 1 of the finals.

Laurie was slow to get into the game but in the last qtr, his work in close and hitting targets was good. Probably stays another week.

Fritsch might need a week at Casey. 

In the end, I think Goody will decide to go “No change”. 

6 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

 

Fritsch might need a week at Casey. 

 

Is Casey one of the wildcard finalists? If not, no game next weekend, right?

A short forward line with Fritta as the second tall generally doesn't work for us. 

23 minutes ago, dee-tox said:

Is Casey one of the wildcard finalists? If not, no game next weekend, right?

Yes, finished 7th with the loss to Brisbane

I won’t lie, it feels great to be totally validated about my calls to play Smith forward and always have a third defender (Tomlinson) to help May and Lever out and provide a better overall balance for the team.

20 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

I won’t lie, it feels great to be totally validated about my calls to play Smith forward and always have a third defender (Tomlinson) to help May and Lever out and provide a better overall balance for the team.

The more Smith plays forward the more consistency we'll see I reckon, really needed a clear run at it. 

Sure he's not your typical bullocking key forward but can take a grab and is making that members pocket his. 

9 minutes ago, layzie said:

The more Smith plays forward the more consistency we'll see I reckon, really needed a clear run at it. 

Sure he's not your typical bullocking key forward but can take a grab and is making that members pocket his. 

I agree re consistency. It doesn’t help him, nor does it help our other forwards (who need to work together as a unit), or our mids (who need to work together with the forwards to ensure we don’t lose whatever gains we’ve made with our forward half efficiency) if he gets repeatedly swapped between back and forward.

IMO Smith stays forward. Tomlinson or someone else plays that defensive role. 

Edited August 20, 20231 yr by titan_uranus

Sydney opening up as Fav this week as well. And Brisbane now Flag Favs. 

Not sure what we do this week, I don't like the resting players line unless they are carrying something. I would guess Fritsch comes straight back in and Smith back to Sub or backline if Tomlinson is dropped. Or do we go with TMac. End of day I have no idea because I would never have picked Laurie or Schache last week. 

15 hours ago, Satan said:

Go saints and tiges

Collectively but not individually.

5 hours ago, demosaw said:

Yes. Matthews to Brown 2001

🏆 🏆 🏆 

Herbie Mathews to Peter Brown was 1976 (and Swans didn’t win the flag) 😀

Would only rest players if they actually have a genuine niggle

1 hour ago, Mickey said:

Yes, finished 7th with the loss to Brisbane

We should be playing North, who finished 10th - haven't seen any details yet?