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5 minutes ago, M_9 said:

I dunno. Having an inexperienced ruckman (Culley), who's missed a season with an ACL, jumping head first into an opponent, is fraught with danger IMO.

That type of contact is far different from flying for a pack mark.

It’s a limited risk for 8-15% of game but get it yet club has prepped for it so I think we’re bound to see it but maybe not it’ll def be interesting

18 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

How does iPhone blv I want LING ahead of KING 🤣

11 minutes ago, FTB said:

I think this is the team we go with now that Culley is good to go.

B: McDonald, Turner, Petty

HB: Salem, Lever, Lindsay

C: Langford, Steele, Langdon

HF: Sparrow, Van Rooyen, Fritsch

F: K Pickett, Mihocek, Chandler

R: Gawn, Windsor, Rivers

I: Jiath, L Pickett, Tholstrup, Culley, Howes

We’re not playing McDonald Turner Lever and Petty, especially against St Kilda

Let’s hope they’re still suffering with the preseason premiership hangover.

11 minutes ago, Greg Schneider said:

We’re not playing McDonald Turner Lever and Petty, especially against St Kilda

I agree that backline is too tall and slow from what we have seen of the 2026 games so far but going through the list of fit players who are in full training there aren’t too many options. Sharp & Laurie are the only 2 you could add to that 23.

Reckon TMaC will be the back up ruck, Culley recovering from a broken arm with plates in may not be a good thought for rucking. So Howes or Jiath goes to back pocket and TMaC to the bench.

With 5 on the bench, i think TMac or Petty could play both forward and back at times. Rucks and key forwards usually play 80% and key defenders usually play 85-95% game time. Having a player that can be versatile and play both ends makes sense with the new rules.

I would play JVR as back up ruck. I think he competes in the ruck very well. I know there is a thought that it hurts his forward game, but I am not convinced he will ever really be an A-grade forward.

1 hour ago, FTB said:

I think this is the team we go with now that Culley is good to go.

B: McDonald, Turner, Petty

HB: Salem, Lever, Lindsay

C: Langford, Steele, Langdon

HF: Sparrow, Van Rooyen, Fritsch

F: K Pickett, Mihocek, Chandler

R: Gawn, Windsor, Rivers

I: Jiath, L Pickett, Tholstrup, Culley, Howes

Too top heavy either one of McDonald or Howes has to go.

Where is our dog hungry tagger Sharpie at?

Edited 19 hours ago19 hr by YesitwasaWin4theAges

Would love it if the Dees could make the Saints start with 2 losses 🙏😁

Spoiler:

Round 1 team

FB: CJ Lever Petty
HB: Lindsay Disco Salem
C: Langdon Steele Langford
HF: L. Pickett JVR K. Pickett
FF: Fritsch Miohcek Chandler
R: Gawn Windsor Rivers
INT: Howes Sparrow Culley Kolt Melky

I have high hopes on bodie performing for us up forward.

Looking forward to seeing culley in his 2nd season after being impressed after goody finally played him

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Culley did his ACL 3 years ago..

Gawn has done two ACL's over his career and hasnt stopped him from being one of the all time greats.

He'll be fine.

If we even use Culley in the ruck (which is just a theory so far) it will almost certainly be with JVR/Mihocek taking the centre bounce before swapping forward.

And the key forward rucking inside 50 and a key back rucking inside d50.

Unless we are totally disorganised on field I doubt we’d have Culley as the actual centre bounce ruck.

NEW MELBOURNE coach Steven King will start his coaching career on Sunday with access to a few players that have been under injury clouds ahead of round one. 

Jai Culley had been one of the standouts of the summer at the Demons until he broke his arm in February. 

But after fully training across the past fortnight, Culley has been cleared to face St Kilda at the MCG. 

The 23-year-old landed another AFL chance this time last year via a late SSP spot, before impressing across the final month of the home and away season to earn another contract.

Bayley Fritsch has also been given the green light to start the season after undergoing surgery to repair his hand, which became infected from a dog bite. 

Brody Mihocek has now exited concussion protocols after an incident in a practice match and will play his first game for the club since crossing from Collingwood in the off-season. 

The Collingwood premiership player is set to be joined by former St Kilda captain Jack Steele and ex-Hawk Changkuoth Jiath, who have both become even more important to the Demons since the deadline day moves. 

Vice-captain Jack Viney isn’t expected to be available until midway through the season due to Achilles surgery, while Jake Bowey is set to be sidelined for another few months due to a Lisfranc injury in his foot.

Steele has put his head down across the pre-season and is set to play a key midfield role alongside eight-time All-Australian ruckman Max Gawn.

With Christian Petracca moving to Gold Coast and Clayton Oliver traded to Greater Western Sydney, King is set to expose Caleb Windsor and Harvey Langford to increased midfield time in 2026.

King and his coaching team got a close look at the Saints at the MCG on Sunday night ahead of the first game of a new era for Melbourne this Sunday.

3 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Culley did his ACL 3 years ago..

Gawn has done two ACL's over his career and hasnt stopped him from being one of the all time greats.

He'll be fine.

Gawn has rucked all his career. He'd be full bottle on most of his opponents ie the way they approach centre ball-ups. It's the knee on knee where the serious injuries occur. Gawn would know how to minimise the risk.

Jai has never rucked (discount training match sims).

Why take the risk? Run Moose off the bench. Or TMac (don't like that).

Culley if not Moose, just not centre ball ups.

3 hours ago, Greg Schneider said:

We’re not playing McDonald Turner Lever and Petty, especially against St Kilda

Tmac would be the Kenterfield role if he played with a bit forward and a bit back and 20% ruck

Where has this Culley in the ruck stuff come from?

3 hours ago, Earl Hood said:

I agree that backline is too tall and slow from what we have seen of the 2026 games so far but going through the list of fit players who are in full training there aren’t too many options. Sharp & Laurie are the only 2 you could add to that 23.

Jiath, Salem,Howes and Lindsay rotating through the 3 medium back positions isn't slow.

18 hours ago, Clintosaurus said:

He was injured in the game and had ice on a knee after.

It's understood NAS copped a corkie.

Probably 0% he misses this game.

5 hours ago, FTB said:

I think this is the team we go with now that Culley is good to go.

B: McDonald, Turner, Petty

HB: Salem, Lever, Lindsay

C: Langford, Steele, Langdon

HF: Sparrow, Van Rooyen, Fritsch

F: K Pickett, Mihocek, Chandler

R: Gawn, Windsor, Rivers

I: Jiath, L Pickett, Tholstrup, Culley, Howes

4 talls down back is insane.

2 hours ago, rpfc said:

Where has this Culley in the ruck stuff come from?

I thought a tall biggish mobile mid ? No 🤔

Laurie has only kicked 2 goals in his career so I am not too worried which song he picks

Kozzi on the other hand - choose wisely my friend

15 hours ago, hardtack said:

If anyone has chosen ‘Country Roads’ (or whatever its proper title is), I will personally get off my deathbed, use whatever means available to me, to drag myself down to Melbourne, and stick the USB, SSD or whatever media they are using, as far up the person responsible’s aaaass….sk your mother for sixpence, as possible.

And that goes equally for anyone using ‘Bohemian Rhapsody!!

They should make it only Aussie music or music in the last 3 years so it can be used to promote up and coming artists.

If I want to hear someone's playlist I'll go to a house party.

7 hours ago, M_9 said:

I dunno. Having an inexperienced ruckman (Culley), who's missed a season with an ACL, jumping head first into an opponent, is fraught with danger IMO.

That type of contact is far different from flying for a pack mark.

The AFL is honestly hopeless. We had ruckman jumping into each and it caused a lot of knee injuries that is why they changed to the system we have had up till now. They constantly change rules imo because it seems like a good idea at the time.

Edited 13 hours ago13 hr by old dee

7 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Culley a shoo-in. As will be Sharp as we need his run

Jnr first you have to get the ball. He should take notice of one of Jack Dyers rules. "Don't get where the ball ain't". If we are relieing on Sharp to help win a game we are in deep trouble.