I don't really get the criticism of Lewis Young. He might provide a few heart in mouth moments but I thought that he defended very well against Collingwood and did the job on Cox and Cameron when they went forward.
Only two of Young's eight marks were contested but he led the way for us with nine 1%ers and only Nic Newman had more intercepts. On top of that, he only had one turnover for the game, not bad for a "panic merchant".
I imagine that Weitering will take Van Rooyen and we'll need another tall KPD to go with Petty and Gawn when he goes forward.
I wouldn't play Kemp on Fritsch. Fritsch is too elusive and would exploit Kemp when he provides the extra at marking contests.
I reckon Weitering will have to take Petty given the latter is a lot bigger than Kemp or McGovern....a player who has given Melbourne a different look up forward is ex defender Turner who is 194cm. There might have been a case to keep Young in the team this week for the extra height. Petracca when resting forward will also need a minder and with Fritsch and Pickett also in attendance its going to be a busy night in defense if they get enough supply. One of TDK or Pittonet might have to follow Gawn down forward if and when he plays there....
Martin is a 3rd tall in our forward line with no JSOS down there and is a marking target as well as a creative ground player. Orazio and Durdin are traditional small forwards only so different players to Martin imho and not competing for the same position. I think Martin also makes life easier for Charlie and Harry as that alternative target. The player being missed is Fogarty who provides the extra pressure you need as the modern forward. Playing both Orazio and Durdin in the same team doesn't work....
Horrendous story Mantis and brave of you to share it with us, as others have said I hope you have had some professional help later in life and are coping ok. My wifes family had a similar issue with her father who was of Italian/Croatian heritage but nothing like the extreme violence you have been through. Unfortunately I dont see there being an easy fix other than providing more safe places where mothers, children can flee to avoid the violence and with the lack of housing etc I cant see Governments being able to solve the problem or even being able to put a dent in it. Education at the junior level may reduce the amount of incidents later but its going to take a while to see much change sadly...take care of yourself and hopefully a premiership isnt too far away to bring you some small joy.
Kemp has to be an in.....and Id be considering McGovern for Fritsch if fit and ready and making the Melb player work a bit harder defending when we rebound. Kemp might have to play on Petracca when he goes forward and its going to be challenging finding a player for Williams to operate on...
Agreed, I think the bigger problem for us it that the form lines are heading in the wrong directions, they are on the up and we are on the slide!
If we thought Elliott got an armchair ride, wait until you see Petracca up close, if Pitto, Hewett or Kennedy even brush a forearm hair against Petracca's passing frame it'll be free kick and 50m!
After a week of the media blasting the AFL over "holding the ball" and "Incorrect disposal", I'm pegging the first fan shock of next Thursday night will be Kysaiah being awarded a free kick for poleaxing Walsh or Cripps at a stoppage causing them to drop the footy. That is generally exactly how the AFL roll!
I didn't want to name names, the vision is damning enough, and there was another.
Acres runs his arse into the ground, I get that sooner or later he needs a chop out and he might have needed one in those moments, but there are times you don't have a choice, you just have to keep going at it Robert Harvey style until you throw up your own ring!
AFL is built on the premise that it is the last person left standing/moving, that gets the spoils!
But it's not just those events that cost us, multiple times Cottrell had worked hard into open space on the fat side and we ignored him instead dropping the pill on the head of BigH or Charlie 1 out against 2 or 3! At the moment, I can't say Cottrell is more or less likely to peg a goal than Harry or Charlie, and going to Cottrell a bit more might help spread the opposition defence!
Filth did it very very well, they used the player who was on, not formulaic at all, we by comparison seem very formulaic!
I get we have Harry and Charlie, but it's making us predictable at the moment, weirdly it's TDK that seems to be giving us a bit of X-Factor, if only he could hang on to a few more of the marks he gets his hands to!
Martin and SOS being missed as alternatives allowing Charlie in particular to be double teamed..
For all the vitriol in the fans base directed towards Williams, there were two other complete brain fades that cost us goals during the game.
The first was in the critical moment letting an opponent make an extra number goal side of our defence in our D50, a player that most can't possibly catch given a step or two of head start.
The second was one of our other defenders turning traffic cone earlier in the game, as he became paralysed by the Filth tsunami sweeping around him,.
Both these incidents were moments of inaction that lead to goals free of umpire influence, and far far worse than Williams.
You can add the Pendlebury goal and the goose who didnt pick him up which didnt require much effort given he moves in slow motion these days.....I would have dragged his opponent and sprayed him even if it was Cripps.
Lost three of four since the decision was made to play two rucks and took away run. Just not happening. Needs to change - if we persist with it then Pitto needs to do alot more. Needs to either tackle more or take more marks... expecting both is abit much but if he is going to drop marks then he needs to tackle. TDK was tracking nicely in all three categories before moving him forward. He was tackling, marking and winning clearances not as many as Pitto but he has a more balanced A grade type game thats growing. Can't take run away from this team against the Dees. imo
I thought Pittonet played a decent game...he got away with a bit too pushing the Pies rucks away from the ball with two hands well before the ball arrived imho, he will need to do that to Gawn and hopefully slow him down so TDK can jump all over him later. While Im not a fan of two ruckman every game I think vs Melb with Gawn its sensible to try and wear him down and negate his influence. We will probably get slaughtered in the hitouts but if we can prevent him directing them and taking marks around the ground it will go a long way to winning the game and I think Pittonet getting his big frame in the packs might help our mids as the Dees have some strong bodies around the ball like we do and it will be a war of attrition given the short turn around with both teams having played tough games.
Yep he nailed it and I thought the midfield stuff was on the money too, they had a plan , worked us out and I thought Pendlebury was finished but he played some game on the bigger Cripps.
