Will we beat Melbourne?

[Stiffy_18]

I reckon we almost talk ourselves into having tight contests with bottom ranked teams sometimes. We talk about how even the competition is, how we have to be on our guard, can't take anything for granted, mustn't get ahead of ourselves, danger game etc then we shit ourselves and play badly.

We should stop the politically correct jargon and be brutally honest - we're playing against the bottom team, we're getting closer to our best line up and we're going to hammer them. Big time.

Looked at the ladder recently?

Are you actually aware how close competition really is. As for Melbourne, you obviously have not seen them play much this year. They have had a rotten run with injuries (possibly worse than us since its to their key players) and despite all that, they have been VERY competitive in most of their games. They should have won at least 3 of the games they have lost.

They are a much better team than their record suggests. Thats not being politically correct. Thats being brutally honest.

 

[beck*]

With Roo back, and me at the game... We will win, but I expect it to be much like the last few weeks, close but we'll get up in style in the last quarter

 

[Eggzoi]

If we lose this one I will cry from embarrassment. Why couldn't they have gotten the first win out of the way today? Why?!?

 

[RoosterLad]

I was cheering on Melbourne today for that reason Eggy, I thought they were bloody home too.

 

[Tas]

I was cheering on Melbourne today for that reason Eggy, I thought they were bloody home too.

Hehehe, at 3 quarter time I was doing some calculations to see how far up the ladder we would go. When they hit the front I was thinking "F'me..."

We should have won by 10+ goals, disgraceful effort that was. 3 goals 12 after half time. Should have buried them in the 3rd quarter. Still, I was worried we would lose that game, Dees generally play well against us. I was relieved with the get out of jail effort.

I think Adelaide should easily have the guns to account for them. They showed a lot of heart in the last quarter but they were ordinary for 3 quarters. They are one of those teams where if you stop them kicking consecutive goals they never really fire up.

 

[Crows #1]

Rutten should be able to hold Neitz. I have confidence that Neitz won't have a major impact on the game and should be limited to at max 3 goals. Good defensive pressure over the ground will help a lot.

Davey is one of the other keys for them up forward and with McLeod and Stiffy we should be able to shut him down as well.

If Roo is back, our forward line would look something like:

FF: Roo Welsh Bock
HF: Porps Perrie Stevens


say Roo gets the #1 defender, Perrie #2, Welsh #3, that leaves Bock with their 4th best defender and Stevens with the 5th. All 5 of our players can play tall, so I would expect whoever gets the 4th and 5th defenders should be able to do ok, assuming that the supply is adequate.

I guess this applies to no matter who we play. I haven't looked at the Dees to much this year, but judging by their position on the ladder and past history, I can't see them having the match ups for our forward line.

Another good thing for us is that we don't need player X to kick 40% or more of our score. A very balanced forward line, which will get better when Burton can slide in, probably for Stevens.

 

[writeoff]

I think if Roo plays this weekend he will be nursed into the game and will probably have 50% game time or less. Reilly and Johncock may also continue to be eased back into the side. Reilly looked great and showed how valuable he is to the Crows midfield. Stiffy looked out of sorts but will hopefully fit in better against Melbourne.

The team have not been convincing this year but good teams win even when they aren't playing that well. And Adelaide is a good team. We will beat Melbourne in another closely contested game where the class of the Crows will be that little bit more than the Dees and another 2-3 goal win will result.

Slightly off topic but is this the first year that Edwards form has been down a little from the high standards that he sets?

 

[jenny61_99]

The biggest danger with this game is the last quarter. We CANNOT afford to take our minds off the game for one second let alone a quarter. Melbourne have been coming back strongly in the last quarters - they were 5 or 6 down against the Roos yesterday and headed them only to have a goal kicked against them late in the dying moments and an agonising loss by 1 pt. They are capable of good footy. If we don't respect that, we will struggle.

 

[jenny61_99]

I think if Roo plays this weekend he will be nursed into the game and will probably have 50% game time or less. Reilly and Johncock may also continue to be eased back into the side. Reilly looked great and showed how valuable he is to the Crows midfield. Stiffy looked out of sorts but will hopefully fit in better against Melbourne.

The team have not been convincing this year but good teams win even when they aren't playing that well. And Adelaide is a good team. We will beat Melbourne in another closely contested game where the class of the Crows will be that little bit more than the Dees and another 2-3 goal win will result.

Slightly off topic but is this the first year that Edwards form has been down a little from the high standards that he sets?[/QUOTE]

Edwards always gets a lot of the ball, it's what he does with it that frustrates me at times. To me he burns some of his possessions - coughs em straight up to the opposition. Probably something to do with pressure (he is worn like a glove mostly). He has not been as dominant this year - although the week he and Goody were played in the middle (against Brisbane) they both shone!

 

[Markthirtytwo]

Hehehe, at 3 quarter time I was doing some calculations to see how far up the ladder we would go. When they hit the front I was thinking "F'me..."

We should have won by 10+ goals, disgraceful effort that was. 3 goals 12 after half time. Should have buried them in the 3rd quarter. Still, I was worried we would lose that game, Dees generally play well against us. I was relieved with the get out of jail effort.

I think Adelaide should easily have the guns to account for them. They showed a lot of heart in the last quarter but they were ordinary for 3 quarters. They are one of those teams where if you stop them kicking consecutive goals they never really fire up.

But we thought that about Richmond.

 

[Markthirtytwo]

I think if Roo plays this weekend he will be nursed into the game and will probably have 50% game time or less. Reilly and Johncock may also continue to be eased back into the side. Reilly looked great and showed how valuable he is to the Crows midfield. Stiffy looked out of sorts but will hopefully fit in better against Melbourne.

The team have not been convincing this year but good teams win even when they aren't playing that well. And Adelaide is a good team. We will beat Melbourne in another closely contested game where the class of the Crows will be that little bit more than the Dees and another 2-3 goal win will result.

Slightly off topic but is this the first year that Edwards form has been down a little from the high standards that he sets?

He has been tagged heavily this year as well as documented niggles, so I think he can be forgiven.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

If Roo is back, our forward line would look something like:

FF: Roo Welsh Bock
HF: Porps Perrie Stevens

Who would you be placing at CHB? I realise we haven't played a 'traditional' tall CHB all the time this year...is that what you are suggesting?

 

[NikkiNoo]

He has been tagged heavily this year as well as documented niggles, so I think he can be forgiven.

He was also tagged heavily last year, it's his defensive work that I have been very dissapointed in this year. He often appears lost out there this year or seemingly not that interested, which I am sure is not the case but is just the impression that I have.

 

[CarnCrows]

Rutten should be able to hold Neitz. I have confidence that Neitz won't have a major impact on the game and should be limited to at max 3 goals. Good defensive pressure over the ground will help a lot.

Davey is one of the other keys for them up forward and with McLeod and Stiffy we should be able to shut him down as well.

If Roo is back, our forward line would look something like:

FF: Roo Welsh Bock
HF: Porps Perrie Stevens

Good comment , however Rutten has struggled against Neitz (9 goals last 2 games). Hope he know this and fires up!

Stevens to CHB and a rotation from the midfield to HFF. We will be lacking enough height down back with Mattner probably out.

 

[CarnCrows]

He was also tagged heavily last year, it's his defensive work that I have been very dissapointed in this year. He often appears lost out there this year or seemingly not that interested, which I am sure is not the case but is just the impression that I have.

This has been a bug bear of yours all year Nikki - or is that Rachael ?

 

[NikkiNoo]

This has been a bug bear of yours all year Nikki - or is that Rachael ?

Nope no where near a stick enough to be Rachael Although I could wear current fashions easily enough if I was built like an 18 year old boy

I have certain expectations of players that play for my team and defensive pressure and chasing their opponent or helping out a team mate on the defensive side of the game is one of them. He did two lazy things in the Essendon game that resulted in goals to Essendon which were on the outer wing right in front of me and I have been watching him closely ever since this year and while he has a couple of good games, I have been very disappointed in what I know he can do overall.

A couple of years ago Roo was doing similar in not chasing his man and pointing to a team mate to chase his man instead and I was not happy with him for that either.

 

[CarnCrows]

Mattner is now safe, so who is out?

We all assume Roo is in and probably Maric for Griff. Jericho??

 

[pjcrows]

With Mattner available, it is Luke Jericho that misses out. I'm not bagging the bloke - he has done his job since coming in - but unfortunately for Luke, Mark Ricciuto manages to get his spot straight back.

I think our forward line will start like this:

Ricciuto - Welsh - Bock
Porplyzia - Perrie - Reilly

 

[Tas]

But we thought that about Richmond.

You did beat the Tigers though. It wasn't a landslide but with the number of winged Crows the margin is irrelevant, just keep taking the 4 points any way they come.

 

[Alex99]

Said this in the “Welcome back Meese” thread but will post it again.

I can see Mark Ricciuto getting one more week on the training track and then returning for the Geelong game or someone other than Luke Jericho will miss out.

One of Neil Craig’s ethos’s regarding player selections is that players who come into the side know that they are selected to perform and not to simply warm the spot for a player returning. If that player performs (something Luke Jericho has done) they will keep that spot.

I would play Mark Ricciuto because the Geelong game will not be easy and it could be a difficult assignment for a player to perform after 10 months out of the game. If he is ready to play this week I would select him and the unlucky player to miss out would be Scott Stevens. I would move Nathan Bock back to centre half back.

FF: Jericho Ricciuto Welsh

HF: Thompson Perrie Porplyzia

 

[TheLeftFist8]

With Mattner available, it is Luke Jericho that misses out. I'm not bagging the bloke - he has done his job since coming in - but unfortunately for Luke, Mark Ricciuto manages to get his spot straight back.

I think our forward line will start like this:

Ricciuto - Welsh - Bock
Porplyzia - Perrie - Reilly

yep a real selection dilemma...

I would keep Jericho. While Roo will return it's possible he will spend a good proportion of time on the bench. Therefore we don't want to reduce our scoring power too much.

Last week Stiffy wasn't on the ground a great deal. He can step it up and resume his permanent role in defence this week.

Therefore, even though it seems counter-intuitive, i would be looking at a defender/midfielder to omit for Roo.

While none have performed poorly, those closest to demotion would be Torney or Doughty IMO. While i am not a huge wrap for Doughty (would prefer Massie), i think Torney may be the one to go after Doughty's recent form improvement.

Out for Roo: Torney

F: Stevens Ricciuto Porplyzia
HF: Jericho Perrie Welsh

Rotations would include Roo to bench and Welsh to FF for a good proportion of the game, midfielders rotating through for Porp/Jericho, with Bock/Stevens interchangeable depending on form/match-ups.

 

[CROW36]

In: Ricciuto & Maric

Out: Griffin & Doughty (still dont rate him, been at the club for a number of years and hasnt gone up a level in the side)

I agree with Viva Ia Mattner on this one, Dooughty does'nt do enough for mine, for a player who has been in the system for years should be able to play more than two decent games out of nine.
He should be playing in the SANFL until he performs.... bring in Massie, at least you will get a bit more hunger out of him.

 

[Eggzoi]

Doughty was 6th in the B&F last year IIRC. Is playing well at the moment after a slow start to the season.

 

[Damp Squarie]

Doggas p[layed 3 good games in a row. He wont be going anywhere

 

[ICanDressMyself]

Sorry guys but all signs are pointing to a loss this week

I have been to 6 interstate games in my life to see the Crows play. I have seen 0 wins and 6 losses. I am going over this weekend with mates to watch the Crows. If we lose again and make it 7/7 I will seriously cry. Like, genuine tears.