Wow,

I'd argue that 32 year old Tom McDonald currently offers more to this team than 29 year old Jake Lever, the latter of whom has been very patchy since 2021. Very stiff. I understand we're top heavy down there but did not expect this.

And look, Sharp tries hard and could be an AFL player with a different skill set, but how many chances does he get? Spargo deadset lucky too.

LOST AT SELECTION! (getting in early)

Harsh on Tommy Mac.

But guess they liked what AJ brought to the table squad wise, So it was either T-Mac or Turner and they went with omitting the older option? From a long term perspective it makes some sense, but Tom has been in red hot form.

Stiffest selection call since 2021 surely.

Unfortunately for TMAC, Turner has nailed down that 3rd tall spot. Lever is a must include, just like McVee he will build form in the 1s.

TMAC is definitely stiff but you probably can't play 4 tall defenders at once. No other team has the such high quality key back depth, absolute luxury.

Competiton for spots is really heating up, great work from the fitness team and the playing group.

At this stage of his career it would have been polite to call McDonald 'managed'.

7 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

If anything May is the one who looks like he could use a rest. Been battling injuries all season.

Tmac better not be lining up at Casey this weekend.

Yep. I hate to say that about May but he would have been my call. Although one never knows the true reasons. He's a senior player that may have requested a week off for any number of reasons. At least I hope that's the answer as to wth? I'm glad Lever is back but he's been out for a while. Will he be able to play the whole game fully fit? This selection reminds me of a scene from "No country for old men."

Edited May 23May 23 by leave it to deever

1 minute ago, roy11 said:

Harsh on Tommy Mac.

But guess they liked what AJ brought to the table squad wise, So it was either T-Mac or Turner and they went with omitting the older option? From a long term perspective it makes some sense, but Tom has been in red hot form.

I'm as surprised as anyone that McDonald is the one to miss out. But the red-hot form he started the season with has tapered significantly in the last couple of weeks. I still think he's been playing better than May who looks to me like he's struggling to bend over. Nevertheless, I suspect there's more method than madness in this selection shock.

T.Mac very stiff but it gives Turner a chance to consolidate the key back position.

Possible line up

B: Turner, May, McVee

HB: Salem, Lever, Bowey

C: Windsor, Oliver, Langdon

HF: Sparrow, Johnson, Petracca

F: Melksham, Petty, Chandler

FOLL: Gawn, Rivers, Pickett

IC: Lindsay, Langford, Spargo, Fritsch

SUB: Sharp

Almost fully fit list makes selection tricky. A good sign that we are dropping good players

3 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

Lindsay and Langford playl T.Mac very stiff but it gives Turner a chance to consolidate the key back position.

Possible line up

B: Turner, May, McVee

HB: Salem, Lever, Bowey

C: Windsor, Oliver, Langdon

HF: Sparrow, Johnson, Petracca

F: Melksham, Petty, Chandler

FOLL: Gawn, Rivers, Pickett

IC: Lindsay, Langford, Spargo, Fritsch

SUB: Sharp

Despite Tmac out it won't dampen my enthusiasm in looking forward to seeing Lord Windsor, Lindsay and Landord play.

A solid looking team.

9 minutes ago, MrFreeze said:

Unfortunately for TMAC, Turner has nailed down that 3rd tall spot. Lever is a must include, just like McVee he will build form in the 1s.

TMAC is definitely stiff but you probably can't play 4 tall defenders at once. No other team has the such high quality key back depth, absolute luxury.

Competiton for spots is really heating up, great work from the fitness team and the playing group.

I'm still holding hope on seeing Tmac playing fwd again but probably won't ever happen.

20 minutes ago, binman said:

They should have said managed then. Hopefully they don't play him at Casey so he can actually get a chop out.

If not being tested, its an insanely tough call - tmac has been by far our best, most consistent key defender tgis season.

Agree with all the above but I thought this would happen (truly). We absolutely have to get synergy with May..Lever & Turner as our 3 big backs. This is the backline that we would want to be running with . When our injury list is as good as it is (at the moment) & we had such a thrilling win …it’s hard to leave anyone out. Have to trust the coaches on this one …

31 minutes ago, Yarra Valley Demon said:

Tmac out

Lever in

Once again our selection committee with the unpredictable mind boggling choice

What the ...

Beyond daft.....

32 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Did not see that coming.

agree

31 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

If anything May is the one who looks like he could use a rest. Been battling injuries all season.

Tmac better not be lining up at Casey this weekend.

Said similar somewhere... I.e May looking the most in need of a 'managed' rest.

An odd decision for mine .

Totally agree about not wanting to see him suiting up for Casey.

@binman thoughts on selection ? I’m so confused

I know we are not within the clubs four walls but …

Why is Spargo still in? Underperforming for 7 weeks. Last week he was a liability.

Tmac has been good all year. I get team balance but bringing Lever back was supposed to allow us to potentially put Turner forward. Very harsh on Tmac.

Culley an emergency? He was average for Casey last week Howes or Kynan Brown must be closer to selection

I’m confused ! But again we must trust the brain power of the club insiders

Anyone under an injury cloud to be a late out?

Truly bizarre selection imho. I personally would have given Lever another week at Casey, I also would have dropped May before McDonald.

McDonald is twice the player May is at present and ten times the player Lever has been in the past three years. In a year of poor selection calls, this is by far the worst.

I'd actually drop at least 15 players before McDonald based on contributions this year.

Ridiculous to drop McDonald and keep Spargo. The former is faster over ground than the latter (goes well in the early season time trials), can take a strong mark (whereas the latter doesn’t), tackles at least as well, and can kick it straight and longer than 30 metres. He could play in the forward line and be more effective than Spargo.

I also don’t rate Lever anymore anyway. So there is that.

I would have had Lever do a full game in the ressies, he only played a half or so last week. Get him some match fitness before testing him at AFL level. He could have easily come in against the saints for a full afl game before the crucial KB match

TMac is stiff, however he had three all time terrible turnovers in the first half last week that led to goals. Against a depleted Sydney tall forwardline of Hamling, McLean and Ladhams clearly the match committee is hoping we can intercept and hurt them the other way and think Lever, Turner and May are better at this than plugger. Tom will be back, his lockdown has been outstanding but the connection between Lever and May and Turner’s exceptional form make this the option.

It’s also not a bad idea to give our old boys weeks off, I wish Melksham had played against the Hawks, but maybe his exceptional game against Brisbane was the result, TMac may well need to come back refreshed against Owens and co at the Saints.

Spargo and Sharp would want to play well with Viney closing in on a return.

Edited May 23May 23 by deejammin'

2 minutes ago, deejammin' said:

TMac is stiff, however he had three all time terrible turnovers in the first half last week that led to goals. Against a depleted Sydney tall forwardline of Hamling, McLean and Ladhams clearly the match committee is hoping we can intercept and hurt them the other way and think Lever, Turner and May are better at this than plugger. Tom will be back, his lockdown has been outstanding but the connection between Lever and May and Turner’s exceptional form make this the option.

It’s also not a bad idea to give our old boys weeks off, I wish Melksham had played against the Hawks, but maybe his exceptional game against Brisbane was the result, TMac may well need to come back refreshed against Owens and co at the Saints.

Spargo and Sharp would want to play well with Viney closing in on a return.

Agree with this. I'd maybe give May a rest next week v Saints for TMac and have him cherry ripe for Kings Bday the following week.

These guys will need some weeks off to get through a full season!

I’d say this call is due to who we are playing. We don’t need a ‘stopper’ against the Swans. ie a tactical change, not based on form

I thought May or T Mac would be dropped given the opposition, but I’m still surprised Goodwin dropped one of his favourites

Will be interesting to see if turner plays fwd

With an almost complete list there is going to be selection pressure and some collateral damage. Tom will be back, though I suspect it's going to depend on the opposition as much as anything.

Also suspect that Turner will now always be picked ahead of TMac, and therein lies the problem.

Tom's also not always the greatest disposer, and when we're trying for fast ball movement his turnovers can be a bit of a momentum killer.

46 minutes ago, Supermercado said:

At this stage of his career it would have been polite to call McDonald 'managed'.

Depends if we want to be a nice, polite club or a ruthless, honest one

T Mac will be back against a taller fwd line