I think Rivers into the guts is something we’ve got to try. We need a bit more muscle in the midfield. 

23 minutes ago, Bang Bang Bang said:

The season is not quite cooked, in 1998 and 2000 we had some horrible mid season drubbings and still bounced back to win multiple finals. I know it’s clutching at straws to go back 25 years but it has happened.

Petty and McAdam can’t play in the same forward line together next week. Drop one, drop both, move Petty back if you must, but not those two together please and thank you. Turner no better either. 

Salem, Bowey, Woey Jr, Rivers and countless others were all pathetic today but the cupboard is too bare to make meaningful changes in the smalls department. Please no Billings Goody.
 

Win and our season has a pulse. Lose and we are in trouble. Lose badly and I’m just about ready to put a fork in this era. The flag was amazing at least. 

 

In 1990 , If my memory serves me correctly,  Collingwood had consecutive weeks of 80 point thrashings late in the season and the rest is history.  I'm not hopeful.

1 minute ago, Fat Tony said:

I think Rivers into the guts is something we’ve got to try. We need a bit more muscle in the midfield. 

He has size, speed, clean hands and the ability to kick even if he doesn’t hit targets as often as he should.

I get the reluctance to rob from the backline but against this version of the Pies we have to try to own territory and live with the reality that they’ll get us on transition at times.

Thats what the Dogs did 

13 minutes ago, Ungarieboy said:

McVee May Petty

Bowey Tmac Rivers

Windsor Viney Langdon

ANB Oliver Picket

Chandler JVR Fritsch

Gawn Trac Salem

K Brown Woey Kolt Turner

Sparrow

Petty back is better for both him and team.  Oliver may be getting it, but very little is effective - he'd be a real headache in the forward line though as he can get his hands on it - forcing defenders to panic. We alsi need lots of run to match the pies out of Defence - note I suspect pup will be one of those players who plays better with good players around him i.e. first grade.

 

We can’t be gifting games to a player that is averaging about 4 possessions a game, weather he plays forward, back or back up ruck.

He is uncompetitive, looks uninterested & has shocking body language 

Play him CHB for Casey & if he shows nothing let him go back to SA if they’ll have him

29 minutes ago, monoccular said:

Yes depth isn’t as good as we may have thought. However Smith cannot be replaced and Brayshaw retired after draft day and is irreplaceable anyway. Jordon is the one we would have fought harder for or offered more had we known Gus wasn’t going to play. Hibberd retired and Dunstan was ordinary 

Agree with some of that but what do we do mid season to replace Brayshaw? Get an unproven ruckman when the midfield is bare. Dunstan may have been ordinary but a ball magnet and miles ahead of most at Casey atm. Goodwin has always refused to rest our midfield stars and it's starting to tell.Numerous times Dunstan should have been selected but never was. Harmes and Jordon good depth. Just let them go. Don't let me get started on Grundy. 

32 minutes ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

Not a bad point but I think with JVR back it’s unlikely — that’s more one for when/if we start going down the off-season surgery road by round 19 etc I think but who knows I guess it’s possible!

I don’t think we’ll see wholesale changes but I do expect a debut.. AMW/Brown my guess, maybe Fullarton to give Max a chop-out and not have to have JVR ruck.. maybe Howes for Hunter, or Billings I suppose.. I think it’s wrong-round to debut a skinny key fwd! 
 

I'm gonna guess 3 changes max!
 

Lord I hope I’m right & we respond, I still think the WCE game was worse — we packed this one in and they had all hail-Mary’s cashed.. we were flat as a tac etc but one thing is, we WILL find out either way! 

 

I would play both JVR and Jefferson and leave out Turner and Petty. These two were just about 'worst on' today and it was a Melbourne Cup field!

37 minutes ago, monoccular said:

Yes depth isn’t as good as we may have thought. However Smith cannot be replaced and Brayshaw retired after draft day and is irreplaceable anyway. Jordon is the one we would have fought harder for or offered more had we known Gus wasn’t going to play. Hibberd retired and Dunstan was ordinary 

It probably wasn't that hard to predict that Gus wouldn't play anymore.

The club has been complacent with team depth and made some poor recruiting choices lately.

How McAdam was chosen when he can't kick a ball past 30 m is a mystery.

Edited June 2, 20241 yr by leave it to deever

We need someone to go with / run with / tag, call it what you like, Nick Daicos.

Very few on the list have the defensive mindset plus the speed to do it.

Judd McVee is one who can.

You can make a case for any one of eight players to be dropped this week - Petty, McAdam, Bowey (who was atrocious today), Turner, Windsor (who played as if he didn't think he had an opponent - how many times was Freo's number 14 miles in the clear?), Tomlinson, Woewodin and Sparrow - add Hunter who should surely be dropped if he wasn't injured. But apart from JVR and maybe Kolt, the cupboard looks bare. We are in big trouble.

Changes. Lots.  To the non performers.  Out.  Out. Out. Out.  
 

Out.  Hunter. Turner. Petty.  McAdam. 
All to Casey. 

ins. BBB (one leg), Sestan , JVR, Kolt 

McVee May tmcd

Rivers Tommo Bowey 

Langdon Viney Windsor 

Kolt JVR ANB 

Kozzzy BBB Fritter 

Gawn Oliver Trac

Salem Woey Sparrow Chandler 

sub. Sestan 

1 hour ago, praha said:

I'll eat my hat live on Twitch if we win this one.

The issue I have, is that we most likely will win next week which will only make this week worse. 

16 minutes ago, Deelectable said:

I would play both JVR and Jefferson and leave out Turner and Petty. These two were just about 'worst on' today and it was a Melbourne Cup field!

And next week JVR and Jefferson will be worst on and people will say bring back Turner and Petty

We have to stop blaming our key forwards for not getting a kick.

We’ve tried half the list and it’s abundantly clear no one can get a kick as a tall in this team.

1 hour ago, Jaded No More said:

Who is willing to take a 10 week ban for knocking out Maynard? You’re in son. 

Who's the biggest bloke in our VFL list? Not named Schache or Fullarton.

3 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

Who's the biggest bloke in our VFL list? Not named Schache or Fullarton.

I would bring Melksham in. Don’t worry about your knee, just deck Maynard and you can be subbed off and continue your rehab while you serve a suspension

23 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

It probably wasn't that hard to predict that Gus wouldn't play anymore.

The club has been complacent with team depth and made some poor recruiting choices lately.

How McAdam was chosen when he can't kick a ball past 30 m is a mystery.

And McAdam is on the verge of 29, I honestly thought he was younger like 25.

Hard to expect him to improve beyond the player he is today.

5 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

Who's the biggest bloke in our VFL list? Not named Schache or Fullarton.

Fieldman.

7 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

And next week JVR and Jefferson will be worst on and people will say bring back Turner and Petty

We have to stop blaming our key forwards for not getting a kick.

We’ve tried half the list and it’s abundantly clear no one can get a kick as a tall in this team.

Doubt Jefferson and JVR could be anywhere nears as bad as Petty and Turner. Yes, forwards not solely to blame but these two were beyond woeful. I've been a Petty supporter but enough is enough.

Time to put Petty back, at least until Rick is ready to return. The experiment is over.

Can we stop trying to turn important key backs into forwards? This isn't the era of Nietz anymore

Blood Jeffo if he gets through Casey ok

I'd even give Oliver a spell for a few weeks. Do a mini preseason with him. We're not doing anyone any favors by playing him unfit. Ditto McAdam

Edited June 2, 20241 yr by Moonshadow

I know there is not much beneath him but has Sparrow played a really good game since the '21 flag? I know Goodwin loves him but I get the sense he 'walks on water'.

Melbourne would then fall back into the bottom quarter of the ladder the following season, and in 1979 they suffered the worst defeat in VFL/AFL history, losing to Fitzroy by 190 points in round 17, although they would beat Essendon the following week. You never know was at the Fitzroy game made today a walk in park.

8 minutes ago, Deelectable said:

I know there is not much beneath him but has Sparrow played a really good game since the '21 flag? I know Goodwin loves him but I get the sense he 'walks on water'.

Sparrow been poor since he signed that new contract.

Just now, wizardinoz said:

Sparrow been poor since he signed that new contract.

Has been gifted far too many games for mine. No real sign of improvement.  He's reached his 'ceiling'.

35 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

Who's the biggest bloke in our VFL list? Not named Schache or Fullarton.

What about Viney to stand next to him all game as a defensive forward ?

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

He has size, speed, clean hands and the ability to kick even if he doesn’t hit targets as often as he should.

I get the reluctance to rob from the backline but against this version of the Pies we have to try to own territory and live with the reality that they’ll get us on transition at times.

Thats what the Dogs did 

RIVERS was abysmal in delivery today and has been for a while, he turned it over time and time again A BIG NO

1 hour ago, Fat Tony said:

I think Rivers into the guts is something we’ve got to try. We need a bit more muscle in the midfield. 

No.  Tried and failed. Fumbles and slips and is not composed. Little kicks are not him.  He’s a HBF position.   Let’s no screw up Riv like we have to Petty.