Prediction Round 9, 2026: Changes vs Melbourne

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

If it were up to me..

OUT: Cole (dropped/inj), Duggan (dropped), Schoenberg (dropped), Hewett (dropped), CDT (rested)
IN: Bazzo/Edwards, B.Allan, Hall, Gross, Flynn

Bazzo/Edwards: Melbourne have a tall forward line - Gawn/Heath rest forward, Jefferson, van Rooyen and presumably they replace Mihocek with a tall as well. Bazzo been good in the WAFL or Edwards comes straight in.

Hall: Offers grunt both in contested ball and tackling, showed a bit last year when he got a chance. Been good in the WAFL.

Allan: Should've never been dropped, clearly has pace which we lack and has shown he isn't afraid to take the game on.

Gross: Going well in the WAFL, showed a bit last year. Plays the half forward/midfield role Hewett plays. Give Hewett a spell in the WAFL to find some form/confidence.

Flynn: CDT due a rest but absolutely need a second genuine ruck against Heath/Gawn, play him limited minutes as the 2nd ruck. Back to the 2s next week unless he has an absolute blinder.

Hall has not been good in the WAFL.

 

[juice568]

If it were up to me..

OUT: Cole (dropped/inj), Duggan (dropped), Schoenberg (dropped), Hewett (dropped), CDT (rested)
IN: Bazzo/Edwards, B.Allan, Hall, Gross, Flynn

Bazzo/Edwards: Melbourne have a tall forward line - Gawn/Heath rest forward, Jefferson, van Rooyen and presumably they replace Mihocek with a tall as well. Bazzo been good in the WAFL or Edwards comes straight in.

Hall: Offers grunt both in contested ball and tackling, showed a bit last year when he got a chance. Been good in the WAFL.

Allan: Should've never been dropped, clearly has pace which we lack and has shown he isn't afraid to take the game on.

Gross: Going well in the WAFL, showed a bit last year. Plays the half forward/midfield role Hewett plays. Give Hewett a spell in the WAFL to find some form/confidence.

Flynn: CDT due a rest but absolutely need a second genuine ruck against Heath/Gawn, play him limited minutes as the 2nd ruck. Back to the 2s next week unless he has an absolute blinder.

Hall is a crab and flynn is not a genuine ruck anymore

 

[bUCKET__]

Out:

 

[browncow]

Me too. He lost a couple of 1 on 1s to bugger opponents but also had a bunch of great intercepts.

If he’s losing one on ones for the chance to bugger opponents, then his head is definitely not in the game.

 

[dinnaz]

If you are going to use a points system should use AFL player ratings. More accurate. Still has hewett bottom 5 tho.

All ratings systems are somewhat flawed. Especially to those who do plenty of unrewarded running and off the ball stuff.

Hewett has been shit but I see no better options to replace him with.

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

If he’s losing one on ones for the chance to bugger opponents, then his head is definitely not in the game.

And not to mention, his opponents will be desperate not to lose a 1 on 1 with him.

 

[Westend]

Already having nightmares about what Gawn and the Pickett's are going to do to us.

Melbourne- 21.14(140)
West Coast- 8.10(58)

Yeah its sad but you are right....perhaps 40 point loss for me...think the club will be happy if we keep it to 4 goals

expecting

• Gawn to dominate
• Kosi to kick 2 over 20 possies
• harley tax at least 4 frees against.....probably another 50m
• one of our lads to get pinged for the stand rule another 50
• hough to lose to his opponent
• jake to kick at least 2 behinds
• duggan flower bags from defence
• hewitt to have under 10 possies again
• Mini press conference "we have to get better"

Missing anything ??....its just rinse and repeat ..

 

[Westend]

Hall is a crab and flynn is not a genuine ruck anymore

Crabs and spuds we should open a grocery store with our list

 

[Cuzz09]

I think it will probably be 40+ before half time TBH

The difference between it being 10 goal loss and 20 goal loss will be if the oppo want %

 

[Tugga27]

Yeah its sad but you are right....perhaps 40 point loss for me...think the club will be happy if we keep it to 4 goals

expecting

• Gawn to dominate
• Kosi to kick 2 over 20 possies
• harley tax at least 4 frees against.....probably another 50m
• one of our lads to get pinged for the stand rule another 50
• hough to lose to his opponent
• jake to kick at least 2 behinds
• duggan flower bags from defence
• hewitt to have under 10 possies again
• Mini press conference "we have to get better"

Missing anything ??....its just rinse and repeat ..

Away against Melbourne I'd take a 40 point loss every day of the week.

Unfortunately, I can see it getting a lot worse than that.

 

[Westend]

Away against Melbourne I'd take a 40 point loss every day of the week.

Unfortunately, I can see it getting a lot worse than that.

They might rest Gawn when the game is won to keep it to 40

 

[Tugga27]

They might rest Gawn when the game is won to keep it to 40

They could rest half the team Westy.

It's just where we're at, at the moment.

 

[UseR2006]

Me too. He lost a couple of 1 on 1s to bugger opponents but also had a bunch of great intercepts.

Young is not a Key Defender. The guy has zero 1v1 skill at all.
He's 27 and unlikely to get much better than he already is.
He gets out bodied easily, gives way too much space to forwards that he's constantly torched on leads and gets out marked under high balls.

If his only job was to sit off and intercept all day he'd be fine but that's not what his role is.

He's Ben McKay from Essendon levels of bad. Worse if you compare his disposal stats.

 

[Astro7]

Shuffle the deckchairs, maybe we'll get a response?

 

[flyinghi64]

Yeah its sad but you are right....perhaps 40 point loss for me...think the club will be happy if we keep it to 4 goals

expecting

• Gawn to dominate
• Kosi to kick 2 over 20 possies
• harley tax at least 4 frees against.....probably another 50m
• one of our lads to get pinged for the stand rule another 50
• hough to lose to his opponent
• jake to kick at least 2 behinds
• duggan flower bags from defence
• hewitt to have under 10 possies again
• Mini press conference "we have to get better" - "We got a lot of things right"

Missing anything ??....its just rinse and repeat ..

A little edit.

 

[eaglevision]

If Archer is fit, I’d drop Young and send CDT to JVR and Ginbey to Miochek.

Young is an awful 1v1 defender, lacks acceleration and lacks strength. Kossie, Windsor, Langford and Langdon will have a field day putting it inside 50 to advantage. At least Ruebs and CDT can stop the separation on the lead and read the ball in flight.

 

[Citizen Erazed]

Grego. Bazzo. Anyone ending in "o" except Duggo.

 

[ghostbat12]

If Archer is fit, I’d drop Young and send CDT to JVR and Ginbey to Miochek.

Young is an awful 1v1 defender, lacks acceleration and lacks strength. Kossie, Windsor, Langford and Langdon will have a field day putting it inside 50 to advantage. At least Ruebs and CDT can stop the separation on the lead and read the ball in flight.

Mihocek got injured. hammy.

so at least thats something. not sure who will stop Gawn when he goes forward though.

based on last game, no need to kick it on lead. just kick it high. we don't spoil. we don't take marks.

 

[ziad]

Yeah its sad but you are right....perhaps 40 point loss for me...think the club will be happy if we keep it to 4 goals

expecting

• Gawn to dominate
• Kosi to kick 2 over 20 possies
• harley tax at least 4 frees against.....probably another 50m
• one of our lads to get pinged for the stand rule another 50
• hough to lose to his opponent
• jake to kick at least 2 behinds
• duggan flower bags from defence
• hewitt to have under 10 possies again
• Mini press conference "we have to get better"

Missing anything ??....its just rinse and repeat ..

So you are predicting steady improvement from hewett

 

[ziad]

Grego. Bazzo. Anyone ending in "o" except Duggo.

0'

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

What's the equivalent of us losing Oliver and Petracca and getting better?

Judd and Cuzzy back in 07? Did Nic Nat and Shuey retire in the same year?

We did not get better

Melbourne have been fun to watch.

 

[Ochre]

What's the equivalent of us losing Oliver and Petracca and getting better?

Us getting Duursma and Murdock and getting worse?

 

[WCErevival]

What's the equivalent of us losing Oliver and Petracca and getting better?

Judd and Cuzzy back in 07? Did Nic Nat and Shuey retire in the same year?

We did not get better

Melbourne have been fun to watch.

Losing Priddis and Mitchell in 2017.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Losing Priddis and Mitchell in 2017.

Good call, two Brownlow medallists in the one off-season and we certainly got better

I'll always have a soft spot for Premiership coach Adam Simpson.

 

[jdisc]

as long as we win the inside 50 count I will be happy