Preview Changes & Pre-match Discussion - Round 15 vs. Fremantle, MRVL 26/06 @ 1:45pm

[Stoods]

Are they going to put Mihocek down back to cover for Moore do we reckon? It's the only thing I can think of as to why we have brought Cox in

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Sure. Doesn’t mean you can't use a dead season to try something. I can't see Cox at Collingwood next year or part of our next premiership. Grundy will be with us for the next 7 years and hopefully our next premiership. Its worth finding out if he can play somewhere else. Its not like he's been tried in the position and shown nothing in the past. In fact, he's shown glimpses of good instincts up forward when given the opportunity. Great tank, good hands in close and has kicked multiple goals in games. Granted not with frequency, but the sample size is tiny.

You can't find great forwards that often, but you often need them to be a great side. Same rules don't apply to ruckman.

I just don't like the idea of playing 2 slow ruckman as our KPFs. I understand your point and agree with you in principle, but Grundy just hasn't shown an ability to excel in one position. I haven't seen enough of the 'good hands' or 'multiple goals'. Maybe try him for a quarter or two, but if Moore can't make it as a forward, I can't see Grundy being a success.

De Goey is out so we need to find another KPF, but Cox seems to be the one most likely to play in front of goals.

 

[Lockyer24]

Cox in made me think straight away Mihocek would be sent back to defend.

It it happens, its possibly a good idea considering Checkers has been a bit flat lately up forward, although got there eventually against the Dees.
And possibly also he thinks Cox in and Checkers back is a better option than bringing in Keane who he doesn’t think is ready. Back in the senior guy versus a not quite there yet player.
He wants to win, and we aren’t tanking.

If it happens I’m happy to give it a go and impressed by Rob’s outside the box thinking straight off the bat.

 

[partypie]

Are they going to put Mihocek down back to cover for Moore do we reckon? It's the only thing I can think of as to why we have brought Cox in

Could just be going straight up with something like Roughy vs. Lobb / Darcy, Maynard vs. Treacy and Magden vs Taberner. Irrespective of which way the matchups fall whoever Madgen is on will have an absolute field day.

Why Harvs hasn't brought in Keane and persisted with Madgen would normally be mind boggling, but I guess we're kind of used to really confusing selection decisions at this point so it's more a case of "move along, nothing to see here".

 

[Hardas]

Could just be going straight up with something like Roughy vs. Lobb / Darcy, Maynard vs. Treacy and Magden vs Taberner. Irrespective of which way the matchups fall whoever Madgen is on will have an absolute field day.

Why Harvs hasn't brought in Keane and persisted with Madgen would normally be mind boggling, but I guess we're kind of used to really confusing selection decisions at this point so it's more a case of "move along, nothing to see here".

Put it this way: given Keane hasn't been selected I really hope Mihocek plays back.
Madgen just leaves me shaking my head at this point.

 

[Scodog10]

Cox or Cameron would be better performers than Grundy at full forward. Unfortunately Grundy is a one position player. He either rucks or there is nowhere else on the ground where he is going to excel.

Precisely. More importantly though it seems strange that people are looking to shift him around in favour of a guy that’s equally one dimensional, a much lesser player and has played 3 matches. It was a surprising piece of selection nouse, IMO.

 

[AmericanMustard]

With Beau and Elliot buzzing around the forward line I don’t mind Cox and Cameron, it’s a one week thing until De Goey gets back anyway.

Lobb is no good and I tend to agree Magden can hold him despite his clear limitations.

Either way, with this game moved I’ll be catching the reply, good luck bigfooty. May you prosper in a pitch of rage if we lose.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Concerns about Cox coming in are fair, but Lynch hasn’t made way for him. Lynch has made way for Grundy.

In the two finals last year where Grundy, Cameron and Cox all played, Cameron played second ruck and Cox stayed forward.

 

[Vicky Park]

Can someone remind me how Cox and Cameron went last time they played together? I’m pleased to see big Mason back, and am in the camp that didn’t want him dropped in the first place. But I also acknowledge a marked improvement in Cameron.

I hope they don’t run into or spoil each other. They are not exactly Kennedy/Darling, Hawkins/Cameron or Riewoldt/Lynch.

 

[Kappa]

Kelly Keane or tohill should be playing

kelly is a forward now, so Cox is clearly ahead of him.

 

[jonmacTrag]

Can someone remind me how Cox and Cameron went last time they played together? I’m pleased to see big Mason back, and am in the camp that didn’t want him dropped in the first place. But I also acknowledge a marked improvement in Cameron.

I hope they don’t run into or spoil each other. They are not exactly Kennedy/Darling, Hawkins/Cameron or Riewoldt/Lynch.

Neither were they until they were lol.
Sometimes the chemistry is and sometimes it isn't - will be an interesting watch.

 

[Mkcaptain]

We did win an elimination final last year with Grundy, Cox, Mihocek and Cameron in the same side. But this move is a sign that Harvey's going to put his own stamp on the team for the rest of the year.

In his press conference yesterday he also said he's big on integrity of selection. Maybe he doesn't feel like Keane has done enough in the scratch matches to earn a spot replacing Moore. But then again I'd ask the same question about Madgen.

 

[OniAu]

Cox in made me think straight away Mihocek would be sent back to defend.

It it happens, its possibly a good idea considering Checkers has been a bit flat lately up forward, although got there eventually against the Dees.
And possibly also he thinks Cox in and Checkers back is a better option than bringing in Keane who he doesn’t think is ready. Back in the senior guy versus a not quite there yet player.
He wants to win, and we aren’t tanking.

If it happens I’m happy to give it a go and impressed by Rob’s outside the box thinking straight off the bat.

As much as people werent a fan of a mid season coach departure. I think it re invigorates the team with a new outlook plus being coached by someone that potentially wants the head gig somwhere.

See how we go this weekend!

 

[jackcass]

We did win an elimination final last year with Grundy, Cox, Mihocek and Cameron in the same side. But this move is a sign that Harvey's going to put his own stamp on the team for the rest of the year.

In his press conference yesterday he also said he's big on integrity of selection. Maybe he doesn't feel like Keane has done enough in the scratch matches to earn a spot replacing Moore. But then again I'd ask the same question about Madgen.

Madgen was a member of the team that beat the premiership favorites. While he certainly didn't star, it's hard to justify omitting him without the lack of a clearly better alternative.

 

[unplugged]

Cox and Cameron to kick 3 each, heard it here first!

 

[lenny20]

Madge is uninspiring, but not undeserving. He's third or fourth cab off the rank in terms of KPP depth – but with no Moore, no Howe, and competition like Murphy recovering from injury, it's an alright selection.

I actually like the Cox in... and I don't think any full forward could have prospered with the way we were moving the ball in early 2021. De Goey, Checkers and Cameron have all had multiple weeks where they were VERY quiet... and Coxy had to front up against the Doggies and Bears in the first three weeks. He was on a hiding to nothing.

If we move the ball with dare like we did against the Dees, I'll be really intrigued to see how this forward line functions.

(I'll patch my membership back together with sticky tape just so I can microwave it once we inevitably return to our painfully slow ball movement, though).

 

[No SPIN]

Cox or Cameron would be better performers than Grundy at full forward. Unfortunately Grundy is a one position player. He either rucks or there is nowhere else on the ground where he is going to excel.

IMO Grundy is more athletic than both - he could easily be groomed to play more time fwd, and become very effective.

 

[jonmacTrag]

IMO Grundy is more athletic than both - he could easily be groomed to play more time fwd, and become very effective.

But . . . .

For his size he is a bloody ordinary contested mark.

 

[Chief Ten Beers]

Yep and if Cox gets 4 frees in front of goal he kicks 4 goals.
I like the ins.

True, but the team plays one man down usually with the 5 disposals he gets and being no where the mark when the ball goes forward and bounces back to the opposition goals, hard to calculate how many goals go the other way.

 

[partypie]

But . . . .

For his size he is a bloody ordinary contested mark.

Sometimes even a largely uncontested mark is well beyond his capabilities unfortunately.

 

[rand corp]

Drop Lynch who has just taken out the game's best current ruckmen and the form of his life......tic
Bring back an ageing dinosaur who has hardly played in recent weeks and is tragically out of form.....tic

Perhaps we are just putting Coxy in the shop window

Lynch very stiff

Would have rolled the dice on Ash J, we've got everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose there.

 

[jackcass]

Drop Lynch who has just taken out the game's best current ruckmen and the form of his life......tic
Bring back an ageing dinosaur who has hardly played in recent weeks and is tragically out of form.....tic

Perhaps we are just putting Coxy in the shop window

Lynch very stiff

Would have rolled the dice on Ash J, we've got everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose there.

Training with the rehab group. Not even selected for VFL duties.

 

[TheVillageIdiot7]

I like the changes. At least do something different.
For a team that continually bombs it long hoping for a contested mark fest....Cox & Cameron make sense.

Plus Cox just makes opposition teams nervous. Opposition coaches would be forced to put plenty of time into him at match committee because of the 'what if' scenario he represents. Defenders get nervous around him and are drawn to him.

Whilst i get frustrated by him being out marked (his 1 job is to NEVER get out marked and make sure it comes to ground), he has shown he can tear a game apart more than any of our forwards over the past 3 years....so i like the call.

Regarding defence, it wont be a 1v1 arrangement. They will bank on a team defence structure and making sure Madgen / Maynard don't get caught out in 1v1 if possible....and that starts with midfield pressure and slowing their ball movement. If our midfield / HFF don't bring the heat and Freo walk it downfield....doesn't matter who is playing in defence!

I suspect they will play Grundy as a defensive ruckman and even push him back into defence to help out with height whenever possible (that whole 1990's kick behind the play move!).
For me, its the Plan B if one of the talls gets off the chain that is interesting.
Ask murphy to play tall? send Mihocek back.....there are a few options, it will be interesting to see it unfold.

But, i'm happy to see other things tried.

 

[The Magnificent Seven]

It's going to pour down on Saturday and due to COVID restrictions the roof at Docklands it's going to be a massive ice rink.

I think the idea of talls is actually good - it's likely to be scrappy, messy football and kicks in hope. In those circumstances some tall hands will make a huge difference. Despite Cox not having played too much, I figure he'll still be a strong target (even if just to bring the ball down to McCreery/Elliot).

Dockers have been the usual hot/cold so I have no idea if we can beat them, but on a horrible surface in Melbourne on a cold, wet day I think it's as good a chance as any.

 

[partypie]

Drop Lynch who has just taken out the game's best current ruckmen and the form of his life......tic
Bring back an ageing dinosaur who has hardly played in recent weeks and is tragically out of form.....tic

Perhaps we are just putting Coxy in the shop window

Lynch very stiff

Would have rolled the dice on Ash J, we've got everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose there.

Grundy was brought in for Lynch, not Cox.

Lynch has shown pretty much nothing as a forward during his time at the club, so who on earth would anyone expect him to suddenly play that forward / ruck role at AFL level out of nowhere?