Demons’ pick call is risk versus reward
MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin says he has to weigh up his “risk appetite” when it comes to preliminary final selection as Jayden Hunt presses for a recall against Geelong on Friday night.
Confirming defender Joel Smith had suffered a “minor” hamstring injury at training, Goodwin outlined his selection options for the showdown with the Cats, with progression to the grand final up for grabs.
Hunt, who played every game in 2021 before suffering an ankle injury against West Coast in Round 21, has recovered from the subsequent ankle surgery.
Veteran Michael Hibberd has been suggested as the likely replacement for Smith, who could be fit should the Demons progress to the decider, but Goodwin said Hunt was “in the mindset” of being available for selection.
Match simulation at training is the only form guide to pick players who haven’t seen action for some time, including Hibberd and the likes of former captain Nathan Jones.
Goodwin conceded the selection issue was not straightforward because there was “no coming back” from Friday’s game, which will end one team’s season.
“The decision will come down to what our risk appetite is like,” Goodwin said on Thursday morning from Perth. “We’ve got a lot of guys pressing for selection and Jayden is one of them. He’s in the mindset of being available for selection and being able to press his case. We’ve got some decisions to make.
“We have got training form and some match simulation and form of guys before we left (for Perth).
“Jake Melksham, Michael Hibberd, Nathan Jones, James Jordan are all putting their case forward. We’ve got a lot of guys and a lot of those guys are experienced and understand the demands of AFL footy, so that puts us in a pretty good position.”
Goodwin said the selection decision would be “calculated” and only geared around beating Geelong.
“We’re at the pointy end of the year, you need to make calculated decisions, but there’s no coming back,” Goodwin said.
“We need to perform strongly to win games of footy, we are at that sudden death stage of footy. We’ll be really calculated and do what’s best for the team.”
The Demons won the minor premiership and are seeking grand final glory for the first time since 1964.
But Goodwin said his players had “embraced” their opportunity rather than feeling the pressure of expectation.
“There’s pressure on everyone,” he said.
“If you look at history and circumstance of all teams still in the running, there is pressure on every side for a variety of reasons.
“Our pressure comes because we haven’t won it for such a long period of time. We think we have worked to create an opportunity to put our best on show, that’s the way we are looking at it.
“We want to embrace that past, we want to make sure we respect the opportunity in front of us and go after it.
“That’s what the players have been brilliant at all year. They have been able to reset themselves and been able to understand the importance of staying in the moment and it’s no different now.”