Great Start but remember

[Sainterone]

17 more opportunities to prove we are a finals contender.

[evertonfc]

After the weekend I think we surely look like we have the capabilities to finish top 2: albeit that I still wouldn't back us to get within 5 goals of the Cats in their current form.

I do note the cautionary tale of 2004.

After 10 rounds in 2004 we had beaten both grand finalists from 2003, had thrashed the Cats (who ended up in a PF that year), had won a game at AAMI and one at Subi, and had won 5 other games besides. Our percentage after ten rounds was close to 170%.

However, despite this amazing start, we didn't finish in the top 2, which ultimately cost us.

We are vulnerable in a number of areas. We really are still very dependent on Riewoldt up forward. We need Max back.

And I remain a bit worried about Ross's tendency to favour the high output players over the skilled (with the exception of Schneider, whose output remains low, but who seems to be a permanent fixture).

I was rather disturbed at the fact that Miles went to Adelaide as the 23rd player on Friday: this to me is a sign that Lyon is getting a bit carried away with his approach. Some commentators praised Eddy's performance on Friday, but I thought he was rather poor: I spotted several soft turnovers and a couple of missed tackles. We can't carry that sort of performer against a Geelong or a Hawthorn.

This weekend will be a big test for Lyon's selection policy IMO. I support McEvoy coming in for King but I will be peeved if (assuming that Kosi will need at least another week) Raph is left out in favour of Eddy or perhaps even Miles.

Lyon is doing a great job, but he doesn't want to get ahead of himself. Class and skill does count for something. Port and Freo weren't good enough to punish us for our clangers, but the Bulldogs and Collingwood are a different matter.

Great post. Agree with every work, save for the unjustified dig at Schneider

[bigcarl]

This weekend will be a big test for Lyon's selection policy IMO. I support McEvoy coming in for King but I will be peeved if (assuming that Kosi will need at least another week) Raph is left out in favour of Eddy or perhaps even Miles.

yes, imo raph is in our best starting 18 and ought to play if fit.

structurally it will be interesting, though, if it is kosi and king that we need to replace.

last week i thought we struggled a bit when king went off and the goals dried up in the second half with just riewoldt as a genuine forward marking/goal-kicking target.

conditions weren't great but possibly we missed someone who can break open a pack like kosi.

gwilt played a passable game as a defensive forward, but, imo he's better suited as a third tall (though even then he doesn't impact on the scoreboard as much as you'd like),

so do you bring in two "talls" like mcevoy and goose (who can break open a pack), or do you go with the best available reserve and rejig the existing structure?

for example, mcevoy in for king; raph goes to the backline and gilbert (who admittedly is flying where he is) is used in kosi's role.

bj, imo, will need to spend some time forward to help us maximise scoreboard pressure.

to be honest, i don't know the answer to these selection dilemmas, but we'll find out soon enough.