B: WHELAN, WARNOCK, MARTIN

HB: GRIMES, GARLAND, BUCKLEY

C: DAVEY, MCLEAN, BRUCE

HF: BATE, MILLER, MORTON

F: GREEN, WATTS, WONAEAMIRRI

FOLL: JAMAR, SYLVIA, JONES

IC: MCDONALD, MOLONEY, BARTRAM, P.JOHNSON

EMERG: WHEATLEY, BELL, DUNN

Watts will play he is the best kid in Australia playing for the worst team since Fitzroy he will definately get a game ahead of Newton. They are going to go slowly with the injury prone Rivers and Robertson so at best they start the season with Casey. I'm hoping they will go for youth in Grimes and Buckley forcing

Wheatley out.

CASEY

B: MCNAMARA, FRAWLEY, CHENEY

HB: BENNELL, RIVERS, STRAUSS

C: WHEATLEY, BAIL, BLEASE

HF: PETTERD, DUNN, JETTA

F: NEWTON, ROBERTSON, MARIC

FOLL: MEESON, BELL, VALENTI

IC: PSD 1, RD 1, ZOMER, SPENCER

I'd like to see them use Bell as a tagger.

Its not about him and how good he is or weather he earns a spot in the team . The main issue is schooling. Hed get a game ahead of Just abouyt all our forwards in my books.

Its not about him and how good he is or weather he earns a spot in the team . The main issue is schooling. Hed get a game ahead of Just abouyt all our forwards in my books.

The other issue which was pointed out by Bohdan is that Watts needs alot of physical development through specified weight training particularly if he is going to take a key position. He has not got the strength to contest.

Its not an issue of him being ahead or behind Newton. Its not an either or decision as both may play the early rounds.

Its not about him and how good he is or weather he earns a spot in the team . The main issue is schooling. Hed get a game ahead of Just abouyt all our forwards in my books.

He has another 6 days to do his schooling. It may effect his training a bit I can't see it effecting him playing football. Fletcher played in a premiership going to school I can't see why Watts can't juggle school and football.

why do u think blease will require more physical development?

Cause he looks like a jockey at the moment.

He's still very young NJ, yet to complete Yr12. May debut in a similar fashion to Maric.

The other issue which was pointed out by Bohdan is that Watts needs alot of physical development through specified weight training particularly if he is going to take a key position. He has not got the strength to contest.

I would play him rnd 1 and if his form eventually doesn't warrant it drop him like we did with Morton. He doesn't have to crash and bash immediately we can use Miller, P.J and Jamar for that.

Robbo will be ready to go round 1, And is planning to play in the Pre-Season.(NAB CUP)

This is part of an interview with Robbo:

Over the next two months, I'm going to be going through a lot of stress and duress with it, but in terms of strength the achilles is really strong. I'm really genuinely excited about the pre-season games and I can't wait to start – I'm 99.9 per cent sure [i'll be playing].

When I ruptured my achilles, the physios and doctors said: 'It sounds ridiculous, but it's probably a good time to do it'. We were at the bottom of the ladder, we weren't going to be playing finals and it was a six-month injury. They said: 'You're not going to miss next year'. So that was a positive in a really dismal time. It was a really appalling time for me.

So we're five months down the track and I'm looking forward to stepping up my training with the team we've got.

He has another 6 days to do his schooling. It may effect his training a bit I can't see it effecting him playing football. Fletcher played in a premiership going to school I can't see why Watts can't juggle school and football.

I would love to see watts play >12 good games next year as much as anybody. But the game has changed a lot since fletcher started back in the early 90's. To be fair these days you need to be 100% for football as a sports professional.

You can't have 2 full time jobs and thats why we will see watts but unlikely to be more then 1/2doz games in 09. I do think he will play rd 1 if he is fit.

Cause he looks like a jockey at the moment.

He's still very young NJ, yet to complete Yr12. May debut in a similar fashion to Maric.

forgive me if i misunderstood what u were saying. do u believe that blease requires more physical development than watts?

forgive me if i misunderstood what u were saying. do u believe that blease requires more physical development than watts?

I'm not too sure mate. Obviously my comments in reallity count for nothing as I've never seen Watts or Blease in the flesh and am just going on what I have read but I'm under the understanding that whilst they are two extremely talented players, Blease in particular due to his small frame might take a little while to get his body right for the rigours of AFL. However we were saying similar things about Maric last year and he certainly impressed by the end of the year.

Backs: Bartram Martin Warnock

HBacks: Green Rivers Whelan

Centre: Morton Sylvia Garland

Hforward: Bate Miller Davey

Forward: Wonna Watts Maric

Rucks: Johnson Mclean Moloney

Int: Strauss Jamar Wheatley Bruce

Jamar makes it only for the reason we need 2 ruckmen. We really need Spencer, Zomer or Messen to come on this year because Jamar has had he chances and just doesnt seem quite up to the standard required at AFL level. In saying that i would love nothing more then him to prove me wrong and have a break out year.

Good looking tough backline, all players that go hard at the ball, will beat there men in a 50-50 contest more times then not and generally use the ball well.

Centre line is also solid with Garland to link up with the backline and produce some good run and carry as he did well when playing on a wing for a while in the game against Richmond last year. Sylvia to be fit and firing after an un-interupted pre-season finally. Cant wait to see him crashing and bashing his way through packs and causing teams massive head-aches next year.

Bate and Miller to provide the lead up options with one pushing high up the ground and the other roaming around the 50m arc. Davey being at the feet of who ever is around the 50.

Wonna and Maric given freedom to play wherever they want inside 50 with Wonna swapping with Davey towards the end of quaters.

Real toughness in the midfield with moloney and mclean in there winning the ball out. Would love to see Sylvia,Mclean and Moloney all in there together. As if we wouldnt be dominating the clearances.

Hope Jetta and the crew from this years draft come along. because were struggling for pace big time

I've changed my mind a few times about this and I'm sure that I'll change it again, but here is my Round 1 team at the moment:

FB: Whelan Martin Garland

HB: Petterd Rivers Grimes

C: Morton Moloney Green

HF: Sylvia Miller Davey

FF: Wonaeamirri Newton Bruce

Foll: PJ McLean Jones

Int: McDonald Buckley Bate Jamar

more than happy to have watts on a wing.

and for him not to even think about travelling next year.

i can see him playing 10 games though.

maybe even every 2nd week.

not fussed

i would play him in a pocket , once that kid starts training hard hes gonna want play as much as he can i can see him playing 14 games next year, an say 26 goals

This is my future team (circa 2012, our premiership year ):

FB: Bennell; Martin; Strauss

HB: Garland; Rivers; Petterd

C: Buckley; Grimes; Green

HF: Davey; Morton; Bate

FF: Maric; Watts; Sylvia

R: PJ; McLean; Jones

Int: Spencer; Moloney; Frawley; Blease

Couldn't fit them in (a welcome problem): Jurrah; Wonaeamirri; Jetta; Warnock; Bell; Meesen; Newton; Dunn; Bail; McNamara; Cheney

We have a very good future ahead of us.... imagine adding Butcher and Scully to that side.... :\

Interesting that a potential captain selection in McDonald isn't making very many teams.

Interesting that a potential captain selection in McDonald isn't making very many teams.

Good call, if Jnr is fit he is a shoe in for any game in 09. That's even if he is not captain.

CASEY

B: WHEATLEY, FRAWLEY, CHENEY

HB: BENNELL, RIVERS, STRAUSS

C: PETTERD, BAIL, BLEASE

HF: DUNN, JURRAH, JETTA

F: NEWTON, ROBERTSON, MARIC

FOLL: MEESON, BELL, VALENTI

IC: MCNAMARA, MCKENZIE, ZOMER, SPENCER

Blease, McNamara and Zomer (probably plus a couple of others) will play almost exclusively in the 2s at Casey next year

Blease, McNamara and Zomer (probably plus a couple of others) will play almost exclusively in the 2s at Casey next year

Yes to Zomer

Don't know about McNamara

I doubt that Blease will play any more than a handful of games with Casey's 2's

Skill level he'll be fine but I get the feeling he'll be knocked around too much playing in the 1s.

I've changed my mind a few times about this and I'm sure that I'll change it again, but here is my Round 1 team at the moment:

FB: Whelan Martin Garland

HB: Petterd Rivers Grimes

C: Morton Moloney Green

HF: Sylvia Miller Davey

FF: Wonaeamirri Newton Bruce

Foll: PJ McLean Jones

Int: McDonald Buckley Bate Jamar

B: Whelan, Warnock, Martin

HB: Bruce, Garland, Petterd

C: Morton, Mclean, Buckley

HF: Bate, Rivers, Davey

F: Wona, Miller, Green

FOLL: Jamar, Jones, Mcdonald

B: PJ, Grimes, Sylvia, Watts

Blease, McNamara and Zomer (probably plus a couple of others) will play almost exclusively in the 2s at Casey next year

When the Dees play the Kangas in Rnd 1 Casey will be playing a practice match if it's anything like last year the main players at Casey will have a rest before the main season to give our yougsters a go so I expect every Melbourne listed player to be playing if they are fit enough.

Blease is too good for Casey's 2nd's if we were worried about players getting knocked around too much we wouldn't be playing Morton you can't get much lighter than Morton. Like everyone they will be picked on form if players like Blease are playiing well enough they will stay in if not they could be dropped the good thing about Casey is they only have 4 or 5 standout performers (Matthews, Wall and Silvagni only come to mind) while Sandy always had 9 or 10 so we should hopefully have more of our kids playing for Casey than than we did with Sandy.

I think you overestimate the experience at VFL level most teams play kids these days I think Casey don't have a player over 23.

Maybe I do overestimate VFL, but if I came up against a kid Blease's size I'd be making beelines for him.

Cale is also 10cm taller and has a much better motor, as well as presumably having had senior experience in the WAFL.

Blease, whilst quick, reportedly doesn't have great endurance, won't be 18 til next year and has no experience playing against adults. By the end of the year (if he isn't burnt out) he could play a string of games in the 1s I expect him to play 2s for much of the first half of the year.

Maybe I do overestimate VFL, but if I came up against a kid Blease's size I'd be making beelines for him.

Cale is also 10cm taller and has a much better motor, as well as presumably having had senior experience in the WAFL.

Blease, whilst quick, reportedly doesn't have great endurance, won't be 18 til next year and has no experience playing against adults. By the end of the year (if he isn't burnt out) he could play a string of games in the 1s I expect him to play 2s for much of the first half of the year.

Fair point but I hope he has a better year than you think he will.

Maybe I do overestimate VFL, but if I came up against a kid Blease's size I'd probably be taken off on a stretcher.

Cale is also 10cm taller and has a much better motor, as well as presumably having had senior experience in the WAFL.

Blease, whilst quick, reportedly doesn't have great endurance, won't be 18 til next year and has no experience playing against adults. By the end of the year (if he isn't burnt out) he could play a string of games in the 1s I expect him to play 2s for much of the first half of the year.

Edited for accuracy

B: Whelan Martin Garland

HB:Green Rivers Bruce

C: Morton J Mac Wheatley

HF: Sylvia Miller Bate

F: Davey Newton Robbo

Foll: PJ Dunn McLean

Bench: Jamar Jones Petterd Jurrah©

Emrg: Warnock, Grimes, Wona