Preview Do or Die vs Dons pre match discussion thread.

[Daz]

At least we get teams tonight. Should be interesting.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

very interesting, even though we won't know the final make-up until tomorrow night

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I hate to nitpick, but Atley plays on blokes like Milne, Jetta from Sydney and Garlett from Carlton. He defends significantly more than you appear to realise.

I'm not saying he doesn't defend at all. However, Winderlich is significantly better on the lead than any of those players. Atley would have been forced to play a more conventional defender's game if he was on Winderlich. He's found an excellent and I think unique balance between defending the crumbing types and being your number one rebound man. It would have been interesting to see him on a small marking type (i.e. a quick Brett Ebert) but alas that isn't the case.

Let me summarise before this becomes a massive discussion:

- Shaun Atley is your best rebounding defender
- Shaun Atley is your only lightning quick small defender
- Shaun Atley usually plays on crumbing forwards and strikes a fantastic balance between shutting those guys down and rebounding
- If Jason Winderlich was playing, Atley would have to go to him because a) he's our best small forward and b) he's too quick for your other small defenders like McMahon, Wright and at times Gibson.
- Winderlich is a different style of player to the Milne, Garlett, Jetta types as he is more of a marking option on the lead and less of a crumbing type
- Therefore the Atley-Winderlich matchup would disrupt the usual rhythm of Atley's game, as he'd be less able to zone off than usual. It'd be highly likely that we'd isolate the matchup like we did with Winderlich on Sunday.
- Therefore, even if Atley beat Winderlich, it'd have an adverse effect on your rebound out of defence.

I'm not in anyway disparaging Atley who's becoming a truly fantastic player (I think there'll be more than a few teams with picks in the early teens ruing letting him and Darling slide), but from what I've seen I think Winderlich is the perfect matchup, hence my initial comment. Winderlich playing would have gone a long way to nullifying one of your most important players.

Anyway, best of luck on Sunday. These games are always great contests (even if they're as boring as batshit like the one in early 2009 or 2010 where you won by 15 points or so in an incredibly low scoring and scrappy affair) so it'll be a good game either way.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

As if we would devote more than 5 seconds to Winderlich.

He is a myth.

 

[GarnerSmash]

Fair enough arguments. I guess we'll stick it in the 'wait and see if it ever eventuates' file.

Atley did struggle at time against Dylan Addison in the air on the weekend so your comments may have some merit.

 

[Deep We11s 1]

I'm not saying he doesn't defend at all. However, Winderlich is significantly better on the lead than any of those players. Atley would have been forced to play a more conventional defender's game if he was on Winderlich. He's found an excellent and I think unique balance between defending the crumbing types and being your number one rebound man. It would have been interesting to see him on a small marking type (i.e. a quick Brett Ebert) but alas that isn't the case.

Let me summarise before this becomes a massive discussion:

- Shaun Atley is your best rebounding defender
- Shaun Atley is your only lightning quick small defender
- Shaun Atley usually plays on crumbing forwards and strikes a fantastic balance between shutting those guys down and rebounding
- If Jason Winderlich was playing, Atley would have to go to him because a) he's our best small forward and b) he's too quick for your other small defenders like McMahon, Wright and at times Gibson.
- Winderlich is a different style of player to the Milne, Garlett, Jetta types as he is more of a marking option on the lead and less of a crumbing type
- Therefore the Atley-Winderlich matchup would disrupt the usual rhythm of Atley's game, as he'd be less able to zone off than usual. It'd be highly likely that we'd isolate the matchup like we did with Winderlich on Sunday.
- Therefore, even if Atley beat Winderlich, it'd have an adverse effect on your rebound out of defence.

I'm not in anyway disparaging Atley who's becoming a truly fantastic player (I think there'll be more than a few teams with picks in the early teens ruing letting him and Darling slide), but from what I've seen I think Winderlich is the perfect matchup, hence my initial comment. Winderlich playing would have gone a long way to nullifying one of your most important players.

Anyway, best of luck on Sunday. These games are always great contests (even if they're as boring as batshit like the one in early 2009 or 2010 where you won by 15 points or so in an incredibly low scoring and scrappy affair) so it'll be a good game either way.

Absolute bullshit

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

very interesting, even though we won't know the final make-up until tomorrow night

Probably won't know the final make-up until 4:30 Sunday, the way late changes seem to have become the norm.

 

[Carnthe]

In round 1 Essendon smashed us in the contest, and didn't quite put us away and we ended up running over the top of them and almost came up with the win.

A few things have gone our way since then. Essendon's injuries for one. But we will go into this game with an infinitely better structure than round 1. In round 1 we had one key back, Thompson. We used Goldy dropping back. We used two ruck men in Goldy and Hmac, with Hmac going forward, our forward line was far too slow and rebounded easily against. We only had one key forward, Petrie so Essendon defenders were able to zone off easily and assist Hooker. Not so this time. We go in with 3 genuine marking mobile forwards, Petrie, Tarrant and Hansen. All Essendon defenders will have to be accountable. Its no surprise Petrie is in career best form with that support. We have Goldy, who started the year in horrendous form, now back to his best, that should go some way to evening up the centre square. Ryder played one of the best games of his career in round 1. We also now have two key backs in Grima and Thompson.

All that being said if one team doesn't match the other's intensity then none of that will matter. But it should be a good contest, and if we bring the required intensity then we will give ourselves every chance of winning this week.

 

[teethwash]

Hird said today Stewart Crameri, Angus Monfries, Dustin Fletcher, Patrick Ryder, Michael Hibberd and Brent Stanton were all in the selection mix for the injury-ravaged Bombers.

"I think we have got at least four back this week and maybe six, so for us it's a matter of how many we want to bring back,'' Hird said before training at Etihad Stadium.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/mor...-north-melbourne/story-e6frf9jf-1226446673590

Given its their grand final, you'd think all 6 would be brought in.

 

[Husk]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/mor...-north-melbourne/story-e6frf9jf-1226446673590

Given its their grand final, you'd think all 6 would be brought in.

Any other week and they likely wouldn't play.

Obviously they have been eying this one for a while

 

[Reginald0]

re Atley discussion
Personally i find it hard to work out who plays on who say even v Dogs
who actually was on Addison, i thought maybe JMac then Spud and then SMac seemed to b ethe culprit at times

and given mcmahon disposal i think mullett mite be looking at him more than jmacs spot

 

[Carnthe]

Remember what happened when the dockers brought back all of their players from injury in the same week this time last year, in a last ditch battle to save their fledgeling finals chances?

 

[Contra Mundum]

hurry up Sunday, this wait is killing me

I have got duelling religious commitments - my son is being confirmed on Sunday so the prospects of me getting there are negligable - weak I know - might have to sneak into the TV Room during the celeberatory lunch

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I have got duelling religious commitments - my son is being confirmed on Sunday so the prospects of me getting there are negligable - weak I know - might have to sneak into the TV Room during the celeberatory lunch

ouch!

 

[Only Forwards]

re Atley discussion
Personally i find it hard to work out who plays on who say even v Dogs
who actually was on Addison, i thought maybe JMac then Spud and then SMac seemed to b ethe culprit at times

and given mcmahon disposal i think mullett mite be looking at him more than jmacs spot

perhaps in

 

[Daz]

I think that interview was before Essendon's main session so I'd say they weren't really sure on Ryder or Stanton.

 

[Daz]

Fair enough arguments. I guess we'll stick it in the 'wait and see if it ever eventuates' file.

Atley did struggle at time against Dylan Addison in the air on the weekend so your comments may have some merit.

I really don't think Atley was on Addison. He actually spent a fair amount of time on Griffen who was forward more than usual.

 

[muttley45]

didn't bombers just promote a rookie ?,you would reckon if he was promoted he will get a game

 

[Thewlis Dish]

I really don't think Atley was on Addison. He actually spent a fair amount of time on Griffen who was forward more than usual.

Addison took 2-3 marks in front of Atley in the last quarter.

 

[Daz]

Addison took 2-3 marks in front of Atley in the last quarter.

Righto, I didn't think that was Atley but I can't say I'm confident.

 

[shinboner magic]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/mor...-north-melbourne/story-e6frf9jf-1226446673590

Given its their grand final, you'd think all 6 would be brought in.

Desperate are the bumbers.
With the injury problems they have had we need to make it a physical contest.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Quotes from Bon's presser indicated that we will "try something different" to "nullify Watson's influence" as he has "dominated anything that's been thrown at him".

Also called him "one of the best midfielders in the competition."

What is "something different"?

 

[GarnerSmash]

Quotes from Bon's presser indicated that we will "try something different" to "nullify Watson's influence" as he has "dominated anything that's been thrown at him".

Also called him "one of the best midfielders in the competition."

What is "something different"?

Knee cap pre game and blame it on the weapon.

 

[GarnerSmash]

Righto, I didn't think that was Atley but I can't say I'm confident.

Twas Ats. Good learning curve for the bloke.

 

[astrovic]

It's funny, but I don't often comment in pre-game banter threads cos there's not much to say about North that everyone else will say better than me, and not much I can say about the Bombers cos I really haven't seen much of them and don't know a lot about them. So I tend to lurk and say little.

But then I read comments from Essendon supporters that are completely off the mark, say about Wells or Atley or however, and realise that they're watching as little North as I'm watching Essendon, the only difference being they're happy to spout their ignorance with confidence. It's kinda weird. I guess there are North supporters doing that too, but cos I know bugger all about Essendon I don't know if they full of it or not. I just know the Essendon supporters are

Anyways, this game feels about the same to me as the Adelaide, St Kilda, Carlton and Richmond games. I'm nervous, but I'm excited and I'm a little confident. I don't care much about one on one match ups, as one thing I know about North is the whole is better than the sum of the individuals, and if I think anything about the Bombers, it's the same (plus Watson). If I'm leaving emotions out of it, I'd say that the Bombers injury issues and number of players coming back from injury outweighs their slightly more developed playing list, giving us a slim advantage.

I suspect that if we lose, it will be because Essendon successfully shut down our use of the ball and grind out a win through winning the contested situtations and denying us enough quality opportunities. Our recent success has been built on quality of F50 entries, hence our F50/goal ratio and also our kick/behind ratio - we're shooting for goal from fantastic spots and not getting forced to bomb from outside 50 or the boundary. Shut that down by bogging up the middle of the F50 and forcing us wide and it could put us off our game. If we win, it will be because we get out intensity back to where we need it to be, and while they fight hard they run out of steam without enough cattle up and about, and we probably get away a bit toward the end of the game. If so, the margin might flatter us a little.

I don't know. Should be a great game. Go Roos.