Review Round 7 (Part 1) - v Melbourne @ Coopers Stadium

[brucetiki]

Adelaide v Melbourne
Wednesday 9 October
7:15pm
Coopers Stadium

Pride Round sees us play twice in the week. First cab off the rank is a Wednesday night home Pride Game against Melbourne under the Norwood 'lights'.

While we were far from convincing against St Kilda, the important thing is we got the win. Melbourne also come into this game with a comfortable win over GWS (but more about the Giants later in the week).

The game itself will be interesting with player management likely to be the key for both sides throughout this round.

Also, for the first time, we get a home Pride Game during Pride Round (the other home Pride Games have been the week before/aftrer the round as we've been away for Pride Round). There will be a pre-game Pride March around the ground, and Rainbow Crows will have their marquee in front of the Southern Stand on Wednesday night launching their 2025 membership (with a great membership item for the Norwood terraces).

Let the game be full of glitter and glamour - and a Crows win!

 

[cmndstab]

Hard to know what to make of Melbourne this season. They've definitely been a step or two down, but it's hard for me to imagine them staying weak for the whole season. I wouldn't put it past them to get up and be at their best for this match.

Yes, they've lost four matches so far this season, but two of them have been to Brisbane (which we have too) and North (who are the best team this year). A narrow loss to Fremantle is understandable, the 1.1 to 11.6 loss to Essendon not so much. Which Melbourne will we get this week?

We really need to find a way to score more reliably. Fingers crossed we'll see some steps towards that this week!

 

[Firewalker]

Hard to know what to make of Melbourne this season. They've definitely been a step or two down, but it's hard for me to imagine them staying weak for the whole season. I wouldn't put it past them to get up and be at their best for this match.

Yes, they've lost four matches so far this season, but two of them have been to Brisbane (which we have too) and North (who are the best team this year). A narrow loss to Fremantle is understandable, the 1.1 to 11.6 loss to Essendon not so much. Which Melbourne will we get this week?

We really need to find a way to score more reliably. Fingers crossed we'll see some steps towards that this week!

They are supposedly getting some players back apparently too, hard to know what team turns up, that along with the recent Norwood Oval semi-hoodoo & the short break it’s likely to be another arm wrestle/scrubby affair.

Interesting if anyone gets ‘managed’ out with Tonon, Levy & Martin likely to come back in, Ballard obviously likely unfortunately out, would like to think Varnhagen is never seen again and they probably drop Boileau again after doing everything to not let her settle in her first season. Could we see a debut for someone? Will they risk Henry’s shoulder? or will it be an elusive debut for the tall whatever Tarlinton is?

 

[cmndstab]

I have a gut feeling Tarlinton will get her debut against GWS, somewhat lower pressure match for her debut and coming near the end of our compressed portion.

I agree, Ballard a definite out, will be interesting to see if any other players get managed as well. Perhaps Mueller?

 

[jenny61_99]

Any news about Ballard’s knee?

 

[cmndstab]

Any news about Ballard’s knee?

Nothing that I've seen.

 

[Firewalker]

Any news about Ballard’s knee?

Clarke only said post-game that her knee she had surgery on was sore so given the history they took her off as a precaution & it would be scanned.

Imagine it would be confirmed either way like they usually do on Tuesday in their injury report, even though she probably got the results yesterday. Just like when everybody knew Jones done her Achilles but they still waited until Tuesday to confirm the bad news.

 

[GreyCrow]

Congratulations to Ebony who continues to be an engine in the middle

 

[Scorpus]

Ballard has not done her ACL, but is sore and will miss a week

As will Charlton and Munyard

AFLW Injury Update: Week Seven

The latest on Ballard, Charlton, Munyard and Tonon

www.afc.com.au

 

[Firewalker]

Team selection is in for tomorrow’s game;

IN: Martin, Levy, Tarlinton

OUT: Ballard (knee), Munyard (foot). Charlton (adductor)



Not using the ‘managed’ term but actually listing injuries is a change for this game, you’d hope those out are actually only being ‘managed’ and it doesn’t end up more serious and they come back into calculations next week otherwise they’re approaching the bottom of the list.

Speaking of which, called the Tarlinton debut, comes in to provide whatever it is she apparently provides… I don’t have high expectations, but seeing if another tall can help the team in any way will be interesting I suppose.

 

[cmndstab]

That's fantastic news on Ballard! Only missing a week is better than what I assumed the best-case scenario would be.

Tarlinton debut! Fingers crossed they try to work her into the forward line. Charlton with an adductor is a concern, she already missed the first two rounds of the season with injury. Hopefully won't be out long.

Edit: Just read the article, sounds like Charlton's adductor is just a management thing and they expect her to play again on Sunday, so all good.

Najwa Allen still listed as 1-2 weeks, we're just not going to see her this year, are we?

Happy to see Mueller maintain her spot despite her migraine issues. Boileau remaining in is good as well.

 

[dplggr47]

Charlton out isn't good. Though, I did notice she's had very low TOG latelty. Wonder if she's been playing injured or just suffering from rotations.

That's fantastic news on Ballard! Only missing a week is better than what I assumed the best-case scenario would be.

Tarlinton debut! Fingers crossed they try to work her into the forward line. Charlton with an adductor is a concern, she already missed the first two rounds of the season with injury. Hopefully won't be out long.

Edit: Just read the article, sounds like Charlton's adductor is just a management thing and they expect her to play again on Sunday, so all good.

Najwa Allen still listed as 1-2 weeks, we're just not going to see her this year, are we?

Happy to see Mueller maintain her spot despite her migraine issues. Boileau remaining in is good as well.

I thought Tarlinton is a forward/ruck. Do you think she'll play backup ruck over Gould?

 

[Firewalker]

I thought Tarlinton is a forward/ruck. Do you think she'll play backup ruck over Gould?

Going by what they did with her pre-season I don’t think even Clarke or the coaches really knew/know what Tarlinton is best suited to, you’d think given she was drafted as a ruck/forward it would be that but they might even just look to play her more in the ruck and rest Jess Allan as a forward or even try to use her to play Biddell more forward given she apparently spent time in defence over pre-season.

 

[dplggr47]

Going by what they did with her pre-season I don’t think even Clarke or the coaches really knew/know what Tarlinton is best suited to, you’d think given she was drafted as a ruck/forward it would be that but they might even just look to play her more in the ruck and rest Jess Allan as a forward or even try to use her to play Biddell more forward given she apparently spent time in defence over pre-season.

I don't recall her playing defence in preseason, but there was no commentary for that game, so who knows. I remember her playing ruck in the last quarter over Allan. GWS and St Kilda are on the easier side when it comes to ruck matchup, so not sure if she's even required.

 

[cmndstab]

I'm assuming they see her as tall depth. Given that we haven't actually rested any talls, there really isn't any room for her in our back line right now. So I think they'll play her up forward and as a chop-out in the ruck, and if they doesn't work they might try to swap Biddell or Allan up forward and play Tarlinton down back.

 

[Firewalker]

I don't recall her playing defence in preseason, but there was no commentary for that game, so who knows. I remember her playing ruck in the last quarter over Allan. GWS and St Kilda are on the easier side when it comes to ruck matchup, so not sure if she's even required.

Was in articles she played there in the Port trial and had trained there, played there at SANFLW level too (albeit not that great) which I thought must’ve been against what the Crows were after at the time but who knows maybe they wanted to see how she’d go there too.

 

[dplggr47]

I'm assuming they see her as tall depth. Given that we haven't actually rested any talls, there really isn't any room for her in our back line right now. So I think they'll play her up forward and as a chop-out in the ruck, and if they doesn't work they might try to swap Biddell or Allan up forward and play Tarlinton down back.

Don't think I'd trust to have a first gamer taking over the role of either Biddell or Allan.

 

[cmndstab]

Don't think I'd trust to have a first gamer taking over the role of either Biddell or Allan.

Of course not, but we also need to score. If one of them is deemed not essential down back and is mostly just playing as a loose tall, we can try switching them with Tarlinton and see what happens.

But I'd rather she go up forward and try to add something new there.

 

[PorPleaseYa]

Just when you thought Norwood Oval couldn't get any worse, there is a swarm of tiny bugs in the house tonight

 

[Firewalker]

Looks like one of the great guernsey clashes as predicted. Themed round guernsey’s bring out the worst guernsey clashes, why can’t they just always have a clash version?

Melbourne refusing to not have anything but blue based guernsey’s for the entire season is just stupid.

 

[Firewalker]

Prowse is playing up forward

 

[Firewalker]

Looks like one of the great guernsey clashes as predicted. Themed round guernsey’s bring out the worst guernsey clashes, why can’t they just always have a clash version?

Melbourne refusing to not have anything but blue based guernsey’s for the entire season is just stupid.

To be fair not as bad on TV as the Hawks game, probably not that great at the ground

 

[Firewalker]

Prowse is playing up forward

So’s Thompson… maybe Clarke heard me whinging over the fence last game

 

[Firewalker]

Poor start again, the overuse in the forward line with hands with no one taking responsibility is a consistent problem

 

[jenny61_99]

Yikes