Pre Match. Magpies v. Demons - All comments please.

[lanstro]

^^ Agreed. Adelaide was our first season-defining game (I wouldn't be surprised if we were languishing around 13th right now if we'd lost that). This is our second season-defining game.

Win and we might even sneak into 4th and play at least 2 finals, lose and it only reinforces what we learned from the Geelong game that we're a decent but not good team.

[swoop42]

[AN_Inkling]

^^That was my thinking. Move or rotate either Greenwood or Maynard through the midfield to add power.

[RudeBoy]

Of course Greenwood and/or Maynard may be rotated thru the midfield, but with De Goey beginning to spend more time there, giving us the power and grunt required, alongside our very long list of other midfielders in Pendles, Treloar, Sidey, Adams, Thomas and Phillips, it's hard to see them all playing on the ball.

[AN_Inkling]

With Sidebottom, Treloar and De Goey spending time forward there is room for others to spend time there.

[qldmagpie67]

Selection of the final 22 will be interesting.
I think IMO we will go with the players that offer the most defensive hardness for an entire game.
Playing the likes of Wills, Maynard, JDG, Greenwood around the ball makes sense as we need to cut off or hinder Melbourne's mids using the ball feeding a decent forward line.
I would nearly be tempted to tell Grundy not compete in the air and just become a over sized defensive mid.
Oliver has been a catalyst for them this year. Nearly everything good happens from him or around him. Send a hard tag on him all day like Greenwood or Wills
2 of JDG Adams Maynard Wills Greenwood at the contests at all times with Pendles Sidey Treloar Phillips Wells working outside them
Stephenson should play deep to expose there lack of defensive speed.
I think the Dee's biggest weakness is the backline isn't overly quick and with Lever out they loss there best intercept mark.

We need to watch Gawn who slips forward often. Grundy needs to work him over going the other way and make Gawn chase him around the ground not the other way around

We've hardly gone with a spare behind the ball this season which has allowed us to be far more attacking. I hope Bucks doesn't decide to go back to that defensive mindset

The Dee's form is similar to ours in many ways other than they've run riot over a few sides who have been injury ravaged when we have beaten them but not really thrashed them

On paper I think we match up ok with them

I think we have more class than they do around the ball and our defence has more options available if needed depending on how they line up


I'm tipping the pies to prevail in a good game by 22 points

[Piesnchess]

[HAL]

Oh I get it. Ha ha.

[Hooyah]

I think this could go either way, if we beat them then I�ll be very confident that we won�t fall out of the 8. If we can win and stay healthy with the likes of Varcoe, Elliot, Aish still to come back in I think we would have a real tilt at least winning one finals match.

I think it�s important to look good this year because looking good for possible incoming free agents (Andrew Gaff) & (Tom Lynch) would make all the difference since I doubt we will have any amazing picks. If we roll over and get beaten by more than 20 points then that�s a big set back.

[Pies2016]

The Dees tend to set up more defensively than most.
They will start the extra in defence and also roll back a winger on occasions.
Best way to beat their defensive wall is to kick beyond it.
If Murray has any VFL form, then this is the sort of player you need to throw their defensive structures out.
Most importantly, if we get pressured into kicking or handballing backwards, then we will play right into their hands.

Bring it on.

[watt price tully]

The Fuchsias look too strong IMO. I'll be hoping like mad that we win, will be barracking hard for a win by us but can't see it.

Go pies

[AN_Inkling]

We are better placed for this test than most others we've faced. The Tigers game we never had a chance but competed well for most of it. Geelong we were missing too many, crucially Pendlebury and yet were right in the game until Phillips went down. Against the Giants (who at that stage were not as decimated as they became) we were missing our entire forward line, yet were outplaying them until we lost two players, especially Moore leaving us without a tall target late. None of those games were failures for mine. Our only poor game has been the first against the Hawks.

This time around we have a decently strong team, assuming Howe plays. A couple of weak points in Mihocek and Daicos (if he plays), but crucially a near full strength midfield and defence. The Demons are and should be better placed than we are, but we can definitely challenge them. Win and we are almost certainties for the 8. Lose and we're still a good chance but the three games following the bye grow in importance.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

At some point it will be Daicos kicking 5 goals instead of Stephenson, Josh Thomas, WHE or deGoey kicking the 5 goals. That's the way Buckley has the team playing. So do you drop Daicos or play him? Personally I'd keep playing him. Mihocek won't be dropped. I still haven't a clue who should be dropped. That's why I'm not a coach or a selector.

[K]

I see DaVe86 is back... No, not to Nicks, but at least to the club website. I guess changing nappies has not slowed him down (or perhaps the contents of his article were found in said nappies).

http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2018-06-08/ultimate-preview-magpies-v-demons

[Skids]

$4 for 1-24 is stealing money!
Get on! We got this one