I like that Bailey has named the starting 18 and stated to the remaining players in the squad "You convince me at training this friday why you should be in this team" (paraphrased). For Nathan Jones, Jack Watts, Lynden Dunn, and Ricky Petterd it is a wake up call or the rocket they probably deserve, and for James Strauss, Matthew Warnock, Cale Morton it gives them a chance to press their case for inclusion. The dynamic Bailey has set up means that these 7 will be competing for the 3 (+1) spots available with their team mates watching closely... i.e. no more passengers.

Bring on the Lions

Carn the Dees

Melb fans should be rapt with Aussie and Gysberts coming into the squad after having big games for casey.

Aussie has great goal sense and a fanastic crumber. I'm expecting an imediate impact from aussie.

Gysberts ability to get hands on the ball and clearances will be of great value.

how good as the recruitment been from the 2009 draft?????!!!!! Scully (1), Trengove (2), Gysberts (11) and Tapscott (18) = Gold.

Fitzy and Gawn yet to play but coming along slowly.

I personally think it's rubbish that three of the four guys "demoted" to the extended bench are forwards - add Maric to that list too. I still don't see how a forward is supposed to exert influence on the contest when the ball isn't forward of centre for almost an entire half of football.

I thought Watts played well in the first half when he was getting some ball and Petterd deserves some games and should not be dropped despite his one brain fade. Dunn would be a good sub so don't really have an issue with that. To put half the forward line on notice when it was the mids who were so comprehensively smashed sends somewhat of the wrong message for me. That said, there isn't a lot of midfield fire power available to come in this week so maybe that's the rationale.

I personally think it's rubbish that three of the four guys "demoted" to the extended bench are forwards - add Maric to that list too. I still don't see how a forward is supposed to exert influence on the contest when the ball isn't forward of centre for almost an entire half of football.

I thought Watts played well in the first half when he was getting some ball and Petterd deserves some games and should not be dropped despite his one brain fade. Dunn would be a good sub so don't really have an issue with that. To put half the forward line on notice when it was the mids who were so comprehensively smashed sends somewhat of the wrong message for me. That said, there isn't a lot of midfield fire power available to come in this week so maybe that's the rationale.

Perhaps a statement on lack of forward pressure and inadequate press? But I agree midfield and defence look worse.

Edited April 8, 201114 yr by america de cali

how good as the recruitment been from the 2009 draft?????!!!!! Scully (1), Trengove (2), Gysberts (11) and Tapscott (18) = Gold.

Shame about the 2 years prior

Morton (4), Grimes (14), Maric(21), Watts(1), Blease(17), Strauss(19)

not looking hugely successful at this point in time

how good as the recruitment been from the 2009 draft?????!!!!! Scully (1), Trengove (2), Gysberts (11) and Tapscott (18) = Gold.

Agreed. Also very please with the 06 draft: frawley (12), petterd (30), garland (46)

Edited April 8, 201114 yr by Watt and Howe?

Shame about the 2 years prior

Morton (4), Grimes (14), Maric(21), Watts(1), Blease(17), Strauss(19)

not looking hugely successful at this point in time

C&B i think you are being a bit hard on Morton and Grimes.

Agree the last two don't look flash at this point.

12 games time will tell us a lot.

C&B i think you are being a bit hard on Morton and Grimes.

Agree the last two don't look flash at this point.

12 games time will tell us a lot.

i see 3 players who have shown zero, two athletically-gifted alleged superstars who have not yet delivered and one fantastic kid who unfortunately has a habit of torching the sherrin

i see 3 players who have shown zero, two athletically-gifted alleged superstars who have not yet delivered and one fantastic kid who unfortunately has a habit of torching the sherrin

Being a bit harsh on Blease. It would be like saying that picking Tapscott was a mistake because he had shown us nothing at the end of last year.

He only got back in to football last year through the reserves reserves, and now he is starting as ruck-rover in the proper reserves. If he keeps improving, he may just get a run in the firsts by mid year.

Give Sammy a chance to prove himself before any more idiotic posts are made about him.

Being a bit harsh on Blease. It would be like saying that picking Tapscott was a mistake because he had shown us nothing at the end of last year.

He only got back in to football last year through the reserves reserves, and now he is starting as ruck-rover in the proper reserves. If he keeps improving, he may just get a run in the firsts by mid year.

Give Sammy a chance to prove himself before any more idiotic posts are made about him.

blease had a massive break in his leg. from the casey report he did ok last week. it was said he made players look slow around him...a couple more good games and he'll be in the mix at melb.

blease had a massive break in his leg. from the casey report he did ok last week. it was said he made players look slow around him...a couple more good games and he'll be in the mix at melb.

Exactly my point Disco.

Anyone get out to Casey for training today? Interested to hear what the intesnity was like around the ground.

At least they could give him a floppy green cap, as well and get him to bring the drinks out. The thing I was just thinking for a kid who is still not feeling totally @ home and composed, just being around the side is better than nothing, for a game of two.. It's not totally wasted.

The more he mixes with the First's the quicker he'll feel accepted, and a part of it all.

Stynes could pass down his fluro cap for our subs to use.

(I'm pretty sure he attempted to play with a cap for some sun protection; suffice to say the attempt wasn't successful, as opponents constantly knocked it off).

Stynes could pass down his fluro cap for our subs to use.

(I'm pretty sure he attempted to play with a cap for some sun protection; suffice to say the attempt wasn't successful, as opponents constantly knocked it off).

he tried it once on a boiling day at the Gabba, it was a fluro pink one. Richard Champion removed it and tore it in half in the first couple of minutes

Melb fans should be rapt with Aussie and Gysberts coming into the squad after having big games for casey.

Aussie has great goal sense and a fanastic crumber. I'm expecting an imediate impact from aussie.

Gysberts ability to get hands on the ball and clearances will be of great value.

how good as the recruitment been from the 2009 draft?????!!!!! Scully (1), Trengove (2), Gysberts (11) and Tapscott (18) = Gold.

Fitzy and Gawn yet to play but coming along slowly.

Ball has to get into the forward line for Aussie to have a crumbing impact DD. But it is very encouraging to see him push to the mindfield and have such an impact for Casey last week.

he tried it once on a boiling day at the Gabba, it was a fluro pink one. Richard Champion removed it and tore it in half in the first couple of minutes

I reckon he tried a fluro green/yellow one at some stage.

Shame about the 2 years prior

Morton (4), Grimes (14), Maric(21), Watts(1), Blease(17), Strauss(19)

not looking hugely successful at this point in time

Shame that you use the term 'shame' to describe these players.

You write some decent stuff c&b. This is far from one of the decent posts I've seen from you.

Jones won't get dropped, don't ask me why, he just won't.

Maric shouldn't be dropped, horrible choice to use a forward pocket as the sub.

Totally agree re Maric. Tough call if he gets dropped. Hard to get into a game when who knows what the game-plan is and has been, plus ball supply limited. he was no better or worse than 21 of his team-mates.

For what its worth I would drop Jones, Jetta & Watts.

Re Watts - no sense of urgency when it matteres. Actually looks like is aerobic ability needs work...second and third kamikaze efforts don't exist with this bloke. Concerned he doesn't have the nuts required to will himself to places he's afraid to go - both mentally and physically.

Edited April 8, 201114 yr by Daemn

Totally agree re Maric. Tough call if he gets dropped. Hard to get into a game when who knows what the game-plan is and has been, plus ball supply limited. he was no better or worse than 21 of his team-mates.

For what its worth I would drop Jones, Jetta & Watts.

Re Watts - no sense of urgency when it matteres. Actually looks like is aerobic ability needs work...second and third kamikaze efforts don't exist with this bloke. Concerned he doesn't have the nuts required to will himself to places he's afraid to go - both mentally and physically.

As opposed to Flash? They showed footage of him last night on AFL Teams when Burgoyne kicked a goal in "that" quarter. There was a 50/50 ball for him to win, and instead of putting his body on the line, he put his foot out and tried to clear it, the rest is history.

As opposed to Flash? They showed footage of him last night on AFL Teams when Burgoyne kicked a goal in "that" quarter. There was a 50/50 ball for him to win, and instead of putting his body on the line, he put his foot out and tried to clear it, the rest is history.

I remeber watching that last week and thinking that didn't look good. I think he was trying to be too cute with one of his taps to space then he seizes on the ball etc - look great when it comes off, looks horrible when it doesn't and we pay dearly for it.

Edited April 8, 201114 yr by Daemn

Shame that you use the term 'shame' to describe these players.

You write some decent stuff c&b. This is far from one of the decent posts I've seen from you.

I'm not interested in crystal balling, but at this moment in time, 5 of those 6 players do not look like becoming star players, and Grimes has disposal issues that may hold even him back. I'm not making any grand statements here surely? Maybe harsh on Blease but it is year 3

I remeber watching that last week and thinking that didn't look good. I think he was trying to be too cute with one of his taps to space then he seizes on the ball etc - look great when it comes off, looks horrible when it doesn't and we pay dearly for it.

Amazing, Bennell goes in half-hearted and gets a new one torn on this site, Flash does the same thing and immune to criticism!

I'm not interested in crystal balling, but at this moment in time, 5 of those 6 players do not look like becoming star players, and Grimes has disposal issues that may hold even him back. I'm not making any grand statements here surely? Maybe harsh on Blease but it is year 3

C&B - 2 questions;

1. What do you think of Tapscott's chances of becomming a star?

2. Did you have the same opinion last season?

Wow. You must have gone to all his Casey games to make that kind of categorical statement.

On the contrary, it probably means he hasn't seen any of Blease at VFL level and is just making a blanket assumption.

If had have been watching Blease at Casey, he likely wouldn't be foolish enough to make those statements.

Amazing, Bennell goes in half-hearted and gets a new one torn on this site, Flash does the same thing and immune to criticism!

C&B - 2 questions;

1. What do you think of Tapscott's chances of becomming a star?

2. Did you have the same opinion last season?

Tapscott has played 2 pretty good games in 2 outings, he is a second year player. looks pretty good at this stage, but he might be like the multitude of others before him at the MFC that never got much better than their 1st/2nd years output (cough - Nathan Jones - cough). Maric, Blease and Strauss have done squat in their 3rd/4th years, Morton and Watts have been OK but not superstarish. Grimes is a butcher.

On the contrary, it probably means he hasn't seen any of Blease at VFL level and is just making a blanket assumption.

If had have been watching Blease at Casey, he likely wouldn't be foolish enough to make those statements.

your sarcasm detector is due for a service

Gysberts & Aussie are in starting 18. Morton Warnock & Strauss make up the 25 (emergencies).