Preview Changes v Carlton, Rd 9

This is what happened the last time we played Carlton, Adelaide and the Bulldogs in rounds 9-11 coming off a um 3+ game winning streak:

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No excuses Dees.
 
Only change id like is for our midfielder to not take till quarter time to wake up. fu** me dead how many first quarters are we gonna lose the clearances.
Couldn’t buy a clearance for most of the game. Can’t tell if Max is tired, out of form or just sit.
 

Topkent

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Couldn’t buy a clearance for most of the game. Can’t tell if Max is tired, out of form or just sit.
Mate it's not just Gawn, our midfield has no pressure at all until the games already going. Trac Oliver and co don't seem interested till after quarter time.
 
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Only change id like is for our midfielder to not take till quarter time to wake up. fu** me dead how many first quarters are we gonna lose the clearances.

Yep. Tonight was so weird in that we were -13 in centre clearances and +11 around the ground. Mids were getting sucked to the ball carrier way too much and swans just had the easy handball out every time.
 
Mate it's not just Gawn, our midfield has no pressure at all until the games already going. Trac Oliver and co don't seem interested till after quarter time.
Trac was good in the first half but reckon Rowbottom had him pretty well covered in the second. Gawn had no impact in the first half, has gotten a fair bath from three big bodied rucks in the past three weeks. Agree that the mids are most of the reason but Max isn’t helping.
 

Topkent

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Trac was good in the first half but reckon Rowbottom had him pretty well covered in the second. Gawn had no impact in the first half, has gotten a fair bath from three big bodied rucks in the past three weeks. Agree that the mids are most of the reason but Max isn’t helping.
He's never been a good tap ruck. Ever.
His taps just don't work
 
He's never been a good tap ruck. Ever.
His taps just don't work
He’s still been better than he has recently though. Not exactly Polly Farmer with his taps but it makes a difference when he’s at least more aggressive at the centre bounces
 

Topkent

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He’s still been better than he has recently though. Not exactly Polly Farmer with his taps but it makes a difference when he’s at least more aggressive at the centre bounces
Peak was that 2018 game against the dogs. Don't think him and midfield have reached that level together since.
 
Peak was that 2018 game against the dogs. Don't think him and midfield have reached that level together since.
Most pure exhibition of centre square football I’ve ever seen live, genuinely a treat. Bring that back.
 
Also here’s a fun stat - the last time the eventual premiers lost to Carlton was Geelong 2009. The last time the eventual premiers lost to us was 2018. Before that it was 2005. Came close in 2010 with a draw and 1 point loss to Collingwood.

Basically we are garbage and Carlton is only marginally worse, but it’s a big margin.
 

The Dr

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Surely Melk and Gus are on severe notice. Melk has been meh all year (since 2018 really) ... I thought Gus was slowly warming to the wing role, but he was putrid with ball in hand last night.

Chandler and Sparrow the obvious next in line candidates.


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mrmonkey

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Streak ends this week or we thump Carlton. Last two weeks we’ve gotten away with two pretty average performances carried by some individual efforts and our back 6. Positive is Carlton play a pretty free wheeling style so we should find scoring easier.

I agree with this, well the second part of your statement. Carlton are pretty free wheeling the way the bombers scored against them showed how easy it is. They've had 100+ kicked on them 4 times and port scored 96. I'm never confident but if our backline holds up (our highest against is 73) we should win this pretty well imo.
 

Crusty Demon

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Surely Melk and Gus are on severe notice. Melk has been meh all year (since 2018 really) ... I thought Gus was slowly warming to the wing role, but he was putrid with ball in hand last night.

Chandler and Sparrow the obvious next in line candidates.


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Last night's game by Gus was quite possibly the worst by a Dees player this season. Absolute shocker. If the coach is serious, he'll be on the chopping block this week. I'd try moving Melk to the wing and bring Chandler in.
 
In: Chandler Jones
Out: Melksham Brayshaw
Jones could be sparrow or anybody really, just somebody that's not Brayshaw, can he please * off.
I just wanna see Chandler tbh, Melksham wasn't as bad as the last couple weeks.
Is Joel Smith fit?
Petty is pure garbage.
 
In: Chandler Jones
Out: Melksham Brayshaw
Jones could be sparrow or anybody really, just somebody that's not Brayshaw, can he please fu** off.
I just wanna see Chandler tbh, Melksham wasn't as bad as the last couple weeks.
Is Joel Smith fit?
Petty is pure garbage.
Smith probably out another 8 weeks, Robbo interviewed him pregame.
 
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