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A lot of talk about the quality of Oscar McDonald. I think it's important to see how the development of key defenders is generally different to most players. Oscar gets pushed around a bit by the really powerful tall forwards (Hawkins is one) but he competes a hell of a lot better with them than almost every key defender of his age and experience. At this point in their careers (just turned 21 years old): Frawley was playing as a medium defender (on smaller marking players), Tom Mc was playing as a back up to Frawley and Dunn, Harry Taylor was not yet drafted Brian Lake was still undrafted (and was still Brian Harris!) Heath Grundy had played 11 games in 3 years as a forward. His games were ... underwhelming. Ted Richards has played 12 games at Essendon as a forward. Very underwhelming. Josh Gibson had not yet debuted (and would not debut for another year too) Ben Stratton had not yet been drafted. Zac Dawson spent that season and the following season in the Hawthorn VFL team. Sam Fisher had not yet been drafted Ben Rutten had played 2 games as a struggling forward. Dale Morris was still a year away from being drafted in the rookie draft. Rance had just rejoined the team having spent the majority of the previous year in the VFL (he was being kept of the AFL side by Luke McGuane, Kelvin Moore and Will Thursfield!) Scott Thompson was still not yet drafted Sam Rowe was still 4 years away from being drafted! Jeremy McGovern was still a year away from being drafted Now, far be it for me to labour a point, but it takes key defenders a lot longer than most players to develop into AFL standard (even the exceptional ones) because their job involves being able to physically compete with big, physically strong opponents. Oscar does this very well at this stage, given that he is not yet fully physically developed. He is tracking waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy ahead of where he should be at this stage. We're very lucky there.

Gerard Whatley on 360: "the grossest overreaction I think I've ever seen in football". That's it, Close the thread.

Let's just take a happy moment to reflect on what the rest of that draft's top ten included - Patrick McCartin Jarrod Pickett Jordan De Goey Caleb Marchbank Paul Ahern Peter Wright Darcy Moore (F/S) Nakia Cockatoo And from outside the top ten, the only really potent prospects to come through are - Jake Lever, Isaac Heeney (Acad), Jack Steele, Caleb Daniel. So, however things go, I don't think we'll left left feeling like we were the dud drafters that year, with Petracca, Brayshaw, Neal-Bullen, Stretch, and Oscar. Also grabbed Garlett, Lumumba and Frost in trades.

McCartin kicked a point and had 5 touches watts would have been burnt on the stake if it was him

Why are some people suggesting ANB Get the chop, I can only assume they never watched the game he had 28 disposals kicked 1 goal, laid 10 tackles and had 28 pressure acts, absolutely mind boggling stuff to even think about dropping him

21 disposals is bloody good for a player who is effectively a second year player. Some comparisons: - Chris Judd achieved this in his third year. - Gary Ablett Jnr achieved below this for his first 5 seasons. - Josh P Kennedy achieved below this for his first 3 seasons. - Patrick Dangerfield achieved below this for his first 4 seasons. Not only is he finding the footy in the midfield, he's finding it up forward and being instrumental with his scoring involvements. This is inconsistent Christian Petracca. Cannot wait for consistent Christian Petracca. Will be a star of the competition.

Our best 2 players have been caught smoking. I'm starting to think we should be encouraging it.

CFMEU shop steward or Labor Party State Politician the career path for you then

Remember when Max couldn't get Jamar out of the team long enough to have a real crack at it? Remember what happen when he got his chance? I hope this is that moment for Jake.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-04-11/the-stats-files-are-the-demons-gawn-plus-make-your-september-plans That article shows the impact of Gawn going off. The Cats thrashed us in hitouts and clearances in the second half. But we had to adjust to no Gawn and no Spencer on the run, mid game. It now makes more sense why we played both ruckman in the JLT games - so the team could practice structures and game plan when rucking to Spencer. I don't recall if Gawn was off the field in the JLT games when Spencer rucked but the JLT games show Goodwin has a 'Gawn out' plan ready. What is even more important is 'Spencer in' structures and game plan have been practiced by the team. Bodes well.

28 disposals against the Cats after 35 in the first two rounds. It's early days, but it's clear that consistency is a massive concern for Clarry.

If Jesse smokes joints, it might explain his wonky run ups for goal.

In: Spencer, Pedersen, Bugg Out: Gawn, Weideman, Hannan Weideman will be a player, but he finds it hard without Hogan. A week at Casey won't do him any harm. I like Hannan, but a couple of games at Casey won't harm him either.

Will be happy with any win this week, no matter how we get it or how much we win by. The Dockers were great last week and we will be missing so many guns. A 1 point win in the sloppiest game of the season would be just fine. We just have to win.

I'm unclear whether you think you might be a bad father for signing him up or for waiting 15 months to do so. On balance, I'd say the 15 month delay is the greater concern.

Herpa derp. If he can't meet fitness standards then it's a problem. Until then it's none of our bloody business.

Am I the only one who finds this really funny??

As others have pointed out, Nathan Jones has actually taken another step. The likes of Oliver have taken the heat off Jones and freed him up to be more damaging on the outside. He must be loving footy in 2017.

Hiring a ciggie runner could be a good job creation initiative by the MFC.

I'm disappointed it was Hogan caught smoking and not Watts. I love Jack Watts threads.

He'll play round 5, but obviously Jones doesn't want to discuss the health of his Father, which is obviously a concern to Jesse. That's the extent that needs to be read into it.

Maybe he likes a sugar hit?

He likes a dart as well?

That's why you sign them up straight after birth while the wife is still in the hospital. Come back with a baby size Demons jumper and scarf. Deal done.

It's a slippery slope Jesse is on. Smoking to drugs to wanting to join Essendon in the off season.

Why in the world are people suggesting ANB to be dropped? Apart from a couple of brain-fades, he has been one of our best players over the first 3 rounds. Honestly, there are some people on here that have absolutely no clue. A player turns the ball over once or twice which results in a goal and they want them immediately out of the squad. Wouldn't surprise me if you're the type of people that has a go at a cashier because you've been waiting in the line for your soy latte's for too long. Give us a spell.

Last time we won a flag blokes were having a dart and a sherry at 3/4 time, take it as a good omen. Personally I'm disappointed it wasn't a cigar.

Another great game from ANB, that backwards kick aside. Starting to see why people were calling him a steal at pick 40 in the 2014 draft, with some mock drafts having him go in the late teens. (And his equally impressive mate Billy Stretch was a steal in that drat too at pick 42)

He is also very consistent, an great trait and one that can sometomes be under valued. Jetts is similarly consistent

He's averaging 21 disposals, 7 marks, 1.3 goals (30 goal season), top 30 in league for goal assists, and 90 ranking points (last year 67). He's yet to have a breakout game, but he's a very important player, who's performing his role well and bringing his teammates into the game with some clever decision making. McCartin on the other hand ...

When safe schools was a thing I'd just decide I was female that day and call in sick due to having a "woman's problem." No questions were ever asked.

Exactly. (edit: redacted) The fact that Mahoney, Jones and Gawn have now all now been asked and all said "we're right behind him" says to me that Jesse is in a tough place and is being cut a considerable amount of slack. I expect he'll be back because he's a competitor who will want to compete, and surely the club's supportive attitude will only help.

Yay, stereotyping for self-affirmation.

Yay, politics.

Agree with the sentiment, but on the other hand, 3 of our main forwards had little impact on the game, or the scoreboard. Hannan, Weideman and Smith is perhaps one too many developing forwards in the same team, especially without Hogan there to steady the ship.

Needs a couple of weeks at Casey.

All I ask is for posters to give Spence a go and not smash him with the usual "He's a spud" type comments

I signed my 15month old up last week -the question I pose to you is , am I a [censored] of a father, or will I be teaching him some inherent valuable life lesson in resilience?

He's yet to have a game that he takes by the scruff and destroys a team. It'll happen, hopefully against Fremantle. But he does enough for me to suggest he will be an absolute gun for us. Brayshaw I feel could have a bit of Salem's luck about him. We were patient with him and it's starting to pay off, Brayshaw has it in him and I see him being a valuable mid for us in the future.

Still [censored] off. What a waste of 4 points. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Sigh

And why wait for a revolution?

The most ridiculous thing I have read on this site in 3 years

Disappointed to lose the best ruckman in the game for half the season, obviously, but in a way I'm looking forward to the element of intrigue this adds. Spencer's games record in a season is 8. Not many players get to stay on a list for 10 years for 36 games - most either get axed or go looking for more opportunities, so it's a very unusual case of the club and player sticking together. He's never had an extended go like he's about to get, and opinion is so divided on him. I suspect we're about to find out one way or the other if he's truly capable as an AFL ruckman or not. Good luck Jake!

Great, so the whole team is smoking?

Third in the league in disposals after Round 3. When was the last time a 19 year old did that? I am gonna say never.

He's also a very good mark. Billy Stretch will be the player who is perenially left in the margins of discussions about our best players, but by my estimations he is already one of the first ten picked every week. And he's only gonna get better.

Anyone imagining Alex Neale-Bullen will get dropped after a 28 disposal, 10 tackle game is simply irrational.