Changes for Round 4

[Ben the Gooner]

Any chance we could see Tyson Slattery or Hooker promoted. Sound like they were good this weekend. Though I don't think we need to tinker too much with the side. They should get their chances at some stage.

I'd say no to Hooker, given North's lack of tall forwards.

Slats Jr is a chance if we decide to go defensive on Campbell and Thomas, but I'd rather see Quinn and Dempsey given the job.

 

[danzan22]

I'd say no to Hooker, given North's lack of tall forwards.

Slats Jr is a chance if we decide to go defensive on Campbell and Thomas, but I'd rather see Quinn and Dempsey given the job.

Seeing as they only have petrie up foward could we see one of Pears or Daniher dropped for strategic reasons? Last year against coll we saw the disastrous effects of having to many talls in the backline.

 

[efcboy]

Seeing as they only have petrie up foward could we see one of Pears or Daniher dropped for strategic reasons? Last year against coll we saw the disastrous effects of having to many talls in the backline.

unlike courtney johns, daniher is fairly mobile around the ground so we shouldn't see a repeat of that coll game. norths forward-line won't be that small IMO. hale is reported as only having concussion so you could not completely rule him out although with such a hard knock he is unlikely. if hale does go out then they might bring in shannon watt who played forward for them in pre-season.

i see their line-up and our match-ups looking like:

campbell - dempsey
hale/watt - fletcher
josh smith - daniher
thomas - slattery
petrie - pears
c.jones - myers

other defensive matchups:

b.harvey - dyson
d.wells - winderlich

in the last practice match of the year harvey and wells cut essendon up - i'd say both of these guys will cop a tag. mcveigh, stanton and watson to go head to head with their opponents (rawlings, simpson, swallow).

 

[lemon chicken]

Any chance we could see Tyson Slattery or Hooker promoted. Sound like they were good this weekend. Though I don't think we need to tinker too much with the side. They should get their chances at some stage.

I wouldnt expect to see Slattery this year unless we get destroyed by injuries. He's a talent but doesnt have a build yet. For some reason he was matched up to Brad Fisher in the last qtr on Sunday and had trouble with him.

 

[High Ryder]

Slaterry may get a game this year because we struggle with small forwards.

 

[Jaymin]

please do some research also - both lonergan and reimers will not be in line for selection this week. why would they risk them anyway when the team performed well?

You may want to 'research' Knights after match press conference...

 

[efcboy]

You may want to 'research' Knights after match press conference...

not sure what knights said but having been at training last week i'd be surprised if he (longergan) came up. his hand was bandaged and he wasn't handling the ball at all with the injured hand taking one handed marks etc. i don't see the need to rush him back - hocking is playing the same role ok in midfield for at least one more week.

i might be at training tomorrow to see the improvement but if i were knights and the situation was:
(a) lonergan on tuesday 7th april unable to even handle a footy
(b) lonergan on tuesday 14th april back in full training for the first time since injury

i'd take the conservative approach giving him an extra week (exactly what he did with mcveigh) - there is no need to rush so early in the season. i'm quite pleased with the depth we are producing to cover players so happy with a conservative approach to manage players thoughout the season.

 

[Enki]

(b) lonergan on tuesday 14th april back in full training for the first time since injury

Fletch said on SEN that McVeigh, McPhee and Lonergan would return this week and they (those three) had an intensive training session sunday morning.

Also, Hocking currently plays a tagging role, he can get in and under and is improving, but he doesn't play the same role Lonergan does.

 

[Enki]

So assuming Lonergan is coming back with McVeigh and McPhee, my new changes would be:

IN: McPhee, McVeigh, Lonergan
OUT: Myers, Dyson, Jetta

 

[efcboy]

Fletch said on SEN that McVeigh, McPhee and Lonergan would return this week and they (those three) had an intensive training session sunday morning.

Also, Hocking currently plays a tagging role, he can get in and under and is improving, but he doesn't play the same role Lonergan does.

both lonergan and hocking play midfield so quite similar in most aspects...no doubt dyson would be the one dropped for lonergan but hocking has actually taken lonergan's role (its not like dyson has been spending a lot of time in the middle where lonergan would have been).

ultimately dyson and hocking were always going to have to make way for more talented players like reimers, welsh, prismall and to a lesser extent lonergan when those guys are ready to return. i'm looking forward to when this happens as pressure for spots in the side will be intense and our depth looking good.

i still believe that they should give lonergan an extra week before bringing him in only in the interests of protecting him - after all it was a small fracture so you don't want it re-injured.

if all three do come in (mcphee, mcveigh, lonergan) then i'd have it:

out: jetta, nash, dyson

i'd give myers another week - unlike nash, myers doesn't mind a hard ball which will be critical against a back to the wall north melbourne side. myers despite being younger appears more physically capable of handling body on body contact than nash. that may be more a mental issue for nash however though...am i nash fan? not really - he's squibbed it too many times for my liking and he doesn't make up for it with electrifying pace and skill like some others do.

 

[Kaan]

No Houli for another week

 

[efcboy]

No Houli for another week

the coach is making him work harder and really earn a spot. houli will ultimately be a better player for it. short term pain for long term gain.

houli's another one to add to pressure for spots - imagine when/if dyson, watson, stanton, monfries, jetta, winderlich, prismall, mcveigh, zaharakis, welsh, lovett, lonergan, dempsey, nash, skipworth, myers, davey, reimers, hocking, houli are all fit and playing well. there's probably 11-12 spots in the side (2 defence, 2 forwards, 5 midfielders, 2-3 bench) and we'd have 20 players competing for them.

 

[daffo]

So assuming Lonergan is coming back with McVeigh and McPhee, my new changes would be:

IN: McPhee, McVeigh, Lonergan
OUT: Myers, Dyson, Jetta

These would be my changes too, Myers has now had back to back bad games so I think it's his time to go back to VFL, Jetta's ball handeling skills were well below par and although Dyson did improve he is the worst in the current mid group so he has go to to make room for McVeigh and Lonergan.

 

[Hencho]

IN: McVeigh, McPhee
OUT: Jetta, Dyson

Lonergan can have another week to ensure his hand is fully recovered. Essendon have been conservative with injured players all year and they should continue with that way of thinking.

 

[AndyLesPaul]

Ins: McPhee, McVeigh, Lonergan (all in our best 22.)
Outs: Myers, Dyson, Jetta(played decently but not enough to keep his spot)

 

[table tennis]

I dont see a need to make wholesale changes. Lonners can have a run with Bendigo, it wont do him any harm, his form wasnt exactly scintilating in the preseason, so he can gather some possesions and match fitness down there.

Myers to gather some ball too in the magoos.

Jetta stiff, defensive pressure was fantastic on Saturday. Had McPhee not played a pretty good game against Freo two weeks ago, i suspect he too might have to come back through Bendigo......

In: Spike & McPhee
Out: Myers & Jetta


For the first time in a long time, our squad has some depth. We might be a star or two short, however, we have a side that has to be extremely competitve for their spots in the team, which will lead to players performing better more often.

Ricky Dysons start to the year, IMO warrants him at least another game. He is fighting for his spot on the list. So far he has been improved on years before, and before we hang him, we should see what he is worth. Especially since form warrants.....

 

[hird+lloyd=legends]

I also think we should give Lonergan another week on the sidelines, just so we can be sure that his hand is right.
We only need the 2 changes.

Ins: McVeigh & McPhee.
Out: Myers & Jetta.

 

[Hirdman]

Two changes would be more than enough for a team that put in a wonderful effort on the weekend. Personally I believe that Nash and Myers are the weekest links. Although they play the same position, so Leeroy has to go for me, I love Leeroy in the side but he is just not offering enough. Give Myers one more chance.

Out - Nash and Jetta

In - McVeigh and McPhee

Lonergan to come through the magoos if fit and apologies to Quinn.

 

[warney7]

Actually, I've decided that maybe an extra change is required.

I worry about the let down after last week and with such a young side, maybe bringing in McVeigh, McPhee and Lonergan could help to offset any down games experienced by some of the younger brigade (Pears, Dempsey, Daniher, Hocking etc)

Then again, if Lonergan's hand isn't 100% then it would be stupid to play him.

 

[ghostdog]

I just realised... I reckon Leroy might be afraid of his hammy... didn't it go on him last year? Someone needs to talk to him.

 

[AndyLesPaul]

Out- Dyson (terrible footballer), Nash (just not again please, his kick ins give me the frights), Jetta (looked lost, very poor from Jetta who is fast becoming another high pick wasted in recent years), Skipworth (some may not agree, but someone has to go, and I'd rather play Myers in the midfield)

In: McVeigh, McPhee, Lonergan, Houli (eart his spot in the Bendigo game). The other 3 are certainties in the best 22.

Skipworth out?
lol. just because someone has to go doesnt mean you can choose a player that has been consistent just to bring houli in?

I reckon myers for houli if you wanted it that way.

 

[Boucks09]

Jetta's hammy was very early in the year IIRC.

I too would like to keep the changes to a minimum given that we performed so well as a unit last week. However some cases are impossible to ignore.

McVeigh and McPhee must play and will. Quinn was only dropped at the last minute due to the flu/gastro so is a strong chance. Lonergan will play with Bendigo. We also can't ignore the form of NLM and Houli in the 2's for much longer.

Ins: McVeigh, McPhee

Outs: Myers, Jetta

Then it's a toss up between Quinn, Houli and Nash for the last spot.

 

[Valve Bounce]

discuss

ok!!

 

[Valve Bounce]

Skipworth out?
lol. just because someone has to go doesnt mean you can choose a player that has been consistent just to bring houli in?

I reckon myers for houli if you wanted it that way.

Wasn't it funny how Sam Newman made fun of the fact that Knights chose Skipworth, and put him in the team. I think that this guy is a helluva lot better than most people expected him to be.

Tell you what - and fingers crossed - we have not been in a position like this since I can't remember when. We have good players being displaced from the team by guys coming back from injury. We used to have to rob the Bendigo Bombers for players every week.

 

[AndyLesPaul]

Wasn't it funny how Sam Newman made fun of the fact that Knights chose Skipworth, and put him in the team. I think that this guy is a helluva lot better than most people expected him to be.

Tell you what - and fingers crossed - we have not been in a position like this since I can't remember when. We have good players being displaced from the team by guys coming back from injury. We used to have to rob the Bendigo Bombers for players every week.

Notably during the last game, against St Kilda, which we logically lost by around 90 points in.