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*fingers in ears* LALALALALALA

probably the same one who said Essendon would make it

I'm fully Melbourne now mate. As a youngster I was Collingwood because of my Dad, then at about 10 or 11 I turned to Geelong when I started to really learn footy and also my Mum was a Cats supporter, but never really learnt a lot about them, but now I am all about the Dee's. When Dec was playing really good footy last year it reinvigorated my love for the game (I had lost it in the previous 4-5 years due to personal issues), and because I had watched so many Casey games and had been watching the young Melbourne players develop (Petracca, Oliver, Brayshaw etc.) I started watching more MFC games and became fairly invested in them. But when he was picked up, it pushed me over the line. I now know more about this club, its players, its history, its coaches, then I ever knew about anyone else. I can now name every player, their Number, where the majority of them came from, I have been slowly learning the history of this great club, and watch and read every thing I can. Melbourne is my club and I believe will be for now onwards, even if Dec ends up playing for a different team.

Parish gets his own ball, he's very good on the inside and outside plus he uses it well. I don't know where you get this idea of him needing others to get it for him...the kid is a very good footballer. Don't get me wrong. I think we pulled the right reign in Oliver, the kid is a gun. ...but because Oliver is a gun it doesn't make Parish an also ran. We're not talking Toumpas/Wines here.

Maybe he's pregnant......

Lucky we didn't have that draw last year! Instant 6 losses!

They beat us (for 10 years straight) and finished higher than us. They've also shown improvement over preseason and added Carlisle to their list. They deserve to be rated higher than us. I expect we will overtake them as I believe we have more young talent, but it might not happen this year. I believe we are better setup to challenge for a flag in the future too.

Who was the one captain that didn't think gws would nake the final 8

I know he's slipping out of favour but I hope Jetta comes in. he plays tall and he's just solid and super consistent.

Absolutely, and Parish won't get caught out in the heat of a final. We all know that Oliver is a contested ball winning beast and he came 60th in the league for contested possessions, which is terrific for a first year teenager, but Parish is no slouch in the cp department either. In fact he came 69th. 49% of Oliver's possessions were contested, which is an elite ratio, while 43% of Parish's possessions were contested, which is also excellent. The number 1 player in the game for CP (total) was Josh Kennedy, who averaged 54% and Dangerfield averaged 50%. By percentages Patrick Cripps is no.1 in the league at 62%.

Casey VFL team enjoyed a massive home ground advantage last year. The AFLW team plays there they will get that too eventually. Our AFL side won well against Carlton this preseason and nany of the players have experience there. It's not an ideal venue but I dont think a move is priority.

Too valuable a player. Put him in cotton wool for the season and save him for the finals.

I totally agree that the level pressure that our mids and forwards bring, will go a long way towards deciding this game. The absence of Vanders and an underdone Kent (in the unlikely event that plays) weaken us in this area. For this reason I'd seriously consider playing Jones across half forward for good portions of the game. To me he has the attributes of game-sense, hardness and goal kicking to make a good fist of it, and I certainly think he could add more value in that role than rotating through a HBF.

...and we've had some of our biggest wins in the last couple of seasons when he hasn't been playing. Would rather him in but not going to lose sleep if he misses with an injury.

Lets hope its simple. It does go to show how hopes can so easily get undone though doesnt it. i have strong memories of the preseason when Charles, Schwatz and Jakovich all got injured ( all three of the cusp of being absolute mega stars) and all three were virtually career ending. My head protested but I knew in my heart we weren't going to win that flag which had seemed so close. To win one you just got to have the footy gods on your side....or in the case of GWS have the odds so heavily stacked in your favor that even the gods cant stop it. We need a really good run if we're going to sneak one in the coming GWS era. Fingers firmly crossed on Jesse

Nothing wrong with the Saints being rated ahead of us, as much as I hate them they finished on top of us last season with 12 wins, have added Jake Carlisle and we haven't beaten them in over a decade. Theres room for both teams in the finals and I believe boith will make it.

You're way off the mark with the Parish/Morton comparison. I'm a huge Oliver fan but the rose coloureds don't extend to denigrating Parish who is a great young talent and on his way to being an A grader. Pity he's with EFC...

From last year..... "However Jones said player safety on the training track was paramount, with teammates urged not to inflict any preventable injuries. “I think it’s just the risk of injury after a long pre-season, that’s why in that case yesterday Tommy fired back. Jack’s really competitive and so are most of our players,” Jones said. “We try to stick to not dumping blokes in tackles. If someone’s coming back with the flight of the ball, you’re not running through them with a spoil coming the other way. There’s a bit of care taken with tackling and a bit of care taken with particular aerial contests.” ( my emphasis) I wasn't at training so I can't comment on what Hulett did. But to those who say you train like you play -. If you can take the body in marking contest in game you go for it - you don't do that at training to a teammate - so no...you do not necessarily train as you play - you keep the intensity at the ball but you may restrict the impact on a teammates body which you would not do in a match.

Just heard John Ralph on SEN and he didn't have us in his final 8 predictions because it was done in January, but now he said he would. Also reckons we need a star player like Fyfe or Martin and thinks we are THE destination club of the comp. Nice to know we are getting recognised at last.

All I think and care about with this kind of comparison (Oliver/Parish), is who would be more likely to be the better player under the heat of a final. And for me, Oliver wins without question. Generally finals and especially grand finals are scrappy contested affairs and Parish is exactly the type of player who'd be caught out in that type of environment. He is 180 cm and will never be in the build of Nathan Jones. He'd purely be relying on the heavy lifters to get the ball out to him and whilst he may have that rare ability to kick a classy goal when it's most needed. Oliver would be right in the coalface from the start making it happen.

I've talked about this before here I don't understand the hate Casey Fields gets from these forums Also the playing surface is second to none outside of the AFL grounds. If anyone went to the preseason game v Carlton you would've seen how immaculate the grass looked.

But there are 17 other clubs and they got 16 votes....

^ Agree He and Hibberd playing in round 1 will make me feel a lot more comfortable about our back six. I'm worried Goodwin doesn't have Jetta as a lock for that small defender role like Roos did.

Only kid at primary school who supported the Dees. Tonnes of fights defending the hapless 70's Dees . It's the way I roll. Started my Robbie Flower scrap book aged 7. I was never going anywhere. Rock solid.

You've never been known for your flexibility.

It was just announced that Justin Plapp, the Casey coach, will be coaching the Victorian interstate side this year. Huge upside for Plappy, he has done a great job so far with the club and don't be surprised to see him as an AFL Senior coach sometime in the future. I will be going to the practice match vs Port Melbourne on Sunday and will be planning to write a report on the match, highlighting both MFC players and any outstanding Casey listed players.

5 step plan to beat the Saints: 1. Shut down Riewoldt Bernie Vince is the man for the job. He goes up a gear when tagging and as an experienced midfielder he'll know how to hurt him the other way. We have to direct play through Vince if Riewoldt goes and sits behind the ball. Also we have to physically beat in to him - Bugg, Viney, Jones the men for this job - whenever he's around congestion. Tom McDonald takes the job if he goes forward and the other defenders shuffle over. 2. Pressure their defenders Roberton and Savage are quality ball users when given time and space but if pressured properly they can go to water. Brown, Carlisle, Gilbert/Dempster won't hurt us as much. Geary has killed Garlett repeatedly so if Jeffy plays he has to fired up. Maybe he can be sent to follow Savage to try and get ahead of the curve. Alternatively he could try and drag Geary away from the play and someone like Petracca could aim to get Savage deep in an uncomfortable match up. 3. Tempo footy We have to share the ball across half back at Etihad and wait for options or be prepared to kick to a ruckman down the line when required. Lewis, Jones, hopefully Hibberd, Salem - the better ball users have to be involved in getting the ball at half back, moving it around and then pulling the trigger on the corridor kick. The long kicks to the rucks just weren't working against the Eagles, so they need to make sure Gawn +/- Spencer are positioned correctly to attack the get out kick. 4. Isolate Hogan Carlisle and Brown give the saints far better key defenders than they've had before but Hogan can get either one of the one on one. He seems to like Etihad and the saints so get the ball to him 5. Stop their kick outs The Saints are one of the best at kicking the ball in after a behind. Often it's to Josh Bruce who runs a defender out of the zone and marks 60m out then they aggressively kick to players running to a spot on the wing. We have to study their plans and be aware of them.

Look at the way we lost Round 22 and 23 last season. There is your answer Oh and how long since we have beaten the Aints?? our winning record at Etihad?? not rocket science

Jones was on SEN this afternoon and explained that he "lost the toss" to Viney and attended. I'm sure most of the captains would rather not be there if they didn't have to.

I know people keep saying this and it's a valid point. But the exact same can be said for the Saints. Carlisle and Brown without doubt strengthen their back-line which was a weakness last year and Steele provides further depth and talent to their midfield. We've improved and so have they.

I will.

Hopefully it gives them a big heads

After his back injury in 2014 hopefully this is just a regular check that the medicos undertake. (that's what I've decided and I'm gonna stick to it)

it says "which other clubs". so gws didn't get to vote themselves

Because we have no forwardline pressure when we play them and we turn it over too much. They are all threatening when its coming at 100 miles an hour under no pressure.

Who plays on St Kilda's tall forwards? Frost is a huge loss.

Yes, Parish has a long career ahead of him. He's an unbelievably busy and smart player, who will really hurt teams once he gets a tank. He reminds me of a young Cousins and a young Crawford.

If it bleeds, we can kill it............

I listen to it and also don't understand what people are so upset about. Some people are obviously programmed to hate media/commentators but I have never understood why they let it affect them so much. Both Jordan Lewis and Tom McDonald have been on the past 2 days and both interviews and been interesting, especially Lewis'. People who go to a forum to specifically talk footy hate a radio show which essentially specifically talks footy.

Positive about the season but not this game. The Saints and that poor excuse of a ground just has a bad feel about it. I am not sure about the Saints, but our line-up is unsettled. The practice matches have not helped us that much in determining our line-up in either our forward or defensive zones. And we may well select a few guys who are underdone for match time. The thought of playing underdone blokes like Jetta, Hibberd, Garlett, or Kent does not inspire confidence but there again the alternative selections have also not given cause for confidence Its going to take time to sort out our best 22.

We better get used to this over the next few years. Jesse is going to be one of those guys, who may get injured, is carrying an injury, or recovering from an injury. The physios and doctors are going to be busy. And the hearts of Demon supporters will in their mouths every time he comes down awkwardly and gets up limping.

Check with them again, mid-season. Predictions. predictions. Really who cares.

Membership day on SEN, so might get a bit of a boost from that as well.

Congrats for persevering DOF. Like you I got on board in the 50's when the family came down from the bush and have stuck through all the years when it took a full phrase 'long suffering Demons supporter'.

I still suspect that if he gets through this week at Casey Smith will surprise many and come straight in as the third tall for round 1. I saw enough of him in JLT 1 and 2 to back him over Garlands JLT 3.

I don't disagree, although I do genuinely think we have more raw talent. They just seem to have more maturity and cohesion. That said, it's definitely a winnable game if we're on song.

and touch considering Hibberd has played one match in 18 months and Kent would barely have touched a footy this year. This weekend's Casey game is a very, very important match for the MFC.

My ship's broken so for the first time in 4 years I will be able to watch round 1 from the comfort of my couch. Usually I am sitting in the middle of the ocean on an internet system run by a potato refreshing the page stone cold sober (Which is less than ideal) So suffice to say I am wet with excitement. This game (Excuse the obvious statement) will be well and truly won in the coaches box for me. The past couple years we have come very close to winning and have been felled by the master strokes of Richardson. Not marking up on Riewoldt last year was mind boggling tactic and still to this day I ask how in the hell Hogan kicked 7 in a losing squad. The likes of Membrey, Stevens, Bruce, Riewoldt, Hickey and Carslile will prove to be difficult but they are nothing we haven't seen before. Vince on Roo for me is a good option noting that Vince can get under his skin and will be better on the ground meanwhile I would love to see how they will deal with Viney and Oliver. Oliver is showing potential to be the best student of the 2016 by a country mile and between Viney, Lewis and Oliver I doubt they have enough tagging options to negate those 3...throw in Jones who usually has around 22 disposals and 1 or 2 goals...Oh and Add Dom on top of that. Watts, Hogan, Petracca, Kent, Stretch, all multiple goal kicking potential and for good measure throw in Gawn into that mix. 2 Rucks is the only logical option for this match, Hickey is a good ruck (He is in my supercoach team for a good reason along with Maxxy) and when he comes up against 2 bonefide ruckman, 1 being AA he will tire...Let's not forget we have Watts who can also pinch hit up forward if need be. All these positives things having been said leads me to our backline... I don't really know what to say. T-Mac would really need to have one of those days where he isn't T-Mac and decides to hit targets by his boot and is giving me every reason to believe that his brother will surpass him in the Bluey this year (I know I know, round 1 hasn't even begun). I am really hoping Jetts and Hibberd manage to get up and Melksham has shaken off all his cobwebs from the past 12 months and give us some spice in our backline. I think it'll be a damn tight contest for 3 quarters and I think the game will be decided on a lopsided quarter. For me it's one of those games where it's all won and lost across Half back and the turnover goal count will determine the winner. My predictions. Clarry to run rampant with 30+ Stretch to play a scorcher. 2 Rucks to prove to be vital. Roo to be his usual self and kick 3. Viney to start jumper punches before half time. Me to be drinking VB's for most the arvo and then switching to champagne, or Boxed wine depending on the result. Demons by 19. And 1 girlfriend to remember why she loves me and why she hates the footy season whilst she consistently reminds me to "Shut up, you're scaring the dog, it's just a game" Also. If anyone here is a Sydney sider and knows where a rag tag group of Demons supporters and myself can watch the game around Sydney please let me know! Go Dees.