Preview Changes and pre-match discussion vs Melbourne

[Its a Process]

Would like to see JK, Banch and Payne buzzing around in the same team, not sure it will happen though.

 

[bhoysdontcry67]

Travelling down for this game, first one of season! Gutted LDU is out.

Please please please win! Last game was Richmond win last year

 

[Topparoo]

OUT: LDU (conc), Xerri (conc), Duursma (omit)
IN: Parker, CCJ (yuck), Darling

Dursma was putrid but I would keep playing him we need to find out more about him.

 

[hilly]

In: Banch, Parker, Comben
Out: LDU, Duursma, Logue

 

[zoomba23]

I hate the Western Bulldogs.

Can't be arsed tracking down the autopsy thread so I'm putting it here

 

[The Nostradamus]

In: Banch, Parker, Comben
Out: LDU, Duursma, Logue

If we waste games on Scott over Duursma then shut the joint down

 

[kool kangas]

Having Xerri not being concussed is a huge relief..

 

[kool kangas]

If we waste games on Scott over Duursma then shut the joint down

Agree but Scott did play better than him unfortunately...

 

[Augustine]

I genuinely believe we’re currently better suited to the MCG than to Marvel.

Marvel is smaller and has narrower wings and pockets and a famously “fast deck”. So that means transition up through the corridor can be rapid and devastating. Teams getting on a run can pile on the goals. Teams prone to turnovers get carved up.

Now it’s exciting when we do a great goal in transition but we have not figured out how to stem the flow when oppositions get on a run.

The MCG is longer with deep pockets and wide wings. Territory is slightly more important in comparison to possession than at Marvel.

As a result, winning clearances can be a big advantage.

It takes longer for the ball to get from place to place on the field sometimes by a whole kick.

This plays more to our strengths and mitigates our weaknesses somewhat.

I reckon this is a winnable match. We’ve let slip a few winnable matches this year (Essendon, Port) so let’s do the double on the dees and finish the season with a perfect MCG record.

 

[DuckYeah]

Agree but Scott did play better than him unfortunately...

Scott can ship off.

 

[HongKongRoo]

Griff was better this week

Not sure if we were watching the same game but he was no-where near what he showed in the WA games or against Carlton. Trailing his man to the ball, guarding space instead of putting a body on Naughton. Had none of the aggression or urgency that he had in those three games. Stephens was better defensively than Logue

 

[The Nostradamus]

Lever leg injury

 

[giantroo]

 

[The Nostradamus]

An extra 3 day break over the dees and them coming back from an interstate game

We better cover the ground much better no excuses

 

[DuckYeah]

An extra 3 day break over the dees and them coming back from an interstate game

We better cover the ground much better no excuses

There’ll be plenty of excuses

 

[franjon]

In CCJ & K Dawson.

This. We should be used to it by now anyway.

 

[kanga kanga kanga]

In CCJ & K Dawson. If both play well in the VFL late Friday arvo.

Out Injured players.

 

[Ball Dont Lie]

Get more dynamic movement into the backline. Colby, hardamen, Harvey. Drop Daniels.

 

[OG Real]

a chance to move up the ladder with this game, and if Saints lose too then we are out of the bottom 4... huge game! we really need to turn up for this

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

I'm looking forward to Xerri giving Gawn another hiding so i can be so pis..ed off when Gawn gets the All Australian gig at the end of the year.

 

[JGreezy]

a chance to move up the ladder with this game, and if Saints lose too then we are out of the bottom 4... huge game! we really need to turn up for this

Yeah, if we win this then 12th on the ladder is very achievable by the end of the year. That's a good spot to be realistically targeting the 8 next year.

 

[FlyHigh18]

Xerri is our best midfielder.
LDU doesn’t show up half the time anyway.

 

[kool kangas]

Time to giving more of the younger players game time....

 

[shinboner magic]

Xerri is our best midfielder.
LDU doesn’t show up half the time anyway.

If he didn’t have tunnel vision he would be - the amount of time he just boots it forward while having loose teammates next to him.

 

[Event Horizon]

I hate the Western Bulldogs.

Can't be arsed tracking down the autopsy thread so I'm putting it here

Yeah we just match up horribly against the Dogs. This was one of our better games effort wise and really for 3 quarters it felt we are only a couple of goals behind them with some absolute reaming from the umpires. But just like in the Collingwood game, we couldn't sustain that level of pressure in the 4th and better teams would always pull away in that scenario. Overall that game gave much more positive vibes than negatives. It felt that we may be just one preseason away from matching it with them (more or less).

What does it all mean for the Melbourne game? We have done well against them the last few times and MCG isn't as much of a factor as it normally would have been, given our two wins earlier this year at the venue. LDU will obviously be missed, and I am not sure Xerri plays either - I know he was passed fit apparently, but looked like a concussion to me at the time. Will be interesting watch how he goes this week. If he's out we're no chance. But given we have a long 10 day break, if we can bring our better effort this week, we should be in it all day