I have to say I'm not disappointed to see Jamie Bennell out of the side. He just doesn't hurt enough offensively to warrant his complete disrespect for his opponent.

So you think we'll have a percentage over 270% (which is what Sydney has right now)?

Was there a game last week?

Edited March 29, 201213 yr by mrtwister

With only one or two exceptions, it's a very predictable first up 22 imo. For me, the real interest lies in where they line up on Saturday, and how various players rise to the Neeld challenge and/or fall away, over the course of the year. Congrats to Mitch, James and Josh on being selected to make their Demon debuts.

Joel Mc'Donald worries me in the backline. He can never seem to get in the right body position and his disposal is dangerously bad, especially playing so deep in our back line.

There was a replay of the Dee's v's Lions 2008 (the Jim and Wonna's Dad one ) game today on Fox Footy and he was playing for the Lions and was making the same mistakes except it was for our gain!

I am surprised not to see Gysberts - I thought he played as well as Watts at Casey last week.

Also fairly surprised that Jordie has made it in. He was in the rehab group for a long time and didn't play a lot during the NAB cup.

Really surprised to see Joel Mac picked - some of his basic skill errors during NAB cup were horrible and he seemed low on confidence. However, you can tell that "hard at it" players are favoured by Neeld and Joel Mac definitely fits that bill.

I reckon coaches will often pick players to play against their old club. Joel Mac has a point to prove and has played well in previous games against the Loins.

Believe it or not I am worried about the 29 degrees predicted. That will help them enormously.

Fair comment if we were playing in Darwin in July but warm weather wouldn't be a factor in the result in March for mine

Cant believe Ricky isnt in the side

No real surprises apart from maybe bennell missing out, given he posted most pre season games. I guess gysberts & tapscott will need another week or two at casey which I'm not that concerned about as they are borderline best 22 at the moment anyway.

Roll on saturday!

Tapscott borderline best 22? you have to be joking surely . We need him in the side week in week out . Will be a gun .

After watching Tapscott at Casey last week he was definitely in need of a run.

Probably would need another game before he would be ready for AFL.

Petterd also not playing in VFL so I assume he is injured.

It will be interesting to see if the team lines up anything like selection.

Watts on wing after Neeld has stated he wants him to play as a key forward ??

Disappointed that Sellar isn't in the side he was showing promising signs in preseason.

I reckon coaches will often pick players to play against their old club. Joel Mac has a point to prove and has played well in previous games against the Loins.

Surely the reason he is playing. His disposal in the NAB cup was atrocious.

Was he ordinary there? Care to share?

Gysberts has been woeful this pre-season. In the intra-club he was poor, in the NAB he played he was terrible and I was disappointed in his efforts against Frankston for Casey a week ago. He greatly needs to improve his endurance and upper body strength.

That said, his game last Saturday against Williamstown was good. It was his first good game for the summer.

Edited March 29, 201213 yr by Ben-Hur

What about Bail? Surprised hes in and dont know if i rate him ...??

Edited March 29, 201213 yr by east gippsland demon

Not surprised that McDonald is in ahead of Sellar.

Sellar is very one dimensional, and with no Brown, he really has no opponent. He will only play when we come up against a big forward line. Think Hawthorn, Collingwood, North.

McDonald can play much smaller and is much faster. I don't mind him defensively, just FFS don't give him the footy.

It's a good line up, and I'm sure the listed positions are not correct, but I do worry about a lack of good foot skills down back. Bartram, McDonald, Bail, they are all average users. No doubt Blease and Grimes will play a more sweeping role.

Bate is bloody lucky. I tell you what, 6 months ago I thought he was gone. Clearly Neeld like him, but he needs a damn good game because Petterd, Strauss, Tapscott and Sylvia will all be available shortly, and all 4 are better players.

P.S.- Morton continues to let me down.

Neeld has been foxing. Watts on wing to play goodes type of game. Just how they played him last week at last we are playing to his current strengths. Joel mac is no surprise (even if I didnt pick him) as he is a hard at it type that neeld would like.

Might be a surprise or two on the day.

Edited March 29, 201213 yr by Robbie57

What about Bail? Surprised hes in and dont know if i rate him ...??

I rate him cause he is hard as granite and runs fast and straight.

His disposal is average at times but the way he plays is (IMO) exactly how Neeld wants us playing.

I also see that players with better skills on the list might think they are better than him but don't have the same ferocious desire and so Neeld won't pick them until they learn it takes more than skill alone to be the best. When they work and run as hard as Ro and then use their skills better they can come in the team but until then its Casey. My thoughts on it anyway...

No real surprises apart from maybe bennell missing out, given he posted most pre season games. I guess gysberts & tapscott will need another week or two at casey which I'm not that concerned about as they are borderline best 22 at the moment anyway.

Roll on saturday!

Were you not surprised by McDonald > Sellar or even MacDonald? Joel seemed to tot up the clangers in the pre-season glorified practice matches.

I rate him cause he is hard as granite and runs fast and straight.

His disposal is average at times but the way he plays is (IMO) exactly how Neeld wants us playing.

I also see that players with better skills on the list might think they are better than him but don't have the same ferocious desire and so Neeld won't pick them until they learn it takes more than skill alone to be the best. When they work and run as hard as Ro and then use their skills better they can come in the team but until then its Casey. My thoughts on it anyway...

Fair enough im not saying i dont like him as a player i just havnt seen anything from him to make me think i want him in the side yet . Ill be watching him closely on sat and post my thoughts next week .

DD I am surprised you are surprised.

From what I read and saw Bennell continued his form from the majority of 2011.

4 or 5 posessions a game hardly justifies his spot.

He has played 51 games and he would have been lucky to put in 10 good games in that period.

IMO only a number of injuries will see him back any time soon.

Im surprised I didnt enunciate my feelings about Bennell better. I think he's nowehere near our best 22, he has barely improved at

all since his first game. We cannot continually carry a passenger who gets so few posessions. But the reason I was surprised is

because he seems to continually be somehow in favor at match committee meetings. Id rather see Tynan, Taggert and their ilk get

games this year ahead of him.

Tapscott borderline best 22? you have to be joking surely . We need him in the side week in week out . Will be a gun .

Borderline 22 for mine. Besides being 'big' and 'solid' with a booming kick, he is not yet in our best 22 for mine as he's still

learning where he fits in at the top level. Is he a forward? A Backman? Or a midfielder? At this stage I just dont know. Size alone

doesnt equate to a good footballer automatically. Brad Miller showed that.

Our best 22 on Saturday is really only short Sylvia, Jurrah and Petterd maybe for mine, who would probably replace Tynan, Blease

and Bate. Still, thats only my view.

Im surprised I didnt enunciate my feelings about Bennell better. I think he's nowehere near our best 22, he has barely improved at

all since his first game. We cannot continually carry a passenger who gets so few posessions. But the reason I was surprised is

because he seems to continually be somehow in favor at match committee meetings. Id rather see Tynan, Taggert and their ilk get

games this year ahead of him.

Borderline 22 for mine. Besides being 'big' and 'solid' with a booming kick, he is not yet in our best 22 for mine as he's still

learning where he fits in at the top level. Is he a forward? A Backman? Or a midfielder? At this stage I just dont know. Size alone

doesnt equate to a good footballer automatically. Brad Miller showed that.

Our best 22 on Saturday is really only short Sylvia, Jurrah and Petterd maybe for mine, who would probably replace Tynan, Blease

and Bate. Still, thats only my view.

Then DD we are in total agreement on Bennell.

Were you not surprised by McDonald > Sellar or even MacDonald? Joel seemed to tot up the clangers in the pre-season glorified practice matches.

McDonalds best at this stage is still better than Sellars best. Difference being McDonald is wildly inconsistent as he relies so heavily on confidence.

Sellar to me is a good average footballer, a CHB/FB equivalent of Brad Miller. The Crowbots couldnt coax a consistent high standard of

football out of him, thats not to say we cant, but i have my doubts.

I always find the release of the first rounds team so much more exciting than any other round.

Always used to throw up a surprise. Remember when Isaac Weetra was selected one year? And both Cockatoo-Collins twins

to play against north another?

I guess Tynan is the only moderate 'smokie' this year...

What about Bail? Surprised hes in and dont know if i rate him ...??

That's why you not on the selection committee...bail is a role player and sticks to his assigned job each week because he unlike other players takes nothing for granted.

I always find the release of the first rounds team so much more exciting than any other round.

Always used to throw up a surprise. Remember when Isaac Weetra was selected one year? And both Cockatoo-Collins twins

to play against north another?

I guess Tynan is the only moderate 'smokie' this year...

Hope he turns out better than those examples DD

Joel Mac is the big shock for me. Thought he'd be well down the pecking order.

And while I want JG to be awesome in the midfield, I just don't want to think of the last couple of times he's gone in there...

Toughest dees team I've seen in ages. Good grimes in midfield <3