Prediction Round 2, 2026: Changes vs North Melbourne

[WCE777]

Out: Cole, Cripps
In: Baker, H Edwards.

We will need to move a few magnets around but we need Edwards & Young as KPD's.

Hough can take a SF, Baker can take Cripps role and be a general at HF.

Maric had a much better 2nd half when he was using his kicking to set up, he isn't a 3rd tall DEF or DEF imo.

Leave Bo getting games and prioritise a wing/hb role for him to show his wares.

Davis was probably the weaker link on the wing today and I would persist with Duursma/Bo/Maric as our wings.

Duursma showed a fair bit today, Lindsay showed his class with his kicking and could easily be used as a wing rotation as well if our HB stocks are more available.
CDT is going to be a gun one day and has all the skills to be whatever he wants, number 1 RUCK/KPF.

A Reid is going to be a great ruck if they play him there, his goal kicking is average and needs a fair bit of work.
A Reid should play 2nd ruck to Flynn 70/30 for an extended period because he can actually ruck.

CDT is too good to leave out of the team on his skill level and should be rotated with the rucks when they need a rest and have the extra tall on the bench with Flynn/A Reid/CDT rucking and CDT forward when someone rests.

If A Reid doesn't rise as expected in the RUCK then by mid year we should be sending him back and turning him into a Gov marking machine as a KPD.

 

[Beutbrute]

In: Barnett

Out: Flynn

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

We were spoilt for ruckmen for so long.

Even had our third string ruckman come in in 2018 and held his own against the best ruckmen in the AFL not named Naitanui during the finals. Good times.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

If any of the first gamers get dropped I'll shit a brick. But since Baker's coming back it may very well be Lindsay or Allan in the gun. Cole will most likely stay in for 'veteran team balance'

Kelly may come in. The idea of Tim Kelly

11

Tim Kelly

Age

31

Ht

184cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.6

5star

K

13.5

5star

HB

10.1

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

4.9

5star

D

19.9

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.6

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.7

5star

CL

3.6

4star

D

21.6

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

11.2

5star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

3.8

5star

is always so much better than the actual Tim Kelly

11

Tim Kelly

Age

31

Ht

184cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.6

5star

K

13.5

5star

HB

10.1

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

4.9

5star

D

19.9

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.6

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.7

5star

CL

3.6

4star

D

21.6

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

11.2

5star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

3.8

5star

.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

We were spoilt for ruckmen for so long.

Even had our third string ruckman come in in 2018 and held his own against the best ruckmen in the AFL not named Naitanui during the finals. Good times.

Really too bad we couldn't seal the deal for Tim English a couple years ago.

 

[Cuzz09]

McCarthy back to defence

McCarthy Ginbey Hough
Lindsay Edwards Young

bring in Shoenberg in the middle

 

[Carbine Chaos]

McCarthy back to defence

McCarthy Ginbey Hough
Lindsay Edwards Young

bring in Shoenberg in the middle

No.

No.

 

[jdisc]

In: Baker, Edwards
Out: Cole and whoever the AFL decides to suspend this week

 

[fullbull]

McCarthy back to defence

McCarthy Ginbey Hough
Lindsay Edwards Young

bring in Shoenberg in the middle

It’s a handy lever to be able to pull mid-game if need be (like today), but I think he needs to be part of the main midfield rotation.

 

[Mighty Eagles]

McCarthy back to defence

He'll get an extended crack at it before Mini considers that, but I thought he went missing today. Early days, I hope he finds his feet in the midfield at this level.

 

[jdisc]

He'll get an extended crack at it before Mini considers that, but I thought he went missing today. Early days, I hope he finds his feet in the midfield at this level.

Did okay I thought, 17 touches, 64% TOG (2nd lowest in front of Yeo at 57%)

Must have been managing something

 

[UseR2006]

In: Baker, Hedwards

Out: Newton, Hough or Bo

Hough only getting 10 touches... Should be in the gun.
Bo's first half was delist material.

Newton even though he was OK i think having Baker off the front half with Milan would be nasty for the oppo.

If we bring Shoenberg in then both Bo and Hough make way.

 

[jdisc]

In: Baker, Hedwards

Out: Newton, Hough or Bo

Hough only getting 10 touches... Should be in the gun.
Bo's first half was delist material.

Newton even though he was OK i think having Baker off the front half with Milan would be nasty for the oppo.

If we bring Shoenberg in then both Bo and Hough make way.

Bo built as the game went on and was more than serviceable, would be a fair whack if he were to get dropped

Hough played defense for the bulk of the game and had virtually the same impact as Ginbey

Newton was close to being dropped for me but I think he retains his spot for another week

 

[wceeaglesfan]

I'm surprised he's getting a free pass in this discussion, was bog average and if he can't stick tackles I don't know what he's there for.

out- Cole, Graham, Flynn or CDT(I'd prefer Flynn out but that's unlikely)
in- Baker, Kelly, Edwards

He’s a dead average player, I would swap him for Kelly

 

[Mighty Eagles]

Did okay I thought, 17 touches, 64% TOG (2nd lowest in front of Yeo at 57%)

Must have been managing something

Perhaps he was being eased into midfield life at the highest level.

The conditions were clearly very humid. Can't but help wonder Mini wanted to make sure Kelly was 110% hence holding him back today and we can rest one of our others. Graham's impact was minimal for mine.

 

[Goroyals22]

North have runners

In: Shoenberg, Edwards, Baker
out: Cole, A.Reid, Young,

No way young should be anywhere dropped this week

 

[Goroyals22]

Perhaps he was being eased into midfield life at the highest level.

The conditions were clearly very humid. Can't but help wonder Mini wanted to make sure Kelly was 110% hence holding him back today and we can rest one of our others. Graham's impact was minimal for mine.

Apart from the fact they weren’t humid at all. Was a perfect night for footy

 

[Mudguts12]

In: Baker, Edwards, BBW
Out: Cole, Flynn, Lindsay

 

[jdisc]

Perhaps he was being eased into midfield life at the highest level.

The conditions were clearly very humid. Can't but help wonder Mini wanted to make sure Kelly was 110% hence holding him back today and we can rest one of our others. Graham's impact was minimal for mine.

High tackle count along with Dev, will need that enforcement if you're going to roll McCarthy through the middle

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Apart from the fact they weren’t humid at all. Was a perfect night for footy

Was greasy raining for much of the second half, no?

 

[JADED]

We're getting screwed by the fixture again folks.
First they schedule us against an Opening round team, premiership favourite, away..

Now we have to back it up against a top 4 side whose percentage is over 110 better than ours.


Talk about a rort.
Our best chance to beat a top 4 side though.

 

[BandF]

Love the effort but we can’t play Matt Flynn against Tristan Xerri

38

Tristan Xerri

Age

27

Ht

202cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

3star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

next week. That’s a nightmare matchup given current form, we’ll get smashed in the ruck. It’s frustrating how thin we’ve let ourselves become in the ruck department. I feel like I’ve got massive man flu even saying this, but honestly even Mason Cox

18

Mason Cox

Age

35

Ht

211cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.7

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

3.5

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.2

4star

D

6.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.3

2star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.0

4star

D

9.0

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.8

5star

would be a better option than Flynn at the moment.

 

[sharps24]

Surprised people dropping Davis, he was one of our best in the pre season and have heard Mini single him out a couple of times. It won't happen.

Out: Cole, A. Reid
In: Baker, Edwards

I think we saw tonight that Alan is the superior player to Davis on the wing, and after today there in no spot in the back 6 for Allan. Duursma is also a superior player to Davis, just in general. Spots are extremely tight, especially when there are a bunch of auto select older players like Graham, Duggan and Cripps who don't really offer anything other than being warm bodies. With multiple players to come in and the unlikelihood of match committee dropping experience, Davis is probably sitting at about 24th best, he won't have too much trouble getting back into the side if Lindsey or Duursma get sore or one of our mids or utilities cops an injury, but in my view he's very much fringe in a full strength side.

 

[sharps24]

I feel like we aren't getting what we want from Graham. Dunno...

He's just not quick enough to be a midfielder and we have half a dozen superior half forward options. He brings great consistency of effort and on paper his tackling is a feature [not so much in practice] but its just hard to imagine a match up against any midfield rotation where he will contribute more to us than his opponent does to the opposition. Again with injuries he'd be one of the first back into the side but at full strength he's a net negative.

 

[Keys]

In:
Baker
Edwards

Out:
Cole
A Reid

Edwards for Cole - we were noticeably undersized in defence so hopefully Edwards is available to replace Cole

Baker comes into the side but as a forward replacing Archer Reid who didn’t give us enough as a marking forward and wasn’t used as a ruck.