Lil_red_fire_engine

Jesse is a great talent but concern is his development trend seems to have wained and in some cases his traits appear to have regressed. Not unusual for a kid in what is really his third year and with a bit going on. No need for concern yet but he will possibly be the biggest key to how we develop players as to whether he ends up a superstar, a trade and forget or a good player who could have been great.

JKH made two big errors but had more tackles this week than Kent has had in his last 3 games including VFL on the weekend. If you haven't worked out our small forwards are about defensive pressure first you must not have watched our first 5 games. Kent wont be back in this week.

He was good last week after being poor the week before and serviceable in the first 3. I wish people could judge performance based on roles rather than read stats and use pre-defined perceptions.

Jones and Viney lead by effort and ethic but they are not smart footballers and struggle to see the game unfold and then demand when and where their team meats should position or what to adjust on field when under pressure. Listen to Hodges commentary in our last quarter he could basically read what we were doing wrong immediately at the stoppages and what we needed to do. That is the type of leadership that Lewis brings and we need.

This is what I reckon will happen and what I would trial- T-Mac into the ruck, O-Mac back in and Pederson forward. JKH I expect will play as I suspect Goodwin will focus more on what he did without the ball first game back (7 tackles) than some of the horrors he committed with it. Assuming those that were lame get up but Bugg next one up if they dont: Out: Spencer, Smith, Tyson In: Pederson, O-Mac, Lewis

He was good last night after being poor last week. His job is to stop his man, run hard to plug the defensive gaps and link up. He did that and did it well. Curious what you thought of Hibberd's zero tackle game last night?

6. Hibberd 5. Oliver 4. Hunt 3. Petracca 2. Watts 1. Melksham

We expected to kick long in the wet to a forward line that at most times should have had Hogan, Smith and Watt. How often was that possible in the second half?

Why? Do you see us winning the flag this year? Watch Oliver and Petracca and tell me when you have seen two kids as good as those in an MFC jumper? Lets have another look at the age of our list. Would you take Richmond's over ours regardless of where we finish? How many of our best 18 were missing in your opinion tonight?

I am pretty clear regardless of wins at end of year it is obvious we have not regressed.

We had no ruckman (and he was our second string)and lost the stoppages convincingly after that point. We had no third on the bench for the second half. CP played on one leg. We lost because we had nothing left not through lack of effort or ability and also didn't dominate on the scoreboard early when we had all the play. Great game by Oliver, Hibberd, Hunt and Trac on one leg, others ok in part but thought across the game those four were immense.

I am disappointed as anyone but anyone that doesn't think having no ruckman and being another down on the bench did not cost the win has no idea about football. As soon as Spencer was done they dominated the stoppage I wonder why. Great effort, we were out on our feet. Shame it ended the way it did but I know whose list I would rather have.

We will be lucky to finish this game with anyone on the bench. Come on Dees hang in there. Whether we make it to the line or not I will just reflect on some of the work from Clarry, Trac and Hunt and that will be enough for me to prefer to be us than them.

I look forward when we have execution and composure that matches our effort and aggression. Expect this will be another costly night of learning. Smith out, Spencer lame and CP5 on one leg and you watch their front runners come out in the second half as we lag. Hibberd shows what a good half back looks like. Clearly our best player for mine. Come on Dees. Prove me wrong.

To be clear he said he will spend some time through the midfield tonight. Said his mid/forward splits will likely follow a similar trajectory year on year to Dustin Martin.

Rioli, Butler, Castagna. Best of luck to both JKH and Hibberd on their returns to AFL footy.

Have you seen Bugg kick at AFL level? There is a reason when he gets there he has 6 kicks and 16 handballs. I have also never seen him play in the defensive 6.

It was clear all including the coaches thought Melksham was poor last week being they hid him forward in the last quarter. Unlike others though I feel he was good the week before and serviceable the weeks prior. No small forward has taken him to the cleaners and he kicks aggressiveIy, long and flat, granted last week he had a mare. Based on that I would have dropped him this week if we were not playing a team with a small fast forward line so can understand why they are persevering.

Admin we please fix the title of the thread. It is purposefully misleading (granted the sub title does clarify).

Versus Garlett 11 and ANB 15 in the same period. Pretty obvious to me. Smith comes in after 10 tackles as a tall forward. JKH whilst not to the same level 4 tackles in the VFL last week but has his work rate praised by Plapp. I can start to see a theme there. I suspect Hibberd will take a while to settle and feel part of the team but anyone who think he is not a massive asset to our side has not watched much of him. Wife is a Bombers supporter so have watched them a lot and whilst his 2015 was only good his 2014 and 2013 were stellar. I think he was second over that period to Heath Shaw for intercept marks and was extremely high up for metres gained. Plays aggressive both with and without the ball. Will be interesting when he gets settled and Lewis returns what position Vince takes.

He knows how to get easy possessions. Doesn't take first option, doesn't hit an option when he does take an option, doesn't defend with intent. Will not be starting 22 by years end.

You make it sound so easy. Not much of that sounds like coaching sounds on the field talk and between the ears and in the heart.

6.Petracca 5. Watts 4. Garlett 3. Oliver 2. Hunt 1. Spencer

Freo are better than credited. We don't have leaders that can read momentum swings and adjust accordingly. Lewis missing today hurt a lot. Jones, Tyson and Viney had the least impacting 60+ possessions you will ever see. Vince had possibly the worst 5 minutes in the last of his career. Spencer did as much as you could expect against Sandilands and will be better for it. Oliver and Trac continue to develop. Weids need to go back and develop atCasey, will be a good player but playing him next week and this week is hindering not helping. Take the third out and we win by 40 with some breathtaking pieces of play. The question needs to be asked what the [censored] happened in the third and how do we continue to not know how to shut out the final moments of a game.

Eric Hipwood, had 2 disposals, 1 mark, 0 goals last week, for Brisbane. Yet is being persevered with. Weids mainly get to the right spots and leaps at the ball. You don't see him outmarked often even though he is not catching them. I think he is also much better suited to the bigger MCG. Unless someone is banging the door down then he will be persevered with most of the year. I think OMac's demotion says more about the want to get Frost in and match ups with Freo's side.