11 hours ago, Vagg said:

So, to remove Watts, they first needed to find the right Lever, huh?!  LOL

Fozzy Bear would be proud of you Barry!

Anybody watch Dom Tyson?

How did he go? He has had a good preseason right?

4 minutes ago, jackaub said:

Anybody watch Dom Tyson?

How did he go? He has had a good preseason right?

He's injured.

31 minutes ago, jackaub said:

Anybody watch Dom Tyson?

How did he go? He has had a good preseason right?

Didn't get a kick, on that form he can stay injured.

2 hours ago, don't make me angry said:

There is so much depth, good players will miss out.

Good problem to have.

We have waited in misery for years to enjoy problems like this.

One of the best parts of this game was not having to watch Jack Watts. I've always wanted him to succeed and loved his skills . I also hope he does well at Port Adelaide.

But on the weekend I could just watch the game see all the players playing to their abilities and not have to worry and hope that Jack played a good one.

Win or lose it’s going to make this year a little more relaxing

Interesting about all the "depth comments". Much the same was said at this time last year and yet when the injuries hit our depth was shown to be lacking.

Brayshaw and Frost are a cut above the VFL and rightly challenge for inclusion as does Pederson but the rest of our fringe players are yet to show that they can play at AFL level. When the likes of JKH, Maynard, White etc were included last year they failed to impress.

Perhaps 2018 will be different.

1 minute ago, deesrule said:

One of the best parts of this game was not having to watch Jack Watts. I've always wanted him to succeed and loved his skills . I also hope he does well at Port Adelaide.

But on the weekend I could just watch the game see all the players playing to their abilities and not have to worry and hope that Jack played a good one.

Win or lose it’s going to make this year a little more relaxing

didnt show much in jlt game just his usual potential,just one more pre season,col sends his regards

2 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Saty did not miss the point, you have overlooked it.

Would you care to enlighten me then?

I have no idea what it is and how it relates to my original post.

Edited February 27, 20187 yr by Watts the matter

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Interesting about all the "depth comments". Much the same was said at this time last year and yet when the injuries hit our depth was shown to be lacking.

Brayshaw and Frost are a cut above the VFL and rightly challenge for inclusion as does Pederson but the rest of our fringe players are yet to show that they can play at AFL level. When the likes of JKH, Maynard, White etc were included last year they failed to impress.

Perhaps 2018 will be different.

I think it's because guys like Harmes, ANB, Hannan and too a less extent Melksham and Salem, have gone from being regarded as depth/fringe to best 22, while we've only really lost 1 best 22 player in Watts. Of the 3 you listed only JHK was seen as depth last year the others were developing. Honestly this year I think our fringe/depth players are - Brayshaw, Stretch, Peds, J.Smith, T.Smith, Keilty, Maynard, Kent, Frost, AVB, JHK, Balic, Dion and Wagner (I haven't included the rookies, or projects like Flipper). Which means we've potentially got a core of around 20/21, and then hope that those right on the fringe set up and force their way in like Harmes/ANB. Realistically our core last year might have only been around 16/17 plus the fringe. 

3 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Fozzy Bear would be proud of you Barry!

Nice!  That gives me a warm and Fozzy feeling!

16 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Sorry ifor this has been pointed out before, but I recon Tommy Mac might have been robbed of a great goal on Saturday.  That one he wheels around from the boundary and snaps.  Comentators said he missed and goal umpire flags a behind (Fox didn't show the hand signals that preceeded), but I thought at the time and have confirmed via freeze frame on the replay tonight that the ball clearly goes the right side of the post for a goal.  The only possibly was that it might have skimed the post, but there isn't any obvious deflection.

Mighty good shot at goal regardless and big Tommy is certainly showing some good forward line skills.  Bring it on (again) in the season proper I say.

My Thought was it hit the post. The guy standing under it with The white hat probably got it right. If it was Rhoden, he definitely got it right.

It is now proven that I can predict the future, so with that in mind after our excellent performance in Tassie I predict we will beat the Saints in JLT2 by 47 points.

PS:- I thought it was a goal too.

14 hours ago, Watts the matter said:

Well I didn't, but clearly this conversation is going to go around in circles. 

FYI, I said "If the team was picked for round 1 now on merit, he would not be in the side."

There's two parts to this that most posters would be able to comprehend. The first is that is if it was picked now, which it isn't. If you can't see the difference between the two statements then I give up. There is still another game to go and I hope he has a great game.

The second is that based on merit, I have seen you come out and repeat the cliches from the club over the preseason when people argued the merit behind some players getting picked despite limited form in the VFL last season, so we'll just leave it at that.

 

They are not cliches from the club, it is my opinion based on reading info and talking to players and coaches

On merit? Means he doesn't deserve a game, no?

4 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Interesting about all the "depth comments". Much the same was said at this time last year and yet when the injuries hit our depth was shown to be lacking.

Brayshaw and Frost are a cut above the VFL and rightly challenge for inclusion as does Pederson but the rest of our fringe players are yet to show that they can play at AFL level. When the likes of JKH, Maynard, White etc were included last year they failed to impress.

Perhaps 2018 will be different.

I'm not over the moon about our depth and I think depth in general is a little overrated. Most teams have similar players in the 25-32 range who aren't regulars for a reason. Injuries to top players are very hard to cover, injuries to middle tier players are best covered by the top guys still playing well!

One thing that impacts how depth players are viewed is more mature depth players are often given little patience by the fans. I know I do that. The inherent bias is they are no good so you're waiting for them to stuff up. Where as younger players are often viewed positively when they come in. For example Dean Kent and Dion Johnstone could both come in and play the same game on a forward flank and Kent would be labelled a failure and DJ a success. Similarly the young guy might get a few weeks to prove himself whilst the older guy gets 1 or 2 games.

Our list isn't really full of young kids so I think we'll at least have a variety of options if they stay healthy and there's about 6  or so who played on the weekend who might miss round 1 and have something to offer - Wagner, Brayshaw/Vince, Maynard, Stretch, Pedersen, and one of the small forwards. I'm also very keen to see Spargo, Baker, Joel Smith, DJ and Balic start playing some footy at Casey.

Until Stretch improves his kicking for goal he remains a depth player only. That Geelong loss last year still gives me nightmares.

5 hours ago, deesrule said:

One of the best parts of this game was not having to watch Jack Watts. I've always wanted him to succeed and loved his skills . I also hope he does well at Port Adelaide.

But on the weekend I could just watch the game see all the players playing to their abilities and not have to worry and hope that Jack played a good one.

Win or lose it’s going to make this year a little more relaxing

I agree. As someone who was firmly in the keep Jack Watts camp you watch that game on the weekend and realise that we now have a team where everyone will ‘go’ when it is their turn. It is easy to see why he was not considered a wanted player. 

Part of my thing was just hoping Jack would string together a whole season of his best games just to shut up all those who gave him such grief. Not to be unfortunately.

I was one who long held out hopes for Jack. Waiting waiting waiting for him to throw the switch to "grunt" mode.

Slowly it became clear it wasn't going to happen. When he was traded I was sad but understood why.

From the AFL web site. Review of the WCE-Port practice match:

"Ex-Demons forward Jack Watts (one goal) did some clever things despite only having nine touches".

That could describe nearly every game he ever played for us.

5 kicks 4 handpasses 2 marks 1 goal. A very typical JW game.

In our match, only 3 players got fewer touches and one of them (Lewis) played 1 quarter.

Sad, but such is life football.

Com on folks, let’s not. Just focus on our current and enjoy it.

If anyone has any lingering doubts about Salem's worth, consider this:  "Salem gathered 19 disposals at 84.2 per cent efficiency, winning five clearances and contributing two goal assists in a standout performance". (vs North in JLT1)

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-27/bulkedup-dee-set-to-make-his-midfield-mark

Regardless, of how efficiency is measured, 84.2% for a whole game is damn impressive.  That my friends is what consistency looks like.  From the outset I've been an unwavering Salem fan and just can't wait for this season to unfold with his best.

I really like his no fanfare view of the year:   Salem said it would be up to him, Christian Petracca, Angus Brayshaw, Clayton Oliver and Jayden Hunt to decide whether Melbourne is a legitimate finals contender in 2018... "We're all a year older… I think a lot of the boys are ready to take that step up. We've all put in a lot of work but now it's time to perform," he said.

Yep, time to perform!  And I reckon they will!

8 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

I'm not over the moon about our depth and I think depth in general is a little overrated. Most teams have similar players in the 25-32 range who aren't regulars for a reason. Injuries to top players are very hard to cover, injuries to middle tier players are best covered by the top guys still playing well!

One thing that impacts how depth players are viewed is more mature depth players are often given little patience by the fans. I know I do that. The inherent bias is they are no good so you're waiting for them to stuff up. Where as younger players are often viewed positively when they come in. For example Dean Kent and Dion Johnstone could both come in and play the same game on a forward flank and Kent would be labelled a failure and DJ a success. Similarly the young guy might get a few weeks to prove himself whilst the older guy gets 1 or 2 games.

Our list isn't really full of young kids so I think we'll at least have a variety of options if they stay healthy and there's about 6  or so who played on the weekend who might miss round 1 and have something to offer - Wagner, Brayshaw/Vince, Maynard, Stretch, Pedersen, and one of the small forwards. I'm also very keen to see Spargo, Baker, Joel Smith, DJ and Balic start playing some footy at Casey.

Agree with alot of this.  I'm just hoping those second tier/depth players and up and comming stars like Petracca will be a step further physically developed and go the whole distance this season.  Our season last year was somewhat wrecked by injuries to star players (and to a certain extent the mis-management there of) at the wrong time of the season, but also a general fade out and inability of the emerging younger players like ANB, Hunt, Harmes, Oscar, Frost, Salem and others to produce at a high intensity for the whole season.  I guess I'm also hoping that the further development of guys like Trac, Oliver, Viney, Hogan, Salem and Brashaw that have the potential to be A graders out strips the drop off of guys like Jones, Vince and Lewis.  Gawn is a proven A grader when he's fit and in form, but I felt he was effectivly only a B grade player for most of the second half of last season when he came back.

Melksham only found his vibe in the back half of last year, but looks primed to rip in from the get go this year (I'm remembering all the winnable losses at the start of last season) The other guy that has potential to add depth that didn't quite ready and didn't really get the opportunity to do so last year is Maynard.

All up though, I'm not counting too much off the back of JLT games though.  I also remember dominating and toying with a close to full strength Carlton in a JLT game, only to fight and struggle to get a win against them in the season proper when it actually counts.

On 27/02/2018 at 12:53 AM, Deestroy All said:

100% looked a goal on TV. 

And everything on TV is true. 

Watched it again, definitely hit the inside of the post. 

 

Also every ball that went Oliver’s way went to his feet or the grass, on another day would’ve had 45 disposals. 

Majak Daw knows how to defend: Scott Thompson
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/afl/majak-daw-knows-how-to-defend-scott-thompson-20180305-p4z2w5.html

All I can say is that I'm hopeful Daw lines up in the backline and plays like he did against us in the JLT, when we play them in the home and away.  Jessy Hogan and Tommy Mac would be liking their lips at the thought of the ensuing goal fest.

On 27/02/2018 at 6:44 PM, Mazer Rackham said:

I was one who long held out hopes for Jack. Waiting waiting waiting for him to throw the switch to "grunt" mode.

Slowly it became clear it wasn't going to happen. When he was traded I was sad but understood why.

From the AFL web site. Review of the WCE-Port practice match:

"Ex-Demons forward Jack Watts (one goal) did some clever things despite only having nine touches".

That could describe nearly every game he ever played for us.

5 kicks 4 handpasses 2 marks 1 goal. A very typical JW game.

In our match, only 3 players got fewer touches and one of them (Lewis) played 1 quarter.

Sad, but such is life football.

Interesting post. Yep Jw had his haters but on the whole many fans really wanted to see him succeed and many saddened by his departure.

Now hes gone ...despite him playing some very good footy in the last 2 seasons... I cant believe how patient most of us were.

In the cold light of day(and I know he used the ball so well).. his stats are very low. ...he will never be a great player. I think at the end of the day the club has done the right thing.