MAY, the month that defines us.

[Ghost Like]

Melbourne
Geelong
Adelaide
North Melbourne

We need to pick up our toys or ask Mum nicely to collect them for us and get us ready for the month of May. My brother thinks next week may be ugly, he might be right. I said next week might be Part II of the Cairns curse, backing up after playing in those conditions (the key reason it should be the game before the BYE, if a game at all).

I see next week is an opportunity to define ourselves, a win and the other teams stand up like meerkats, we announce ourselves to the competition. A huge opportunity. Lose by less than 3 goals, it's honourable but says nothing. Get belted and all the "experts" and our scarred supporters begin nodding in affirmation.

Marshall, Jones and Billings should return. Depending on how last night's 22 pull up, they may also consider the likes of Highmore, Lienert or Connolly. Personally, Lienert is a must play & go straight to Fritsch. Melbourne are gettable, the players must believe that.

Geelong at Marvel is very winnable as are the other two. I'll be very disappointed if we are not at 8-3 at the turn, 7-4 is non negotiable. Next week though is crucial to our credibility, not only to the League but us, the supporters.

But please during this month (& the months / years that follow)...Howard must NOT kick in, Howard must only handball or kick 60 metres to the boundary.

The oppositions best small forward must be picked up by Paton, not Wilkie, not Webster.

King must watch an hour of Todd Marshall's or Tex Walker's kicking routines and actions. He must watch that tape once a day & practice them twice a day.

[Yorkeys]

We can afford to lose to Melbourne as long as its not a flogging that messes percentage. We are not going to challenge it for top. We need to win against all the others. Jones and Billings in for Butler and Long, I'd suggest. Naturally Marshall for Campbell. Possibly Lienert in as well for Windhager with a little shuffling of roles. A fit Jones in a sprint for the ball with Langdon would be interesting.

[samuraisaint]

For May we will get back Jones, Billings, Clark, Marshall and Geary. Those inclusions will make us stronger.
Melbourne we match up well against funnily enough - I give us a sneaky chance at the MCG.
Geelong - the club as a whole need to pay Dangerfield, Selwood, and Hawkins a lot more respect than they have for the past ten years. We have only beaten them once in ten years, and although this game is at Home for us, I give us little to no chance of winning based on last year when we were able to match them, but just weren't good enough.
Adelaide in Adelaide - this is the same as playing Port except that this year this game is MUST win. If we want to win 12 matches this season and give ourselves the best chance of playing finals we simply HAVE to win this one. Players who cannot stand up in games like that or go missing at crucial times need to be moved on. Our problem is again, we don't usually prepare professionally for this type of game.
North at Home - % booster. We need to do what other good sides do, and add 10% when we play them.
2/4 would be a pass grade for mine, so long as we add perentage when we play North Melbourne.

[Vortex]

Realistically we aren't in the same league as Melbourne and a win against them would be fantastic but highly unlikely. A loss against Melbourne shouldn't define us either unless its a stinker which will be a massive setback. If you had of said before round 1 that 8th spot and a finals game is our ceiling in 2022 most supporters would have cashed in their chips.

The loss of Hayes is going to hurt us structurally, our forward line looks very 2021 again and our midfield needs that extra tall in the forward line to mongrel the defence.

A side question: how many games is that now that Kingy has been solely responsible for losing a game.

[Ghost Like]

I actually would challenge the players that this fortnight is our "line in the sand" moment. What is it they want to be acknowledged for. We have an opportunity to be a contender, to distance ourselves from what will end up being a log jam for positions 7 & 8.

[WellardSaint]

I actually would challenge the players that this fortnight is our "line in the sand" moment. What is it they want to be acknowledged for. We have an opportunity to be a contender, to distance ourselves from what will end up being a log jam for positions 7 & 8.

No...looking at the big picture means you lose focus on the here and now.

[meher baba]

Marshall, Jones and Billings should return. Depending on how last night's 22 pull up, they may also consider the likes of Highmore, Lienert or Connolly. Personally, Lienert is a must play & go straight to Fritsch. Melbourne are gettable, the players must believe that.

Marshall: yes, should come back if fit. For Campbell, of course.

Jones: presumably will come back, presumably for Windhager, which would be a shame, as I thiought Windhager showed a lot last night.

Billings: I wouldn't be surprised if the club wanted to give him a second week at Sandy before bringing him back. If he does come back, I guess it's going to be for NWM or Wood: on the basis of last night's performances, it would be a pity to see either or them miss.

Lienert: I think you and others have somewhat overrated his abilities. I doubt that he would be a good matchup for Fritsch. And who would he come in for: Webster? One of our better performers last night, I thought.

The selectors will have a problem in that some of the established players - Wilkie, King, Higgins, Gresham to some extent - didn't have great games last night, while fringe players such as Wood, Webster, Windhager, Long and Wanganeen-Milera - went ok IMO.

There's been a lot of criticism of Butler on various threads. But he performs a specific role of defensive forward for Ratten that, of the other players at the club, only Geary or Long have the capability of performing to the same standard. Someone like me who doesn't pay too much attention to the stats might think Butler is doing quite well. Others don't agree. If the club decides he needs time in the twos to improve his performance, then I guess we would see Geary, if fit enough, coming into his spot, but it's hardly a long-term solution. I tend to think Long goes better at half-back pressing forward (I thought he was among our best last night).

[Ghost Like]

All fair points meher baba, I agree Billings may be given two weeks at Sandy for touch, match fitness and prove he's completely repaired his hammy.

I can't think of Lienert actually being lit up this season and like his versatility which is why I rate him. I thought Webster was beaten last night.

I also agree with you about Long, the way he's playing in the back half keeps him in the 22. Butler is more important to that F50 when you look at some of the other player's efforts in chasing and applying pressure. I cannot see Gears doing that anymore but not through lack of trying.

Surely we can only get better by keeping player's honest with selection integrity, genuine pressure by performance and not name.

[Vortex]

You'd think Highmore gets his opportunity against the Dees. Who's coming out for him?