Changes Round 14 v Carlton

[Rod_]

Cunningham and Everitt in for Goodes and Armstrong

While I agree that Armstrong has not improved from last year, I am tempted to leave him in the side for experience..

Rod _

[hot potato]

Well there will be no changes in the conditions, they will be training all week with wet balls, so by Friday night they should be clever mud larks
And beat The Blues.
HP

[707]

It just shows that we do have a lot of depth. We can have all these players out and we are still heavy favourites to beat Carlton.

Bookies don't know everything, I'm very tempted by the $3.30 on offer for Carton, that's way too generous. Same way $7.50 was way too generous for Poor Power last weekend at home on a slippery windy day against a very depleted Swans. I couldn't resist having $30 on them and had a nice collect although would have preferred a monetary loss.

This week is 50/50 IMO, Goodes out replaced probably by as good as a firsat gamer. Got no idea how we are going to control their small forwards.

[Melbournehammer]

We control their small forwards by controlling the ball. But that is the worry. Are we good enough without goodes and mummy to beat a pretty decent midfield so comprehensively ? And won't chaos kicks forwards be a real problem. ?

I wonder whether we should actually be outsiders in this game

[Rob-bloods]

?? Grundy beats his man week in, week out, is one of the best defenders going around and always gets a lot of the ball. I don't think he turns the ball over very much at all.

He goes to ground too easily too often and makes very elementary mistakes under pressure, I just do not agree with your summation, IMO he is goodish but not great.

[caj23]

?? Grundy beats his man week in, week out, is one of the best defenders going around and always gets a lot of the ball. I don't think he turns the ball over very much at all.

This

I don't comprehend all of the Grundy hate on this (and the other) site, an absolute pillar of our defence.

The fact is that with the high number of inside 50s we concede to the opposition our defence is under pressure alot and Grundy is one of the go to men when rebounding, on occasion he is going to turn it over.

The one late in the game on Saturday looked terrible but the game was as good as over and he'd been repelling attacks all day. Simple fact is that a defender is going to look bad when the midfielders are getting flogged so badly

[ShockOfHair]

Interesting factoid:

4. Mick Malthouse will coach against the Swans for the 45th time in his long career, currently boasting 27 wins. But he hasn't coached at the SCG since round four, 2000, just his fourth game in charge of Collingwood.

[Cressakel2]

I reckon our midfield will destroy Carlton's meek midfield - particularly without Marc Murphy. Now it will come down to whether the likes of Morton, Benny Mc, White & Tippo can take advantage of the centre clearances.

And whether our backline can stop Betts, Garlett, Waite & co. That's the worry. They will be pumped to remain in the hunt for the 8.

Are we hungry enough to remain a chance for top 2? I think/hope we are - even with 8 of our best 22 not playing.

[Triple B]

Betts and Garlett are a big worry this week. Betts is one of the few players that has got hold of Smooch over the years, particularly the game in the wet at the SCG a few years back.

Whats worse is Smooch is in the first poor stretch of his career at the minute. I thought he was clearly beaten by Winderlich and Callinan before the bye and again on the weekend.

If our midfield dominates we will be OK, but if the ball keeps coming in regularly, this game has me worried...

[rojo]

Port are crowing about shutting down Hanners all match, McVeigh after half time and Malceski, as one of the main reasons for their win. We only had Kennedy stand up but his disposal effectiveness was not good, and Jack. I expect ROK and the other mids were playing defensively. Goodesy wasn't too bad but if those 3 playmakers were to be shut down again we need at least one more outside mid to step up - Benny? or maybe give BJ another crack? I'm not a great fan of Everitt but I agree with some others that he could make a difference this week with all the others out, if available.

[Mountain Man]

What is the timing/playing location for the Reserves this weekend?

With the miserable weather we are having in Sydney at the moment, presumably they will not play on the SCG as a preliminary match on Friday night.

[Triple B]

It's on at BISP (Blacktown) 2pm start. Gates at SCG now open at 6pm.

[ugg]

Pretty early call to make. At least they've given us some time to make the trek across town

[wolftone57]

Betts and Garlett are a big worry this week. Betts is one of the few players that has got hold of Smooch over the years, particularly the game in the wet at the SCG a few years back.

Whats worse is Smooch is in the first poor stretch of his career at the minute. I thought he was clearly beaten by Winderlich and Callinan before the bye and again on the weekend.

If our midfield dominates we will be OK, but if the ball keeps coming in regularly, this game has me worried...

I would play Smooch on Garlett and Rampe on Betts. Dane can go with him and he is pretty good I the air and that is where Betts gets Smooch. Dre will get the third tall be it Robinson or someone else, they constantly switch their forward and back lines, as in Walker, Robinson, etc.

We need to make sure the roles of Mitchell and Parker are not at cross purposes, in other words not on ball at the same time if possible. Bird may have to play forward I think.

Tony A was terrible against Port, he botched almost everything he kicked. He is normally so good with his delivery but did not handle the conditions at all and seemed all at sea, pardon the pun I know it was wet.

In: Dre

Out: Tony A

Sub: Jude

[ugg]

A wet game in the tight confined spaces of the SCG and you want to bench Jude? There couldn't be a more perfect set of conditions for him