Preview Round 3: Melbourne vs Essendon, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Friday 01/04/2022 @ 7:40 PM

[Lore]

I think we’ll go okay this week. I kind of hope shiel is out for another week so we get to see a pure midfield game from caldwell. If lever doesn’t play again this week the game will be a lot closer than many predict.

Would love to see that, as long as he doesn't do another hamstring :|

 

[TheGrizz]

I am really interested to see McGrath and Caldwell in more prominent midfield roles (provided Shiel doesn't come back in).

Could be the making of my Boy Pidge, ala Parish last year and Ridley in 2020.

 

[Lore]

Season over? Why the 0-2 curse is not what it used to be

Stats show a new trend is emerging and dropping your first two games is not the nightmare it once was

www.afl.com.au

 

[Frothies Mcveigh]

Keen to see how we go in the midfield this week with Merrett obviously going to miss some time, we saw what happened last year when Shiel went down allowing Parish to stand up. More minutes in the middle for guys like Caldwell should be good.

I'm not all doom and gloom like it seems so many others are here, we're still a very inexperienced team who only beat one top 8 team last year, playing Geelong, Brisbane and Melbourne to start the year is no free ride even though the effort in Round 1 was poor. Like it's been mentioned already we won several key areas on the weekend so if we bring a similar output and convert a bit better there's no reason we can't compete and finish within 5 goals.

 

[Mikevk123]

I am really interested to see McGrath and Caldwell in more prominent midfield roles (provided Shiel doesn't come back in).

Could be the making of my Boy Pidge, ala Parish last year and Ridley in 2020.

The last year of Worsfold was held together by his form. Looked he was taking the next step. He’s definitely a mid imo. He needs to play on ball

 

[Kyptastic]

Melbourne are the best side in the comp at restricting opposition marks inside 50. Need to find other avenues to goal. Martin coming back in should help, but with no Tippa they should roll the dice with Wanganeen.

 

[Milanista28]

Martin, Hobbs and Tex in would be so awesome to see.

 

[faible]

Martin, Hobbs and Tex in would be so awesome to see.

Martin is surely a definite in for someone

 

[citizen-erased]

I am really interested to see McGrath and Caldwell in more prominent midfield roles (provided Shiel doesn't come back in).

Could be the making of my Boy Pidge, ala Parish last year and Ridley in 2020.

Could also throw a conundrum up

In the absence of Shiel & Caldwell -> Merrett, Parish and McGrath alongside Langford & Stringer stood up
In the absence of Merrett & Langford -> Assume same from McGrath, Parish and Shiel alongside Stringer & Caldwell
In absence of Stringer & Langford -> Merrett, Parish, McGrath and Shiel alongside Caldwell just didn't work.

Could be an issue where the 4 smaller mids can't fit into the side at the same time as pure mids. Esp if Hobbs adds the inside ball hunter we need.
I think we need to explore options around Parish forward (ergh) for periods & McGrath back for decent chunks of the game.

 

[Ati Tude]

Keen to see how we go in the midfield this week with Merrett obviously going to miss some time, we saw what happened last year when Shiel went down allowing Parish to stand up. More minutes in the middle for guys like Caldwell should be good.

I'm not all doom and gloom like it seems so many others are here, we're still a very inexperienced team who only beat one top 8 team last year, playing Geelong, Brisbane and Melbourne to start the year is no free ride even though the effort in Round 1 was poor. Like it's been mentioned already we won several key areas on the weekend so if we bring a similar output and convert a bit better there's no reason we can't compete and finish within 5 goals.

I'm a bit the same. Lions are a good side and we were more than competitive. There are a bunch of kids to be excited about including Reid when he becomes available. All sides have to deal with injuries so we cant complain about Merrett being out. And that is why you need depth especially in the midfield. Some media morons were saying we should trade Shiel as we have more mids they we can fit in. But last year we lost Shiel and Caldwell for a long time and this season it is Langers and Merrett.

But whilst we have tons of key position players, none of them are stars. 2MP is our key forward and he couldnt get a game with the Suns 2 years ago. Stewart is our key defender and he had primarily been a forward and lets face of it, none of us are too confident in him on the big guns. Francis isnt a forward but we have too many of his type in defence. Seeing Laverde (who has done really well in defence) on big guys like Hawkins scares me. I guess the hope is Jones and Reid to become high quality KPP with some chance that Balders could get there.

 

[faible]

I'm a bit the same. Lions are a good side and we were more than competitive. There are a bunch of kids to be excited about including Reid when he becomes available. All sides have to deal with injuries so we cant complain about Merrett being out. And that is why you need depth especially in the midfield. Some media morons were saying we should trade Shiel as we have more mids they we can fit in. But last year we lost Shiel and Caldwell for a long time and this season it is Langers and Merrett.

But whilst we have tons of key position players, none of them are stars. 2MP is our key forward and he couldnt get a game with the Suns 2 years ago. Stewart is our key defender and he had primarily been a forward and lets face of it, none of us are too confident in him on the big guns. Francis isnt a forward but we have too many of his type in defence. Seeing Laverde (who has done really well in defence) on big guys like Hawkins scares me. I guess the hope is Jones and Reid to become high quality KPP with some chance that Balders could get there.

Wright is decent enough, but really shouldn't be our best forward.

He's a good FWD/RUC but not a genuine CHF/FF to build a premiership tilt around.

Reid, Cox, Jones, Baldwin, Brand, Eyre, McBride should hopefully produce a couple of decent KPPs though....

Melbourne won in 2021 without a dominant KPF so it can be done so long as you've got reliable marking targets.

If Jones can be a long-term CHF, with Perkins / Martin(!) / Stringer / Langford all the kind of guys who should offer marking targets up forward, we should be able to generate the scores to win games.

More goals from the midfield is the big one, Shiel stands out to me as a guy who has all the tools to kick more goals than he does. I know Robert Shaw was a big wrap on McGrath up forward but we've never really seen it.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Melbourne are the best side in the comp at restricting opposition marks inside 50. Need to find other avenues to goal. Martin coming back in should help, but with no Tippa they should roll the dice with Wanganeen.

you mean DONT bomb it in long?

What are we supposed to do? Pick a target?

 

[Frothies Mcveigh]

I'm a bit the same. Lions are a good side and we were more than competitive. There are a bunch of kids to be excited about including Reid when he becomes available. All sides have to deal with injuries so we cant complain about Merrett being out. And that is why you need depth especially in the midfield. Some media morons were saying we should trade Shiel as we have more mids they we can fit in. But last year we lost Shiel and Caldwell for a long time and this season it is Langers and Merrett.

But whilst we have tons of key position players, none of them are stars. 2MP is our key forward and he couldnt get a game with the Suns 2 years ago. Stewart is our key defender and he had primarily been a forward and lets face of it, none of us are too confident in him on the big guns. Francis isnt a forward but we have too many of his type in defence. Seeing Laverde (who has done really well in defence) on big guys like Hawkins scares me. I guess the hope is Jones and Reid to become high quality KPP with some chance that Balders could get there.

Wright is obviously more suited to that 2nd or 3rd tall option but guys like Jones and Baldwin just aren't at that stage in their career yet. 2MP has a lot of almost marks that he doesn't quite stick but at the same time our ball use going forward isn't always great and he ends up having to wrestle with multiple defenders.

Stewart's been a real whipping boy already but at the end of the day he was thrown down back as a last resort considering we don't have anyone else ready to step in with Reid being injured and so young as well. Hope the same people slamming Stewart have more patient with Reid when he does come in because it's not going to just be a quick fix straight away.

 

[Lore]

Looks like goal kicking practice.

 

[Ati Tude]

you mean DONT bomb it in long?

What are we supposed to do? Pick a target?

Somewhat surprisingly, we are doing well for marks inside 50. Cats had only 1 more than us and we won it 15-11 against Lions. Doesn't help when you don't kick straight, although I am guessing many of our marks were in the 40m+ range.

 

[Keystone agony]

I would prefer to rotate Perkins fwd/mid.

I just don't think McGrath will ever be as good mid as he is defender.

He will be if you give him the opportunity

 

[bennyg12]

Swing Stewart forward and Francis back both not working in there current spots

 

[Keystone agony]

Caldwell over Mcgrath around clearance any day of the week

Rotating in there as the 4th onballer

Im Caldwells biggest fan. Also wouldnt be against him doing the tagging job on Petracca to have him learn

I wouldnt start that way but if he gets too hot then id be turning to Caldwell or Mcgrath for the job

Lets prey they take us lightly

The issue is Mcgrath is bang avg everywhere else. Caldwell can atleast play the high half forward role really well

If Shiels out then both will be heavy onball rotations

 

[faible]

Rotating in there as the 4th onballer

Im Caldwells biggest fan. Also wouldnt be against him doing the tagging job on Petracca to have him learn

I wouldnt start that way but if he gets too hot then id be turning to Caldwell or Mcgrath for the job

Lets prey they take us lightly

The issue is Mcgrath is bang avg everywhere else. Caldwell can atleast play the high half forward role really well

If Shiels out then both will be heavy onball rotations

Maybe we need to look to McGrath to be that other running half-back / small defender alongside Hind given how easy it is to shut down our run out of defence with only one of them.

 

[MiguelM]

He will be if you give him the opportunity

I hope you are right.

Maybe another Parish?

 

[Lore]

Twomey’s take on the midfield;

Bombers bounce issue: Zach-less Dons suddenly in uncharted waters

How will the Bombers replace Zach Merrett? Cal Twomey looks at the options

www.afl.com.au

Martin in for Cox. Shiel, Langford, Snelling all unavailable.

Lots of weight on the shoulders of Parish after last year. McGrath and Caldwell pick up Merrett's midfield minutes.

Stringer and Perkins may pick up some centre bounces, but both are needed in the forward line without Jones and Walla.

Hobbs could debut?

 

[Keystone agony]

I hope you are right.

Maybe another Parish?

Every game hes played onball hes been very very good

Hes only played about 8-10

He runs both ways. He can actually tackle

His junior numbers as an inside mid are transferrable

The only other option is half back and i dont think he has the penetration, speed or kicking to be elite there

 

[faible]

Hobbs could debut?

Throw him in the middle against Petracca and Oliver so he can see what it takes to be an A grade clearance winner at AFL level.

 

[Shane Heard]

you mean DONT bomb it in long?

What are we supposed to do? Pick a target?

No marks . Get all forwards in the goal square and just mids have a ping from 45/50 over everyone’s head

 

[Shane Heard]

Swing Stewart forward and Francis back both not working in there current spots

Something something..Hurley/Hooker situation for next 5 years