Pre-Match: The Mighty Pies V Dogs - All comments here thanks

[Joel]

G'day all,

I think we need to move on from the last match, and start concentrating on our opponent for this week, the Western Bulldogs.

Form Line:

Pies lost to Tigers in round 1 by 40 points.

Dogs lost to West Coast by 7 points, with Jade Rawlings kicking 7, and Hahn 3. The best for the Dogs were: J Rawlings, N Eagleton, R Murphy, M Robbins, M Hahn, S Power, S Garlick.


Side that I think should take the field:

B: Johnson, Presti, J. Cloke
HB: Clement, Wakelin, Lonie
C: Woewodin, Buckley, Burns
HF: Didak, Rocca, Fraser
F: Cole, Tarrant, Davis
R: Richards, Licuria, Holland
Inter: O'Bree, Nixon, Swan, McGough
Emer: Swan, Davidson, R. Shaw

Out: Lokan, McKee, Walker, Williams, R. Shaw

I really think we need the shake-up, so the boys realise that spots are up for grabs.

Also, I think we need to get something out of Cole down forward, we know he is the creative type, so why don't we let him create? We need to get some creativity and run into the side, but we also need to get the ball in the middle, and we all know McGough is a ball magnet. However, I doubt that the side will even slightly resemble that, because I don't think MM will make many changes.

We have to go into this game with some serious intent, we must go hard at the ball, and run hard to make space. Having said that, we must be accountable against the Dogs, because on Friday, we let the Tigers run loose all over the ground, which must not happen again. GO IN HARD PIES, AND RUN HARD PIES!!!!

[Joel]

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[piedys]

Well at least Nathan Brown can't shaft us two weeks in a row.

dyso

[Ev5Magpies]

We SHOULD beat the Doggies & although Joel that's the players that the majority of us would like dropped from the team, I doubt MM would react so much to a round 1 loss.

At least we'll have Pebbles to steady our fwd line. Hopefully we will be more settled this week & have some run like we did last year...

[d9 tank]

This week we welcome back Rocca but he is not the only one who must enter the side. Richards has been in the wings for years and now is the perfect opportunity to give him his first senior game. Street and Darcy aren't as opposing as Ottens and Stafford so it is the right time to bring him in. He was also very good on the weekend for Willi apparently.

All we need to see is our attack on the ball return. I feel Scotty Burns is one of the real keys to this and we need him around the ball for 70-80% of the match. If our intensity can return we will win, and with the matches to come we desperately need it. Anything under 14 goals (90 odd points) should be unnaceptable.

Presti or Wakes should go better on Rawlings than whoever was on him for W.C. He is a good player but not a 7 goal forward. Presti will be much better for the run last week.

Time for Ant to start repaying us. 4 or 5 goal would be a nice start. Last chance for Shaw, Davis and Cole (already assuming Willo, Walker and Lokan dropped) to prove they can attack the footy/man and O'Bree and Lonie need to start finding it. Cloke has to win some one on one battles and take a shitload more marks. All will be lucky if they are in the side this week.

Holland also needs to improve on last weeks performance and I think a shut down job on Johnson, West or even a kid like Murphy is the way to go.

If I was Mick I would make these changes (I would even consider giving gentle Ben a crack):

IN: Rocca Richards Davidson/Nixon
OUT: Williams Walker Lokan

Johnson Presti Clement
Cloke
Lonie Wakelin Cole
Woewodin Buckley Holland Didak
O'Bree Rocca
Davis Tarrant
R: Richards Licuria Burns
I: Fraser Shaw McKee Davidson/Nixon

Throw Richards in the deep end and let him ruck 2-3 quarters. He will beat Street around the ground and when Darcy rucks make McKee or Fraser man him when he goes forward. Really is time to find out if Guy is a viable rucking option and now is as good a time as any. He only need to get a few touches. All I care about is if he can hold his own in the centre square.

[Magpie_Dan]

Cant wait for Rocca to get back on the field for the Pies! After he was there was not a happy Pies fan! Well see when he takes the field and takes a huge at full stretch mark about 50M out from goal and bangs it home! Its hes Trademark!

[Lorelei]

I'm excited about this match - it will be a good traditional Saturday arvo battle between two great clubs.

Yes - I think Footscray are great (I will never call them Western Bulldogs) and have always had a soft spot for them.

One thing I hope for is that it is a tough match - I want to see OUR players make sure each of the Bulldogs EARN every kick, touch, handball and mark.

We have to get back to the tough, physical aspect - it has been missing. Ok we can make it to the finals again but the difference between making it and winning it, I feel comes down to the physical pressure you put on the other team.

Not playing dirty (although that would be what someone like Williams would be good for... use him as a friggin hit man so that at least he does something) but playing tough.

It would be good to get that aspect back - otherwise sometimes the whole game can seem incredibly ho-hum - SHOW ME THE TOUGHNESS.

IT IS A CONTACT SPORT BOYS- USE IT.

Run them into the ground.

Pies by 5 points

I hope a heap of bulldogs supporters turn up and give their team and club some vocal assistance.

Jen

[droche 2004]

I worry when I read on the CFC web site that we are not likely to make many changes, I think that sends the wrong message to the team saying "Its alright to play like shit and jog to the ball and not go in hard". Have to reward the players who are putting there hand up and would bleed for the club like all of us on this web site if we were given the opportunity or were good enough. Get tough Mick.

[PeterWH]

I dont recon that we can play as bad as that again this year.I watched both the games,and admittedly we were underdone in the forward line and lets be honest the boys played catch up all day and the Tigers jumped from the 2 minute mark and neverlooked back.
I recon that it will be a new look team on Saturday afternoon and that the boys will come out and give the Dogs a batyh that they wont forget in a hurry.....well we hope that they do.

[peter_pies4ever]

My team would be:

B: Johnson Prestigiacomo Cole
HB: J.Cloke Wakelin Clement
C: Woewodin Buckley Lonie
HF: Burns Rocca O'Bree
F: Didak Tarrant Williams
R: Fraser Licuria Holland
Int: Lokan, Richards, Nixon, R.Shaw

In: Rocca, Richards, Nixon
Out: Walker, Davis, McKee

I think Walker, Davis, McKee all need to be dropped this week to get some confidence back at Williamstown and i think if Williams doesn't deliver this week then he needs to be back at Willaimstown as well.
It is time to promote Richards and Nixon because these guys have been playing well and deserve a chance to prove themselves.
R.Shaw also needs a bit of improvement this week after making a few errors against Richmond.

[droche 2004]

I was a big wrap for Williams playing last week because I really thought he would take his opportunity and play like we know he can, obviously he has lost the plot and needs to be dropped. Very disappointed.

[Johnson#26]

We're not favourites: Rohde
12:56:32 PM Tue 30 March, 2004
Jordan Chong
Sportal
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&s ... eid=140337

Western Bulldogs coach Peter Rohde has scoffed at suggestions his side will go into Saturday's clash with Collingwood as favourites.

While the Dogs looked scintillating at times in posting 20 goals during last week's narrow loss to the Eagles, the Magpies were well beaten by a fired-up and Matthew Richardson-inspired Richmond outfit.

[Joel]

F: Didak Tarrant Williams

Williams must be dropped. He isn't performing, and hasn't for a long time.

[Cam]

B: Johnson Prestigiacomo Lokan
HB: Cloke Wakelin Clement
C: Williams Woewodin Lonie
HF: Didak Rocca Burns
F: Davis Tarrant O'Bree
R: Fraser Licuria Buckley

Int: Cole Nixon Holland Richards

Emerg: McKee, McGough, Shaw

In:Rocca Nixon Richards
Out: Walker Shaw McKee Kinnear

Rhyce is embarrassing himself at the moment, needs to learn to get in and under (i guess though it could be too late for that). McKee could be finito and Walker needs time to develop his game (which he could do at Willi)

Before the moans about Williams, Davis and Lokan let me just say this - Williams and Davis would get nothing out of playing for Willi. They are talented and just need to find more of the ball. Davis HAS to get front and square and stop trying to take mark of the year and Williams just needs to touch the footy more. Williams is skilled 'He's got the skill if he gets the pill' and can be handy if we can nurture him along which MM will do. Lokan needs more game time and will get it i think. He can burst forward and damage the opposition. Williams is the kind of guy who could do a 1996 Glenn Freeborn or 1998 Shane Ellen to you in a GF. Cole frustrates me to no end, but play him at Willy? Probably not.

Let's face it if the boys play to anywhere near potential we will blow the doggies to the shiezen. Nixon i think should get a game though.

[Joel]

The thing is Cam, while we wait for passengers to play well, ie. Williams (who mind you, we gave ALL last season to start playing well), there are young players that are missing out on a chance. For stragglers like Williams, it should be, perform or you are out.