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Just a quick shout out to Dion Johnstone who I thought was nice and solid down back. I'd written this kid off after the first period of the season where he played forward but moving him back has been a really good outcome. He's showing clean hands, good decision making and his kicking is very strong. And he's tough. In our list strategy, we need to recognize that we will be a serious footy team over the next 5 years or so. Players like Lewis, Vince, Jetta and Jones (who will likely go back as his career lengthens) will leave. We won't want to bring inexperienced young players over this period. Dion is shaping as a good long-term replacement for one and will come in with 50 or so VFL games under his belt and at a good age. It's early days but I like what I'm seeing. I'm also encouraged with Bill Stretch's form. If he can carry his VFL attributes to AFL level he'll be a very useful player to have on the list.

We’re going to go on a tear again now. This is just like a couple of months ago. Shocking performance followed by an improved (but losing) effort. Hopefully we get it right for the aints next week and capitalise in the good draw we have over the next month. If we’re still in Top 4 contention in 3 weeks time, which we should be, i’d Back us to take a scalp or 2 in the latter part of the year and get a bit of momentum. We can’t, however, drop any of the winnable games coming up.

Nuffies are going to nuff. And the amount of nuffies on Demonland is awe-inspiring.

This is an interesting point and I agree. Here's the team I'd be going with in the second half of the year for most oppositions. Although, we should be happy to put out a team that enables us to counter the opposition of the week. I'd be going with a backline of Oscar Mac, Jetta, Hibberd, Lewis, Petty and Joel Smith. When Lever returns, I think Lewis drops out of this back 6, Petty takes the second KPF and Lever the third opposition tall. But for the rest of the year, I'd give Petty 10 games if possible and let him develop alongside Lewis and Jetta's guidance. There are some real competitors in that group and a good mixture of pace, intercept ability and attacking prowess. That suits Goodwin's game plan to a tee. Salem and Jones should be playing between wing, half forward and half back. Jones' pace is beginning to expose him, so I'd look at Wing-Defencing him and almost hiding him on the field, to ensure he doesn't get too exposed for pace (that probably means half back). His problem is he can't really play any other position, high half forward, deep forward or deep back. He's got 2 seasons left I reckon and that probably includes the second half of this season. He's not polished enough or damaging enough. If Gaff comes in next year, that will relegate Jones or Lewis to Casey as soon as Round 1, 2019. When Hunt comes back later this season, I truly believe we should look at Salem and Hunt on wings at the expense of Jones (I know, I know that won't happen). Hunt's versatility will also really compliment Goodwin's game style - he can play, forward, back or on a wing. On to the midfield, Brayshaw has to be in the centre square. Not on a wing or half back. His position is inside/outside mid. He's actually an incredibly well rounded midfielder. Give him another 20 games and he'll be in our top 3 or 4 players. Oliver and Viney are the other centre square starters, alongside Gawn. I'd like to see Salem in there at times too. The forwardline is the biggest variable in our side and should be dictated by the opposition we are playing, but as a rule, Tommy Mac (fwd/wing), Hogan (fwd/centre), Smith/Weideman (fwd/ruck), Melksham, Harmes (fwd/wing), Fritsch (fwd/wing/half back), Spargo, Petracca (fwd/mid) and Garlett (fwd/mid). There's a good mixture of height, pace and tackling in that lot. In 2018, Tim Smith's more developed body means he'll play most weeks ahead of Weideman, but Sam provides a good back up to ensure we don't have to revert to Pedersen ever again. The only way that happens is if injuries really hit our talls. Neal-Bullen is a hard runner, but he undoes too much of his good work with poor disposal and decision making. He looks good against ordinary opposition but his disposal under pressure is ordinary. So he should be cusp 22 for mine. The above team has sufficient x-factor, pace, pressure-bringers, ball winners, ball users and goal kickers in it to make the 8 in the second half of 2018. We need to make sure we don't go too small in defence, in favour of all out attack, because as we saw against a couple of key talls, we were out-marked too easily at times and on the bigger MCG, this will be even more evident and likely. If we can find the right mix this season, as you say PJ, we'll scare some teams in September.

We have enough talent that will be stars if not already. The Tigers players you mentioned are all 25+ years of age. Hogan, Oliver, Viney, Lever and Trac will be just as good if not better. Oliver and Hogan arguably are already there. I am not saying you but some supporters think we should go through undefeated. Port Adelaide in Adelaide is a tough road trip and we should have won but the signs of progession we show is enormous.

I'd appreciate it if you could tell me what it was. Thanks in advance.

I am I the only one reading this thread and almost being embarrassed to be a Melbourne member. How can people be calling for Hogan to be dropped. Two weeks ago he was mentioned in almost every expert commentators mid season All Australian teams. He then has two quiet games for the most obvious of reasons. I lost count of the number of times ANB, Jones, Oliver and Petracca kicked the ball on top of or over Hogan's head giving him zero chance. But it seems to be easier to blame Hogan. Also, I understand Max Rooke is our forward line coach. Does he need to take some responsibility for McDonald and Hogan being so close together inside fifty on Friday night making the long kicks even more predictable. Surely it was obvious they needed to spread the Port defenders more.

Spargo played midfield, Jeff is a small forward at almost all times. So those stats are understandable. Unfortunately, Jeff will rarely have a day out at VFL level given the type of footy that is played and the smaller grounds that are played on. It's widely recognised that some players are better suited to AFL football and their strengths will stand out at that level. Sure Jeffy has been given some instruction whilst playing in the twos, but he'll be back in the senior side without having 'dominated' at VFL level. I imagine it'll be next week.

Sometimes you lose games, doesn't mean the team is cooked, club has no heart etc I was filthy last night because it was a game we should've won. We didn't take advantage of our opportunities/ dominance and made some stupid decisions/lacked composure. Once the pain if the loss subsides though I'm actually proud of the fight the team showed, especially in the last when it felt like our players were going down left and right, the umpires were giving us nothing and Port had 40k supporters willing them over the line. That's the second game this year we "should've" won but lost. We'll be 6th after this round at 8-5. We really should be 2nd (=1st) at 10-3. It's frustrating but it's not the end of the world/season. We'll make finals and get that much needed September experience/belief that we can actually do it. We get a chance to make amends in Adelaide in a month or so.

Can you tell me what Tim Smith's role was? Thanks in advance.

So in other words, you have no complete idea what his role was.. again, proving how you're so far out of your depth in terms of the knowledge of footy.. Jog on old timer.

Two 50s and one 75.

Another thing I’ve noticed recently is why are they calling play on so quickly after a mark, the player hardly has enough time to get back and take his kick before they call play on, often resulting in a rushed kick and turnover. Obvious v Pies, they seemed to have more time and then again v Port.

MASTER CLASS by KC from Casey The Casey Demons were untroubled at home against cellar dwellers Coburg to make it six wins on the trot and consolidate their hold on second place on the Peter Jackson VFL 2018. With the memory of their disastrous 107-point opening round loss to the Demons at the back of their minds, the Lions came out with all guns blazing and surprised the home side with their tenacity but were unable to convert goals in the early going. After Sam Weideman gave a preview of what was to come with the first goal of the game, the visitors came up with a quick reply to lead at the ten minute mark but that was the last of their resistance as the Demons kicked the next seven to hold a 43-point lead by the main break. With rain pelting down, it was an unassailable lead and even in the greasy conditions, Casey steamrolled on with Weideman putting on a master class of marking and accurate kicking at full forward and when he went into the ruck he was handy there helping out Mitch King who had his hands full with Coburg ruckman, Goodwin. The game petered out under the gloomy skies and the Demons ran out 77-point winners. It might not have beaten the 100-point plus win that many were predicting but it was still a big percentage booster as the Lions were kept down to a meagre goal a quarter. Weideman had the unlikely perfect foil up forward in Jack Hutchins who is normally a defender. The skipper was most productive and booted three goals for the game. Billy Stretch continued his run of good form at this level and must be very close to a promotion. The move of Hutchins into attack gave the Demons the opportunity to test out some defenders for possible inclusion into their AFL side in the wake of Jake Lever's knee injury and Sam Frost relished the conditions, standing out with his marking and speed across the ground even when the ground got heavy in the second half. If Weideman was putting on a master class up forward, Frost was doing likewise down back. He was the pick of the defenders ahead of youngster Harry Petty and Josh Wagner but one needs to temper that against the fact that the opposition is a struggling as a stand alone in the VFL. Tom Bugg worked his way into the game when he went to the midfield and finished with an equal game high 27 touches along with Jay Kennedy Harris. Corey Wagner continued to impress among the VFL listed contingent. James Munro was his usual consistent self and Goy Lok showed that he is becoming more and more confident at this level with every game. The Casey Demons' next assignment sees them traveling to RAMS Arena, Craigieburn in what will be a danger game against Essendon VFL in the first of two consecutive games to be telecast on the Seven Network. Peter Jackson VFL 2018 Casey Demons 4.2.26 9.4.58 13.6.84 16.12.108 Coburg 1.3.9 2.3.15 3.5.23 4.7.31 Goals Casey Demons Weideman 7 Hutchins 3 Stretch 2 Baker Garlett Kennedy Harris Stockdale Coburg Belo Binion Conn Weightman Best Casey Demons Frost Weideman Stretch Kennedy-Harris Bugg Hutchins Coburg Podhajski Guthrie Exon Allan Gregory Lentini Statistics Oskar Baker 1 goal 6 kicks 7 handballs 13 disposals 1 marks 3 tackles 49 dream team points Harley Balic 7 kicks 10 handballs 17 disposals 8 tackles 69 dream team points Tomas Bugg 15 kicks 12 handballs 27 disposals 3 marks 12 tackles 125 dream team points Sam Frost 11 kicks 4 handballs 15 disposals 8 marks 1 tackle 69 dream team points Jeff Garlett 1 goal 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 1 marks 4 tackles 56 dream team points Mitch Gent 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 34 dream team points Jack Hutchins 3 goals 2 behinds 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 82 dream team points Dion Johnstone 8 kicks 11 handballs 19 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 66 dream team points Jay Kennedy Harris 1 goal 17 kicks 10 handballs 27 disposals 6 marks 5 tackles 116 dream team points Mitchell King 2 kicks 6 handballs 8 disposals 1 tackle 32 hit outs 53 dream team point Mykleti Lefau 1 behind 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 8 tackles 11 hit outs 71 dream team points Jay Lockhart 4 kicks 6 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 42 dream team points Goy Lok 1 behind 12 kicks 11 handballs 23 disposals 1 mark 9 tackles 97 dream team points Corey Machaya 6 kicks 11 handballs 17 disposals 1 mark 6 tackles 67 dream team points James Munro 7 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 61 dream team points Cameron Pedersen 5 kicks 10 handballs 15 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 39 dream team points Harrison Petty 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 31 dream team points Charlie Spargo 9 kicks 10 handballs 19 disposals 1 mark 9 tackles 88 dream team points Corey Stockdale 1 goals 2 behind 6 kicks 5 handballs 11 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 59 dream team points Billy Stretch 2 goals 13 kicks 11 handballs 24 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 103 dream team points Corey Wagner 1 behind 14 kicks 9 handballs 23 disposals 2 marks 10 tackles 95 dream team points Josh Wagner 12 kicks 9 handballs 21 disposals 1 marks 6 tackles 78 dream team points Sam Weideman 7 goals 14 kicks 5 handballs 19 disposals 9 marks 3 tackles 5 hit outs 139 dream team points

The stats ~ Oskar Baker 1 goal 6 kicks 7 handballs 13 disposals 1 marks 3 tackles 49 dream team points Harley Balic 7 kicks 10 handballs 17 disposals 8 tackles 69 dream team points Tomas Bugg 15 kicks 12 handballs 27 disposals 3 marks 12 tackles 125 dream team points Sam Frost 11 kicks 4 handballs 15 disposals 8 marks 1 tackle 69 dream team points Jeff Garlett 1 goal 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 1 marks 4 tackles 56 dream team points Mitch Gent 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 34 dream team points Jack Hutchins 3 goals 2 behinds 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 82 dream team points Dion Johnstone 8 kicks 11 handballs 19 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 66 dream team points Jay Kennedy Harris 1 goal 17 kicks 10 handballs 27 disposals 6 marks 5 tackles 116 dream team points Mitchell King 2 kicks 6 handballs 8 disposals 1 tackle 32 hit outs 53 dream team point Mykleti Lefau 1 behind 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 8 tackles 11 hit outs 71 dream team points Jay Lockhart 4 kicks 6 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 42 dream team points Goy Lok 1 behind 12 kicks 11 handballs 23 disposals 1 mark 9 tackles 97 dream team points Corey Machaya 6 kicks 11 handballs 17 disposals 1 mark 6 tackles 67 dream team points James Munro 7 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 61 dream team points Cameron Pedersen 5 kicks 10 handballs 15 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 39 dream team points Harrison Petty 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 31 dream team points Charlie Spargo 9 kicks 10 handballs 19 disposals 1 mark 9 tackles 88 dream team points Corey Stockdale 1 goals 2 behind 6 kicks 5 handballs 11 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 59 dream team points Billy Stretch 2 goals 13 kicks 11 handballs 24 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 103 dream team points Corey Wagner 1 behind 14 kicks 9 handballs 23 disposals 2 marks 10 tackles 95 dream team points Josh Wagner 12 kicks 9 handballs 21 disposals 1 marks 6 tackles 78 dream team points Sam Weideman 7 goals 14 kicks 5 handballs 19 disposals 9 marks 3 tackles 5 hit outs 139 dream team points

If Port Adelaide can carry that pea heart Lindsay Thomas, then we can play Jeffy. Thomas wouldn't be worthy of carrying Jeffy's bags. Don't wait for a break out performance at Casey. He's a Rolls Royce driving around a Warrigul Road car yard there.

Apart from speed and mimicking a headless chook, what else does he bring?

I disagree with your suggestion that we will learn from it and then the problem is fixed. We have a deficiency in skill which is highlighted against the better teams. You don't just "learn from it" and suddenly become skillful. That is ridiculous to suggest. If I spoke to Goodwin I am pretty confident he would acknowledge a lack of" great users of the ball and pace." Do we find loose targets and hit them inside the F50 when we play good sides? Obviously not often enough to win. That is the problem. We know that is the problem as we have seen it so many times over the last couple of years. What do we do to fix the problem? We don't just rely on learning from it, we bring in players with the required skill set or develop our own who have them,but might not be getting a game. To say the answer is to " learn from it" is to use your words "twaddle".

umpiring is so amateurish and behind the times this is why we need professional umpires with a degree of independence from afl/coaches interference and it's not just professional umpires it's a whole professional umpire support organisation that is responsible for the education, training, grading and evaluation of professional umpires a professional umpiring organisation would have at least similar numbers of a typical afl club organisation if they were serious

I cannot believe that you are suggesting we site the venue on the basis that people will “spur of the moment” hop off the train with kids in tow when they see our HQ! I have never met any parent that has hopped off a train with their kids on the basis of noticing a Club building and I would be disappointed if the MFC board in their revenue projections had this as a serious element in their choice of the site. Although it serves less train lines (Jolimont), it also services two busy tram lines and the area is jam-packed at the conclusion of any match. It is also only 100 metres from the ground.

Spargo's stats (19 touches, 9 tackles) are what you would hope to see from Garlett, especially against average opposition like Coburg. It's why Goody has continued to stick with Spargo each week and the reason Jeffy is left at Casey.

Tigers last year were 8 -5 at the same time and had only beaten one top eight side. Season is a long way from lost.

It's not just about which train station is a better choice dv8. If you can't see that then this is a pointless discussion

Sam Weideman now leads the VFL in goals per game (3.0 - 15 goals in 5 games)

Surely I'm not the only one reading your posts and wondering what you're banging on about. People with little interest in the footy have little interest in travelling into the city from Cranbourne for a training session, regardless of whether that training ground is around Gosch's Paddock or Jolimont station. Even people with a high level of interest in the footy generally have little interest - or little extra spare time to dedicate to AFL stuff - in attending training! In my opinion this whole discussion about whether an extra hundred metres or three of walking to get to training is of importance is a complete red herring. As bb (?) pointed out, if you're willing to go to the 'G to watch Melbourne play AFL matches - and that's the first step for people with little interest in the footy! - then you're going to face the same logistical issues in getting to our proposed training ground. Walking to the Jolimont training oval would be equivalent to walking to the Ponsford stand.

I was also there Demons11. I totally agree it says a very physical match. Something like the intensity of a finals game. We should have nailed it with our time in possession but poor quality inside 50s and poor kicking kept the door open. We had a lot of players who played below their best. I see a lot of learning and a lot of upside in both the playing group and the coach. This is exactly the type of year we need to go through to ready us for our window. Fairytale thoughts of us replicating Dogs and Toiges this year are just that. They each played finals and fell before they took their prize. Hopefully we will have our time to do the same.

I was at the game. Lewis was one of our best. Whoever says otherwise is talking rot.

Making them professional will also make them accountable. The sooner it happens the better.

The umps don't know the distances. They don't train for it. At a game, count the bands of grass across the ground inside 50. Gives you a clue as to how far 10m is. Usually the bands are between 9m and 12m across. Then watch how many short kicks, paid as marks, don't go as far as one band of grass. The umps are at ground level and don't get to see the grass as clearly as we can from the stands. But they can train to judge distance. Ask any good golfer.

Saty if you’re replying to me don’t bother, I blocked you a week ago, enjoy.

I find the "celebrity" frees a joke. Apparently one of the umpires from last weeks Richmond/ Geelong game has had a mental breakdown and had to sit out this week. when asked what was the problem, he just mumbled"Cotch, Dusty, Danger, Little Gaz, Sellwood, I didn't know what to do!"

We lost by 10 points.....take out the dodgy umpiring factor (shouldn’t have been in that situation for it to matter) & even if 25% of those forward entries were delivered with eyes lowered & correctly .....if Hogan clunked maybe two marks & if we didn’t have a spate of injuries all at once .....a lot of the above comments wouldn’t be made......our backline was let down by our forward entries.....you may have also noticed that when a team beats us they are now considered premiership favourites so as a team we are actually rated. Opposition coaches are putting a lot of work into us & that is new for us so each time we lose we also learn . It is no surprise that the teams that have beaten us are just a little more experienced & assured at the crucial times ......not necessarily more talented but their top end talent is generally in the 25+ echelon. As a supporter I am excited that we are now seen by opposition coaches as someone to beat....I rate their opinion 100% more than any media hype Am I worried we aren’t going to get there ......absolutely not. We have truckloads of talent...YOUNG....talent & it will take some time. I don’t want to be a Bulldogs ...pinch one & then wallow in mediocrity for the next few years. If you can be bothered to look over the history of the “great” teams it is generally 7 or so years in the making before they make it but then pretty much all of them are still contending finals today. That is the type of club I want to support & I am extremely confident we will get there.

Good to hear that the sentiment in this thread is that our season is far from gone. Thank goodness for some common sense. Imagine if the players returned to Melbourne with the belief the season was already done and dusted? It's madness. It's not as if Port were some bottom 4 side who were struggling. They've now won 5 of their last 6 (with the one loss being by 3 points to the Hawks in Tassie) and are in very good form. We played our brand of footy and dictated terms for most of the night. Poor use inside 50 aside, we had them cooked. If we bring that intensity each week for the second half of the year then we'll play finals. No doubt in mind. I'm not convinced as to what we can do come finals time yet, but we can most certainly still play in them. Our season does not need to be 'saved' at all. It's alive and kicking.

Kicking the can down the road a bit, zero in on Footscray vs North Melbourne last night, North heavily favoured by the Umpires in crucial decisions to the pin up media boy Higgins who uses his elbows like fists and never "deliberate"

Bert has made a very sudden change to the way we play. Remember the stodgy wins on the way to qualifying, and embarrassing draws & losses? Now we look really quite dangerous. It's just our lack of finishing letting us down. When we compare the one touch, BANG! finishing of the best nations ... the ones who will go deep in this tournament ... to our touch, stop, look around, ah sh*t ... pass backwards efforts ... nearly always our men around the box take that one step too many and give the defenders the time they need to clog it up. In terms of what Aussie fans will accept, I think most understand we'll always struggle to compete with Brazil, Germany, Spain, etc. I think most want us to simply punch above our weight and claim a few prize scalps. Give us something to be proud of, where we can pack the bars all night long. But that means going deep into the tournament and not limping into the 32 and then going home after 3 plucky but unfulfilling matches. Put another way, we don't expect to win the cup, but nor do we expect to simply make up the numbers. Verily, there are none so blind as those who will not see. Has he stopped to consider who owns the club? (Hint: Gulf businessmen.) Also that there are 8 British players in the squad of 27? Compare with cellar dwellers West Brom, owned by Chinese, 12/20 locals. Down to the next level ... EFL Championship (second division in the old money) ... Aston Villa: Chinese, 12/24 ... Wolverhampton: Chinese, 14/35. Down again to EFL League Two ("3rd division") ... mid-table Doncaster Rovers: British, 23/29. Basically you aren't going anywhere without the money to buy foreign players. (There are a small handful of British-only owners in the EPL but it doesn't need saying that they are fabulously wealthy.) By the way! My statistic about our last 5 goals being from Jedinak was wrong. I trusted another web site that should know better rather than look it up. Turns out he scored our last 2 (up to 4 now in this cup), before that it was Timmy with 2 and before that, shared between Kruse, Leckie, etc.

Disagree that it is an easy fix. You don't just put skill into players that are deficient in that area. Against the Pies for example, we definitely tried to pass into the forward 50 a number of times and sprayed the footy. A number of our players coming towards the forward 50 are not great at hitting targets. Tyson, ANB, Oliver, Jones, Brayshaw, Vince, Hibberd, Hunt when fit etc. It is a skill to be able to hit a target under pressure and we are not great at it. I have said this for a few years. We have concentrated on the hard at it players with success, now we need a couple of players with real finesse, to create the opportunities that the hard won contested ball should provide. Friday we dominated the ball and contest and lost. That just shouldn't happen. Also a lack of pace going into the forward 50 was clearly evident, as shown up by Port being able to find a chip kick into the 50 for a shot at goal. Our goals generally came from the individual effort of say a Tom Mc beating the pack. That is not sustainable.

Because we are using Joel Smith and Hibberd for a KPD role, it’s ludicrous and beyond stupidity. Bring in Frost or Petty and those guys go back to the HBF and perform roles more suited to them and provide run. Even Goodwin said on radio yesterday we went in too short. No [censored] Sherlock

Spargo with 9 tackles. Nice.

Wow. Germany with the late free kick goal. Poor Sweden. Another great game. Gee this world cup is really kicking the AFL's arse for spectacle. Every one of them entertaining in the least and gripping, intense and nail biting at best. Loving the fluidity of ball movement.

One thing with Pedo, there will always be 100% effort Hey guys.....not sure maybe I was vague. By Sam I meant Weideman. Sure Sam Frost may come into calculation but SW is surely a certainty. A good young forward learning his craft very nicely.

With respect, it can change, provided there is will from those in charge. 1. Acknowledge that the phenomenon of parochial crowds is real. There is plenty of good, academic evidence to support this. 2. Train the umpires to resist crowd-based decision making through extensive and rigorous simulation programs. Those who fail get relegated to minor leagues.

The loss was not the end of the world. We're going to win some and lose some against top 8 sides. It's a step forward against what should be a top 4 side, whereas we struggled against both Richmond and Collingwood. So there is improvement and I'd argue that over the course of the season, Port will overtake Collingwood. at our best I have zero doubt we are a top 4 side, at our worst we're lingering in that 5th-10th range of teams. That is what is dangerous, because if we can't notch at least one win against the Crows, Swans, Cats, Eagles and Giants, we will likely miss the finals again. Yes we failed in some key areas last night but if we bring that urgency and standard to every game, we may not lose again for the rest of the season. This could well be the match that kickstarts a new swing of momentum for us. Or it could signal the middle of a slump. I think we are lucky to be coming up against a string of lower placed sides. We absolutely need to notch consistent performances and wins over the next 3 weeks.

Out - T Smith, J Smith & Vince In - Weideman, Frost, Stretch

So he's been found guilty three times for striking and never got weeks. I genuinely believe that would be a different outcome if it were not for it being GWS.

The last Australian game is played in Sochi..the site of the Winter Olympics. The city is on the Black Sea and is a major tourist resort. Predicted weather for kickoff is 30 degrees. Bad luck we are not playing one of the European teams as I suspect the Peru team is used to the warm. Could however be a tough day at the office. Nearly 30 degrees here in Kazan and boy is the sun warm. Had Russian dumplings for lunch...they are called khinkalis and if well made are absolutely delicious. Also had my first borscht... very good ?

Has anyone got a clip of Viney back-pressing 110kg Charlie Dixon while being tackled? And kept his feet. That was pretty frickin cool. 3rd quarter I think?

Weideman had his breakout game. He has a 6 goal game last year against better opposition but for me this was better because the conditions were not key forward conditions, he took some unbelievable marks, he was not beaten in a contest, he was good around the ground, and played well in the ruck as well. Billy - Trac and ANB aren’t making way for him. He was fantastic around the contest and if Viney, Oliver, Jones were injured tomorrow he’d be first in. Maybe he might come in for someone like a Harmes but he is there ready to go when he is needed. The old cliche just be in good form when an opportunity is knocking and he was. Good he hit the score board, would have had a heap of metres gained as well. Both things that aren’t trademarks of his AFL career thus far. The backs - Frost was better this week because he played unaccountable football. And we know how good he is when he can run, kick and do what he wants. The issue is that this is not what we are asking of him at AFL level so it’s a bit hard to see him making it back in next week. Wouldn’t be surprised though. Pedo was good and locked down well. Petty played quite well but it wasn’t a day where the backman could star as it was an easy day at the office for them. Baker - sorry - not for mine just yet. Ran well, smart taps, good football sense. You can see he can make it, but not yet. JKH - really great inside outside game. Played some nice minutes as a high half forward. Will play great AFL football next year for a team that picks him up. Balic - time and space. Didn’t have a great game but you just can see AFL qualities and class in him. And a will to make it happen. This year is a Building year and looking forward to what he does JLT next year. Bugg is a tough one. Was not near it in the first half and then was great when he went into the centre. I’m interested to see what happens as the year progresses. Wouldn’t have had many metres gained, but was good in tight.

Compared to Queens birthday we were not disgraced yesterday. It took the first 3 games to get a cohesive style going. It just so happened to that we lost Lever just as we came up against top 8 teams. Once Lever went down so did our top 4 chances. He is a massive out. That’s why we gave so much away to get him. We don’t have the player to cover for him. Hence I doubt we can kick those big scores now because we will leek goals out back. That is the reality. Look at West Coast without their 2 key forwards. As supporters we need to deal with it. As the coaches have opportunities to learn other ways to win. Keep learning more opportunities. The positive is that we can adapt & practise new setups that we can use mid game later on The TMac revelation occurred through adversity. Go Dees! PS IMHGHFO - (In My Humble Glass Half Full Opinion)

He has allowed himself to get caught up in the hype that has surrounded him from day 1 which has consequently shot his ego through the roof. He is still immature psychologically and I believe that that penny has only just dropped. He is now starting to question himself and self-analysing (which isn’t a bad thing). This period of uncertainty has been reflected in his performances over the past couple of months. Continuing to play him in the senior team will only exacerbate the problem. He needs to sit down with the club psychologist for some D & M’s and play at Casey until he shows he has (a) returned to planet earth and (b) Is consistently playing 4 quarters of team-oriented football.