Pre-Match. Magpies v. Bombers. All comments.

[think positive]

this arvo my daughter was in a cafe when Pendles walked in - still in QLD! they just had a week off!

i texted back did you ask him about Fly's spray?

i mean i defend them endlessly, but WTF, they just had a week off!

[Magpietothemax]

Have faith.
Jackie Louder, Fly, Wadey, assistant coaches....know what they are doing.

[qldmagpie67]

I’m going to be a little controversial here
Our most important player (structural wise) isn’t back and don’t when he will be in Mason Cox
Yeah as silly as is sounds his loss has hurts as I a few ways
I went back and watched our last 4 games and the glaring thing I noticed is how tired Cameron now looks. So much so Witt’s owned him in the weekend.
He’s struggling to get to every contest and when he gets there he’s exhausted
While Cox isn’t a world beater what he did was give us a better than even chance in the ruck contest most times as well as he slipped forward and could bring the ball to the ground for our smalls to go to work.
His workload game wise has only increased by 7% which doesn’t sound much but when it’s a big man not getting his rest he needs and is used to it makes life difficult for him.
Krueger and Frampton just don’t cut it in the ruck in the same way. No slight on Krueger he’s what 13 games into his career coming off injury he has upside but right now he doesn’t offer what Cox does.
McStay on the come back trail is great but Cox is the pawn we are really missing

Essendon will play 2 rucks against us and Cameron will have his work cut out again to give us a even contest
Our mids will have to be at there absolute best at all contests for us to be on the winning side of the scoreboard
If they get easy ball out the middle it plays into there hands with their outside runners

[Culprit]

We used to beat the Bombers physically in the Centre. That won't be the case this time around. They have been winning the middle and inside 50s in most of their games. After how we played against the French Fries and travelling I am expecting a loss. I hope I am wrong but that aura of invincibility has disappeared.

[Clifton Hill-Billy]

Cox wasn't in great form before he got injured and while structurally important to getting the most out of Cameron and our small forwards, his return isn't going to be the magic bullet to getting us back to our best. Our midfield are getting beaten when the game is there to be won because we lack an inside mid like Mitchell which takes pressure of Crisp and Naicos to play these roles. We cannot let sides get 70 inside 50s and think we'll win majority of games by coming back over the top. We are short a key lockdown defender with Murphy's retirement and Dean is too raw, Frampton to flawed. We need McStay and Elliott in the forward line as marking options which then takes pressure off Checkers and Bobby. However most of all we need vfl players back in vfl and replaced by players proven over the longer term at afl level with plenty of experience in finals. Oh and not constantly fumbling every time we get first use of the ball (Naicos being the exception) might help too

[neil]

We got smashed early against the suns at center clearances
We are missing Mitchel and Macrae hasnt done enough
De Goey is back and playing him in the center is vital

Frampton Moore and Dean for the dopers KPFs
Markov stays in with Noble out
Who helps out Cameron in the ruck? Kruger did but is not effective
The passengers last week would be on notice not sure Sullivan is AFL standard

McCreary out inj whoever did well in VFL in

[think better]

For the bits I saw of the VFL game I though Reef was very good. Tougher than I thought he normally is and won lots of his own ball.

He has moved through the middle at different times and has been very effective.

[Charlie Oneeye]

Q. How do we draw a line from defining a player as a 'soldier' doing his job, and a player who is not quite up to AFL standard.

A. I reckon it's when we have too many soldiers in the 22.

When this happens, something has to give.

MacRae pick 19, not in the top on ballers in his draft year.
In the AFL he is playing against ~10 years of previous top 6 picks who have themselves continued to develop. Plus against exceptions e.g. Swan.

Sullivan is also a soldier, and well accomplished footy player who can kill it against lessor lights. Is he an exception ? Maybe not.

Same with kreuger imo and a few others on our list.

We are at the point (probably always are on a list) when we play too many of these types at the same time, and it becomes clearer they are NQR.

Nothing really wrong with any of them, the secret sauce is knowing who and how many to prune and try again.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

I think the Pies are still 1 week away from hitting their stride.
I feel another lose this Friday night just to shake us out of our bad habits.
Then we launch the attack on the Cats to kick start our season and gain a good run of wins.
But for this match we arent there yet.
Need Elliott and Mitchell back badly and its showing.

[think positive]

this arvo my daughter was in a cafe when Pendles walked in - still in QLD! they just had a week off!

i texted back did you ask him about Fly's spray?

i mean i defend them endlessly, but WTF, they just had a week off!

Have faith.
Jackie Louder, Fly, Wadey, assistant coaches....know what they are doing.

i fricken hope so! could not stand to drop this one!!!

[derkd]

50/50 game, on song the Bombers are very good. one of those sides at the moment where the gap between best and worst is big.


Having said all of that, how many 'comfertable' wins have we had this year?


flip a coin people.

[Presti35]

Out: Noble and McCreery

In: Schultz and Dean

.....

Those unavailable for selection but potential AFL inclusions:
Mitchell, Elliott, McStay, Cox, Noble, McCreery,

Those who have played AFL this year but not in team at present:
McInnes, Jiath, Allan, Macrae, Bytel, Johnson, Parker,

Thanks Warb. I like these ins and I believe Dean should have played against the Suns. Reef would be the next cab off the rank after Schultz and Dean. Jiath, Allan, Macrae, Bytel, Johnson and Parker are currently not in our best 22. Obviously some of those guys are just starting off and may feature more in 2025, whilst others may be elsewhere.

Will be looking forward to when Mitchell, Elliott, McStay, Cox, Noble, and McCreery all return in the coming weeks.

[Presti35]

Parish is still out for them. Their major ball winners recently are Merrett, Martin Durham, and Caldwell. Their main goal kickers are Wright, Langford, and Stringer when he's up and about. Guelfi is always good for a goal or 2 as well. Ridley, McKay and Redman are problems down back. Goldstein and Draper are their ruck duo.

Not sure what changes they could make? Menzie and Cox havent been great for them. Their VFL team is as bad as ours.

[K]

Parish is still out for them. ...

On Footy Classified, they reckoned there's now no room for Parish.
(Lloyd says if he's not in the midfield, he's not in the side. And the midfield's been better without him.)

... I hope I am wrong but that aura of invincibility has disappeared.

I've seen media say this many times this year... But when did we ever have an "aura of invincibility"? We were really struggling at the back end of last year... Remember all those losses?

Mebbe they mean comebacks and close finishes. That's a lot different from invincibility!!

[Gerry Cooper]

Both Josh Daicos and Maynard need to pass fitness tests for badly corked thighs.

McCreery out for six with a calf strain.

Play Reef or go home.