CHF

Gawn in for Preuss if Max is 100% fit and ready to go. I would like to see Harmes given a rest a he is not in good form at all. Rivers to take his spot. If Sparrow is in need of a rest then I would be inclined to give Jordan a run in his place. These would be the only changes I would contemplate to last week's team. We do have a solid block of travel and games coming up and I could see a lot of 'management' decisions related to selection over the coming weeks.

My one word analysis of the Pies game - PLEASING PLEASING - To beat this mob anytime, any place any how. PLEASING - To win three in a row is such convincing fashion. PLEASING - to see Spargo snag a few with good positioning and movement. He also looks to have benefited physically from a good pre-season PLEASING - to beat this team by 10 goals PLEASING - to see a full 4 quarter performance from the team PLEASING - to see a good even performance from the midfield. PLEASING - to see Sparrow develop very well and look at home in a top class midfield PLEASING - to watch Preuss' performance in the absence of Max PLEASING PLEASING PLEASING

Gawn for Pruess if Max is fit. Harmes out and maybe give Jordan a run.

It is a pretty complex situation with the ladder at the moment with the postponed Bombers game and the byes spread out the way that they are. With the remaining games locked in through Round 18, and as the ladder sits at the moment, just about all the games for us will be 8 point games. MFC prior to Round 12 we sit 10th on the ladder with 20 points and 110% Round 12 - Vs Collingwood they sit 7th on the ladder 6 points better and +6% Round 13 - Vs Bulldogs they sit 11th on the ladder same points -20% Round 14 - Vs Saints they sit 5th on the ladder 8 points better +1.5% Round 15 - Vs Swans they sit 16th on the ladder 4 points less -25% Round 16 - Vs Dockers they sit 17th on the ladder 4 points less -22% Round 17 - Vs Giants they sit 8th on the ladder 4 points better -12% Round 18 - Vs Bombers They sit 9th on the ladder 2 points better -20% Still to have bye weekends of that group are Bulldogs, Saints and Collingwood. Finals play is very much in our own hands given the games we play from here on in. I predict 5 wins from the last seven rounds and all the way to the line our season will be on a knife edge.

I think that, given the injuries we have at present this is a good a team as you could get. There are arguments both ways for the inclusions and exclusions that were made and it will depend on how/where the coaching staff look to utilise the strength of the players. My opinion is that Preuss was a certainty once Jackson and Gawn were confirmed outs. It will be interesting to see how he performs. I hope he is hungry for the game and has sat down with Stafford, Gawn and the midfield to talk through the way they want it to go. I want to see our inside mids really hunting the ball at the bounces. Viney in is a big positive. Personally I would have dropped either Jones or Harmes to make the space. Jones looks to be hlf a pace off it at the moment but Harmes is completely out of touch with fumbles and giving away silly frees. Lockhart for Rivers is a toss up in my book. we would not have lost/gained much either way if we have retained Rivers. the coaches may be looking at matchups. I think we will win going away from them in the lat quarter and a half. 26pts.

What is the big deal? If/when Max is assessed as fit, I am sure he will be named in the team. I believe that was the case before the Adelaide game. He was assessed, found to be fit to play and played. The fact that he injured a knee, in no way related to his shoulder injury, towards the end of the game is not relevant. When the selectors sit down to put together a team for Saturday I am sure that the first question asked will be "Is Max fit?". Selections will then be made dependent upon the answer. Rinse and repeat next week.

One of the things that we have been developing is the flexibility of the players in being able to play multiple roles within the team as required. I can see no problem with having Oliver, Petracca, Viney and Brayshaw all in the one team with all of them rotating through a couple of different role during a game. It might be to a forward pocket or to a forward flank or even to a wing for a time but each of them have strengths and weaknesses that we need to be able to use to advantage. I can imagine a scenario where a player was being tagged hard and to break the tag or to move an effective opposition player to a less critical position we would rotate one of them forward and the other into the middle. that way we keep the quality in the middle and around the ball and move quality/intensity to another section of the ground. Having these four gives us an edge and good flexibility. we just need the coaching to push the envelope a bit.

I hope we do better......

agreed

Pies do not look good a I watch the Crows play in a similar fashion to the way they did against us. Wonder if they will run out of legs in the last.

Walker causes so many turnovers....... I imagine he thinks he looks good doing it and cannot understand these pesky black and white jumpers getting in the way....

A question to all those wanting TMac to return to defence: Why? As I recall he was a bit of a liability with his disposal when he was playing back there. He also lacked agility and acceleration. I do not believe he has improved any of those elements of his game and has not been part of the defensive structure at the club for a number of years. We have built a bit of understanding and stability in the back 50 and I believe that the introduction of TMac back there would screw up the defence that is beginning to look good. If he cannot make it these days at a forward then changes have to be made.

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.