Round 2 vs Western Bulldogs

davey_magik

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Thread starter #1
I'm looking at this game and although we should win usually the Dogs put up a good fight against us. In the midfield aside from the usual suspects like West we must keep an eye on Cooney. This kid has put on weight and looks VERY good. I know they haven't played today and after they do we will have more of an idea but Cooney looks very good. Their forward structure shouldn't be too hard for our backline as Grant is a champion but has been completely out of form in the pre-season. I'll have more to say after the Dogs vs Pies game is over.
 

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Sylvia Saint

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#2
My team:

B. Whelan Ferguson Bizzell
HB. Wheatley Rivers Brown
C. Johnstone Moloney Green
HF. Robertson Miller Bruce
F. Yze Neitz Davey
R. White McLean McDonald

Int. Jamar, Sylvia, Heffernan, Rigoni

No Change


Heffernan is on his last chance this week.
 

melbournemartin

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#3
i reckon give Bell a go, i was surpised rigoni was picked ahead of him but perhaps heffernan will go. also nicholson is an option because he could play on say grant who is slow n old with a lot of strength though.
 

davey_magik

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Thread starter #4
melbournemartin said:
i reckon give Bell a go, i was surpised rigoni was picked ahead of him but perhaps heffernan will go. also nicholson is an option because he could play on say grant who is slow n old with a lot of strength though.
Thats a fair point I'd probably have Nicho and Fergo in the team as Fergo played fantastically on Saturday night and let him go in a pocket or if the Dogs have a 3rd tall up forward because Grant is perfect for Nicho to start on this season as they are both big lumbering players without much speed or mobility.
 
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#5
The only two changes that can be made would be Bell in, and one of P.Johnson and Holland coming in to the side.

I believe Rigoni was chosen in the side to keep things under control, another cool head for such an important game. Belly is definately in line for a game, Heffernan MAY get the axe but it's unlikely.
 

dees_best

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#6
CowboyFromHell said:
The only two changes that can be made would be Bell in, and one of P.Johnson and Holland coming in to the side.

I believe Rigoni was chosen in the side to keep things under control, another cool head for such an important game. Belly is definately in line for a game, Heffernan MAY get the axe but it's unlikely.
I'd have to agree with you there CFH on likely inclusions/omissions.

Personally I wouldn't make any changes yet as only one round has passed.
 

The Shev

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#7
This is a big challenge this week. We must avoid a hangover after coming off an emotion packed, intense game on Saturday night. It was a relief for the players to win for Broadbridge, but also to defeat Essendon and snap our 5 game losing streak. Now that everything is looking rosy again, we must not become complacent and stuff up an opportunity for a magnificent start to the season.

The Bulldogs will come as underdogs with a lot to prove. Playing on their home ground and with a cool win under their belt against the Pies, they will be confident against us. Some of their youngsters are starting to step up, much like ours, so that will be interesting to see. Overall, I think we have too much talent and class around the ground but you never know in a game of football.

Neitz will want to kick a bag and Johnstone will want to try avoid some stupid mistakes which saw him benched against the Bombers. White was good against Allan, but faces Darcy. That should be an exciting battle, with their understudies Minson and Jamar set to be be involved in a tough encounter too.

We've generally got a good record against the Doggies, so lets hope this continues. By the way, can anybody remember the last time we went 2-0 in an odd season?
 
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#8
The Shev said:
This is a big challenge this week. We must avoid a hangover after coming off an emotion packed, intense game on Saturday night. It was a relief for the players to win for Broadbridge, but also to defeat Essendon and snap our 5 game losing streak. Now that everything is looking rosy again, we must not become complacent and stuff up an opportunity for a magnificent start to the season.

The Bulldogs will come as underdogs with a lot to prove. Playing on their home ground and with a cool win under their belt against the Pies, they will be confident against us. Some of their youngsters are starting to step up, much like ours, so that will be interesting to see. Overall, I think we have too much talent and class around the ground but you never know in a game of football.

Neitz will want to kick a bag and Johnstone will want to try avoid some stupid mistakes which saw him benched against the Bombers. White was good against Allan, but faces Darcy. That should be an exciting battle, with their understudies Minson and Jamar set to be be involved in a tough encounter too.

We've generally got a good record against the Doggies, so lets hope this continues. By the way, can anybody remember the last time we went 2-0 in an odd season?
I can't remember a time when we have. 99 we rolled Richmond then got thumped the next week, 2001 we rolled the Hawks and then got done by Essendon and in 2003... I can't remember that one!

Our forward line might be a bit much for them, and the same goes for our midfield. We do need to be on our game to beat them though, but if we play as we should, then we shouldn't have too many problems!
 

Marns

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CowboyFromHell said:
The only two changes that can be made would be Bell in, and one of P.Johnson and Holland coming in to the side.

I believe Rigoni was chosen in the side to keep things under control, another cool head for such an important game. Belly is definately in line for a game, Heffernan MAY get the axe but it's unlikely.
I hope holland never plays another game in melbourne colours.
 

melbournemartin

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#10
my team would have probably heff or rigoni out for nicholson. i know completly different positions but we have enough rotation through the midfield and nicholson could be good down back on a grant but maybe grant will play in defense.

i doubt holland or johnson or smith will be picked after Yze kicked a bag, showing he can be the 2nd full forward
 

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melbournemartin

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#12
im guessing rivers is fine? i know he sat out the last qtr and i saw him limping at one stage.

im sure it was just precaution cos the game was already won
 

dees_best

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#13
melbournemartin said:
im guessing rivers is fine? i know he sat out the last qtr and i saw him limping at one stage.

im sure it was just precaution cos the game was already won
Yeah, I noticed that too.

I saw he had some black pressure pad wrapped around his thigh when he walked around after the game.

Probably just had a corkie.
 

Sylvia Saint

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#15
Bluemike said:
bell should definitely get a game

has had no opportunities at all, even though he was drafted way back in 2002.

What position will he play when given a game?
He's in our best 22 - but I think ND is a bit concerned at playing Brock, Colin and Belly in the same side.

Only a matter of time before he gets picked though, and he'll play on a HBF/Wing (but will start on the bench in most games).
 

The Shev

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#17
CowboyFromHell said:
I can't remember a time when we have. 99 we rolled Richmond then got thumped the next week, 2001 we rolled the Hawks and then got done by Essendon and in 2003... I can't remember that one!
Had a look today on our footy tipping program at work. The only time we won the first 2 matches was in 1994 and that year we won the first 5 and were on top of the ladder after the first 6 rounds. The program only had results up until 1991, but we never won the first 2 matches in any other years, let alone odd years.

Time to make history boys!
 

melbournemartin

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#18
well unchanged lineup accounced

so no bell or nicho this time round.

heff and rigoni need good preformances to stay in the team.

oh the only change was johnson replacing godfrey as an emergency. hopefully that dun mean one of our key forwards is a possible absenty.
 

dees_best

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#21
No need to bring Bell in.

We have only played one round and are 1-0.

Heff and Riggers are given their last chance before making way for players like Bell, and Armstrong.

Read will take Rigoni's place when he returns from injury and Bell will eventually take Heff's place when he is ready.
 

davey_magik

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Thread starter #22
Give Fergo another run and see how he goes, hopefully last week wasn't a one-off and our spine will be VERY good. I reckon Colin out and Bell in, give him a decent run. Brock should stay in as he earns his spot in the side. Also I'd take Heff out and put Read in. I feel sorry for Army but he needs some excellent form down at Sandy to get a spot in the seniors. And as I said before Cooney is the danger in this game. The kid is maturing very quickly and will very soon be the Dog's best midfielder. I say we have Beamer go head to head with him and see what happens. :D
 

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#23
davey_magik said:
Give Fergo another run and see how he goes, hopefully last week wasn't a one-off and our spine will be VERY good. I reckon Colin out and Bell in, give him a decent run. Brock should stay in as he earns his spot in the side. Also I'd take Heff out and put Read in. I feel sorry for Army but he needs some excellent form down at Sandy to get a spot in the seniors. And as I said before Cooney is the danger in this game. The kid is maturing very quickly and will very soon be the Dog's best midfielder. I say we have Beamer go head to head with him and see what happens. :D
Why would you drop Col?

Of all people I'd drop Heff, although Bell has to earn his place first.
 

melbournemartin

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#24
i reckon junior take cooney and bruce do his usual job on johnson, hopefully as well as he did against Hird.

heff will probably take west then.

im really looking forward to seeing how we go in a a match without all the hype and expectation. i mean we are better in pretty much every department then them except say midfield were i'd say we have more depth n skill overall but they have a couple of stars.

hopefully Miller has a good game 2, he wont have the space that he gets at the G but im still confident he can have a good game. neitz is the key though i reckon. if he plays well and he normally does against the dogs n kicks 5 or so then it should be ours

as for nicholson, i reckon he would have been good to play on say rawlings, someone slow but big. fergy may struggle one on one against him but hey he has is confidence up and bizzell will always be there to help out
 
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