Preview Changes & Pre-match Discussion vs. Essendon (R23, Fri 23/08 7:50pm MCG)

[Timmy from Thomastown]

If the current forwards in Varcoe, Thomas, Elliott keep up the form, I am not even sure if Stevo'd be an automatic in for first round of finals. De Goey, yes if he is fit and as he offers us more flexibility, but Stevo, I am not sure anymore.

Good headache to have though.

Stephenson is an automatic.

 

[NonPhixion]

If the current forwards in Varcoe, Thomas, Elliott keep up the form, I am not even sure if Stevo'd be an automatic in for first round of finals. De Goey, yes if he is fit and as he offers us more flexibility, but Stevo, I am not sure anymore.

Good headache to have though.

Stevo is our 2nd best forward, of course he comes straight back in.

 

[Chief Ten Beers]

Stephenson is an automatic.

Automatic start for any past, future and present team in the AFL.

 

[Big Bryza]

We've finally got the midfield mix spot on with Adams and Wills as inside mids and Treloar and Pendles outside, with Sidey on the wing/HF where he is most beneficial to the team. Obviously the 3 to come in are Moore, De Goey and Stephenson. This week will be:

In - Moore
Out - Madgen (has been very solid)

I'd start Moore down back with the possibility of swinging him forward and Roughy back after half time just to experiment a little. If either of them are dominating their role then you'd leave it as is for the night.

1st final will see the return of Stevo and Jordy and all going well we will finally get the forward set up we've waited all season for. Brown and Thomas are the 2 most vulnerable players.

Might be unpopular but I much prefer Noble over Aish across half back so very interesting to see what happens if Aish gets fit.

We're warming up just nicely and it'd be good to do a number on the Bombers this Friday night. Then we can sit back and see how the rest of the round plays out. Would love to take on Brisbane in the first week of the finals, but let's get the job done ourselves first.

 

[NonPhixion]

We've finally got the midfield mix spot on with Adams and Wills as inside mids and Treloar and Pendles outside, with Sidey on the wing/HF where he is most beneficial to the team. Obviously the 3 to come in are Moore, De Goey and Stephenson. This week will be:

In - Moore
Out - Madgen (has been very solid)

I'd start Moore down back with the possibility of swinging him forward and Roughy back after half time just to experiment a little. If either of them are dominating their role then you'd leave it as is for the night.

1st final will see the return of Stevo and Jordy and all going well we will finally get the forward set up we've waited all season for. Brown and Thomas are the 2 most vulnerable players.

Might be unpopular but I much prefer Noble over Aish across half back so very interesting to see what happens if Aish gets fit.

We're warming up just nicely and it'd be good to do a number on the Bombers this Friday night. Then we can sit back and see how the rest of the round plays out. Would love to take on Brisbane in the first week of the finals, but let's get the job done ourselves first.

I prefer Noble too. Provides speed which Aish doesn’t have

 

[jackcass]

Can only see 1 likely change and I'm leaning toward:

OUT: Noble
IN: Moore

It's purely a matchup based decision against a likely Bumbers forward group. The other option would be Mayne out but coming into finals I can't see us omitting him.

 

[Big Bryza]

Not delusional at all and realistically the most logical change we’re likely to make along with Moore replacing Madgen. Personally I’d drop Mayne for him, but I don’t see that happening.

I’m also noticing some alarming posts calling for the inclusion of Wells. He’s done. He won’t be considered for selection without a raft of injuries because he ran out of time. The only chance he had was to play VFL two weeks back. Move on.

To those speculating on changes for week 1 of the finals, let’s get through Friday night first

You also gave us no chance v Adelaide.

Wells will be heavily considered if he's deemed fit come finals time.

 

[Scodog10]

You also gave us no chance v Adelaide.

Wells will be heavily considered if he's deemed fit come finals time.

WTF? Below is the only assessment I made on the game and I was bang on. I guaranteed a win if we matched them physically early (which we did).

I think you’re bang on personnel hasn’t been an issue in 2019. I’d argue that form is the bigger one with half of the team a shadow of 2018. Only Treloar, Greenwood and Mihocek have stepped up.

On this match in particular it’s a fantastic opportunity for us to get a feel for whether the club learned from the shemozzle that was GWS a month ago. They’ll attempt to double team Grundy and have 3-4 tall options at all times up forward. I’d use Roughie down back this week on Tex, Shaz to Jacobs, Madgen to Fogarty and Maynard to Lynch. The GWS game was lost in 20 minutes because their midfield cracked in for that first quarter. Match Adelaide’s intensity early and I guarantee a win because we’ll win the second half as our smalls work them over.

It’s a boom or bust strategy from the Crows, but they’ll give it a red hot crack!

What chance have you got on getting anywhere close to right on Wells if this is the best you’ve got at calling me out

He’s cooked so he won’t be considered fit for senior footy!

 

[anshell]

Moore has to come back this week,or we could be facing the same scenario as last year,where he looked a million dollars on the training track during the finals but didn’t have enough confidence in his body to actually play.It’s really a case of now or never for him.

 

[Fruit]

What chances is anyone giving Brisbane to beat the Tigers on Sunday? Surely Grimes has a week off. I am stoked Brisbane are playing for top spot.
If we beat the Bombers it’s going to be a long wait til Sunday arvo.

 

[TradeDraft]

What chances is anyone giving Brisbane to beat the Tigers on Sunday? Surely Grimes has a week off. I am stoked Brisbane are playing for top spot.
If we beat the Bombers it’s going to be a long wait til Sunday arvo.

I reckon they could knock them off but they are Underdogs to do it

 

[Leviathan Pie]

Moore has to come back this week,or we could be facing the same scenario as last year,where he looked a million dollars on the training track during the finals but didn’t have enough confidence in his body to actually play.It’s really a case of now or never for him.

Could really define his time @ Collingwood.

If he breaks down AGAIN, I'd move him on - if he gets through/performs well in a big final/s, it could be the making of him.

 

[TradeDraft]

Could really define his time @ Collingwood.

If he breaks down AGAIN, I'd move him on - if he gets through/performs well in a big final/s, it could be the making of him.

IF we did move him on just because of Injuries we get Massive Unders for him

 

[DaicosianMarvels]

Wells plays this game or that's the end for him. No way he plays finals with no recent AFL game time.
Changes I want to see:
Moore- Madgen
Wells - Noble
Likely change:
Moore Madgen

I wouldn't mind Sidebottom moving down back to play the role Noble was brought in to do and for Wells to come in for Noble and play on the wing.

Now to possible week 1 finals change. This one is going to break my heart to say but the player most likely that Buckley would drop for DeGoey is Brown. I personally would drop Thomas but Buckley will go for the safer option and that is bigger/ stronger bodies for finals footy. Varcoe wont get dropped unless he is getting 5 touches 0 goals and less than two tackles and nor should he otherwise.

 

[Daicos Daze]

As quoted earlier Wills is the number 1 pressure player in the AFL over the last month. So it’s a big call to drop him.

I think the decision will all revolve around opposition midfield composition and JDG.
How do we replace the grunt of Wills - it will be partially offset by JDG, but he will NOT be able to do the same minutes as Wills. So where do we find the additional grunt to cover the time JDG can’t do? Possible options:
- extra minutes for Adams, which I think is unlikely as he will be spent late in the game
- Any or all of Maynard, Crisp, Greenwood rotating through the middle. Of these Crisp and Maynard are around the same height and weight as Wills. And from memory both went through the midfield in WA when we beat WC.

As a minimum I’d expect that Wills will stand Dusty at stoppages if we play Rich - Dusty is Champ but being smashed at stoppage by a big body will curb his influence greatly. Cotchin and the other Rich midfield who are small will also feel the physical pressure.
The same goes for Danger, Selwood and Abblet at Geel.

With BNE not sure we need the same grunt and we may opt for speed.

Who goes out - Mayne probably, I only hesitate because he’s a very smart player and experience doesn’t grow on trees.

Wills could be the X factor for us come finals

 

[Kirby]

Jeez, Wells is no chance top come straight in.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

Jeez, Wells is no chance top come straight in.

I was starting to think I was the only one who saw how obvious it was that he would not come straight in

This is a hugely funny place at times

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Jeez, Wells is no chance top come straight in.

I genuinely think only De Goey Stevo and Moore are automatic ins

I dont think Aish even is.

Wells Reid etc are well back in the pecking order and will need injuries for an opportunity to open up.

 

[Pragmatic Shill]

Bombers are debuting Tom Jok on Friday.

 

[Scritchyscroony]

WTF? Below is the only assessment I made on the game and I was bang on. I guaranteed a win if we matched them physically early (which we did).



What chance have you got on getting anywhere close to right on Wells if this is the best you’ve got at calling me out

He’s cooked so he won’t be considered fit for senior footy!

Your assessment of how to win the game was good. It's your lack of appreciation for the important role that Wills is playing that puzzles me. Dropping him for Degoey instead of one of Noble or Varcoe or Thomas is definately NOT the logical choice if you want us to continue to be able to match teams physically.

 

[MyManLynch]

Bombers are debuting Tom Jok on Friday.

You have to be joking.

 

[Fruit]

Your assessment of how to win the game was good. It's your lack of appreciation for the important role that Wills is playing that puzzles me. Dropping him for Degoey instead of one of Noble or Varcoe or Thomas is definately NOT the logical choice if you want us to continue to be able to match teams physically.

I also think he frees up others to play more outside roles and use the ball better.

 

[yeee_haaaa!!!!!]

What chances is anyone giving Brisbane to beat the Tigers on Sunday? Surely Grimes has a week off. I am stoked Brisbane are playing for top spot.
If we beat the Bombers it’s going to be a long wait til Sunday arvo.

No need to wait till sunday arvo. Hawks can get the job done in the west on saturday night to keep their flickering finals hopes alive - in fact they will be 8th going into sunday's games if they can beat the eagles. Don't write off clarko doing a number on the eagles. The eagles are coming back from a brutal sunday arvo encounter v tiges, have their tagger out injured, and you just know the hawks will turn up for this. Hawks did everything but beat the eagles on the scoreboard at the G not that long ago, should have nailed them to the wall in 3rd quarter and early in last. we win fri night, hawks get it done, and we don't care what happens sunday, it is just a matter of who we play in the qualifying final

 

[jackcass]

Bombers are debuting Tom Jok on Friday.

Good on him if true. Always liked the kid.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Good on him if true. Always liked the kid.

Hope he kicks both of their goals.