Man there really is just nothing to bring in to generate some excitement. Is Tex fit? Might Jones be available?
We could drop Shiel but for who, I’d prefer to give him a different role up forward and make him accountable to the number of tackles he lays. Swap him and perkins. I’m not watching if Shiel lines up in the centre again
Out: Kelly (balance of defence just seems to be cooked with him there)
Not bad at all - pretty close to what I was thinking. My main changes to your suggested team would be:
Heppell out. Bryan out.
Cox in. Phillips in
I know Heppell’s playing has improved over the past two weeks, but, he’s still slow as a wet week. Now that he’s made it to 200, and given the absolute leaderless rabble we have become on the paddock on his watch, it’s time to try another leader out as acting captain. Let’s replace him on the field with someone who has a bit of speed - such as Nik Cox.
For the captaincy, the usual suspects are Merrett and McGrath, but I’d be inclined to bypass them and nominate Peter Wright or Jayden Laverde as acting captain.
Nick Bryan didn’t do very much against Sydney. It’s a learning process for him. He’ll be a great asset to us (if we can hang on to him). For now I’d send him back to the Magoos for two or three weeks to work on his game, and bring Phillips back in now that he’s over his injury.
BLTN why not?. Us supporters need some injection of excitement. He isn’t going to learn anything playing in our rabble vfl side , so he might aswell be playing for our rabble AFL side again
Plus Richmond will still give him a decent opponent