If Tippa is right he plays. Having said that coach wasn’t rushing to include him in the post game interview.
Langford should play too if fit and Cox just squeaks in. Reckon Cox will respond to being omitted and he’s been there all year just about.
Caldwell has been injured all year so I’ll be gobsmacked if he gets called up. Good luck to him if he is picked though.
Not going to name outs but wouldn’t put too much store on today’s effort, Gold Coast were seriously ■■■■■.
PS A sneeky feeling Hooker might be considered, especially if the 2 West Oz sides lose first. Reckon they think Hooker would be an asset in a final, especially coming off a rest.
2 Likes
Hooker - no
Zaharakis - no
Caldwell - no (cotton wool, don’t risk him)
Jones - no, same as Caldwell
Cox - unlucky not be at least sub this week. Obviously wanted to manage him properly and didn’t want to risk the chance he’d be needed to play a large % of the game.
Langford - comes in for final if fit
Walla - comes in final if fit
Ham
Phillips
Gleeson all waiting in the wings if required.
So all things considered. In: Cox Out: Glesson
3 Likes
You are mad. Do not play with form. Do not bring players in not in form, e.g. Walla
What a problem we have… I feel we should be playing to play finals, not farewell Gestures…
that’s where we go wrong… our forward looks way better without the big fella … and I love him like a brother.
Zaha… brings a bit more to the table , but no way am I taking anyone out for him right now… we should smack collingwood , but they’ve got some dangerous players in the right spots that we shouldn’t ■■■■ around with.
If we weren’t playing finals it’d be an obvious decision
To play them.
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Hasn’t played for 5 months.He has just returned to full training, and we don’t even know if his dodgy hammies will stand up to a VFL game yet. So, like l said not based on any observable form.
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If Walla’s training block has done the trick, would love him to come in. Does very well against the Pies.
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Option 1) Caldwell for Clarke. - Caldwell really has to play against Collingwood or he is out for the year. Like McGrath today and Shiel a few weeks back, he would be off the pace and would need to be carried to an extent but it would be worth it to have him fit and firing in finals. If all players were available, you’d expect that Clarke would be the one to make room for Caldwell.
Option 2) Caldwell for McGrath - Bit of a risk to have a underdone Caldwell and a slightly less underdone McGrath in the same team that needs a win to make finals. Might be worth minimising that risk by giving McGrath’s place to Caldwell, hope for the win and then play both two weeks later (if the bye goes ahead.)
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I don’t like option 2
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durham is better than cox imo on a wing. I’d swap tippa for perkins (if fit, he will be) and langers for guelfi (unlucky, goes to sub)
barring injury and a hopeful finals team, that’s what I’d do
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My only knock on Durham is sticking his tackles.
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I agree, but he has the pace of AFL straight off the bat and does a lot right. I’d keep him in
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Option 3, No changes.
I vote Option 3.
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They’ll fix that in the off-season. He’ll easily be best 22 after a pre-season
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After his game today Guelfi stays in.
We could bring Tippa back in as the sub.
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the only real selection query is guelfi or Clarke imo. to be honest, both are worthy for that last spot. ill back the coaches in, but I like Clarke
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he’s easily best 22 right now. he’s been fantastic
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Langford is super important for us so he’s the only automatic in.
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Been a ■■■■■■■ long time since we’ve had this dilemma.
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Apart from an unexpected narrow win in 2015, we generally don’t have a great record against Collingwood in the final game of a season. 2003, 1990, 1987… there’s a bit of a list.
Since Robert Harvey took over, their best has been pretty good (the comeback win over Richmond after being 4 goals down, a 45 point win over the Eagles) but their bad has been shocking (against Brisbane last night, capitulation against Carlton in the second half, scoring 2 goals in 3 quarters against St Kilda). Who knows which one we are going to get?
The final round always provides surprises. Players retiring, players told they won’t be there next year or potentially on the trade table, the last game for 6 months so players go that little bit harder to end on a high, minds already thinking ahead to Mad Monday…
In 2017, Melbourne (8th) had to win their final home and away game against a down and out Collingwood (13th) to make the finals. They lost… badly… and were knocked out by West Coast who ended up (as underdogs) winning their first final AWAY a week later.
NO complacency please. From what I’ve seen from this group this year that’s unlikely but this isn’t the week to start it.
6 Likes
This lockdown better ■■■■■■■ lift. I cannot watch the game with MrHeff. He will divorce me as I’m both a poor winner and poor loser.
17 Likes