Why Are we Underestimating Melbourne?

[sharpie]

Fair point, but Saddo will start up forward, and will only go back if our first options are struggling, whereas I think at least one of your forwards will have to start down back to cope with our tall forward line.

But anyway, I would still not necessarily classify Saddo as a forward. It is just where he is playing at the moment since he had played down back poorly recently. He still remains a tall defender on the list, just a temporary switch of positions.

And Saddo in defense would be no big suprise to anyone. A different story to having Goodes moved down there because we are struggling. Daniher will have the headache of matching up someone on Goodes. Roos will not take away one of his biggest cards by making Goodes mark someone instead.

[stellation]

Originally posted by CHF

And yet when you give matchups for our forwards you have Saddington down the back after naming him up forward.

Hi CHF. Saddo has been a forward for all of one match (and he did play a blinder!). Even in that match he popped down back briefly.

[CHF]

Originally posted by stellation
Hi CHF. Saddo has been a forward for all of one match (and he did play a blinder!). Even in that match he popped down back briefly.

Hi there,

I realize the position that Saddington usually plays. I was merely pointing out the inconsistancy with Sharpie's posts regarding forwards going back.

I expect Saddington to start in the backline as maybe a matchup on Miller. I would no be surprised to see Miller move around a lot between the 50 m arcs playing out of CHF. he seems to have been given a licence to roam around a fair bit.

[Triple B]

All this talk of 'who will play on who' is largely irrelevent.

If our midfield gets on top and delivers quality ball to our forwards, with the current batch of in-form forwards we have, we'll tear them a new bumhole.

If the Melbourne midfield can deliver quality ball to their forwards and Neitz in particular, we will struggle.

CHF, whilst talking of Sharpie shooting himself in the foot, how many Wheatleys play in defence for Melb?

[Go Swannies]

This is a fun thread. But after reading it all, all I can say is I'm glad Roosy is arranging the team not us. Most of the entertainment is that we really don't know most of their players well - just as we don't know other than their stars.

It's funny how much more assured the Dees supporters are of victory over here than they are at their own site (http://demonology.midnight.net.au/MessageBoard).

I'll put money on Saddo starting up forward on Saturday. And I'll take bets on our match up causing the Dees a lot of problems. Must be time for Pebbles to kick a bagfull while the Dees are clustered around Bazza and Adam.

[CHF]

Originally posted by BBB
All this talk of 'who will play on who' is largely irrelevent.

If our midfield gets on top and delivers quality ball to our forwards, with the current batch of in-form forwards we have, we'll tear them a new bumhole.

If the Melbourne midfield can deliver quality ball to their forwards and Neitz in particular, we will struggle.

CHF, whilst talking of Sharpie shooting himself in the foot, how many Wheatleys play in defence for Melb?

Fair cop. Would like a couple of him, he kicks it a mile.

I am now repairing a minor hole in my foot.

[CHF]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
This is a fun thread. But after reading it all, all I can say is I'm glad Roosy is arranging the team not us. Most of the entertainment is that we really don't know most of their players well - just as we don't know other than their stars.

It's funny how much more assured the Dees supporters are of victory over here than they are at their own site (http://demonology.midnight.net.au/MessageBoard).

I'll put money on Saddo starting up forward on Saturday. And I'll take bets on our match up causing the Dees a lot of problems. Must be time for Pebbles to kick a bagfull while the Dees are clustered around Bazza and Adam.

Hey Swannies,

I hope I am not included as one of the supporters confident of victory. I believe that it will be a hell of a lot closer than a lot of the Swan's supporter think it will be.

If I had to make a prediction I would say a close game to go either way with less than 2 goals in it.

[dawson]

When Neitz and Ox played together they were a powerful duo and gave us alot of heart ache.

Without Ox, it gives Daniher far less flexibility. He basically plays Neitz up forward and prays that everything is ok down back.

If we get on top in our forward 50, dont be suprised to see Neitz go back there.

[CHF]

Originally posted by dawson
When Neitz and Ox played together they were a powerful duo and gave us alot of heart ache.

Without Ox, it gives Daniher far less flexibility. He basically plays Neitz up forward and prays that everything is ok down back.

If we get on top in our forward 50, dont be suprised to see Neitz go back there.

We are a lot more flexible now Dawson and I for one will be very surprised to see Neitz back there at any stage on Saturday night.

If the back line is under pressure you might see Miller back there to help out, or Bruce picking someone up back there. Neitz will play forward all night.

Having said that, I do not expect our backline to be under pressure. In the last three rounds they have performed very, very well.

[Go Swannies]

With Bazza playing so far up the field and Dees people saying Neitz may move to fullback we stand a chance of having both of them at the wrong ends of the field. That'll be confusing. But as long as they remember which direction to kick . . .

There's a good chance that this will be the tough exciting game we expected against the Roos. But a 100 point victory would be easier on my heart - though much more boring on video replay.

[Nico]

Originally posted by Jack Daniels
I think that works the same for both Forward structures right?

I just have a bad feeling about this game, and I don't like bad feelings about games.

As for Robertson being out, he is a dud anyway, he won there best and fairest but I was extremely surprised, the way they seem to play now he isn't even important to them, worst thing is they get 2 hard runners capable of kicking goals, in Johnson and ward.

Amazing how someone on this site has a "bad feeling about this game", every week. Some people must live on their nerves all week expecting the worst.

Just remember that our record since Roos took over is pretty impressive, and we are seemingly never beaten regardless of how bad we seem to be playing.

We are going so much better than this time last year and there is room for improvement still. After last week I am staggered that some people are so hard to please.

Also remember, names like Ward and Johnston were 2 players that let them down badly last year so their reliability is probably still in question.

[Nico]

Originally posted by CHF
True Hood. He has had only a handfull of games in the midfield for us this season and has looked good in all of them. Last week was by far his best to date.

The last 4 seasons he has played in our forward setup.

Excuse me, but has anyone heard of Brett Kirk?

[stellation]

Originally posted by CHF

Having said that, I do not expect our backline to be under pressure. In the last three rounds they have performed very, very well.

If a couple out of just Davis, Goodes, Hall, O'Keefe, Schneider and now Saddington have a good day (and I see no reason as to why they wouldn't) then the Melbourne backline will be under pressure.

Davis in particular, if he really hasn't lost any fitness as the coaching staff (and Davis himself) are saying and he can pick up where he left off after a 1/4 and half (and it seems after the lay-off he is very, very hungry to perform) in Brisbane then Melbourne will really struggle with their defensive match-ups. He was playing the perfect game before the injury.

Hall is a given to cause problems, even if he has a bad day really...

[CHF]

Originally posted by stellation
If a couple out of just Davis, Goodes, Hall, O'Keefe, Schneider and now Saddington have a good day (and I see no reason as to why they wouldn't) then the Melbourne backline will be under pressure.

Davis in particular, if he really hasn't lost any fitness as the coaching staff (and Davis himself) are saying and he can pick up where he left off after a 1/4 and half (and it seems after the lay-off he is very, very hungry to perform) in Brisbane then Melbourne will really struggle with their defensive match-ups. He was playing the perfect game before the injury.

Hall is a given to cause problems, even if he has a bad day really...

Yep. Gotta agree with you there, all that could happen. Just as we could substitute Melbourne names into that exact same senario.

During the pre-season Neitz did not Kick a gaol but we still won a couple of games and went within a point of the final. All the goals came from players like Bruce, Green, Robertson etc.....

I see both the teams having a similar style of play with similar strengths in getting run out of defence. Both defences have very mobile players that use the ball very well and can deliver well by hand or foot. The midfields I rate pretty even. That is not to say that either team could dominate on the day. It may even get down to a quarter by quaret struggle in the middle. In the forwards, I lean towards Melbourne. Maybe because I have seen them more than Sydney. The delivery to them over the last 3 rounds has been faultless. The structure is a lot more balanced than last season but they will need the ball to perform.

[Go Swannies]

Last night I watched the R22 game again. Now I'm a lot more relaxed. Our guys are now playing a lot better than then (surprised to see how much better) and, even so, found holes in the Dees game everywhere.

For those with memory loss: Nick D and Magic blasted the game open after half time - then Magic's hamstring went with four minutes to go - end of his season and tears all round.