not the lesson I took from that piece of play. He over kicked that ball and Petterd just couldn't hold the mark. The lesson should've been practice and practice your kicks, do it some more the work out how to kick on your preferred side as well when pushed on to your left.

I'd keep Bail this week but its his last warning on selfish play. I'd rather him turn it over trying to pass now than blaze from 50 out

Just in case you missed it mate.

Over his career he averages 1 goal and 1 behind in every 2 games. That's 1 scoring shot per game. Hardly "blazing away" is he?

Silly misconception you've based on 1 piece of play.

not the lesson I took from that piece of play. He over kicked that ball and Petterd just couldn't hold the mark. The lesson should've been practice and practice your kicks, do it some more the work out how to kick on your preferred side as well when pushed on to your left.

I'd keep Bail this week but its his last warning on selfish play. I'd rather him turn it over trying to pass now than blaze from 50 out

Also, if you want to dissect that particular piece of play, watch it again, and see if you think Petterd should have gone for a mark or shepherded it through...

Go to 2:50

The only reason i dropped bail is for balance we need to add more to our midfield and unless bail can start spending more time on a wing he has to make way, we have to many small forwards playing and i went for blease over bail for now.

Also, if you want to dissect that particular piece of play, watch it again, and see if you think Petterd should have gone for a mark or shepherded it through...

Go to 2:50

Don't think it was right to shepherd. You can't shepherd a ball coming across goal when you are at the top of the goals square. No way you know it goes through.

But if you look at then Bail gets the ball if he immediately straightens on his right and drills it to Petterd he probably marks and goals. As he does he wheels around on his left and delivers it very nicely but sensing pressure from the side Petterd goes hard at the ball and ends up under it.

What really needed to happen was for that player infront of Petterd to drag his opponent forward to leave space for Bail to chip it over for an easy Petterd mark in the pocket. So its a team thing.

But I can't say at all that win a man in the goal square by himself that Bail should now learn from that to have more shots on goal. He should keep refinining his skills on both sides of the body and whoever our forward coach at the time should talk about unselfish running and opening space behind for Petterd.

Alternatively when Bail gets the ball he has Davey on the inside. Davey does the right thing trying to come for a shepherd but doesn't get there in time. If he couldn't make the shepherd what should've happened is davey loops back into the 50 and gets a handball and then runs in from 30 out. All in all in the last minute of a close game we lost due to a touch of bad luck as much as bad decisions but there is always heaps to learn.

Just in case you missed it mate.

Over his career he averages 1 goal and 1 behind in every 2 games. That's 1 scoring shot per game. Hardly "blazing away" is he?

Silly misconception you've based on 1 piece of play.

How does the number of scoring shots he has equal whether he is blazing away? He played some of his early games as a defender and in the midfield. The scoring shots don't count the number of times he kicks it OOB or OOTF or it gets marked by a defender. He blazes away and burns team mates and he does it most games. Even goals he kicks sometimes were the wrong option.

I just think the biggest issue with that play was the lack of situational awareness. So close to the siren, Bail should never have tried to pass. How often have we seen someone take a mark inside 50 right after the siren? At the end of the quarter, you need to just take the shot, especially when you're only a point down. Realistically, if he'd gone for goal we had at worst a draw. I think the chances of an out of bounds given the target he had to hit were pretty slim. This was one of the few situations where the percentage play was to be selfish and forget the team first mentality.

I really wonder sometimes on this site. I also suspect that those who are so dogmatic about changes to the side have not seen both Casey and the farce up in Bribane.

For the last two week Casey have defeated very soundly two of the best sides in the VFL. I have seen all of both games live. There are some very promising signs coming out of the VFL for us, not least because Casey has a very sound coach who is not under the pump, has an outside job, and is very much a developer of young men and keeps it simple. I just fear what will happen to these immensely talented young men when they are promoted to the hothouse which is now the Melbourne Football Club.

Anyway, over the last two weeks the standout MFC players have been Fitzpatrick, Spencer, Dunn, Tynan and last week at Casey I for the first time saw Strauss really take on the field an showed some very strong breaking of the lines and finished off his excellent work with excellent kicking. In my view, even at 6'6" Fitzpatrick plays as much like a medium forward because he is so quick, but now that he at last is holding the difficult contested marks, and is showing real speed on the lead I think he has to come in at Full Forward, and Maxy goes to the pocket (who has by the way been a very pleasing revelation of the season so far). Spencer to the bench, and second ruck, but his form has been so totally dominant at Casey I would be tempted to put him in the starting line up in the centre square, and put Jamar to the pine (I predict with the emerging young guns in Fitzpatrick, Spencer and Gawn, this will be the Russian's last season in the red and blue. Why not trade him while he still has some value). Some will say this is too top heavy but playing both Fitzpatrick and Watts up forward you have two tall very mobile forwards. I think it gives the best of both worlds.

My team would therefore be:

FB: Terlich. Frawley. Garland

HB: Dunn. McDonald. Tynan

CC: Evans. Sylvia. Viney

HF Trengove. Watts. Byrnes

FF: Howe. Fitzpatrick. Gawn

Foll: Jamar. Grimes. Jones

Inter: Spencer. M Jones. Strauss. Sub: Bleese

In: Spencer. Tynan. Viney. Fitzpatrick. Dunn

Out: Pederson. Roden. Davey. Tapscott Bail

All in all, I believe a far better balanced and talented side

Tynan played a good game in the development squad last week at Casey, would be a big jump for him to come up 2 levels and play AFL.

I just think the biggest issue with that play was the lack of situational awareness. So close to the siren, Bail should never have tried to pass. How often have we seen someone take a mark inside 50 right after the siren? At the end of the quarter, you need to just take the shot, especially when you're only a point down. Realistically, if he'd gone for goal we had at worst a draw. I think the chances of an out of bounds given the target he had to hit were pretty slim. This was one of the few situations where the percentage play was to be selfish and forget the team first mentality.

he should have handballed it to Davey, at the ground this wasn't clear to me but as soon as i saw the replay that was the move

who GAF though it means nothing

Tynan played a good game in the development squad last week at Casey, would be a big jump for him to come up 2 levels and play AFL.

Plus, AS IF you put Fitzy, Spencer, Gawn, and Jamar into the same team and drop all of Rodan, Davey, Tappy, and Bail when we're coming against the quick and small Carlton. WTF?!

Plus, AS IF you put Fitzy, Spencer, Gawn, and Jamar into the same team and drop all of Rodan, Davey, Tappy, and Bail when we're coming against the quick and small Carlton. WTF?!

Yes, Carlton play small in their forward line. They are undermanned and have their greatest weaknesses in their back half. Our backlinecin in the side I suggested is quick and agile, they can cover the Blues runners. Our forward line though will be very difficult for them to match up on, but as always with this team it depends on the midfield, but a good start will come for them if we have dominant ruckmen.

BTW I mistook Tynan. I therefore in my selected side he should have been Bail.

Yes, Carlton play small in their forward line. They are undermanned and have their greatest weaknesses in their back half. Our backlinecin in the side I suggested is quick and agile, they can cover the Blues runners. Our forward line though will be very difficult for them to match up on, but as always with this team it depends on the midfield, but a good start will come for them if we have dominant ruckmen.

BTW I mistook Tynan. I therefore in my selected side he should have been Bail.

I'm sorry mate, but you CAN NOT play 4 ruckmen in one team.

4 rucks in one team I love it. And I thought my tebow thread was crazy.

So with no other tall forwards besides Watts if you always leave a ruck on the bench you don't even get a proper mismatch.

If you keep 3 in the forward line you will but you could line betts, yarran and Garlett on them because the ball is never coming down!

You might be able to play 3 of them - 2 and Fitzy up the ground. 1 in the ruck and 2 (of which one is Fitzy) forward. But no way can you get away with 4!!! With the 3 I just mentioned in the team what on earth would Spencer do!

Jamar out and at long bloody last Spencer gets a chance to play. YESSSS! He's got lots to prove. Give him a go.

Can't wait to see the big Spencil with Fitzy and Gawn.

Go Dees!

In light of a few players being unavailable, and further consideration my team

Strauss Frawley Nicholson

Dunn McDonald Terlich

Byrnes Jones Evans

Sylvia Garland Bail

Howe Gawn Tapscott

Jamar Grimes Viney

McKenzie Blease M Jones Magner

In Strauss, Nicholson, Viney, Magner

Out Rodan, Pederson, Watts, Davey

Go a little shorter this week down back, we have four players that can offer run and possible match ups for the small quick forward structure. Try Garland up forward stop, Howe deep forward rotating with Sylvia, the resting ruck in the square.

I really wonder sometimes on this site. I also suspect that those who are so dogmatic about changes to the side have not seen both Casey and the farce up in Bribane.

For the last two week Casey have defeated very soundly two of the best sides in the VFL. I have seen all of both games live. There are some very promising signs coming out of the VFL for us, not least because Casey has a very sound coach who is not under the pump, has an outside job, and is very much a developer of young men and keeps it simple. I just fear what will happen to these immensely talented young men when they are promoted to the hothouse which is now the Melbourne Football Club.

Anyway, over the last two weeks the standout MFC players have been Fitzpatrick, Spencer, Dunn, Tynan and last week at Casey I for the first time saw Strauss really take on the field an showed some very strong breaking of the lines and finished off his excellent work with excellent kicking. In my view, even at 6'6" Fitzpatrick plays as much like a medium forward because he is so quick, but now that he at last is holding the difficult contested marks, and is showing real speed on the lead I think he has to come in at Full Forward, and Maxy goes to the pocket (who has by the way been a very pleasing revelation of the season so far). Spencer to the bench, and second ruck, but his form has been so totally dominant at Casey I would be tempted to put him in the starting line up in the centre square, and put Jamar to the pine (I predict with the emerging young guns in Fitzpatrick, Spencer and Gawn, this will be the Russian's last season in the red and blue. Why not trade him while he still has some value). Some will say this is too top heavy but playing both Fitzpatrick and Watts up forward you have two tall very mobile forwards. I think it gives the best of both worlds.

My team would therefore be:

FB: Terlich. Frawley. Garland

HB: Dunn. McDonald. Tynan

CC: Evans. Sylvia. Viney

HF Trengove. Watts. Byrnes

FF: Howe. Fitzpatrick. Gawn

Foll: Jamar. Grimes. Jones

Inter: Spencer. M Jones. Strauss. Sub: Bleese

In: Spencer. Tynan. Viney. Fitzpatrick. Dunn

Out: Pederson. Roden. Davey. Tapscott Bail

All in all, I believe a far better balanced and talented side

Not a bad team, on paper, but I see that every week. There is something missing in the grunt department, just don't know who ( Nathan Jones excepted) really wants to win his own nut. Bystanders everywhere. Not looking forward to this at all.

Jamar out and at long bloody last Spencer gets a chance to play. YESSSS! He's got lots to prove. Give him a go.

Can't wait to see the big Spencil with Fitzy and Gawn.

Go Dees!

is Jamar confirmed out?

Hypothetically, yes.

Not a bad team, on paper, but I see that every week. There is something missing in the grunt department, just don't know who ( Nathan Jones excepted) really wants to win his own nut. Bystanders everywhere. Not looking forward to this at all.

"Not a bad team"- includes Spencer and Fitzpatrick? I already groan too often at our regular team's disposal efficiency. Playing 4 ruckmen probably wouldn't make us worse, however, suddenly Jamar will look like an elite kick. And in R21 2009 we played Spencer, Johnson, Martin and Jamar (late inclusion) in the same team, and Jamar went forward and kicked 5 (although we lost by 57 points)

Would be a great experience for viney to play against a judd or murphy, he might get beaten but he would learn alot, he reminds me abit of judd with his explosive pace out of a stoppage

is Jamar confirmed out?

Yep. Groin injury ( on the grapevine!) mark my words.

Yep. Groin injury ( on the grapevine!) mark my words.

We will see in an hours time. Fitzpatrick/Spencer or Sellar for a replacement. I think I like Gawn in the ruck more than Spencer and therefore I'd look at a forward as a replacement rather than Spencer. Sellar the safer player but Fitzpatrick for mine, let him have a good run around in the ruck as well as forward and just see what he can do with his unexpected pace. We are stuffed either way.

Yep. Groin injury ( on the grapevine!) mark my words.

Official:

Round six Melbourne team
B: Lynden Dunn, James Frawley, Dean Terlich
HB: Jack Grimes, Tom McDonald, Colin Garland
C: Jack Trengove, Jack Viney, Matt Jones
HF: Jeremy Howe, Colin Sylvia, Dean Kent
F: Rohan Bail, Max Gawn, Shannon Byrnes
FOLL: Jake Spencer, Jordie McKenzie, Nathan Jones
I/C (from): Sam Blease, James Strauss, Cameron Pedersen, Daniel Nicholson, Michael Evans, Luke Tapscott, Aaron Davey
IN: Lynden Dunn, James Strauss, Jake Spencer, Jack Viney, Dean Kent, Daniel Nicholson
OUT: Mark Jamar (groin), Jack Watts (hamstring), David Rodan
New: Dean Kent (Perth)

Jamar and Watts out? The haters must be very happy.

Jamar and Watts out? The haters must be very happy.

I've been branded a Watts hater but at least we've got Dunn coming into his HBF spot which is half the reason I wanted Watts out because I think we've got more deserving guys to come in.

I'm certainly not a Jamar hater because I know him going out results in Spencer in! Or at least until we've got Fitzpatrick and Clark at full fitness to back up big Gawno!