Preview Round 7, 2021: North Melbourne vs Melbourne @ Blundstone | Sunday, May 2 @ 1:10pm

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So by looks of the vfl game tonight changes are tyson out and one of Hall or lazzaro in from the 23 with the other to be the emergency. What makes matters worse we don't have any injuries expected back for another 3-4 weeks minimum which means choosing the same trash each week
Tyson was never in. Medical sub isn't considered part of the 22. Changes are just Lazzaro and Hall
 
Kind of excited to see Hall back at half back.

I think something has finally clicked with him starting back there.

Something I never though I'd say in preseason.
The defensive group has shown the greatest improvement.
 
Comes across like a fairly measured teacher.

I am not sold entirely on the tactics but I enjoy his willingness to try things when things are not going our way.

I would really like to see some tangible improvement in the group from about round 10. Smaller losses and jag a win or two on the way home. Hopefully we get some players back.
I get the feeling that trying to win a game isn't at the forefront of his mind.
 
Kind of excited to see Hall back at half back.

I think something has finally clicked with him starting back there.

Something I never though I'd say in preseason.
He's playing in his home state as well

If he keeps going, I'd say he'll earn a contract extension
 
I get the feeling that trying to win a game isn't at the forefront of his mind.

It'll need to be at some point.

to go a whole season winless would be a pretty s**t.

The players will need some form of reward for effort. We have lost a lot for a long time. Not caring about wins and losses will breed not caring about wins and losses.

There needs to be wins in the back end of the year against opponents that are closer to our current output.
 
To be fair they're the only group getting enough of the ball to actually show improvement.
True, but I can at least see the long term future with that group compared to the other lines. Really just need 2 kpd’s (one for Walker and one for depth) and another classy/pacey hb rebounder.
 
but I can at least see the long term future with that group compared to the other lines.
Mids will be ok.

Backs are ok and as you've said only need a couple of things and we will be pretty alright in the immediate to medium term. Taking of course that we can retain McKay.

The mids I think the time line is a bit longer. We are pretty stretched in the short term but the medium to long term looks ok.

Anything forward of center is a concern. we've put a lot on Larkey. I don't just mean load wise I mean from an ongoing structural point of view. We have basically said he is it and he is only 22 and by no means a guaranteed anything and around him right now we have a whole bunch of question marks.

There are so many question marks on the overall forward line its not funny. WHo is the long term second tall. Who is the third tall/ medium forward. Who is a crumber? who is the high half forward with a penetrating kick? Who is a defensive half forward with wheels enough to quell a pacey half back?
 
Mids will be ok.

Backs are ok and as you've said only need a couple of things and we will be pretty alright in the immediate to medium term. Taking of course that we can retain McKay.

The mids I think the time line is a bit longer. We are pretty stretched in the short term but the medium to long term looks ok.

Anything forward of center is a concern. we've put a lot on Larkey. I don't just mean load wise I mean from an ongoing structural point of view. We have basically said he is it and he is only 22 and by no means a guaranteed anything and around him right now we have a whole bunch of question marks.

There are so many question marks on the overall forward line its not funny. WHo is the long term second tall. Who is the third tall/ medium forward. Who is a crumber? who is the high half forward with a penetrating kick? Who is a defensive half forward with wheels enough to quell a pacey half back?
Mids still need some quality depth, some outside pace and class, ruck depth and another Dusty/Cunnington (Horne?) top of the line type of mid.

The quality depth part will take time.

Wingers: Stephenson and Laz are good starts, but teams are starting to use very tall agile wingers. Young is a step in the right direction.

Rucks: Hopefully Edwards/Xerri will work for us.

Forward line needs at least two KPF's (one for depth), 2-3 small forwards (again depth) and a mobile third tall Tom Lynch (Adelaide) type as the linkman and deliverer. I am confident in Taylor as one medium forward and I like Ford (despite being raw, his mark last night shows he has something), but Zurhaar concerns me greatly, Scott is really more of a winger and TT should be used as an around the ground utility rather than a stay-at-home forward.
 

Its a Process

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Mids still need some quality depth, some outside pace and class, ruck depth and another Dusty/Cunnington (Horne?) top of the line type of mid.

The quality depth part will take time.

Wingers: Stephenson and Laz are good starts, but teams are starting to use very tall agile wingers. Young is a step in the right direction.

Rucks: Hopefully Edwards/Xerri will work for us.

Forward line needs at least two KPF's (one for depth), 2-3 small forwards (again depth) and a mobile third tall Tom Lynch (Adelaide) type as the linkman and deliverer. I am confident in Taylor as one medium forward and I like Ford (despite being raw, his mark last night shows he has something), but Zurhaar concerns me greatly, Scott is really more of a winger and TT should be used as an around the ground utility rather than a stay-at-home forward.
Although they are our nearly always in our best players, to put it simply our midfield is getting routinely smashed each week. We are coming last in clearances across the comp and we come up against one of the better clearance sides this weekend. I heard Nobes say they had done plenty of work on midfield structures so hopefully we can look at getting this right but i think our mids need a rocket this week. I'd also ditch the tag, go head to with our guys vs. theirs and really get an idea of where our lads are at.
 

RossHenshaw

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Well, we sorta did.
Sorry guys but I disagree.
We all know the story ... don’t want to go thru it in detail for the millionth time .
But ... we offered him a ridiculously amount of fair & above good coin. He’s dumbass manager Rama & BB wanted more including longer contact. We said no , & the rest is history .
Yes we are hanging for forwards now but good on the club for sticking by & only offering what he was genuinely worth & not a cent more .
As it turns out he’s on far less coin at the GoDees . So yes no winners anywhere except perhaps for the GoDees . Time will tell. ... We all know BB’s body is very fragile. (Not wishing anything)....🤣
 

Billy Not Really

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Actually pumped for this, gonna be so much beef involved and i can't wait. Harry Mckay to blanket BBB. CMON ROOS!




Just a liiiiittle bit in it.


We're not gonna win, clearly.

So the boys need to come out like this, if not harder and really rub the Dees' noses in the dirt. Play some unsociable footy.

If you accomplish that, maybe, just maybe they go into their shells and there's a sniff. It's a young group out there, they can be taken to the cleaners, their confidence destroyed. We need our older guys to back them up.

Ziebell, Cunnington we know can do it, McKay I'd love to see him get vicious.
 
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We're not gonna win, clearly.

So the boys need to come out like this, if not harder and really rub the Dees' noses in the dirt. Play some unsociable footy.

If you accomplish that, maybe, just maybe they go into their shells and there's a sniff. It's a young group out there, they can be taken to the cleaners, their confidence destroyed. We need our older guys to back them up.

Ziebell, Cunnington we know can do it, McKay I'd love to see him get vicious.
I really do hope they have a go at us,
certainly a bonding experience for all the kids, knowing they each have others backs. I believe Simpkin might be first in..
 
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