Pre match. Pies v. Roos - All comments here

[Johnson#26]

The thing with the Roos is that apart from Petrie (who is still young) they have no match winner up foirward. Leigh Brown COULD do it, but it isn't very likely.

Who tags Harvey/Simpson?

[Brown26]

The problem for the roos is our height. the problem for us is we just aren't in good form!

We can do something about our form, they can't really do much about their height problem, hopefully a win sparks us and the boys lift a bit.

I think the major element to poor form and low confidence is that no one runs forwards. If a player is confident his teammate will win the ball, he can run forwards of his opponent and receive an attacking handball. This has not been happening recently for the Pies as none of our playaers think we will win any given contest and as such we get no flow from defence and our midfield. Hopefully the four points last week are enough to give them a bit of a run, and an early lead would do wonders for us.

I think our defence has been excellent all year, especially with Presti out, I would like to see a bit more run out of defence by the HBF though, especially against the roos who really struggle to trap the ball in their forward line. The Roos biggest asset is still their midfield and HBF line, so to combat that, as already suggested, Licca on Simpson and shut him down.

Up forwards, pray Fraser is fit, cause if Richards can ruck most of the time, Fraser and Rocca will play havock with the backs about 40 metres out from goal and Taz and Didak can relax in the goal square. Look for Woey to play a big one at Rocca's feet.

With McKernan coming back in the side, and Porter as well, Brown will probably play on Rocca at some point. Colbert or Watt will play on Taz, the other on Fraser when he's forwards or possibly Colbert may be moved to CHF.

Down Back Wakes should take Rocca and Clement Petrie. Cloke lose would be ideal, but probably wont be allowed to happen. With Cole and Johno doing so well off HBF, Lonie may even be moved to a defensive HFF role, depending who ends up on the Roos HFF, but I would love to see Lonie on Harvey at some stage, if Lonie has the pace for it.

I think this'll be another tight scrappy game, unless one A Rocca starts marking everything in sight or the Roos midfield destroys us, one of the other. Picks for this game: Woey's ready for a big one, Didak to finally come good and Johnson to continue on last weeks good form. Hoepfully Pies by 16.

-Ben

[Bucks5]

This this will be win number 3 of 6 for the year.

[spoljar]

We have an excellent record against the Kangaroos as we tend to match up quite well against them. No doubt the area to exploit is their defence especially if we stack the forward line with talls. To have Tarrant, Rocca, Fraser and even Richards at times will certainly stretch their defence.

[sherrife]

I think Presti will struggle to find a matchup this week. With Wakelin, Clement, Cloke, Maxwell and Cole doing well in the backline, I don't think the Roos have the forward structure which includes a player for Presti to shut down.

Unless of course you count Sav Rocca as a dangerous forward... (which i don't, Wakelin will towel him up.

We should win by 20 points or so.

[Big T]

Roos started the season in a blaze of glory and then had a major slump.

Two weeks ago they absolutley demoralised Port.

Last week they were outclassed by one of the form teams, but in the last quarter they just wanted the win so much you could feel it, their spirit and commitment was tremendous. Harvey lurks as the danger for mind, and also Brady Rawlings could be dangerous - very underated player.

Pies have been well below their best for virtually every quarter of every game, especially in the last quarters.

I reckon the game will be up for grabs in the last and the Roos may run over the top of us. They just seem to want it more lately.

If Fraser plays up forward with Lonie running hard on the wing, and Burns is fit and firing, Pies by 10.

If not, Roos by 20.

[STOKA35]

midfield is the key if harvey simpson grant have a picnic it will be hard for us. Will Sav get picked for the roo's and kick five or more. To me its all in the mind. port showed this by not being ready to play and losing by 100 points to the roos and then the following week with the same side thump richmond by nearly the same margin.

[PiesFan]

Who tags Harvey/Simpson?

I think they are the ones that can win it for the Roo's

I'd put Licca on Simpson. He toweled up Ruccuito last week, and i think he can do it again this week. I dont remember who played on Simpson last time.

For Harvey, i'd bite the bullet and let Johnno play on him and run off him as much as he can. Hopefully this will drag Harvey away from the goals where he seems to kick a few.

Johnno is more then capable of playing on him defensively but i am not sure if he will be playing on him tight enough. He's been in such great form MM might want to free him up and let him chase the ball.

Besides that, i guess Lokan has the speed to go with Harvey.

That leaves woey, McGough, obree left in the midfield. One of them can play on take Shannon Grant, probably Woey.

If Burnsy is back, i'd prefer him to be eased into the match, maybe playing half a game in the half forward line.

We definitely need to kick more goals then we have been doing so to win, if we can shut down their midfield i dont see the Roos kicking enough goals to beat us.

Pies by about 3 goals.

[foreigner]

How about the 3rd factor - umpires.

Bloody idiots will give them 10 frees in the first quarter and they will kick 10 goals. Who plays on and stops them ?

[Brown26]

Rocca - instead of nine clangers he only needs three - one on each of teh umpires heads

seriously - just heard that Fraser Presti and Burns all trained strongly, so hopefully all three will be back in the side. I agree there probably isn't a match up for Presti, so he can either come back through the two's or, probably more likely, in the seniors possibly starting on the bench and maybe even having some time up forwards, I think he's ideally suited to CHF, and I reckon he thinks so too!! But probably with Fraser back we don't need him up there, so maybe not! I reckon Tex and C. Cloke might make way, or Maxwell, but probably Cloke just on the make-up of the Roo's backline.

Burns will come in for Shaw or one of the kids, but probably Shaw, Mullins is looking great, and Coley put in 100% last week, so sorry Shawy, might be your turn to miss out mate.

With those three back, minus any more injuries (cross fingers, knock on wood and stab my McLaren Vodoo doll for good luck) Pies should get up this one. Go PIES!!

-Ben

[Johnson#26]

We'll miss Holland. Last time Harvey didn't get a sniff as Brodie held him out of the play. Now, I think Jonno or Lokan will get the job. Jonno is the perfect match up but needs to play his own game in order for us to win. Lokan has a good history on McLeod who is a similar type of player to Harvey. As for Simpson and Grant, Licca should go head-to-head on Simpson, seeing who wins the most touches for the match. Yes, its a gamble, but it could be worth while as Licca has a good defensive side to him game and would no doubt be seen charging into Simpson and applying a bone crunching tackle. As for Grant, a similar situation, with Woewodin going head-to-head.

Sav Rocca probably won't do all that much damage, so Presti will be eased back into his full back position.

*More to come later*

[lessthanjake]

HUGE game.

If we win we will make the finals, if we lose we won't make the finals. you can quote me on this at the end of the year.

[droche 2004]

Who will go out if 4 players come in???????

In

Burns out ?

Presti out?

Tarkyn? Out?

Josh Out Walker

[peter_pies4ever]

Tarkyn is ready to play, but as someone said in another post Mick is reluctant to play him at the moment and he will be given a chance in a couple of weeks. I would say the changes would be
In: Fraser, Burns, Prestigiacomo
Out: Walker Shaw Mullins

Shaw and Mullins would be unlucky, but someone has to make way if 2 or 3 changes are to be made.

[sherrife]

In: Fraser, Burns
Out: Shaw, Walker (Kinnear is already at Willi )