Bennell is not necessarily competing with Morton and Jurrah but Dunn's best to date is not up to the quality of the two injured players

I think that's key.

I don't want to stick the boot into Dunn, but his best isn't up to the quality of what those 2 have produced on average.

I think that's key.

I don't want to stick the boot into Dunn, but his best isn't up to the quality of what those 2 have produced on average.

I guess its a judgement call. Sylvia - straight in after injury. Rivers with proven abilities plays for Casey. Both of those guys had proper pre seasons and with Sylvia he could have maintained his fitness and skills level while injured. Morton and Jurrah will not be at peak fitness or skill level and without match condition will have to spend time playing for Casey IMO.

I guess its a judgement call. Sylvia - straight in after injury. Rivers with proven abilities plays for Casey. Both of those guys had proper pre seasons and with Sylvia he could have maintained his fitness and skills level while injured. Morton and Jurrah will not be at peak fitness or skill level and without match condition will have to spend time playing for Casey IMO.

I think it also reflects how happy the club is with our defense as opposed to our attack.

Our back 6 has looked airtight the last 4 matches.

Our attack has managed to kick a lot more goals than I envisaged, but Sylvia was a very handy addition.

I admit Rivers could play up forward, but it'd be a foreign position for him and I'm not sure how successful I think he'd be in that role.

One week away....could have a couple weeks with "Test" next to his name after Nth Melbourne.

Hopefully over the next several weeks our Injury Report after games comes back : "NIL."

It would be nice to see the likes of Watts, Morton, Blease & Jurrah play some games with the boys in the side currently. It's the best I've seen the injury list for some years.

I guess its a judgement call. Sylvia - straight in after injury. Rivers with proven abilities plays for Casey. Both of those guys had proper pre seasons and with Sylvia he could have maintained his fitness and skills level while injured. Morton and Jurrah will not be at peak fitness or skill level and without match condition will have to spend time playing for Casey IMO.

What player do we have that provides a better marking forward/midfield role than Sylvia? What role and match up would Rivers have provided that could not be adequately covered by Warnock, Frawley and Garland.

Morton and Jurrah will only need conditioning at Casey as I cant see players that will readily keep them out. Both are definite best 22.

I think it also reflects how happy the club is with our defense as opposed to our attack.

Our back 6 has looked airtight the last 4 matches.

Our attack has managed to kick a lot more goals than I envisaged, but Sylvia was a very handy addition.

I admit Rivers could play up forward, but it'd be a foreign position for him and I'm not sure how successful I think he'd be in that role.

For me, Garland to the forward line, Rivers down back, Drop Bennel

I think all this will depend on what the football department want out of this year. If they are after wins they will maintain the status quo until the wheels fall off or players lose form. If they are looking to the future they will look at getting games in to the younger players who will form part of the future. They may have even altered their own goals due to the way we have started and now may be looking to see just how far we can go.

Morton, Watts, and Jurrah must get back in to the side, at who's expense remains to be seen.

Whatever it's a better position than we've been in for a while, during the Daniher years we were lucky to have enough talent to fill a side each week and if we had more than 2 injuries we were looking at playing someone that wasn't, in all honesty, up to AFL standard.

Supporters calling to axe Bruce are not taking into account all aspects of his game. His big minus is his disposal. Clearly a worry. But, he has enormous upside. 1.Can play on tall or medium size players. 2. Has an enormous tank. Have you noticed how hard he can work towards the end of a game? 3. Is rarely beaten in a genuine 1 on 1 contest. Bruce is no champion but he is comfortably in our best 22. By the way, talking of the other B, Bennell, the lad has real talent. Play him for CS.

Edited April 28, 201015 yr by Prof

I think it will be McKenzie or Scully....

The hard nut footballers goes McDonald, Moloney, Jones then McKenzie... McKenzie is on the bench and could get pushed off as both Dunn and Bartram are required for team balance... Rivers doesn't play the tight back pocket role so I think Bartram has a spot against Cheney and Strauss.

The ball movers are Davey, Cale, Trengrove then Scully... So Scully may have to make way for Cale...

I think Bennell has that pressure fwd position which maybe taken by wonna, jetta or maric... Bennell could move back and take bartrams position but most positions are safe for balance...

Its great to drop Batram or Dunn but they are playing there role well in the team and the players that are coming aren't playing those roles

I think it will be McKenzie or Scully....

McKenzie is second in the entire competition in tackles. There aren't enough superlatives to describe how much the FD would love that type of attribute in a player. His name is in stone, probably for the rest of the year if his body is up to it.

Dunn; and not just because I'm anti-Dunn. Similar 'type' - bigish (though Dunn is in a man's body, Cale is still rake thin), mobile, big tank, scoring threat. Cale's the superior player. No brainer for mine.

Dunn.

Just because I'm anti-Dunn...

No seriously, his best is worse than Morton's average output, and is worse than probably the rest of our players' best.

Bruce isn't playing well now, but as we all seem to have worked out he's going nowhere. Dunn, on the other hand, is just warming the seat IMO.

Bartram's the other seat-warmer. But I think Morton and Dunn are more easily swappable than Morton and Bartram, if that makes sense.

Wow.

And when Jurrah is available will you be concerned about the forwardline balance?

We've had 3 great wins. We still need quality players in our best 22. Cale is quality.

Cale is the softest player ever! We dont need that.

Putting aside the improbability of an indefinite winning streak with no players dropping in form or becoming injured. The idea that players of Morton & Jurrah's calibre once match-fit would be held out of the team is misguided.

It's terrific that players like Bail, Dunn, Bartram & Bennell are playing good football, in a couple of those cases it's about time. But unless they're flat out dominating games and render themselves somehow invaluable, they are the kinds of players who will unluckily find themselves making way for superior players like Cale & Liam. These are the realities of playing in successful side.

You cant compare Cale to the Jurrahcain, how rediculous. The Jurrahcain is the greatest footballer of all time, hes the Chuck Norris of the AFL. Dont do that again.

Putting aside the improbability of an indefinite winning streak with no players dropping in form or becoming injured. The idea that players of Morton & Jurrah's calibre once match-fit would be held out of the team is misguided.

It's terrific that players like Bail, Dunn, Bartram & Bennell are playing good football, in a couple of those cases it's about time. But unless they're flat out dominating games and render themselves somehow invaluable, they are the kinds of players who will unluckily find themselves making way for superior players like Cale & Liam. These are the realities of playing in successful side.

Sorry, but Dunn aint playing good football. He should be dropped ASAP. I'd even be keen to throw Gysberts in the deep end if Morton, Watts or Bail aren't ready. Dunn certainly had no forward impact on Friday night, so it's not as if we lose anything be selecting a midfielder over a lazy half-forward.

PS - to the author of that grammar thread from the other day, the "aint" was intentional.

Edited May 9, 201015 yr by Brettmcg

"Cale is the softest player ever! We dont need that."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

That sickens me, Green-Machine. Were you at Princes Park for the Ess practice match when he did his knee? An act of sheer courage,for which he suffered cruelly . Of course he's put in short steps a couple of times. ALL players are guilty of that on occasions. Not many show the guts he showed that day at Carlton. Also, gut running is essential these days. He does it par excellence. We can't get him back fast enough.

Edited May 9, 201015 yr by JUMPING JACK CLENNETT

I rate Cale as an up and coming elite player. He is also so versatile. He will however need to hit form and retain it before coming back to the seniors.

I rate Cale as an up and coming elite player. He is also so versatile. He will however need to hit form and retain it before coming back to the seniors.

Why?

Sure, he was always going to play a game or two in the VFL for fitness reasons, but we've seen enough of him to know that even in the immediate short term, he offers more to the side than someone like Dunn. If we already know this, then why make him "prove" it with an extended run at Casey?

Very good news to hear Cale is not far off, would be nice if Tapscott could fall out of the indefinite category sometime soon though.

Very good news to hear Cale is not far off, would be nice if Tapscott could fall out of the indefinite category sometime soon though.

Luke starts running this week.

I think it will be McKenzie or Scully....

The hard nut footballers goes McDonald, Moloney, Jones then McKenzie... McKenzie is on the bench and could get pushed off as both Dunn and Bartram are required for team balance... Rivers doesn't play the tight back pocket role so I think Bartram has a spot against Cheney and Strauss.

The ball movers are Davey, Cale, Trengrove then Scully... So Scully may have to make way for Cale...

I think Bennell has that pressure fwd position which maybe taken by wonna, jetta or maric... Bennell could move back and take bartrams position but most positions are safe for balance...

Its great to drop Batram or Dunn but they are playing there role well in the team and the players that are coming aren't playing those roles

Sorry.....WTF? You would drop McKenzie or Scully..... you are taking the [censored] right?

Sorry.....WTF? You would drop McKenzie or Scully..... you are taking the [censored] right?

Why would I, who do you bring in for Cale (mind you this was posted before Scully's unbelievable match).

Everyone wants to drop a Batram or a Dunn but both are playing different positions in the team..... one being back pocket the other a lead up fwd. Unless you play Cale as a fwd (which is possible) his best position is the wing...

So if Davey has one wing and Cale the other where do Trengove and Scully fit???

The bench on Friday was Bennell, Hughes, Johnson and Scully...

Bennell plays the small defensive fwd so unless you put him to back pocket and drop batram then he stays as thats not cales role.

Hughes plays a med marking fwd this is not Cales role in the side (maybe in the future)

Johnson plays as the second ruck (again not cales role)

Scully plays on the wing and thats Cales role...

of course you could drop Hughes and go one less fwd or not play a second ruck but looking position for position McKenzie and Scully are last (I think) for their positions at this stage... I don't want either dropped and think they should stay in all year but people need to look at postion for position and team balance rather than just look at someone like a Dunn or Batram because they are easy pickings...

Interesting to see Meeson only 4 to 6 weeks away. Gawn is expexted to join main group in 6 weeks,LJ in 8 to 10 weeks, thus leaving only Tapscott as the real unknown.

according to some posts he is due to start running pretty soon. :lol: