Changes for semi final v Geelong, Friday 15 September

[ugg]

Swans: No changes

Emergencies are Melican, Aliir and Robinson

Cats: Menzel and Lang for C.Guthrie and Murdoch

[AB Swannie]

Does the weather bring the two teams much closer together ?
It looks pretty slippery tomorrow Night ?
Who's our Jude Bolton ?

Wet weather always brings teams closer together. Give me dry footy any day and the best team wins.

[Hotpotato]

The same strong team .
They love being away together, seems to bring out a closer cohesion and will to win .
Awesome.

[mattybloods]

Melican named as emergency, if he's fit should be playing


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[Nico]

Melican named as emergency, if he's fit should be playing


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Agreed.

[Boddo]

Not surprised with no change. Melican could be a late in, as the game gets closer they'll asses the weather n make a decision you'd think.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Surprised re Pelican as he's in our best 22, I don't think Cunningham was so special last week as to keep him out, Melican frees up Rampe to play sweeper, even with Geelong playing small there is a match up in Menzel, and I know this week should be the priority - but he will be needed and play if we get through, yet be without footy for a month.

[liz]

If you look at the Cats' team, who would Melican play on? I imagine Taylor might have to play in defence for the Cats, given our tallish forward line, which leaves only Tawkins as a true key forward. Forecasts of rain mean it makes even less sense to bring him in.

[bloodspirit]

I'm not surprised but I'm very disappointed for Melican. I'm also worried it might not only be match ups - it could be just because Melican is younger and greener and they are favouring Cunningham for that reason. I hope not - that is too conservative and timid. Hopefully Melican will have more of a shot against the Crows (if we make it) because they have more talls (Tex, Lynch, Jenkins, McGovern).

[ugg]

In the regular season game Melican was on Buzza, who despite reports saying he was a chance of coming in hasn't been selected.

Taylor could still play forward as the Cats could throw Stewart or Kolodjashnij on our third tall.

[O'Reilly Boy]

If you look at the Cats' team, who would Melican play on? I imagine Taylor might have to play in defence for the Cats, given our tallish forward line, which leaves only Tawkins as a true key forward. Forecasts of rain mean it makes even less sense to bring him in.

I agree. I also don't agree with the apparent consensus that Cunningham does not deliver. He brings a great deal of perceived pressure because of his great closing speed, either corralling players deep into pockets or forcing low percentage kicks, and he tackles well. I welcome his pace, as much as I am keen for Melican to get games. Melican has seemed so composed across CHB, but as Liz says, we don't need him in that role this week, and given the way that the midfield is working, that a fast, swarming defence closing down space is a solid strategy against a limited Geelong forward group. Cunningham can also play a run-with role if required. I would like to see Cunningham deliver better into F50 when he gets the chance?there's been a number of occasions this season?as recently as against Carlton?where he has found himself free on the wing and turned on the afterburners but wasted the final kick (although I also remember a couple of seasons ago when he seemed to establish a pretty good rapport with the late lamented Kurt T, regularly planting the ball on his chest).

[WauchopeAnalyst]

Melican named as emergency, if he's fit should be playing


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Absolutely. Just like 2016 GF debacle. Picks wrong, injured, unfit players.

We will need Melican against Crows, with 3 talls, but wouldn't have played for 3 weeks and if we win that we need all the speed we can get but I can see Melican out, Harry in, and Mcveigh will play and will struggle against every forward except Caddy or Prestia going forward.





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[liz]

If you watch the stoppages from last week's game, especially during the rampant second quarter, it becomes apparent just how important the positioning is around the contest in terms of transferring the ball from the stoppage to someone outside. The team was very disciplined in having players at varying distances from the stoppage, rather than too many trying to win the ball themselves or all trying to spread. I guess most teams try to do something similar but it is instructional to watch this quarter because we were winning the ball so often, and almost every time we did win it we were able to launch an attack. If you're not winning first possession, I guess things look a little different (though the carefully positioned players presumably have a defensive purpose as well as an attacking one.

The reason I mention this here is that Cunningham was very often one of those players standing just outside the immediate contest, and involved in farming the ball out to a player a bit further out. So his inclusion adds to the number who can perform these various stoppage roles, as well as providing some pace and outside run.

[Doctor]

I completely agree with Liz and O'Reilly Boy. Cunningham was having his best season before he was injured and he brings pace and guile. It's also going to be wet, which suits him moe than Melican. I don't think there's necessarily a natural match up for Melican either, although it depends on what Taylor does. We managed with Rampe on Daniher, which made me nervous but worked out as a pass mark, and I suspect the plan will be something similar. The Swans may indeed be banking on Taylor having to play back to help manage Sinclair, Reid and our no. 23.

Geelong and Richmond struck me the other day when I was thinking on our possible changes as the teams where Melican might not get a run. If we win tomorrow night I'm sure he'll come in against Adelaide.

[707]

On 360 they had emergencies as Aliir, Robbo & Foote! No Melican, what gives?

Crowd composition tomorrow, any chance it will be a 50/50 crowd, what was the make up of last years MCG final between us?