Lil_red_fire_engine

We are talking about a guy who was to be delisted 8 weeks ago. I would prefer him to stay but anything more than a 1 year deal until he can get through a preseason and full season injury free would be negligent in my view. I also understand why he would want to leave for family business and security if the swans are wiling to offer an extended term. If we can use him to generate a three way trade to attain one of our other targets in Preuss or KK this could be a win for all. In saying that I like what he brings and hope he stays on a one year deal but I don't see him better than edge of best 22/good quality depth moving forward.

We dont know whether Lever, Omac, Frost would really work as we only played the three of them together once I believe in round 3. Based on us choosing to not though at the time it was clearly not our preferred set up. This is my take though on the situation based on each player. Lever is an emerging super star who will play better in his customary role as the third tall/marshall the backline. He will in essence replace the Lewis role in my view next year. People have got over excited by Frost having a good month of footy. I will still remember how many marks he misjudged under pressure and cant see him playing more consistent footy than what he showed. He has good dash and has improved his decision making and execution but I will never trust him fully. I would trade him whilst his value is at its highest. Oscar is trending toward developing into a very good player. When I watch him though I think second quality tall like Astbury or Hooker or Thomson rather than a Rance or Hurley or Tarrant. Whilst he will get stronger and will improve his athleticism he will never be fast off the mark and I doubt will ever be aggressive. This is where May comes in. May played on Hawkins in the last game of the year when the Cats smashed them by 100 points. Hawkins kicked 2 goals. Ben Brown kicked 4 goals across 2 games on him. Buddy was held goal less the one game they played against them whilst May took 14 marks. The only one that really beat him all year was a Kennedy with a 5 goal performance in an 80 point West Coast demolition. He is a quality player with a competitive aggressive streak and that has been in a low team with poor culture and development. He will be better than he already has shown with us and that says alot.

He will cost more than a 3rd I suggest. Former 5 pick with 78 games to his name and slowed by injury. I wonder if Tyson could work?

Do you think we played better with or without him this year? What role would you train him for next year over preseason? Where you see his improvement coming from? I would not be pushing him out but for the amount we have invested in him cap wise I would want a clear plan or be maximising any want he has to go home if it's there.

The question isn't whether Jesse is a good player. The question is do we play better without him and IF he wanted to go home whether we could maximise it to fulfill some of our key deficiencies in outside speed both this year via a high position in the draft as well next year loading up in a trade or FA with the cash saved.

You don't seem to have answered my query rather answer ones that I didn't even pose. Your wings don't need to be quick but they need to be able to run hard and carry well. The option to be quick is a bonus but not if you cant repeat run or if you turn it over on connection. Think Sidebottom and Gaff (the 2 All Australian wingman), neither are fast but run themselves into the ground and still connect with quality. You have confirmed though that midfielders who play in the middle also need to get uncontested ball and started to get that right balance over the last 6 weeks but clearly not yesterday. Note I am not saying that Goodwin doesn't rate speed. I just don't think it has been a priority over the contest and he has not had reasonable ones without flaws at his disposal.

Would have agreed on this 2-3 years ago. However I think the role of the hard running wingman who pushes hard back and creates the central connection and then dashes forward as an option is back in vogue. If it was just another mid then wouldn't Tyson and Jones be able to play the role close to as aptly to how they play in the pivot? We desperately need to develop them on our list (Stretch, Baker, Hannan, Fritsch, Kent) or go and bring some in.

I truthfully don't think he had much to start with. We were just excited by his occasional dashes, spoils and goals. We need pace but repeat pace and class. He is not the answer and I suspect a fair few clubs will overvalue his assets at trade time. Unrelated but I would love to be a fly on the wall of Trac's end of season review and also curious to see where he lands in our B&F. He needs to quickly mature of mind and decide he wants to be a serious footballer that maximises his god given talents or can see him coasting to an ok career only.

Watch his game today. All the pace in the world but is mechanical and cant hit a target. Does not have the smarts or the repeat sprints in him to play wing. I would rather trade him for overs to a team that cant see his many weakness to his few strengths or he will spend most of the year at Casey.

Don't disagree on point 1 but Garlett and Hunt reinforced in todays VFL GF that they are way off being the answer. Its a shame neither Stretch nor Kent couldn't get an injury free run second half of the year.

Is he retiring with one year left on his contract or you think he will be traded in a straight swap to get Josh Kelly?

You are aware Garlett is on our list yeah? Lets see how Jetta, Rioli and Ryan go next week. They had 2 tackles between them yesterday.

Me and the demon sympathising wife (mad bomber member at heart) are doing the 7.30am up and 7pm back from Melbourne. I said no all weekend until first thing Monday morning that the tickets went on sale. Then jumped on one of the new release flights. Now sitting here Friday night I would have been seriously kicking myself if I hadn't changed my mind last minute. For those in the know what is the best transport option from airport to Optus? Any decent brunch spot close by worth it pregame?

Nearly a week on and I am still in the state of mind that Tyson must make way for Smith. We must bring more size and speed to our backline to combat their forward line. We must bring more run to the outside midfield. Smith in and Fritsch to the wing is the way. This is not to do with Tyson who whilst not bad had limited impact on last weeks game. Its about team balance to defeat a side that is different at a ground that is different in conditions that are different.

Fritsch had him early. Hibberd then had him late. My simple view is Smith is taller, faster and stronger than Fritsch. Fritsch is a better outside runner and link man than Tyson on a wing. Tyson was not poor but nor did he do enough to cement a place. Its a better set up against a better team.

Everyone calling for no change please put forward who is playing on Kennedy, Vardy and Darling. It is clear to me watching the VFL today that Joel Smith plays. Offers so much versatility against the Eagles front 6 and is hard and fast. Tyson the unlucky player to miss as this will shuffle Fritsch up to the wing.

I thought Fritsch was close to our worst player last night, seemed very fumbly and not his clean self, he also had the Gunston match up early on. I also don't see a natural match up for him against the Eagles forwards and think his run and skills forward of centre would be more valuable next week. If someone could advise how we are setting up for Kennedy, Darling and Vardy forward?

Anyone who says bring in Vince against a team who has Ryan, Rioli and Cripps in their forward half is unfortunately selecting with their heart not their head. That or they have poor memory of Vince recent form.

6.T-Mac 5. Viney 4. Petracca 3. Jetta 2. Spargo 1. Hibberd

I think we will go no change but I would subject to how he goes tomorrow I would bring in Joel Smith for Tyson. He wasn't poor but he had limited impact and he is not suited to the outside where he is being forced to play. Fritsch is also better up the ground.

I get it and he can play but I don't get why he would agree to be an alternate ruck. He could potentially go to GWS and be their first ruck. He would be better than anything the cats could have thrown at us last night including those that were not fit. He would be better biding his time North and taking over from Goldy.

We need more mobility if anything at all against Hawthorn. Bernie cant run any more.

I do wonder about anyone who thinks Garlett would be a good in in a final. If Kent happened to become available it might make things interesting though.

This makes perfect sense for us but no sense if I was Preuss. You would be better waiting Goldstein out and passing him next year probably vs second fiddle to the best ruckman in the AFL in his mid 20s. The only way would be if we plan on a different set up with 2 rucks with potential rule changes next year.

Oops Revise that to pick 4 or 5.