Preview Round 1, 2020: North Melbourne v St.Kilda - Marvel Stadium, Sunday 22nd March, 1:10PM AEDT *HILL 150TH, KING DEBUT*

[George]

If anyone wants to have a crack at writing the preview for the game please let me know!

 

[Phoenix_9]

From the Marsh 2 squad:
In: Ross, Gresham, Carlisle.
Out: Phillips, Sinclair, Coffield, Battle, Paton

FB: Geary - Howard - Wilkie
HB: Roberton - Carlisle - Long
C: Hill - Ross - Billings
HF: Membrey - King - Gresham
FF: Lonie - Ryder - Butler
R: Marshall - Steele - Jones
I: Clark - Dunstan - Hannebery - Kent
Emg: Battle - Paton - Coffield - Sinclair

 

[Bonzfooty]

While I am aware of his defensive pressure, i'd like to see Kent out for Battle to play in that starting lineup... Be interesting to see which way the selection committee go.

 

[Phoenix_9]

While I am aware of his defensive pressure, i'd like to see Kent out for Battle to play in that starting lineup... Be interesting to see which way the selection committee go.

Battle and Paton are bloody stiff, both deserve a game. Coffield as well, needs games. We bat deep with AFL worthy players at half back (Webster and Savage will play at some stage I'm sure).

 

[WhiskySaint]

So the team I’d like in.....

Gears Howard Wilkie
Robo Carlisle Long
Hill Gresh Billings
Membrey Battle Jones
Lonie King Butler

Marshal Dunstan Steele

Hanna Ross Clark Marsh

Preferably I’d have Parker instead of Marsh for that last spot on the bench, but I assume he’s not fully fit yet. Just think both would cause more headaches then Kent. Prob even have Hind in front of Kent TBH.

Obviously this isn’t the team that we’ll see in round one, as we’ll play too Rucks.

 

[Geary Is GOAT]

For me i'd be taking this side into round one:

Gears Howard Wilkie
Long Carlisle Clark
Hill Gresham Billings
Kent Membrey Jones
Lonie King Butler

Ryder Dunstan Steele

Hanna Ross Roberton Marshal

I really want to see the Ryder/Marshall combo in the season proper. Grundy got totally nullified yesterday by those two.

Grundy had: 13 disposals, 34 H/O's 8 contested possessions and 1 clearance.

Ryder and Marshall between them had: 23 disposals, 38 H/O's 20 contested possessions and 9 clearances.

Ryder's ability to out muscle and position bigger rucks is so important and his tap work was amazing yesterday. I think there is an opportunity to absolutely destroy Goldstein and own the stoppages come round one using these two.

And for me that means Battle misses on team balance. The only player I'm really sceptical of in my team is Kent but even then if he got dropped on form i'd be looking for another small like Hind/Sinclair/Parker to replace him.

 

[Ducky Tie]

For me i'd be taking this side into round one:

Gears Howard Wilkie
Long Carlisle Clark
Hill Gresham Billings
Kent Membrey Jones
Lonie King Butler

Ryder Dunstan Steele

Hanna Ross Roberton Marshal

I really want to see the Ryder/Marshall combo in the season proper. Grundy got totally nullified yesterday by those two.

Grundy had: 13 disposals, 34 H/O's 8 contested possessions and 1 clearance.

Ryder and Marshall between them had: 23 disposals, 38 H/O's 20 contested possessions and 9 clearances.

Ryder's ability to out muscle and position bigger rucks is so important and his tap work was amazing yesterday. I think there is an opportunity to absolutely destroy Goldstein and own the stoppages come round one using these two.

And for me that means Battle misses on team balance. The only player I'm really sceptical of in my team is Kent but even then if he got dropped on form i'd be looking for another small like Hind/Sinclair/Parker to replace him.

I think this is a good angle. It’s easy to look at Marshall’s numbers in isolation and think that Ryder took away from his potential numbers in the ruck, but together, they completely nullified the best ruckman in the comp and put us on top in the middle.

 

[NedLCookson]

Geary. Howard. Wilkie
Clark. Roberton. Long
Billings. Ross. Hill
Battle. Membrey. Hannaberry
Lonie. King. Butler

Ryder. Steele. Gresham

Marshal. ZJones. Kent Dunstan

--------
I dont like Carlisles lacklustre attitude.
Defence worked well why change it. Howard has the pace and athleticism to go with brown. Whos north have after that? Roberton/Wilkie can take mid talls.
Sinclair has been horrible.
I think Battle makes a great half forward. Another tall target but also smart player to roam. He is too good not to have in.

North wont be easy. We are looking great and are amazingly injury free BUT first game will the synergy be there for us?

Not sure. We have had a great pre season though. Could not be happier. The coaches and IT bought in (from hawks), the gun players recruited and the SKILL training. Not all just fitness with richo we actually have done the skill and match simulation.

Very excited. Beat North, WCE @ home and Demons to be 3-2 and finals will happen.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Geary. Howard. Wilkie
Clark. Roberton. Long
Billings. Ross. Hill
Battle. Membrey. Hannaberry
Lonie. King. Butler

Ryder. Steele. Gresham

Marshal. ZJones. Kent Dunstan

--------
I dont like Carlisles lacklustre attitude.
Defence worked well why change it. Howard has the pace and athleticism to go with brown. Whos north have after that? Roberton/Wilkie can take mid talls.
Sinclair has been horrible.
I think Battle makes a great half forward. Another tall target but also smart player to roam. He is too good not to have in.

North wont be easy. We are looking great and are amazingly injury free BUT first game will the synergy be there for us?

Not sure. We have had a great pre season though. Could not be happier. The coaches and IT bought in (from hawks), the gun players recruited and the SKILL training. Not all just fitness with richo we actually have done the skill and match simulation.

Very excited. Beat North, WCE @ home and Demons to be 3-2 and finals will happen.

They have Larkey who kicked a bag against us last year. Carlisle will play and take him. Howard to Brown.

 

[NedLCookson]

They have Larkey who kicked a bag against us last year. Carlisle will play and take him. Howard to Brown.

fine. but I really hate Carlisles attitude.
kicks stepping back, almost yawns while jumping for the ball.
I hope he proves me wrong and shows urgency and a want to win.

 

[Jade Buddha]

I think people are looking at Battle the wrong way. He’s not a key position player he’s a tall flanker either forward or back. When he was successful last year he was on the back flank not a the key back.
I think the 4th quarter showed that.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

I think people are looking at Battle the wrong way. He’s not a key position player he’s a tall flanker either forward or back. When he was successful last year he was on the back flank not a the key back.
I think the 4th quarter showed that.

I think you're trying to pigeon hole the positions too much. A tall back flanker taking their CHF kind of player and doing it well for the majority of the year is basically a CHB. He literally played Carlisle's role, brown was playing full back.

 

[Jade Buddha]

I think you're trying to pigeon hole the positions too much. A tall back flanker taking their CHF kind of player and doing it well for the majority of the year is basically a CHB. He literally played Carlisle's role, brown was playing full back.

While Carlisle was playing?

 

[Premium]

Geary. Howard. Wilkie
Clark. Roberton. Long
Billings. Ross. Hill
Battle. Membrey. Hannaberry
Lonie. King. Butler

Ryder. Steele. Gresham

Marshal. ZJones. Kent Dunstan

--------
I dont like Carlisles lacklustre attitude.
Defence worked well why change it. Howard has the pace and athleticism to go with brown. Whos north have after that? Roberton/Wilkie can take mid talls.
Sinclair has been horrible.
I think Battle makes a great half forward. Another tall target but also smart player to roam. He is too good not to have in.

North wont be easy. We are looking great and are amazingly injury free BUT first game will the synergy be there for us?

Not sure. We have had a great pre season though. Could not be happier. The coaches and IT bought in (from hawks), the gun players recruited and the SKILL training. Not all just fitness with richo we actually have done the skill and match simulation.

Very excited. Beat North, WCE @ home and Demons to be 3-2 and finals will happen.

Love or hate Carlisle he is one of the best intercept markers in the AFL when right and if he is fit he will be playing - would be shocked if he is not selected , it's about the first preseason he has had uninterrupted.

We have to play our best side and having a guy who is 2m tall like Carlisle who can mark is huge and this why Howard is a game changer because having a guy who can actually attack from Fullback - mark and kick as well as defend when needed is a massive improvement.

In saying this Cookie I don't have a clue what they will do but I sure they will get it right , we have so many options now it is hard to pick our best combination - one thing is our back line will be one of our strongest areas and it is going to be interesting who gets the full time role as the play making halfback flanker.

Even our back pocket Captain is going to come under the pump because being a few months away from 32yrs of age and only playing 5 games last year he will find it hard to keep guys like Paton and Coffield out of the side.

This the side I would like to see

Paton - Howard - Wilkie
Roberton - Carlisle - Long
Hill - Gresham - Billings
Battle - Membery - Jones
Lonie - King - Butler

Marshall - Ross - Hannebery

Steele - Hunter Clark - Dunstan - Coffield

 

[Jade Buddha]

I think you're trying to pigeon hole the positions too much. A tall back flanker taking their CHF kind of player and doing it well for the majority of the year is basically a CHB. He literally played Carlisle's role, brown was playing full back.

So by that definition you’d put Roberton or Wilkie on Ben Brown or play against the key 1 or 2 tall
Battle is nothing like Carlisle. Big C is a lumbering shut down player that can mark rather than just punch.
Flankers should be able to play as part of the midfield
Battle is a runner with weapons. I don’t even think he’s a defender really. He just filled in well.

 

[plugger66]

Huge game with our fixture after it. 4 weeks ago north would have been favourites, now it’s most likely us. We must win or could be a tough year. Our preparation has been perfect theirs not so much. Think we win a close one. Us by 13 points. No surprise selections apart from probably battle missing. As suggested the middle game had nothing to do with the selection of round one. Long did well enough to get a game. The 5 recruits were always certain of playing and will baring injury. Hanners will need to train well to play.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Goldstein is such a good player. Stopping him will go a long way to winning. I’m still not sold on Ryder in the team, but I’m all for it in a game like this.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

So by that definition you’d put Roberton or Wilkie on Ben Brown or play against the key 1 or 2 tall
Battle is nothing like Carlisle. Big C is a lumbering shut down player that can mark rather than just punch.
Flankers should be able to play as part of the midfield
Battle is a runner with weapons. I don’t even think he’s a defender really. He just filled in well.

If they can hold down a post like battle then they're effectively a KPD. Baldock was a short fella but one of the best CHFs of all time

 

[Jade Buddha]

If they can hold down a post like battle then they're effectively a KPD. Baldock was a short fella but one of the best CHFs of all time

A very short fella indeed and loved him in the role and that’s my point. Conversely Battle can play in the forward line if you don’t worry about his height but look at what he plays like. You need to compare him to guys like Kent and for mine he’s better.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

A very short fella indeed and loved him in the role and that’s my point. Conversely Battle can play in the forward line if you don’t worry about his height but look at what he plays like. You need to compare him to guys like Kent and for mine he’s better.

I'm not saying battle can't play other roles, but his form has been far and away better when playing key position. He hasn't played wing/mid much, but there were a few games last year, and maybe a bit this pre season. If he can get his head around it then maybe he could be serviceable in that role, but he doesn't seem to have the lateral movement or turn of pace needed, nor the want to get it on the bottom of a pack. He looks best either leading up at the footy or reading it off the boot in the backline.

 

[plugger66]

I'm not saying battle can't play other roles, but his form has been far and away better when playing key position. He hasn't played wing/mid much, but there were a few games last year, and maybe a bit this pre season. If he can get his head around it then maybe he could be serviceable in that role, but he doesn't seem to have the lateral movement or turn of pace needed, nor the want to get it on the bottom of a pack. He looks best either leading up at the footy or reading it off the boot in the backline.

He has shown he is a kpp. One of the reasons he may not play is they have tried him in other roles this pre season and his form is ordinary. Looked to me yesterday when he played he was a kpp and probably had his best patch this pre season. Whilst he can run around as good as smalls he hasn’t got the footy smarts to play like a small. It’s not about size. Membery plays like a tall. Cripps who is taller than both plays like an onballer.

 

[Ducky Tie]

 

[WASaintsFan08]

going to be honest, cannot wait for this. First time in years feeling this way, Have my tickets and flights sorted.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

He has shown he is a kpp. One of the reasons he may not play is they have tried him in other roles this pre season and his form is ordinary. Looked to me yesterday when he played he was a kpp and probably had his best patch this pre season. Whilst he can run around as good as smalls he hasn’t got the footy smarts to play like a small. It’s not about size. Membery plays like a tall. Cripps who is taller than both plays like an onballer.

preachin to the choir, completely agree

 

[bird_man]

Hugely important game for the club this one.

Whilst we are lucky enough to play 9 of our first 11 at Marvel, there are plenty of tough ones amongst them.

North will be missing a few players and will possibly have a couple underdone also.

We've got 4 extremely tough ones after this so it's a must win for the club.

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