Melbourne...wheres the games biggest concern?

[SAINT-LEE]

Chatting with the lads...one who is a Demons maniac...

I pondered our spluttering midfield...

Ruck: can Marshall stand tall against the G men? Im concerned. Would Hayes be fit? If so does he come in and (smash it or flounder)? If Cordy fills Battles role & rucks down back...does this help us with the ruck but hurt us in defense?

Midfield: Ross out & Hill out....who comes in? Hill has been obviously outside any true mid role but his defensive & offensive work that stretches far into the mid & forward will be missed. Ross, though considered a lesser by some, is class. He works hard, isnt always effective but has always helped us be better when he is there...will it be Clark? Or???

Defense: Hill as mentioned...Battle as well.
Is Sharman or Highmore the better? I prefer Highmore but see glimpses in Sharman.

Who is filling Hills role if he doesn't play?
Paton? Or a fit Clark?

How do we shut down Petracca?

Forward:
King seems mentally munted ( because hes supposedly physically fit)...yes, he suffers from a good supply but he also suffers from sit on my ass and hope the ball falls on my foot vs leading, fighting, mauling for the Sherrin...haven't seen a thread on his piss poor several weeks...looking at his season of below avg stats for disposals, kicking effeciency, marks on the lead and soooo many avg stats...only a few above avg. I'm concerned. He has such huge potential it makes it even harder to watch him struggling. I actually like King's potential MORE than any player bar one....prepare to scoff...Keeler (if he gets his head right and settles into Melbourne).

If it weren't for Owen & small forwards we'd be ruined. Based on his last month...we currently CANNOT rely on King for any decent value to the game besides drawing a defender off Caminiti & Owens.

Now add a pretty fired up Melbourne defense...May sounded actually angry on radio about this week. Saying he & Lever & Petty had all been hurting over the way the last month has gone and are ready to take it to the Saints...oh yippee.

I still see a pretty even field. Their strengths vs ours...we can win.

Will we? If the midfield can't lift & King &Higgins, don't kick at least 6 between them...no.

So my greatest concern is our forwards...

Smalls lacking accuracy ( Higgins) and consistency & Caminiti getting monstered and King sulking through the match pointing and whimpering his way to 1.3....

[samuraisaint]

Campbell HAS to come in - SURELY.

We need a specialist ruckman for this one.

[realdeal]

The same as every week. .

Our mids get slaughtered and when we do get it fwd we kick it on top if the heads of our fowards, who are also just jogging or standing still and an opposition defender/ spare man gets 15 marks, 35 disposals and BOG.

Or our defenders stop running and kick down the line to contest after contest (due to our fwds not leading).

[B.M]

How do you reckon Campbell - a C Grade journeyman fringe/back up ruckman will go against Gawn and Grundy?

[TheGreatZacsby]

Campbell HAS to come in - SURELY.

We need a specialist ruckman for this one.

OMFG COME OFF CAMPBELL. He’s a DUD! He’s a dropped ruckman with f*** all games under his belt, done nothing with his career. We got him for pure depth. The one game he played for us he was s*** AF. He’s not a specialist ruckman.

[Zed]

Like most on here , I’m concerned Melbournes midfield and defence have a field day.
Could easily be a comfortable 30+ plus win for the Dees but I think it will be closer.

I hope Ross throws a few magnets around this week. If we lose but try a few new things I can stomach that.

Also if Lever or May have a Sicily style game, ffs I hope they play a defensive forward or at the very least pull Pou back to half forward and tell him not to roll up the ground like he has been all year. That’s been an absolute black eye for RL’s system numerous times this year.

[Teflon]

Can’t see a win the way we’ve been playing
I’m 20 minutes their midfield could get on a roll and lookout
Their forwards missing Fritz will hurt
But if Oliver comes back …even rusty….he’ll get a lazy 25
We are simply not as talented
That said bring the pressure bring the run/attack anything’s possible

[footynut]

This is a massive game. I believe after it we will generally know where we sit, and the result show determine how we approach the rest of the year.
I am very concerned after having the pleasure of watching the Melb v Saints preseason game. Where they demolished us. However saying that if we can match the effort through the midfield & prevent May and Leaver from running a muck we have a chance.

Our backs match up relatively well, and if you bring in Cordy & Sharman, we would have the option to swing them and play Cordy through the ruck. This leaves Owens as a target up forward, Wilkie to play the 3rd man up & one of them to play on May.

Or could they both play down back & allow us to through Howard forward on to May?

Or do we go small up forward and be willing to play chaos ball going short & low or on the ground?

Let’s be brave, let’s be bold on the field and at the selection committee!!!

Our mids just need to get in and under, and run run run.

[SaintPav]

King needs to sacrifice his game this week if we are any chance.

[SAINT-LEE]

How do you reckon Campbell - a C Grade journeyman fringe/back up ruckman will go against Gawn and Grundy?

No to Campbell for me...he is doing swell where he is at, actually providing great guidance for our young lads...he is well past a spot in the big game. Pretty decent human to chat with & very committed to teaching so I like his spot perfectly.

[mickey]

Fritsch out helps but van Rooyen and Pickett will step up this week, once again the media are doing us no favours. If Oliver returns then they will win clearances. Langdon and Brayshaw fly under the radar as well. If we are under pressure instead of bombing it forward then team instruction should be grubber kick it forward to take May and Lever out of the game and let our smalls go to work.

[WellardSaint]

Owens got 14 touches against Meth coast, not many, but I'd argue they were incredibly valuable.

I think he got coaches votes- at least one.
The boy is an absolute beast.
He's the only player that will give the Dees a headache, and they know he can't be tied down, but they'll put work into King and Hammer.
The Pou won't need any work as he'll spoil himself without their help.

Our brilliant technique of bombing it into our 50 will give May 18 marks and it will be a repeat of Sicily's picnic.

Our guys never learned, and let the Lions' Harris dominate.
Barrass was strong against us.
Remember the Blues kept the ball away from Wilkie- even though we won, Wilkie was avoided.
Harves is our fwds coach. Is he that bad, or aren't the players listening?

[SaintPav]

Betting agencies giving us no hope.

Melbourne are very firm favourites paying $1.44 versus $2.80.

[WellardSaint]

Betting agencies giving us no hope.

Melbourne are very firm favourites paying $1.44 versus $2.80.

$2.80 isn't 'no hope'.

The line is given as Melb -15.5 points, so they think we'll lose by under 3 goals.

Intetestingly...Melb leading at end of every qtr is $2.20.
That's quite funny considering how we leak goals in the last few mins of each qtr.
I'd expect closer to $1.40 for that bet

[Waltzing St Kilda]

A new challenge every week.

Cotchin's 300th.

WCE redemption game.

Not to mention the self-inflicted Male Depression Game.

And now it's Melbourne who've been flayed by the media.

[Schillaci]

Think Melbourne will win quite comfortably as with Oliver back they will just have too much class through the midfield. Windhager should try to minimise Petracca’s influence whilst winning his own share. The longer we are in it, the better chance we will have but it has the potential to blow out.
Agree with chaos entries into our forward line to put the Melbourne tall backs under pressure and our smalls on the front foot. King should also play deep and wide to force one of their backs to be more accountable and less likely to spoil as an extra at other contests.
Fritz out helps with Battle out for us.
A win would surprise but think we will go down by 3-4 goals.

[Otiman]

The same as every week. .

Our mids get slaughtered and when we do get it fwd we kick it on top if the heads of our fowards, who are also just jogging or standing still and an opposition defender/ spare man gets 15 marks, 35 disposals and BOG.

Or our defenders stop running and kick down the line to contest after contest (due to our fwds not leading).

This is the answer, close the thread.

We pride ourselves on being a "score from turnover" team, because the midfield is average. But if you can't capitalise on that then there's no hope.

[samoht]

We've remained a "waste an opportunity from indiscriminate kicking into the F50" team and the current coach can't do anything about it.

No surprises there.

When any other club gets a chance to draft a Petracca, it takes it. Therein lies the difference.

[MC Gusto]

Definitely need to give romo a chop out. Maybe Heath gets an opportunity? Otherwise Hayes I’d fit enough?
I have billings in…but as the weeks draw on that seems less likely under Ross.
Not sure there’s many others to consider

Demons are rattled - pressure will be on them, I reckon we will take them

[Teflon]

Owens got 14 touches against Meth coast, not many, but I'd argue they were incredibly valuable.

I think he got coaches votes- at least one.
The boy is an absolute beast.
He's the only player that will give the Dees a headache, and they know he can't be tied down, but they'll put work into King and Hammer.
The Pou won't need any work as he'll spoil himself without their help.

Our brilliant technique of bombing it into our 50 will give May 18 marks and it will be a repeat of Sicily's picnic.

Our guys never learned, and let the Lions' Harris dominate.
Barrass was strong against us.
Remember the Blues kept the ball away from Wilkie- even though we won, Wilkie was avoided.
Harves is our fwds coach. Is he that bad, or aren't the players listening?

Our brilliant technique of bombing it forward is only brought about because we are carrying one of the poorest midfield set ups going around
An underdone Eagles outfit almost put us to the sword ffs
It’s only because second half we levelled up in clearance/contested ball and stopped their easy possession game that “hey presto “ our forwards looked dangerous and we got on a roll with 1.6 in the last
We will lose that midfield battle this week
I fear this game could see us get a polite smacking…
Dees by 5 for mine but love to be wrong and still live in hope ..

[Teflon]

We've remained a "waste an opportunity from indiscriminate kicking into the F50" team and the current coach can't do anything about it.

No surprises there.

When any other club gets a chance to draft a Petracca, it takes it. Therein lies the difference.

Agree it all stems from mid
That’s why we must hit draft this year take best mid
Sadly not meant to be great mid draft ..
No surprise that the top 4 sides have gun midfielders…
We are well off the pace here
Throw $ at Parish IF we retain our picks but he’s not really interested in leaving ….still make bombers pay big … they want Bing so hit their cap

[The Fireman]

is this a "danger" game ?

[Otiman]

is this a "danger" game ?

We are expected to lose, so no. It's a danger game for Melbourne given their last month or so of footy.

[The Fireman]

is this a "danger" game ?

We are expected to lose, so no. It's a danger game for Melbourne given their last month or so of footy.

ahhh I knew it was a Danger game for someone

[CQ SAINT]

We've remained a "waste an opportunity from indiscriminate kicking into the F50" team and the current coach can't do anything about it.

No surprises there.

When any other club gets a chance to draft a Petracca, it takes it. Therein lies the difference.

Petracca can't hit the side of aa barn at the moment.