Deespicable

No - not this year. B: H.Shaw Rance Rampe HB: Laird Talia Docherty/Boyd C: Smith Dangerfield Steven HF: Rioli Jenkins Bontempelli F: Betts Franklin Parker Ru: Gawn Sloane Hannebery Int: Treloar, Coniglio, Kennedy, R.Gray

Back on the thread - I hope that we try and finish AFL season off on a high down at Geelong. The Cats look like they will almost be back to full strength with Bartel, Caddy and Menzel possibly all back. Hopefully we don't just sell out to development completely like last week because I doubt we will get away with it as the Cats want a top-four spot. Being a day game we should have the advantage of pace and hopefully it won't be majorly wet so that our possession-game goes astray all the time like last week. To me there's only one obvious out - Weideman. It was great to speed up his development by rushing him in for two games, but now he can concentrate on taking his game to another level for the VFL finals and build for next season. I am not sure if Pedo is the only answer to take on Stanley when Smith and Gawn rest, although we again saw the dangers of playing Watts as the back-up ruck against two genuine ruckmen last week and I've said for a few weeks that it is a dangerous option - although it worked really well the first few weeks because it got him into the game more. Watts can still go on the ball for a few minutes to achieve this without being a ruckman. While giving Pedo this game would be nice, because it gives him another chance to boost his chance of getting another year, I'd rather see Spencer get a reward for a long season of playing VFL and he did do well down there last year. Obviously Matt Jones will be considered as a replacement for Stretch - I've commented on this before. One is 19, the other is 28 and at this stage there's very little between them - so I know which way I'd be going, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did the switch. It would also be nice to see Grimes and Trengove get a fair well game - but I suspect that won't happen. Jeffy will come in for Neal-Bullen and if Jeffy is not fit, then Salem comes into the equation up forward. Salem also is a potential in down back to replace Michie, although I actually thought Viv was OK on Sunday. Given the size of the Cats, and the fact that he played a huge game in the VFL, Col Garland should also be considered and he also can do kick-in duties which have now become so Vince-centric that he has to rush all the way back from the wing at times to the goal square and give the opposition as long as they'd like to set up their zone. Personally I'd send Bernie on to the ball at stoppages and have him man Danger like he did in Adelaide because he makes good body contact with him and then have Hunt pick him up around the ground. If that means sending Nat Jones back, then so be it. Jonesy is smart and is a thumping kick and would be perfect for a Bartel match-up role before moving on to the ball in the second half if needed. Anyone who saw last year's game, knows that Viney has to go to Selwood. It's harder for Selwood to duck into a short guy and there's always a chance he will hurt himself against a ferocious tackler like Jack. Out: Weideman, Neal-Bullen, Michie In: Spencer, Garlett (Salem), Garland B: Jetta (Motlop) T-Mac (Hawkins) Garland (Kersten) HB: Hunt (Menzel/Danger) O.Mac (Stanley) N.Jones (Bartel) C: Stretch Viney Bugg HF: Petracca Hoges Kent F: Garlett (Salem) Spencer Watts Ru: Gawn Vince Tyson Int: Frost, Oliver, VB, Brayshaw

Effectively we are now gearing up for our Rd 23 final against Geelong, so I can't see much change happening in next two weeks, but we will find out a few things about club player assessment. 1) If Jeffy is out - do we give the in-form JKH a try or do we go with Salem and switch Harmes forward or do we give any one of our high possession winners from the VFL a final chance - ie: M.Jones, Michie, Grimes, Neal-Bullen, Trengove. My gut feel is Roosy will want to see Salem first and JKH second. I agree with the poster who said BenKen should play ahead of JKH if it is wet, but I reckon Roosy will want to see how JKH is going to go pre-finals (should we somehow get there). 2) Given we are still a developing side, it would be amazing if Weids didn't get another chance against the Blues this week. Then depending on his form a decision can be made as to whether Dawes or Pedo will come back in for the Geelong game. Pedo is the obvious omission, although I accept that Hoges was terrible last week. But he may enjoy being given more of a licence to roam this week. 3) If they want both JKH and Salem, then Harmes is the obvious additional out - although he may just be rested with the six-day break against the Cats in mind. The other outside chance is that Wags could return after doing his two-week time in VFL - although from the VFL report, he was solid not spectacular last week.

I have mentioned before about my passion for beating Hawthorn and it goes way back to the dim dark days when Lethal used to pull the trigger on his opponent when they started beating him - Steve Smith, Peter Giles and Alan Jarrett. But we have two important games to go - this one and the last one against Geelong. Win either and our season is a success. Lose both and we have failed to beat a finalist since Rd 1 when GWS was just getting going. But having said that we were so poor with our disposal yesterday it will take an amazing turnaround to right the ship against the Hawks. But hopefully the sun on the southern side of the ground played a part - if it didn't you can see Hawthorn having a memorable keepings off game against us. We also seem to have both Vince and Viney nursing injuries and of course Hoges will need plenty of massaging this week to get up. I have three players who must play. Bugg - Was 23rd man and his intensity against Hawthorn is a must. He got something like 16 tackles the week before so he's a gimme. The only question is whether he replaces an injured Vince or Viney or whether we have to omit Garlett because the Hawks are intense and we need tacklers - that's why Jeffy was dropped soon after we played them last time. I'd also play him on PoohPooh because he's the best at shrugging tackles and I just can't see any of our back six coping with him. As I said when we played them last time, I'd also be looking at Nat Jones going on to Puopolo late in the game, once again because our skipper's tackles stick. That will give Bugg a chance to impact late on the ball. Spencer - Why is it that we think we can go with one ruckman against two genuine rucks - especially against a side like Hawthorn who know how to hammer big men? Watts has been fantastic finding the ball on the deck in the ruck, but the past few weeks he has been so badly beaten in tap outs that it's embarrassing. We want Watts to have the occasional burst on the ball, but he doesn't have to be ruckman to do so and if he gets battered by McEvoy or Ceglar, it just shows the coaching stupidity. Further to this, Spencer has an amazing record against McEvoy and he is capable of resting forward (remember Geelong) and given that we have lost all our ability to find Hoges and Jeffy over the back - then having a big like Jake or resting Maxy to kick long to is going to be way more effective when we can't spot up a short option anyway. The obvious outs for this are either Hoges (via injury) or Dawes (sorry but while he wasn't our worst yesterday, he's just not winning any aerial contests). Forget Weideman - this is not the game for him. If we are going to try and fast-track the Weed for next year, then the clash with Carlton at the MCG is the one for him. Having Spencer/Gawn, allows Hoges to play more up the ground and he's a damaging outlet mark from defence - unlike Dawesy. Michie - What was our biggest flaw yesterday. Kicking, especially inboard. Who is the second-most accurate kick at our club behind Watts - Viv. Who has been dominating VFL games - Viv. Forget the game against Coburg, that was like playing the amateurs, it was his games against Footscray and Sandy that showed why he is a must. With a left-footer in Bugg coming into our back seven as well (to play on Puopolo), we need to send Harmes forward this week and can omit our lefty Wags - who has been handy but not spectacular and probably needs a confidence refresher at VFL level before playing the final couple of weeks. If Vince or Viney are too sore, then his omission is not required. The only other players that should be considered heavily this week are Kennedy and Oliver. BenKen would be more of a direct swap for Jeffy, but I just can't see it happening with Vanders and Kent firing and Hawthorn's defence so full of medium talls - Birchall, Duryea, Burgoyne. Oliver is racking up the numbers but Angus is getting his gig at moment, so I can't see why you would switch it now - unless of course Bernie or Viney are out. I suspect Rioli will be back for the Hawks but at least they still don't have Shiel. The good thing is that with Frosty, we now have the flexibility (pace and height) to match up with any of the match-up switches the Hawks try. Please Roosy, please tag Mitchell. It should be Viney, but if not you have Nat Jones or Bugg. But make it a hard tag. Bernie, if fit, can go to Hodgey, including when he plays back or on the ball. Mitchell is the master at keepings off and Hodge the master at the long outlet and they must be pressured all game and it requires a good tackler to disarm them. Out: Garlett, Dawes (or Hogan if injured), Wagner (or Vince if injured). In: Bugg, Spencer, Michie. B: Jetta (Rioli) T.Mac (Gunston) Frost (Mcevoy, Ceglar, Sicily) HB: Hunt (Breust) O.Mac (O'Brien/Sicily) Bugg (Puopolo) C: Stretch (Smith) Viney (Mitchell) M.Jones (Hill) HF: Watts (Gibson) Hoges (Frawley) Vince (Hodge) F: VB (Birchall) Spencer (Stratton) Kent (Duryea) Ru: Gawn (Ceglar) Tyson (Lewis) N.Jones (Burgoyne) Int: Harmes (forward/mid rotation), Michie (defensive rotation), Brayshaw (mid rotation), Petracca (forward/mid rotation) (O'Rourke, Whitecross, ruck/Sicily, Brand)

6 Watts - clear matchwinner 5 Tyson - only prolific ballwinner and not as many brain fades as others Then really hard because everyone else butchered the ball so much. 4 Frost - dash and run against a good tall 3 Stretch - Great first half and one major brainfade 2 O.Mac - Still not strong in one-on-ones but started to intercept like his brother 1 VB - Shocking start but then found his range midway through second term.

The past couple of years I have attempted to rate our list via an A to D rating. This method is highly subjective and somewhat dependent on your category criteria. For example is Nathan Jones an A grader? Clearly not if you compare him directly to Danger, Fyfe, The Bon, Ablett etc, but certainly he’s among the game’s elite and someone who invariably gets a tag – a bit of a rarity at the Dees a couple of years ago. To give more clarity to my rating I have decided to go with rating the list from 1-44 – that way comparisons with players from other clubs become inconsequential. While the current year’s performances is the major consideration in the ranking, there’s no doubt the past and potential has a little bit of a bearing. As someone who put money on us making the eight, I have to say we are all entitled to feel that we underachieved a bit this season. But given that we consistently picked the youngest side statistically (and not just the post-match rhetoric of a coach trying to deflect his side’s failings), then I have to say that it’s been a great season. How many of us would have predicted that our starting line-up would generally not include Dunn, Garland and Grimes each week? Hands up if you were confident that Wags and Hunt and Oscar would become permanent fixtures of our defence? I’m still quite bullish about our chances of securing a spot in the eight next year, although it will be dependent on another wise recruiting period with about 8 players likely to be sent on their way. As Roosy realised last year, perhaps with a nudge from Goodwin, the game is no longer just about stoppages. We needed pace to be able to counter-attack and if we can add another pacey left-footer to our defence (ie: Hibberd) we can make real inroads. If we somehow get Hurley as well, and still retain T-Mac, then we are talking top-four material. But regardless we finally have hope that goes way beyond what any one player can do – even Jesse’s signature is not the be all and end all it once was. In a few weeks Roosy will pass on to Goody an amazing young list, now with genuinely emerging players. Jason Taylor might have left the Pies in unsavoury circumstances, but he has been the best recruiting officer in the AFL for the past three years and hopefully he has one more year in him at least. But even if he doesn’t, we already have a squad with depth – and with a bit of luck and awareness what a VFL flag will do for our list – we will bat deep for quite a few years yet. As I said last year, this is not a sugar-coated rating like our club coaching comments, but hopefully I’m not coming across as a “nuff-nuff, kick the ball” fan either. And feel free to tear strips out of my assessments – it’s a view after all. One to 44 – rating our list 1 Jack Viney – Three years ago I was laughed at a bit when I said he was our Joel Selwood, but now most diehard fans know his importance in setting the tone. He was huge in the last quarter against Richmond when we needed him and not just in letting Rance know game ethics. Last year I felt he still needed to polish up his delivery but that is no longer an issue and he now provides run with his clearances as well as the occasional goal – his one with Swallow chasing him in Tassie was my favourite. I suspect his knuckle break has restricted his tackling ferocity in recent weeks, but his first B&F is on its way. I still like him as a tagger because he hunts his prey and still provides offense, but now other side’s are marking him more. Looking forward to him taking on Mitchell and Selwood in coming weeks. 2 Max Gawn – Our fan favourite. Certainly Roosy, who keeps downgrading him via the coaches votes, still has his reservations. But anyone who saw him do speed work pre-season will know that he’s the antithesis of the lumbering old ruckman and he seems to like firing himself up for big games – the Pies QB trio, Goldy and the Tigers at night. He’s now a shoe-in to be our first All-Australian since 2010. The nice thing for us is that he’s contracted until the end of 2018 and he genuinely seems to love the club more than a cigarette these days. He’s also our resident comedian and with his government school background, clearly has the last laugh on Melbourne private school toffs. 3 Nathan Jones – Yes, I know he’s not rated as highly as Fyfe, Danger, Hannebery or even the next A-grade tier that includes The Bon, Cotchin and Pendles etc. But sometimes you need to assess someone on how others rate him and the North game in Hobart when Ben Jacobs went to him clearly showed that other sides know that his low-to-the-ground passes can wreak havoc. I was sold on him two years ago when he tagged and spanked Marc Murphy and with his neck-injury resolved, he’s now commander of a seriously good midfield. 4 Bernie Vince – Few will ever forget his game on Danger last year and hopefully he goes to him again in Round 23. This year our desire to go with Tyson and develop Oliver, VB and Angus has meant he’s often had to make the conversion to half-back which has made scoring goals harder geographically, but he’s become our most reliable kicker-in, especially with Salem out. I still love him as a tagger, but you can see why he’s been sent back a la Matt Boyd at the Dogs. He still occasionally gets a gig in the midfield – Sam Mitchell and him waxed possessions a few weeks ago – but with his thumping kick and courage, you can see him playing on for a few more years yet. And if we get Hibberd, and Salem goes back to kicking the ball in, perhaps his role will become more high half-forward next year. 5 Tom McDonald – Last year he became one of the league’s premier tall defenders and it’s important to remember he’s still only 23. A fantastic spoiler and strong intercept mark, his mobility (he’s the fittest bloke in the side) makes him a weapon and a key part of our new rebound-quickly game style. I get a little tired of the “he turns it over” lobby group. Yes he takes risks with his low-flat kick, but the majority of them come off. The mail says he might leave for Sydney, but he’s a smart, country kid, hopefully he won’t get excited by the Harbour City Lights and leave. If he did, it would a huge setback. 6 Neville Jetta – I was really looking forward to his battle with Eddie Betts a few weeks ago and more than a tad disappointed that he ended up marking Cameron more than Eddie. Too often our zone-style defence takes him away from a direct task of quelling an opposition side’s best small forward. But then again he can cope with almost any forward type, because he possesses an amazing spring for his size. It’s that leap that occasionally gets him into trouble because when he’s on a small, you want him making sure the crumber is covered at ground level for the ball that spills over the back, but apart from that knock, he’s become our second-best defender. 7 Jack Watts – Every year he just keeps surprising. After being dropped for Round 23 last season, he produced another huge pre-season, training as a forward, which is after all what he was recruited as, and finally his body and confidence seems to be AFL-ready. You can tell when he gets it that Hoges leads with intent knowing that Jack’s elite foot skills will deliver it lace up. Their rapport is as clear as his vision – they really get on well and Jack’s laconic personality has won almost everybody over. He still has to make sure he brings his attack on the footy – those who saw his cringeworthy first half against the Dogs would know what I mean. But there’s been enough to like about his game that you almost miss his occasional lame tackling efforts. His use in the ruck when Gawny rests, which appeared comical initially, has also brought him into the game even more. And that’s what everyone wants, Jack in the game. He’s now a legitimate matchwinner – that’s hard to believe for those who have watched him closely over the years. 8 Jesse Hogan – I have to admit that I wasn’t at the Essendon game, but clearly if you were, you’d have an argument to say he’s a long way from arriving. But watching him take on Scott Thompson the next week after copping all that criticism showed he is well on his way to being a champion. He’s just so more mobile and clever on the ground than his contemporaries Daniher, Boyd and Patton and even though he’s only 194cm, he’s such a great pack mark and he has the necessary touch of mongrel – just look at what he did once Maynard slung him against the Pies. He has that Neanderthal-man strut that adds to his cult following, but thankfully he’s not as hairy as Garry Lyon. He still needs to work on the length of his kicking and the stutter-step doesn’t help, but I’m sure everyone noticed he nailed one from outside 50m against Port (I’m assuming here that the Alice Springs locals did not mark the 50m line incorrectly). His first effort against the Saints (7 goals) was a 3-voter but the second meeting again showed he still gets frustrated and loses his way. One of Goody’s first jobs next year is to make a few complaints about “holding” to the umps. 9 Dom Tyson – Super in 2014, injury-riddled and down on form in 2015 – this was always going to be a watershed year for Dom. Would he be able to get his mojo back? Confirmation that he had, came in the rain against Hawthorn with his booming left boot defying the conditions and almost getting us across the line. His lack of pace and awareness of an incoming tackler can still frustrate supporters, but that has become far less common. Most of the time he is a big-bodied, clever, quarter-back-style midfielder and the drop in interchange may well have helped to take the pace off the incoming tackler anyway. He won’t win our B&F, but he’ll be back in the top 10 and it’s a lot harder to do that this year than in 2014. He’s one of about five players who need a specialist sprints coach in the off-season – I’ve banged on about that for a while now and really can’t figure out why it isn’t made a priority by the club given the importance of pace these days. 10 Dean Kent – If you were down in Tassie, you know how close he was to getting the chop. Barely sighted close to three-quarter time he snaps a goal into the wind and ends up with four for the game. That is the lot of a small forward. They blow hot and cold and usually their impact relates to whether we win or lose, but Kent has become a ferocious tackler and when balanced, one of the best long kicks in the side. He’s also one of our few players that leads up to the ball – too often now our forwards (Garlett, Hoges and Watts) keep wanting the easier ball over the back. If he keeps improving next year, then he could join the game’s elite small forwards, but this year a top-10 finish in our B&F awaits. 11 Jeff Garlett – After being our bargain recruit last year, the wow factor has subsided a little and when his tackle count dropped soon after being re-signed, he found himself getting a sharp reminder of his role in the VFL. He quickly put that behind him with a vintage Jeffy first half against Adelaide. My worry about him now is that he tends to like to wait for the ball over the top – I’m sorry but I hate downhill skiers and I reckon the disease has been a bit contagious with Hoges and Wattsy both looking for the easy one as well. Sorry guys but you can’t all peel off towards goal and we don’t have enough thumping kicks to warrant that style anyway. 12 Jayden Hunt – Hands up if like me, you didn’t see this coming. Having watched him at VFL level, I was worried he was just a bit too light and too soft for AFL, but he has real courage and can kick the ball a long way – although he needs to keep working on this area – if he can lower the hang time of his kicks he can be even more damaging. His intercept mark on Josh Jenkins and dash down the wing to set up a goal was one of the highlights of the season and his pace, more than anything, has changed the perception of Melbourne – we are now not just the dour stoppage team. One player can change the image of a team – who remembers Scott Camporeale altering the look of the Blues in 1995? The question for next year is does Hunt move up to the wing to make room for Hibberd, Melksham and a fit Salem, or does he stay as our Jason Johannissen type providing dash from defence? Either way, he’s the big bonus from this season. 13 James Harmes – There are some players who always seem to get a game – a bit like St Kilda’s Jarryn Geary or the Dogs’ Liam Picken – and at times you wonder why. The answer is they are blue-collar workers – they tackle, they chase, they smother, they shepherd and they lead and even if they don’t have that touch of magic, they become the coaches’ pet because they just do the fundamentals so well that you can ignore the occasional brainfade. Harmesy is that kind of player. He’s also a very good kick which means he can hurt sides on the counter and is a dangerous short option around 50m. He’s had a bit of a taste down back lately, but because he does have pace and discipline, he can play anywhere. And he will. Lock him in for next season’s starting 22. 14 Tom Bugg – OK, so at the moment he’s playing VFL but he was a fixture for the first 14 games and provided a key ingredient – arrogance. He also loves laying a tackle and rubbing it in to his opponent – most notably Steele Sidebottom – on QB. Given our downtrodden past decade, you need characters with charisma to rebuild and Smugg Bugg adds to that. I still have doubts about his pace and it was his poor effort against the Crows, where he just couldn’t catch them that cost him his spot. But I suspect he’ll be back in the side soon and ready to leave a final imprint on the season – fairly or unfairly. 15 Christian Petracca – Having watched him at training before his knee went last season I was a little excited about the prospect of him winning Rising Star – backing him heavily at $12-1 pre-season. But while he’s shown his amazing power and flat-kicking ability, he has struggled a little with the pace of some of his opponents. The question next year is whether we start using him for more gruntwork in the middle or whether we keep him as a cocky member of the forward club. Either way he’s got that something special which we are starting to see more regularly. 16 Billy Stretch – I’ve been a big fan of Billy’s since I saw him nail Jack Viney in a tackle at a training session pre-Christmas. Previously that was my one fear with him, that he was just too small to be able to do his share of the grunt work. There’s no doubt he’s footy smart and he has the speed and tank to be a 200-game linkman. He also possesses a nice leap as we saw against Adelaide and makes space. My only anger is that the selectors opted to go Matt Jones ahead of him from the outset this season and that meant we didn’t really get a look at him until Round 7, but once he had a blinder against the pressure-king Dogs, you knew he was developing like a junior Kade Simpson. 17 Christian Salem – Another frustrating year for him injury and health wise, but I’m still a big fan because he has what we need – an accurate, low flat kick – who remembers him lining up from just inside 50m against Richmond and just nonchalantly nailing it. Who has noticed that when he’s not there, that we only go long from the full-back kick-ins because Vince and Co don’t have his soccer-honed foot skills? He’s still got a bit of work to do before he officially makes it as he can get pushed under the ball a bit too easy defensively and he is not mega-quick, but with Hunt in the side, he doesn’t have to play on the Camerons or Smiths of this world anyway. As with Tyson, he needs an off-season sprint’s coach, but other than that, he should be a key member of our back six (seven with the interchange) next season. 18 Sam Frost – Why? It’s a question all Demonlanders have asked for nearly a year. Why is a guy who is recruited as a defender constantly played as a forward/ruck back-up? Finally, when he bombed badly against St Kilda in Round 6, he gets dropped. Thankfully the magoos had so many forwards available at the time, that we were forced to send him down back, where he has looked so much more assured. He still overplays a kick or too, but you can now envisage him becoming a fixture down back and his speed means he can play on pretty much anybody. He needs to keep working on his strength, Jenkins outbodied him a couple of times for example, but he’s on his way to becoming a lock. 19 Aaron vandenBurg – If you saw him in February, you would have thought that he might become a superstar this season. Few would now believe me that he dead-heated with Jayden Hunt in 50m sprints and his ferocious attack on the ball made him the scariest bloke at training. Sadly he hurt his ankle against the Dogs pre-season and ever since has been hobbling. It’s been hard to work out if fewer interchanges has hurt him as well as he seems invariably to be puffing (tank issues?). But when fit, he’s a key, as he can genuinely put fear into players as he charges in to tackle them like Dipper used to do. 20 Josh Wagner – Another gem plucked from obscurity by Jason Taylor, he is way more than a Rolfe from the Sound of Music look-a-like. He quickly made inroads with a nice leap, nice tackle and safe kick pre-season and being a left-footer in a side that lacks them down back has helped him become a fixture along with the honour of being “the man that dragged down Gary Ablett”. He shapes to me as potentially the big loser in Hibberd’s arrival next season, but if you play well and work hard, then there’s always a spot for you. 21 Ben Kennedy – The club was keen on him three years ago and missed out, so it was nice to get something out of offloading Toumpas and Howey – although so far the Pies are clear winners in the deal with us running second and Port a distant third. His size worries some but he’s got plenty of courage and he’s quick enough to impact, although playing high half-forward is often a graveyard spot. But he’s only 22 and worth persisting with for a couple more years. He’s actually quite a good kick and has a leap so you wonder if he could become a niggling little defender down the track. 22 Heritier Lumumba - I’ve put Heritier here, because when he’s fit, he’s in. He has his knockers because of his “headless chook” mentality, but those down in Tassie know that he turned the game against North after their opening seven goals. He has another year on his contract, but given his concussion issues, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t call it a day – although he’s a litigious type, so we will have to pay him out via workcare and he’ll probably end up suing the AFL for poor work practice. He is a prince after all! 23 Angus Brayshaw – I was watching him take part in a pre-season game of soccer in January and ANB went to smash a ball out of defence and sconed Angus in the forehead. Was it an omen for his season? Almost everything that could have gone wrong this season has, and usually it’s been in the first few minutes of his handful of games. Jumped on by Ollie Wines at the first ball-up of our pre-season, he did his knee and then when he finally got fit he was rushed back for the Dons game and played like he was. A week later he was rushed back again, which on the one hand showed how highly Roosy rates him, but it also showed a lack of faith in others. Most of his concussions seem to have been a mix of too much courage and bad luck – I mean what are the chances of going down via a ball to the head from a teammate - ANB again. He also had a bit of a weight issue to deal with, but that can happen to youngsters – who recalls Podgey Hodgey? He now looks like he’s ready to finish off the season well and his tackling strength is back. We all know what he can do with his wonderful kicking skills, we just want it to happen now. I’d be disappointed if he’s not in my top-10 rating next year. 24 Col Garland – I know a lot of D’lers have washed their hands of him, but he’s one guy who I’d persevere with … and it’s not because of his loyalty last year. He’s one bloke who had to change his style from the Neeld “down the line” era to the attacking Goody mindset and every time I watch him I see it starting to happen. He’s quickish, he’s a thumping kick and he does team things but every now and then he does a howler and because he’s 28, it’s deemed unacceptable. He’s now up against it, unless Tom Mc leaves, but regardless he’s a very handy back-up tall in case we get unlucky with injuries. Love to see him pinch-hit up forward, but I’ve said that before. 25 Clayton Oliver – Everyone loved his initial input – a cheeky grin, quick hands and “see ball, get ball” mentality saw him jump the queue to play in the middle and his opening game against the Giants was a ripper as was his North game. But, his desire to give it off, has become an issue – it is almost as if he doesn’t want to run with it himself because he doubts his own ability. Hopefully a lengthy stint in the VFL will solve that issue, because anyone who saw how damaging he was in those final few weeks of TAC Cup knows that he has the ability to take the game on and be a sensation. To me he’s one that needs a few more sessions with Tammy, working on his mental confidence. But once he realises that he is as fit and quick as just about everybody else except Jayden Hunt, then he’ll develop into a genuine star. 26 Oscar McDonald - Given he’s played almost every game when fit and been preferred ahead of Lynden Dunn and Col Garland, you might find this rating unfair. But to me, he’s a developing backman and still a long way off being reliable, although clearly like brother Tom, he possesses the tools to make it with a great tank. He’s also a better kick than his brother, but he’s skinnier and doesn’t seem as hard – maturity may solve that. To be honest I reckon a stint up forward may help hasten his development and make him more urgent as a defender. But Roosy doesn’t like switching players around – most coaches don’t these days. But given our shortcomings at CHF, then I’d be sending him there for a while, before he settles into his defensive spot. 27 Alex Neal-Bullen – He was recruited as a midfielder and whilst he had a cracker as a small forward down at Geelong last year, he’s just not quick enough to apply the pressure in that role against the modern sides. But he’s kept working his butt off at VFL level and will be one of the favourites for the Liston Trophy this year. He was the major victim pre-season of the Clayton Oliver honeymoon period and he’s now getting a chance to show if he can cut it. The problem is our midfield runs deep nowadays so it’s a hard gig to keep. But he possesses a clever “give and go” baulk that makes him hard to stop on the run and he’s no squib. He’s contracted for another year and is one who is worth persevering with, but I imagine his name will come up at trade time, especially if he wins the Liston or dominates the VFL finals. 28 Matt Jones – There’s been a lot of Demonlanders who keep saying he’s improved heaps this year. But I’m sorry I didn’t see it in the pre-season, or his first four games, although his first half against the Eagles was a major step in the right direction. He’s always been a very good VFL player, but when he gets to AFL level he’s been unable to take the game on enough to take advantage of his running skills. It’s why some supporters call him Matt “Mediocre’ Jones and why he’s kicked just 10 goals in 60-odd games. He turns 29 in October and I’m sorry, but I’d rather give his wing to a true project player like Billy Stretch. The next few weeks should determine whether he gets re-contracted for another year and my guess is that we’ll keep him on again. But with Melky joining the mix, he’ll have to work harder for a game next season. 29 Jack Grimes – Most would have thought that Crossy’s retirement would have re-opened the door for our clever hard-worker, but the new run-and-gun style meant he had to try and cut it on a wing. He got himself supremely fit and looked a likely wingman pre-season but then had to put up with the weekly excuses from the coaching department as virtually the entire list got a game ahead of him. Eventually he got a go and 30-odd touches up in Darwin was testament to his honesty, but his 100th against the Saints proved a horror match and with our side again under siege, his lack of genuine pace saw his omission. Someone should take him, he still has a bit of the Kyle Cheney’s about him and he’s only 27. Richmond and brother Dylan seems the obvious club to link up with. 30 Viv Michie – OK the queue to make our midfield is too long, so it was pleasing to see him crack three games as a defender and kick his first AFL goal this year. His clever, precise kicking means he can make the transition to the seniors fairly easily but the obsession that our coaches have with leg speed from down back seems to have hurt him and we can only now marvel at his dominant games at VFL level. As a 24-year-old rookie, there’s a chance that he won’t be kept next season, but personally I’d hang on to him because he’s a bonus for our developing VFL forwards. 31 Chris Dawes – He finally got over his calf issues and made his way back against Hawthorn and provided the physical third tall presence that all sides need, let alone ours. But, a couple of shockers in a row, albeit one in the wet and the other against Daniel Talia, forced him to be spelled. But it’s clear that when he’s not there, that we need someone in the CHF spot, as he presents well again and again, even if he can’t seem to take a mark. Will he be kept at 28 for another season? Not unless he takes a major pay cut, but with our two project talls failing to make major inroads in the VFL, we may just have to offer him one more year. 32 Lynden Dunn – His cards were marked pre-season when he returned a little over weight pre-season and while he clearly is more reliable than O-Mac and Sam Frost, it was decided that his lack of pace could no longer be tolerated. His loss had ramifications down back because he’s such a thumping, accurate kick, but clearly Goody has decided. He’s contracted but I’d be shocked if he stays. Ideally it would be great if Sydney showed interest in him, rather than T-Mac, but that won’t happen. Maybe Fremantle might take a nibble, as he’s a damn sight better than Zac Dawson. The other option is the Saints – that being the New Orleans Saints who could well use his kicking skills. 33 Jake Spencer – Obviously getting Jack Watts to re-sign is big news, but in terms of security, the decision to get Spencil to go another two years is major. He’s been one of the best ruckman in the VFL for some time now and there will come a game when Gawny has a niggle or the flu and needs a rest. I’d love him to get the odd game, even still this season, and he showed last year at Geelong when he filled in for Hoges that he can at least present up forward and his kicking, once wonky, is now a natural, reliable stroke. He’s tough too. 34 Jack Trengove – We all loved it when he drifted across and marked against the Pies on QB and kicked a goal that changed the tone of the game. But unfortunately against the Swans, a game where the wet conditions should have suited him, he lacked the required flexibility to lay a tackle and now faces a real possibility in joining his co-captain at another club. I had hoped he’d be given another pre-season to really work on his acceleration, but I’m not so sure that will happen now. Goody just may make the hard call and along with Grimesy and Dunny, the unlucky era will end. He turns 25 in September and is a cracking bloke, so even if we do the dirty on him, I’m sure someone will want him. 35 Ben Newton – An ankle injury delayed his season but he showed really good form in the VFL and then jumped the 23rd man queue (headed by Grimes) thanks to Tyson missing with the flu. He is a really nice left-foot kick as he showed with a goal on the run against the Lions, he’s tough and he can lay a tackle, but I think I still have nightmares about his lack of pace from the second part of last year against the Eagles and the Pies. If Grimes has to go, then Ben has to as well – although it’s now not such a sin to be a Demon delistee as it was. He’s even still young enough (turns 24 in August) to get to a third club next season, especially if he shows some hot form in the VFL finals. 36 Cam Pedersen – Everyone likes Pedo. He plays footy how we all want it to be played. He can kick it long, he can hammer a bloke in a tackle and he’s a very strong mark – albeit without a huge leap. He also is team-oriented – putting his body on the line as a back-up ruckman. But he turns 30 at the start of next year and he’s never been quite quick enough to be anything but a very good role player. As with Terls, Grimes and Dunny, I hope his reward for service will be to go out on a high with a flag in the VFL. But with the Weed and Hulett a year older, there’s just not a spot for him as a back-up tall anymore. 37 Mitch White – He played the same two games as Grimesy this year and had pretty much the same result. The first against Freo showed promise but the second exposed his lack of pace. It’s unfair to write him off at 20, but his thumping left-foot kick is not enough to get him by at AFL level. Whether he gets another year on the rookie list will depend on whether he can lift his intensity during the VFL finals. If he can’t then his time may be up. But as with several players, he needs sprint training – a common theme and very different to what Misson currently offers. 38 Dean Terlich – Those who watched him play in a low-key pre-season intra-club match just prior to our first pre-season game would have noticed how fit and fired up Terls was intercepting kicks and rebounding. He was probably BOG that day, but a slight hammy injury forced him to miss our major intra-club game at Casey the following week and that meant he was emergency for the Port Adelaide pre-season game. And with that, it’s been AFL career over. Wags and Hunt looked the part and all of a sudden Terls was so far back in the pecking order as a running defender that it didn’t really matter what he did. He’s even been sent forward at Casey now, as Michie’s reliable kicking is preferred down back. 39 Jay Kennedy-Harris – After an incredible debut season with a goal of the year candidate in our win against Adelaide, he’s lost ground as a succession of hamstring injuries have rendered his past two seasons almost obsolete. His one VFL game this year (versus Port Melb) showed he still has clean hands and disposal skills, but whether he can really cut it now that the game has turned even more into a tackle-fest remains to be seen. He’s got one more year on his contract and it wouldn’t surprise me if they asked him to become a rookie next season like Viv and Jetta before him. I’d also trial him as a defender. 40 Liam Hulett - Project talls were definitely on Jason Taylor’s agenda last draft and after just two games with Dandenong, Hulett was a shock to many when he was taken with pick 46. But from the day he arrived it seemed the club had pulled another swifty with the well-built youngster impressing pre-season with good ball skills. So far in the VFL he’s shown he’s a very reliable kick and mark, although I haven’t seen any signs of a breathtaking leap and at just 194cm that may count against him. I can see him being sent down back next season though, and although it’s too early to say for sure, you can see him being granted a third year at the club already. 41 Sam Weideman - Let’s be clear he looks the part – he’s a good kick and he has a nice leap. He also talks and looks like a smart young man that everyone would be proud of having as a son-in-law. But so far he’s been unable to crack a big bag of goals in the VFL and to be honest he’s starting to look like he won’t be our answer to our CHF riddle. A hip injury has reduced his mobility, but it’s his lack of speed on the lead and physical strength in marking contests that worries me. I wouldn’t mind if they swapped him with Lynden Dunn for a couple of weeks and played him as a defender, just to get him more involved. Then next year he must get a few chances pre-season to see if we can hasten his development. 42 Joel Smith – Some have confused him with Casey goal machine Tim Smith. But Joel is the son of Shaun, so he can take a hanger. From what I’ve seen he’s a better kick than his dad too. But a couple of injuries has meant he’s played only a handful of games as a defender in the VFL. He plays a bit like Howey with great athleticism. He’s only 20, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he pressed for selection next year. And while he’s doing his grounding down back at the minute, I could see him earning a spot in the AFL up forward. 43 Max King – There’s always difficulty assessing just how long a big guy takes to develop into a player. And especially one like Max, who has good kicking skills as well. He’s also had his share of injuries pre-season, but can we afford to keep him on the list for another year? His body is still kid-shaped, he’s had three seasons and he’ll be 21 in September. There’s also the fact that he still seems more suited to playing as a forward, which means he’s a long way back in a queue that now includes the Weed and Hulett. And we have already re-signed Spencer and have Mitch King as a project player – so if you do the sums, his number seems up. 44 Mitch King - The club wisely decided to take a punt on another young ruckman at the draft and felt the young Murray Bushranger was worth a go. Sadly a ruptured ACL at training ended his season after a few promising pre-season signs. The only good thing to come of it is that he can spend a season in the weight room. No rating: Jake Melksham

Ok, it's fair to say that we are a real show in the VFL this year with our lack of AFL injuries and the rise of players such as Keilty and Scott adding to the depth of our Casey squad that includes experienced men such as Hutchins and Tim Smith, Munro and Morris. In the past however we seem to have wanted to just send half our players off for an early operation or to get them ready for an early return for the coming season and forget about Casey's ambitions. But if we take "the AFL is all that matters" policy again, I'm sure it will really [censored] off all the Casey boys and Justin Plapp and prove a real de-harmoniser for next season. Further to that, it will deny a number of players a key opportunity to show their form at Etihad or Port Melb in front of a big vocal finals crowd and thus potentially hurt their chances of finding another AFL club or pressing their claims at ours. For example, we all can tell that guys such as Grimes and Dunn and Trenners are on the outer, but a good finals series helps their chances and increases interest from other clubs and we benefit from that because we can then trade rather than delist - and with Hibberd we may need an extra pick or player to sweeten the deal. It also can help our younger guys develop - VFL finals is a huge step up in level from the normal season and is just what guys like Weideman and Hulett - not to mention Neil-Bullen, JKH, Oliver, White and Joel Smith need. I just hope we don't do the dirty on Casey again. If the Weed and Hulett have to start their pre-season three weeks later, does it really matter, especially if they have picked up confidence from a breakout game in the finals?

Saty, I remember the draft well as it came a year after Prenderghastly had chosen four exciting midfielders, one of whom was Jordan Gysberts at pick No.11. Why we chose to go four midfielders that year is why he (Prenders) and we (as supporters) became the laughing stock of the comp. Daniel Talia was rated the best forward that year and we chose to ignore him - he's turned into a rather handy defender. The next year Barry decided to show his amazing knowledge by going with the best tall forward and he was kinda hoping Tom Lynch might still be available but he went to GC at pick No.11. When that didn't eventuate he gambled on a player whom many felt would go about pick 30. Laughter ensued at other clubs! To his credit Prenders did nominate Tom Mc that year - one of only two picks that he ever got right in his five years of abject failure - big Max being the other!

It would be a big call to drop anyone and provided Jetta and O.Mac and teh rest of the gang pull up fine, I'd expect the NO CHANGE card to be used. The best, IMO, from Casey were Michie, Kennedy and Garland and I'd expect they'd would be likely emergencies. Grimes and Terlich were good too, but they are now in a different category.

I must be a B+ troll too because I've watched Weed a few times this year and I'm starting to get worried as well. He has a nice leap which I've seen at times, but his speed and ground skills have been below par and it is his lack of work off the ball that has seen Hulett go past him. His decision to not go with a banana kick from an angle today made me worry that he does not have the smarts for this level - given the way the wind was blowing, his attempt was the equivalent of playing a wood out of a bunker and being surprised it didn't have enough height to get out. Certianly I'm not about to make a big call and say he won't make it because he does have a leap and clearly does not have a body yet to hold his ground, but I've seen enough of him to know that he's got a lot of work to do next year. He missed a lot of last year injured so maybe he's still finding his feet. As to Olisik's Lucas Cook's comparisons, clearly the Weed has already shown more, but then again Cook was elevated to No.12 pick on the back of Prederghastly's judgement. So maybe they are tracking about the same given the lesser expectation on Cook.

6 Gawn - Really tried to lift us and was noticeable when he was off because Watts was killed in ruck area. 5 N.Jones - Not always clean but kept working. 4 Frost - Great dash from the backline. Why did we all have to wait until Round 11 for him to be played as a defender. 3 T Mac - A couple of late kicking howlers spoiled what was a superb game - he wasn't Robinson Crusoe with the poor kicks though - hence no Vince or Viney this week. 2 Kent - Ran his heart out pressuring and if only Dawesy had figured out he was free early in last quarter. 1 Petracca - Great to see him really use his kicks well. He will be something - just not this year. Apologies: Yes I did notice Matt Jones and had him in my top four Dees at half time. He faded in second half though. His best game yet for us though and there won't be any calls from me for his omission next week. Indeed it would be hard to find anyone worthy of the axe next week. We kick well and we win away by five goals. Sorry I just realised I left out Tyson - who was our best player to half time. With more time he gets 3 from me and the others move down one.

Interesting all the hard calls on Viv - I actually think he's put himself ahead of a cluster of likely delistings from the main list. The fact that his skills are so clean means that he also provides great value at VFL level - helping forwards by being so precise with his kicking. Yes, he's proven a tad slow to make it in the middle at AFL level, but he has shown he can dominate VFL games, probably even more so than Grimes, Trenners and Newton. I can see about 8 players delisted off the main list before him and we may need his experience at VFL level. White is young and developing, even if his game against St Kilda was a major fail. He should be contracted for another year. King's now had three years to make progress and whilst he's skillful for a big, he's just not strong enough and needs to be moved on. Smith is a keeper - has some special attributes. Wagner should be on the main list and signed up for three years, although the arrival of Hibberd will make life harder for him.

I am hoping for another bounce back after a bad game, which we did after Essendon loss and Sydney loss - albeit close losing margins to NM in Tas and Adelaide. This is also probably our last realistic chance of beating a team in the eight since Rd 1 as WC has been in poor form - although at home they have usually been pretty handy. Everyone has the two obvious changes - White looked out of his depth and poor old Grimes did what Roosy must have been wishing he'd do. Sadly that's almost certainly the last game we'll see Grimesy, although hopefully he leads Casey to the VFL flag this year and I almost wish he kicks the winning goal against us next year when we play Richmond - given how shabbily we treated him this season. The two easy ins for me are Frost and Stretch. Frosty was ill last week and his pace down back was missed. We all know he's a bit awakward with his kicking at times, but he's a developing backman FFS. I still can't believe Billy was given the cold shoulder last week - I have him down for three super games this year - the Dogs, Lions and Adelaide - not bad for a 19yo. He may not have had that much of it against Freo but I can't remember any howlers or non-team moments. He runs, makes space and as we saw against Adelaide can help out down back when required and his tackling ability is now a feature. I am assuming they rested him because he's a kid and would hope that he's cherry ripe again this week in the eyes of selectors. I've said this before he's already a way better player than Matt Jones, it just beats me that we are preferring a fringe 28yo who is fast but is unable to use it to score a goal, to a likely future regular who is 19. Then the other two changes I'd be hoping for are as follows. The first is to get Spencer in. His form in the VFL is great and he can match a fellow meat and potatoes ruckman like Lycett, which allows Gawn to rest a little more up front this week, where he has been quite damaging at doing. Both Spencer and Gawn are hard to match up on because of their height and will force the Eagles defence into a mismatch. It also allows them both a bit more rest time on what is a huge ground for a ruckamn. The other factor I don't get is why if Adelaide is playing four tall forwards we aren't copying them a bit - I mean we are trying to replicate their run and gun style already, so how we go with a gameplan of just two key forwards - Hogan and Watts - each week is mindboggling. I've said it before, sometimes you need to go down the line as Adelaide do so well to Tex and Jenkins because all your switches are covered. But what hope do we have when Hoges and Watts are our only line options and one is off or playing in the ruck in Wattsy's case. Hopefully Roosy we saw what happens last week when they got injured and Petracca and VB were our marking targets! The Spencer move does require a structural change, but just as it did against the Hawks when the good Dawes played - it gives us an outlet and surpise, surprise almost every club is doing it - Sydney aren't but that's because they have injuries to Tippett and Reid - not because they want to go small. The second change is to either reward Neal-Bullen for his VFL form and play him bang in the middle, or to bring in Oliver in as a development move. Some are arguing for Bugg to come in and that wouldn't surprise as he's a direct like-for-like replacment for Grimes, but he was just OK last week. But I'd rather that he comes back in after a dominant VFL game, not just a good one. Viv also keeps playing well in the magoos and is also some chance but I can't see that many changes, although if we wanted to go small then O.Mac is the obvious candidate. The guys whom would make way are: VB - firstly I love the way he plays and his hardness is already legendary. But given that I know he was the second quickest guy at the club in summer and he now looks like he's not in the top 10 for speed you have to wonder two things. Is he struggling for overall fitness because of the limited interchange or is he struggling because his ankle keeps flaring up. Personally I'd rest him up for this one and get some decent running training into him without soreness in the hope that he can produce a couple of rippers against the Suns and Hawks. He definitely is a best 22 player when fit - but he almost looked jetlagged last week and without his chasing pace, his major value is lost. Kennedy or Matt Jones - I was a bit shocked when Kennedy played last week because I thought we'd learn our lesson from the previous clash with the Saints, that there's not as many ground-ball gets for small forwards at Etihad Stadium but alas we did not. Assuming the pace of Stretch is back in, then we can afford to omit one of these two guys, and whilst I'd rather see the left foot and courage of Kennedy on the wing or half-forward, I know the club sees amazing things in Matt Mediocre Jones (even if I can't see any). The key tactical moves that I'd love to see this week are: 1) Play Bernie on the wing on Gaff. Gaff has struggled with the harder tag this year and Bernie is just the sort of guy to get under his skin and from a wing, will be more likely to get a few kicks from around the 50m mark than when he's used as a defender. Gaff is mega fit and fast, but he's not explosive quick - hence Bernie should be able to counter him. 2) Play Viney on Shuey - Shuey's been in hot form, so our best midfielder has to go to him and quell him just like last week when he had the Steven matchup. Jonesy can go head-to-head with Priddis - it's always harder for an umpire to give soft free kicks away for tackles that slip up against a captain, so that will make it harder for Mr Brownlow to get more than three softies - although the crowd will want 10. 3) Make Spencer a late inclusion for surprise value and then send him in for the first bounce. Lycett will be preparing all week to jump in early against Gawny and sometimes a coach has to come up with things that make it harder to plan against. I get so frustrated when we go in without any match-up surprises - but that is Roosy's way I guess. So side as follows and this assumes Hoges has pulled up OK: Out: Grimes, White, Kennedy and VB (but name him and make him a late withdrawal for Spencer). In: Frost, Stretch, Spencer, Neal-Bullen (or Oliver) B: Jetta (Hill) T-Mac (Kennedy) LeCras (Frost) HB: Hunt (Cripps) O-Mac (Darling) Wagner (Yeo or whoever is sixth forward) C: Vince (Gaff) Viney (Shuey) Stretch HF: Watts Hoges Petracca F: Garlett Gawn Kent Ru: Spencer (Spencil early, then Gawn for most of second half) N.Jones (Priddis) Neal-Bullen Int: Tyson, Brayshaw (to go straight to Wellingham and get into him verbally for being a dirrty [censored] last year), M.Jones and Harmes Name VB in side but don't take him and don't play him in VFL - get him fit. Take Michie as 23rd and if it's majorly wet (unlikely), omit O-mac or Frost for him.

Clearly the 1987 year was special for all of us oldies as it ended the drought - our first finals since 1964. The Rd 22 game at Western Oval (now Whitten) was just amazing with so much riding on it and the Dogs and Cats more expected to snare the final spot. We had unearthed several quality youngsters that year and Swooper had managed to turn a downtrodden side from a year earlier into a running excitement machine. When 18yo Garry Lyon went down in first term and broke his leg it did not look good for us and Warren Dean (who was playing as a wingman was sent to CHF). We trailed by about 15pts at half time and it looked that our battle to make it might fall the same as under Bobby Skilton in 1976. We all knew it was Robbie's final year and he was being tagged out of game. Midway through the third term the ball was heading to the boundary line and prophetically took a right-hand bounce straight back into Robbie's arms. He calmly turned and off two steps snapped a ripper and the large cluster of Demon faithful erupted. About two minutes later he kicked another and from then on the momentum was all with us as we won at a venue that we so rarely did well at with Sean Wight and Jimmy Stynes on fire. Then the miracle happened at Kardinia Park, Dunstall kicking a goal after the siren to beat the Cats and allow us to snare fifth (final five in those days). After that win our guy's confidence sky-rocketted and we smashed North and Sydney at MCG in the most amazing style - guys like Graeme Yeats, Simon Eishold and Jaime Duursma were in career best form and were backed by the hard men Rod Grinter and Strawbs. I think Todd Viney was out injured as well, but Stephen Stretch had become a real key with his dash and long kicking. Had we not lost Willo and Flower in the first term of the preliminary final at Waverley, who knows we may have won the whole thing as we had finally gone up to a rare level that we never really quite reached again.

Big night at selection table coming up. With 8 days between games, it would seem that all players should have recovered with only Oscar in doubt because of injury and any other change will be a big call given our first half last week. The big battle for selectors is to decide who replaces Oscar if he proves too great a risk. On one hand Wagner sounds easy as his replacement, but with the Saints having three bigs Riewoldt (T.Mac), Membrey (Frost), the question is whether White or Wagner can be risked manning up Bruce - who can leap. If not Garland comes into the equation. Some have said Dunn, but that would be a major risk, given that it was the St Kilda game last time where his papers were marked too slow for zone defence. If Wagner and Oscar don't come up, then Garland is the easy choice for Bruce, if not I'd imagine we may go small and take a punt with White and Wagner rotating on him. There is also an outside chance that White's lack of height will mean he comes out for Garland - a less risky option. Regardless I'd be super surprised if Garland and Wagner aren't named in an extended squad on Thursday. The other change may not eventuate but clearly anyone who was watching the performance of Matt Jones must have been laughing at times last week - especially when he registered a defensive 50 clearance for Fremantle instead of squaring the ball up to the goalsquare. I'm sorry for MJ lovers, but he is in the side because he has pace. Unfortunately he is not using it and appears racked with fear of turnovers, hence invariably going the safe option (usually a handball sideways) - which in turn puts the onus on the next player to take the game on, usually amid more pressure. Like Grimes, his superior fitness helped him get more of the ball in the second half, especially as Freo decided to clamp down on the corridor access. But did Matt Jones actually do anything that justified his spot as a quick outside linkman? I'm sorry but he is 28 and has now played 59 mediocre games - how many more games must we wait for him to dominate a match. It's a failed experiment and given that all our other quick players - Hunt, Vanders, Frost, Jeffy, Watts, Billy, BenKen, Harmes - are all fit and in the side - we just don't need his pace for this game - even if it is the fastest venue outside of Subiaco. To me, one of Oliver or Brayshaw should be recalled for him, although Bugg must also be some chance given his versatility. But to me it is either Bugg or Grimes, not both, so i'd prefer us to stick with Grimesy and go with Ollie and give Angus one more game in the magoos before his West Coast redemption trip where I'd line him up on Wellingham. Obviously if O.Mac is fit, then we might well just go a straight swap of Matt Jones for Wagner. This will allow Bernie to move up to a tagging role - either on Montagna or Steven. The last time we played the Saints, they used Steven as a hard tag on Viney and this time the roles may need to be reversed. Ultimately if we stop Steven, we stop a fair whack of their run and carry, so it would be negligent of Roosy, not to employ a tag on him this time. The only issue is whether Vince is regarded as quick enough to go to him or whether we give Viney his chance at redemption. I'd go Viney. Ultimately the whole game is about redemption as we were way too cocky and attacking in Round 6 and got our come-uppance. I don't see that happening this time and I imagine it will start with Gawny looking to redeem himself for allowing Hickey to negate him last time. Our most important inclusion since that game is VB - can people finally realise what he brings to the table - he is our most scary player. Rodney "Balls" Grinter should be ashamed of himself to have questioned his worth - either change your name or apologise next time you go online - the real Rod Grinter would know VB is imperative to our young side at this point. Have you actually watched Vanders hammer a tackle or are you just looking at his stats. Hunt also had a shocker against the Saints last time, let's see how he goes this time now that he is more advanced in his AFL-level game smarts. Petracca also made a very untidy debut - so hopefully he can put a game together like he did v the Pies on QB. In: Wagner, Garland, Oliver Out: None as yet, but come Sunday M.Jones and either O.Mac (injured) or White. B: Jetta Frost Wagner HB: Hunt T.Mac Harmes C: Grimes Vince Stretch HF: VB Watts Kennedy F: Garlett Hogan Kent Ru: Gawn N.Jones Viney Int: Tyson, Petracca, O.Mac, Oliver, Garland, White, M.Jones

Three points. 1) Don't underestimate the power of a club doing the wrong thing by players. My kids - all girls - are so pleased for Grimesy today. They were in tears a few weeks ago when he again missed out v Collingwood. Even they can get that all clubs need to reward players who continually perform well in the VFL, otherwise the whole point of having a reserves side is lost. Do you honestly think the players don't discuss who is lucky to get a game each week and who isn't? They do, they just know they can't publicly comment on the topic as that means they are questioning the selectors which is an obvious no-no, unless you are LeBron James. Hoges is about the only one who could get away with it. I'm sure the whole team with the possible exception of Tom Bugg, who was dropped for him, would be rapt to see him finally getting a game because like us, they would have pondered why he was always the unlucky one. Roosy alluded to the pressure he and his selectors were under to play Grimesy two weeks ago and it finally won out. 2) Roos holding a grudge. Hocus. It's our gamestyle change that has cost him. Grimes is the victim this year of a direct decision by the coaches (Goody more directly) who have placed copying the Adelaide/WB run and carry style as a priority - the same philosophy that demands pace and has seen the exclusion of Trengove, Newton, Dunny, Pedo, Garland and this week cost Bugg his spot. In previous years, the lack of depth meant there was very few options so some courageous guys like Crossy got games, but this year with our new game style, we have pushed a few of the old guard out. Next year the same may happen to Tyson and even Bernie Vince - although that probably depends on whether we recruit Prestia a bit. Even now Nat Jones lack of pace is an issue to the style, but he has smarts and is a strong tackler - as shown last week when he went back to defence in the last quarter, where his lack of pace could have been exploited but wasn't because of his wisdom. But here's my take on it. Even Adelaide and WB have a mix of speedy players and smart slower players - Matt Boyd and Kyle Cheney are cases in point. You need a balance. The old heads at Hawthorn are mixed in with the pace of Smith, Hill, Rioli, Beust and Hartung. Grimes showed pre-season he was mega fit by coming second to T-Mac. He isn't line-breaking quick, but he is quick enough, and endurance fit enough, to get to any contest. The other factor to consider in this obsession with speed is that some players who are quick, don't have the confidence to take the game on - 28-year-old Matt Jones is a case in point. If you have a look at the Adelaide replay, watch his fear in the third term when he chose not to line-break, handballed sideways forcing Hunt to have to try and break two tackles - culminating in a turnover and an Adelaide goal. 3) St Kilda game is the key for Grimes future. Let's face it. Freo have half their side out, so we should win tomorrow and barring several major tactical blunders by Grimesy, which I very much doubt, we are unlikely to make more than two changes the following week, if any. So Grimesy will play his 100th at Etihad. Given the ground is a speed test and St Kilda were too quick for us last time, it will be the classic occasion for the selectors (and some D'Lers) to aportion an unfair share of the blame on to Grimes for a loss. The only thing that might save him is that we actually win and once again the selectors feel they can't drop him. That means they have to take him to Subi - the other ground that exploits lack of pace (remember Newton last year). If he gets through that without Goody and co saying he's too slow, then he deserves a public apology by Roosy, Goody and the match committee. But my guess is that they'll axe him after the Saints game on the pretext that they wanted to get games into the kids - meanwhile Matt Jones will stay in the side! Grimesy will then most likely play the rest of the season in the VFL, be among the best in the VFL grand final, and be traded to Richmond for a fourth rounder, where he will become a reliable, but not amazing, role player.

And that leaves Hawthorn and Tassie where?

Interesting call Wiseblood, especially since he has now played almost the entire season at VFL level and appears over his chronic injury. Would you be so cruel about Jack Trengove - who is in virtually the same boat and plays in a position where he has more options to get a game than a forward/ruckman. I would also have thought that taking a punt on a forward who can ruck is a very likely draft scenario next year - especially given we are likely to say goodbye to Pedo, King and maybe Dawes at season's end. Sure we may all want to rush the Weed along, but as yet he has not shown enough at VFL level. Apart from Vardy, Vickery, Tomlinson and Daw would also potentially fill the forward/ruck spot that we need to find - so it's pleasing that a few names are starting to crop up as being forced to be on the move because we certainly have struggled in the past to get the most-sought after option - Hale was a classic example.

Petracca did not play any time in the middle which was surprising given he had no impact early and we needed him in the game. His pace against such a fast line-up was put into question and he seemed to be often way under the ball for the clearance down the line - which meant there was no chance for him to go the fly. We struggled at clearances early in each quarter when VB was off but as soon as he went into the midfield he applied a more aggressive approach than Tyson and we started keeping Sloane and the Crouch boys in check - Scott Thompson got a bit of it but was largely ineffective. But the bigger issue is that we rarely seem to get a clearance without having to go backwards, which means that we are already facing a wall of opponents to get through and with no genuine marking option across half forward, we struggle to penetrate.

Always interesting to see people's personal attacks on players - especially the ones made by people who clearly weren't at the game. This week the selectors were worried about the pace of Adelaide's run from defence and in transition and made a priority of picking a quick side. But even despite that we struggled to stop them on the break and the clever short kicks from guys like Tom Lynch rally cut us up. By contrast I can barely remember a Melbourne forward taking a mark on the lead - partly because they have got into the habit of wanting it over the top and partly because Talia was so influential on Dawes and the rest of their defence led by Laird, Smith and Cheney were so disciplined and quick enough to snuff out lead options. Hartigan was the only one who panicked in one-on-one contests (eg; freekick goals to Watts and Hoges). The good news is that Freo aren't known for their speedy transition and hence picking our fastest side isn't as imperative. But the hardest part for our selectors is deciding what to do with Dawes and our key up the ground forward post. There are many options that have been floated here. Both Hulett and the Weed appear a little underdone for AFL just yet and to be honest that haven't set the world on fire in the games I have watched at VFL level. To be honest i would hope that we wait until our Round 19 game against Gold Coast to give one of them a debut to help their progress, even if it doesn't help the team that day. Some still are calling for Pedo, who is a brave workman, but we all know he is just a tad slow in the long run, although against some teams he might pose problems. Then some would argue playing a second ruckman (eg: Spencil) will allow Gawny to spend more time up forward and allow Hoges to play more as the upfield down the line marking threat that Dawes has been unable to provide. I actually favour this when we are up against a really strong ruck combination, but I'm sorry but Clarke and Hannath don't represent that sort of threat and Darwin's dewiness means that a second ruck is a luxury we can't afford this week. As a result my preferred option this week is to send T-mac forward as he did so well pinch-hitting last year and to bring in Garland as our third defensive tall. If Pavlich or Taberner are too strong for Frost or O-mac then at least Roosy can swap the McDonald's and still have the forward mobility that we need. I had three other players in the gun after Adelaide and all could be left out and not require a change of structure. Matt Jones came in to provide pace and pressure - he enjoyed a good first half but went back into his shell in the second and his zero tackle count tells more about his psyche. Compare that to little Kennedy or Billy who both threw themselves and tackled and pressured like maniacs. Mediocre Matt won't be missed and given Freo's slow build-ups, we can finally give his wing to Grimes and it will not have any impact on our run, indeed unlucky Jack will keep running all day (albeit not with blistering pace) and I guarantee he will lay tackles. The other fact is that Roosy clearly is now across that everyone thinks he has been cruel to Grimesy all year and will want to play him just to prove his point that he is no longer good enough. But Grimesy is resilient and it wouldn't surprise me if he ended up playing well just to spite him. The two others in the gun this week are Bugg and Petracca. Both could't cope with the pace and ferocity of the attack on the ball and the player by the Crows. Bugg has been handy this year, but needs a couple of weeks of dominating the VFL again, just to bring back that passion that he had at the start of the season to lay tackles. His spot will allow Brayshaw to return - I can't imagine we will let him sit and wait for two more weeks. As to Petracca, apart from the Pies game, he really hasn't dominated like we all hoped. He really struggled to find space yesterday and you wonder if he deserves a week off and more tuition on his running patterns from the coaches box. To me that leaves room for either Michie, Trenners or Oliver to return and given the likely greasy conditions, I'd actually go Viv because his kicking skills are more pure and his return down back will allow Bernie to be used in our midfield set up again. One final thing, to those of you who are wanting VB dropped, go back and look at the impact he had when he wasn't actually in the middle. The first few minutes of every quarter when he was on the pine (especially the third), we were spanked in the clearances and he was the missing link. We still need his aggression, just as we need it from Bernie, because we are a young side and our star player - Jack Viney - is now getting tagged and is still a little proppy - hence we aren't charging out of the middle as easily as we were in the first few rounds anymore. Out: Dawes, M.Jones, Bugg, Petracca In: Garland, Grimes, Brayshaw, Michie B: Jetta (Walters) Frost (Pavlich) O.Mac (Hannath/Taberner) HB: Vince/Harmes (Ballantyne/Mayne) Garland (Taberner/Mayne) Hunt (Weller/Blakely) C: Grimes Viney (head-to-head with Neale) Stretch HF: Kent T-Mac Kennedy F: Garlett Hoges Watts Ru: Gawn Tyson Jones (if tagged by Barlow, sent back to Ballantyne) Int: Harmes, Brayshaw, Michie, VB

I was really impressed with today's game - even though we lost - as there were just so many positives. Hunt is genuinely changing the way we are rated by others - we were the slowest side, not now. He reminds me of a mix between Sean Wight and KB. We may have unearthed another backman in Harmes, Stretch is really starting to make position like Kade Simpson - did anyone spot that he unleashed a 45m left foot pass to Jack Watts down the win in the last? Our two project talls - Frosty and Oscar - had their moments and are looking more and more comfortable. The decision to go with our quickest line-up adding Matt Jones, Harmes and Garlett and retaining Kennedy and Vanders was the right one, but we simply weren't quick enough for the Crows defence. They will seriously do some damage come finals. But the one thing that shocked me was deciding against having a fourth tall down back, which meant that every now and then Watts and Hoges would be forced to drop back to help cover their four dangerous tall forwards - and that doesn't include Eddie. The other major problem with that is that it left Dawes and Kennedy alone up forward trying to mark an outlet - which was never going to be easy when you are up against the best defender in the league outside of Rance inn Talia, although Kennedy's courage was amazing. With Wagner out, why we didn't bring in Garland for this game was amazing as it meant that we kept getting caught out by the wrong match up and they have the best seven-man forward line in the league which includes two monsters, two quality mobile talls, Eddie, a pressure king in Douglas and when not on a wing - one of the quickest players in the game in Cameron. Why Hunt wasn't on Cameron and Jetta on Betts is beyond me? So many players contributed majorly, but we did have five players way down on their usual level and that hurt. The five who really struggled were; Petracca (he was too slow against Smith and Laird and caught out of position way too often - particularly at kick ins. He should have been sent on to the ball to get him going but alas may now need a week off to find greater urgency and work on his fitness). Tyson (Just couldn't impact the clearances and got caught out not moving it on quickly enough after his baulks - the Crows are seriously quick and determined). Matt Jones (I'm sorry but I have made it clear on my view on him before. He's not called Matt Mediocre Jones for nothing. He actually was handy in the first half but went missing in the second. The key assessments of his game were - no tackles, no ability to stop Cameron's run when on him although he seemed to have Crouch for a fair bit of the game as well and he only had one score contribution - a nice pass to Nat Jones. Sure he has pace, but he doesn't use it and if we are going to play a 28-year-old, I'd rather Jack Grimes any time.) Tom Bugg (Everyone picks on Grimes and Trenners lack of pace, but this guy is no quicker. Yes we all know he can tackle, but against Adelaide he couldn't get near them to lay one. I'm afraid the honeymoon is over and a week in the VFL beckons. Being good mates with Hoges and Wattsy only gets you so far). Dawes (I won't go into it, as everybody who was there knows what happened. Talia though is a formidable opponent). My own view is that we need to consider sending T-0Mac to CHF again next week as we have struggled all year in that role. That means bringing in Garland to cover the bigs with Oscar and Frosty). A few others were a bit down, including Viney (except for a hot second term) and Vince (whose reliable foot was a little off at times). Why he didn't play on Sloane, who won the first four clearances is one for the coaches to explain?

6 Watts (I have to say it was his most complete game yet. Smart with his disposal as always but finally looks aware of his ability and now plays accordingly. He won't ever win the tackle count, but he now contests) 5 Hunt (You had to be there to appreciate what this guy did. His goal reminded me of KB and his defensive work was a bit like Sean Wight.) 4 Jones (A few errors but kept working and easily had Scott Thompson's measure before a reliable last term in defence). 3 Jetta (Clean as ever and when on Betts was the most likely to beat him. But he spent much of the day on Cameron - who is seriously quick) 2 Harmes (Really seemed to enjoy his new role down back and being such a lovely kick helps. Can see him becoming a permanent fixture in the backline). I had a lot of difficulty finding the sixth best because the above were our only four quarter players, but after much prognostication went for: 1 Garlett (Along with Stretch, he really seemed on his game in the first half and was a major factor in us being two goals up at the main break. Faded after that).

Tough match coming up but thankfully the boys have a break and can watch them play Friday night and most likely win. Hopefully come Sunday they will be mega excited about stopping arguably the best attack in the AFL at the moment. To the guy who said Jetta should be dropped - on the one hand you have highlighted his poor form of the past three weeks, but seem oblivious to the fact that this is his Grand Final game - he loves playing on Eddie and that's where he'll play. To the guy that wants O-Mac out. Yes he is not physical enough yet, but the club has already decided he's a project tall and he's started to show signs that he may be really handy next year. This is also one game where he has a clear match-up with Lynch his most likely opponent. That leaves Frost (another project) on Jenkins and T-Mac always plays Tex. If they load up again with McGovern then there's a case for Garland to come back in as well to counter that height. But I suspect we'll leave him out again and use Vince on him. Hunt will get their burst player Cameron I hope (even if he has to play up on the wing) and Wags will take Douglas. Apart from Garland coming back in if Crows go big, there's really only one certainty - Harmes. My guess is that he'll replace Trengove. There's quite a few calling for Matt Jones and you may be right this week - although given I seem to be about the only one who doesn't actually remember what amazing bits of play he did in his first four games, nor his first 55 for that matter, then I'm afraid I won't be calling for Mr Mediocre to come in. If we wanted a linkman who doesn't take the game on, then why the hell did we get rid of Cale Morton? That said, I suspect Matt Jones will still come in for Stretch with the club hoping he can provide some run - which invariably he doesn't provide, except at training. But he will link up and be part of about 10 basic stop and kick chains that have no effect on anything, except the timeclock. Michie and Grimes will again be emergencies because that's how the club likes using them. The two interesting ones are Angus and Jeffy. Angus shouldn't play but then again nor should he have been rushed back after just one VFL game the previous two times. But each time his quick return has followed a loss and the selectors hit the panic button because they know he could be anything. So after the Swans, it wouldn't surprise me if they did it again. The alternative is to give him another game in the VFL to really gets his confidence and form back - anything wrong with that? Jeffy is a bit like Clokey in that he has been sent down to the VFL to get his mojo back and instead fared more poorly, although he apparently was a bit better in Ballarat (five tackles). The problem is that our style of play now requires having a quick player to release over the top and he's a key player in that being blessed with leg speed. Hopefully he got a reminder the past two weeks of why you have to work so hard and if so, his quality demands he re-inclusion - either for Oliver or Kennedy. So, Out: Stretch, Trengove, Kennedy. In: Harmes, Garlett, Matt Jones (not my choice, but highly likely). I'd go Garland instead of M.Jones and play him on McGovern, thereby allowing Vince to tag Sloane, which is what he would love to do, as Danger will attest. B: Jetta (Betts) T-Mac (Tex) Frost (Jenkins) HB: Vince (McGovern) O-Mac (Lynch) Wagner (Douglas) C: Hunt (Cameron) Viney (Thompson) Matt Jones (Seedsman) HF: Kent (Atkins) Dawes (Hartigan/Cheney) Vanders (Smith) F: Garlett (Brown) Hoges (Talia) Watts (Lever) R: Gawn (Jacobs) Tyson (Sloane) N.Jones (Crouch/Laird) Int: Oliver, Harmes, Petracca, Bugg

6 Vince (hard and prolific as usual but almost all of the side didn't create much, but didn't stop trying). 5 Gawn (Clearly one of our few winners on the day, although understandably didn't mark well) 4 Hunt (Loved his chase down on Heeney on the boundary. Made a few errors, but didn't they all. But broke lines when he got it.) 3 T-Mac (Why is it that so many here, judge him so poorly each week. He played mainly on Franklin, who got on the end of a few as you'd expect when he's plonked in the goal square for much of it). 2 Watts (Classy second half and showed that it was possible to kick the ball 45m accurately like the Sydney players often did). 1 Jones (Toss up here with Petracca, but he did lift after half time with Vanders).

Was Michie there?