Pre-Match Discussion Pies Vs Swans

[i_luv_licca]

question, who is the swan's captain atm?

[Johnson#26]

Ben Matthews will step in this week.

[3rd degree]

Why not Merklejohn as captain? He is Robert Walls' favourite ruckman.

[HAL]

Becuase you asked me to.

[jackcass]

Out - Shaw, Morrison, Rowe
In - Buckley, Egan, Johnson

You think he has done enough at Willy????

I know it's risky promoting a player who can't run out a full game at Willi but I've heard a few rumours that this guy might be able to play a bit. Could be worth a risk.

[uuuuu..... The LoneSTAR]

Wouldn't it be nice if he was up up&coming kid all over again!!!!!!.... Good luck this weekend Bucks!!!
I hope the club does EVERTHING possible to get you a finals series this year and at the very least next year cause you certainly deserve it!!!

Although i have a feeling that if your dream of winning a premiership medallion with the REAL Magpies doesn't come to fruition as a player, it will as our coach!!!!

BTW: Pies by 19pts

[Two_Pies]

Report from Sydney Harbour

Give Buckley time, urges Magpies coach
June 21, 2005 - 4:24PM

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Give-B ... 25048.html

"To suggest he is going to come in and play 100 minutes of football, 100 per cent of the time is incorrect, he won't do that to start off, he will play in the midfield but he will also play in other positions.

"I can't see how you expect a 32-year-old to come in and take over the way he would have when he was 26 or 27, so he will spend some time on the pine and also at both ends of the ground."

[DaVe86]

Now that shaw is out, ben johnson becomes our quickest midfielder, and if he is fit, he is needed. No use conserving him, we have about a 5% chance of making finals so we may as well go all out, stranger things have happened. Jonno must play. We also need lonie, didak, egan at full flight. We may actualyl be the quicker team for a change and with our quality in and unders like licuria and burns, we have a good mixture.

The worry is the quality of the sydney talls. Can we take Oloughlin, Hall, Saddington, Ball, Jolly, Goodes? Obvously we are one of the more capable teams to do so, but with our shocking ruck division, swans may have the edge there with ball and jolly giving swans first use. Swans are one team you do not want to give first use to because they belt you in the packs. Jude Bolton is the best ive seen at winning aroiund the stoppages after Sam Mitchell. Cloke and Fraser must ruck very well if we are any chance.

Hall vs Presti is a given.

Clement vs Oloughlin, Davis, O'Keefe? I actually think he should play on O'Keefe because o'keefe is much taller than he looks and is so dangerous. However i want to make sure Nick Davis' life is as tough as possible.

Wakelin vs O'loughlin is the matchup in my opinion

Maxwell vs Saddington or O'Keefe is Clement takes another opponent

Fraser and Cloke must tame Ball and Jolly which they should do around the ground. They are a little more versatile.

Adam Goodes? Well it will depend on where he plays. If he rucks, fraser should play on him aroudn the ground, up forward probably Maxwell could help tame him and if he plays loose in defence which is where i reckon he would play, i would like to see rusling make him play accountable as rusling will have goodes shitting his pants with his extra pace. The big ground will suit our forwards.

In the middle.
Buckley vs Kirk is probably a guarentee.

Licuria vs Bolton i think is a go. I would love to see that matchup.

Agree with an earlier comment that Holland vs Williams will happen. The rivalry will make for some good viewing

Lonie vs Kennelly. I would like this matchup because it allows Lonie to play small instead of tall. Lonie played well against 2 talls last week and should be able to outmakr Kennelly easily. It will also keep Lonie up forward which will give him more of a chance to kick 50 metre goals. Further, Kennely will not tag lonie in return. Lonie loose is dangerous. Lonie in return can be accountable as he proved last week.

Burns vs Matthews- THeir skipper may be a bit fired up, burns should fix him up nicely.

Johnson vs McVeigh- McVeigh has been good in the recent weeks but Johnson is a better player. We need jonno firing this week. Hope he plays.

With Johnson and Buckley back, our midfield has a few more options. Shaw out is a killer but.

[Arges Tuft]

Licuria vs Bolton i think is a go. I would love to see that matchup.

Apparently Bolton is still having hamstring troubles and is only rated a 50/50 chance to play.

[bwphantom]

My Lineup

FF: Buckley Rusling Didak

HF: Caracella C3 Tarrant

C: Woey Licca Lonie

HB: Burns Wakelin Johnson

FB: Swan Presti Clement

Foll: Holland Lockyer Fraser

Int: Egan C2 Morrison Rowe


You can move Clement and Wakelin around to pick up players. Presti Definetly gets Hall.

Overall a strong line up. I would be saying to Bux to stay in the square. Lead and run blocks for young Rusling. I still believe Bux midfield days are over. Think about do we want him for 1 maybe 2 more seasons as a midfielder or 3-5 as a stay at home forward??

[bokka]

I hope they bring in Leon (as well as Johnno) to add some much needed speed and class - although as you say, that Buckley bloke can apparently play a bit.
Would also like to see another first-gamer - eg Shaws 2 and 3 have apparently been in good form.

[Johnson#26]

Why not Merklejohn as captain? He is Robert Walls' favourite ruckman.

Ahh, he's been delisted.

[HAL]

Who are you talking about? What you said was either too complex or too simple for me.

[DaVe86]

Yes Bolton missed last round with a hamstring injury but if it is only a strain, would it keep you out for 3 weeks? Hope so

[Cannibal]

The head says Sydney but the gut feel says 'Pies.

We went down by a goal last year but beat 'em on the same ground in 2003 when both sides were in the top four. That's the sort of game I think we'll see this year.

The word from MM is that both Johnno and Bucks will definitely play but that there might be as many as four changes (Egan, Davis in?). I suspect that will depend on the weather and ground conditions. It's going to be wet all week, so I think that (unfortunately) both the slow coaches (Woewoeful, Morrison) may stay in. Adding Johnno, Bucks and Davis would add a lot of pace to our midfield and Egan would be mighty unpredictable up forward and I'd prefer those four changes to happen.

Sydney aren't big scorers, which will suit us. In the end, I think our defence will beat their forwards and our forwards will beat their defence, and that the rucks/mids will break even.

All our supposed rucking deficiencies haven't adversely impacted our ability to clear the ball out of the middle. According to today's Herald Sun, we clear 45% of the centre bounces, which ranks 4th in the league. If we can stick to that standard on Saturday, we'll do far better around the ground than Sydney and that should turn the game our way.

What we need more than anything, though, is to maintain the same attitude and determination which has served us well the last four games. Hardness at the ball, putting bodies on the line, backing each other up, playing hard. Do these things and we'll win by 15 points.