17 minutes ago, Flag 2021 said:

Tough at the selection table this week.

If Cox plays we must select Grundy (sorry). I hear T Mac is cherry ripe so he's in.

Wouldn't like to drop Laurie. Judd McVee hasn't lowered his colours to anybody this year and he can sort Elliot.

Melks and Turner out (sorry again) with Smithy as sub.

On a dry day maybe but there's no way Grundy AND T-mac come in for a wet one.

1 hour ago, DubDee said:

i hear ya. selection will be very interesting

imagine this being Turners 4th game?

huge for the kid 

Yep shout out to McVee, JVR and Chin too who will all play their first ever final. At the G. In front of 95,000 insane fans. No biggie. 
 

 

16 minutes ago, BoBo said:

Need some logistic advice from folks:

The game starts at 7.20, is 6.45 arrival at the gates enough time to get in and find seats etc. 

I assume it’s plenty of time, but has anybody found it has taken longer than this to get into the G with a packed out crowd?

If you can't get in and find your set in 35 minutes something is wrong.

Having said that it will be a bit of a logjam with digital tickets,bag checks and those fake metal detectors can really bog things up sometimes. On second thought get there at 6:30 if you can

Edited September 5, 20231 yr by Bates Mate

30 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Who are Collingwood and Carlton playing, I don’t think they have opponents. Well certainly if you look at the media coverage

They have been trying to get some stories going, but they don't have much about us. What I've seen is Tracc cooking and Kossie being inconsistent. The other one is Grundy, unlikely he will play and it gives them a lead to Collingwood. 

Flying under the radar, with training out at Casey. 

Tomorrow they will hype up, as the Captain's run is in the city, and the media will be in competition for an angle.

Melk out, Turner and Laurie surely a big ?

Tmac in, then Hibbo for the Pies small fwds and the last mid/fwd/sub rotation open...

Options are  -  Laurie / JJ  /  Woewodin  /  Harmes  /  Spargo / ..... ? 

Also  -   Tommo maybe (then Smith to super-sub...)

Hoyney from Champion Data has the game 55/45 Melbournes way.

Says the wet doesn’t favour any specific team. Also finals doesn’t favour any specific team (as both styles / brands) are suitable and don’t rely on uncontested, or high kick mark, which is the two biggest aspect which have a statistically significant drop from H&A to Finals.

As others have mentioned Salem is really down in form, in particular ball use. Gets enough of it, just hasn’t been using it well. Expecting this to change in a finals series is a bit wishful thinking. On the other hand Rivers is the 6th best kick in the AFL - so we do have a great kick in our team! - and he suggested that one of the smaller CFC forwards needs to make him accountable. No doubt he will get targeted. 

Another interesting fact was Contested Marking was overrated , doesn’t account for too many goals but it is spectacle. 
 

Hoyne is a champion data employee has does most of his analysis through stats and data, which is one way to analyse a game.

On 9/4/2023 at 6:55 PM, WalkingCivilWar said:

Similarly, Darcey Moore said during an interview on the weekend that he thinks their 19th man will get them over the line on Thursday, their 19th man being the Magpie Army. Pfft, their 19th man’s got nothin’ on ours. Did he not hear our 19th man drowning out their 19th man on KB??? 

Easy solution, give them nothing to cheer about. During the King's bday game there were patches that were eerily quiet for a crowd of 80k+.

27 minutes ago, Bates Mate said:

If you can't get in and find your set in 35 minutes something is wrong.

Having said that it will be a bit of a logjam with digital tickets,bag checks and those fake metal detectors can really bog things up sometimes. On second thought get there at 6:30 if you can

Thanks Bates, yeah true, now you’ve mentioned all that, I expect every step along the way to take longer. 
 

6.30 is probably a good shout. 

8 hours ago, rjay said:

Do you get the option on GF day?

I haven't payed a lot of attention but it seems most are at minimum using a backing track of some type.

It would seem hard to set up and then pack down a live show in the time allocated. Particularly a big show.

I'm a big fan of Abbe May and she did the opening riff to thunderstruck while standing on the stadium roof in Perth for the 2021 Granny.

She's terrified of heights and reiterated how she had to nail that opening riff live with the band in the centre circle.

Gutsy stuff and she nailed it.

4 hours ago, daisycutter said:

well if you can remember back to the kb game you may find reason to be optimistic

I just watched the replay and it settled my nerves. Had we kicked straight!!

Also I was impressed with our home crowd noise levels.  On Thursday be loud, very loud…. we cannot let them have the 19th man advantage.

It’s only week one of the finals and the media requests have already started to come in. Channels 7, 9 and the ABC have asked that cheer squad members (those who can) turn up at various locations this Thursday and Friday mornings for live crosses during their breakfast shows, beginning at 5:30am. We’ll have members turn up, just as we did last year. 

Our Collingwood counterparts were also approached for the Thursday morning outside the ‘G live cross at 6am but declined the request because it’s “too early for them.” True story. 

Just on channel 7.  
Tmac over Grundy. This week 

snd Melksham. Had his operation today

hope it all went well

4 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

Can’t see it happening but Hibbo could replace Salem. 
I would feel safer with Hibbo in the side. Elliot worries me and McVee has never played on him before. Not saying he can’t do the job but Elliot is an extremely smart and strong player. He’s hurt us before and he’s exactly the sort of player who can turn a game in the blink of an eye. 

Yes i agree with this.  Hibbo's a big game player and an ideal foil for Elliot if he's up to speed.

I'm coming in from the East Kimberley for this. Can't wait!!!

If Cameron and Cox stay in and the weather stays as predicted, I’ll be cheering for more rain, it would be the biggest blunder pies could make.

Debatable if we should even bring Tmac in let lone Grundy to help Gawn. Just play Smith as 2nd tall, Hibbo for Turner and leave Laurie in the starting team. If u want an insurance policy have Tmac or Grundy sub

Not that he’ll play, but I reckon Grundy would absolutely [censored] his guts out to beat the pies.

A number of people want Hibbard in the side to match up against Elliott. I watched a reply of our Round 21 match against Collingwood last year. Fair to say it left me with some concerns doing this. I suggest everyone else recommending this move also re-watch that game and assess whether this is a good idea.

1 hour ago, Brownie said:

I'm a big fan of Abbe May and she did the opening riff to thunderstruck while standing on the stadium roof in Perth for the 2021 Granny.

She's terrified of heights and reiterated how she had to nail that opening riff live with the band in the centre circle.

Gutsy stuff and she nailed it.

Me too...I couldn't watch.

FWLIW, Alison O'Connor on AFL.com.au is tipping us to win this by 7 points. Interesting...

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1024726/mega-preview-magpies-v-demons-the-stats-that-matter-who-wins-and-why

Yet the odds are still slightly favouring Collingwood. I suspect they might come in again (as they have today) with the announcement of the teams tomorrow night.

Edited September 5, 20231 yr by Binmans PA

4 hours ago, Superunknown said:

Top post my good man but point of order - hard rock they ain’t!

 

I never got their appeal of Kiss. They look the part but sing about bikinis. 

I’m feeling calm and quietly confident. We’re peaking at the right, watertight defensively and have the game to shut down the pies. I think it’ll be a relatively comfortable night for us. Sleep well ‘landers. 

3 hours ago, BDA said:

I never got their appeal of Kiss. They look the part but sing about bikinis. 

Me neither.

I remember going to the '88 GF. The game quickly became forgettable,  but I'll never forget Noel Watson.

Australian Rules Football 1988 VFL (Now AFL) Grand Final Noel Watson Waltzing Matilda
https://youtu.be/s5cyPtwOskw

Hey all I'm sick as a dog and won't be going tomorrow night, anyone interested in a level 1 bay 13 seat NN ticket, $100

Edited September 5, 20231 yr by AzzKikA

6 hours ago, BDA said:

I’m feeling calm and quietly confident. We’re peaking at the right, watertight defensively and have the game to shut down the pies. I think it’ll be a relatively comfortable night for us. Sleep well ‘landers. 

Im with you..  Am strangely quite confident.

The gane we need to win these finals, against these opponents,  has been on display all year.  The caveat is......  not necessarily all together in one game.

Now this may seem a bit left field( how odd for me ..lol ) but im thinking along the lines that Goody and Co have been foxing and hedging a little.  Like horse training you practice elements when doing track work...you trial particular ploys during trials and undee races...then you bring the "package" to the big race.

There have been times in games thar frustrated me...   why weren't we doing X..  why.....why..why..   and then we did. Almost like the classic...hold your fire until you see the whites of their eyes.   In other words...a bit like a space shuttle or the like doing correctional "blasts" ..   you only have an ability to do some things for so long....use and time well.  This might be what some describe as "flicking the switch ". Invariably it's done as quarters change. Id imagine at that point all line coaches will go over exactly who does what, who goes to who... goes over the game plans.. i.e.. big Reset.

Without doubt ( to this observer ) some games were live trials. To see how long, how well, how effective the team could implement particular parts of the strategy.

Yes..the strategy as 'Bull' would suggest, is to win. But ultimately it's to win one particular game on one particular day.

In the end all other games become merely a means to an end.

I expect a tussle. I see the game against Sydney as perhaps the most poignant testimony to us winning. I'm not expecting a high scoring game....unless we get a hold of them early and they are worthy and capable opponents similarly primed for battle. But we're better. .

We will need to bring the total game tomorrow,  and we need to be ON from the get go but I'm suspecting there will be enough in the Red and Blue that will smell the air and remember 21.. this is Finals...and these are ours.

Collingwood are susceptible.  They get wobbly. .....and we'll nail them.

Go Dees

20/30 points.

2 hours ago, Palace Dees said:

Me neither.

I remember going to the '88 GF. The game quickly became forgettable,  but I'll never forget Noel Watson.

Australian Rules Football 1988 VFL (Now AFL) Grand Final Noel Watson Waltzing Matilda
https://youtu.be/s5cyPtwOskw

I choose to remember nothing from that day. In fact there was no day. It was one long black night and Noel Watson doesn’t exist.,