GawnWithTheWind

Late Change - Bail in..

Dunn to have a super game..

Scully to run riot!

Watts to keep improving

6. Trengove

5. Green

4. Frawley

3. Watts

2. McKenzie

1. Jamar

Ins: Sylvia, Jurrah, Bail

Outs: Grimes (inj), Spencer, Joel Mac

FB: Bartram - Frawley - Garland

HB: Bruce - Rivers - Cheney

C: Scully - Trengove - Davey

HF: Jetta - Bate - Bennell

FF: Jurrah - Watts - Green

R: Jamar - Moloney - Sylvia

B: Dunn - McKenzie - Jones - Bail

Here is my thinking...

Dunn can pinch hit in the ruck for about 30% of the day, then Rush does 60% and Bate can do the rest to get him into the game and also develop his physicality around the ball. He has a big frame and needs to learn how to use it. This 10% in the ruck could help understand a bit more of what his body is capable of.

Whilst Dunn isn't rucking, he can play his usual lead up forward with Watts and Bate.. That gives us three marking options around the HFL. This is a heap, almost too much, so hopefully this will improve our inside 50s. Maybe even one of these players can play deep.

Look at our forward line with the inclusion of Jurrah. That gives us 4 leading players who can take a grab.. We need to ensure our forward entries are fruitful and also precise. If those two things can happen, we can post a big score..

Our backline is less of a strength without grimes.. Someone else is going to have to do alot of the rebounding.. Frawley is the man!

I wanna see Sylvia playing midfield.. however I am not sure if he will run both ways... If he can do this, he is a booming kick and hopefully will work with his best mate Moloney and get our forward entries up...

Essendon is fast - So bring in bail.. We have a fast team now and will combat their biggest strength..

I think we can definely win but it will all come down to the battle in the midfield..

Thats my spill... now wait for the shutdowns to begin

Sorry mate,

I'll try to be as perfect as you are next time..

I was just happy to see the article, didn't proof read my heading.. geez

Who is Pettard?

why pick up on such small things, nothing better to do pal..

just be happy he is staying

"I know the team was going somewhere, and I couldn’t be a part of it this year. I look forward to getting back next year and hopefully start where I left off."

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/tabid/7415/default.aspx?newsid=96923

Good article, good kid!

There are a bunch of Jack Watts Blooper Videos on youtube at the moment.

I miss robbo..

i just watched I and Love and You..

In: Sylvia - McDonald - Bennell

Out: Miller - Rivers - Gysberts

FB: Frawley - Warnock - Bartram

HB: Grimes - Garland - Bruce

C: Trengove - Davey - Scully

HF: Sylvia - Bate - Jetta

F: Watts - Dunn - Green

R: Jamar - McDonald - Moloney

B: Jones - Bennell - McKenzie - Morton

E: Rivers - Gysberts - Miller

Rivers was better on QB but still has been pretty poor, give him some time in the 2's to get some confidence back up.

Gys or McKenzie - One or the other, im just a big fan of mckenzie so i chose him

Miller was unlucky, played well but not going to be round the club for much longer

Bennells a gun - he is fast, exciting and exactly what causes headaches around forward lines this year.. Run him around with jetta and we can cause some damage BRING HIM BACK!

Next week is extremely important for our beloved demons. I know this might be stating the obvious, but we need to get away from the bottom 4 clubs and a win in Adelaide will set us up to finish between 8 - 12.

We have been robbed of 10 points this season to be honest, 2 points last week, 4 points round 2 and 4 points against the doggies.

We are a better outfit then 12th, but need to win next week to show why we are a level ahead of the bottom 4.

I am sick of hearing about how well Richmond are going! They are no good and have played some average sides low on confidence. If we don't win people may start saying that richmond are coming along as well as we are, which is completely incorrect!

So basically next week is a must win for our club...

We win = we break away from the crap and stamp ourselves as an exciting, up and coming team of future stars...

We lose = we aren't as good as we think we are and we are looking at a bottom 4 finish and maybe another bloody spoon.. pretenders

MASSIVE GAME, DEFINING GAME

MacDonald is a battler, he tries hard and gives his all.. He is more effective on the rebound then rivers and should stay in.

Martin should not play! I cannot understand why people would want to bring him into our backline. Our backline is strong, and martin will be a chink in the armor. Martin is done.

Jetta and Bennell are exciting and will be good small forwards for us in the future, keep em in. Bennell has been awesome for us, I am also sick of hearing people bad mouth him.

In: Scully, Bate, Trengove

Out: Garland (inj?), Wonna (doesnt seem right), Rivers (needs some confidence in the 2s)

Possible line up:

FB: Frawley - Warnock - Bartram

HB: Grimes - MacDonald - Bruce

C: Trengove - Scully - Gysberts

HF: Sylvia - Bate - Jetta

FF: Watts - Green - Bennell

F: Jamar - Davey - MacDonald

B: Jones, Moloney, Miller, Morton

E: Mckenzie, Dunn, Rivers

jetta in.. spencer out

I have ranked our best bets for the second ruckman/forward role.

1) Dunn

I have been one of those pro-dunn guys this year. He is a lead up forward and gives us another option across the half forward line which we desperately need. Bate can do some of the work, but dunn can mark and can play this role. Sure, his kicking at goal hasn't been great but at least he is finding the footy. If we can have Bate, Dunn and Watts all leading forwards we can create some issues for backlines in the coming weeks. I think we need green leading out of full forward with bennell and others around his feet and also giving that option that streams into our forward 50 and takes a mark. But i thought Dunn has been good, and was rough to get dropped. He can help Jamar out in the ruck, and also will run the other ruckman around the ground and give us another kicking option. Hopefully he will be back this week.

2) Miller

Miller should be similar to Dunn. He should play that pinch hit ruckman and forward. He can take a mark but needs to work on not turning the ball over. He is another play who can assist Bate and Watts leading up and could fit into my game plan if Dunn was struggling. He is mobile enough and has a huge heart so why not try him as that 2nd ruck option, because he doesnt have many other options left at Melbourne.

3) Newton

Newton can take a mark. We all know this, and like the 2 above, should be ok to help Jamar out. Pitty he doesnt have the heart like Miller because he could be a very serviceable player for us with Millers heart.

4) PJ

OK ruckman, best ruck option but not best forward option. If Jamar is hurting, we need PJ otherwise I go to one of the other three.

5) Martin

No! Come on, at the moment he cant kick, cant mark, cant handball and cant make a good decision. The best decision he could make would be play a full year in the 2's and dominate. He needs to learn the game of AFL before he plays another senior game. I am not a fan of his footballing ability at all, good athlete.......... terrible footballer

Is it just me, or is there no hype on demonland about tonights game?

I hope the boys are more fired up then the demonland posters!!!!

Doggies have only beaten richmond, adelaide and some other average side..

They lost to collingwood, st kilda and brisbane..

We beat brisbane, nearly beat collingwood and st kilda arent the best side without rooey!

We are a chance tonight, get excited!!!!!!

Aussie Woneamerri - The Hamburgler

Cameron Bruce - Gumby

Jamie Bennell - Quiksilver

I personally think we will take it right up to them!

I know we have beaten an underdone adelaide and a richmond, but the boys are playing with confidence and I think they are really excited for Saturday night.. They know the MCG like the back of their hand and will be itching to play under lights..

Massive test for a couple players:

Jamar - Can he ruck against 2 quality ruckman? Clark is very good and leuy is alrite too..

Frawley/Warnock - Can either one of these guys shut up a very dangerous Fevola? Fev will be loving the chance to be THE vocal point of the lions attack

Green - Has been playing well against some weaker sides, good to see if he keeps it up...

Jack and Tom - A good test against bigger, experienced bodies..

MacDonald - played really well last week, did some courageous things and should have a point to prove to Voss.

If these guys do as well as they should, we can take it right up to them.. winning is another thing, (Brissy are a top 4 side and there is reason why they are unbeaten) but I think we will come very close... Carn the dees!

This annoys me a bit, to be honest.

I think Newton has been good for us the last couple of weeks, and he gives us a target to create a contest, and then our smaller forwards/midfielders can create goals off him. Newton could have had a real crack at kicking a bag against the tigers and given him some much needed confidence to take on the rest of the year. Stupid mistake by the selection commitee in my opinion, i think Bate, Garland or even Bruce should have gone this week to free up a spot for Sylvia.

Its funny how demonlanders posts can change in a few good weeks............

The scary thing is that its all set up for a loss. I am more worried about this sundays game then I will be all year, I think. We have alot of young players in our team, and without the right guidance, they will think that they can easily win this week.... which is WRONG!

We aren't that good.. We have played well against two good teams last couple weeks, and managed a win against 19 or 20 adelaide men (not taking anything away from it).. but we cant get ahead of ourselves. If we come out, arrogant and thinking we already have the 4 points.. we will lose to the worst team in the league and everything we have worked towards will mean NOTHING.

We NEED this win and the tigers have a point to make. A team that has been battered and bruized all through the week, normally come out breathing fire. So we need to understand this and hopefully not take the foot off the pedal at all..

I hope to god, that Dean and his coaching staff arent like the majority of demonland posters, and they take this week as seriously as they did Collingwood.

So to continue my team would look like:

FB: Rivers - Warnock - Bruce

HB: Grimes - Frawley - MacDonald

C: Trengove - McDonald - Scully

HF: Sylvia - Bate - Green

FF: Dunn - Newton - Pettard

R: Jamar - Moloney - Davey

B: Bail - McKenzie - Jones - Bennell

I think Bartram will definetly go. I can't see him playing many more games for the red and blue.... As much as his tagging game was ok, I don't think he can hold his spot if Rivers and Sylvia are fit. But the 2nd person to be dropped will be interesting... If they dont bring in another ruckman, then Newton is safe, because he can do OK in the ruck while Jamar rests. So its really between Bennell, Strauss and sorry to say it Bruce.

However, I think it will be:

Ins: Sylvia - Rivers

Outs: Strauss - Bartram

Bennell gives us a bit more of an X factor, he is unpredictable... and Strauss is the unlucky one that has to be chopped.

INS: Sylvia, Garland (if fit), Martin

OUTS: Frawley, Newton, Dunn

Now hear me out.

Frawley had no influence on getting the ball out of defensive 50. Despite the fact that he really didn't cost us anything on the scoreboard, he wasn't nearly attacking enough to hurt the opposition at all.

Newton was also terrible. Again, he had no impact on the game for long periods of time and was the cause of some turnovers inside 50. We need players who are able to keep the ball in there so we can score. Newton didn't do this.

Dunn. Sure, he did some good things and scored a couple of goals, but he was also one of the biggest offenders when it came to turning the ball over in the forward 50. We do too much work on getting it in there to have it all undone by a couple of non-marks or poor kicks.

Scully also played poorly, but he's very much in our future, so I wouldn't drop him yet.

You have got to be kidding me. Frawley is a pillar of strength down in our backline... Why not drop davey, grimes, green and jamar too?

If he stays fit.. I think he will kick 35 - 45 goals

Plays so much taller then he is.. and confident around goal

I am tipping Jacky Watts to come back a couple games before we play Carlton.. then he can get his match fitness a bit higher for our match with the blues..

We win... he kicks 4 and cleans up brock mclean... then stands over him and say " Good choice mate... "