Selection for Sunday's Final

[irish pie]

I really hope you're wrong. To allay my worries, I'm going to say he wasn't selected on fitness reasons, plus he's not exactly the hardest player, which is going to be very important against the Saints.


your joking, always hard at it.

 

[Somebody]

Last week we dropped Leigh Brown and we lost. Go figure.

Yeah he seems to be important psychologically for this young team.
When you think about it there's not many players who are as big and tough who are faster than anvil (ie who are at all fast), and almost none as versatile - eg Jonno Brown is about the only one I can think of. Pavlich and Goodes aren't nearly as bruising and tough, BBB is gone. so he may be a bit underestimated.

so he probably must play, but I still think it's very dangerous to leave him on Kosi, esp with MM's penchant to persist most of the game even if a defender is gettign slaughtered. maybe it would work with Maxwell coordinating but then that sort of defensive strategy can easily fall apart in a few minutes in the last q and bye bye game.

 

[Somebody]

Re: Selection

How about we don't try play people into AFL worthy form in a final. we have 22 weeks before to do that if you don't cut it, you try again next season thanks.

Well McC was servicable last week 1st game back which was pretty impressive, would need to improve significantly this week to hold a place the week after. He's going to be a great player if his body holds up, just a q of if he can come up to speed quick enough to be important in these finals. I'm optimistic

 

[mwalker]

Do we think that if the seconds were not playing finals, Marty would have come into the side? He gets a chance this week to solidify his good form in a final so that will help him. As it was posted earlier, injuries will probably occur this week and if we lose he would come in.

 

[mdc]

your joking, always hard at it.

I'm a huge M.Clarke fan, and if it were up to me he'd be playing this week, but he doesn't yet have the body to do the hard stuff, even if he wanted to.

I should clarify that; I don't mean he doesn't put his head over the ball...it's just that he can't physically impose himself on a contest yet, the way Swan or Lenny Hayes might, for example. Probably used the wrong word initially.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

If Leigh Brown takes Kosi, we will lose the game. It's that simple. He's a god-awful match-up for him.

On paper, Leigh Brown is a god-awful match-up for any AFL-standard player. As it is, we need another tall in the backline and MM prefers Leigh Brown to my choice of Nathan Brown. One or the other must play, and play on either Riewoldt or Kosi, the former option meaning Presti would take Kosi (obviously).

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

The three to miss out will probably be Dick N Brown and either McCarthy Sidebottom or Wellingham, imo.

Interesting that both the Browns have been selected in the extended team. Makes me think that they are worried about the forward line and we are still thinking of the right combination. Would not surprise me if Nate was chosen so he or Leroy could play forward/second ruck at the expense of Wood. He has spent a bit of time in the front half in the VFL.

 

[Quicky]

I'm hoping for this -

INs: Nathan Brown, Sidebottom, Pendlebury

OUTs: Goldsack, Wellingham, Dick, Leigh Brown

Nathan Brown to take Kosi - would hate to see Leroy on him, he would get killed.

McCarthy into a defensive forward role.

Sidebottom and Pendles straight into the middle.

With Wellingham out the dangerous match up becomes Montagna - one of Daisy or Johnson should get this.

Wood needs to play. I don't get people calling for his omission. With Gardiner a likely out we have the opportunity to really stretch them in the ruck and give our mids an advantage. If anyone were to be dropped to allow Leigh Brown to play it would have to be Fraser IMO - but I think two rucks is the way to go.

 

[CHARLIELLOYD]

pies will go in with 1 ruckmen
L brown/Josh to ruck
N Brown to Kosi
Presti to Roo or vica versa

out: wood, dick, goldsack
in: L Brown, N brown, Pendles

 

[Anth_5]

Would they play Nathan fwd?

I dare say that he will almost definitely come in for say Dick and play as a third tall, much like the role that Dawes etc would play. We may see the dropping of Wood, as much as I don't want to see it happen it may to get that balance back. So in saying this the changes would probably be.

In
N.Brown, L.Brown, Pendlebury

Out
Goldsack, Wood, Dick

I can't see us making anymore then three changes, if we were to make a fourth it would be Sidebottom for one of either Wellingham or McCarthy =]

I'm hoping Nate plays =] much rather him for insurance purposes if Leigh fails or even as the first match up for kosi or Roo.
I'm still not sure about the match-ups up back.
Presti to Kosi?? or Roo?
The dropping of Goldsack and L.Brown being named on the ground suggests that Presti will go to Roo and L.Brown to Kosi..
I'm a bit worried of presti on Roo cause of Roo's athleticism if Presti gets exploited I'd say Nate move from forward to cover Roo, L.brown to forward/rotating ruck and Presti moved on Kosi.

What do you reckon???

 

[PIES 4 LIFE]

I don't know if Dick has enough grunt to play a final at this stage of his career.

I'd play McCarthy forward. His hard at it and I wouldn't be surprised if he could scrap a few goals during the game through sheer grunt up forward.

Well he has to learn sometime, we have to find out if Brad Dick can cut the mustard in a final, Theres no point sparing the kid if we think he is not up to it, because lets face it, a final is what separates the men from the boys, if he can't handle a final, then get rid of him.

Of course we don't expect Brad Dick to have a blinder of a finals series in his debut finals games, but to just leave him out because he may not be ready for a final is ludicrous, if he is the best man for the job then play him,

Let me now qualify my position, I actually like what Brad Dick brings to the team and no way do I think we should get rid of him, I was just making a point on this post.

 

[PIES 4 LIFE]

Would they play Nathan fwd?

No chance, they may have played him there before but we could not risk it against the best side of the year in an important game as this. If we wanted to bring in a forward we would have. nathan will play up back, and maybe used sparing up the ground.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

The selection this week is a weird one and I reckon it could mean someone tall is coming in under a cloud.
I heard the ins before but when I looked at the extended bench i was a bit surprised.

-Dick, Wello, McCarthy, Sidebottom, Wood, N Brown, Beams on an extended bench with L Brown on the field?

Only one of the Browns can play as neither would have been picked as a forward with others (Dawes, Rocca and even Reid) ahead of them in this area. It simply makes no sense to put N Brown on an extended bench knowing he definitely won't play; especially considering the fact that it might be wet and we could have named another mid or Goldsack in there. Lil fishy me thinks. What do others think? Just Mick playing mind games or perhaps already knowing who he's going in with and just adding Nate as a contingency?

Go Pies!!!!

Hey, well-spotted my crafty friend! Rocca was the weird aspect to N Brown's exclusion.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

The three to miss out will probably be Dick N Brown and either McCarthy Sidebottom or Wellingham, imo.

Interesting that both the Browns have been selected in the extended team. Makes me think that they are worried about the forward line and we are still thinking of the right combination. Would not surprise me if Nate was chosen so he or Leroy could play forward/second ruck at the expense of Wood. He has spent a bit of time in the front half in the VFL.

You heard it here first - I knew something was fishy with the selection of both Browns!!!!!

Didnt see Rocca coming in but I was assuming our Thursday 25 could not be changed. I was unaware that Friday was actually the cutoff for the final 25.

With Wood out now, Rocca is a certaintly to play. I've said for weeks that the only way to fit Rocca back in to the team is to revert to the one ruck policy. The only question now is who plays second ruck. I'd say Leroy will ruck in defence and at centre bounces against Kozi while Cloke will ruck in the forward line, and Fraser will do the bulk.

 

[Dylz48]

wood and dick are playing in the VFL so only chance for coming in as a late change is Shaz

 

[didaka]

Pendlebury got through training this morning according to J Bernard

 

[didaka]

Well he has to learn sometime, we have to find out if Brad Dick can cut the mustard in a final, Theres no point sparing the kid if we think he is not up to it, because lets face it, a final is what separates the men from the boys, if he can't handle a final, then get rid of him.

Of course we don't expect Brad Dick to have a blinder of a finals series in his debut finals games, but to just leave him out because he may not be ready for a final is ludicrous, if he is the best man for the job then play him,

Let me now qualify my position, I actually like what Brad Dick brings to the team and no way do I think we should get rid of him, I was just making a point on this post.

Well he's not playing, so there you go.

 

[Mental Magpie]

Assuming the named team is how we run out (Which would surprise me - but then again - nothing surprises me with regards to Malthouse!) I think the following.

The key to the game is getting our hands on the footy first and hitting targets, hence the inclusion of Sidebottom. (Quality user of the Footy) We must maintain posession and not buckle under their immense pressure on the ball carier.
Up Front - Rocca to sit at FF, with JA & Medhurst & McCarthy alternating through Brad Dick's role.
Mid - Sidebottom in to add clearances, composure and quality disosals.
Def - As per the majority of the year.

We need to hit them hard early and capitalise on the scoreboard. If we can get a jump on them, the pressure on the Saints will be HUGE.

If the game is played on out terms, we win. Simple as that.

GO PIES!
SIDE BY SIDE

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Assuming the named team is how we run out (Which would surprise me - but then again - nothing surprises me with regards to Malthouse!) I think the following.

Wood and Dick have just run out onto the ground in the VFL final

 

[Mental Magpie]

Wood and Dick have just run out onto the ground in the VFL final

That leaves 2 more...........Goldy and Wellingham.

 

[Kirby]

Goldy is in the vfl too.

 

[Optimax]

Wellingham is the only emergency sitting out today