On 23/02/2013 at 04:08, Redleg said:

Solely on yesterday, you would have Sellar before Pederson.

Solely on yesterday it's a bit like arguing over chicken pox and measles.

Pedersen was most disappointing, but I still think he has more upside in the forward-line than Sellar. I'll watch with interest over the next couple of weeks.

  On 23/02/2013 at 04:12, Ben-Hur said:

Solely on yesterday it's a bit like arguing over chicken pox and measles.

Pedersen was most disappointing, but I still think he has more upside in the forward-line than Sellar. I'll watch with interest over the next couple of weeks.

Didn't see any spots on Sellar.

  On 23/02/2013 at 03:30, Bossdog said:

I hear what your saying but to judge any of the players you mentioned above will take more than half a practice match.

Considering that half the side has not played together against an opposition side,I thought our defensive structures (I hate that word) were all right......Last year we would have capitulated in both last halves and you would be looking at 5-8 goal defeats....

You're right - our defensive structures were very good and this is a bonus.

I suppose I am getting sick of very, very, poor passages of play.

Let's keep chatting throughout the season and I hope our opinions come together to celebrate success.

  On 23/02/2013 at 04:13, Redleg said:

Didn't see any spots on Sellar.

Didn't earn any stripes either.

Him and Dawes cannot take a catch. At 6 foot 7, they aren't there to crumb it.

  On 23/02/2013 at 04:32, Biffen said:

Didn't earn any stripes either.

Him and Dawes cannot take a catch. At 6 foot 7, they aren't there to crumb it.

They're certainly no Mitch Clark, but they're not as incompetant as you're making out. Isn't "bringing it to ground" something that we've been crying out for for years?

Not only bringing it to ground but particularly in Dawes' case getting to the right spots to open space for other forwards. Pedersen it was a bit of a rough start for him, but at one stage he took a nice grab that got taken off him for an earlier free kick against. We know he's a footballer. Here's in the back up ruck role to compete and particularly I'd be looking at him getting involved around the ground when he's in the ruck because he wont be a star in the hitouts. Up forward I'm not expecting miracles and he's more about providing an option and taking the load of Dawes.

If mckenzie gets a place in the 22 before Kent, Evans or Crouch i will be dissapointed.

Those 3 definetly showed more yesterday and can actually damage the opponent. Until Mckenzie knows how to play offensive i really fail to see how he can be a regular in an AFL teams midfield.

  On 23/02/2013 at 04:12, Ben-Hur said:

Solely on yesterday it's a bit like arguing over chicken pox and measles.

Pedersen was most disappointing, but I still think he has more upside in the forward-line than Sellar. I'll watch with interest over the next couple of weeks.

I think Sellar has more upside in the ruck but it's only a pinch hitters role and who functions best as a forward will get the place. It will be out of Sellar, Pedders and big Fitz. Performances in the NAB cup will be the guide.

  On 23/02/2013 at 05:08, olisik said:

If mckenzie gets a place in the 22 before Kent, Evans or Crouch i will be dissapointed.

Those 3 definetly showed more yesterday and can actually damage the opponent. Until Mckenzie knows how to play offensive i really fail to see how he can be a regular in an AFL teams midfield.

Mckenzies game is based on getting to the ball 2nd. Seriously doesnt take much to wonder wjy we are being smashed in the midfield. We have 2 mids in the centresquare chasing the ball while other teams have 3-4 (Jamar does not chase after the tap)

Sadly there were some signs of the same old about some of our game plan. Both North and Richmond were able to get it back out of our forward line through loose men far too easily all the way down to have a short at goal, why? stop the damn zone and man up. Zones only work if the opposition kicks it badly so you can pick up a cheap stat and rebound, unfortuntely our opposition kick the ball too well for us to intercept. Our players were following not chasing. There is a lack of team work, Brynes was going for a great run through the centre and a melbourne player moved out of the way of the North Player that tackled him, blease i think poor defensive work not protecting their mates. Dawes I thought battled well always out numbered but he made a contest of it, the question is where was the other north melbourne players opponent. poor kicking skills were evident with lots of turnovers that burnt us badly. Our game against richmond was either less inspiring, thankfully their woeful kicking kept the scores from being a blow out. I trust the team will review the game tapes and learn from their mistakes and push those who cannot kick back to Casey to learn.

  On 23/02/2013 at 05:20, olisik said:

Mckenzies game is based on getting to the ball 2nd.

As is Trengove's, unfortunately.

  On 23/02/2013 at 01:03, The heart beats true said:

When I heard Jade Rawlings say that the club is treating Mitch's foot like a complete reconstruction, like an ACL, I took that to mean they will be very cautious with him. I'd be pleasantly surprised if he played in the first month of the regular season.

There is no chance of Clark playing round 1. Might be round 5 at best

  On 23/02/2013 at 05:56, Clint Bizkit said:

As is Trengove's, unfortunately.

He clearly got caught up with his defensive acts in 2012, but in his first two years he took the game on and hunted the footy. To pigeon hole him as you've just done is very short-sighted.

  On 23/02/2013 at 00:15, bandicoot said:

Will take more than 12 months for 14 new players to gel...

Yes, probably about the time it has taken Richmond and North's list to gel. As Pederson said in his post-match interview re North "I knew what they were about to do, because their game plan is still the same."

Same core group of players, same coach, same way of playing. It takes years.

I was pretty happy overall. We were definitely competitive in the North game, they seized the momentum in the middle part but we had it at the end and could have run over them which is a very good sign. Our weakness remains in the midfield and we've taken long term steps to address that over summer with Viney and Toumpas so it's unrealistic to have high expectations of immediate improvement. The only new ready-made in the midfield is Rodan and I thought he was very lively.

Richmond really smashed us in the first half of that game and poor conversion kept it closer that it should have been. But as Ben's Tiger quote shows they were playing their A team vs our B team, they were fresh and they played a different game style from North who wanted to retain possession from the back half rather than move it really quickly, even if to a contest - that would have been a tricky adjustment. That we came out even with them in the second half of the match was a credit to our adjustment and fitness. I think Richmond are a good side who'll push well into the finals.

Some say: "But we didn't win". I say: "Hotel-Motel ..."

Allen Iversen says "you talking about practice!?"

I will embed that again soon.

I've just been downloading the games and I can't find the second half of the North game on the AFL site. Anyone else think that;s odd? I also can't see the second half of Rich vs North. Is it a conspiracy?

Looking forward to watching them now, but I'd love to see that second half since it would seem to be the time when we played our best footy.

The key to our side is Mitch Clark,playing CHF and Ruck, but we also need speed in the middle and hopefully the likes of Rodan, Byrnes and Blease can help here,Barry would be handy too.

With all of those gnashing their teeth over our two losses, should we take heart over the fact that it looks like Hawthorn are going to have an even worse season than us, given the fact that they are about to go down in their first two games against worse opposition than North and Richmond?

  On 23/02/2013 at 10:36, hardtack said:

With all of those gnashing their teeth over our two losses, should we take heart over the fact that it looks like Hawthorn are going to have an even worse season than us, given the fact that they are about to go down in their first two games against worse opposition than North and Richmond?

Get on 'em for the spoon!

Hawthorn lose both games has a lovely ring to it...

  On 23/02/2013 at 10:36, hardtack said:

With all of those gnashing their teeth over our two losses, should we take heart over the fact that it looks like Hawthorn are going to have an even worse season than us, given the fact that they are about to go down in their first two games against worse opposition than North and Richmond?

And Moloney leading possession getter for Brisbane. What a surprise.

  On 23/02/2013 at 03:17, Ben-Hur said:

Some game time percentages for Richmond from the two games tonight:

Any idea where the Richmond supporter got that data from? I'd love to see a similar list of Melbourne's.

It's going to be a very long season......

  On 23/02/2013 at 11:10, P_Man said:

And Moloney leading possession getter for Brisbane. What a surprise.

Because he was always a leading possession-getter at Melbourne?