Deespicable

Yep but logic goes out the door a bit when you lose. If we were to beat Geelong, then yes, we wouldn't need to rush him in. But given it's at their stadium and three umpires will only hear one noise, I think it would be one of our finest efforts to win down there - Richmond couldn't do it down there last season if you recall.

It's a short selection night coming up. If Smith is fit, then it's no change for me, because he adds flexibility and pace to our line up. Loved the way he went forward and even though he wasn't able to get on the end of anything, he's a presence in air and on the ground. That's the flexibility we need - but sadly in these days where clubs train up players for one of three areas - the mid-game switch rarely happens. If Smith is still too sore (note he was moved off Walters when he pulled up sore when he got away over the back), then there are only two players to consider - Bernie and Wags. And if either comes back you have to also consider whether the loss of pace means Jordy has a rest up for the Cats game - which is our real test anyway. The good news is that AVB is only about two weeks away. I doubt we will risk him for the Cats game, but I reckon the week after we regain our tackling bull. And yes he will turn it over ... but have a look at what he brings. And if you don't know, go down to training and walk on the ground near to where he is and ask yourself would you want him tackling you?

To me it's more about the restructuring. The first area is that we need to fix is our forward entries - which way too often head to the goalsquare where we either are outmarked or fail to crumb. The situation has been made worse when we took out Spargo and didn't replace him with a fellow crumber - like Jeffy. We had success during our six-game win stretch with the three tall forwards, but I said at the time that it may not be sustainable at night and also in the winter when agility is almost everything. Having three talls is a luxury up in Darwin anyway, because it's at night it gets dewy/greasy - it's very different to Alice Springs. Clearly having another small helps our pace and mobility and forward pressure and maybe forces players to look lower. Telling players (namely Hoges) to lead up to the contest is also crucial. The second area is our failure to cover opposition sides on the break. We no longer have Lever to intercept and save the fix a two-fold. 1) we need to make sure our mids aren't all downhill skiing - Viney and Jones definitely ain't ones, so the others need to lift as well and rotate quickly enough to maintain their ability to get back and pressure. More two-way runners are needed which to me means ANB needs to go in there at times and we need to add pace to our wings - Stretch is a must and Baker needs to be considered, even though I doubt his kicking ability at this stage. But Baker will certainly add run and the fans will love him. 2) We need to add more speed to our back line or play an extra down back (although we did do this on occasions against the Saints). The downside of the extra down back means you turn the game into a low-scoring close tussle, but it may be necessary if we can't get our mids right. And it might be necessary because whilst Jordy bring precision, he most certainly doesn't bring speedy defence. In terms of players coming in, the following must be considered: A crumber - Spargo is a given and there's a case for Jeffy as well, especially in Darwin. Kent will be ready again soon, but not yet based on his game in VFL last week. More two-way runners, ideally with pace - Stretch is a given because of his VFL form, but there's a case for Baker, who is quicker, as well, although after what happened with Petty, I am not sure Goody will be so eager to trial that this week - once bitten, twice shy. There's also a case for Buggy because whilst he's not quick, he works his butt off and we may need him to tag/niggle in coming weeks. But with Fyfe out, do we really need Buggy to tag Neale this week? Maybe he has to wait for Toby the following week. There's also a case for Frosty - some will argue Keilty but he's the same player as Petty - not mega quick, just more developed and more of a man. But you can't bring in Frosty unless the coach wants him and he has to be part of his restructure. Given it's going to be slippery in Darwin and Freo have lost Taberner and Nyhuis and Kersten are hardly big names, maybe it's the game to go small down back anyway. In which case you have to consider recalling Bernie, who is honest and will make a contest and is by and large a terrific kick. Or as I have stated before, we send Nat Jones back there to make our transition game more smooth and also because he's a hard nut and will put his life on the line. I'd have him play on Ballantyne with Jetta on Walters and Hibberd on Matera. As to the outs, I have three certs. 1) Hannan - I still think he's critical come finals, but he may need a few weeks of dominating in the VFL again before a recall. 2) Tyson - unless we play him in the guts, then there's no point having him as that's his forte. he's not quick enough to be an outside mid. 3) Petty - I have made comment on another thread about this, but we don't want another Chris Lamb scenario - he needs to regain his confidence and the best place for that to happen will be in the VFL finals. We need to win this game. The other outs - possibly 4) Petracca - I said last week that it was imperative that Goody shows him some tough love for his long-term development. Please bite the bullet with him Goody - if you don't we all lose as he is imperative as a weapon in the run home against the good sides. He needs to be playing in the middle for Casey for two weeks and working his butt off. The time to do it is now, not in Rd 21 when we are out of it. 5) Weid - I actually feel that with Petty out and with Frost unlikely to be recalled, we can rejig by sending T-Mac and Hoges back to help out for part of the game. That could leave Weid to play the outlet role down the line again but as I said earlier, three tall forwards is not an option at night against a quick young side. But my gut feel is we'll give Weid another go. He's ready. He just needs to show it. 6) Lewis - The big call if Goody has the courage to make it. Clearly he gets caught out on transition defensively and clearly we need his smarts and precise ball movement offensively. Can we keep playing him and if we ain't a chance to win the flag, how can we justify playing him? So: Forward 7 - Spargo, Weid, T-Mac/Hoges, Fritsch, Melky, Garlett, ANB Mids 8 - Gawn, Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw, Harmes, Baker, Stretch, Jones Defenders 7 - Lewis, O-Mac, J.Smith, Salem, Jetta, Hibberd, Hoges/T-Mac Or, in simpler terms: In: Stretch, Spargo, Baker and Garlett Out: Petty, Hannan, Tyson and Petracca

I found it quite distressing watching his debut today - I felt sick for him and I'm sure nothing anybody could do or say will make him feel any better tonight . I had to turn away as I watched his left foot kick dribble off his boot in the second term because I have seen him train and I know his kicking is normally one of his strengths. Some of you will remember the debut of Chris Lamb back in 1999 when he played the first two games of the season. Lamb was a high draft pick but just 18 and we needed a tall because I think Shanahan was injured. Can anyone else recall how he stubbed his toe on the ball trying to kick it one time and you just knew he was never going to live it down - at least in his head. He didn't play for another two years and despite a good turn of speed, he never really overcame that horror debut. What's worse is that he had to back up the next week because the coach was hopeful that his nerves would be overcome. They weren't. And it's worse for a defender because you can't hide away on a wing and pick up some lazy touches. Time will tell if Harry can overcome what happened. I am a bit worried that Goody will get all stubborn and decide to play him again next week, hoping he will show his true form. But I'm sorry the psychological damage of rushing a player in can be huge and your mindset, once shattered, doesn't change that quickly and we can't afford another loss. What needs to happen is that Harrison needs to play in the VFL finals and get his confidence back. Provided he has a good strong pre-season, he then needs to be given a shot in pre-season games so that he can get a taste of what AFL is like before his next main stage performance. If Goody thinks he can play him again this season, he's a bigger dill than when he used to gamble his earning away. Sadly he now has to go to the player whose manic play at times frustrates him - welcome back Sam Frost.

Almost impossible to read what the selectors will do these days. The most interesting thing so far is that Joel Smith has kept his spot, even with Petty coming into play his intercepter role. To me that shows that Goody is aware of the pace issues we have down back and kept him in the back seven ahead of Bernie and Joel will most likely play on Josh Battle , leaving Membrey and McCartin to O-Mac and Petty. I'm still awaiting to see our restructure up forward, but like many, would be surprised if Weid hasn't done enough. Can't see Pedo playing this week - the second tall defender role went to Petty already - and in my view, Pedo's too slow for that role anyway, even though his kicking skills are up to the required level. And as a forward, I expect Weid to play his back-up ruck role - so even if T-Mac is a late withdrawal, Pedo's chances this week appear limited to me. I'd be shocked if Stretch doesn't get a call up, but I've been shocked before. Could Vince play up forward if T-Mac is injured? Will both Harmes and Tyson be kept? Who knows? Find out at about 6.15pm tonight!

Will be interesting if Goody restructures up forward or just assumes that things will be easier because we are playing a side lower down the ladder. As I said in my rankings this week, I think it is time we sent Petracca back to the VFL. He needs some tough love to force him to take his game to the next level.I've been banging on for some time on how he doesn't go back far enough when he gets a free or a mark and his low-flat kicks are easy to pick off or just smother. It's a flaw that needed addressing a long time back now and it infuriates me that he's been allowed to get away with it because we all know he's a serious talent. In three weeks time we have some really big games and that's how long he should have in the VFL to get his fitness and his headspace right. The obvious replacement is Stretch. If Billy doesn't get a go this week, then he should ask for a trade to Port now - he is way too good at VFL level to be shafted week after week. I am sure that Goody will pick Stretch this week and my guess is that he will drop Tyson again because he doesn't want to confront the Trac issue and Dom did make a couple of howlers. I also mentioned that Weid has arrived - or at least almost. At training this week he moved like a midfielder. His agility is up and he gives a quick handball give and now he even has some goals behind him. He is ready to have an impact at AFL level and that means Tim Smith misses out. Bull has done little wrong but Weid is the future and he is no longer a kid who gets pushed aside. He has to play now. The other player who should be in the mix this week is Frosty. I can't read what they are doing with him. He clearly was needed for Westhoff or Dixon and we decided to send him forward in the VFL last week and then he played as a forward in training drills this week. So he then lines up in defence in the VFL this week. Go figure! Against the Saints we need him as a big for either McCartin or Membrey or Bruce if he plays. It's a question of who Frosty replaces and whilst it would be a tough call to drop Vince or Lewis but it might happen. Goody also has to consider whether he sends Hoges down back early against the Saints to get his confidence back up before moving him forward after half time.If he does that he might decide we don't need Frosty yet and he can recall either Bugg or Spargo to provide more bite around the packs. It's a tough gig being a coach when you lose and putting up with know it alls like us!

Finally finished watching replay 6 Oliver - unbelievably clean hands and even ran and carried it a bit. 5 Viney - Guts personified but disposal was poor. 4 Brayshaw - BOG to half time and seriously clever. 3 Jones - sorry haters, but he worked his butt off like Viney. 2 Jetta - Super first half on Gray but his free in last was majorly costly. 1 Gawn - As with other midfielders he was in everything and had a good opponent to match up on. Unlucky: Fritsch - Almost won it for us in final term. Unlucky with umps: Melky must have gone close to decking one giving the treatment he copped,

For some reason it didn't like my word documents, but when I copied it into pages and tried again it worked. It did keep the attempted downloads on bottom though of topic though and I couldn't remove it - see actual topic called Deespicable's 2018 player rankings

Those of you with an hour to spare, here's my now annual mid-year report ranking our Demon list. What's the line from that English makeover show - pash, snog or avoid! Deespicable’s 2018 Player Rankings It’s 26 years since a ruckman won the Brownlow Medal (Goodesy wasn’t a true ruckman) and I reckon there’s a chance with our Max this year. Against Essendon, I noticed that the umps were finally starting to look after him like they did with the late Jimmy – could that be an omen that a Charlie is around the corner? Naturally he’s my No.1 Dee on this year’s rankings, although Olly is making sure our best and fairest award is a thriller and our 20-year-old also needs a big finish to the season to win his first AA gig. But how good is it to finally have some players whom you can genuinely call stars. And with tricky away games to come against Port, the Crows, West Coast and Geelong, plus hard ones at home against Sydney and GWS, we’ll need everyone on their game just to make the finals. I remember how we all thought we’d finally made it in 1984 under Barrass having just won our sixth game in a row to defeat the Hawks at Princes Park only for Greg Healy to be taken out the following week by an Essendon thug. That thumping by the eventual premiers set us back three years, so hopefully our loss to the Pies didn’t give us the Colliwobbles. It shouldn’t for two reasons. Firstly we have incredible list depth now (I mean Dom Tyson a VFL player …seriously!) and secondly Goody gets it. The guys he selects now are either tough nuts or work their butts off. He made his statement at the end of last year with Wattsy and whilst some of us bemoan his departure, we all now understand why. Goody’s two big tasks now are finding a replacement for Lever (Smithy deserves his shot at it although I’d prefer him as our third tall defender) and sorting out how to inject pace come finals – getting Mr Nippy back firing from injury will determine our fate against the quick sides such as the Tigers and Pies. But this list is about the players, so here goes. 2018: One to 44 – Rating our list (last year’s rank in brackets). 1 Max Gawn (2) OK Gawny, you’ve made it – you can have a cigarette and a bucket of chips now. I’m sure that three years ago, Gawny would have celebrated in such a way, but I think our most popular and marketable player now gets that in this industry, you have to keep your discipline levels up 99% of the time. And let’s face it, he’s still got the battle with last year’s All-Australian Patty Ryder and will need to keep beating his opponents in the back half of the season because at this point it’s neck and neck with Brodie Grundy for the AA spot, although they do have a bench to reward both of them if needed. How good has Gawny been in almost every game so far – he just gets to contests even at ground level, then bobs up on our forward line to take a mark or two. And it’s not always his fault that our players don’t read his left-handed taps. Media commentators and everyone with a microphone or tape recorder flock to our one-liner king post-game now and I reckon there’s a Danger in that – remember how we all loved Dangerfield two years ago Maxy. I’d cut back your media next season before you fall victim to the nasty Tall Poppy syndrome. 2 Clayton Oliver (3) With Gawny on song and in vogue, Clayton has barely been sought out post-game this season and to be fair, most games he’s been good, without being our matchwinner. As a result his superstar status is on hold, but there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s the man. I have watched him annoy the sh.t out of our fellow midfielders at training with his push and hold scrimmaging for ruck contests – maybe he’s trying to invoke the Jack Viney style hardness into others. But sometimes I just wish he’d not get caught up in that “bold and hold” play and just go the pill at clearances – he’s the best I’ve seen at it in my time and that includes Wellsy, Willow and Viney Snr. 3 Jesse Hogan (11) Forget Roaming Bryan, this year we have Roaming Jesse. With the Tigers having success playing Jack Riewoldt in the role, Goody decided to let Hoges loose and have carte blanche to pretty much go anywhere up forward. And given he’s got such a good natural tank, it’s really helped him be more involved in the game and gone (mostly) is his petulance over poor entries from teammates. What has impressed me more this year is that he’s finally shown he can kick a longish goal – he took two shots from outside 50m against the Tiges and both made it. Sure he’s no thumper like Neiter, but he’s more accurate than him and if shots from the 50m arc become part of his routine, then he’s way more damaging in his roaming role than isolated in the square. After all, he’s our second best pack mark behind Gawny and presents better than Jen Hawkins down the line. With Lever gone, he may have to on occasions play as a tall defender, but what I hate though is his short forays on the ball at centre clearances. Firstly he’s untrained in that area and he’s just nowhere near as quick at the dish as Olly or Trac or Jones or Salem or Angus. And as for his defensive work at the centre stoppages, take a look at his first quarter effort against Geelong – he lined up on Ablett at the first one (goal to Gaz). He then moved to Selwood for the second one and was absolutely schooled. Why Goody, why? Let the mids be mids and your star forward, roam forward. 4 Nathan Jones (1) OK you’ve all read a lot about him lately with him notching up his 250th in Round 11 and joining a select group of nine that have reached that milestone for us. Come finals time only four will rank ahead of him and he will have gone virtually 250 games since his last final in 2006. He’s a man of few words but we all know what Jonesy stands for – he’s as tough and reliable as they come and after a bit of criticism responded with a career-high 10 clearances roving Gawny against Essendon. How many years can he go on for? My view is that he should break Neiter’s club record in 2021, provided Goody sends him down back – I reckon he could become a dead-ringer for Jarrad McVeigh with his elite evasive and kicking skills – in fact with Viney back, we no longer need his ground-based skills in the middle so much, that the move should happen now. It won’t though, Goody will keep playing Lewis and Vince back there. But next year – definitely. 5 Michael Hibberd (5) SuperCoach does funny things with your head – the minute a player posts a few low scores we start questioning his value. But Hibberd is still the same player who won an AA spot last year, he still charges into packs when required, still bodies his opponent to make sure they can’t get a clean grab and he still mops up almost anything that comes near him. He’s as dependable a defender as we’ve seen. Many ask why hasn’t he been as dominant as last year and my gut feel is that his direct opponent has been told to take him over to the right side of the park, where he’s not quite as confident and natural as on his left boot. But did his name come up on Demonland’s potential outs when we lost badly to the Hawks and Tigers – no way. 6 Jack Viney (4) OK we’ve barely seen him this season, but already you can gauge his value. I’ve said for a long time he’s our Joel Selwood and there’s no-one who likes playing on him – even at training. He was majorly missed in the game against Richmond and as with owls, I reckon he does his best work at night when conditions are greasy. Sadly we only have four games to come at night, so we may have to wait until finals for him to really show us his true value. And hopefully that involves tagging a couple of big names – that’s where he does his best work. 7 Jake Lever (New) It’s took some DL’ers a bit of time to warm to him, but most could see his worth before his luck ran out. We haven’t exactly had a great run with marking intercepters – Clint Biz came to us late, Jared Rivers’ best year was probably his first, while Howey was allowed to leave. But now we have a genuine reader of the play who is a lovely kick and whilst we may have paid top dollar for him, I’d rather that than taking a punt on a kid via the draft. And he’s only 22. Assuming he comes back OK from his latest ACL, I reckon in time we may rate him as our best tall defender, even snaring Gary Hardeman’s team of the century spot. 8 Tom McDonald (13) All of us tend to be a little hard on T-Mac. In the old days it was his occasional low pass out of defence that was picked off by opponents that irked us. Then his magical game against West Coast last year made us expect five goals almost every week. In my view, Tom will never be a superstar. But he is what all coaches want – a mega-fit worker who courageously presents time and time again (just ask Howey who reckons he’s the world’s best stepladder). But the good thing is that not all teams have a jumping jack, and Tom’s work ethic means at some point he’s the one with the sit and his hands are incredibly reliable, just as his flat kicks are deadly accurate. That makes him a very valuable tall forward in the James Westhoff mould with the added bonus that he has the tank to play as the back-up tap man. 9 Jake Melksham (19) Melky had an unbelievable pre-season and whilst he hasn’t been able to dominate each week (what small forward does) he can lay claim to a rare victory against Alex Rance (four goals) and arguably our best individual game of our season against Carlton where he kicked five and set up another handful. What makes him so dangerous, apart from his hard running and surprising core strength is his thumping long flat drop punts that split open opposition zones. Sure he’s not quite as glamorous as De Goey or Toby Greene, but right now he’s climbing the rankings of small forwards and is even being mooted as a possible AA. 10 Angus Brayshaw (No rating) What a relief. We all knew he was a talent but it seemed he was on his way out, courtesy of the grim reaper known as Mr Concussion. As with Olly and his glove, he’s become the man with an appendage, but the helmet gives him that Nathan Burke style tough look. I was sold on him again when he touched up the Saints pre-season with a memorable final term, but it took Goody a bit longer– he waited until the Bombers game to trust him with a centre clearance or two and whilst he’s not as fleet-footed as some pacey wingmen, he’s got a bagful of tricks and we can now all see the magic of his long kicking off both feet. 11 Neville Jetta (14) After being in contention for an AA spot last year, Nev started the season poorly being touched up a couple of times by Menzel in Rd 1 and I reckon he was close to being sent to Casey before Rd 5, but against Richmond he was back to his reliable self playing a fair bit of time on Dusty and since then it’s been business as usual with his Doggie game unbelievable. Sure I’d love to see him take the game on more and provide dash out of defence, but as with Salem and Jordy he is offering the safe, precise option. 12 Christian Salem (16) For the second year in a row, there was a push to play Salem in the middle and this time around he showed more ability in the bump and grind centre cauldron. But as with last year I kept thinking what a waste. He’s not big enough to really impose in the guts and he is just so clean with his kicking that he’s needed on the outside. Eventually he was moved back against Essendon and suddenly, with Jordy’s help, we seemed to be so much more precise. And he seems to have improved his defensive one-on-one work, making him a crucial member of our back seven. 13 James Harmes (18) Goody has warmed to him this season playing him in the guts ahead of Dom and Angus and with Viney back he even gets in there ahead of Jonesy at times. The reason why is that he’s your typical blue-collar worker that coaches love because they illustrate a side’s intent. In NBA terms. he’s our Delly. Demonlanders get incensed when he tries to break though about 12 tackles and gets pinged for holding the ball, but in the current rugger style game, you need a good second rower and Harmes provides that kind of grunt. As yet this year he hasn’t nailed too many goals on the run, but that will come and hopefully it coincides with September. 14 Christian Petracca (12) With no Jack Watts for us to get excited about pre-season, Trac carried the ‘big improver’ hype outjumping Braydon Preuss to lead us to our AFLX title. His first game against the Cats was a cracker. But since then he’s struggled to really get his season going with one DL’er even dubbing him Colin 2.0. Even his admirers have admitted he needs a stint in the twos now. He’s missed set shots that he’d nail last year and his lack of explosive pace and fitness has meant he’s been caught on occasions. My biggest gripe is still that he doesn’t get back far enough on the mark quickly enough to hit his targets with his grass-burning bullet passes. But almost every game you just sense that he’s about to dominate proceedings and put those hips and leap to good use. He should join our top three as stars of the game, but I must admit I’m getting a little tired of waiting. Come on CP5 – your time is now … or maybe September. 15 Alex Neal-Bullen (21) I’d love a dollar for every time someone reckons he should be dropped. But thankfully Goody rates ANB and his hard yards more highly than the Demon faithful and it’s paying off. Yes he’s prone to the odd turnover, but yes he’ll be back trying to make amends seconds later with a smother or a tackle or just perceived pressure. As with Harmes he doesn’t always look quality, but he’d kicked 15 goals to the halfway point and averages just over three tackles which is high for a permanent small forward. At his best he has a bit of the Robbie Gray’s about him. 16 Oscar McDonald (23) He was everybody’s flavor of the month in April, but May saw him fall like the leaves outside. That’s not majorly surprising given he’s invariably our last line of defence and until QB we’d been winning. He’s handled all the big boys fairly well this year including Ben Brown and his kicking is as good as any big guy you’ll see. That’s why I hope that he gets switched up forward for a cameo when we get a game when things aren’t working out for his big bro or Jesse. 17 – Jordan Lewis (7) I said last year that his smarts were as calming for the side as a chai latte. And what happens. In Rd 1 he’s beaten for pace and makes a professional free on Geelong’s Brandon Parfitt. Then he mouths off like a spoilt child and gives away a 50m that starts an onslaught of Cat goals. For the next three weeks he is caught out for pace by the ball over the back and to be honest, I was rapt he was injured for the Tiger game – he had become such a liability. But the week off worked wonders and I reckon he managed to convince Goody that precise ball movement (Hawthorn style) could cut a swathe through zones better than breakneck speed. As a result he joined Salem in our new-look back seven and the results had been stunning until the Pies game. Jordy’s games against the Saints and Blues were as good as any you will see from a defender. But can Goody continue to overlook the fact that good sides can expose him for pace. That leads to the inevitable question – should he play on in 2019? My view is that he’s already shown his future – he’s a coach in waiting and St Kilda should be arranging a chai latte meeting. 18 Jayden Hunt (6) Mr Nippy has taken a huge step back this season and I blame that monster goal in Darwin last year. For some reason, Goody or one of his assistants decided the torpedo could be a line breaker and if you cast your mind back to pre-season, you’ll remember Gawny and Trac and Jayden unleashing. But Jayden took it way too far. Against Richmond he was hard up on the boundary under pressure in the second term and instead of opting for a centering drop punt, he went the torp in a slippery night game – Jayden, what were you thinking? Hopefully he’s back working on his craft, lowering his eyes and trying to flatten his punt. He’s No.18 because he still is a must have for this side to be successful, especially in WA and more than likely on the finals stage in September when pace becomes critical. 19 Mitch Hannan (20) I’m still a bit miffed why he copped a four-game VFL banishment after his performance against the Cats. The breaking point seemed to me when Harmes overcooked a pass to him on the outer flank and he was caught with the pill, but we are talking about one of Goody’s love-childs here. His recall in Round 6 coincided with our winning streak and whilst he hasn’t been a worldbeater, he provides a nice mix of speed, agility, pressure and a nice leap that can catch defences out. 20 Bernie Vince (15) Sure he’s sliding down my rankings, but you still have to love this guy and his cheeky grin. He plays old-style and almost got caught out again driving miss Daisy a few weeks back, but he loves a contest and I hope in coming weeks with wet weather and a soggier MCG, that we give him a cameo back in the middle scaring the life out of someone. I reckon he will need a new role come finals when Jayden returns from injury and I’m hoping Goody sends him forward where his tackling and ability to get under the skin of opponents can make a difference. 21 Dom Tyson (17) If the finals were right now, Dom misses out. But our run of form and avoiding injuries won’t last until September and he’s probably the best VFL player going around in the entire comp. Goody’s made it hard for him - he’s been forced to play a different role (wing) for the first time in his career and his days as the quarter-back appear over at our club which now has Olly to set things up. I’m sure the winter months will allow him the chance to show us what a clean ball-handler he can be, but if he’s only offered a wing, you have to wonder how he can produce the numbers to play finals and out there pace becomes a factor. Remember that wing is the same offer that was made to Grimesy and Trenners before him and we all know what happens next. 22 Bayley Fritsch (New) Those of us who idolised Robbie, had reincarnation on our minds as our new boy took his magical arch-backed mark near the goalsquare against the Cats. Sure he’s a left-footer, but it’s a shame Jonesy didn’t hand over his No.2 guernsey there and then. As with Robbie, he’s not a high-pressure player, which is why he mixed highlights with being a bit of a liability up forward in those first few weeks. But since being moved to the wing and becoming more involved with link play, you can see his attributes and evasive skills. Too early to tell how he will cope with the modern-day AFL pressure and harder tags, but certainly he’s a very clever pick up and bargain at No.31. 23 Sam Frost (10) I know I’m not alone here in saying that I really rate this guy. Unfortunately he’s been a victim of two things – the decision to bring in Lever and the preference of Goody for precision over dash, which means he’s finding it hard to get a gig down back, even at VFL level. His game against North showed the good and bad. His first touch was an errant boot out on the full and then his second was an intercept mark and crazy dash that paid off. Later he showed incredible diligence to chase down a Roo forward but because his lunge was a second too late, it resulted in a 50m penalty. That’s his lot at the moment – almost a star, but not quite the complete package yet. If I was the Saints or North, I’d be trading hard to get him in to replace Brown or Thompson, but I hope we can keep him as I still think he is as close to Sean Wight as we can get. And whilst I think there’s some good signs from Smithy at CHB, I just reckon for the big mules I’d want Frosty back there, even if our heart’s in our mouths when he gets it. 24 Billy Stretch (22) Love it NOT how Demonlanders are quick to say he’s not up to it this year after he gets one go at it – against Richmond at night – and then even the club website reckons he’s out of form. I watched him pre-season and he’s improved his kicking (now as good as his dad’s) and even though he’s best suited to link play, he still has a red-hot crack (unlike his dad, Dipper might say). His only demerits are that he’s a tad small and not explosive quick, which means he struggles to break out of packs. But he’s one of the most disciplined players you’ll ever see and I just hope he gets a go against a side where his confidence can grow. I still think he can become a regular but he may have to be recast as a small defender. And if I was with the Crows or Port, I’d be making enquiries now. He’s way too good to be playing VFL. 25 Tom Bugg (26) I really expected him to be back in our side a lot this season and that’s the way it looked like going after a solid pre-season and a four-goal game as basically our full-forward against the Roos. But his kicking has let him down and this time it may be terminal. Some of you bemoan his missed shots at goal but that didn’t really worry me because set-shots can run hot and cold. But it was the Richmond game when he sprayed a chip kick to Jeffy, who was running to the goalsquare. In a tight game it was a serious flaw and made it hard for any coach to pick him. I love his grunt work and we used to need his character, but now we have a team full of egos more than happy to give opponents some lip. He may get one more go at it this season as his form at VFL level is exceptional, but he’ll have to hit his targets. 26 Jeff Garlett (9) As with Buggy I reckon an opportunity will come up for Jeffy again and it should be the Fremantle game in Darwin (Rd 16). But our 2017 leading goalkicker may only get the one chance to keep his AFL career alive because little Charlie does everything coaches love. Jeffy turns 29 in August, so even with a contract for next year he’d want to be back in the side by finals. There’s no doubt he can still be a factor, provided he’s working his butt off, as his pace can cause opponents to panic and at finals times any errors are magnified. 27 Charlie Spargo (New) How can you possibly rank our teenage pressure dynamo below Jeffy and so many others who are playing VFL? Firstly I do get the impact he’s been making – in fact it was his memorable snap against Essendon that sparked our turnaround in our fortunes. And yes his skills are sublime and I am looking forward to him playing many, many games in seasons ahead. But sometimes we overplay a little the contributions of a newbie – he’s been great for team morale, but he’s hardly been dominant. And that’s to be expected. He’s 18 after all. The other factor that he’ll have to contend with down the track is whether he can overcome the limitations of his size in the modern game – something that has confronted other highly-skilled smalls such as Caleb Daniel and now Jack Higgins. Hopefully the club has arranged a chat or two with Boomer Harvey to make sure he knows the hurdles he will have to overcome to survive at this level. Thankfully he is blessed with a similar touch of mongrel. 28 Josh Wagner (24) Another one of our AFLX-flag men who played the tricky first five games of the season before choosing the wrong game to be missing and is struggling to get another crack at it. Part of the rejig that saw Salem head back again was to avoid the Dees tendency to have four up down back and Wags, like Nev Jetta, was one of the chief offenders in this club. It’s hard not to be when you have a huge leap like they do. He’s not a thumping kick, neither is Jordy or Salem mind you, but occasional he mis-queues one and I suspect that is why he’s now on the outer. But he’ll get another chance and given his late start at this level, there should still be some upside. 29 Dean Kent (25) It’s been a dirty couple of years for him as his hamstrings just seem to cave in – especially at night against Richmond. As a result he’s been sentenced to a life of running the far side wing at Gosch’s Paddock with his red-vest mate Pat McKenna. His only other claim to fame this season was being our leading goalkicker in that forgettable game against the Hawks. We all know he has the aggression and pace to make it to 100 games, but he’s now 24 and to be honest he may need a different medical and fitness room to try and get things right. 30 Joel Smith (Injured - NR) Three games into his AFL career and he’s asked to fill the void of our $800,000 man. That’s a big ask, let alone the fact that he’s just 190cm tall. He looked like Charlie Spargo when he was battling Mason Cox on QB Monday, but his leap and pace will give him a chance against some of the big boys and if he tackles like he did when he snagged Tom Phillips, then he’s going to do just fine. 31 Tim Smith (32) The Bull’s been part of our two largest victories this season and as a SuperCoach bargain he was all the rage. He’s way more mobile than Pedo and Weid and coped with the pressure of being our back-up tapman and also our mock full-forward until copping a couple of nasty knocks against the Bulldogs. It was strange that Goody said he was dropped for the Pies, when he was too injured to play VFL, so you have to wonder if there’s a story behind that. But with three talls up forward back on the agenda, the battle for the cherished spot behind Hoges and T-Mac is on in earnest. 32 Cam Pedersen (30) Everyone still loves Pedo and even at 31, he still does all the things you want – he’s a solid mark, he’s a thumping kick and he’s happy to get his hands dirty. But I couldn’t help but think that against the Pies, Mason Cox consigned him to the VFL for another stint that could lead to retirement at season’s end. It was the one game you didn’t want to be the ruck back-up and unfortunately Pedo drew the short straw. That almost certainly will mean Weid and Tim Smith get the next call-ups and if they survive until the finals, then sadly it’s all over for our much-loved big man. 33 Sam Weideman (31) After three years of low yield, I think almost everyone is frustrated that the Weid has failed to sprout in our back yard. But I think it’s finally about to reap rewards. His late start this pre-season may have been the best thing for him because watching him do drill after drill bounding over teammates has meant that his agility is now approaching AFL level. Sure we’d all like him to snag a few goals, but he’s been bringing the ball to ground regularly now and he does give a slick handball in traffic. And don’t forget he’s still only 20, so cut him some slack. I’ll be surprised if he’s not called up this week for the Port game and whilst I’m sure he will have the odd hiccup, he’s pretty close to making it … properly. 34 Corey Maynard (35) After an amazing VFL semi-final last year where he had more clearances than Olly on a good day, Goody had him earmarked for our Rd 1 game against Geelong. And it even came at the expense of Dom Tyson, who was told his defensive skills weren’t good enough compared to Corey. Our former NBL player started off tagging the Cats returning love child Gary Ablett, which is no easy ask, but what made it a one-week only project was several kicking blunders or turnovers. Since then he’s been out indefinitely with a hip injury. He’s 27 in October and time may be running out. 35 Jay Kennedy-Harris (33) I said last year that I suspect we will all have to look back fondly and recall his magic game and goals in Adelaide in 2014 and sadly that’s still the case. He looks good at VFL level, but being so light, he’s just not quite able to break clear of packs. I reckon he might have some value coming out of defence, but at VFL level they opted to send Dion back instead. I reckon a club with a shrewd eye will pick him up for that role next season. 36 Harley Balic (New) He’s tall for a mid/forward at 187cm and he’s got the skill to be a major danger, but he’s going to have to work his butt off next pre-season to get in the mix for an AFL gig. My worry is that he’s not quick enough and maybe dirty/ hungry enough to make it in the modern tackling game. But at 21 he’s worth another year and I’d be getting a sprints coach to help him. 37 Oskar Baker (New) What do you get when an Everyready battery meets Ronald McDonald? – A lively VFL wingman whose running ability and has seen him become one of the league’s most talked about players. I still have doubts about his kicking ability, but he’s got a great attitude, so if he can become more trustworthy off both boots then an AFL chance will appear … next season. 38 Declan Keilty (36) Dec now looks the part at training. He’s a tall, strapping man now and quite capable of matching it in the air against anyone. With Frosty out of favour, he’s even a chance to play AFL should Goody decide he needs another tall for the Eagles or Crows. But I am just not sure his kicking skills are reliable enough and that his ground-level work is good enough. Depending on what happens with others and his play in the VFL finals, he may get another year as insurance. 39 Harrison Petty (New) From a distance he looks like Keilty and there’s similarities in the way they play, although Harry is a better kick, which in the current environment is mega important. He’s 18 until November so if he continues to develop bulk and speed, then I’d expect him to get quite a few games at AFL level. He may even get a go this year, but he’s no Lever yet. 40 Dion Johnstone (38) What’s the line, as a forward you make a great backman. After about six games with little progress this season, the club decided to try him as a defender and a breakout game against Willy has given him an outside chance of staying on the list for a third season. His kicking has improved and he’s never been shy of a tackle, so it’s not as far-fetch as it seemed earlier in the season. As a defender he reminds me a bit of Marlee Williams. 41 Mitch King (39) He’s now into his third season as a project player and whilst a knee injury cost him his first year, there really doesn’t seem to be any major progress this season. He does have nice skills though, but a lack of pace and leap means he has struggled to impact at VFL level. And with Austin Bradtke signed already as our rookie project ruckman for next year, King is smart enough to know what’s in store at this year’s exit meetings. 42 Lochie Filipovic (40) He’s the same height as Mitch at 200cm and his first year was ruined by injury – a hip problem. And he’s yet to impose on a VFL game. But two things in his favour are that he’s pretty quick and secondly he’s still only 19, which means even with Bradtke’s arrival, we’d be likely to keep him on for another year. But he wouldn’t want to finish the season poorly or we might decide that Gawny’s dominance means we can take a risk and go with just one project ruckman. No ratings - injured Pat McKenna Nearly two years on since arriving from the GWS and we are yet to see him do anything but run-throughs on the outer wing at Gosch’s Paddock. He didn’t cost us a lot, but he’s kept our physios busy for two years now… sometimes guys are just downright unlucky. He’s still only 21, but he’d want to be playing VFL by finals time or it’s hard to see us risking a third year. Aaron vandenBurg I’ve said before that I really love this big brute of a guy and would have him in my best 22 if he’s fit. But since suffering ankle-related stressy’s last pre-season, he’s become a virtual trivia question – who got three Brownlow votes against Richmond in the first Anzac Eve game at the MCG. I hope we keep him on next season, but as with McKenna, it’s hard to keep paying medical bills for no onfield return. 2017 rankings: http://demonland.com/forums/topic/42181-2017-player-rankings/?tab=comments#comment-1413791 2016 rankings

I am trying to start a new topic. When I try to load my 2018 rankings it only allows the first page and I have 11 pages of the stuff. It brings them in as a file, rather than just allowing me to place words - albeit lengthy- on the topic. Any suggestions as to way around it so that I can just copy and paste the one lot of 6000 words?

I'm expecting three changes and reasons below. Out: Pedo In: Weids. It is really a five-horse race for that one spot in the side as our dummy forward option, who can back-up ruck and bring it to ground. I suspect Tim Smith will be fit, but his lack of rucking prowess could hurt us against Dixon or Westhoff, just as Pedo's poor showing as the backup tap man against Cox will probably end his AFL career, unless Gawny gets injured and he becomes a necessity. Frosty is an option and played out of the goalsquare for most of the VFL game v Pies, but really he should be played as a backman and the fact that he didn't just shows you how much out of favour he is. If pace is a pre-requisite, then he's in. But that won't happen yet. Bugg (as with Tim Smith) is an option if we want to go small up forward and just concede the ruck duels when Gawny rests by using Harmes or T-Mac. His form has been great in the VFL and his kicking for goal unbelievably good. I'm sure he'll play again soon. But Weids is showing that he's more agile this year and getting a better tank to get to contests. Sure he's not there yet, but he's getting closer IMO and he deserves the shot at it after a solid game of getting the ball to ground in the VFL against the Pies. Out: Petracca In Stretch It's statement time for Trac and the Saints and Billings have shown that sometime it's needed. He won't like it, but he needs to go back and dominate the centre square in the VFL and make sure his tank can cope. At least four times under pressure he kicked poorly yesterday - that's a direct pass to the magoos unless you are a star. And he ain't ... yet. If Stretch doesn't play he should lodge a law suit that says he will never ever be 23rd man again as every time he has done it in the past, he gets demoted further down the order. With Trac out, Angus goes to the middle and Billy gets his shot on the wing ... in Adelaide, where he will be playing next season if we keep diddling him. My guess though is that we will go Garlett to inject pace instead, but on VFL form, Bill deserves the spot more than anyone - Tyson being the only other mid to have regularly dominated VFL games to that high level. There is a case also for Garlett to replace Hannan - but Mitch would be pretty stiff - and I reckon Mitch works harder. Out: Vince In: Petty Against Port, we need another tall down back (Dixon, Westhoff) and after watching the magoos, I suspect we will give this guy a try. My preferred option is to surprise by starting Hogan down there but that won't happen because sides prepare as forwards/mids and defenders these days and coaches rarely switch players around out of those confines. Sure Petty's still a bit slow and doesn't read it like a pro yet, but given Goody has ruled out Frosty, there's only two alternatives - Petty or Keilty - who both look the same anyway. Petty is a nice precise kick and you can tell he'll get stronger as he matures. The decision to drop Bernie is a biggie and I'd be comfortable if we don't end up doing it for this game and instead play him on his mate Jack Watts. But the back seven needs restructuring - yes I know it worked well against the weak teams with Lever - but the top, fast teams with good long kicks are exploiting us and as mentioned by others, it's either Jordy or Bernie that has to move out of there. By the way, I don't see Port as an explosive fast team like the Tigers and Pies, so our precision style defence should hold up. But what chance JW kicking the winner with one minute to go.

6 T-Mac - too tall and strong in one-on-ones on Scharenberg once sent permanently forward. 5 Oliver - Copped Treloar and others working him over, but our best midfielder on a dirty day for most of them. Really struggled to find votes from here 4 Lewis - Yes I know he was exposed for pace time and time again, but he kicked the ball with precision time and time again - except for his late blunder pass to Jones. Should never have been allowed to play last line at times, but that's not his fault. 3 Fritsch - Smooth mover and I suspect when I watch replay he will come out even more clearly on top on his wing. 2 Jetta - Caught out for pace like all of our defenders and his 18-year-old opponent kicked four goals, but he read play really well again and worked his butt off in defeat. 1 Gawn - I thought it was pretty close in his battle with Grundy and because Cox smashed Pedo when the stars rested, maybe a few of us downplayed his contribution. Apologies Spargo - Our second quarter spark, but unfortunately couldn't keep it going, like most of his mates.

I hear where you are coming from and yes I did notice his lack of chase time and time again and yes in our earlier lossess against Cats and Hawks, he was exposed over the back, as he would have been against the Tigers if he had played. But Jordy's precision is a big reason why we have won the past six games and his distribution, except for his last-quarter clanger was exceptional again today. Take a breath and figure out the other reasons behind the loss today - pace beat precision and what's worse we lost in the hardball area for just the second time this year - both losses. Goody will reconfigure and fix those areas and I reckon he will now know that he must have Hunt playing against the Pies and Tigers, even if he does turn it over.

Pros and cons on this Mickey. I didn't really think Spargo was sensational against the Richmond VFL side the week before he got his call up and he played a blinder against Essendon, but .... Sometimes with youth, you just have to go for it and hope it comes off - either way any debut is usually uplifting for the whole team. Usually younger players form jumps around by the week. An early mark or dropped one can make a huge difference to their mindset - similarly a good spoil. Personally given Frosty is out of favour, I'm surprised Wags didn't get first crack and then, based on named squad, my logic would be to go the more experienced Joel Smith who may lack height to be a long-term CHB intercepter, but is certainly tall enough for Mihocek. Some will try and equate a Petty QB debut with Jack Watts, but really we are a vastly different side to then and the Pies were ultra physical with a chip on their shoulders as well in those days and we didn't have enough strength to help him. We do now. Very pleased that we seem to be going with Pedo for this game - he just provides the extra insurance for Cox and Grundy - if injury befalls one of our bigs. I also like the fact that it forces Dunny back to the goalsquare on him and means Scharenberg and Langdon will have their work cut out stopping Hoges and T-Mac. But I hope Hunt gets in and will be shocked if he's not the carry-over player at least. As I said earlier, they have the pace over us, we have the precision over them. Hunt can balance all that up a bit.

Very exciting Monday ahead - two in form teams with two dominant ruckmen and plenty of other captivating match-ups. They have more pace, we have more precision. You would have to think Smith's omission came partly about because Cox can be damaging as the back-up and logic says Pedo is better insurance, both against Cox and also if O-Mac gets hurt or Mihocek carves up Joel Smith and we have to send someone back. I reckon you'd have to go Joel Smith first before Petty but I may be wrong on this - but Casey reports suggested Petty was quiet last week. There is also a case for Hunt to get a gig before Joel Smith, but I suspect that would mean more of a mismatch on Mihocek, although Hunt's pace on Stephenson would be useful. If Hannan is out (as mooted by some), then don't be surprised if Hunt comes in as it gives Goody more options down back if their pace exposes us. Obviously with zones and switches these match-up will rotate a bit, but I can see the following happening: Jetta - Stephenson Oscar - Cox Vince - the Hyphen Joel Smith - Mihocek Hibberd - De Goey Salem - Thomas Jordy - Wells/Mayne

Agree on your three, although I reckon Melky is in the mix - his standout games on Rance and against Carlton will have won him points and this year there will be no Betts as the small forward. Bruest, Caddy, De Goey and even Walters are challenging for those spots I think. As to Jetta, he was a standout on Saturday - I reckon it was the best game I've seen him play - but even then he only went forward 251m. That's the negative wrap on him - he only hurts sides by stopping players. He also started season poorly. But if he keeps playing like he did Saturday, then he'll firm for a spot. Plenty of options in his role. Laird and Tom Stewart are certs and Hurn and Vlaustin must be close as well.

Really interesting decision for Goody and selectors. I doubt it will be Frost, who is clearly out of favour at the moment. Pies smaller forward set up means that we can get by with a three-quarter tall - but Frost is needed for the clash with Port after the bye - Dixon and Westy and Wattsy are a bigger line-up to contend with. Hunt would also surprise as I reckon he can still be bodied out of contest a bit and his inclusion, while great for run, would mean that we may have to go Harmesy there early. So to me, it's out of our two three-quarter talls. Wags may enjoy the freedom of flying for everything without being told off for being fourth man-up - I imagine he plays on the hyphen. Joel Smith has hit form and adds some real pace to the back seven - not sure if he's quite as natural with the intercept punch though. Big game required from Jordy to marshal newcomer into right spots. Interesting comments about Phillips needing a tag - I had him down as a cert to go to Angus to try and nullify our most damaging midfielder of past four weeks.

Thanks BB - an excellent wrap up again of our Casey boys. Pleased to hear Dion finally made a good fist of defence - like you I've had him written off as little more than a yapping dog up forward, but sometimes a switch of roles can do wonders. Maybe Stretcher is also making more headway as the old Bill, rather than the young Billy - he is now a very good kick which should give him a chance to make it yet at AFL level - once an opportunity arises.

Richmond has twice shown their willingness to drop Jack Higgins for big games despite handy form and a pretty lengthy winning streak ... until yesterday. Personally I'd be taking Jeffy as it's our first major test since being touched up by Richmond and he's mega suited to the ground as he showed last year and the conditions and brings his own army of supporters - they love him up there and stand behind the goals watching his every move as they will be for Eddie as well this week. The umps takes notice as well and having him in is worth a couple of frees in this game - it's a case of horses for courses. Spargo has shown good attack on the footy and is clever with his disposal and should travel with them. He'll get plenty more chances. Our strongest side is with a fit and firing Jeffy working his butt off. I accept he doesn't always bring that but I'd reckon he will this week and he's had what is it - four weeks to think about it in the magoos - and the signs are there that he's getting it.

89 TO PRESENT B: S.FEBEY, WIGHT, WHELAN HB: B.LOVETT, LYON YZE INGERSON, HIBBERD C : TINGAY, OBST OLIVER, T.JOHNSTONE HF: GREEN, SCHWARZ, BRUCE F: ROBBO HOGAN, NEITZ, FARMER FOLL: STYNES, T.VINEY, JONES J.VINEY IC: J McDONALD DAVEY T.MCDONALD, WHITE GAWN, WOEWODIN, G.LOVETT I hate it when we put players who are just starting out in our so-called best sides and I was not a huge Ingo fan - he played five solid seasons as a defensive stopper, but was a shocking kick and contributed very little to offence. So I've cheated by sending Lyon to CHB, he played there quite a bit for Vics and was swung to defence a few times to save games for Northey. Same with Yze to half-back, although his best year was 2000 when he played as a defender. Whelan lucky as Matthew Febel was also worthy in this timeframe. Stretcher, Yater and Grinter's best years were pre-89, hence overlooked. Two more good years and I'll happily add in all of your current day players.

By my reckoning it's 2-0 to Cripps with one wipeout, but that's somewhat expected given young Clayton was taking on a senior footballer. But now that Clayton is a mature young man, he should be able to hold his own at clearances and his superior speed and kicking means he should be more damaging overall. Both great players. Oliver closing in on superstardom. 2016 - MCG: Blues win, 18-year-old Clayton schooled by Cripps who gives Gibbs a birthday treat. 2017 - MCG: Blues about to win with Cripps unstoppable before the elbow of Jordy intervenes. Etihad - Evenly matched until Jayden intervenes to send Cripps on his way.

Gees, give us a break. He'll be back in the side as soon as we start losing our way to the ball over the back again as we did against Geelong, Hawthorn and Richmond. We've played and beaten five of the bottom six sides and the precise ball movement down back of Jordan Lewis and Christian Salem has been a feature the past two weeks. But as soon as we are found out for pace, as we will against top sides that move the ball long and quick, then we will all be clamouring for his recall. In the meantime he just needs to work on flattening his kicks - he tends to get under his long roosts Brent Grgic style. Further to that, the coach who encouraged him to kick torpedoes in the off season should take a fine for the team - one of the worst mistakes of all time.

I really like Tyson and feel somewhat aggrieved that he rarely gets to play in the centre square at ball ups these days and even with the penchant of almost all coaches to want to use their wings as additional big-bodied mids, I still view his omission from the square as a sign that he is on the outer with Goody - metaphorically as well. But with Fritsch the flavour of the month and now moving to the wing, I can't really see what other options Goody has for Viney's inclusion, other than to pull the Tyson pin - as he did Rd 1 mind you when his pre-season mindset got the better of him and he punted on a second-gamer to tag Ablett. The anti-ANB and Harmes lobby group has taken a real hit lately. Both continue to apply pressure and added enough clever offence that only a downright niggardly old man would still clamour for their removal. Their argument no doubt is that we've played three bottom sides in a row now (and a fourth awaits) so them finding form is a furphy. But that same logic applies to everyone in the side. We won't know who has taken a genuine step up until we play some tough opponents and player's pros and cons are truly exposed for us all again. That said, I think unless a player has a niggle or we decide to rest an old boy (we have three these days) or a young pup (Spargo) then it's hard not to see Dom being the one for Viney. As for Spargo, Jeffy's form means a change is likely anyway - the only issue is whether Goody waits until the Alice Springs game (Jeffy kicked five there last year) for the switch or pulls the pin to get Jeffy back to play his old dark navy Blue mates. I suspect the latter. There is some logic also in Tim Smith being brought in to replace the Weed, but once again, the Bull may have to wait until we lose again and changes become necessary. The Weed has hardly been a shining light in the ruck, but he has presented well up forward and a couple of his handball gives have been first rate. He is still very much a project player, but with Goody going the three-big forward project at the minute, he's safe this week IMO.

Great report VP - balanced, rational and throwing forward.

Clearly if you are potting VDB like this you never went to training 2-3 years ago - prior to his ankle problems he was the only guy who could take on Jayden over 50m and have a realistic chance of beating him. Sure his kicking lacks a bit of penetration, but I'd love to see you in the same room with him and make your comments to him. A walk up start if he was fit, sadly I suspect his injury is such that he won't be able to crunch the Tigers and Hodgey again.