Gee we look a bit short down back. 

Miocheck, Elliot, McStay and 2nd Ruck

id prefer Tommo came in too

I agree with the TMac inclusion but feel we are too short back with Hibberd there. It does not allow May and Lever to play to their strengths. I hope Laurie is the sub. 

1 minute ago, Coobs said:

I'd say the floating ruck forward?

Yeah and McStay. So who is the third tall?

May will take the resting ruck and I say Lever will take McStay

It better pelt down with rain now..

1 minute ago, Jaded No More said:

Yeah so Cox and McStay… and? 

Mihocek

Well done to all of you involved with the sausage puns, was always going to be Pig in after that. 

Let’s Go Demons!!!

Edited September 6, 20231 yr by Dee Zephyr

35 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

What do you make of the Noble omission?

My first thought was perhaps its about wanting to make the team as fast as possible, but Noble is pretty quick isnt he?

McCreery was always going to come in, so someone had to make way.  Maybe they figured we would go with tmac and so wanted to go a bit taller in defence?

He isn't their best kick, and they really have to minimize their turnovers so that might be a factor. And perhaps he has paid the price for their leaky defence.

That said, i'm surprised they selected Markov ahead of Noble. 

Edited September 6, 20231 yr by binman

Just now, dazzledavey36 said:

Mihocek

Mihocek is only 192cm. Both Rivers or Hibbo could play on him. He is much more a leading forward than a contested marking forward

My Collingwood work colleague reckons Howe will play forward on Lever.

If that's the case May plays on one of Miocek, Cox and McStay.

Who plays on the others?

I would have thought Hibbo goes to Elliot - but we seem like we could be stretched for height down there!

My recollection is that when we don't have a third tall, Lever is not as free to play off his man. The oppo play through Lever's man - and this severely affects our intercept game. There were cries for Tomlinson/Disco to come in to fix this problem. 

I love Hibbo - tough as nails. We now have 3 excellent ball users off half back (Bowey, Salem, McVey), but one less tall compared to 2021. 

Makes me nervous.

Just now, deelusions from afar said:

My Collingwood work colleague reckons Howe will play forward on Lever.

If that's the case May plays on one of Miocek, Cox and McStay.

Who plays on the others?

I would have thought Hibbo goes to Elliot - but we seem like we could be stretched for height down there!

If Howe plays forward I would send Smith back. 
 

Pretty obvious that Smith will be playing down back as well

3 minutes ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

I agree with the TMac inclusion but feel we are too short back with Hibberd there. It does not allow May and Lever to play to their strengths. I hope Laurie is the sub. 

Agree. 

We've unfortunately taken away our strengths.

Collingwood have bene vocal that they'll target and tag Lever which then leaves May as the only tall trying to do the grunt work.

We've finally found a defensive structure that has clicked well with the 3 talls. Our defensive numbers improved this year thr moment we implemented the 3rd tall mid way through the year.

A pity that Turner didn't have more time to establish himself in the side.

Just have to back the selection committee on Hibberd being the better choice.

The game will be decided by midfield turnovers. Let's hope we have less

Does seem like we are a bit unbalanced in our tall defenders vs their potential of 4 tall forwards.

However, the forecast is looking very wet between 7-9pm tomorrow. Pies may have gone too tall for the conditions. How does Mason cox go in the wet?

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Agree. 

We've unfortunately taken away our strengths.

Collingwood have bene vocal that they'll target and tag Lever which then leaves May as the only tall trying to do the grunt work.

We've finally found a defensive structure that has clicked well with the 3 talls. Our defensive numbers improved this year thr moment we implemented the 3rd tall mid way through the year.

There is one thing nobody has mentioned, which is that Gawn could well play behind the ball. 
We haven’t seen this in a while but we know how good it can be…

2 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Mihocek is only 192cm. Both Rivers or Hibbo could play on him. He is much more a leading forward than a contested marking forward

Are you serious? Mihocek is their main focal point up forward and putting Rivers on him would be a disaster because he'll easily out body him one on one and that's not a swipe at Rivers, that's just Mihoceks strengths.

May played on Mihocek last time and always gets the number 1 defender because he's a genuine key forward. 

By your reckoning here, Tex Walker is also 192cm tall as well and you would never in the world put a Hibberd or Rivers on him

 

5 minutes ago, deelusions from afar said:

My Collingwood work colleague reckons Howe will play forward on Lever.

If that's the case May plays on one of Miocek, Cox and McStay.

Who plays on the others?

I would have thought Hibbo goes to Elliot - but we seem like we could be stretched for height down there!

I think so too and Judd to Hill

Melb won't start TMac, Roo, Fritta and Smith all in the same forward line. Smith will play back maybe taking McStay or a resting Cox.

Why is everyone forgetting Smith? We now have McDonald as a genuine tall. If we are looking short down back, they will flip Smith back. What fantastic flexibility we have with Smith. 

39 minutes ago, He de mon said:

I know the feeling. The thought of losing and having to see all their sneering toothless grins after the game is making me sick. What's worse is that i am staying the night at a mates house who is a Collingwood supporter, and he is also going to the game.  Fortunately we have an unspoken gentlemen's agreement not to hang it on each other after a game. His wife, who doesn't follow footy at all, is not so discreet. It won't be pretty.

God knows why I have to have a number of friends that are Collingwood supporters. Growing up in the north probably makes it worse. They’re everywhere. At least the ones I know are a couple of standard deviations above the average supporter. Still I’d rather not have to deal with any of it. I hope we never have to play them in a final again.

4 minutes ago, DemonLad5 said:

Pretty obvious that Smith will be playing down back as well

I'm thinking that too. It's a flexible side where Smith can swing back if needed. 

Turner stiff but the experience of Hibberd wins out. I like the 3 talls in defence so lets hope we keep the ball in our attacking 50

1 minute ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Are you serious? Mihocek is their main focal point up forward and putting Rivers on him would be a disaster because he'll easily out body him one on one and that's not a swipe at Rivers, that's just Mihoceks strengths.

May played on Mihocek last time and always gets the number 1 defender because he's a genuine key forward. 

By your reckoning here, Tex Walker is also 192cm tall as well and you would never in the world put a Hibberd or Rivers on him

 

Mihocek is nothing like Walker! 
I am not saying Rivers will play on him, I’m just saying the height difference isn’t that big and he isn’t a “tall”, just like Fritsch isn’t a tall. 
Mihocek averages 1.2 contested marks a game. He is a leading forward not a tall marking forward. He needs someone who can go with him on the lead rather than in the air. Hibbo could certainly play on him. 
And hey if Rivers goes to him he’d need to be accountable the other way. Much like if Fritsch plays on Moore.