Prediction Round 2: Changes v Melbourne

[PrancingPony]

Scerri for Young the only change, melts incoming

Something something "Match committee is too conservative" or along those lines.

 

[The Feeder Club]

Scerri for Young the only change, melts incoming

I'm neither surprised nor opposed to it.

I predicted minimum change and that they would work on the assumption many guys will be better for the run last week. Makes sense.

I will say though if OMac is better than Draper, Davies and Murphy we're in a spot of bother with young KPD.

 

[chaosball32]

I don’t know how as an AFL coach you could see the performance of Darcy last weekend and think that was even remotely okay and back him in again. Plenty had bad performances but Darcy could barely move.

Even if he somehow comes out and plays a blinder this week (against Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

34

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

of all people) this selection alone just proves there is no selection integrity, there is no way any other coach in the league is playing Darcy again especially when we have an AFL capable ruck sitting at Peel.



Just going to leave this here again because I feel it’s relevant. If he produced this against a first gamer how do you think he’s going to go against the best ruck in the league?

 

[chaosball32]

Something something "Match committee is too conservative" or along those lines.

You can make jokes but the selection of guys like Scerri once in a blue moon doesn’t negate the fact he is one of the most conservative coaches of all time and that starts at the selection table. I wasn’t expecting him to go gung-ho because he never does but seriously, zero unforced changes after that capitulation?

Like seriously this is the guy who’s gifted Banfield 80 games in the last 4 seasons and people want me to believe he doesn’t play favourites. lol.

 

[King Tenz]

Scerri for Young the only change, melts incoming

Is that it???

 

[ImperialPurple]

Gawn tore us to shreds in that MCG game last year. Feeling some déjà vu incoming

 

[Midnite65]

I don’t know how as an AFL coach you could see the performance of Darcy last weekend and think that was even remotely okay and back him in again. Plenty had bad performances but Darcy could barely move.

Even if he somehow comes out and plays a blinder this week (against Max Gawn of all people) this selection alone just proves there is no selection integrity, there is no way any other coach in the league is playing Darcy again especially when we have an AFL capable ruck sitting at Peel.

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Just going to leave this here again because I feel it’s relevant. If he produced this against a first gamer how do you think he’s going to go against the best ruck in the league?

Surely if you can't train the full training with the main group the last training before a match you shouldn't be picked????

 

[PrancingPony]

You can make jokes but the selection of guys like Scerri once in a blue moon doesn’t negate the fact he is one of the most conservative coaches of all time and that starts at the selection table. I wasn’t expecting him to go gung-ho because he never does but seriously, zero unforced changes after that capitulation?

Like seriously this is the guy who’s gifted Banfield 80 games in the last 4 seasons and people want me to believe he doesn’t play favourites. lol.

Oh trust me, I think it's short sighted not to bring in Cox, I've been banging on about it all week, but what's done is done now.

I'd rather just laugh than get annoyed about it nowadays.

 

[BurnedScones]

I feel like dropping Darcy now would be like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. If last week was about managing his load then he should be better this week, why would we drop him now?

 

[PrancingPony]

Cox, Ryan and Sharp all listed as emergencies. Reckon there's a chance Cox comes in if Darcy comes up sore gameday but who knows.

Tells us that Ryan is fit enough to play too but they're just not picking him.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Scerri for Young the only change, melts incoming

Surprised no M Cox

 

[King Tenz]

 

[chaosball32]

Like seriously Darcy could come out in his allocated 35% TOG, beat Gawn in every contest setting up 10 goals from centre bounce and find the cure for cancer during his bench time and I still would think this is the worst selection JL has ever made, with 2nd place being selecting Darcy last week.

JL has now set the precedent that you can come out completely unfit, get destroyed by a first gamer and single-handedly flip the momentum the other teams way and you’ll still get selected next week because “continuity” and “stability”. FMD.

 

[Randomizor]

Darcy playing for his career

 

[BREATHLESS_987]

Interesting changes.

I think they probably picked what they thought was the best team on the back of the preseason last week, and decided there was enough of an unknown element to the opening round fade out etc. to give the underperformers one more go at home.

Which, as bad as Omac and Darcy were last week, I'm okay with them getting another go. Omac is basically keeping Cox's seat warm anyway. I'm not sure I rate Davies as a drastic improvement, and not sure what's going on with Ryan.

 

[BREATHLESS_987]

I feel like dropping Darcy now would be like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. If last week was about managing his load then he should be better this week, why would we drop him now?

The argument would be you need to maintain integrity of selection. We have a back up ruckman who was impressive all preseason. Darcy was crap. It's the real stuff now, there's no gifting of games to get minutes and build fitness, we need all our players to perform to standard.

 

[YelloMit]

Darcy playing for his career

Yup. If he plays like he did against Geelong, he's gone.

 

[The Lobbster]

Darcy playing for his career

No he isn’t.

Playing for his spot - yeah

But unless M Cox becomes prime Dean Cox or Sandi all of a sudden, then based on history, Mason will have a few bad games and Darcy comes right back into selection (assuming if dropped, he goes well at Peel).

 

[Quazar2]

Darcy over M. Cox in the current climate is mystifying. What's even more mystifying is that I'm typing that and thinking that, timez sure doth change. But you need to be realistic and reward prior form, which Cox showed in the pre-season outings barely putting a foot wrong. Not saying he'll go out there and be a world beater but Slowdor on 45% game time or whatever and just performing poorly doesn't warrant re-selection for mine.

I would have considered dropping Chapman too (Ryan?). Possibly Driz (Simpson? Not like for like but could shuffle some magnetos around), maybe O'Mac for Draper/Davies, who I thought was 'solid' in the Crows game without being spectacular. It's at home so I think you can make a few changes, the bulk of the team is still in place. I'm guessing Switta is ok and has trained without issue (?).

But I'm not a senior coach, so what the fleck would I know...

Deffo woulda canned Darcy though. Uneasy feel about it, feel like the coach is just inviting unnecessary pressure even if the boys win but perform scratchily, worse so if they lose - like people are just warming up their pitchforks awaiting for a 'future gotcha moment'. I don't think he does himself many favours at all with this so-called 'rigid conservatism'. It's there, debutant or not. But hopefully Scerri makes up for it with a debut to remember. Let's see

 

[FreoRicci]

This is exactly like last season’s game.
Gawn is poised to dominate an unfit Darcy with a freak Pickett.
Is the team better for it?

Pearce v Mihocek is a concern. Always an issue, B Cox is the better match up. JVR will be exactly like Neale last week. Pop up forward taking grabs.

Danger game this week

 

[The Lobbster]

This is exactly like last season’s game.
Gawn is poised to dominate an unfit Darcy with a freak Pickett.
Is the team better for it?

Pearce v Mihocek is a concern. Always an issue, B Cox is the better match up. JVR will be exactly like Neale last week. Pop up forward taking grabs.

Danger game this week

Big difference is that Melbourne don’t have Petracca or Oliver this time.

 

[PrancingPony]

I think despite Young out we'll be fine, he's massive to our team but we played without him most of last year and still played great football.

Don't think Melbourne will do much.

 

[Footskill]

Wasn't expecting too much changes being the first game and we weren't blown away score wise. They're backing in the team they picked last week and allowing those that underperformed another chance.

Although not all, sure the ones melting over cox non inclusion are same ones melting when he was recruited. Thought cox only had one decent preseason game, and when he battled with Darcy, it was said Darcy came out on top.

 

[Superkoops]

I feel like dropping Darcy now would be like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. If last week was about managing his load then he should be better this week, why would we drop him now?

I didn’t expect Darcy to get dropped. I did think MacDonald had an average game and thought opportunity was available to give Davies a go before Cox comes in.

Anyway melts over MacDonald or Davies are definitely not necessary.

 

[Superkoops]

Wasn't expecting too much changes being the first game and we weren't blown away score wise. They're backing in the team they picked last week and allowing those that underperformed another chance.

Although not all, sure the ones melting over cox non inclusion are same ones melting when he was recruited. Thought cox only had one decent preseason game, and when he battled with Darcy, it was said Darcy came out on top.

Cox wasn’t great in the Eagles game. Did step up vs Adelaide.