Round 21 Changes/Thoughts - Fremantle

[master bate]

Melbourne Team (official)
Backs: N.Carroll, R.Ferguson, N.Brown
Half backs: C.Johnson, B.Miller, C.Bruce
Centreline: B.Green, T.Johnstone, D.Ward
Half forwards: B.Pickett, R.Robertson, M.Newton
Forwards: C.Sylvia, D.Neitz, P.Johnson
Followers: J.White, B.McLean, N.Jones
I/C: M.Jamar, S.Buckley, J.Bode, L.Dunn
Emergencies: C.Garland, C.Bizzell, M.Warnock

In: C.Bruce, D.Ward, B.Miller, P.Johnson, C.Johnson, S.Buckley
Out: J.McDonald [shoulder], A.Davey [knee, hamstring], D.Bell [back], M.Bate [corked thigh], B.Holland [shoulder], P.Wheatley [calf]

Junior injured now, only White to go and then no player has played the whole year.
Miller comes back in for chance number 158, what has Bizzell done wrong, if he doesn't play next week and is then delisted I'll feel very sorry for him.
Hope Bruce goes okay, besides that is this the most unexciting game ever, its almost not worth playing. I hope Riley can either get some spirit from the guys or try players in unusual positions. CJ in the middle, Jones on a half back flank, Brock out of the square, thats what I'd be doing when were down by 6 goals at half time.

 

[Bartram_Class]

Bizzell is too old mate, hes going to be delisted, why bother playing him?

Out: J.McDonald [shoulder], A.Davey [knee, hamstring], D.Bell [back], M.Bate [corked thigh], B.Holland [shoulder], P.Wheatley [calf]

Those are the worst out's I've probably ever seen us have, 5 players who would be in our best 18 and Holland who's been in the best form of anyone.

There will be a couple more omissions from that side I reckon, Garland will get a game I think.

 

[master bate]

Yeah Garland usually gets a run interstate when hes an emergency (2 out of 2), and Bizzell may be too old and might get delisted but so will Holland and Brown IMO, and we have seen what Miller can do at CHB and Bizzell is much better so he deserves to get a run.

 

[Dez!]

Bizzell is too old mate, hes going to be delisted, why bother playing him?

Because he's one of our best defenders.

 

[Bartram_Class]

Because he's one of our best defenders.

That in itself is a worry.

 

[Supermercado]

When did McDonald neck himself?

 

[demonfan9]

FREMANTLE
B: Scott Thornton, Antoni Grover, Steven Dodd
HB: Roger Hayden, Michael Johnson, Ryan Crowley
C: David Mundy, Dean Solomon, Heath Black
HF: Peter Bell, Chris Tarrant, Des Headland
F: Luke McPharlin, Matthew Pavlich, Troy Cook
FOLL: Robert Warnock, Josh Carr, Paul Hasleby
I/C: Daniel Gilmore, Shaun McManus, Brett Peake, Jeff Farmer

Don't know a hell of a lot about their team, but it looks like we'll be trying to stretch their defence a bit: Neitz, Johnson and Newton all require tall defenders, while Robertson can also be tough to match up on. The Dockers forum doesn't seem to rate their backline, noting that they are good offensively but not great when the pressure is on.

D.Neitz - A.Grover
P.Johnson - S.Thornton
M.Newton - M.Johnson
R.Robertson - S.Dodd
R.Hayden - B.Pickett
R.Crowley - C.Sylvia

Now the scary part; our backline and their forward line. Obviously Pavlich, Tarrant and McPharlin are all quality players (well, Tarrant can be shit) but they do require good defenders. Headland can also kick some goals, Bell will only rest in the forward line, I suspect swapping with Solomon, and Cook isn't a worry from a creative point of view. I don't think Farmer will play, otherwise he would be named on the field.

R.Ferguson - C.Tarrant
N.Carroll - M.Pavlich
B.Miller - L.McPharlin
C.Johnson - D.Headland
N.Brown - T.Cook
D.Ward - D.Solomon

The game will be won and lost in the middle. We must exploit the fact that Warnock is their sole natural ruckman, so hopefully White lifts and Jamar can use his big frame to soften the youngster up a bit (unlikely). Bell, Black, Haselby, Carr, McManus and Solomon will probably be their centre square players, with the likes of Mundy, Gilmore and Peake on the wings. Our midfielders include Bruce, Green, Johnstone, McLean, Jones and Dunn. Buckley will come off the bench to a wing or flank, as will Bode you'd imagine.

It is too hard to predict midfield changes, as they are always changing, but I think we have the players to challenge them.

I am normally pessimistic about Subiaco matches, especially when we are 14th, but I think the match-ups aren't too bad and we do have a good chance. If White, McLean, Johnstone and Bruce can have a good day, then we will win. They will allow our forwards to dominate, but if not then the Fremantle forward line will dominate instead. Both sides have weak backlines, good forward lines, so the res will be decided in the middle.

 

[Supermercado]

If we lose by under 10 goals it's like a win. You can almost hear people charging to their computers to draft Pavlich and make him the captain in Dreamteam and Supercoach.

 

[TelkoTheGreat]

Remember when Scott Waters hip-n-shoulderd Tingay in about 95/96?

 

[The Night Shift]

Here's to a good fair and game on Saturday - both our clubs have had dismal seasons... so let's play well against each other.

Getting Sheeds as your coach will be awesome for you guys..

 

[bee dee]

When did McDonald neck himself?

At training on Wed landed heavily on his shoulder and injured himself while intercepting a kick

 

[Supermercado]

At training on Wed landed heavily on his shoulder and injured himself while intercepting a kick

If it happened next week I'd call it a conspiracy.

 

[Deenamite]

It'll be a conspiracy when he "doesn't pull up" for the last game. Either that or it's not worth risking him going into the off-season.

 

[CaptainDavey]

Hey er guys...We're actually doing OK at the moment.

Is this supposed to be happening?

 

[melbournemartin]

Not good with Pavlich captaining my DT.

j/k very happy at the moment. Newton just marked as we speak. Continue this in the match-day thread.

 

[Supermercado]

Well that didn't last long

 

[melbournemartin]

Slight pulse.

 

[Supermercado]

Slight pulse.

Doctor, we've lost him.

*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*

 

[Bartram_Class]

I reckon 10k next week would be a good crowd on the back of our respective seasons.

I've turned the radio off.

 

[melbournemartin]

Doctor, we've lost him.

*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*

Even the machine has packed up and gone home.

 

[CaptainDavey]

This is gay. Gay gay gay gay gay.

I am most certain we will now murder Carlton next week. Good thing or bad thing, you decided but I expect Juice to kick 14

 

[Supermercado]

At least he kept his streak alive of kicking a goal in every game.

 

[Bartram_Class]

I can't believe anyone would actually want to coach that lot.

 

[Dez!]

I can't believe anyone would actually want to coach that lot.

Do you think Paul Johnson and Mark Jamar know that they are suppose to tap the ball to the guys in the red and blue?

 

[Supermercado]

Do you think Mark Riley knows Johnson is a ruckman?