Out : AJ  Howes

In : May* Billings (sub)

So that's 2 Talls up forward (only) as 3 unprovens is 1 too many

T-Mac can do the spare rucking in the backline which leaves JVR to do a few in the forward line

We can always throw T-Mac or Petty forward if we need some forward line marking power (in game) The swingmen

 

*Is May available?

Edited March 18Mar 18 by Macca

1 hour ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

I’d prefer Hore over Howes. He moves pretty well, so he could take a small or tall as well. Disappointing we didn’t have him available to play on Greene this week!

I would rather have Grinter on Greene.

All I’ll say is play like the game against GWS and we’ll smash them. North is a similar outside biased team. 

Gawn will have a tougher opponent in Xerri and Larkey / Darling combo will test our KPDs a bit more. 

But we should dominate the contest and territory game.  

21 hours ago, M_9 said:

So we're back to JvR doing the back up ruck work?

Or maybe TMac and ? takes Darling.

Goodwin has said things have to change. I reckon JvR honing his forward craft by staying put is one of those things.

TMac is a great defender. Or forward. Tenth in the Bluey last year. But he ain't no ruckman. Neither is Petty.

JvR is pretty good in the ruck, but we need him forward.

I agree Disco should come in. Not sure who goes out. Should be Fritsch, but that won't happen.

Well, he did stuff all as a forward on Sunday

I actually dont think we have an edge in midfield. Their centre square bats deeper than ours. Sheezel, Powell, Simpkin, Ldu, Xerri. Luke Parker is a pretty handy big bodied 5th midfielder.    (They were 4th in centre clearamces last year). 

Where we sinply have to win is up forward.  Comben and Archer have played less than 30 games. Corr and Logge are not world beaters.  This is the game where JVR, Fritta or Pickett (#$@!)  kicks 4 or 5 and we win by 30. 

Truth is we are going to get plenty of decent looks, its up to our forwards to put up 100 points.  They had 100 points kicked against them 18 times last year. .  If we kick 10.14 under the roof against that defence I'm scared for the Demonland data servers. 

7 minutes ago, Jjrogan said:

If we kick 10.14 under the roof against that defence I'm scared for the Demonland data servers. 

Any goodwill from the supporters and even the media from the GWS game will be completely eroded if things go south on Sunday. 

And "Simon's sign off" with his glass of red won't be as overly positive as it was on Sunday night.

27 minutes ago, Jjrogan said:

I actually dont think we have an edge in midfield. Their centre square bats deeper than ours. Sheezel, Powell, Simpkin, Ldu, Xerri. Luke Parker is a pretty handy big bodied 5th midfielder.    (They were 4th in centre clearamces last year). 

Where we sinply have to win is up forward.  Comben and Archer have played less than 30 games. Corr and Logge are not world beaters.  This is the game where JVR, Fritta or Pickett (#$@!)  kicks 4 or 5 and we win by 30. 

Truth is we are going to get plenty of decent looks, its up to our forwards to put up 100 points.  They had 100 points kicked against them 18 times last year. .  If we kick 10.14 under the roof against that defence I'm scared for the Demonland data servers. 

Sounds like a job for... 🎩

Edited March 18Mar 18 by adonski

On 16/03/2025 at 21:08, dees189227 said:

It's a must win next week. No excuses

Turner is a very good mark & shot for goal. 

How many chances do we give fritsch? No scores today & only a few marks. 

Fritsch played much further up the ground - hardly going to knock a guy for marks when it’s those conditions and he’s playing further up the ground

On 16/03/2025 at 21:57, Slartibartfast said:

I know this will be howled down but TMac is too good to not have in the 22. If May comes back I’d be moving Petty forward. AJ was poor in the ruck against Brown and JvR is much better. Jeffo has no intensity and I’d prefer Turner and Petty to AJ and Jeffo. 
If Spargs is ready he’s a class above Hendo. 
Wont happen, but that’s my take. 

Can’t disagree, but let’s not forget it’s Johnson’s first game at this level & ideally you want Van Rooyen staying forward

 

agrre regarding McDonald…petty forward is the only solution to him consistently playing, but don’t think they’ll go down that path

2 hours ago, Macca said:

Out : AJ  Howes

In : May* Billings (sub)

So that's 2 Talls up forward (only) as 3 unprovens is 1 too many

T-Mac can do the spare rucking in the backline which leaves JVR to do a few in the forward line

We can always throw T-Mac or Petty forward if we need some forward line marking power (in game) The swingmen

 

*Is May available?

I very much doubt that May will play. Not as bad as Max's larynx injury (a '6-weeker') but I doubt they'll take risks.

A player at my local club incurred a similar injury. He was warned a subsequent knock could cause permanent damage to his voice box.

56 minutes ago, Jjrogan said:

I actually dont think we have an edge in midfield. Their centre square bats deeper than ours. Sheezel, Powell, Simpkin, Ldu, Xerri. Luke Parker is a pretty handy big bodied 5th midfielder.    (They were 4th in centre clearamces last year). 

Where we sinply have to win is up forward.  Comben and Archer have played less than 30 games. Corr and Logge are not world beaters.  This is the game where JVR, Fritta or Pickett (#$@!)  kicks 4 or 5 and we win by 30. 

Truth is we are going to get plenty of decent looks, its up to our forwards to put up 100 points.  They had 100 points kicked against them 18 times last year. .  If we kick 10.14 under the roof against that defence I'm scared for the Demonland data servers. 

Logue is out with a hamstring and Archer may miss due to the MRO.

Comben was very poor last week and North still struggle with team defence. We absolutely have to punish them when going inside 50.

My biggest worry is Petty on Larkey. I thought Petty looked suspect in one-on-ones last week. McDonald should handle Darling fine. Does Hore come in if he's fit to take Zuhaar?

I also thought we lowered our colours a fair bit in clearance last week. Need more out of Clarry and Trac.

Also it's Darling's 300th game if that means anything for North 

2 minutes ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Logue is out with a hamstring and Archer may miss due to the MRO.

Comben was very poor last week and North still struggle with team defence. We absolutely have to punish them when going inside 50.

My biggest worry is Petty on Larkey. I thought Petty looked suspect in one-on-ones last week. McDonald should handle Darling fine. Does Hore come in if he's fit to take Zuhaar?

I also thought we lowered our colours a fair bit in clearance last week. Need more out of Clarry and Trac.

Also it's Darling's 300th game if that means anything for North 

So they're potentially even weaker yep.   One of our first round KPF draft pick (pick a KPF any KPF)  has to dominate against a bunch of defensive misfits. 

Agree on the clearances but i think we may need to get used to it.   Our midfield is 4 years older from '21 now and many other midfields units match ours sadly (apart from Max). 

Re Larkey, youd think Lever iwould be aware of the Larkey risk with no May.  I reckon he will be rolling over to help Petty out as much as possible so its up to the rest of the backline to then cover for Lever.  We need to be switched on and not think this is an easy win, Clarkson is no rookie.  

On 16/03/2025 at 17:42, Phil C said:

JVR needs to stop running under the ball. He can have a spell if he keeps that up 😩

JVR should be running up to the ball, well before despatch and into some space. Turner, on the flanks, does this well.

I feel like we may have made Langford the sub due to the conditions suiting players like Henderson and Sharp more. 

I reckon Langford will be best 22 this week and one of Henderson or Sharp to be the sub this week.

If Turner comes in for AJ and JVR is back up ruck it would probably resut in Fritsch closer to goal?

 

3 hours ago, M_9 said:

I very much doubt that May will play. Not as bad as Max's larynx injury (a '6-weeker') but I doubt they'll take risks.

A player at my local club incurred a similar injury. He was warned a subsequent knock could cause permanent damage to his voice box.

Fair enough

Out: AJ,  Howes

In: Billings,  Laurie (sub)

 

B:       Bowey   T-Mac    Lever

HB:    Salem     Petty     Rivers

C:       Langdon  Oliver   Windsor

HF:     Fritsch     JVR      Langford

F:     Chandler   Jefferson   Henderson

R:        Gawn      Petracca    Viney

Int:      Sparrow  Lindsay  Billings  Sharp

Sub:    Laurie

Tom the [censored] Morris already reported this morning via SEN that Dees won’t risk May this week. 

Got a vibe we won’t see him until Geelong R4.

Injury report said Windsor had a heel infection and is on antibiotics.... hopefully he can get up for Sunday!

May Out this week and return TBC. 

Windsor in a Moonboot and his foot infection will be monitored. TBC. 

 

3 hours ago, M_9 said:

I very much doubt that May will play. Not as bad as Max's larynx injury (a '6-weeker') but I doubt they'll take risks.

A player at my local club incurred a similar injury. He was warned a subsequent knock could cause permanent damage to his voice box.

Lever probably advocating for him to play so he gets yelled at less.

Shame we're missing May against Larkey and most likely Ben King. 

Out: AJ (Susp) In: Disco
Out: Howes (dropped) In: Billings/Woey with Rivers going back and Langdon sliding inside
Out Langford (dropped) In: Billings/Woey/Laurie/K Brown

Real shame for AJ but actually could help us as Disco gives us something different to AJ/JVR who seemed to be doing the same role. Disco can also back up ruck against Darling, it doesn't have to be JVR, keep both as options. Pressure staying on the 3 key forwards is good. Can't chop and change them every week but they'll know they need to perform.

Howes has to go. Rivers the only option I'd consider down back unfortunately which means we need to take him from the midfield. But especially in dry Marvel conditions I think it's time to use the preseason plan on Langdon on ball and pick someone else to play the wing.

Langford didn't do anything wrong but I hate having talented young guys as subs for more than 1 week at a time. He's better served going back and getting 25+ touches on ball at Casey. Take your pick for the sub vest.

If Windsor is no good then we're in trouble, but either Howes stays in or Hore comes in.

From club talk/reports it sounds like Turner was due to play last week after being ruled out 48 hrs out to due illness. So he'll play.

Only changes I see barring injury. Fingers crossed for Windsor.

In: Turner

Out: AJ 

If Windsor misses as others have mentioned I think Billings comes in and Riv plays more off HB.

I don't like that JVR will have to compete with the monster Xerri. Hopefully its limited and Max can take on more Ruck contests this week (he was at 75% on Centre Ruck contests last week with AJ in).

Edited March 18Mar 18 by Young Blood

Archer will miss. Feel he’s a bit unlucky, but I guess the thing that hurt him is he was quite late to the contest so probably did have another option

Edited March 18Mar 18 by DistrACTION Jackson

B: Bowey     Tmac     Lever

HB: Rivers   Petty   Windsor 

C:  Langdon  Viney  Lindsey 

HF: Chandler  Jeffo  Sharp

F:     Fritsch   JVR  Henderson 

R: Gawn  Oliver Petracca 

I/C  Langford Disco Sparrow Salem

Sub: Laurie 

Doubt they’ll drop Langford 

Edited March 18Mar 18 by Demongirl35