Pre Match. Magpies v. Tigers. All comments please.

[RudeBoy]

[Pies2016]

[Ev5Magpies]

Brown won't be dropped.

Could they also drop Sier for Wills who has strung a few good games together in the VFL? (I know, clutching at straws when we resort to this!

Ins: Greenwood, Elliott, Scharenberg/Wills, Goldsack
Out: Appleby, Crocker, Mayne (If Inj?), Sier

[RudeBoy]

You make a good defence of Brown P2016. Fwiw, I think he might make it as a good player for us going forward next year and beyond, but honestly, I don't see him as a finals player for us this year.

I actually don't expect him to be dropped, but i still see him as being in that last group of 3 players, who need to lift - along with Sier and Varcoe.

[Pies4shaw]

Sier, Varcoe, Cox, Mayne, Mihocek, Appleby, Crocker and WHE were all more or less bystanders against GWS. IMO, all 8 of those players should go out of the side before Brown. Most of those players will be retained this week. So will Brown. That said, Sier and Varcoe should not play this week (if ever again) on their recent showings: Varcoe is the past and Sier doesn't seem to be fit enough to play senior footy.

Anyhow, if it comes to comparisons, why would you drop the small forward who kicked two goals and had a goal assist amongst his 17 disposals but keep JDG who had one more disposal and way less impact on the game (his goal, of course, came when the game was over)? What would "lifting" look like from a guy who plays as an opportunist defensive forward?

He's fifth at Collingwood for shots on goal (only JDG, Mihocek, Cox and Stephenson are ahead of him).

He's fourth at the Club for tackles this season (67 - only Treloar (81), Grundy (75) and Pendlebury (69) have more). Perhaps if JDG (who is a big, fast unit) laid half as many tackles as Brown (JDG has laid 31), we might be doing a bit better. Just for a reality check on that stat, Mayne has only caught up with opposition players often enough to lay 36 tackles. Greenwood has laid 32 and Varcoe, Mihocek and Thomas have each laid 31.

Our problem up forward is that we can't kick goals and we can't keep the ball in our forward 50. Why would you want the only player who can kick goals and lay a tackle in the forward 50 out of the team when those are our most glaring forward deficits?

The bunsen burner should be under the senior players - most especially JDG, who needs to do much more, not the emerging players who are doing their bit.

[Haff]

^ I couldn’t watch the game but I would suspect that JDG is taking the best, if not best two, defenders each week. Brown gets the 5th or 6th. Best one on one fwd isn’t he best against 2 or in fact when he gets no space.

[RudeBoy]

I think you've convinced me P4S. My problem is I have an aversion to playing dwarfs.

Leaving last week's game aside, the bottom line is we have several players who have been under-performing most of the year, namely: Sier, Varcoe, WHE and Cox. Of those, there is (some) hope that WHE and Cox can find some form and help us in September, as they each have demonstrated terrific attributes at stages in the past. Sadly, Sier is simply not doing enough and Varcoe (though I still keep hoping he'll come good, as his pressure acts are exactly what's needed in finals) seems to be fast running out of steam.

I haven't mentioned Crocker or Appleby as poor performers, as they have obviously only been played, when virtually no-one else was available. Neither of them can expect to play in September.

So, yes, you are right. Now is not the time to drop Brown.

[Pies2016]

[shawthing]

Sadly we'll strike Richmond just when they have most of their stars back (and they do have some outstanding KPPs) and are playing in their best form since the premiership year. On the other hand our stocks are low (thanks to injuries and a compromised list) and we are almost at the bottom of the form ladder.

Do you believe in miracles? I think we got ours in Perth last week. Not sure that lightning strikes twice.

[Stevo75]

Great analysis Pies4shaw and agree 100%. Our younger players are doing their bit and not just Brown but Quaynor looks the goods too. I'm glad Bucks is getting games into our future so they can learn to become consistent performers and start to really impact games.

[K]

'"Everyone seems to be talking up Richmond at the moment and, this is not a beanie-wearing comment, but it's a cautionary comment: they've not beaten one team in the top four this year," Wilson says.'

She sounds like a Nickster.

[RudeBoy]

So Greenwood is out with a hammy, obviously making it touch and go for a pre finals return.

Aish is out with a shoulder injury, making him doubtful for the finals.

Langdon is out for the year with knee surgery.

Holy phuck, we can't take a trick.

So we are missing 8 of our best players:

Moore
Langdon
Wells
Aish
Greenwood
Beams
Reid
Stephenson

[BEAMER09]

[swoop42]

Surely Thomas is no chance.

Was dropped, showed precious little in his 1 VFL game and then was out injured the following week.

Then again that was the exact form line that saw Varcoe selected against GWS.

Shoot me.

[K]