Preview R8: Many changes vs Bulldogs

[Cannon82]

Sydney do it. Freo do it. Hawthorn do it. Geelong do it. North do it.

Sydney - Pyke rucks Pat Malone with Tippett chopping him out. Tippett is one of the key forwards and he's good at it.
Freo - Clarke is the backup ruckman and ordinary as a footballer, but still better around the ground than any of our rucks.
Hawks - Yep, Ceglar and McEvoy seem to split the duties. They're better rucks and better around the ground though.
Geelong - Only play one ruck. Blicavs may ruck but he's a long way from the traditional ruckman.
North - Goldstein rucks on his onesy.

Most teams don't do it, and most teams have at least two serviceable ruckmen. We don't.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

JFC. Michie needs 5 to 10 games in a row before he goes anywhere.

 

[Dez!]

What's the constant fascination with the belief we can't play 2 rucks, 2 key forwards and a flanker.

Sydney do it. Freo do it. Hawthorn do it. Geelong do it. North do it.

Spencer rucks 75% of the game. Gawn rucks 25%, plays 55% forward. Hogan and Pedersen play as the tall forwards. One up the ground, one closer to goal. If the rotations are done properly Gawn will play a fair chunk of his forward minutes when Hogan or Pedersen are on the bench.

Watts is a 6'3 half forward flanker. He's got great speed. There's no reason why he shouldn't have great defensive ability as a medium sized forward. Again, when you factor in a lot of time up the ground it shouldn't be an issue that he's playing alongside 3 bigger guys. If he wants to be treated as a key forward then he should take some marks!

Gawn should be in the team if he can mark and chase and provide a different option in the forward line instead of another resting mid like Matt Jones or Toumpas. Having Pedersen, Spencer and Hogan in the side shouldn't limit him.

I agree Gawn should be in the team but at the expense of Spencer, he's been nothing short of a liability and does not have an impact on any part of the game.

Geelong, Sydney and Freo have an established proven ruck in their teams, we have a proven potato in Spencer.

I'd be fine with Jamar, Gawn, Pedersen and Hogan because they can all take a grab which at the very least gives us multiple targets to aim at and give us a chance to lock the ball inside 50. However with Spencer that doesn't work because he doesn't have that marking ability which means in your scenario the 25% he's not playing in the ruck will be spent clogging up space inside 50 when he's not on the bench.

 

[master bate]

Sydney - Pyke rucks Pat Malone with Tippett chopping him out. Tippett is one of the key forwards and he's good at it.
Freo - Clarke is the backup ruckman and ordinary as a footballer, but still better around the ground than any of our rucks.
Hawks - Yep, Ceglar and McEvoy seem to split the duties. They're better rucks and better around the ground though.
Geelong - Only play one ruck. Blicavs may ruck but he's a long way from the traditional ruckman.
North - Goldstein rucks on his onesy.

Most teams don't do it, and most teams have at least two serviceable ruckmen. We don't.

Sydney play Reid and Goodes as well as Franklin and Tippett. 1 ruck but 4 other taller guys.
North the same. 1 ruck, but Petrie, Waite and Ben Brown.

I get that Spencer will offer zero forward and Gawn little forward but how often do we break down because the last guy deep dropped a mark/was out marked and how often do we lose games because we can't win clearances/clear the backline/hit up half forwards etc.

2 rucks should give us a big advantage in the hitouts and (hopefully) some ability around the ground. It also means Pedersen and Hogan can get up the ground more. In fact this week I'd be inclined to play Hogan as a Nick Riewoldt style CHF way up the ground and attempting to help the backline get the ball to a reliable target. If we break down deep because Pedersen and Gawn are tripping over themselves inside 50 then so be it.

I'm not convinced Gawn should or will play. I'm just sick of the excuse for us losing being an extra tall in the forward line.

 

[Cannon82]

Sydney play Reid and Goodes as well as Franklin and Tippett. 1 ruck but 4 other taller guys.
North the same. 1 ruck, but Petrie, Waite and Ben Brown.

I get that Spencer will offer zero forward and Gawn little forward but how often do we break down because the last guy deep dropped a mark/was out marked and how often do we lose games because we can't win clearances/clear the backline/hit up half forwards etc.

2 rucks should give us a big advantage in the hitouts and (hopefully) some ability around the ground. It also means Pedersen and Hogan can get up the ground more. In fact this week I'd be inclined to play Hogan as a Nick Riewoldt style CHF way up the ground and attempting to help the backline get the ball to a reliable target. If we break down deep because Pedersen and Gawn are tripping over themselves inside 50 then so be it.

I'm not convinced Gawn should or will play. I'm just sick of the excuse for us losing being an extra tall in the forward line.

All those guys can play forward. Gawn and Spencer can't. No one plays two pure ruckmen.

Not being able to apply pressure in the forward line isn't the only excuse for us losing, but it's a factor. The Dogs nearly broke even for clearances against Freo last week despite the hits out being about 60 to 10. If Sandilands winning the tap for Fyfe, Mundy, Barlow, Neale, etc doesn't garner a massive clearance advantage, not sure that Gawn and Spencer tapping to our lot is going to be the defining factor in the game.

 

[HenryR]

Unfortunately I stopped reading here and destroyed my computer before realising he's not actually out of the game.

Here, here I agree

 

[pure demon]

All those guys can play forward. Gawn and Spencer can't. No one plays two pure ruckmen.

Not being able to apply pressure in the forward line isn't the only excuse for us losing, but it's a factor. The Dogs nearly broke even for clearances against Freo last week despite the hits out being about 60 to 10. If Sandilands winning the tap for Fyfe, Mundy, Barlow, Neale, etc doesn't garner a massive clearance advantage, not sure that Gawn and Spencer tapping to our lot is going to be the defining factor in the game.

The bulldogs have uncorked a bottle of the secret elixer. Theres room for the odd third man up in modern footy, but out and put you still need a ruckman. I imagine you have forgotten this barracking for melbourne,
But yes a good ruckman can direct the ball to someone wearing the same jumper

 

[pure demon]

The bulldogs have uncorked a bottle of the secret elixer. Theres room for the odd third man up in modern footy, but out and put you still need a ruckman. I imagine you have forgotten this barracking for melbourne,
But yes a good ruckman can direct the ball to someone wearing the same jumper

Sounds like drunken bullshite to me...and i wrote it!

 

[TheDarkDwarf]

I'm sick of him not running. He walks between contests.

If he wants a regular spot he should start showing some kind of regular effort.

Yes. especially after his pathetic efforts at trying to run and tackle last week. He is slower than I am, and i have a few years on him.

 

[TheDarkDwarf]

What was Dawes' injury?

Ability

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

JFC. Michie needs 5 to 10 games in a row before he goes anywhere.

Agree completely, this is what I meant about how guys will get the shits up about the whole Watts situation.

Played well as the sub against Richmond and we have been murdered since. He puts his head over the thing at least, deserves a decent go.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

If you hate your laptop or desktop monitor dont read read this:

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-02-04/dawes-fit-and-ready-to-fire

#bestpreseasonever

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

What's the constant fascination with the belief we can't play 2 rucks, 2 key forwards and a flanker.

Sydney do it. Freo do it. Hawthorn do it. Geelong do it. North do it.

Spencer rucks 75% of the game. Gawn rucks 25%, plays 55% forward. Hogan and Pedersen play as the tall forwards. One up the ground, one closer to goal. If the rotations are done properly Gawn will play a fair chunk of his forward minutes when Hogan or Pedersen are on the bench.

Watts is a 6'3 half forward flanker. He's got great speed. There's no reason why he shouldn't have great defensive ability as a medium sized forward. Again, when you factor in a lot of time up the ground it shouldn't be an issue that he's playing alongside 3 bigger guys. If he wants to be treated as a key forward then he should take some marks!

Gawn should be in the team if he can mark and chase and provide a different option in the forward line instead of another resting mid like Matt Jones or Toumpas. Having Pedersen, Spencer and Hogan in the side shouldn't limit him.

Mate, if they're good players we can play 22 ruckmen for all I care. The point is that if we don't have talls that are quality it means we're playing a style of game which is slow and easily countered. So in the absence of too many good talls we need more players who can provide run and carry and put pressure on the opposition, rather than just be static.

 

[Topkent]

I'm gonna freak out if Gawn is in to replace dawes as a key forward

Pedo and hogan as a one two forward combo will be good, I like pedo on the second defender which means watts has the third who he can hopefully out work (ha)

Add Riley to the midfield which hopefully frees up Bernie and yeah

Who the * is gonna be the go to kicker behind the footy? Will Watts replace Salem ?

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

I'm gonna freak out if Gawn is in to replace dawes as a key forward

Pedo and hogan as a one two forward combo will be good, I like pedo on the second defender which means watts has the third who he can hopefully out work (ha)

Add Riley to the midfield which hopefully frees up Bernie and yeah

Who the **** is gonna be the go to kicker behind the footy? Will Watts replace Salem ?

Clearly Grimes, Bail or M Jones to be the desinated kicker.

 

[Topkent]

Clearly Grimes, Bail or M Jones to be the desinated kicker.

 

[Tulip]

We don't actually have the numbers fit in reserve anymore.

For a Sunday game, bizarre names will be thrown up.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

What was Dawes' injury?

Not being very good.

 

[Cannon82]

If you hate your laptop or desktop monitor dont read read this:

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-02-04/dawes-fit-and-ready-to-fire

#bestpreseasonever

My favourite was one of the Neeld preseasons where we were training apartment blocks down, smashing PBs, players fit as they've ever been, etc etc and then we come out in the first few rounds and the end result of this is that footage of Chip Frawley jogging after an opponent at the same pace as a little fat kid full of chocolate walking to the dentist's office. "Tell me again how fit the players are and how hard the side is to play against."

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Not to overhype a first year player with a low fitness base, but Petracca being out for the year is really quite a pain. Gives us an option through the midfield but would also be able to play as a forward running target ahead of Bail, Watts, and Gawn (CP more dynamic, better skills).

 

[Cannon82]

Not to overhype a first year player with a low fitness base, but Petracca being out for the year is really quite a pain. Gives us an option through the midfield but would also be able to play as a forward running target ahead of Bail, Watts, and Gawn (CP more dynamic, better skills).

Yep. I think he would have started in the side in the pocket and taken it from there. Should be able to work into the team the same way Jake Stringer has at the Dogs - he might not be able to rack up 25 possies a game yet, but if he's a decent overhead grab, quick off the mark and knows his way around a footy, we could do with another goal threat.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

My favourite was one of the Neeld preseasons where we were training apartment blocks down, smashing PBs, players fit as they've ever been, etc etc and then we come out in the first few rounds and the end result of this is that footage of Chip Frawley jogging after an opponent at the same pace as a little fat kid full of chocolate walking to the dentist's office. "Tell me again how fit the players are and how hard the side is to play against."

Ok, boys and girls, huddle around uncle Power, its time for a Ripley's believe it or not:

I haven't said this here but..Mark Neeld was my coach at one stage during my football career, and no, i am not James Magner. He employed slightly less stand over type tactics when he coached us by that ******* eye of his was still there, twitching away at half time during awe inspiring speeches, god it pissed me off then, the salvia face soakings had little on twitch as we called it, now anyway, to the real part of my story…. well after drinking enough Wild Turkey to wish i had a stomach pump handy and watching us get absolutely arse ****ed by Essendon on that fateful Saturday night, 'twitch' coming out was all i needed, when that eye went bonkers during the press conference i couldn't help myself, i went to his place (sober friend driving of course, what do you take me for some kind of immature brat who thinks he's above the law?) and in the most mature way i could, i egged his wife's car.

Story over, now let us never speak of this again.

 

[ponsdale]

Not to overhype a first year player with a low fitness base, but Petracca being out for the year is really quite a pain. Gives us an option through the midfield but would also be able to play as a forward running target ahead of Bail, Watts, and Gawn (CP more dynamic, better skills).

I'm holding on to that CP will debut next year with the hunger and tenacity of Hogan this year.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

View attachment 136614

why was i starring at this for 20 seconds thinking it was gif and expecting to see some sort of temper tantrum?

 

[ponsdale]

Ok, boys and girls, huddle around uncle Power, its time for a Ripley's believe it or not:

I haven't said this here but..Mark Neeld was my coach at one stage during my football career, and no, i am not James Magner. He employed slightly less stand over type tactics when he coached us by that ******* eye of his was still there, twitching away at half time during awe inspiring speeches, god it pissed me off then, the salvia face soakings had little on twitch as we called it, now anyway, to the real part of my story…. well after drinking enough Wild Turkey to wish i had a stomach pump handy and watching us get absolutely arse stuffed by Essendon on that fateful Saturday night, 'twitch' coming out was all i needed, when that eye went bonkers during the press conference i couldn't help myself, i went to his place (sober friend driving of course, what do you take me for some kind of immature brat who thinks he's above the law?) and in the most mature way i could, i egged his wife's car.

Story over, now let us never speak of this again.