Changes vs Pies

[CowboyFromHell]

Haven't heard anything regards to Shaw. He will most certainly play.

Swan is off to Arizona so definite out.

Beams is certain to miss with a foot injury and if he is any chance of playing, he won't be risked leading into the bye.

Thomas is in a bit of strife. Depends on MRP findings but you'd think he will either get 1 week or reprimand. His 5 year good record will ensure it won't be more than 1 week.

So there are a few outs where Melbourne can potentially feel confident about their chances on Monday.

And in typical Melbourne supporter fashion I'm going to get extremely nervous as, when teams have star players out, we still struggle to be competitive. With no Swan and potentially no Thomas you would think our midfield would be a good match for yours but I have zero confidence.

 

[syl]

And in typical Melbourne supporter fashion I'm going to get extremely nervous as, when teams have star players out, we still struggle to be competitive. With no Swan and potentially no Thomas you would think our midfield would be a good match for yours but I have zero confidence.

Ditto. Would've preferred to come up against a full strength midfield rather than play some squibs in to form like Buckley :/

But it could even be Beams, Swan and Thomas. Although the MRP is a complete joke and will probably let Dale off.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

Ditto. Would've preferred to come up against a full strength midfield rather than play some squibs in to form like Buckley :/

But it could even be Beams, Swan and Thomas. Although the MRP is a complete joke and will probably let Dale off.

I honestly don't think there is anyway they can let Thomas off to be honest. Punched him in the head from behind and it was off the ball. Even a Magpie player can't beat that rap... I hope...

 

[syl]

I honestly don't think there is anyway they can let Thomas off to be honest. Punched him in the head from behind and it was off the ball. Even a Magpie player can't beat that rap... I hope...

Did you honestly think a young star with a clean record get 3 weeks for tackling a player? When the player was not even concussed. (BOG with 6 goals the next week)

A Collingwood player did it to an Adelaide (IIRC?) player one or two weeks later, pinned the arms, rode him in to the ground and he actually missed the next week due to concussion, it was all goooooooooooooooooood.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Rivers not having gym arms seems to worry people a lot more than the fact that he rarely gets outmuscled for a mark.

Dawes and Cloke are two of the biggest and strongest forwards in the league.

105kg's and 108kg's respectively, Rivers isn't a weak player but both those guys have at over 10kg's on him!

I don't want Warnock in, but I won't be surprised if he is.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Dawes and Cloke are two of the biggest and strongest forwards in the league.

105kg's and 108kg's respectively, Rivers isn't a weak player but both those guys have at over 10kg's on him!

I don't want Warnock in, but I won't be surprised if he is.

It's not like Rivers has never played on either guy before. Cloke could out body him and might manage it once but Rivers will just stand a metre off him until the ball arrives then punch the ball away when he needs to. It's pretty much the standard play he employs against the bigger guys.

 

[tynanshinin]

just wondering what hille's like size wise in comparison to Cloke and Dawes coz Frawley didnt play the whole night on him when forward and Rivers didnt get beaten one on one..

 

[Captain Jack]

Surprising really when you look at Dustin Fletcher, who I can barely remember getting out marked due to lack of strength in 15 years. Also that if we are playing well enough to be in the game it will require Collingwood to make Cloke play CHF and push up and therefore limit his one on one strength battles.

This is the key, I think... make Cloke play up the ground where his strength will be less damaging one-on-one with Rivers. Frawley can go to whoever stays closer to goal. Apart from that, Joel to Didak? Bennell to Krakouer and Bartram to Sidebottom as well... although Sidebottom will probably play in the middle a fair bit with the likes of Swan, Beams and Thomas out. Nicholson/Strauss to Blair/Dick/whoever else. Martin to Brown if he's resting there.

 

[Captain Jack]

just wondering what hille's like size wise in comparison to Cloke and Dawes coz Frawley didnt play the whole night on him when forward and Rivers didnt get beaten one on one..

I reckon he'd be a similar size, but Hille had a pretty off night on Friday so I wouldn't read too much into it. Frawley was mostly on Crameri, I think.

 

[tynanshinin]

definitley only two changes
IN: Petterd, Bartram
OUT: Evans, Sylvia (inj?)

I think gawn will make things very interesting in terms of how the pies match up against us.. they will obviously try and rebound off him however i dont think they can really put maxwell onto him due to size so that could mean that green wont get o'brien this time around which can only be good for us.

Leigh Brown does throw a spanner in the works in terms of our defence... is Macdonald big enough to go with him?

 

[jurrah13]

Sylvia must play, he would force the coaches to let him play Queen's Birthday even if it was a niggling injury, Bailey hasn't expressed any concern with it aswell.

The only player I can see making way for bartram/petterd is evans, you can get away with dropping a young bloke due to bad luck, chuck nicholson as the sub again.

Also Gawn must play, he gives us a contest in the goal square which we have been lacking for ages, as long as he provides a contest and brings the ball to ground, we are dangerous.

It also forces Collingwood to put one of their decent backs on Gawn due to his height

 

[syl]

As long as there's someone near by to kick the goal for him. That stance was hilarious!

 

[eskimo]

I wouldn't make any changes, unless someone is injured.

I know Evans has been a little rusty with the ball, but his endevour and effort are right up there with McKenzie and that is something we lack, so keep him in.

Against the Bombers I noticed whenever Bellchambers rested forward Martin went into the backline and ran off him, so we might use that again. Whenever Brown goes forward, Martin goes with him, and Gawn into the ruck. Martin wont be able to run off Brown, but he will certainly match him for speed, size and strength.

Frawley to the deep forward, Rivers to whoever is up the ground. Chip gives us the drive out the backline.

Jones to run head to head with Pendlebury. Not tag him, but just line up on him and go head to head, give Pendles something to worry about the other way.

The key is to make the Collingwood backline accountable. They are a great defensive unit, but one on one they aren't great. Try and force O'Brien to Jurrah, as O'brien is no good in the air, get Reid onto Gawn as his disposal isn't great so it wont hurt us too much. Reid can get lost up the ground a little bit, so they will want him close to goal. Maxwell to Green. Green is our smartest forward, and Maxwell their smartest defender. Maxwell is good at third man up, and hopefully Green is smart enough to know when to go with him and when to stay down.

Heath Shaw really needs to be kept quiet, so I would look at running Nicholson with him. Shaw might be able to beat him in the air, but give Nicholson the responsibility to run with him, and try to create space going forward. In his 2 games so far he has looked very good at knowing when to break, and when to stick to his opponent, and he uses the ball pretty well, so play him in the defensive HF role.

With Scully, Trenners, Sylvia, Moloney, McKenzie and Jones we should be capable of matching a half strength Collingwood midfield, which is basically where we can win the game. If we let them get easy ball out the midfield the Backline doesn't stand a chance, and we have to be very warry of their Mids pushing forward and kicking goals.

 

[syl]

Daisy is suspended. No changes bar injury for mine.

 

[Blackas87]

Tapscott a chance to play

 

[MAXIMUM GRUNDAGE]

Hope Brad Dick isn't playing. He always kills us on the QB.

 

[jinny1]

Bartram will wear Dick like a glove

 

[Dez!]

Bartram will wear Dick like a glove

So he'll be a condom?

Also get me some Ricky Bobby.

 

[Iturnupeveryweek]

Bailey mentioned the boys from Casey that could push for a spot and only said Bate was very good as to was Ricky.....not a mention of Blease at all

 

[syl]

Petterd and Bartram are the only chances to come in.

I would prefer neither came in and the team went in unchanged, if Sylvia doesn't get up then put Barts' back in, otherwise let him ease in via Casey.

 

[robertg22]

I wouldn't make any changes, unless someone is injured.

I know Evans has been a little rusty with the ball, but his endevour and effort are right up there with McKenzie and that is something we lack, so keep him in.

Against the Bombers I noticed whenever Bellchambers rested forward Martin went into the backline and ran off him, so we might use that again. Whenever Brown goes forward, Martin goes with him, and Gawn into the ruck. Martin wont be able to run off Brown, but he will certainly match him for speed, size and strength.

Frawley to the deep forward, Rivers to whoever is up the ground. Chip gives us the drive out the backline.

Jones to run head to head with Pendlebury. Not tag him, but just line up on him and go head to head, give Pendles something to worry about the other way.

The key is to make the Collingwood backline accountable. They are a great defensive unit, but one on one they aren't great. Try and force O'Brien to Jurrah, as O'brien is no good in the air, get Reid onto Gawn as his disposal isn't great so it wont hurt us too much. Reid can get lost up the ground a little bit, so they will want him close to goal. Maxwell to Green. Green is our smartest forward, and Maxwell their smartest defender. Maxwell is good at third man up, and hopefully Green is smart enough to know when to go with him and when to stay down.

Heath Shaw really needs to be kept quiet, so I would look at running Nicholson with him. Shaw might be able to beat him in the air, but give Nicholson the responsibility to run with him, and try to create space going forward. In his 2 games so far he has looked very good at knowing when to break, and when to stick to his opponent, and he uses the ball pretty well, so play him in the defensive HF role.

With Scully, Trenners, Sylvia, Moloney, McKenzie and Jones we should be capable of matching a half strength Collingwood midfield, which is basically where we can win the game. If we let them get easy ball out the midfield the Backline doesn't stand a chance, and we have to be very warry of their Mids pushing forward and kicking goals.

FWIW I think Tarrant will go to Jurrah, Reid to Watts (if he plays forward) and O'Brien to Green. Would be very surprised if Maxwell plays on a player as important as Green, he is usually there to provide help to the other defenders & can play on a range of players if plan A isn't working out.

Not sure also if you were referring to Reid when you said his disposal isn't great, this year he has been our best kick out of the backline IMO & is someone we definitely look to get the ball to when we want to clear the zone & he predominantly does so effectively.

Midfield is now the massive concern for mine. Our midfield unit will be Pendlebury, Wellingham, Ball, Sidebottom, Didak, McCarthy & Blair (I expect him to come in), wouldn't even rule us out using Davis in there this week due to the loss of Thomas & Swan. I still think we have a bit extra class & experience to get the win, would definitely be more worried if Jamar was playing though. Should be a ripper game though, good luck.

 

[Captain Jack]

FWIW I think Tarrant will go to Jurrah, Reid to Watts (if he plays forward) and O'Brien to Green. Would be very surprised if Maxwell plays on a player as important as Green, he is usually there to provide help to the other defenders & can play on a range of players if plan A isn't working out.

This seems like a good analysis... Would it leave someone like Howe playing a defensive role on Shaw? Maybe Jetta or Bennell, even someone like Trengove when he rests there (which seemed to be quite often on Friday).

 

[Scottabe_pendles]

Get Reid onto Gawn as his disposal isn't great so it wont hurt us too much. Reid can get lost up the ground a little bit, so they will want him close to goal.

Sorry to intrude but Reid surprisingly is close to our best kick - leave him be at own peril and others comparing Cloke to Hill this year isn't a great comparison with Cloke playing career footy leading the league easily in contested marks and running a long long way and after this week Hill is close to being dropped... Not a great comparison - I'd get Frawley to Cloke as he is that important to our structures

Should be a good matchup - albeit a lot of outs on both sides.

 

[lukemaggers]

Thomas is contesting his ban, god knows what case they are going to argue..

If he gets off it will be the biggest load of shit ever.

 

[robertg22]

This seems like a good analysis... Would it leave someone like Howe playing a defensive role on Shaw? Maybe Jetta or Bennell, even someone like Trengove when he rests there (which seemed to be quite often on Friday).

Potentially, Shaw is in top form so I wouldn't be surprised if you take that route. We have quite a few avenues for rebounding out these days that teams seem to not be applying this as much in recent times. Davis in particular has been great in the last few weeks.
I would actually expect that Simon Buckley returns this week (I know you guys may find that amusing considering he is an ex-Dee!) but he actually has been playing some very good football for us. His long kicking out of the backline has been valuable.