Lil_red_fire_engine

Great to get May and Fritta back. Fritsch being available was the unexpected that meant we did the right thing and did not bring in either of BBB or Weid. Why would you change the team structure when 5-0? Honour the players doing their job and playing their that got us here. Form lapse and injuries will occur and create chances at some point. Jackson whilst a key forward/ruck may not be kicking goals but he rarely lose an aerial contest and usually brings the ball down to a dangerous spot for our mids and smalls. The flexibility his role and athleticism gives us is one of the key reasons for our form and in particular our ability to MAXimise Gawn in varying ways.

Great ins and no need to rush back Weid or Brown and push out an undeserving player or messing with the team balance. Chandler for sub I would expect.

We do have a very balanced list so the old best available could be the go, however. Midfield run. Still don’t have a real second wing and we need to continue to bring in mid depth in behind our mid 22-25 yo midfield jets. Developing tall forward. Mid size half forwards.

I suggest he will go past Jones in the coming weeks and it will be hard to get him out once in. He has always had speed but he now has clean hands and disposal.

Did you watch him on the weekend? You know young players develop their skills yeah?

It amazes me the amount of players names in and out by people with no correlation to the roles they play,. Brown will play another week in my view, Weid demands to be picked based on today. Sounds like May is a very good chance to play. Out: M Brown, Petty, Sparrow In: Weid, May, Bedford (sub)

6. Gawn 5. Lever 4. Tmac 3. Langdon 2. Hibberd 1. Salem

Bedford and Chandler killing it and ready if Jones and Melksham have quiet games in coming weeks. Brown and Weid getting good touch but Weid seemed to play reduced minutes that qtr. Really love the look of Deakyn Smith rare you see such polish on show at VFL level. He das it in spades and looks like a serious player for a half back spot in the future. Based on the first half you would not want to be in the seniors and not play your role with fill commitment at full tilt today. There are players ready to take spots in most positions.

Vanders and Jetta (in the midfield) getting lots of pill. Deakyn Smith looks a beauty off half back. Bedford (our best in first quarter) is now too good for this level and is great pressure on our small forwards. Brown and Weid both looking good and have 3 but should have 5 between them.

On paper we should win and win well. However this is the first week the media have started to respect the Dees and talk us up. This and a combo of playing an alleged lower side with a marquee game next week would be the typical let down game from MFC pre 2021. You just need to watch Port and the Dogs who I think aside from Tigers are the contenders they just get these games done and done early and well. I go into this more nervous than any game this year as if we win this one I will start to believe we may be the real deal and in with a shake with those mentioned.

Nothing against him was just not my initial thinking. My wife supports Essendon so have watched him closely and was amazed they delisted him when they did. He is a hard working forward who has a knack of kicking goals and taking marks but the one thing he has never been good at is defensive pressure. Granted nor has Fritta before 2021 and you could argue most of our forward collective. I actually thought they would play Melksham in the Fritsch role and hence we would need to bring in another runner. Brown coming in fit and in form as a third tall lead up is the I agree the better.

I love Nev, the man has and will continue to squeeze every inch out of himself and for the team. He has been serviceable 4 rounds in but has been holding on until someone goes passed him to better the team. That is what should happen with good sides. Hibberd is a quality player now fit and by all reports in form. May is two players in one, a premium stopper but also a key driver of our half back attacking edge. We are basically replacing the two sides of May in our back 7 with Petty and Hibberd and that means someone’s gotta give. Whilst I was against it early Mitch Brown was the obvious choice to replace Fritta in the side for a like role though I do wonder what the purpose of Melksham. Melksham whilst it was only a first week did not make me confident 2018 Milkshake was on the return.

I like bringing both Petty and Hibberd. I was worried that bringing in Petty which sounds deserved defensively does not balance the amount of attack from the back half we get from Maysie as well. Whilst Jetta has not been bad he has just been hanging on and Hibbo coming in reinforces the we need to look at ways to continually get better. Brown for Fritta is like for like but I would based on last week and him not playing the Fritta role push Melksham back to medisub.

So is Jetta training as well?

Fritsch out is frustrating but injuries will occur lets hope they are short term and spread across the season at opportune time. Melksham plays the Fritsch role which he is best suited to, Sparrow stays in (which he should based on showing), Petty for May and Hibberd as sub (or vice versa).

This is to me is THE danger game, The weeks press has turned its focus to how great we are playing and that we are likely the real deal. We would have set ourselves for Geelong and looked pretty cooked when the siren sounded. I am worried that we will have our mind set for Anzac Eve and forget the one in the middle. We are against the craftiest coach in the game and whilst the Hawks are not much on paper they have some quality across the lines particularly midfield that need to be respected.

Trust us the year we have an NGA who appears to be a serious specimen we won’t be able to take him if picked inside 20. Mac Andrew please be good, but not too good.

A Melbourne side with 4 quarter intensity. A Melbourne side who stay with the plan. A Melbourne side who stick their tackles. A Melbourne side who run as hard back as forward, A Melbourne side who adjust roles on the run when things don’t go their way. Just need to start ticking the Melbourne side who take their chances and we will seriously start putting sides away and I will start to believe we are a serious shake. The injuries and soreness in the kids will come at some point but we have some quality depth old and young to replace them with. Always great to put the wins away early certainly better than chasing them late.

In Petty and Hibberd Out May and Jordon Jordon sub.

6. Petracca 5. Lever 4. Viney 3. Fritsch 2. Gawn 1. Langdon

The Melksham/Sparrow change was one of two selections most could see could possibly occur, the other being Jetta out for Hibberd. Most are weighing up their thoughts (as am I) on factors that are hard to judge outside the club. I love the idea of unchanged sides but I dont understand the nuances of below inside the club to have a strong view on this decision. Firstly, where is the line as a mid between getting the ball and what you do without the ball. Sparrows off ball work has been excellent as shown in his pressure stats but surely a mid/half forward needs to get more than 4 touches. Secondly what is the Melksham we are getting in 2021? The one that lacked any offensive or defensive impact in 2020 or the 2018 jet who whilst weak in defensive run played some top negating roles one half backs and was one of the most offensive weapons in the league I believe leading goal assists across the comp. I have noted that the whole team has an improved defensive mindset and the new man on mark rule lends to a guy who can kick darts on the angle off either foot. It really depends what bias you put on any story but as others have mentioned the decision on these two as our 22nd player should not be the difference between a win or loss. I would assume an improved defensive Melksham who with his ability to hit targets forward of centre would be the likely choice.

Hibberd is a better stopper when tasked than given credit.

He was serviceable in the first two rounds but I am unsure who he plays on in Cats front 6? If he does not have the right match up for a game at the G then being he does not add attack or rebound from defence I am unsure how he assists.

I dont want Baker in the side but I dont want a kid to debut as sub (with no game involvment) I also dont want to waste a week of no game time into someone who might add more or be needed soon ie: Melksham or Hibberd. I want someone who offers some medium size flexibility if called upon.

I dont believe we can play the style of game we are well with both Jones and Melksham in the side and Jones for all his faults is getting involved in core chains and lets be honest wont get omitted. Sparrow does need to get more than 4 possessions weekly but his work off the ball and his pressure in structure is extremely high and should be rewarded again regardless of his quiet day with the ball. Jetta is the concern for me, he is hanging on through sheer will and I just dont see the clear match up for him against the Cats. Hibberd for Jetta and Baker or Chandler as sub.