Lil_red_fire_engine

6. Garlett 5. Hogan 4. Jones 3. Oliver 2. Trac 1. O-Mac

Nothing wrong with Wagner's game again tonight. However I agree we seem to be lacking some dynamics in the back 6.

One day I hope to see us play 4 quarters. We need to read the change in run of play earlier and show some leadership and control the play. Great to see Jeffy and Hogan have blinders. Unsure where else we can hide Lewis aside from Casey.

I have no inside info but his JLT was poor aside from a quality second half of JLT 2. We now have serious quality depth and he does not have runs on the board to be named without decent form or performance. I rate him highly but he needs to show more and I suspect if we hold him back to when he's cherry ripe and in hot form it will likely be the last time he is not a permanent first 22 player.

Those that state it was a gallant loss I don't disagree but it is only a gallant loss because we fought back and in essence should have won with better forward 50 conversion. Then ask yourself how many of our players played to your expectations for the full game. I counted 8 with Lewis and Harmes making it 10 if you just count their second half. We looked good over JLT due to even team performances with most playing their roles to expectations across most of the game. Need to get back to that this week and moving forward and we will murder most sides.

Started slow but would have been in our best 5 players in the second half. Unclear whether he ends up in our best 22 but certainly shouldn't be dropped based on last week.

A well thought out post for some good debate. We will learn a lot about where we are at after the next round, however as disappointing I took my positives than negatives for the season ahead. After watching Geelong I suggest add Danger and they are guaranteed top 4. Now consider how putrid we were in the second, we moved the ball forward poorly for most of the game and in the last when we were still running executed 1.7. We had 27 more tackles and 23 more inside 50's than a quality side which would be close to statistically impossible to lose but we still found a way. A couple of minor changes in personnel this week and some tuning of how we bring the ball into forward 50 and how we defend the ball coming out of our forward 50 and the world should look a lot better next round and moving forward.

Salem was not good at any point but willing to give him a pass for that hit. Would want to do more and show some desperation next week.

6. Jones 5. Trac 4. OMac 3. Oliver 2. Gawn 1. Hogan

Gawns miss cost us the win. However lack of defensive run and the inability for our high half forwards to impact was what cost us in the second and really the game. Gutted but most interested to see how we respond both at selection and in set up next week.

Their starting midfield bullocks well but they lacked run from half back and their kids tire quickly each quarter.

I could watch it again and again. The guy thinks you can keep coming back with the same plan and similar style players and expect a different result. I love the arrogance. The only player he focusses on in his presser is the performance of Cox and why he wasn't clunking them and kicking bags. I don't know maybe because it was a soaking wet and he is a 7ft american learning a role he is not made for. I maybe would have focussed on the two must have star recruits of his coaching years in Adams and Treloar who went at 60% and 42% efficiency or his inability to stop a guy who had 50 possession against you last year have another half ton this time. The only thing that makes this better is the arrogance of Eddie that he wont be able to bring himself to sack him (again).

I define a depth player as a mature player you don't intend on playing unless significant injuries hit across the board or to a specific area. As has been mentioned by the club we had 40 players to choose from this week. They are not clearly depth players in my definition.

Good debate. I am not suggesting neither OMac or Wagner is a superstar and I am not saying Frost does not have great attributes and wont contribute during the season. What I am saying is our overall defence and general game plan is best served by OMac and Wagner. My view is Wagner is no where near the dud based on exposed form that people make out and Frost is nowhere near the power forward taming brute with great rebound ability that others make him out to be. I suspect back end of year if we are at decent strength neither is in our starting 22 but we certainly look more balanced over the JLT with Wagner/Omac than on Frosts exposed limited form.

A "depth player" who played all the JLT and is named when we have 40 fit players. I think he is higher in those considered for selection than a lot on here understand. The best teams have role players who on their own you would not rate highly but are rated a lot higher due to their impact to the overall team structure. I think Wagner is clearly one of these but most focus on his alleged erratic execution and inability to defend well which seems to be limited in example over the preseason. I enjoy those that use the lost at selection crutch if we lose but will be silent if we win. Being he played all preseason when we were undefeated speaks more to if it ain't broke don't fix it. To be clear I would not have personally named him in my best 22 but I can read the bigger picture as to why.

To be clear I rate Brayshaw in our best 22 but I think we are passed the point where one great quarter in 8 gets you a round 1 spot. I think if fit he would have probably played ahead of Maynard and possibly Hannan but am ok that if he's not 100% and based on inconsistency of form over the JLT that we have the depth to make these choices. Dont think it will take long to see him in the red and blue.

Assuming Brayshaw with teeth and since he didn't train parts of week would make sense. You could also consider he was poor in JLT 1 and good in JLT 2. Does being half good get you in our team these days? Maynard over Tyson I think is more about providing us an option to play a defensive role on Selwood or GAJ if necessary without Viney. The only other option is Vince but you need multiple plans. A lot on here have questioned the quality of Tyson for a few years so you need to also expect that these decisions will occur as we get better. He is also one of our only mid options that really has no flexibility of role. Wagner is clearly the new whipping boy with Frost the player seen as what we want him to be not the player he performs as. Wagner provides a lot more flexibility, allows us to free up Hibberd and Hunt to attack as well as the ability for Vince or Lewis through the middle and is much better in execution than given credit. He may not be the best player but his role in the team gives us a more flexible 22. For where Frost is at go back and watch how our backline functioned when OMac went off and Frost came on in the JLT. Expect to see strong debate like this every week as people adjust hopefully to the decisions a quality team with quality depth need to make at match committee and the increased expectations to stay in the team. Final note. Great to see finally no one querying Melksham's inclusion and growing importance to the team. For those that question if the selectors know what they are doing go and visit some early threads from last year.

Expect Hannan to play over Frost.

The alarmist almost fatalist attitude on here is embarrassing. It is disappointing but better to manage for it to happen now and try and get them right for rest of the season than to lose them in the back half. They are both high quality players but we can cover them particularly with our early season run. The argument could be old school MFC may have let TMac continue to play through the pain due to no depth and make it worse but because we take a no risk attitude everyone goes into meltdown. As Goody said we have a list of 40 healthy players. When have we ever entered a season with 40 to choose from? Particularly when most I would be happy to see as true quality options.Take no precautions particularly with their importance and ensure they are right for the second half of the season when they are even more vital.

Unlike the 5 coaches before him?

Three quarters of quality footbsll. One quarter where we got ahead of ourselves. Good to see Brayshaw get some good touch.

They just said out with a toe

Said he has a toe

I love it when we play in waves of champagne angry football like I’ve never seen and someone finds something that annoys them. We’re a salty bunch us Dees supporters.

Hard runners who while not quick have smart lateral movement which gets them into space. Both pokey right footers who look naturally untidy by foot but are surprisingly effective. Hard at it inside with good hands into space.