Wiseblood

Just as we happily call them 'Essendrug' and 'Essendope' among other things on here. It works both ways.

True, although I think you would agree SS that we are a far different side to the one that got rolled by their top up players in March. I am with you though in that I'm already VERY nervous about next weekends game. I don't even know if I'll be able to watch it, might be a 'check the scores on the phone' job for me.

He's just some bloke off the street... you half wit.

Or he is playing injured. Either way he seems to have lost a yard or two of pace and he seems totally out of the game mentally. We can smash these guys next week.

I think you'll find that BPP made that post with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.

Why would we do that? So we play 6 games elsewhere and be the closest thing to being turned into a permanent Tassie team? No thanks.

I'm holding my breath as I type this, but.... Fitzpatrick? I don't know how you fit him in to the side as another tall, but he could handle Daniher in terms of height, size and speed.

You know you're a Melbourne supporter when you're already feeling extremely nervous about playing a horrible Bombers side next week instead of looking forward to it!

He will if he has to. We can't go in with 2 ruckmen, and we can't drop Spencer and replace him with Fitzy as that defeats the purpose. I do agree though - we miss Pedersen in this regard. He provides exactly what we need in this area right now.

Harmes won't play. You're all dreaming. One thing that has to happen is Spencer being dropped. We were too tall and, as many have mentioned, the Bombers barely have one ruckman playing, so we need to go with Gawn and Dawes pinch hitting and add more run to the side. JKH and Newton are two who stand out, while Michie may also get another look in as well. Until Salem, VDB, Kent etc are ready to return though it's really a case of swapping a few deck chairs at the minute. It's a big 3 weeks though we 3 VERY winnable games.

Saints belting Essendrug in this first quarter, and it's great to see.

Our disposal going forward was the problem, and then we allowed them to transition the ball from these entries far too easily. We went too tall and we couldn't put enough pressure on. Garlett laid 7 tackles though so at least he had a dip in that regard. Disappointed with the fade out, but, we know where we are at, we know the players we don't need and we can clearly see where the improvement will come from. Let's keep things in perspective with everything that's happened and look towards next week.

I'd be keen to hear how he is using these disposals too. Is he efficient or is he missing the target as often as he hits it?

It's because too many on this site are obsessed with stats. Thankfully Roos isn't and he can see the contribution from players for what it is. We've had numerous players have a small impact on the stats sheet but then have a massive impact on so many other aspects of the game. Just read the the game day threads - how many people pipe up with comments on who hasn't touched the ball enough? I know last game h_h, who probably wasn't even watching the game, kept rabbiting on about how Howe had no disposals to half time. Yet his ability to bring the ball to ground directly contributed to three goals we kicked in the first half. But because that's not on the stats sheet many think he is having a poor game and that he is 'already gone' at the end of the year. Perspective isn't a word put into practice around here these days and it's a damn shame.

I don't think it's that simple to be honest. Pick the best team, but the team has to be suited to the conditions and the opposition. It's no good picking a side that is in the best form but then seeing them run off their feet because we didn't select the correct side. If we were playing this in WA or the G then I'd be happy with the selections, but we know what the conditions are like up north. Very happy to stand corrected if we win though.

I still think the club could very easily make a late change depending on the conditions. JKH could well come in to the side for a tall if it's going to be very slippery.

Possibly, but I still think we are going in to the game a little tall. Garland is a like for like swap with Lumumba though, but I still think we should have dropped a tall for Hogan. However I'm happy to back the selection committee here, hopefully it works for us on Saturday night.

Official changes: In: Hogan, Garland Out: Lumumba (foot), Riley (dropped)

Didn't say at any stage that I believed it. This whole thread is full of rumour and assumptions. Just putting forward what he had to say last night.

Absolutely. I still remember the year we rolled Port up there in the dying moments after coughing up a 7-8 goal lead. We need as many runners as possible and I'm hoping we make the right changes to suit the conditions.

Thanks for the jinx DJ, NicNat is now likely to go out there on Saturday night and haul in 13 marks....

Worried about us going in too tall. It worked at the Cattery in perfect conditions, but a night game in Darwin will be played in slippery conditions that aren't conducive to taller players. Happy to back the selection committee, but if we bring in both Hogan and Garland then at least one tall player needs to make way as well.

Let's assume for a moment that we can nab just ONE of the players mentioned - Day, Dixon, Gorringe and O'Meara. I won't put Prestia or Bennell in as it hasn't been explicitly said they want out or will be traded out. Which of the 4 do you take? Do you nab O'Meara for the midfield, or do we get either Day or Dixon as a second forward for Hogan?

The word from Purple is that he is looking at property in Melbourne. If players leave en masse GC are in deep poop. We would hope that he is at any rate, but we still need to win a few more games to convince someone like him we are worth playing for.

Purple brought up 4 names from GC who are looking to move on at season's end - Charlie Dixon, Daniel Gorringe, Sam Day and the surprising one was Jaeger O'Meara. O'Meara is contracted for next year but there are rumblings that he is looking at his options. Apart from Gorringe I'd been keen to have a look at all three of those for obvious reasons. Day and Dixon as a second foil to Hogan and O'Meara to be an excellent addition to the midfield. There is obviously plenty of water to go under the bridge with GC this year and what happens with their list come season's end, but there is certainly a chance that we can poach someone that will really improve the list.