Preview 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.