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Coll have 5 wins against the current bottom 6 with Melb being the other team plus win against Ess 10th Coll have played 2 team in current top 8 and have lost twice. with the other loss being Gee 12th Melb have played 1 team in current bottom 6 beating GCS 17th Melb have played 6 of current top 8 winning 1 game. WB 9th the other win. Therefore Coll have had dream draw compared to Melb and have beaten nobody. Melb by 1 or 100 points

I just don't understand our selections this year: Tyson misses two weeks and has to return through Casey. Viney misses six weeks and is fit enough to play AFL, but only fit enough to play as sub. Newton is dropped twice in a month and recalled the following week twice without playing a game at Casey. Michie and Riley come in and out of the team on a weekly basis without seemingly doing much wrong in the AFL or anything different at Casey. Fitzpatrick stays in the side even when there is no match up for him. Howe and Lumumba remain undroppable irrespective of lack of form and effort. I would hate to think that either sits higher in Roos' thinking than Grimes given recent performances. Given how ridiculous our sub choices have been this year, I predict that Spencer will be the sub and will be brought on in the third quarter to replace Gawn who doesn't have the fitness to ruck for a full game.

Max King gets his third goal right on the siren as the Scorps score a 22 point win. 2015 AFL Victoria Development League Casey Scorpions 2.3.15 7.6.48 7.10.52 9.11.65 Sandringham 1.3.9 2.4.16 4.7.31 5.13.43 Goals Casey Scorpions King 3 Fisscher Lang 2 Anderson Paredes Sandringham Bazzani Davis Haidon Roos Zijai Best Casey Scorpions Pattison Fritsch Anderson Fisscher Scott Lang Sandringham Zijai Noone Verma Plostins Bazzani Persson . .

I'd love this game to be played as a curtain raiser on QB.

HH (presumably with a straight face) comparing himself to Richard Dawkins. Pure comedy gold. I reckon this thread has officially jumped the shark.

Just do what I do and hate everybody equally.

With all this pessimisim about I thought I'd put things in perspective. I had a look at the difficulty of each side in the bottom 5's draw over the first 9 rounds. I ranked each team based on ladder position as at the end of the regular season in 2014- 1st is 18 points down to 18th getting 1 point. Results are as follows: 14- St Kilda 3 wins / 6 losses / 82% / Draw difficulty: 63 15- Melbourne 3 wins / 6 losses / 72% / Draw difficulty: 99 16- Brisbane 2 wins / 7 losses / 67% / Draw difficulty: 82 17- Gold Coast 1 win / 8 losses / 67% / Draw Difficulty: 70 18- Carlton 1 win / 8 losses / 63% / Draw difficulty: 83 As you can see we have easily had the toughest draw with the Saints having a very easy draw to start the season. Hopefully this relieves some of your stress knowing we are definitely on the right track. I'm predicting 7 wins for the seasons.

Perhaps less than ten left after this year. Lack of leadership was identified early by Neeld. Fortunately the younger brigade of McDonald, Brayshaw, Hogan, Salem etc have it in spades... helps that they can play a bit as well. I've spent a lot of time developing training for the management of critical incidents particularly around decision making and its a very difficult area. Firstly intuition and instinct are two separate things, but you are right in that both apply equally in terms of football. Instinct can't be taught, you are born with it and in a football sense its about the relationship of the player's physical abilities in relation to their environment, so high degree of knowledge and confidence in their physical abilities, peripheral vision, spatial awareness etc are all part of that package. Having an extremely high degree of this (like a Gary Ablett Snr and Jnr) mean that regardless of the team structures you can work your way through most situations and look good. Its also handy because it happens automatically - cognition happens so quickly we can't stop it. Conversely intuition must be learnt, because intuition is recognition. This can also happen automatically, but the results are dependent on perception and like poor instinctive qualities (i.e. having no spatial awareness) can lead to 'suboptimal' results. Klein talks about this as Recognition Primed Decision-making (RPD). But it can have both good and bad results depending on your experience and 'programming'. Coaches develop training drills, based on the game plan and structures they want their players to adhere to. In this way they try to instil a certain level of automaticity into their responses. In effect they are trying to mimic instinct to a certain extent -at least in terms of successful outcomes by developing greater situational awareness than your opponent through predictability and control (execution of skill is something else altogether). Roos made a very poignant observation in his post match conference he mentioned that players weren't adhering to the structures... when we did we were 6 goals up and when one player broke from the regime to go and help a teammate in trouble and so the next player does it and so on and then you have no structure at all and you end up getting belted. He followed this up on Monday night by saying that the coaching department knew what was going wrong and why, but he wouldn't elaborate on it other than the stuff he's said before about mental scarring and list changes etc. What tends to happen in periods of stress like in the Port Adelaide & GWS games when the opposition stop playing one way and start playing another, is that the dominant heuristics (the cognitive shortcuts we develop over time) and automaticity comes to the fore (particularly if they are the easier ones to perform). I refer to this in the training environment as a form of regression - rather than people attending to the priority task that they need to (and is often complicated and hard) they will do the task that is familiar and comfortable because that offers them the greatest individual chance of success irregardless of its benefit to the team. I don't think Roos is making excuses, I think we have so many ingrained bad habits in players that they simply regress to previous form -RPD - something that was either endorsed or tolerated/ignored by previous coaching regimes. Which leads onto a debate about changing coaches...Too often its the cart before the horse in the way clubs go about this. The club should decide on a playing style, philosophy that entire club buys into, and then you find a senior coach that supports that, rather than simply changing direction every two or three years... like Richmond used to do and we have done.

I think it's a cop out to focus on who we've played, when our problem is how we've played. It's too simplistic to say "oh we've played against good teams" etc, when there are clearly problems with our leadership, our match day coaching reaction time, and our implementing of the game plan. It's not just about the win/loss ratio, it's also about how we've lost and how we've won (think of the Bailey era), and at the moment we fold at the first sign of real pressure and our leaders disappear.

Toumpas better get another chance. I'll be annoyed if he is left out.

Jumbo i respect your support for Jack Watts but if was to pick some one that i would want to run out next out of Grimes or Watts i would choose Grimes by the length of the Flemington.

10 Seasons of VFL Football The fact that we have 35,000+ members is a f#%^*ing miracle

Why are Melbourne wearing Freo jumpers tonight??

You're right picket - a dog act - he swallowed it all the way to the elbow as I recall, He had to go and have a lay down immediately after.

100% agree WYL - other sides keep flying past us year after year. There is only one thing I am convinced of - there are 10 or more on our list who are getting games of football at the highest level that are spuds and incapable of improvement. It amazes me that Brayshaw in his first year shows more on and off the field than these 10 or more culprits who have been playing AFL for 5 years or more....it's disgusting and an indictment on those individuals and the club for keeping them too long.

This actually shows what has happened to the club very clearly. Pre 2008 we were coached by the Rev, his mantra was all about out scoring the opposition, we scored highly, made finals most years, but the list got old and footy moved on and needed a more defensive mindset to win. The Rev got the sack (bad decision). 2008-2011 we were coached by Bailey. Bailey worked with the assets we had, which was high scoring ability, and tried to bring in the defensive structures with some effect. We still got beaten up a bit but as the tally for 2011 shows, we were scoring well and getting there with the defensive stuff. We lose one game by a massive margin to possibly one of the best sides ever and Bailey got sacked (another mistake) 2012 is where the whole thing crashes, Neeld was employed as coach (another mistake). Neeld appears to completely ignore any strengths the team has in attack and throws it out the window. We adopt a purely defensive game which the players don't adhere to, and it doesn't work anyway as it is based on Collingwoods game plan from the previous few years, which everyone now knows how to beat. We go throught two years far worse than the others. Neeld is thankfully sacked in 2013 (the right decision) 2014, We have Roos as coach who also lives by the defence first mantra, the difference between Roos and Neeld is that Roos hasn't lost the players and the players buy in. The team throughout 2014 is one of the harder teams to score against, we just have no attack, Neeld and injuries have thrown all attacking forces the club has/had off the ground. 2015, Roos states he will bring a more attacking flair to the club to compliment the stronger defensive side, this has been clearly evident in some of the games, we have however lost some of the defence as the players are still working out how to do both. Are we a better side than 2007? Defensively yes, offensively no, overall, probably not. Are we a better side than the Neeld years, Yes, Yes, and Yes. We are on the up, you just need to know where to look to see it.

We've been competitive in the three games we've won, and for a quarter or so in the three losses to Adelaide, Port & GWS, none of which is better than a middle of the ladder side at present. We were close enough to totally uncompetitive in the losses to the three elite sides, but for a few cheap goals late against Sydney. I don't see how anyone can justify what was served up for two and half quarters against GWS & Port, particularly given that we were well in front in both games. I agree with Stuie - any improvement has come from players we have bought into the club. There has been very little, if any, improvement from players who were here already. I'm yet to be convinced that Mark Neeld wouldn't have coached this team to a 7 - 24 record with the same players, and he was an epic failure.

Really? For a start it's a false dichotomy, however you clearly don't care where the ball goes once it leaves our player. Watts is not the complete footballer but his use is exceptionally good. I just wish he won more of the footy. We'd have a fraction of the turnovers.

Watts has to play if we are to be any chance of winning. Sure, Watts and Toumpas simply do not win enough inside ball and that is what they need to work on. But they have outside polish to help us kick a winning score. The Port capitulation I blame on effort, but I more so blame it on Paul Roos and his coaching staff's team balance. Port are best running midfield in the comp and we needed to win the inside ball. To keep it off them. But instead Roosy dropped two inside mids (Newton and Riley) and made bull Viney sub. We couldn't get our hands on the ball once frontline of Vandenberg, Jones etc. tired. It seems Roos has acknowledged his crucial error of last week and has started all three extra insiders on the park. With them winning it inside, Watts and Toumpas can be handed the ball on the outside and we can push for scoring plays. So my bench is Watts, Grimes, Toumpas, Brayshaw.

What i would give to have Rod run out against the Pies this week......

I loved Rod Grinter hard at it, scrupulously fair a wonderful player! Sigh What I would give to have Rod Grinter and Byron Picket in the side right now! Pretty low act of Terry Wallet trying to eat Rod Grinters Hand but years ago! Very low act indeed!

Frawley gave us next to nothing in his last few years, similar to what Howe is giving us now. FA At least Garland is showing some pride in his performance.

Disagree. Go and read the Adam Goodes thread if you want to get depressed. Oh hang on, you wrote most of it......

Until we decide we have done enough and just stop like we did last week.

I hope you are correct in that he fires up. I can remember him playing as our sole ruckman a few years back when Jamar was injured and did not show a lot. But that is a couple years ago and a couple of knee recos ago. Lets hope Monday is a breakout game

id be amazed if ts 6-7 games

Can you name a list that was as poorly managed and as weak as ours that on was 2 wins and with a percentage 55% that improved quicker than we have in an 18 month period???

I personally think the pies are not that good. Their renowned midfield depth is gone. Swan, Pendles and sidebottom remain and could be the difference but they fall away after that. Pendles is carrying an injury. their defence isnt great, ruck is OK, and forward line OK again with elliot the X factor. They have 8 players injured (/suspended) that are either first 18 or on the fringes I am not saying we are better but I think we are fairly evenly matched. We just have to bring the attitude and hunger and play as a team. The pies play much better team/pressure football

Not sure why we cannot afford to lose Howe. The guy plays 6 -7 good games a year and the rest are tripe. I would trade tomorrow for a good deal.

The night of the '88 prelim, I had the pleasure of sharing a few beers with Balls, the Febey boys and their dad, and Graeme Yeats - yes, even with a GF looming the following week, a number of beers were OK. I was struck by Balls' quiet demeanour, in contrast to what we perceived him to be on the field. A humble bloke who had time to have a chat and a laugh with mere mortals like me. As a side note, in those days I was a smoker. At one point during the evening, Balls leant across to me and whispered, ​'mate, do you mind if I pinch a ciggie of ya?' I duly obliged.

Would be disappointed if Spencer gets the chop. Been rucking quite well and has contributed more in fewer games than Jamar did. I have no idea what the expect on Monday. Actually, I do: a loss.

Which will mean the debate that has been swirling since the hawks fans booed him will continue. Which will please goodes and others who believe the related issues need to be discussed. The beautiful irony is that such debate will frustrate the hell of many of the dimwits who are booing. Another irony if booing continues is that it won't be about playing for free kicks.Well played adam

A lot is made of how tough Balls was, but he was also an extremely skillful player. Our halfback line in the late 80's of B.Lovett, G.Lyon and R.Grinter was the envy of all teams in the VFL. Balls could even go forward and play as lead-up forward. He was a very good footballer.

You're not the first poster to criticise those sentences but I don't see what the fuss is. Indigenous leader Noel Pearson said much the same thing earlier this month - that Aboriginal people needed to throw off the cloak of victimhood and the traumas of history and deal with the problems of the present - and there's more than enough of those. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/get-over-historical-indigenous-wrongs-noel-pearson/story-fn9hm1pm-1227339783341 I'm a supporter of reconciliation, and the steps that have been taken (saying sorry) and should be taken (fix the constitution) to continue that process. But it's folly to think that the tangible things - health, education, jobs, economic prosperity, incarceration rates etc - will be changed by anyone but Indigenous people. It's called empowerment. A lot needs to change for that to happen, on both sides of the fence. As it is now, about 70 per cent of the money the Commonwealth dishes out under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy goes to non-Indigenous organisations and just 30 per cent to Indigenous orgs. Surely we will start seeing better results in efforts to 'close the gap' when those percentages are reversed, and Indigenous people are running the show. The Empowered Communities initiative which is being run in eight Indigenous communities across Australia is a good example of the type of policy approach that might deliver better outcomes in all those indicators listed above. "Instead of a variety of policies and programs that don’t fit together, the aim of Empowered Communities is to ensure that government policies and programs are well co-ordinated. The idea is for Empowered Communities, no matter where they are located, to identify their own needs and develop local programs for their unique local priorities. "To make real change, funding arrangements will need to more closely reflect local needs, governments would need to be less prescriptive and Indigenous organisations would need to be more accountable for delivering outcomes in communities. Both would need to adopt a new way of working." http://capeyorkpartnership.org.au/empowered-communities/

I'd say that you have Old Dee. When the AFL tribunal let the players off, causing a reaction of uproar on this thread, you said "oh drop it guys, the cheats have won". But they haven't won, at least not yet, thanks to the appeal and escalation to CAS. You've also maintained all along that they would either get off or get a wet tram ticket. They might yet get off, but if it does go against them, we've gone well past the stage of a wet tram ticket penalty, now that it's with CAS. I think you're going a bit early with your claims of having been right so far, when we are months away from a real outcome.

Ins and outs don't matter too much to me this week. I just hope the 22 selected go out there and give everything they have for Neale Daniher this week. If he can fight as hard as he is with an incurable disease then these players can go out there and fight the filth on our home turf and win. Bring it on.

Spencer is stiff Played his heart out the last three weeks and done well. Gawn done nothing to come in esp in a big game. I would personally prefer a competitor against Grundy then the maxiumus

The Pies cheer squad probably isn't eligible to play.

What if they play half Witts?

How the hell does Howe get a game after his 6 possession 1 mark performance last week. A dog ordinary player is Howe.

That would be the trigger of a spud gun.

please turn up this week please turn up this week please turn up this week please turn up this week please turn up this week

I think he thinks you should shut up.

Man you really missed something. Like missing Jack Dyer or Big Carl. Serious dudes who made the ground shake. Menace in every footstep. Rod Grinter could seriously play. However he was a very dangerous man when he got an opponent in his sights. Like a bull but he very rarely missed.

give me 22 rod grinters I will be a happy man. that face instilled menace. however, the guy could actually play some seriously good footy. great overhead mark for his size, could kick, and had some pace.

Couple of quotes from Roos from today's press conference: " Clearly against the four best teams (when we're down on form) it's a problem." "My hope at this stage is that there'll be a lot more consistency - we've improved a lot at the top end." "It's just in those moments of pressure when players don't have trust in their coaches and teammates that we lose that consistency." "That "us vs them" mentality of giving players a spray is 30 years old now." "Every game's important, every game's an important experience... good teams play well every week - it's an opportunity to get better." "It gets back to us as a team playing good team footy... we've got to play well as a team to give our forwards the best chance." "The best way (to stop teams getting a run-on) is to score yourself and get the ball around the stoppages." "We were disappointed with our performance last week and clearly we're going to need to respond to that." "Most players are playing for their careers through the course of the season - it's not something that needs to be dramatised."

I had to join to comment on this thread... Hello all. Who honestly thinks Grimes stepped down from Captaincy himself? Or thinks Watts dropped himself?? Roos is forcing accountability; you drop yourself, then you expect yourself to be better. An insecure coach would chest beat and shame those players, ruining them. Sound familiar? Grimes is a better player for the beating Roos gave him, dropped as captain, dropped from the team. He put to Watts the reality, it's up to Watts. 50/50 ball, some things in football will never change. Bail, M Jones, Fitz are all given their opportunity, given a role. Accountable or roll. A few will step up - Garland did last week. Grimes has this season. Jetta last season. He's protecting the young players. I'll bet Brayshaw will go into this game knowing it will be his last for a month, QB reward for opening block. Resting Viney / Tyson / Salem / Kent / Frost / Hogan until they are absolutely fit to play - while the older players can carry injury (Vince). N Jones is struggling with Captaincy. But he will rise and become a greater player for it, or fall away. Either way he needs that challenge. Roos isn't just trying to win games, he's building a winning side.

Exactly! I bet you he'd love to say exactly what he thinks. This is what I'd imagine he wish he could say.....I've been here two drafts, and have got rid of as many crap players as list management rules allow. This is a full list rebuild. I've gotten rid of 22 bloody players and still we've got players who can't kick, man up, tackle or have guts. Line is in the sand now for the remaining 18-20 other players, start playing like an AFL player or you're out.