Lil_red_fire_engine

B: Garland, Warnock, Rivers HB: MacDonald, Frawley, Bennell C: Trengove, Moloney, Jones HF: Bruce, Bate, Davey F: Green, Miller, Petterd Fo: Jamar, Grimes, Junior Int: Martin, Scully, Strauss, McKenzie Em: Spencer, Dunn, Bail I have assumed the same availability as Dee-luded. Spencer is a better ruckman than Stefan but Stefan at least offers some b-grade versatility across the lines. I would much prefer a bulldogs style mobile forward line than a tall target just for the sake of it. A tall target is only valuable if they are A grade and will mark everything in site or if you have quality smalls to feed off a B/C grade talls crumbs (which we dont have).

Jack I was at the same function and that was in answer to someone asking if he could play forward. Did you expect him to say no? You do not fix one area by changing the one settled, most developed area of our structure. Anyone that thinks Frawley will create more goals than he will save is kidding themselves. It is a short sighted fix that will potentially delay longer term planning. As has been said by many now is the time for patience not rash moves. Our backline is developing well and it is important that they continue to develop together. Our midfield probably has the right talent now and we should focus this year on improving our movement and ability to get it inside 50m with a makeshift forwardline. Hopefully later in the year when we hopefully have LJ, Watts and Morton back on the park we can worry about developing a proper forwardline stucture. Mitch Brown (not Nathan Brown) was drafted as a swingman so it is no suprise he was moved forward.

Understand what you are saying and you can see more passages of where we are heading. It is also worth noting that most errors that occur happen by the older brigade. In saying this the basics in football such as a sound kick out plan and holding a forward structure should still exist. There is no excuse for these to be so poor.

I dont see why this needs its own thread but part of it I would say lies in the fact that the Crows are only second to us for the amount of injuries they had and were far from full strength. West Coast yesterday played close to full strength aside from Glass, Lynch and Hurn (I am sure I have missed others).

Not forgotten Neitz played juniors and u19 as a forward. It was not an unknown that he could play there it was just we started his career at the other end. Frawley has played all his career back to think you can just move a player to the other end and it will work is insane. I just think it is ludicrous that the one area we have settled we mess with.

Some good points you make and yours is the only post I have read so I may repeat what others have already covered. Posiives first,I agree our stoppage work is markedly improved on last year, secondly I am amazed with that forward set up we conjured as many scoring shots as we did. The key issues though s aside for me are three fold. When will we work out a proper kick out structure that flows quickly and is not just trying to pick out stationary targets. This area of our game has not improved in 3 years. Secondly,run and carry requires players to first run and then carry. The idea is that players give and spread. Gve does not mean to someone 2 metres away and spread does not mean you stop for a rest once you hand off. Thirdly I dont care how bad our forwardline is choose two players and tell them regardless where there player runs they are to plant themseves inside 50m and stay there. The amount of times we look up and there is no one is ridiculous. Bate and Petterd tried this with some success in the last qtr.

Potentially the worst post I have ever seen. Lets take a potential AA backmen and play him at the other end. Why dont we move Warnock down there as well. Hey we will let in 10 more goals a game but thats ok it will straighten us up.

No. He occasionally does the freakish but i have never seen him tear a VFL game apart let alone expect him to have an impact in an AFL one.

I think you actually miss the most likely in Jordie McKenzie.

At least playing him there will prove or disprove those thet believe we have cost him at least 3 Coleman medals by playing him as a tagger

Dale Carson.

Is that Bradshaw who has played not played a game for his new club and is out for at least another month?

Disappointing in that both he and Morton were the key players I was looking forward to watching develop this year (new boys aside). In saying that though the important part is to properly manage them to ensure the chances of these injuries re-occurring or having last affects when it is most important in 2-5 years time is minimised. I just hope that this opportunity allows someone else to stand up and to show us another potential forward star in the making. just like it showed with LJ last year.

Thanks DT this is great news although I reckon round 1 realistically could be a stretch. He would need to play a half against WC, then full the week after for Casey to be any chance at all. Are you aware whether the intention with him this year is forward or back?

So Frawley was excellent and Warnock good at full back. Can someone tell me whom played on Tippett?

1 Jamar (hands down our most important player due to the gap between him and the remaining options) 2 Frawley (Only key back we have that can play on the quickish lead up forwards) 3 Davey (Speed, disposal and decision making changes the dynamic of the team) 4 Sylvia (aside from Davey closest to an elite player we have) 5 Jurrah (it may be early but only player that I can see capable of kicking 50+ goals) 6 Grimes (I saw enough on the weekend to elevate him - that probably says more about the rest than it does him)

HT, without thinking about it too much I think Pendlebury is probably a good indication.

Diablo I seriously struggle with your summation of Jones game. You state he was steady yet he missed 2 goals that any decent player should kick. He nearly kicked goal of the year but the right thing to do was to give the ball off to Sylvia 2 bounces prior or kick the ball to advantage to Jamar who was on his own 25m out from goal. He then late in the last highlighted his game by taking the ball from stoppage and running 30 metres backwards to kick the ball directly across ground to a 2 on 1. He showed some good improvement at times last year but for mine he has regressed back to some old habits.

Oliver not comparing them to previous picks. Their performance in the intraclub match led me to believe they would have a far greater impact than what they have shown in their 2 NAB Cup performances. Bit of a case of me getting ahead of myself.

Bailey has stated he wants games in young players but he has also stated they should be earnt. Based on what I have seen last week and today they would not go into round 1 on the basis of it being earnt. Would love to know their stats but would be very surprised if they had more than 20 touches between them. Again not disappointed with their progress as they show great signs but neither of them are as advanced as what I hoped they would be.

TMac did not play I think he means Strauss.

These are the bests according to FoxSports. I probably wouldn't pay too much attention based on what I have highlighted Melbourne: J Grimes J Trengove R Petterd C Sylvia B Miller M Bate L Jurrah J Frawley J Bennell

The HUN and AFL sites have stated that Jack Grimes and Jack Trengove were outstanding today. I rarely noticed Trengove but he played alot on the opposing side of the ground. What were others thoughts on his game?

Wins the ball well and has good speed but is allergic to body contact and I cannot recall him hitting a target all day.

Aside from missing Hurley and Neagle the Bombers were at full strength (I am sure I have forgotten someone). Hille was serviceable but Jamar for mine was the most dominant big man. Essendons run of five goals in 10 minutes in the first qtr was when Martin was in the ruck. Grimes work in the middle was outstanding particularly in the 3rd qtr.