Wiseblood

Possibly, but then McDonald seems like a direct replacement for Max, and the other four inclusions aren't tall players. So we've gone like for like there. I'd say McDonald and Jackson will do the majority of the ruck work, with Weid to stay forward. It's not really any different to last week.

The only positive with T Mac in is it gives us options through the ruck - you could have Tom, Jackson, Tomlinson and Weid potentially pinch hitting through there if they don't make a late change and get Preuss in there. At the very least it makes us a little unpredictable.

If Preuss isn't in Adelaide, which is being reported, then I don't think we have anyone but Tom to bring in. We will just have to manage as best we can in the ruck and around the ground. I wonder if they give Jackson more responsibility in the ruck? I like the rest of the ins though. Hannan, Pickett and Spargo to freshen up the forward line, while Lockhart looked pretty battered after the last game so I like the addition of Rivers. Still backing us in for the win here. We might be missing a few, but so are North. Even with Max out I would expect our midfield to beat theirs. Edit - just saw Preuss is an emergency, so he must be a chance to play!

Of course I noticed. I just thought it was a little ironic to see you telling someone they dropped off a player quickly when you did it yourself.

As opposed to dropping them off before they've been given a chance *cough* Weideman *cough*

I heard Peter Filandia was a late inclusion for the Tiges.

Every game is a must win clash for us. To play finals we need to win most games from here, so IF he only misses one game, I can see the logic. But I'll hold fire until next weekend. If he doesn't get up for the Pies game, or even has a shocker and Grundy dominates, then I'll agree that we made an error in playing him against Adelaide.

Good outlook, mate. I'd also hope that someone like Sparrow gets a few more midfield minures as well as I think he has shown a few positive signs in the last two weeks.

I'll agree with you if he misses the Pies game. That would be a terrible result. If he gets up for the Pies game then he has theoretically only missed one game as opposed to two.

Fingers crossed it's May.

Possibly. Let's say he just misses this game - if we rest him from the soreness against the Crows, then he has less time to get up for the North game, and therefore he possibly miss both North and the Adelaide games. This way, he can miss the North game anyway but have time to get himself up for the Pies game six days later. If he misses the Collingwood game then I'll be more inclined to think Max and the club made the wrong decision in playing him.

I agree. You could argue that they've had a pretty terrible run with injuries for a few years, and they have made it to the big dance before, but you would have expected more from them considering the list, salary cap and then draft selections they consistently get by trading their cast offs.

Based on the Crows game, I'd be giving it to May.

What has happened to the Giants? They're an absolute shambles at the minute.

Seeing it was Melbourne, I expected Nibbler to be rubbed out for 18 months. This is almost a win when you consider it was us.

Which is not too dissimilar to Rance when he belted Watts in the back of the head for no reason - I remember Carey trying super hard to defend Rance's action by saying he is just 'frustrated' after a tough night at the office. If it was someone else they would have been condemning it from the moment it happened.

I think that's too much. Swans would need to add Heeney to do that deal.

Don't be like that, dazzle. Think positive. Nibbler and a fourth rounder should be more than enough.

And even with the minimal impact, Fritta still finds ways to hit the scoreboard. It's why he is still important to have down there. The same with Melksham. While his output has been down on previous years, he has still kicked 7 goals in the last three weeks. It's why others, like a Hannan, get dropped - he didn't kick a goal in the previous two games.

Don't even get me started on this. You had Derm become one of the biggest hypocrites in football about how this behaviour needs to be taken out of the game, while he was quite happy to belt blokes and stomp on their heads. No one pulled him up on it, either. The commentary box wanted the Crows to win pretty badly and I was pretty content to see our club stick it right up their clacker with the win!

I wish I knew who he was. I'd send him a bottle of red for his efforts.

I actually thought Jones did okay on a wing last night. He certainly wasn't one of our worst - I'd be dropping AVB, ANB or Bennell before I went with Chunk. You would think with the four day turnaround that we might swing a few changes, but I can't see who they will be for. At least we have plenty of fit players waiting in the wings and ready to go, so if the club feels the need to drop and rest 5/6 players, we will have guys ready and raring to go.

T Mac? Get real. Shouldn't get a look in for a while with Weid and Jackson in good form. Would be madness to select him.

Couldn't agree more. Always great to watch us win a game of footy, and we don't often knock sides off by over 8 goals, but we knocked off one of the worst sides the comp has seen in some time, and that includes the early Gold Coast sides. What this win will do is give us some confidence going forward. Knock off the Roos and that might mean a little more. As someone said earlier, the Pies after that will be the real test.

Here is how bad Tex is right now - I'd rather Tommy Mac than him. He is a squib of the highest order.