CHF

It will be interesting to see the changes this week and to be honest, given the very strange structure of the season, I really have no idea how it will go. We have a six day break coming off travel back from Adelaide and two games in 5 days as compared to the Pies that play after a 4 day break. Based on the selections in the last couple of games I would be bringing back Max for Tmac as long as he is good to go. If not, retain the structure as it was played against North. Viney I would bring back in in place of Harmes. Harmes was not good form in the last few games he has played and has tended to drop/fumble the ball and has run into trouble a few times. Viney I would use as one of 4/5 rotations in the center or look to him to shut down problem opposition players, those two changes I really think we will make as basic changes. I could see another one or two changes based on how players pull up after the Adelaide games and also based on possible match ups. I would give Rivers another run this week but might look closely at ABV.

My one word analysis of the North's game - INTERESTING INTERESTING to see the team get up and perform so well after a 4 day break. was it just the quality of the opposition? INTERESTING to see the performance of the midfield without Viney and Max. Looked as though the hunted became the hunter. want to see that when the two are back INTERESTING to see how bad that North are and don't I love it! INTERESTING to see the the way we played and wonder how much of it was down to the coaching instructions and how much was down to player'taking the game on. INTERESTING to see the selections for the next match based on the form and the ins and outs over the last couple of matches. INTERESTING INTERESTING INTERESTING

No problem with these selection except for the Spag Bol. looking at the comments here, if North have as much trouble working out who rucks when and what our forwards set up is going to be, then Goody may have pulled off a selection masterstroke. if, however, we come second in a two horse race, he will be a long time scraping egg off face. Spag Bol for El Capitan

My one word analysis of the game - ENCOURAGING ENCOURAGING that the forward structure is looking better ENCOURAGING signs that Brayshaw is finding some form ENCOURAGING signs that the defence is working together as a team within a team ENCOURAGING to see Oliver working to take his game to a new level ENCOURAGING to see the coach looking to get some support for Max ENCOURAGING to us us perform well with Max being ,an aged on the ground BUT........ Still a long way to go.....

Must be down to the quality of the paper you printed it on.

First time I can recall feeling like this but my care factor for this game is damn close to zero. I usually make sure I can watch the game live so I can ride every bump, mark, kick and tackle, but not today. I have a lovely day in europe and I am going to take advantage of it and go and have a round of golf. They will need to show a hell of a lot more than they showed last week for me TGAF.

What they are saying down at Demonland I’m putting $1000 on any of the Crows Debutants getting the NAB rising star this week. Goodwin has flagged we'll be better this week. Let's see if selection backs him up. Persisting with Jones is a complete waste. Trade him back to retirement for peanuts. We are in diabolical trouble. Game plan from St.Bernadettes year 3 marks up playbook. I think a Bottom 4 season and Goodwin is shown the door IMO. We need a full clean out of coaches and Bartlett needs to throw HUGE coin at a proper coaching setup. It’s just hit me. The realisation that the best player at our club could be a 35yo mother of two, if we had one. Invite someone back to the club as a mentor for Goodwin. If anyone in the media, social media or anywhere else asks again why TMac was dropped, please refer them to this week's performance. Has Lever played in Adelaide against the Crows yet? Last weeks embarrassment has finally made the club really go into 'we're crap' mode. Prediction : Lever to "run through" Tex at some point. Crows making EIGHT(!) changes. Two debutants. Gerard and Robbo completely ignore Demons. If Melbourne actually won would would anyone care? We are ripe for the picking. Nil all draw? Excellent, at least 3 of those players dropped should never ever play a game for the club again.

Why do i continue to think of our game against the drug cheats when they had lost a majority of their list to suspension and had not looked like winning a match all season?

No need to worry about that with the quality of our delivery into the forward 50.

I agree with the posters that thought OMac should be retained. The defence was looking ok and building. I would not have retained Jones for this game As I have not seen very much over his last couple of games. Short turn around for the North game so I would expect a few to be 'rested'.

I really do not get the calls for TMac to move back into defence. I equate it to the call for Smith to move into the forward 50. IMO both ideas are rubbish. TMac does not look fit enough to run out a game and his reaction time and agility are non existent. As for Smith forward, well, he has not shown anything as a footballer where ever he has been played. Before Smith gets a run forward, I would get Brown in there. I do not rate TMac in any shape or form. Jones is not a shadow of his former self. I just hope that they go back to the basic structures that are needed in ant team. Oliver, Viney, Petracca and Brayshaw rotating as the inside mids with Harmes as a hard tagger on the opposition problem child. Langdon on one wing And I would look at ANB on the other and tell him to run, run, run and then run some more. I may even get Hunt back in as a wing after he has watched replays of Langdon's games a few dozen times. Defence I would leave as is and give them a chance to settle and work together. last week's performance was not the fault of the backs. In attack I would leave to combination of Wiedeman and Jackson for the moment. Pickett to be dropped..... not 'rested'... dropped. Tell him he ha to work harder in defending the forward 50 and has to look to use support. Yeah, yeah, I know, there was a very good passage of play where he was involved but that lasted all of 5 seconds duration. Fritsch or Hannan? I am beginning to think we cannot afford to have both in the team. Maybe Brown replaces on of them and Bennell replaces Pickett. If Max does not get up I would have Pruess in the side to do the job that Max presently does. Not sure what sort of team that ends up looking like and could not be bothered to work it out afterall, the team cannot be bothered looking like they are interested in playing so why should I waste too much effort? I am on my last legs with this coach and list of players.

"Tactically Melbourne have become a side that backs in their system and does not make many adjustments during a game." This is all very well and good if the system has enough flexibility to adjust to the circumstances that evolve during a game and that the coaches box have developed responses that can be put in place to react. I have not seen any match day responses that are reactive let alone proactive.

I have no idea how you even begin to put together a team to play Adelaide next week after a completely disgusting performance like that. There are so many players whose performance was sub-standard who would not be considered for next week but for the fact that there were so many that were rubbish. Start with the midfield. You can juggle it any way you like but if we do not look for replacements for the out of form players we will go now where fast. Give Harmes a rest. put him in a dark room for 24 hours to give him a chance to clear his head. He looks like he has too much going on up there. Brayshaw has more than stalled. he has gone backwards. out of form or not being used properly? Whichever, give him a week off. Jones is not the answer to any sensible question regarding selection in this team as we have an almost full list to select from. Sparrow's performance highlights this. TMac is in the same boat as Jones. He is supposed to be a 'spearhead' but he is not sharp, in any sense of the word when it comes to footy. The only thing he has in common with a spear is that he likes straight....... running in a straight line that is. He remind me of the American Muscle cars of the 70's and 80's. A blast and all that when going in a straight line but ask them to turn at speed and you crash and burn. Rest him for the remainder of this crazy season and get him lighter and a bit more nimble.... I can live in hope. I would keep the defence a it is. they had no hope with the way the ball was coming in because of lack of pressure from our 'Midfield'' players. ( use the team 'players' loosely) So? 4 or 5 changes? W(ho)TF knows? Out: Harmes, Brayshaw, Jones and TMac, Pickett in: VdB, Bennell, Tomlinson, Rivers and Jordan to debut. Bennell into the forwards. VdB forward and mid rotation. Tomlinson wing, ruck and forward rotation. Rivers as defensive cover and allow Salem to be released to a wing at times. Jordan would be good to get a run so we can see how he is developing. He could not be worse than the spuds that were sent out against Port. A bit of thought and match day coaching would not go astray...... I am not sure but I think I saw Goody writing out his shopping list there at some point during the 2nd quarter.

See above.... one week/word at a time

That could be next week.... one week/word at a time

My one word review of the game - DEE-PLORABLE Deeplorable decision making Deeplorable kicking, handballing, disposals in general Deeplorable tackling Deeplorable awareness Deeplorable coaching (before the game in making sure that the players heads are in the right space and during the game as there was no reaction from the coaches box as to what was happening) A couple of things we are consistently good at is turning the ball over and giving away stupid free kicks. DEEPLORABLE

I cannot recall a game of football where one team showed such woeful skills. There was no connection. the field kicking was dreadful. we could not string together 3 possessions and we did not run to spread. we also gave away stupid frees and did not stick tackles. Did I miss anything?

Dees by 21 going away in the last

I don’t agree with this “let it breathe “ rubbish. Knock the top off and give it mouth to mouth.

Agree about the management of Gawn. I will also be interested to see how proactive or aggressive we are in our tactical positioning at the beginning of the match and how the coaches react as the game unfolds.

I do not mind these changes. However, I hope the coaching panel has a few ideas of how they propose to use the three talls in the team structures. Wiedeman and Jackson have performed well in the last couple of games and the structure has allowed us to gain a reasonable percentage of conversions from our forward 50 entries. I would look at a few things. Wiedeman to play deep and use structured leads. TMac to give an option at kick ins and as a release marking option with Jackson in the middle on the defensive side of the square. Jackson at a few center bounces the way Hogan was used a bit. This may cause Port a few problems. I like the way that Jackson has delivered the ball inside 50 a few times while running through the corridor. Intelligent, measured kicks. Having both TMac and Jackson there allows us to use Max as a flexible positional player when he is not rucking. I am bullish about a win over Port tomorrow.

The remainder of the list flew out on the 14/07 to the hub in QLD. that would mean that from today or tomorrow they are out of quarantine and available to train and play with the full squad.

As I understand, all the club’s available players are now in the QLD hub and are available post quarantine and I assume that would include J Wagner

Have a look at the games he played in 2018. he was very good in a number of them I believe. At some stage during this season we need to get a look at him to see if he can provide depth. I would like to see what he brings when he has a well structured defence around him. Smith is not the answer. If he is then you are asking the wrong question.We know what Rivers can bring to the table and he will develop over time. With the short turn around to the Port game I would like to see some freshness in the team.

The selections for the Port game will really depend on how the players pull up after the game on Sunday. However, if selection was on form in the game, there would be a couple of changes. In defence, I saw Jetta as as weakness. He just does not seem to be able to track fast enough to a contest or his reading of the play is not what it used to be. After his head knocks, I could see him getting a rest and possibly brought back for the game after Port. I like the way the rest of the backline is playing. May, OMac, Lever, Salem and Hibberd are developing a good understanding and Lockhart, much to my surprise, is slotting in there well. Who gets a game in place of Jetta? well the obvious one would be Rivers but I would not be surprised to see Josh Wagner get run. Midfield did not perform up to standard at Max's feet. Not sure what the problem was? Caoching or players? If all have pulled up ok I would not change any in there. Petracca, Oliver and Viney on the inside with Brayshaw rotating there and Harmes used in a tagging role on an opposition key mid would be the way I would go. Langdon on one wing and a few, including Jones to rotate through the other. I do not see Jones getting dropped after one game. In the forwards o would definately retain Wiedeman, Jackson, Melksham combination at the heart of the attack. Fritsch is there sa well but I would be looking to use him up the ground a bit more on an HFF as I like his mobility and delivery. Hannan had just a game on Sunday but I would retain him. One of Bennell or Pickett I would replace. I would be tempted to give Pickett a rest. I would like to see Sparrow given a run in his place. With regard to TMac, well, I do not see any great reason to get him back in just yet. He was not in form in all the games he played prior to his eye injury and I don't think it is necessary to have a third tall against Port. So, for me... Out: Jetta, Pickett In: Wagner, Sparrow