Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

[Eastdog]

If you were on the Bulldogs match committee what changes would you make for our round 13, 2017 match against Melbourne at Etihad?

As always a brief explanation for your changes would add a lot of value to the discussion.

[GVGjr]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

Bump, this one is becoming a critical game for us

[Eastdog]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

Will see first how Footscray go tomorrow night at Whitten Oval. Im hoping Libba has a great game and pushes for selection. Honeychurch is another I'm keen to see play in the seniors. How far away is Tom Boyd?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

Confused.

Option 1: Tell the 22, less injured players, they embarrassed themselves and tell them as a group to restore their respect.

Option 2: Swing the changes, deep and hard. Tell dropped players to put a month of good footy together or enjoy suburban footy for the rest of the year.

No middle ground.

[always right]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

I'll wait until Footscray play.....but Suckling and Boyd should be very nervous. Toyd in for English, Honeychurch for Suckling, Webb for Boyd, Morris for Adams (inj). Picken on last chance. Desperately want Libba to find form.

[Hotdog60]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

Going by Bevo's presser I don't think Libba will be a automatic call up this week. Some jurno said his sources told him Libba had been playing well and Bevo said what sources.
From the limited games I've managed to see on the tv of the VFL Libba hasn't set the world on fire at that level and I would have thought Mitch Honeychurch would be a mile ahead of him at the moment.
Interesting Bevo also said you get picked on form and not on reputation so with that comment could we see a lot of changes again this week.

[soupman]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

Is this our week to be in the position that Geelong was in against us? A point to prove and 3 home games to do it in? This week we need to come out angry, and seeing as we are playing a team like Melbourne who like to rough teams up like they've achieved something then I want us to pick a few tougher guys and get the side as a collective ready to come out and redeem themselves for our insipid performance last night.

Ins:
First inclusion would be Zaine Cordy, with the added bonus that he is a natural replacement for Adams.
Second in is Mitch Honeychurch, his VFL form has been excellent, he brings pressure and tenacity and enthusiasm.
Third in is Tom Boyd, who physically is much more advanced than English and can have more of an impact in the middle of the ground.
Fourth in is the best performing of Bailey Williams, Tom Liberatore, Lukas Webb or Josh Prudden. All are neat kicks and should be keen to impress.

Outs:
First up is Matt Suckling, I am a fan when he is up and about, unfortunately that hasn't been the case since maybe round 6 2016. Physically underwhelming, and his disposal instead of being a weapon has been a liability of late. I can barely remember him actually doing anything by hand or foot the last few rounds that has made me nod my head and go "that's why we brought him in".\
Second is Matthew Boyd, has been poor this season and considering that should have come back through Footscray. Had an atrocious game last night, fumbling and poor by hand, his two biggest strengths. Give him a chance to rediscover form in the VFL, not an intense match against a fast footed Melbourne.
Third out is Tim English, I like him but he doesn't add enough as a small in the midfield, has yet to show anything up forward and Tom Boyd is a better ruck at this stage. He's had more of a taste than expected at this point.
Fourth out is Marcus Adams, only because of the injury I presume he has, I wouldn't know any details though, Jude Bolton's expert commentary consisted of saying "I wonder where Adams is boys" when Buddy came on at the start of the third unmarked, and a "Haven't seen Adams since he went into the rooms and din't come back out", as if he was helpless to find out any relevant information despite it being his sole role.

I could have dropped more, Picken is one who's form this year has been terrible since the concussion, but he gets another chance. Also I tossed up Cloke and Redpath but Clke didn't get a good run at it this week and his big body will be good to throw around. Redpath however would be good to set on Vince.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

Listening to Bevo + VFL + own thoughts musings....

Outs
English- awesome upside, just not ready to compete in ruck, does not go close to getting it enough to be a mid and not strong enough to play KP
Adams- injury
Suckling/M.Boyd- at least one has to go out. Really doesn't sell the right message about form over credits whenen Williams is out.
Cloke- just think he is a liability we can't afford at the moment and rather we go with form over rep. Not writing him off and we paid peanuts, fine with him as a backup.

Ins
Would be wonderful to have Tom Boyd and/or Moz back.
Williams- in for Suckling or Matty Boyd
Bevo mentioned in presser that mid pecking order for those out was Honey, Webb and Libba. If he sticks to that post VFL game, it's probably now Webb, Honey and Libba. Would like to see Honey or Webb in. Hard to stick with reasoning to drop Libba and then bring him in.
Zaine- I want him back in. Like his intensity.
Campbell- I would bring him in if Tom Boyd isn't ready. Our ruck work is so poor at the moment, need a guy who will at least compete.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

Out: Adams, M. Boyd, English, Cloke, Roughy
In: Cordy, Webb, Honeychurch, T.Boyd, Campbell

The first three ins have been playing well in the VFL. Campbell played well on Friday and Roughie looked not ready.

[josie]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

Out: Adams, MBoyd, Suckling, English
In: Cordy, Webb, Honeychurch, Libba

Presuming Morris, TBoyd, Murphy still injured. If TBoyd ok then Libba plays another week in vfl. Saw qtr 2 to 4 in vfl and thought Libba's intensity looked pretty good. After Lipinski builds up his fitness I reckon he will get promoted pretty soon too. MC should be building for future so more senior games for young ones playing well in vfl.

[jeemak]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

I'm a little annoyed we didn't include Honey and exclude English last week. I don't see how Cloke couldn't have had a greater impact in the conditions over and above what English provided, and I don't see how Honey didn't deserve an opportunity to provide some grunt and effort in the middle.

Unfortunately the hubris of our coaching team kept Honey out on Thursday because of some ideological bullshit that they practice rather than preach (remember, the team according to Bevo is supposed to be picked on merit). I can see this week's VFL game being used as a reason to once again keep him out, given he didn't knock the door down with another BOG - or close to - game.

So once again I'm going to refrain from bothering with selection. I'm not as smart as the guys on the panel and I have no idea what their strategy is.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

I'm a little annoyed we didn't include Honey and exclude English last week. I don't see how Cloke couldn't have had a greater impact in the conditions over and above what English provided, and I don't see how Honey didn't deserve an opportunity to provide some grunt and effort in the middle.

Unfortunately the hubris of our coaching team kept Honey out on Thursday because of some ideological bullshit that they practice rather than preach (remember, the team according to Bevo is supposed to be picked on merit). I can see this week's VFL game being used as a reason to once again keep him out, given he didn't knock the door down with another BOG - or close to - game.

So once again I'm going to refrain from bothering with selection. I'm not as smart as the guys on the panel and I have no idea what their strategy is.

Another solid post jeemak.

I'm not Honey's biggest fan, but how can Bevo continually talk about rewarding players in form and completely ignore him yet play Cloke and English? Especially in wet conditions v Sydney, absolutely mind numbing. I've lost count how many times Bevo has said "Honeychurch is close/our best performed mid at VFL level", followed by him playing another week in the VFL while others find their way back into the side. As you said - we're not practising what we're preaching.

We've been deplorable in the box and at selections this year. What logic was drawn to let Danger and Selwood run free after they'd struggled for the month prior because they'd been receiving close attention? Not to mention our success curtailing them last year.

Bevo has to start taking some blame, ditto the rest of the coaching group.

[jeemak]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

I'd almost be inclined to start a thread on how our coaching panel is performing, alas, I'm not going to given it's likely to descend into a Gia bashing session given stoppages has been a major issues of ours - as was our forward performance last year around this time when we started asking the same questions!

Last year we found out our forward structure was actually pretty good when we moved the ball OK and had consistency in cattle. Perhaps this year we need to take a look at the midfield and stoppages, and see what our cattle situation has been for the first half of the year and how that my have impacted our work in the area to date.

[S Coast Simon]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

I'd like to address the MC firstly
it was raining for two days leading up to this game. Knowing this as we did why would we not pick Libba and Cordy. Also Williams should have stayed as Boyd needed a few runs in the seconds first up as he was rusty before he got injured. Wasn't the weather for English either. That was definitely Tom Cambell weather just smashing the ball and the opposition. Even a feisty little terrier that has I believe earned the chance in Honeychurch. Cloke did better than he got credit for the delivery to him was pretty poor. A few times he was five meters in front and was missed.

In. Cordy. Williams. Libba
Out. Adams. M Boyd. English although better suited to next week under the roof. Roughy and Cloke to ruck.

Im thinking the players these days when dropped need a week off playing to refresh first and break the cycle they are in playing poorly. Then a game in the seconds to get back their footy mojo and get back in the seniors. They are only out for two weeks but seems like not a bad idea they are always playing sore so a week off wouldn't be a bad way of freshening them up as well

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Match Committee - Round 13, 2017 vs Melbourne

Out:-
Boyd, English, Adams

In:-
Williams, HC, Cordy

If Tom Boyd and/or Dale Morris are available, I'd look to bring them in too.

Cloke to chop out in the ruck.