I'm staring to get the feeling that the Russian May retire this year. Clearly his body is failing him in terms of playing AFL.

Refreshing to hear that he is still alive

Refreshing to hear that he is still alive

Forgotten and almost gone!

There is no problem with Clark's foot. At all. It's his legs becoming accustomed to increased workloads, which has caused some minor soft tissue concerns. He has to very slowly ramp up his work-rate.

that makes sense after such a long layoff.

I honestly believe that we should play Hogan at CHB for the bulk of the year. Could be better there that Glan Jakovich was, could swing forward anyday.

With Fitzy, Clark/resting ruckman, Dawes and Howe there we will be too top heavy. Will put less pressure on him, he would learn a lot from the likes of Brown and Riewoldt and teamed with Chip, Tommy Mac and Judy, they will make a fierce defensive unit.

I honestly believe that we should play Hogan at CHB for the bulk of the year. Could be better there that Glan Jakovich was, could swing forward anyday.

With Fitzy, Clark/resting ruckman, Dawes and Howe there we will be too top heavy. Will put less pressure on him, he would learn a lot from the likes of Brown and Riewoldt and teamed with Chip, Tommy Mac and Judy, they will make a fierce defensive unit.

Would, Hogan, Frawley, Dunn, Garland, Mcdonald be too top heavy? i'd rather play Hogan Clark or Dawes and have fitzy breathing down their necks

Would, Hogan, Frawley, Dunn, Garland, Mcdonald be too top heavy? i'd rather play Hogan Clark or Dawes and have fitzy breathing down their necks

Dunn would be little more than depth IMO, Garland can play tall or small.

FWIW I thought Hogan played well in the intra club a couple of weeks ago. I didn't get to this recent one, but he did some very good things in the previous intra club, so it surprises me to hear people say he shouldn't play rd 1.

Dunn would be little more than depth IMO, Garland can play tall or small.

Underestimating Dunn this season I think. Never been a great fan but I think he is now in a space where he has a mature mind, a strong body, has learnt much about the game and his own limitations. I think under Roos he may have his best season ever probably off half back, occasionally going forward for the odd goal. I like him as a run with stopper, with a big body but I don't think he will be used that way this year.

Underestimating Dunn this season I think. Never been a great fan but I think he is now in a space where he has a mature mind, a strong body, has learnt much about the game and his own limitations. I think under Roos he may have his best season ever probably off half back, occasionally going forward for the odd goal. I like him as a run with stopper, with a big body but I don't think he will be used that way this year.

I hope that you are right and I am wrong, but the cheap elbow against the Tigers makes me question the mature mind side of things.

On Dunn though, like Garland, he has the ability to play tall or small having done both many times in the past

Just posted some pics from the intraclub match on my site

The Aussie Word

They look so fresh, rejuvenated and ready for a challenge!

Underestimating Dunn this season I think. Never been a great fan but I think he is now in a space where he has a mature mind, a strong body, has learnt much about the game and his own limitations. I think under Roos he may have his best season ever probably off half back, occasionally going forward for the odd goal. I like him as a run with stopper, with a big body but I don't think he will be used that way this year.

we'll see, after his put under real pressure by good sides, when we're are a threat to them. they'll start trying.

Just posted some pics from the intraclub match on my site

The Aussie Word

They look so fresh, rejuvenated and ready for a challenge!

I did not recognize half those players.

I honestly believe that we should play Hogan at CHB for the bulk of the year.

No

Just no

Just on this 'Hogan not ready for Rd 1' stuff...

We do have over a month to go and practice games against Geelong and Hawthorn...

This period we are in now - this period is the 'getting ready for Rd 1 period.'

If he is playing in this period, he is going to be a chance for Rd 1.

As I posted earlier in this thread, if hogan plays the next two games and plays well, then of course he will play round1. IMO from what I saw Thursday, I though we was a long way off both in fitness and form. I hope I am wrong. A fit and firing Jess Hogan would be very exciting. If his form and fitness is just mediocre though, I would ease him in via Casey rather than having him find form on the big stage like another of our gun 18 year olds. remember him? That Jack Watts fellow. Put him back three years by mishandling his introduction to the big time.

Even some of the impatient bods on here might concede that may have been a mistake, and maybe, just maybe we shouldn't repeat it with Hogan. Or is that asking too much. In Roos I trust.....

Or is that asking too much. In Roos I trust.....

As you should. I was fortunate enough to chat to ROOOOSY for 5-10 minutes earlier in the week and he is scathing of how our young talent was previously treated.

As you should. I was fortunate enough to chat to ROOOOSY for 5-10 minutes earlier in the week and he is scathing of how our young talent was previously treated.

I expect implicit in that was also how our older players were treated, ie, they were not played or were prematurely discarded despite being in the best 22, apparently because they were no longer part of the 'future' and were taking up spots that could be filled by our young talent.

This approach clearly did the young talent no favours. And was otherwise naive/stupid thinking in the extreme.

How did Evans go today, i have not seen his name mentioned much at all lately.

Poor again. Not close to calculations for our best 22.

But Terlich will be the only one who will play round 1 IMHO. I think it will be:

FB. Georgiou (who was again very good). Frawley Dunn

HB: Michie. McDonald. Grimes

I expect Strauss to play round 1. Michie has not gone near a back flank so far. Georgiou has been very good but I worry having him, Dunn, Frawley, T'Mac we are too top heavy. I would like to see him play on a small against Geelong and Hawthorn to see how flexible he is.

I expect Strauss to play round 1. Michie has not gone near a back flank so far. Georgiou has been very good but I worry having him, Dunn, Frawley, T'Mac we are too top heavy. I would like to see him play on a small against Geelong and Hawthorn to see how flexible he is.

I'm with brfe here. I'm a georgiou fan but I don't think he will play r1 unless there is another injury.

Frawley, McDonald, grimes, terlich, Dunn and I believe it will be Strauss. To mention michie in the back line is ridiculous. He hasn't trained anywhere near there the whole preseason. The other thing is stkilda won't have a tall forward line so medium backs will be the go. If roosy wants another backup back then georgiou would be a chance but I think toumpas would help out back there.

As already mentioned Hogan did a lot of work off the ball with a good work rate. He lead and took defensive numbers with him a few times early which allowed gawn to be one out. Gawn took 3 early marks 1v1 close to goal because of hogans work rate. Hogan was also in the weaker team imo so had to work harder. He will play r1 in a pocket. Fitz will start ff with Dawes chf imo. Pederson may also get a go to help out at both ends.

Most the team is picked imo for r1 barring injury.

Mids jones, Vince, cross, michie, watts, trenners, Tyson, toumpas will all play. Imo viney and m jones will play as well

Frawley, McDonald, grimes, terlich, Dunn and I believe it will be Strauss.

I suspect this is close. I like Clisby, but for whatever reason he seems to be behind at the moment and apparently didn't impress in the intraclub.

I like Terlich's courage, speed and ability to find the footy, but his decision making is a concern and he has an excellent capacity to turn the footy over. And I don't rate Strauss. At all. He panics, makes poor decisions and imo isn't hard enough at the footy. I'd favour Terlich over Strauss. But I do like Georgiou, although he may have to wait.

We rotated 7 through the back-line against Richmond, so I assume it was one of the mids.

All in all though, the competition for spots is the best it's been in a long while and there's cause for optimism.

Dunn would be little more than depth IMO, Garland can play tall or small.

Did you watch Dunn's kickouts last week? First time we had a bloke kicking directly to a team mate and gaining between 40-60 metres each time, instead of the chip to the back pocket and then back to the goal square and then a turnover like we have seen for years.

It allowed us to get out of danger quickly and turn defence into attack.

He also can play back, forward and on the ball. He is very versatile.

No IMO Dunn is in the team.

Poor again. Not close to calculations for our best 22.

I really like Evans, but agree with you. He needs to earn his spot and he hasn't yet.

I expect Strauss to play round 1. Michie has not gone near a back flank so far. Georgiou has been very good but I worry having him, Dunn, Frawley, T'Mac we are too top heavy. I would like to see him play on a small against Geelong and Hawthorn to see how flexible he is.

Strauss was good with his disposal if he was in the clear, but was beaten for the ball in contests most of the time. That really worries me.

Terlich is hard, fast, but capable of the odd very bad clanger. Then again last week he wasn't alone.

I really like Evans...

Not up to it.

Not up to it.

Think he might prove you wrong.