Game Day Round 12 vs. Western Bulldogs, Marvel, 7:40pm Friday 31/05

[frizzle]

Looking at the dogs key defenders last week. Its only Keath and Jones. So dont think we need to go that tall.

2 fine defenders even if Checkers was available. I don't see how we win this week & the following week we will be even more up against it.

 

[Frankie23]

No Naughton, and Richards/Libba (hopefully misses one more) out of the midfield are massive losses for them.

Yes we have injuries, but the core of our star players remain, and our youth is stepping up. There is no area on the field where I think the Doggies have the edge over us, we should go into this confident off a 7 day break (finally) as well.

 

[Kes1984]

That’s some revisionist rubbish right there Kes. At best you could say he was part of a critical mass of injuries occurring at around the same time, but to suggest losing him is the reason we drew is a long bow.

I’d suggest losing one of the best players on the ground in Mihocek was a hundred times more impactful considering Cox was vying for worst player on the ground at the time of his injury. He’s played poorly for at least a month now.

You’re implying I was saying Cox has been playing well and him out there would have seen us win. That wasn’t it at all.

He’s been playing poorly. I made a comment on this in the game day thread before he went down. I’ve made a few lately saying he’s only selected because he’s 7 foot tall.

My point remains he’s a structure player. Our structure works by having him and his sheer size out on the field. Having him out there allows others to do more. Even if he himself contributes next to nothing.

I believe Frampton in our back line may have been the difference in a drawn game. Remember you only need one extra point or oppo one less and it’s a win not a draw. Not far fetched to think we would have won and not drawn, if Frampton, who is playing great footy down back, did not have to leave the back line and go into the ruck in Cox’s place.

 

[Vicky Park]

Who is time sniper? I’ve missed this BF joke somehow!

See post #513 above.

 

[Pie thon]

Richards and Scott will miss, so their injury list is very comparable to ours. Probably why the betting market still has us as favourites

 

[Kes1984]

Richards and Scott will miss, so their injury list is very comparable to ours. Probably why the betting market still has us as favourites

Definitely some quality missing

 

[NMBB]

Team selection this week…

Settle down - it's not that drastic

 

[Jen2310]

Pendles cleared to play

 

[Finnishpie]

Settle down - it's not that drastic

View attachment 2003350

Everything is always that drastic!

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

Pendles cleared to play

I thought that was confirmed that yesterday.

 

[Jen2310]

I thought that was confirmed that yesterday.

yeah, they just mentioned it on the news after getting scans back. I guess officially.

 

[PurpJuice]

Sorry, but we are missing 8 now, first choice players this week. McStay, Elliott, Degoey, Cox, Mitchell, Richards, WHE and Mihocek as well the devastating loss of Murphy who only got cut from our list a few weeks ago. Plenty of excuses. But we keep fighting and scrapping.

As a dogs supporter (I come in peace), while pies have way more injuries, dogs have their best players injured.

Richards has been our best player the past month, Naughton, Libba and Weightman too.

It’d be like if pies had Daicos, Moore, Pendlebury etc out. Degoey is probably the only one of your outs that you could say is in the top 5 on your list, whereas dogs have 4/5.

In saying that, Pies number of injuries probably evens it out and it’s going to be a battle of the wounded. I hope it’s a good game regardless of both team’s outs.

 

[Kappa]

Richards and Scott will miss, so their injury list is very comparable to ours. Probably why the betting market still has us as favourites

They have quite a few AA caliber players on the sidelines so it evens things out a little at least.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

As a dogs supporter (I come in peace), while pies have way more injuries, dogs have their best players injured.

Richards has been our best player the past month, Naughton, Libba and Weightman too.

It’d be like if pies had Daicos, Moore, Pendlebury etc out. Degoey is probably the only one of your outs that you could say is in the top 5 on your list, whereas dogs have 4/5.

In saying that, Pies number of injuries probably evens it out and it’s going to be a battle of the wounded. I hope it’s a good game regardless of both team’s outs.

Do you think Libba will play this week?

 

[NMBB]

Everything is always that drastic!

On here - yes!

 

[PurpJuice]

Do you think Libba will play this week?

0% chance

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

0% chance

I guess you're all going through the same feelings we did with Murphy. Such a shame for a career to end early & you don't want it too, but your hearts will be in your mouth whenever he plays

 

[Harry O]

I wouldn't classify Richards and JJ as A graders.

You might have to catch on Richards progression as a mid this season

 

[Kirby]

You might have to catch on Richards progression as a mid this season

He’s been great in the middle since the shift but there’s no way you’d class him as an A grader yet.

 

[Harry O]

No Naughton, and Richards/Libba (hopefully misses one more) out of the midfield are massive losses for them.

Yes we have injuries, but the core of our star players remain, and our youth is stepping up. There is no area on the field where I think the Doggies have the edge over us, we should go into this confident off a 7 day break (finally) as well.

Yep - dogs missing Libba Richards and Smith out of their midfield is huge
Naughton and Weightman who really trouble us normally too

 

[danielnajdek]

Pendles cleared to play

Thought he has a torn bicep.....

 

[Exambolor]

Do you think Libba will play this week?

Think he's still a couple of weeks from returning so no

 

[Exambolor]

He’s been great in the middle since the shift but there’s no way you’d class him as an A grader yet.

But regardless he's injected some class and a point of difference into that samey Dogs midfield, so they're down to basically Bont and Ads as their two main guys, they probably chuck Macrae back as inside mid this week, but who knows with Bevo

 

[Exambolor]

Thought he has a torn bicep.....

According to some Twitter nuffies he 'definitely' had one. It shows why you shouldn't listen to random campaigners on that site

 

[mocamagic]

I'm pretty upbeat about Friday night and feel we still have a good chance.