Guesses on rested players?

[Scrads]

Collingwood have the luxury of seeing WC play Hawks on Friday night, and if WC win they can then rest players knowing they can't make top 4.

[KahunaBF]

Risky resting players a game before the finals. If the crows were going to rest players they would of rested someone else against Melbourne. They have a fair deep midfield so they could play Thommo and Danger in the back pockets were I don't think GC will get it down too very often.

[Dommie]

Still plenty of room to move on the ladder for the top teams, so surely they wont rest anyone too important, depends how badly they want top spot i guess. The one I'm stressing over is Heath Shaw, after that groin tweak he would have to be a prime candidate

[jamez_1983]

Still plenty of room to move on the ladder for the top teams, so surely they wont rest anyone too important, depends how badly they want top spot i guess. The one I'm stressing over is Heath Shaw, after that groin tweak he would have to be a prime candidate

Wasnt a groin tweak, he just copped the ball in jewels.

[Turkies]

^That

wasn't a groin tweak just accidentally took a mark between his legs

[elephants]

I feel like Paddy Dangermouse will get a rest...

[Fireballz]

Gibson I can cover but if D/field gets a rest then I'll have to spend my last trade there rather than on an upgrade. Seriously nobody reckons North will rest the youngster?

[CFC 1979]

great article from Tbetta on DT Talk ( hope the boys don't mind )

•
Danger Games


In seasons past, a little concept call the ‘rest’, normally enforced by General Soreness, has crept into our game. Traditionally, sides that have already locked away a top spot will rest a bunch of their stars against a minnow side in preparation for a tough finals series. However, this season has been so close at the top end that no Top 8 side will enter Round 23 without a significant carrot dangling for them.

So weirdly, any ‘rests’ or late withdrawals are probably more likely to come from teams not in finals contention; teams keen to get an early start on 2013. Here’s an in-depth look at what’s on the line for each match-up and how that might affect our DTers.



Safe as Houses

Richmond vs Port Adelaide

Hardwick said a few weeks ago that Richmond won’t ice their stars for an early start to next season, and will play the year out. And no-one has any players from Port anyway.

Hawthorn vs West Coast

Both sides will go all out this Friday night, will plenty on the line for both clubs. Eagles need to win to beat Collingwood in the race for 4th spot and a second chance, while Hawks will risk losing a home final if they falter against the Eagles and both Sydney & Adelaide (interstate clubs!) are victorious. If guys like Mitchell, Franklin and Cox are more than 70% fit, they’ll play.

Geelong vs Sydney

Again, there’s plenty at stake here. Sydney really wants that home final (given they play the SCG significantly better than any other club), and a win would secure them that privilege regardless of the results in the Hawthorn and Adelaide matches thanks to their superior percentage. Likewise, Geelong has to fight to hold onto 6th spot and earn that home final. Guns like Goodes, O’Keefe, Stevie J, Chapman and Selwood will all play if they have a heartbeat this week you’d think.



On Alert

St. Kilda vs Carlton

With the Top 8 now set after Round 22’s results, St. Kilda and Carlton will basically play off for 9th. Expect any players who’ve been fronting up with consistent niggles to be possibly iced up in preparation for 2013 â€" this includes Mitch Robinson (calf and eye) and Nick Riewoldt (knee â€" already ruled out), who they’ve elected not to risk in a game that effectively means less than nothing.

Essendon vs Collingwood

Essendon’s year is over, so anyone under any shred of doubt won’t be risked given their already monumental injury list. We shouldn’t see Ryder again (knee), while there’s every chance that someone like Zaharakis or Stanton will be pulled after seemingly tiring late this season. As for the Pies, this game is a must-win if they want to make the Top 4, and if the Eagles win, it’ll come down to percentage. They’ll go all out, but don’t be surprised if they rest Heath Shaw this week anyway; Heater has apparently been battling soreness for over a month now.

Adelaide vs Gold Coast

Two weeks ago, this would have been a real danger game for Thompson or Dangerfield owners, but then the Crows dropped a game to the lowly Lions and suddenly Adelaide can’t afford to mess with their form. If Adelaide wants any chance of making the Top 2 this week, they’ll need a win â€" and they’ll need to win big to increase those odds. I’m more worried about Ablett, who obviously was carrying a virus last week and could theoretically be rested this week if flu-like symptoms dog him for another week.

Brisbane vs Western Bulldogs

Boyd isn’t the type of player to call it quits on a season early, and being the Captain, he has a moral obligation to hang around. As for Lake, Adcock and Rockliff, well, they have a little more wriggle room. Lake was a late withdrawal last week and could easily miss again, Adcock has a history of injury and could be cotton-wooled for 2013, and Rockliff hasn’t seemed like himself all season. Any could be given an early holiday this week, but odds are that they’ll march out as per usual.



Severe Weather Warning

GWS vs North Melbourne & Fremantle vs Melbourne

This is where it gets interesting. If Sydney beats Geelong, then North & Fremantle still have a chance to sneak into 6th â€" it all depends on percentage at that point, and it will basically come down to whoever smashes their meek opponents by more. In this situation, it’s hard to see either side resting any key players, although Pavlich is still under an injury cloud regardless.

However, if Geelong trumps the Swans at home (as expected), then Freo and North are consigned to playing off for 7th and 8th, no better and no worse. There is almost no advantage finishing 7th then 8th, especially with the Top 4 so close on their best day. Critically, the Geelong game will finish prior to both the North game (twilight) and both will be over by the time the Freo game (evening) kicks off. It won’t take a genius on the Freo coaching staff to figure out that if they finish 8th and Eagles finish 5th, then they score a home final against a team they belted a month ago… Could a couple of guns be pulled out late? We all know both Fyfe and Sandi are underdone, and no doubt they wouldn’t risk Pavlich if 6th spot weren’t up for grabs. Exciting stuff â€" watch this space!

As dumb as it sounds i think the danger game is the Freo game. They want to play at home and if the cats get over the line they may cotton wool a few
Also be weary of anyone outside the 8 who has a niggle. prime candidates for a rest.
For those with a good memory, remember last years GF in DT/SC. Massive restings that week

[Holz]

Brad Scott has said on a press conference that there could be some fringe players playing this week, too me that's basically saying guys will be rested.

My tip is goldy may get a rest or at least some support in pederson or maybee even daw. Petrie would be my tip as another who could be rested.

[CFC 1979]

is HMAC due back ?

[Adamant]

North to rest Petrie and let Pav take home the coleman  ;)

[KoopKicka]

is HMAC due back ?

Hmacs out for the season I believe :)

[Adamant]

is HMAC due back ?

Hmacs out for the season I believe :)

Yep, pretty sure he had LARS surgery.

[SkyStud24]

I hope Thommo gets rested, and not Stanton, although if none of my players are out on Thursday, then Stanton is getting traded out for Player X

[Zombie2.5]

I don't think Adelaide will be resting players, they will be desperate to win and boost their percentage as they still have a chance of finishing in the top two.

Adeliade won't care about percentage as they need to win by around 200 to catch Sydney or hawks percentage! They just need a win and hope one of Sydney and hawks loose

Yeah, they should be able to rest a couple, only don't want to choke like Carlton did. If GC rest Ablett, it'd be easy :D
And we can also finish top if both Swans & Hawks lose ;D

Adelaide will not be resting any players because if the Swans and Hawks lose they can take 1st spot

yep, but a GC coming off a big win will be in party mode and a nice holiday in Adelaide next weekend they won't put up much resistance, Crows will win big anyway and fringe players will be trying hard to impress

They will still rest players, because they only need a win and bit of luck in the other games, for top spot. They won't be able to make up that much percentage. It's either 3rd or 1st/2nd if Hawks/Swans lose.

Didn't Sanderson say that he won't be resting any players? Although I'm pretty sure he said that mid-season, apparently they were managing their players through the week so they wouldn't have to rest anyone. Although Dangerfield and Thompson would be the main candidates for a rest, hopefully not Sauce since he was a late withdrawal a few weeks ago with the tight hammy (I think it was).

With the top 8 as tight as it is I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see very many players get rested at all. Last week it was really only Selwood and it could be about the same this week too!

Sando said that like 2 months ago, and like all coaches, he said we won't be resting players 'yet'. Expect at least one of Danger or Thommo to have a rest, unless they want to play. They are at AAMI anyways, shouldn't need a full team to beat GC. Plus we still have some great depth to cover. Sloane will probably come back too.