Watching Port Adelaide tonight, I saw quite a few young blokes running around like Wingard and Wines who tend to negate the philosophy that young players all need to be eased into the big time. I suspect a few will be given a chance on Friday and the fittest and best will survive .

Watching Port Adelaide tonight, I saw quite a few young blokes running around like Wingard and Wines who tend to negate the philosophy that young players all need to be eased into the big time. I suspect a few will be given a chance on Friday and the fittest and best will survive .

Yep. I agree with Roos' philosophy when applied to first year players. Especially if the team has been as bad as we have been of late. I think for young JKH and Salem we put up plenty of hurdles and make them clear them all so we really know they are ready. But Toumpas, Kent, Viney as second year boys and Hogan as a guy with the club for a year and dominated VFL well there's no reason to hold them back in practice matches. If they are fit then we know they have talent lets get them out there.

By the way. John Butcher. I know Trengove hasn't set the world on fire but I'm glad we didn't draft Butcher and Scully. Yuck.

Not Jack Viney. He served it up to Freo last year when we were getting monstered by 100 points. That kid doesn't need VFL. What he does need is protecting his body by plenty of time forward or on a wing and maybe still a week off or some part in the subs (on or off) at some stage.

Toumpas might need VFL it's just a matter of how well he's tracking in the AFL. He looks set to play high half forward a lot under Roos probably with only brief stints in the midfield. If he's playing well enough and improving I don't see any need for him to go back to Casey. But at the same time if Kent, Blease and Salem are dominating Casey and can play the same role in the team it might be best to share the games.

Agree with you on playing Viney, he needs to play AFL football as does Hogan. These guys are natural competitors. I don't think it will matter where you play Jack, he will always put his body on the line. Just let him loose.

Collingwood and Essendon have lost twice each

Enjoying the NAB challenge

Collingwood and Essendon in the bottom half of the ladder. I like to see that!

Hawthorn 2 - - 272 76 357.9 8

Adelaide 2 - - 218 120 181.7 8

West Coast 1 - - 148 64 231.3 4

Sydney 1 - - 115 75 153.3 4

Western Bulldogs 1 - - 67 56 119.6 4

Richmond 1 1 208 174 119.5 4

Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4

Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4

Carlton 1 1 - 161 192 83.8 4

Port Adelaide 1 1 - 149 184 81.0 4

Gold Coast 1 1 - 149 195 75.4 4

Brisbane 1 1 - 129 213 60.6 4

Essendon - 2 - 154 180 85.5 0

St. Kilda - 1 - 56 67 83.6 0

Collingwood - 2 -178 228 78.1 0

North Melbourne - 2 - 146 218 67.0 0

GWS Giants - 1 - 75 115 65.2 0

Fremantle - 1 - 64 148 43.2 0

^^^^

Jack, will the ladder extend to the practice matches next weekend?

^^^^

Jack, will the ladder extend to the practice matches next weekend?

That might be a bit of a problem because WCE play the Dockers in their practice match and they've already played them one. Therefore, it might affect the statistical integrity of the ladder. On the other hand, this is the AFL ---

Hawthorn 2 - - 272 76 357.9 8

Adelaide 2 - - 218 120 181.7 8

West Coast 1 - - 148 64 231.3 4

Sydney 1 - - 115 75 153.3 4

Richmond 1 1 208 174 119.5 4

Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4

Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4

Western Bulldogs 1 1 - 136 153 88.9 4

Carlton 1 1 - 161 192 83.8 4

Port Adelaide 1 1 - 149 184 81.0 4

Gold Coast 1 1 - 149 195 75.4 4

Fremantle 1 1 - 161 217 74.2 4

Brisbane 1 1 - 129 213 60.6 4

Essendon - 2 - 154 180 85.5 0

St. Kilda - 1 - 56 67 83.6 0

Collingwood - 2 -178 228 78.1 0

North Melbourne - 2 - 146 218 67.0 0

GWS Giants - 1 - 75 115 65.2 0

We moved up a place on the ladder tonight thanks to the demise of the Bulldogs who were very patchy tonight. They do have some good young players but they rely on a fairly longish list of more experienced hands as well. The commentators all rave about the Doggies but I reckon that when their younger brigade matures, there will also be a lot of retirements as well. I don't think they are as good as the pundits are claiming.

It's also good to see the Giants in their rightful place on the ladder even at this early stage and they don't have Scully in the team for their next game so they have no chance in the absence of their $1m champion.

No sign of Sylvia tonight ?

No sign of Sylvia tonight ?

See the Colin Sylvia thread. Concussed at training. Failed the cognitive tests through the week according to Ross Lyon. Insert your joke here.....

Josh Kennedy training with them on loan ?

Thanks buddy.

Now that the drug enquiry has been released will Essendon have enough [non-implicated] players available to field a team in Round 1?

Now that the drug enquiry has been released will Essendon have enough [non-implicated] players available to field a team in Round 1?

Somebody's come up with the idea that whenever Essendon gets mentioned until such time (if any) they're cleared of wrongdoing, there should be an asterisk next to their name so I'm going to follow that with our exclusive unofficial NAB Challenge ladder:

Hawthorn 2 - - 272 76 357.9 8

West Coast 2 - - 220 101 217.8 8

Adelaide 2 - - 218 120 181.7 8

Richmond 1 1 208 174 119.5 4

Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4

Sydney 1 1 - 152 147 103.4 4

Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4

Western Bulldogs 1 1 - 136 153 88.9 4

Carlton 1 1 - 161 192 83.8 4

Port Adelaide 1 1 - 149 184 81.0 4

Gold Coast 1 1 - 149 195 75.4 4

Fremantle 1 1 - 161 217 74.2 4

Brisbane 1 1 - 129 213 60.6 4

Essendon * - 2 - 154 180 85.5 0

St. Kilda - 1 - 56 67 83.6 0

Collingwood - 2 -178 228 78.1 0

North Melbourne - 2 - 146 218 67.0 0

GWS Giants - 1 - 75 115 65.2 0

To those detractors of this concept, let me say that this is the second consecutive improvement in a Melbourne's ladder position - something that hasn't happened for a while and we haven't played for almost two weeks.

We will be top four on Friday night!

We will be top four on Friday night!

Not quite top four but I suppose if you said that after playing last year's 5th and 2nd teams, you would have 1 winand 1 loss with a %age over 100% you would take it every time:

Hawthorn 2 - - 272 76 357.9 8

West Coast 2 - - 220 101 217.8 8

Adelaide 2 - - 218 120 181.7 8

Geelong 2 - - 201 186 108.1 8

Richmond 1 1 208 174 119.5 4

Sydney 1 1 - 152 147 103.4 4

Melbourne 1 1 - 182 181 100.6 4

Western Bulldogs 1 1 - 136 153 88.9 4

Carlton 1 1 - 161 192 83.8 4

Port Adelaide 1 1 - 149 184 81.0 4

Gold Coast 1 1 - 149 195 75.4 4

Fremantle 1 1 - 161 217 74.2 4

Brisbane 1 1 - 129 213 60.6 4

Essendon * - 2 - 154 180 85.5 0

St. Kilda - 1 - 56 67 83.6 0

Collingwood - 2 -178 228 78.1 0

North Melbourne - 2 - 146 218 67.0 0

GWS Giants - 1 - 75 115 65.2 0

So we'll finish the NAB Challenge inside the top 8.

By golly those Giants look good without Voldemort!

By golly those Giants look good without Voldemort!

Deplorable standard of football all round.

The Aints are being smashed.

Is this game a good sign for us come round 1 or simply a reflection of A certain player's influence on the side?

And there you have it folks. The Hawks are NAB Challenge unofficial champions for 2014. GWS and Melbourne who some suggest will finish bottom two, both make the eight. The Saints get the wooden spoon.

Hawthorn 2 - - 272 76 357.9 8

West Coast 2 - - 220 101 217.8 8

Adelaide 2 - - 218 120 181.7 8

Geelong 2 - - 201 186 108.1 8

Richmond 1 1 208 174 119.5 4

GWS Giants 1 1 - 214 190 112.6 4

Sydney 1 1 - 152 147 103.4 4

Melbourne 1 1 - 182 181 100.6 4

Western Bulldogs 1 1 - 136 153 88.9 4

Carlton 1 1 - 161 192 83.8 4

Port Adelaide 1 1 - 149 184 81.0 4

Gold Coast 1 1 - 149 195 75.4 4

Fremantle 1 1 - 161 217 74.2 4

Brisbane 1 1 - 129 213 60.6 4

Essendon * - 2 - 154 180 85.5 0

Collingwood - 2 -178 228 78.1 0

North Melbourne - 2 - 146 218 67.0 0

St. Kilda - 2 - 131 206 63.6 0

* not that it matters but this position might change after ASADA issues it's final report on the supplements scandal.

And there you have it folks. The Hawks are NAB Challenge unofficial champions for 2014. GWS and Melbourne who some suggest will finish bottom two, both make the eight. The Saints get the wooden spoon.

Hawthorn 2 - - 272 76 357.9 8

West Coast 2 - - 220 101 217.8 8

Adelaide 2 - - 218 120 181.7 8

Geelong 2 - - 201 186 108.1 8

Richmond 1 1 208 174 119.5 4

GWS Giants 1 1 - 214 190 112.6 4

Sydney 1 1 - 152 147 103.4 4

Melbourne 1 1 - 182 181 100.6 4

Western Bulldogs 1 1 - 136 153 88.9 4

Carlton 1 1 - 161 192 83.8 4

Port Adelaide 1 1 - 149 184 81.0 4

Gold Coast 1 1 - 149 195 75.4 4

Fremantle 1 1 - 161 217 74.2 4

Brisbane 1 1 - 129 213 60.6 4

Essendon * - 2 - 154 180 85.5 0

Collingwood - 2 -178 228 78.1 0

North Melbourne - 2 - 146 218 67.0 0

St. Kilda - 2 - 131 206 63.6 0

* not that it matters but this position might change after ASADA issues it's final report on the supplements scandal.

The AFL would probably just say they finished ninth ...

The AFL would probably just say they finished ninth ...

Nah, 15th - they're not allowed to win anything, including a wooden spoon.

Besides, Saints won that fair & square.

If that were offered as the end of season ladder I'd definitely take it! MFC in the top 8 and Collingwood and Essendon in the bottom 4.

I'm happy that we are playing 3teams that finished in the top 5 last year and will all in my opinion be up there again and so far, we have held our own. It's a long season and we appear to have depth in all 3 sections of the ground. I'm really looking forward to this season for the first time in a long time.

I'm glad our praccy games were against top 8 teams. Gives us proper experimentation with our game plan against proven teams, rather than lower-tiered teams without the same class.

Will help in the long term.

I'm glad our praccy games were against top 8 teams. Gives us proper experimentation with our game plan against proven teams, rather than lower-tiered teams without the same class.

Will help in the long term.

Except a lower team on the rise might sometimes have been a better test. I think Geelong were a quality team on paper playing at a decent intensity (maybe 75%). Richmond (with no Maric, Riewoldt etc) were an ok team on paper playing at about 60%. Overall I agree we've had a reasonable test with the biggest yet to come against the hawks.