This is like when you’re trying to convince yourself Santa is real

3 hours ago, Chook said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the first match this year with both May and Lever in the side? If so, expecting to hold Sydney to 0.0.0 of course, despite May being not quite the player he was.

In actuality I'm a bit worried about the odd couple being back together - this isn't exactly the 2021 version of them, or of Melbourne. I worry they'll leave us a bit slow in defence. We'll see how it plays out.

It's also the first time this year the Dees have had strong, experienced leadership across every line.

• Backline - Lever and May

• Mids - Gawn and Trac

• Forwards - Melksham and Petty

With the youth we've had in our forward line for so long, the absence of Melksham has been telling and significant. This is why I prefer Jake in a defensive forward role (Andy's description, not mine 😂). In this role, Jake can see, direct and lead better.

It's likely another reason for Lever's quick inclusion. Lever brings on-field leadership in spades and is about the only Dee with the respect and self-confidence to tell May things others would fear to say.

Edited Saturday at 11:085 days by Dee in a Kilt
typo

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

Based on today... that's laughable.

They were flower fertiliser until they decided to have a go.

Jeffo isn't AFL material. He's a very good vfl player.

VFL is very mediocre stuff.

Jeffo has kicked many more bags of goals at VFL level. He is young and still may turn out ok.

23 hours ago, old55 said:

And ruck whom?

Petty

23 hours ago, rpfc said:

Who second rucks?

I am all for flagellating the FD over selection. But dropping a 32 year old because two future MFC Hall of Famers are there and you want to reward a young man who seems to have found his stride in the backline - is not the imbecilic decision many seem to think it is. This isn’t keeping Oliver in the team last year…

Drop Spargo/insertnamehere instead? And shuffle the team? Why?

Can we just win?

Petty can second ruck.

AJ is bog average. He touched it 5 times for the game, one of which was a horrific shank. Offered little presence in the ruck either, he was just a body in there which Petty could easily do.

Flagellating the FD is a bit of an overreach btw.

5 hours ago, Roost it far said:

May still needs to find form so it’s likely not the best time to rest him.

Lever would only be playing if the club knows he is ready, we’re not the West Preston under12’s, we’re a professional sports club with serious and good people in charge of fitness and players health. If there was any doubt he’d be at Casey, especially since the overall health of our list atm.

Lever and May need games together and to find form if we’re going to beat the clubs we’ll need to beat to play finals. Personally I tend to trust the club on this. Goodwin even admitted that JVR’s one game reappearance wasn’t what they wanted at the time. He’s now taking marks at Casey and building form. TMac, at 30 odd, will be fine having a week off, he’s fit, in form and is being managed. Clearly the management is working because he is in great form.

Not that I noticed

Edited Saturday at 12:415 days by redandbluemakepurple

17 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Worries for sure

I note though that JVR took 13 marks, surely that is a good start in his road to finding form? Jefferson kicked 5 which I’ll also take as a positive. For me if they can just keep getting their hands on the ball it’ll help their confidence, here’s hoping anyway.

18 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

I note though that JVR took 13 marks, surely that is a good start in his road to finding form? Jefferson kicked 5 which I’ll also take as a positive. For me if they can just keep getting their hands on the ball it’ll help their confidence, here’s hoping anyway.

I'd be a lot happier if they had done all that against a team other than one which has not won a game, gets regularly thrashed, has no one on an AFL list (with all that means in terms of talent and training environment). Let's wait and see.