Akum after the last seven years I am so fragile I make glass look like steel.

I desperately need a victory in the first game.

I agree with rjay the only stat that matters to me is the final one on the score board

Simile. Right BBO?

didnt see it coming....you ?

It is what it is bb

2 players who I always see taking intercept marks between the 50's are Brendan Goddard and Dyson Heppel, but these blokes aren't afraid to put their bodies in front of opposition forwards and take a grab, hopefully Watts can show a bit of that this year.

Are you joking?

Watts has been doing that consistently, and well, for years and it is disingenous to suggest Watts won't take a pack mark.

Are you joking?

Watts has been doing that consistently, and well, for years and it is disingenous to suggest Watts won't take a pack mark.

agreed

Watts consistently takes good pack marks.

Edited March 5, 201411 yr by DeeZee

Are you joking?

Watts has been doing that consistently, and well, for years and it is disingenous to suggest Watts won't take a pack mark.

Somebody being disingenuous on Demonland, I tell you "I'm shocked!"

Are you joking?

Watts has been doing that consistently, and well, for years and it is disingenous to suggest Watts won't take a pack mark.

For years, you make it sound like he is a ten year veteran, half of his small career has been spent in the forward 50, so I don't think he has been taking defence intercept marks 'for years'. That's right....intercept marks, not, pack marks, get it right.

Are you joking?

Watts has been doing that consistently, and well, for years and it is disingenous to suggest Watts won't take a pack mark.

And tell me why Jack is constantly being referred to by opposition supporters as a soft [censored]?

It's more usually Melbourne supporters that make that comment JVF !!!

With all our decent key forwards out injured (Clark, Dawes, Hogan), the midfield will need to step up and produce what the preseason has promised. We need competitive two way running and to hold possession of the ball. We can win this match easily if the midfield does it's job. If the midfield don't put the effort in, then it's just as easy we could lose to the Saints, which would be a disaster considering their injuries and poor list.

These are the kind of games we need to comfortably control this year.

Edited March 6, 201411 yr by Lord Travis

I can't picture the Saints playing as well as Richmond were a few weeks back, and we beat them without a forward line.

Howe makes a great forward anyway, and JKH will be champing at the bit to prove himself on AFL debut. Roosy would have a fall back plan well in place for this situation.

For years, you make it sound like he is a ten year veteran, half of his small career has been spent in the forward 50, so I don't think he has been taking defence intercept marks 'for years'. That's right....intercept marks, not, pack marks, get it right.

At risk of breaching the old rule about not arguing with fools, Watts is a very good pack mark up forward and an equally good floating backman. I did get it right.

People call him a soft [censored] because he often looks like he is being lazy and doesn't lay a great tackle, which is a completely different issue.

B: Georgiou - Frawley - Dunn

HB: Grimes - McDonald - Terlich

C: Watts - N Jones - Trengove

HF: Michie - Pedersen - Toumpas

F: Fitzpatrick - Howe - Kennedy-Harris

Foll: Spencer - Tyson - Vince

I/c: McKenzie - Blease - Cross

Sub: Viney

Emerg: Byrnes - Clisby - Strauss

??

We are looking pretty light on for talls.

Dunn has the versatility and experience to be swung forward, but no doubt we will have to play a game based around retention and use of the ball.

Very interested to see what Roos does with an underdone Viney - I guess on a lot will depend on how he goes this week against the premiers - and whether JKH or the experience of Byrnes is preferred as the small forward.

Geez it's not the line up I was hoping for, missing all three of our tall targets and my preferred starting ruckmen (Jamar, Gawn).

Big Fitz has become even more important than expected!

Not confident at all any more.

With Dawes and Hogan I was pretty confident, with only Hogan, still confident, without both....

Don't forget we still have Watts available who can play up forward... against the Saints we may be able to afford that luxury as our midfield should still be more than capable.

At risk of breaching the old rule about not arguing with fools, Watts is a very good pack mark up forward and an equally good floating backman. I did get it right.

People call him a soft [censored] because he often looks like he is being lazy and doesn't lay a great tackle, which is a completely different issue.

No, Watts isn't a good pack mark, unless he gets a run at it and can use his leap from behind, and even then there will nearly always only be one other player involved. Jostling, bustling among a group of 3 or more and then dragging down the mark isn't Watts go at all. So I suppose it depends on your definition, but I certainly don't consider Watts a good pack mark. He has done it, against Richmond a few years ago and possibly Freo, but it's an absolute rarity.

And no, I don't call Watts soft because of his tackling and laziness. There have been many reasons articulated over the years and most of it revolves around his hesitancy in certain high marking situations, which expose ones midriff, etc.

No, Watts isn't a good pack mark, unless he gets a run at it and can use his leap from behind, and even then there will nearly always only be one other player involved. Jostling, bustling among a group of 3 or more and then dragging down the mark isn't Watts go at all. So I suppose it depends on your definition, but I certainly don't consider Watts a good pack mark. He has done it, against Richmond a few years ago and possibly Freo, but it's an absolute rarity.

And no, I don't call Watts soft because of his tackling and laziness. There have been many reasons articulated over the years and most of it revolves around his hesitancy in certain high marking situations, which expose ones midriff, etc.

He took a few nice pack marks against the Dogs last year, think before you post.

Not confident at all any more.

With Dawes and Hogan I was pretty confident, with only Hogan, still confident, without both....

The game is played and won in the midfield.. And our full strength midfield should dominate their injury riddled midfield. Im sure we'd all feel a little more at ease of Hoges was playing.. But keep in mind, he did not play against richmond and only kicked the 1 goal against cats.. And I actually think our ball movement against richmond was better. I noticed i think it was Cross post match said that "the players didn't have that bail out kick to a tall target, so they lowered their eyes to hit up shorter targets" .. I think If we play like that, obviously in etihad's dry conditions, we should pick apart saints' inexperienced midfield. Dees by 31pts

Not confident at all any more.

With Dawes and Hogan I was pretty confident, with only Hogan, still confident, without both....

Saints wont stop Howe and Fitzy

Don't forget we still have Watts available who can play up forward... against the Saints we may be able to afford that luxury as our midfield should still be more than capable.

Agreed.

Watts was excellent in the last home and away game last year V's Bulldogs as a key forward.

Kicked 4.0 and his set shots for goal were immaculate.

I think Watts should play in the forward line in the first month.

Edited March 6, 201411 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

They don't have a midfield. We don't have a forward line.

I know what I would prefer

They don't have a midfield. We don't have a forward line.

I know what I would prefer

Not sure I would agree with that, we may have one below our best options but I would still say it is as good as the Saints will put on the park.

He took a few nice pack marks against the Dogs last year, think before you post.

He doesn't take "pack" marks, sook.

They don't have a midfield. We don't have a forward line.

I know what I would prefer

Fitzy, Pederson, howe, Kennedy- Harris and maybe Dawes if you believe the club, Dunn could swin forward too, we have enough to kick a winning score, we can't fall into the trap of relying on Hogan to kick bags already and we certainly can't rely on Clark, when he plays he plays.

Fitzy, Pederson, howe, Kennedy- Harris and maybe Dawes if you believe the club, Dunn could swin forward too, we have enough to kick a winning score, we can't fall into the trap of relying on Hogan to kick bags already and we certainly can't rely on Clark, when he plays he plays.

I tend to agree with you D26, for me the really sad part is I now have to consider Perdersen will be a regular this year.

As for Clark that is in the lap of the gods and even they are struggling