11 hours ago, Pates said:

This is a little side note to this thread but the clubs really need to come together to create a proper second tier competition where they match each week to the calendar. These weeks where Casey has a bye while we play is awful for player development and management. The league has enough money in the coffers, they should be making it a high priority.

I think JVR will get the call up for Petty, if Fox Footy succeed in getting Melk suspended (and I just have this nagging feeling it'll happen) I say we bring in Howes to cover Disco who stays forward. If Oliver is available Sharp can play a full Casey game and give the sub vest to either Kolt or Spargo.

They just talked and talked the Melksham bump up as much as they could. It always then gets a reaction from the [censored] Christensen .

I thought Melksham was our best forward last night.

I'd bet money he'll get a week now.

Here's a lil tip for the Dees.

When we have momentum kick goals. Because you can be sure that momentum will shift at some stage.

No charge for the tip.

Although May had a couple of good moments it’s really time to start getting games into Adams.

Keen for the swap sooner rather than later.

Very difficult selection this week because the question marks are on Oliver (big unknown) and Fritsch so it's players the coaches clearly have a lot of time for.

I'm going to assume Clarry is right to go, in which case Rivers stays back, Turner stays forward. I'd have Disco in the Fritsch role, who gets demoted to sub. Send Sharp back to Casey for a full game.

Then for the Petty replacement it's a choice of AJ and JVR. I don't have a big preference but I probably lean AJ for his tackling and better mobility across half forward if Disco is the deeper target.

Kolt certainly attempted to get himself dropped but I think his physicality and positioning is just a clear edge to Sharp even if he stuffed up most of what he did against the Eagles. Put that down to some nerves playing at home, trying to do too much.

It's a big game for us isn't it?

Another sudden death game and the players will know that any slip up means we could finish the season mid table (at best)

The Hawks are decent but they are not that good. They are certainly beatable

So the pressure is on and we just have to start well. We'd be in a better position if Clarrie was to step back in so let's hope that his break is a short one

AJ or JVR to come in for Petty

If Oliver is good to go then Sharp could make way (although Sharp does add a bit of pace up forward and isn't the worst of the back-ups)

Sub to be strategic? Someone who can come on and impact straight away

Could be worse as our season is still alive and at worst, we can play spoiler anyway

We’ve beaten the Eagles, Richmond and Fremantle, definitely not counting my gherkins. We’ve shown that we consistently crumble under any type of pressure, and we know that Hawthorn will bring that. Not confident but happy to be proven wrong.

12 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

We’ve beaten the Eagles, Richmond and Fremantle, definitely not counting my gherkins. We’ve shown that we consistently crumble under any type of pressure, and we know that Hawthorn will bring that. Not confident but happy to be proven wrong.

Conversely, if Hawthorn beat Richmond today, they will have beaten 5 of the bottom 8 sides, with their only other win coming in Tasmania against the 8th placed GWS.

And lost to PA and Geelong.

Must win game, Petty out, JVR in

14 hours ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Hawks have only beaten 1 top 8 team and that was in Tassie. They are on fraud watch for mine. This is absolutely a winnable game. They also haven't beaten us since 2018.

Phewwww... was worried about this game. All good , we've not a worry , what with being a top 8 team and all 🤔🙄

Let's not get too carried away having only accounted for the Toiges and the West.

Good to see us playing better. Very good to see us stay awake in the 4th !!

A fraud!! Lofty suspicions there.... and we're ridgy didge ???

Hopefully account for ourselves competently. Hopefully Milky is on the park.

Crossed fingers and toes 🤞

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by beelzebub

Hawks play with Chol as the only tall. plus Gunston so we don’t want to go tall

T mac and May back and Turner stays fwd

Petty out JVR/AJ

The young Tigers played the Hawks well that Q

Goody will be taking notes. I reckon the Hawks are getting figured out somewhat this season but will still be top 8

If we beat them it would be huge

2 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Phewwww... was worried about this game. All good , we've not a worry , what with being a top 8 team and all 🤔🙄

Let's not get too carried away having only accounted for the Toiges and the West.

Good to see us playing better. Very good to see us stay awake in the 4th !!

A fraud!! Lofty suspicions there.... and we're ridgy didge ???

Hopefully account for ourselves competently. Hopefully Milky is on the park.

Crossed fingers and toes 🤞

We’re clearly not as good as Hawthorn. Doubt anyone is silly enough to suggest otherwise.

But we do have a win over Fremantle, who have been good enough to beat the Dogs and Adelaide.

That’s about the same level of quality as Hawthorn’s best win, which was vs GWS.

FWIW I think we lose on Saturday, but if we bring our best pressure and contest work I’m confident we can stay in this game to the end.

Interesting that GWS losing streak has coincided with Strigger coming in - remarkable what a small tweak can do to a teams balance. We need to be careful We don't do the same with our forward setip.

So I'd keep the forward line the same as howwe finished the game. We are far more potent with the small setup. JvR, Fritsch, Melks together doesn't offer the required pressure and none of them play as a lead up forward.

Hawks rely on a lot of run, so I'd replace Petty with a midfielder or flanker; perhaps Woewodin who can be both.

Can Adams ruck?

Like the idea of Fritsch as sub.

Steely Green and Jaunty Fuall

What is this a Mills and Boon novel?

Dropping Oliver is not a bad idea, that will determine if he is really interested in playing for the the Dees. Would trading him be a benefit to him regarding his mental state?

Petty out, JVR in.

We should beat them at the stoppages, and pressure their ball carriers.

Cover their half back line who run and carry (so our half forwards must run hard both ways for 4 quarters) .

Turner plays on Sicily to keep him accountable.

I know the Hawks look like the Harlem Globe Trotters against the Tiges, but I think now that we have found our contest (we've been running the pressure factor ~200 for weeks now). We will be a very different proposition. Will Day is a massive loss for them and I can't help but feel sad for the young bloke remembering Trengove, and the drama Viney had getting back (We/He were so lucky), any way with Day out and Sicily finding his clown hat again we are a red hot chance.

Our kryptonite is still confidence shooting for goal, I haven't seen anyone else talk about it but Trac looks like he is visibly panicking when he is taking a set shot, Gawn not far behind. This needs coaching damn quick and is unacceptable because I think Trac is avoiding shots he should be taking. And I think if the leaders are nervous it can be a cancer for other players. If we bag a few early I feel like we are likely, but a repeat of our 1st quarter shanks will see the game gone.

I want Duke on the wing or midfield, I understand the desire to turn him into a rebounding weapon, but he's not there yet. McVee had a super solid win in a 3 v1 situation, he's coming good. Rivers had a much better game and almost convinced me that the midfield is his thing but I would keep him back against the hawks. Bowey/Salem, I think will get torched by Watson/Ginnivan so not sure how we play those guys. If windsor has the defensive ability I would sacrifice his offensive run (even though I'm contradicting myself about moving him forward, but I think defending Hawthorns smalls is the game, as I reckon we'll have enough entry to kick a winning score.

Hnmm anyone else get vibes that Clayton wants out from MFC as reported ch 9??

7 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

How about the AFL come out and explain why this wasn’t paid the mark FFS.

7 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Hnmm anyone else get vibes that Clayton wants out from MFC as reported ch 9??

Have no idea.

That said I can't see him just popping back in for the Sqawkers...and that understandable.

It's a vexed posit with Clarry. He needs footy...but does he need us...and conversely do we need him.

That's not slighting anyone. It's just putting the position up the flagpole.

Wish him well.

I'm a Melbourne supporter.

Life goes on.

13 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Hnmm anyone else get vibes that Clayton wants out from MFC as reported ch 9??

What did they say PF?

He wants out in 2026.

5 minutes ago, adonski said:

What did they say PF?

Said that despite all the work with the club is keen to look elsewhere next year

2 minutes ago, SPC said:

Said that despite all the work with the club is keen to look elsewhere next year

How exhausting