Having been at the Casey game on Sunday, my potential in's on displayed form would be Dunn, Bail and Newton.

Bail looks to have something about him and I would say he's ready to step up to AFL level. I really liked his game on Sunday. Very clean, read the play well and used the ball to good effect. He and Bennell should be rotated throughout the year between VFL and AFL.

Dunn was a class above VFL level and should be playing. I can't understand why he would not be selected and expect him to play this week. Also very noticeable at VFL level that he has a big strong body. He should be tried up forward in my opinion. Started his career there and showed he can kick a goal. Nothing else is working...

Newton was really impressive in a day that did not at all suit the big men. Whilst he may not have picked up a heap of possessions, he chased, put in 2nd and 3rd affeorts and attacked the ball hard. Showed that he wants to play AFL footy. I noticed someone wrote the opposite about his game somewhere in another thread. Load of crap whoever wrote that. He busted his gut on the weekend and anyone who says otherwise is just a Newton basher who went out to Casey hoping to prove the stereotype correct. If Dunn doesn't play forward, I would try Newton.

As for the others, after watching Robbo on Sunday, I WISH he was ready. On individual efforts and moments of brilliance like his 2 speccies, I would say bring him on... unfortunately, he should probably play a full game at Casy before promotion. Plus it's a long season, so no need to risk him. But judging by his performance on Sunday, he has lost none of his spring and zip and should be back to his normal speccy-taking self very soon.

Maric is the other one people are advocating, and whilst he was ok on the weekend, his form did not particularly warrant selection. I am a big wrap for the boy and believe he is a class act, but needs to at least earn his spot in the team with a solid 4 qtr performance. Also, interrupted pre-season, so fitness not up to scratch as yet.

Liam Jurrah is not even close to AFL standard as yet. Looks exciting, glides around the ground like a panther and you can tell he has the ability to do some freakish things in terms of ball-handling, but he lacks the basics, such as attack on the footy, basic kicking skills, and general footy nous. His decision-making and kicking in particular were atrocious on Sunday. This will take a long time to develop. If he gets a game this year it will be purely to give him a taste. I would expect mid-late 2010 at best until he is really capable of mixing it with the best. I hope sooner, but wouldn't expect too much based on what I saw Sunday (also, I'd like to see him on a dry day - he'd probably do 1 or 2 special things).

I hardly noticed Zomer to be honest, and that was disappointing, as before last week I thought he might be worth promoting after Garland's injury to see if he can hold up a forward spot. I still think it may be worth a shot but we have time to decide.

jetta looks useless. He is not even quick. theres a reason he got picked so late, and his name probley got him lower in the draft then he should have been.

First season in AFL you can make the assumption gee i hope the others re Watts ect play more to your pleasure give this guy a break maybe listen to what bails thinks of his game

No I didn't go to Casey, but I've seen replays of both 2 games and I feel the club must make changes.

Your selection of Newton would suggest otherwise.

MELBOURNE

James Strauss (ankle) available

Matthew Whelan (calf) available

Simon Buckley (groin) 1 week

Jack Grimes (back) 1-2 weeks

Daniel Bell (broken thumb) 2 weeks

Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring) 2 weeks

Mark Jamar (foot) 5 weeks

Paul Wheatley (quad) 6 weeks

Colin Garland (foot) indefinite

Get these two in for Jetta and Bennell.

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I love footy, just when I thought all was lost!

MELBOURNE

James Strauss (ankle) available

Matthew Whelan (calf) available

Simon Buckley (groin) 1 week

Jack Grimes (back) 1-2 weeks

Daniel Bell (broken thumb) 2 weeks

Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring) 2 weeks

Mark Jamar (foot) 5 weeks

Paul Wheatley (quad) 6 weeks

Colin Garland (foot) indefinite

Get these two in for Jetta and Bennell.

reckon they might need a game or two to get match fit???

reckon they might need a game or two to get match fit???

Quite possibly but Strauss has freakish footskills and Wheels would toughen that defence up. Two things we are lacking currently. You are right though, might get a game at Casey this week but if it was up to me I'd have them in.

MELBOURNE

James Strauss (ankle) available

Matthew Whelan (calf) available

Simon Buckley (groin) 1 week

Jack Grimes (back) 1-2 weeks

Daniel Bell (broken thumb) 2 weeks

Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring) 2 weeks

Mark Jamar (foot) 5 weeks

Paul Wheatley (quad) 6 weeks

Colin Garland (foot) indefinite

Get these two in for Jetta and Bennell.

Yay! Didn't somebody post 8 weeks for Whelan this week?

Good to see the 3-4 weeks to Grimes and Wonaeamirri reduced to 1-2;2 respectively.

Yay! Didn't somebody post 8 weeks for Whelan this week?

Good to see the 3-4 weeks to Grimes and Wonaeamirri reduced to 1-2;2 respectively.

Honestly i can feel a win this week by 15 points. Call me Micheal J Fox, but i can see the future of this game. Oh and there will be one bad injury, but it might be to port, my vision was blurred.

Honestly i can feel a win this week by 15 points. Call me Micheal J Fox, but i can see the future of this game. Oh and there will be one bad injury, but it might be to port, my vision was blurred.

The goal umpire who reported Motlop had blurred vision apparently so Karma might well see Motlop off early with a 3 week hammy.

There are clearly going to be a few issues to be decided at the selection table.

I have no inside information on this but I wonder about Brock McLean. Over the first two weeks I've noticed that he lacks some penetration with his kicking. When he was starring with the Calder Cannons he had no problems slotting through the goals from outside 50 but you wouldn't back him from that distance ATM. His pace hasn't improved either; to the contrary, he appears slower. Is he fit or will he be a surprise "out injured" when the team is released tonight?

There's no doubt a few changes are warranted - it's just a matter of what tack the selectors decide to take given the team is in a development phase. I think Jetta and Bennell will probably be sent back to the VFL and that should be fine. They've now had a taste and can continue with their learning curves at Casey. On the other hand I think Spencer will retain his spot - in the specialised ruck position he is going to learn more against the big Port ruckmen than against whoever Sandy has to throw up against him.

The "ins" to me are Dunn, Maric and Meesen - all based on form with Bail also an outside chance.

Although Maric didn't impress Pringle I have to say that I've been impressed with him since coming back from his hip operation. Last week at Casey he played a different role to that of the small forward which he fundamentally filled in his first two games. He was allowed to move down the ground and demonstrated that he's no longer simply a one dimensional FP crumber. I think therefore that he's a must for this team because he adds something different, something opposition club's will, in the not too distant future, have to work hard to counter.

Jetta is not ready for AFL. Simply outclassed in both matches and needs time to develop and learn the game.

Bail, Strauss, Dunn should be in. We might as well play Newton since we can't kick more than ten a game and we have signed him up for two years.

Bartram has looked average in his first two games although he has been tagging.

If you look at the the two halves of last weeks game:

First half or first quater, we went long through the centre and kicked goals

Second half, over-handballing, ball went in circles, we got flogged. It looks like when the players are under the pump, they resort to the silly handball game plan.

I know Baily has this "game plan" but it isn't working well. Whatever happened at Port, they atleast had the ballskills to pull it of but we need a far more simple approach. Direct and decisive. For the point of me, leading to the boundary line means a more difficult shot at goal.

It is hard to find positives as the skills or game plan hasn't really changes since last year and clearly we'll get flogged without some change.

Bartram has looked average in his first two games although he has been tagging.

This has to be a joke. kept havey to no influence, usually he has a 30+ touch game.

This has to be a joke. kept havey to no influence, usually he has a 30+ touch game.

I totally agree, I think a lot of posters on here think a player needs to have 30+possessions, kick 10 goals, flatten an opposition player, insult the umpire and look extremely good on the post match interview before they will even consider them as having a 'good game'. Bartram had a great game on Harvey, showed he is a team player, hardly got near the ball himself but kept Harvey down. Harvey even said it in the paper yesterday, 'he got the beter of me'. Watch and Learn the game, these wild criticisms not based on fact or footy nous are only destructive......although I think that if any of the players read thiis forum it should give them a good chuckle

I think too many people are ready to right off players based on the number of Dreamteam points they get, rather than if they have done their job on the day against their opponent. In saying that it would be nice to know what each players specific job on the day was so we could asses what their real value is to the team.

I totally agree, I think a lot of posters on here think a player needs to have 30+possessions, kick 10 goals, flatten an opposition player, insult the umpire and look extremely good on the post match interview before they will even consider them as having a 'good game'. Bartram had a great game on Harvey, showed he is a team player, hardly got near the ball himself but kept Harvey down.

I disagree. The game has gone past purely negating players and that's all Bartram can or ever will be. He's a liability with the ball in his hands. I like Bartram and his heart, but I respected Simon Godfrey also and there's no place for that type of player in modern footy.

I don't think you shoudl equate Bartram to Godfrey simply because they were both taggers.

Bartram used to have an attacking part to his play and I think he's attempting to redevelop it.

In order to do this he needs to get consistent games under his belt which, at the moment, entails locking down a player. So in my mind that's what he has set himself up to do, get back to the level of checking he could achieve in '06 and hopefully from there he will get back to being able to counterattack.

I don't think you shoudl equate Bartram to Godfrey simply because they were both taggers.

Bartram used to have an attacking part to his play and I think he's attempting to redevelop it.

In order to do this he needs to get consistent games under his belt which, at the moment, entails locking down a player. So in my mind that's what he has set himself up to do, get back to the level of checking he could achieve in '06 and hopefully from there he will get back to being able to counterattack.

Bartram has some pace where Godfrey didn't. But the modern game cannot withstand players that have such poor skill level. More than ever goals come from turnovers and opposition mistakes. Bartram wouldn't come close to making it in Geelong's, or Hawthorn's, side and we need to aspire to have such quality in our team. Yes, presently there's a place for him. But he's just keeping the seat warm.

Bartram has some pace where Godfrey didn't. But the modern game cannot withstand players that have such poor skill level. More than ever goals come from turnovers and opposition mistakes. Bartram wouldn't come close to making it in Geelong's, or Hawthorn's, side and we need to aspire to have such quality in our team. Yes, presently there's a place for him. But he's just keeping the seat warm.

So Bartram is a seat warmer, he has had two solid games and I am sure Bailey will have pencilled his name in straightaway if he thinks we need a tagger, it is a team game, obviously Brady Rawlings is utter rubbish and shouldn't even be playing for the Roos reserves......seriously I do wonder whether some posters on here actually watch the game at all....or just follow what everybody else is saying........this week we have had Jetta is rubbish, Bate is rubbish, Bruce is rubbish....why do you support Melbourne you obviously hate most of the players and think they are rubbish...........but wait, we have good draft picks coming up and we have had high draft picks they are always better players......Mr Sylvia anyone, I don't think he is rubbish, I think he is a skilful player, the problem with Col is in his head.......a change of team would probably do him the world of good......why do we always say he wouldn't make Hawthorn's or Geelong's side.....he isnit he is giving 100% to Melbourne, a couple of years ago he wouldn't have wanted to play for Hawthorn or Geelong...people have short memories

If Maric doesn't come in, I will cry.

Remember the kid at the end of last year?

Walked straight into the team and immediately looked a cut above anyone else we had out there.

If Maric doesn't come in, I will cry.

Remember the kid at the end of last year?

Walked straight into the team and immediately looked a cut above anyone else we had out there.

Didn't they name Messen, Newts and Dunn as the ins for this week on footy show last night??? Can not believe Maric has not been named.

So Bartram is a seat warmer, he has had two solid games and I am sure Bailey will have pencilled his name in straightaway if he thinks we need a tagger, it is a team game, obviously Brady Rawlings is utter rubbish and shouldn't even be playing for the Roos reserves......seriously I do wonder whether some posters on here actually watch the game at all....or just follow what everybody else is saying........this week we have had Jetta is rubbish, Bate is rubbish, Bruce is rubbish....why do you support Melbourne you obviously hate most of the players and think they are rubbish...........but wait, we have good draft picks coming up and we have had high draft picks they are always better players......Mr Sylvia anyone, I don't think he is rubbish, I think he is a skilful player, the problem with Col is in his head.......a change of team would probably do him the world of good......why do we always say he wouldn't make Hawthorn's or Geelong's side.....he isnit he is giving 100% to Melbourne, a couple of years ago he wouldn't have wanted to play for Hawthorn or Geelong...people have short memories

Now only a female could have posted such tripe.

Now only a female could have posted such tripe.

Thank you for the sex change so late in life....I knew something had been missing these last few years........your answer is succint....but why is it tripe?...(at least it wasn't rubbish)........try climbing the montains and crossing them and letting everybody know why it is tripe or rubbish.......or you are mightily offended that I actually came to the defence of a rubbish, seat warming, list clogging, poorly skilled, under performing Melbourne player........to use an analogy who needs enemies when we have supporters like these..............

Why all the talk about Jetta being dropped?

OK, he didn't play the best game last week but he looks an exciting young prospect.

He's hard at the ball and will develop into a key crumbing forward

Now only a female could have posted such tripe.

That comment is below you H.

And petjud - Can you type properly? It is so bloody hard to read. It's like how BB59 used to write.

And petjud - You can rant with the best of them...

You make a couple of good points though, there has been a lot of misdirected blame around Demonland of late...