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

[Take_a_Screamer]

[lazzadesilva]

I would be gobsmacked if Howe didn’t get selected for the finals. His marking, running and versatility is exactly what is needed to win finals. He is a big game performer who can be a game changer.

[Magpietothemax]

I am sure we are watching the StKilda Hawthorn game from last week to see what StK did to win convincingly.
A StKilda fan at work tells me that they tagged Sicily. Wherever Sicily went, Sharman was there to knock the ball to ground and prevent Sicily from intercept marking. Sharman has a good jump and is also good in the air. Clearly, a plan to nullify Sicily's impact will be central.
Hill will be invaluable as a crumber with lightning speed in the forward line, so definitely will come in.

[Pies2016]

I see that McRae declared the Howe shift to the forward line was six weeks in the making. I sense from those comments and the success that came with that move, that if won’t be the last time we see Howe in the forward line this year. I like the idea as long as the coaches are convinced they won’t lose much at all in the backline by shifting him forward. He can always go back again, it’s not like he doesn’t now his teammates back there.

[pietillidie]

^Agreed. And it's less random than appears as much of the flexibility comes with the player himself, who has played up the ground and is a mature leader who will take on such a challange without losing rhythm. Some players can't be thrown around because they haven't matured or had that experience.

Meanwhile, few would also want a premiership more, while he's also looking as fresh as a daisy from his time recuperating.

I also suspect as others have mentioned that forward leadership is part of the story. You can see Jamie, Hilly, Ash and Coxy really benefiting from his experience and leadership smarts, allowing them to focus on their game.

[bucking awesome]

I don’t understand why everyone wants so many changes. I’ve read Sidey, Adams, Howe, mitchell, mcstay, checkers, beau, whe and even daicos should be dropped/ rested. This is crazy.

At most there will be 2 changes.

Cox out makes sense - ash to come in and mcstay and ash can help ruck. Potentially lipinski out, hill in and whe to be sub again

[3rd degree]

Ash and Frampton to come in.

[Magpietothemax]

[Magpietothemax]

[pietillidie]

^Whatever the ultimate mix, I reckon both Hilly's pace and Ash's class have to be part of it.

I would pencil in Checkers, Jamie, Ash and Hilly to start with, and mix and match from there.

[Piesnchess]

The horrid Hawks are nowhere near the team that used to trouble us for so many seasons, the team of Hodge, Buddy, Mitchell, Lewis, Rioli, Burgoyne etc. This one is pretty raw, young, the ONLY two players who could give us some stick, and we better watch closely, is the erratic and wayward Sicily, and that Luke Bruest, who can boot four goals in a row, if not monitored closely. I am se Fly will have a plan worked out for both of them, and they will be kept under lock an key, especially Bruest, hes a real danger. Darcy will stick like supaglue on him, I have NO doubt of that.

[RudeBoy]

'Magic' Johnson and Bobby Hill must surely come back in. I'd also love to see Ginni rewarded with a recall, after putting in good performances in the VFL. Those 3 are all classy forwards, who kick goals. A forward line containing Johnson, Checkers, McStay, Hill, Ginni and Elliott, swapping with McCreery off the bench, would be awesome to see.

The outs are more difficult to justify, but based on their recent form, I would drop Cox, Markov (unlucky) and Lipinski (needs a wake-up call to toughen up).

[piffdog]

Should be a rule on this forum - anyone who is wanted to be bought into the team (Ginni, Johnson) HAS to be accompanied by the necessary outs…

Wouldn’t mind seeing Ginni and Johnson myself - but now sure who at the expense of so I will defer from calling for those changes.

I think just Cox in for Frampton.

I don’t mind the back mix of Frampton, Moore and Murph as the ‘big’ guys - much better balance than trying to squeeze Howe in there (remember this is probably the first time we have had the depth to allow Howe to play anywhere else - or he himself has been injured).

In his presser coach sounded confident the contested bashing last week has easy fixes - hopefully we see that this week.

[Tanuki]

Hey, does anyone know when the next training session is? Thanks

[derkd]

First and foremost I want to see how the team responds after a 8 day break.i agree with 'bucking Awsome'. Changes are less important then how the team responds.

One of two things will happen....hopefully with a rest the pies comes out firing, a good win and all is forgiven in the eyes of some of the 'panic merchants'. As I said in the game day thread very early, they looked very tired.

If however, we struggle again this week, we can start to discuss 'mass changes'.

I would be amazed if we don't see a response from the team this weekend, they are too proud and too well drilled.

As far as changes, obvious ones are correct: Cox out (Fly i think has flagged it in the posr game press conference). Markov out.


Johnson in , Hill in.


Got to say....we would all be very grateful to the media for rounding on both Collingwood and Nick Diacos calling him selfish etc....perfect fuel to fire this team up.

We need the media to attack us every week!!!