Preview Changes round 3 v Essendon

[Dory_77]

Not sure if we had any injuries to force an out. Riv a bit proppy but hopefully is better for the run.
Hunt's s**t form puts him on thin ice. DSmith looks good for Casey today, Woe jnr too and could add some run.
Lever is hopefully right too and could be a straight swap for Hunt although would make us quite tall down back.

 

[rhaz]

If our backline can structurally live without Hunt, give Bedford a full game. Hunt sub.

Sounds like Van Rooyen and M. Brown offered more than Weideman in the two's which is dissapointing. At times last night I felt we needed another marking option.

Have always hated the Bombers, hope we crush them.

 

[LeverPuller]

Brown awesome in the twos.

Out: TMac, Hunt
In: MBrown for sure, would consider looking at DSmith

 

[Dory_77]

If our backline can structurally live without Hunt, give Bedford a full game. Hunt sub.

Sounds like Van Rooyen and M. Brown offered more than Weideman in the two's which is dissapointing. At times last night I felt we needed another marking option.

Have always hated the Bombers, hope we crush them.

Weid spent long chunks as ruck so didn't get as much time up forward as Brown. Did pretty well in the ruck, although wayward with some of his taps.
Brown had a great game with his hands though and would be in best form to come in. VRoo was lively and did some nice things, but still needs a few games to settle in before he's looked at for 1's.

 

[Lampers]

One side of me says “They won’t make unforced changes to a winning team”.

But Mitch Brown’s form was irresistible today and unless TMac is doing something really important structurally that’s not apparent to us surely Tmac drops back to find some form and Mitch Brown is in.

I think Hunt would be in real trouble if the rest of the first choice backline was in. While I liked Deakyn Smith today it would be a big risk to think he can step in and outperform Hunt at AFL level.

 

[Tulip]

Goody thinks Lever and Hibberd are big chances.

Ideally we get Lever in for Hunt.

 

[rhaz]

Goody thinks Lever and Hibberd are big chances.

Ideally we get Lever in for Hunt.

 

[dylan93]

Lever in for one of Tomo/Smith for structural reasons.

Everyone else gets one more chance and see how Casey goes next week.

If some players put their hands up after two VFL hitouts and if Hunt, T-Mac, etc have a stinker again then let someone else have a crack.

 

[Toump Ass]

Mitch Brown GET IN
Tom Meatand3meat Macdonald GTFO!

 

[PerfectFooty]

Oppo watch, Essendon have lost Merrett for 6 to 8 weeks

 

[LeverPuller]

Oppo watch, Essendon have lost Merrett for 6 to 8 weeks

That’s a huge out

 

[Toump Ass]

Oppo watch, Essendon have lost Merrett for 6 to 8 weeks

IIRC it was basically Merrett and Parrish v Melbourne last time we met. Huge loss.

 

[Crusty Demon]

I'd give TMac one more round to have an impact. Fritta has been poor also tbh. Wouldn't mind seeing our forwardline get some confidence. Besides Brown in Round 1, none of them have been firing so far really. Don't want to make too many changes to a 2-0 side though. Rivers will be better for the run. Bowey settled into the Salem role nicely it looks like. Some fine performances in the VFL today. Blokes like Sparrow, JJ, Smith, TMac, Hunt, Spargs will be under pressure to perform. Dunstan, Bedford, Chandler, Weid, Laurie, M.Brown, D.Smith and soon enough Roo will be looking for a senior spot. I think we can play a hell of a lot better than the first 2 rounds, so I'd love to put the Bombers to the sword. They are there for the taking tbh. Not much firepower up forward, arguably their best player just went down injured. Poor record against Top 8 teams as well, so I hope the boys aren't complacent this week and get the job done well..

A lot depends if Hibbo and Lever are ready to go. Wouldn't rush either, but I reckon Lever will be itching to come back.

Out - Hunt
In - Lever

Sub - Hunt

Give Pig another week. At his age can't be too careful and Smith is doing a fair job, so rest Pig up for the Richmond game so he can take down Dusty again..

 

[Toump Ass]

As if Dusty is going to come back knowing Pig Hibberd is waiting for him.
That was Dusty's worst half of football since his draft year, Pig mauled him.
He left the field, I don't think he was injured either, I think he was just embarrassed.

 

[Crusty Demon]

As if Dusty is going to come back knowing Pig Hibberd is waiting for him.
That was Dusty's worst half of football since his draft year, Pig mauled him.
He left the field, I don't think he was injured either, I think he was just embarrassed.

Correct. Not injured, embarrassed. I like that. Maybe that's what we are secretly doing behind closed doors with him. Purely saving him for Dusty Round 6.

 

[Jamurp]

Oppo watch, Essendon have lost Merrett for 6 to 8 weeks

You know there's still a little MFCSS bubbling underneath the surface when you hear that and get more nervous.

 

[JP2]

In previous years we've always seemed to do well against them when we're crap, and they always seem to do well against us when they're crap. Given the additional fact that we struggled most against the weaker teams last year, it's only natural to get nervous when they start to look worse on paper.

Superstition aside, they're a better team than they've shown in the first two weeks (and they were okay against Brisbane from the parts I saw), they have a lot to play for in a primetime slot, we only have a six-day rest after a tropical slog, we have half our backline missing, they pushed us to the brink last year and we have to accept that as premiers a lot of teams are going to find an extra 10% to try to knock us off. I think I finally put the MFCSS to bed after round 23 last year, and believe we should win this one, but I'm expecting it to be tough.

 

[Jibroni]

Outside of Lever for Hunt I would only make forced changes this week.

 

[The Dr]

Gee Rivers looked sore and underdone. Hope he improves second-up.

Lever for Hunt is the obvious one, which means Smith plays smaller.

T Mac on very thin ice. One more poor game and I’d be comfortable dropping him.


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[Topkent]

Tmac was pretty good as a defender round 1 not sure where this he was crap twice thing is coming from. We looked crap down back till he was moved there.

 

[Tulip]

TMac won't be dropped for Brown unless he bangs the door down, or TMac does SFA for a couple of weeks from now. We've seen what he can do at AFL level and its not exactly groundbreaking.

 

[Bluelegs]

Tmac was pretty good as a defender round 1 not sure where this he was crap twice thing is coming from. We looked crap down back till he was moved there.

Our backline should be more settled this week with Lever coming back so he's not going to be there on Friday. As a forward he's done very little for a while. Id be fine with giving him one more week but that position is up for grabs.

 

[Topkent]

Our backline should be more settled this week with Lever coming back so he's not going to be there on Friday. As a forward he's done very little for a while. Id be fine with giving him one more week but that position is up for grabs.

Yeah but he's played forward for 1 game and Brown and Fritsch were equally as crap in it.

 

[Bluelegs]

Yeah but he's played forward for 1 game and Brown and Fritsch were equally as crap in it.

Yeah that's why I'm happy to give him one more week. Both of Brown and Fritsch have more recent runs in the bank up forward than Tmac. Brown was super important against the Dogs and Fritsch plays a different role in our structure. Tmac's last good game as a forward was against Port last year.

 

[Topkent]

Yeah that's why I'm happy to give him one more week. Both of Brown and Fritsch have more recent runs in the bank up forward than Tmac. Brown was super important against the Dogs and Fritsch plays a different role in our structure. Tmac's last good game as a forward was against Port last year.

Mitch Brown's more of a Fritsch replacement though. Tmac does some forward ruck grunt style stuff that helps with getting Brown isolated. Browns not gonna do that he's a get on the lead player.

Tmacs not setting the world alight as a key forward but I'd think it's pointless playing Brown almost because he ain't gonna be best 22 by the end of the year.