5 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

I guess there are different types of speed and how it is used. Oliver has incredible acceleration out of congestion, so while he may not have as high a top speed as others, he still has leg speed necessary for his role. Ditto to Rivers. A guy like Windsor or Kozzy have electric speed, acceleration and agility.

Salem is one that surprised me, when watching a game they showed highest speeds and he quite often gets into the top 5. Maybe he is deceptively quick because he looks to be a smooth mover.

Salem looked fantastic in parts against Freo, he’s always happy to hold the ball and step around one or more opponents. If he can hold fitness and health we’re already better than last year.

12 hours ago, At the break of Gawn said:

After watching Goody tonight on 360, I'm actually feeling less confident now. I reckon there's a fair chance we could see some of these teething issues with the new game plan he spoke about early on in the season. Perhaps we'll do the opposite of the last few years and come home with a wet sail and storm into the finals instead of starting hot and fading late.

Going to be hard to see what we're actually trying to do with our gameplan this week if the forecast is true. It's going to be a slog.

Place your bets.

Sharp, Johnson and Lindsay for me.

Edited March 13Mar 13 by dazzledavey36

24 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

I guess there are different types of speed and how it is used. Oliver has incredible acceleration out of congestion, so while he may not have as high a top speed as others, he still has leg speed necessary for his role. Ditto to Rivers. A guy like Windsor or Kozzy have electric speed, acceleration and agility.

Salem is one that surprised me, when watching a game they showed highest speeds and he quite often gets into the top 5. Maybe he is deceptively quick because he looks to be a smooth mover.

Yep, fair point.

But the speed i'm really referring to is what they call striding speed - ie the ability cover territory, say 150 meters, at good clip. Teams now need multiple players with elite striding speed to bolt back to defend turnover and on transition run hard to get ahead of the ball and provide a link up or inside 50 option. Nibbla is the exemplar of that sort of player. 

1 minute ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Place your bets.

Sharp, Johnson and Lindsay for me.

I don’t disagree with those 3 at all but Langford might be a little flat if Lindsey was chosen ahead of him on the back of restricted pre season.

49 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Oh for ANB to still be with us. He’s exactly the guy we need right now. 

I've been very impressed by Sharp's running power and speed - not to mention his goal sense. As much as i loved Nibbla, i think Sharp is an excellent replacement.  

2 minutes ago, binman said:

I've been very impressed by Sharp's running power and speed - not to mention his goal sense. As much as i loved Nibbla, i think Sharp is an excellent replacement.  

Let’s hope so. 

1 hour ago, Roost it far said:

Oh for ANB to still be with us. He’s exactly the guy we need right now. 

Sharp and Langdon waxing will do the job for us

2 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

I'm still very optimistic about this game.

They beat us by 2 points in rain soaked Alice in 2023 when the score line was 7.5 to our 5.15.  They were lucky Lever had a brain fade in the last minutes, didn't man the mark and let Kelly kick a 60m goal.  So I wouldn't think they are much better than us playing when wet.

Last year they beat us by 2 points again in 2024 with a score line of 13.7 to our 12.11 at the G.  Their midfield were very good but we had no Petracca, an underdone Oliver and Viney was having a poor patch of form. 

Of their 2024 team Hogan, Perryman, Peating, Briggs and maybe Green won't be there.  We will be missing a few, namely Pickett and to a lesser extent McVee and ANB but have Oliver and Petracca back. 

It is a shame Melksham isn't playing as he is very good as a 'defensive forward/decoy' to take Taylor away from the play.  Not sure we have anyone else that is respected enough that Taylor has to follow.

It will be close but don't fear them at all.

It's all about kicking straight for me and taking chances early.

30 minutes ago, binman said:

Yep, fair point.

But the speed i'm really referring to is what they call striding speed - ie the ability cover territory, say 150 meters, at good clip. Teams now need multiple players with elite striding speed to bolt back to defend turnover and on transition run hard to get ahead of the ball and provide a link up or inside 50 option. Nibbla is the exemplar of that sort of player. 

Fair point.

I guess the players I think capable of that are Langdon, Sharp, Windsor, McVee, Pickett & Chandler. Maybe Billings to an extent but I think his strength is more endurance than speed, so that may be more prominent later in games.

Personally if I had a choice I'd replace someone like Sparrow with another player like this, but we probably don't have them. Kolt could become that though as well.

2 hours ago, picket fence said:

If I had of been a 6,footer and a tad quicker I would have played 200 games for the Dees such was my skill level!

I know the feeling😢

36 minutes ago, binman said:

Yep, fair point.

But the speed i'm really referring to is what they call striding speed - ie the ability cover territory, say 150 meters, at good clip. Teams now need multiple players with elite striding speed to bolt back to defend turnover and on transition run hard to get ahead of the ball and provide a link up or inside 50 option. Nibbla is the exemplar of that sort of player. 

when playing inside speed is the first 5 steps to get the break away ,striding speed is essential for the outside, think Langdon

35 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Sharp and Langdon waxing will do the job for us

Let’s hope they bring a little polish to the team.

1 hour ago, Roost it far said:

Salem looked fantastic in parts against Freo, he’s always happy to hold the ball and step around one or more opponents. If he can hold fitness and health we’re already better than last year.

There has to be a reason why he isn’t considered more in the centre bounce set up.

He probably won’t be as good as Callum Mills when he is at his best, but remembering Mills lining up round 1 vs Brisbane for the first time as a bonefide midfielder after spending the first chunk of his career at half back and tearing it up with a 30 possession game and ripped it up from a clearance point of view. From memory, he also kicked 2 goals with something like 10 score involvements. 

Petracca, Oliver at their best with Salem regularly rotating would be extremely damaging on paper as he certainly has the poise and skill set to do so.

Edited March 13Mar 13 by VNightCityLegend

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Place your bets.

Sharp, Johnson and Lindsay for me.

Sharp, Johnson and Langford for me. 

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Place your bets.

Sharp, Johnson and Lindsay for me.

If it's only 3, I reckon it'll be Lindsay, Langford and Sharp.

I'd personally like to see Johnno in the side though. Word at Werribee is that he'll likely play early in the season, if not round 1.

Having grudgingly accepted jack Billings work around the ground negates other perceived faults, if i have to watch him take a mark 30 meters out and turn his back and step out his run up again, without looking for another option...

Edited March 13Mar 13 by Damo

AFL debutantes or MFC debutantes.

Sharp is one, but not the other.

Is anyone else concerned about the weather? They're saying storms & rain. 

Some new faces this week.  Goodwin: 

“I think we’ve probably got four or five guys that are new to our footy club that are pressing for selection. But I think we’ll end up having three or four guys come Friday, that’ll find their way into the team for the first time, which I think is exciting for the Melbourne supporters,” Goodwin said on Thursday.

“We’ve got Aidan Johnson, [Matt] Jefferson, you know, then [Harvey] Langford and [Xavier] Lindsay are all in the mix for selection.

That should give Kingsley something to think about!  If nothing else we won't be predictable

new-look-demons-to-play-three-or-four-debutants-in-round-one

 

Despite the weather hope everyone gets to the G to give those guys a roaring welcome to our club.

And to the debutantes:  Have fun guys, do us proud!

Edited March 13Mar 13 by Lucifers Hero

3 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Place your bets.

Sharp, Johnson and Lindsay for me.

If he’s talking AFL debuts, then based on the Freo match wouldn’t it be Lindsay, Langford and Adams?

3 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Place your bets.

Sharp, Johnson and Lindsay for me.

 

10 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

 

Juicy....

37 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Some new faces this week.  Goodwin: 

“I think we’ve probably got four or five guys that are new to our footy club that are pressing for selection. But I think we’ll end up having three or four guys come Friday, that’ll find their way into the team for the first time, which I think is exciting for the Melbourne supporters,” Goodwin said on Thursday.

“We’ve got Aidan Johnson, [Matt] Jefferson, you know, then [Harvey] Langford and [Xavier] Lindsay are all in the mix for selection.

That should give Kingsley something to think about!  If nothing else we won't be predictable

new-look-demons-to-play-three-or-four-debutants-in-round-one

 

Despite the weather hope everyone gets to the G to give those guys a roaring welcome to our club.

And to the debutantes:  Have fun guys, do us proud!

I'll eat my Akubra if Goody seriously has Jeffo "in the mix" for the opening round.

Maybe he meant as in later rounds depending on how he fares at VFL level / on the track but wouldn't be in there this week surely.

3 hours ago, binman said:

Yep, fair point.

But the speed i'm really referring to is what they call striding speed - ie the ability cover territory, say 150 meters, at good clip. Teams now need multiple players with elite striding speed to bolt back to defend turnover and on transition run hard to get ahead of the ball and provide a link up or inside 50 option. Nibbla is the exemplar of that sort of player. 

Nibbla? Never heard of him.