I really think the club needs to go elsewhere for scans. It's quite clear that the machine we have been using lately is a complete, for want of a better word, jerk. Every time one of our players gets a knock, a twist or a strain the machine takes the opportunity to give us the rude finger. Stupid machine.
Yet, as I wrote when Lecras went down...and Nicoski went down....and Embley went down...and now that JJK is down, the success of this team doesn't depend on one, two or three great players. (Though seriously please stop!) It's built on the system. However, saying that, we need competent players for the system to function as it should. I think we may be on the verge of lacking the pieces for us to play to our capacity. Yet our midfield is essentially unaffected. Our backline is strong. Our rucks are dominant. The question is increasingly about whether our forward line will be able to kick a winning score and maintain the press. Q and Darling (coming off his best game last week) are now our two key forwards. I'm not sure whether the Q can play that role any more, but we will see. Hill and Hams have and must continue to kick goals.
It looked as if Scott Lycett was going to be the replacement for Kennedy. However, he hasn't been included in the final team for Sunday's game. Mitch Brown is out with the eye, not due to Dean Cox throwing a tennis ball at him, plus Schofield has been suspended (apparently) for 2 weeks. Shouldn't there be an asterisk in the rules saying you can do what you want to J. Riewoldt? Anyway, our backline actually looks a bit thin with Sheppard returning. He's an interesting case. He seems to be from the 'Chris Masten School' of first round draft picks. Yet, there must be a reason he was selected so high, such as we can't draft properly.
West Coast Eagles
B: , Darren Glass, Sam Butler
HB: Beau Waters, Eric Mackenzie, Shannon Hurn
C: Andrew Gaff, Matthew Priddis, Matthew Rosa
HF: Chris Masten, Jack Darling, Josh Hill
F: Nic Naitanui, Quinten Lynch, Ashton Hams
Foll: Dean Cox, Scott Selwood, Daniel Kerr
I/C: Adam Selwood, Luke Shuey, Patrick McGinnity, Brad Sheppard, Scott Lycett, Jacob Brennan, Murray Newman
In: Eric Mackenzie, Patrick McGinnity, Brad Sheppard, Jacob Brennan,
Out: Mitch Brown (eye), Will Schofield (Suspension), Josh Kennedy (Ankle), Ashley Smith
New: Jacob Brennan (East Fremantle), Murray Newman (Swan Districts)
North Melbourne
B: Jamie Macmillan, Scott Thompson, Shaun Atley
HB: Daniel Wells, Michael Firrito, Luke Delaney
C: Leigh Adams, Andrew Swallow, Samuel Wright
HF: Ben Cunnington, Robert Tarrant, Brent Harvey
F: Kieran Harper, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Jack Ziebell, Ryan Bastinac
I/C: Aaron Edwards, Todd Goldstein, Cruize Garlett, Liam Anthony, Cameron Pedersen, Aaron Mullett, Brad McKenzie
In: Cameron Pedersen
Out: Levi Greenwood
New: Brad McKenzie (Sturt)
As for our opponents, well I think they will provide a stern if not total test of where we now stand. They seem to be improved from years past, but aren't elite. All things being equal, you would expect us to win by 5 to 6 goals. But things aren't equal and consequently this should be a real litmus test.
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