Lil_red_fire_engine

Whilst late outs are disappointing any sign of any level of soreness related or near his foot we need to back Viney off. Hopefully that is all it is. Interesting to select Baker over Jones even with the late out. Hopefully we don’t mess with Brayshaw on the wing just as he is getting it. I would prefer to see Pickett rotated through the pivot more with Melksham and have Baker play half forward and relieve as third winger. This is the challenge with Casey playing Thursday and us Sunday that I suspect if both were today Sparrow would have bee named emergency and been played. Instead he had to play Thursday to avoid missing a week without a full game of conditioning.

Some of their trades mirrors some of our 2009 draft misses. Everything is easier upon reflection. Worth noting Neale wanted out they did not push him.

The MFCSS in me says the cruellest of jokes would be to lose this week with low effort showboating and validate that this team will never be trusted ever. This week will show how well we reset and how ruthless we truly have become. Sometimes its harder to play at high intensity and stick to a plan when the resistance is lower and you drawn down in quality. I have seen us do it to teams many times over the years now the shoe is on the other foot. Hawks game a good example for 3 quarters of what that can look like. Suspect our quality and work rate will get us there in the end but expect some moments of MFCSS to occur at points. Best of luck to Benny Brown on his first of many games for the MFC. I suspect it will take a good month for him and team to connect well but just expect him to work hard and compete until it all clicks. The new rules and our improved ability to hit targets are made for a hard leading 200+cm player.

Assuming he is not named as sub does that not just raise the question of why he does not come straight back in the following week.

Last 2 rounds combined. It’s pretty clear cut. Jones 24 possessions 6 score involvements 13 pressure acts Melksham 22 possessions 11 score involvements 24 pressure acts He was rightly carried to 300 and I doubt he will get back in unless as sub.

I am impatient and find it frustrating having to wait but this was requested by clubst to let them name teams closer to when they play. It would be interesting to see how many less on the day changes have occurred since this was introduced last season vs prior years or whether limited impact.

Sparrow and Chandler excellent. Rosman and Bowey will both be quality players. Weid works hard between contests but needs to do similar for defensive efforts, should have kicked 6-7. No Baker, M Brown, Petty. I would not be surprised if we took all as travelling emergencies.

How about just dropping less impacting players for in form players that might impact in the right role? It is not like we dont have experience across the lines anymore. This is about getting a firing Brown in and I suggest the other player who will best complement. I dont think Harmes is a walk up inclusion off injury but could be wrong.

If C7 rumour is true and Jones and Melksham out then I would suggest its for Brown and a small likely Chandler or Bedford and now is the right time not wait until form wains or wedge it in when injury hits. Melksham has given little other than a few goals and involvements against the Hawks. Jones has been deservedly hanging on for 300 and whilst played his best of the season last week even that was at the low end of impact to others. We need to look to get Brown in and settled and counter balance this with more run and pressure (something Jones and Melksham add little to).

Spargo has low possessions but they are more likely to have strong impact he is a medium pressure act, medium to high ground coverage player. He is also the third banana in our pressure forward line which is a critical factor in our 6-0 start.There is no any we mess with our 3 pressure forward set up to bring in Brown or Weid. In fact I would argue they are likely to add a fourth banana in Chandler or Bedford to counter balance playing the extra tall.

We will not mess with our 3 pressure forwards. Brown is the only player outside our current side that must be brought in as we need to get him settled and once in will make us a better side. I also think if we want to get Brown in the team (which we should) then you need to remove one of Melksham/Fritsch and Jones/Jordon and also bring in another faster ground level player to counter balance. Jordon is playing more mid/forward than forward mid therefore whilst impacting stays. Jones played a satisfactory role this week and was probably his best game of the season thus far. However Jones body does not make him a 22 game player this year and if he is smart he will want to be there with a chance when the whips are cracking. Therefore I can see him being managed at times to get him through the year and playing in team or as sub when opportunity arises (which it will). Weid will need to bang the door down and show form that puts him passed TMac or Jackson. His VFL effort whilst ok this week was not even on par with the AFL impact of Jackson or TMac. In Brown, Chandler Out Melksham (sub), Jones (managed)

6. Salem 5. Petracca 4. TMac 3. ANB 2. Oliver 1. Hibberd

I reckon Sparrow did not play second half. Hope that does not mean a late change?

Yep, has made some poor execution errors and not been as involved as last week.

Tonight is a great test of how engrained is our team first role based style that has us sitting 5-0. Massive crowd, against the best team in a long time that rush at you defensively and offensively the natural instinct will be to try too hard and do too much. I will not be surprised to see our boys revert somewhat to bees at the honey pot, too many up etc.... Control that, bring the heat, take our chances and the champs may be ready to learn who might be coming for their mantle.

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.