All I’m going to say on it is this. In this current age of professional sports and the media attention around them, there isn’t any room anymore for continuous slip ups off the field, no matter how minor they may seem in the context of the punishment.
Now, moving on.
This week against Melbourne is obviously a massive test for the boys given the events of the week, as so often we see teams not being able to shake the attention the club has received after the aftermath of a major issue.
With seven changes being made to the line-up there could certainly be the problem of a lack of continuity with the guys out on the park, although thankfully a couple of the inclusions are experienced campaigners.
With Matt White and Luke McGuane returning it lessens the impact of the raft of changes that have taken place, but perhaps more importantly, gives them a huge chance to put everything on the line and show why they should be a part of the club’s long term future.
Sometimes desperation and depth can be the most important weapon in a team’s arsenal as fighting for positions in the team can often bring out the best in players. Let’s hope that this is true in relation to the aforementioned guys.
This week also brings about another debut, that in the form of mature-age recruit, Tom Derickx. The big man from W.A. has played some consistent football down at Coburg as a key defender of late, but it seems like we’ll be seeing him at the other end of the ground come Saturday.
With Tyrone Vickery gone for the year and Todd Elton having a quiet debut match last week, it gives Derickx a massive opportunity to try and claim that second key position forward role for the remainder of the year. Melbourne’s strongest area on the field is their defence though, so he’ll have to play very well to get off the hook and slot a few goals.
With Martin suspended once again the game will come down to the battle of the midfields. Melbourne do have plenty of players who are capable to run through there such as Jones, Moloney, Trengove, Grimes and others so the boys will have to be at their best given the losses of Foley and Martin.
Keeping Jack Watts accountable and locking down on the dangerous Colin Sylvia will also go a long way towards getting a much needed win.
This week’s match truly is a much needed win, not only to keep those finals hopes alive (we are a good chance to sneak into the 8 this week if we get up), but also to show that the disappointments during this week have not bothered the team one iota as they look onward and upward.
Go Tiges!
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