Deespicable

Our side under Craigy is much quicker because he's happy playing Kent, Blease and Davey in one side, whereas Neeld got his way and went with big, slow bodies.

The only problem that I can see is that North traditionally crunch us with physical approach with Swallow and Ziebell in the middle and Thompson and Firrito down back, plus Harvey and Petrie up forward.

Pleasingly Firrito's not playing which means there's one less sniper to worry about, but I reckon this is definitely a game to have a couple more tough boys in the side - ie: Magner and Tapscott.

I can understand that Craigy wants to stay loyal and breed solidarity by not making changes, but if we get smashed up like we did against Geelong in the wet, then it also reflects on the coach.

I was a bit dubious about him based on his efforts in the U18 carnival this year.

But if reports of his display on weekend for Norwood seniors are correct he is now fully recovered from his shoulder surgery and back to his best and would be the obvious choice for our No.2 pick - assuming we don't slip back to No.3.

Have a look at his highlights - he is very light still but looks to have a thumping kick and good leg speed.

Toumpas will become a decent AFL player, but already there are signs he's not going to become a gun AFL mid, which is what you want from a top 5 draft pick. Rarely have I seen a young top-performed junior seem so uncertain of himself and out of his depth. He's admitted that he's struggled to adjust to AFL footy. He's neat and will be far better as he matures and plays in a decent team, but I struggle to see any "star factor" with Toumpas. He's the type of player that will do well as a linkman in a chain of disposals, but I've seen nothing to suggest he can initiate play. The best AFL mids are the architects, they're the drivers that set up play and initiate proceedings, but Jimmy seems an over the top hand ball receive kind of guy, who then delivers it nicely.

Supporters will say, but he's only 19 and hasn't played much footy, etc. Thanks for stating the bleeding obvious. Jimmy may become what we all hope, but the best young mids usually show what they'll become even when they starting out on their fledgling careers. I've seen enough star mids start out in my lifetime to at least have some early concerns regarding Toumpas and what he brings to the table.

Yes, agree with you he doesn't look like a star.

When he played well in 2011 SANFL finals he looked quick, but so far he's looked just a smidgeon faster than Trengove and Jordie.

He's got elite kicking skills and good vision, but I reckon his marking in a contest is abysmal as well.

I can't see him making it as a wingman or outside runner, but he has big hips and looks strong in a tackle, so he may have to become an inside player - which if that's the case means Ollie Wines should have been drafted before him.

Maybe his hip issues from last season slowed him down and with a pre-season of strength and speed work, he may find an extra yard.

I remember Glenn Lovett looked slow and useless in his first couple of seasons and then really developed as a smart linkman.

I thought the Dees would take Dom Barry back to his hometown Darwin last week and was wrong, so I'm sure the following logic is out, but here goes.

1) Even though Craigy does not seem to like making many changes, the trip to Darwin is traditionally draining and means some players may not come up as well as normal.

2) We are playing North, who in recent times beat us up with their hard tackling, so I reckon we will need a couple of tougher bodies and less outside runners this week.

3) If Garland is out, then whilst I like the logic of giving Davis a chance so we know for sure if he should be delisted or not, I imagine Pedersen would have to play against his old side.

4) Gawn has just signed a new contract - you would think that means he can't be dropped this week, so unless Fitzy is injured, then Spencer has to sit out again.

So, based on all that:

Out: Garland (inj), Toumpas, Kent (both youngsters need to go back to VFL and win a heap of football before returning for last few rounds of season).

In: Pedersen, McKenzie, Tapscott

I agree with Master Demon on his summation. Yarran would be a handy pick up if we could get him for our second round draft pick. He is quick (we are starting to get quicker with Kent and Bleasey, but we still lack pace) and he has vision and poise, even though he doesn't get it a lot. I reckon he'd be great off half-back and solve one of our big problem areas - running the ball out of defence.

But I suspect a few other clubs are eyeing him off as well as he fits most sides requirements - If West Coast isn't into him they have no idea what they need.

The Blues are still searching for a key forward - could Fitzy's latest displays be enough to get the deal done with second round pick.

Are you Spencils brother?He is really not in the mix.

Rest Howe-never.

Blease out?he is our best run and carry player.

MckEnzie is out because he cannot kick the ball to another Melbourne player.

I agree with you on Nicho because at the moment he is a three goal player-not for us.

Barry no.

Jetta yes-play him out to see if the glimpses were just that.

Biffo,

It's all about team balance and I reckon they will have realised after Geelong game that they erred in picking a dry-weather side, so they will probably correct it a bit with a bit more grunt - hence McKenzie and Viney. I'd prefer Magner to McKenzie but they don't seem inclined to go to Jimmy for some reason.

Dom Barry is a local Darwin boy and Aaron Davey is a god up there and this particular game is about promotion.

That's why Davey can't be dropped this week and Barry (at very least) will be emergency, but I suspect he'll actually be made the sub.

It doesn't worry me if Kent or Blease make room for Davey this week, because they both will be back in the following week after they've given Barry a taste.

If you saw the St Kilda game, you'll know Spencer is a monte to come in - the only decision is whether Fitzy or Gawn comes out.

As for Howey, I think he's everyone's favourite player, but I reckon he picked up injury a few weeks back against Pies (think he got heavy knock to abdomen area) and has lost a bit of his running ability as a result.

Hopefully he's right.

Jetta's had four season of glimpses and has had his chance - he's skilled but ultimately he's too slow and can't kick long enough to be dangerous.

It will depend a lot on new coach and a little on whether we get a priority selection - if we do that's an extra pick we'll have to make room for.

I have eight gone and six waiting on what happens in next six weeks

Gone: Gillies, Davis, Jetta, Rodan, Sellar, Macdonald, Bail and one of Byrnes or Davey.

The reason for one of Byrnes or Davey to go is that we now have an obvious left-foot quick player in Kent who plays the same role. Byrnes has a contract (you are allowed to break them) and Davey has emotional ties (club great), but I'm sorry but list management requires one to go.

Possibly gone:

Tynan (he still is really young and hopefully we can see where he truly is at, in VFL finals)

Taggert (a lot of people like him but as with Tynan will need to show he's worth keeping in VFL finals)

Strauss (he's in his fifth year and he still hasn't bulked up - he's no Jed Adcock running out of back line).

Nicho and McKenzie (a new coach may decide their kicking skills aren't up to it, even though they are both good training role model).

One of Jamar, Gawn or Fitzy (Jamar's contracted but if Clark looks like being fit, then Fitzy won't get a game and we have too many ruckmen - we should actually trade one of these guys when they have currency.) Spencer has kicked on and looks the strongest and hardest working and needs to kept now.

Dunn - He's been around a long time now, so I suspect he'll survive another year.

Rookie upgrades

One of Magner or Couch should be rewarded for their two years of hard work. Both have kicking and pace limitations but are great trainers and one should be kept to help protect youngsters and I'd go for Magner.

Clisby can be upgraded next season.

By my reckoning we should delist eight, trade one ruckman and upgrade one (Magner) and Hogan is included as well.

That would leave us seven picks at main draft (with one pick saved for pre-season draft) and three rookies (Stark and Couch out, Clisby retained).

Draft priority on mids and if possible a long-kicking running defender.

I think some of you have forgotten that Spencer is available and he had his career best game v St Kilda, so I reckon they might leave Fitzy behind, given it will be slippery (humid) in Darwin.

Horses for courses means Davey has to play this one and means that Barry should travel with team and maybe be the sub. That probably means Blease misses out, given that Byrnes and Kent were two of our better players against Cats.

The other selection issues are whether to bring back Viney and McKenzie - I'm told neither set world on fire in VFL.

McKenzie would have to come in as swap for Nicho and could tag Rich.

Not sure whom Viney would come in for, but among options would be resting Howey (looks a bit tired of late), Dunn (only thing saving him is his long kick, although it rarely hits a target) or Clisby (He didn't provide any run against Cats - not alone though- and Grimes did well as defender against Lions last time.

So for me its: In: Viney, McKenzie, Barry, Spencer

Out: Fitzy, Nicho, Blease, Clisby or Dunn

Fitzy has elite leading speed and fairly safe hands and he's working on his obvious flaw that kept him out for so long - a shocking ball drop.

But while it's great to see him do well, I now reckon he is our most important trade at season's end because as of today his value to a club like Western Bulldogs is a second round draft pick, which would translate into hopefully a half-decent midfileder.

Our only strength is our talls and with Hogan on list next year and possibly Clark coming back, there's no room for the Fitz and he needs to go to a club that will play him now that he's old enough to cope.

If someone tells me Mitch Clark's injuries make him unlikely to play again, then I'm all for keeping him.

But if not, we have to shed someone from our area of strength to try and overcome our midfield weakness.

Great to see the extra confidence under Craig to switch play or wait for a short lead up option - just shows again how Neeld's disciplined - kick safe back up the line - approach was a cancer.

The fact that we had 120 marks showed the effectiveness of our new style, but quite clearly we were smashed in the middle of the park.

All our key talls deserve a pat on back for great games.

I had Tom Mc as our best but happy for others to argue that Watts or Garland or Fitzy or Frawley until he went off were better.

Dawes was quiet early but was a tower of strength later - did anyone see Hannebery's face when he copped a crunching tackle from the big fellow.

Gawn was towelled up a bit - as expected by Mummy and Pyke tandem - but he at least kept running and did more things around the ground than Jamar has post A-A.

Grimes was great on return and his tackling and intensity was first rate.

Trenners was also pretty useful working into space and laying heaps of tackles, Davey was dangerous and decisive when he got it but he only had it 11 times.

But I'm afraid the rest of our midfielders were given a touch up and struggled to really hurt them on the counter attack.

Sylvia made a howler of a bounce early and took wrong option too much.

N.Jones was caught a few times and O'Keefe and Jack had the better of him.

Rodan was good in first quarter but tired badly - good to know Jack Viney is only two weeks away.

Matt Jones made space well but his kicking was average and he failed to hurt them on the counter.

Kent failed to get it and whilst he works hard and is quick and is the future, he needs to go back and win lots of ball in the VFL before returning.

Nicho was well done on his game from last week on Griffen but he does provide run as a tagger, which is something Jordie does not. I couldn't quite figure out if he was shadowing Hannebery or Kennedy as the match-ups kept altering. But I suspect Nicho's three or four howlers may cost him his spot this week.

Clisby was useful down back and he kicks low and direct which makes it hard for intercepts.

I know everybody is a fan of Terlich but he made two huge clangers early and seemed intimidated playing his old side that delisted him. But to his credit he persisted and kept running and even had a couple of strong intercept marks.

Dunn did was he always does - offloaded his long bomb when he should go short, go short when he should go long. Even Craigy must be realising now that he is like John Daly.

Byrnes was useful when he came on late in third term, but he doesn't have explosiveness that we need.

Finally Toumpas again got caught out for pace. Yes he has elite kicking skills and he has big hips which will help him shrug off tackles, but his marking ability and his lack of genuine speed worry me for such a high pick.

Can't imagine many changes and Bleasey is the only obvious injury.

Tapscott is a small forward and has done well against Swans in past - so a small forward for a small forward.

If Grimes is fit, then a decision has to be made on whether he replaces Clisby or Dunn and goes straight into back six.

Swans have quite a few injuries, but based on last week their five most regular forwards were Tippett, White, McGlynn, Bolton and Parker - so perhaps we don't need Dunn's size (and errors) this week, although Kennedy, O'Keefe and Everitt all drift forward and have a bit of size.

Out: Blease (inj), Dunn

In: Tapscott, Grimes (if fit)

Is it possible that the club (with AFL backing and out of a sense of trying to save the day) has managed to get Paul Roos to agree to oversee the program for a two-year period and that Cameron Ling has been secured on the basis that he will do a two-year apprenticeship similar to Bucks before taking on the main role?

Agree with comments that Pedersen has to sit out this week as Dogs have a smaller forward set up and Tommy Mc is likely to take their only tall in Liam Jones.

They still have Stringer, who is quite a good lead-up forward, so Garland would take him.

From what i saw of Dogs game, they seemed to be playing Markovic )yes i know he's normally a defender) as their third tall forward option and I'd imagine Frawley would get him.

The other worry for us down back would be finding a match-up for Dunn. I'd make Dunny the sub this week - that way he could even be thrown forward if we are still in it.

Losing Spencer is a big blow as that means Gawn has to play on Minson - but at least we will find out how far off making it Maxy is.

The other issues is whether Dawes is fit - the Dogs do a lot of switching play to keep possession so there's no point him playing if he still has that calf niggle.

If Jordie's fit he would come back in to tag Griffen, if he's not then Magner deserves a shot to provide grunt - but been saying that all year and he's only had two chances and he was clearly in our best against Tigers.

Both Couch and Taggert did not play for Casey so surely can't be considered this week.

So my ins/outs, assuming Dawes is sore and Jordie is fit are:

Out: Spencer (susp). In Gawn

Out: Pedersen. In Frawley

Out: Dawes (inj). In: McKenzie

Nicho starts instead of Dunn.

Howe is lead up forward instead of Dawes so that he can provide more pressure on Dog switchers.

If they are really keen they can also change the following this week, but I doubt they will.

Out: Rodan. In: Magner

Out: Kent (for two weeks only to get some leather poisoning at Casey before a return). In: Jetta, or if they are really keen to make a youth statement then go for Dom Barry.

Garland, Spencer (first half was superb), N.Jones, Sylvia, Tom McDonald, Watts

I must admit I had my doubts about him last year. He was really coming along well in 2011 and then seemed to lose his confidence to take the game on in 2012 and just went back and kicked long down the line to a contest 95 per cent of the time - which was probably just him adhering to Neeld's game plan.

This year however he has gone back to backing himself with his pace and aggression. His vision with his kicking is better and I reckon he'd be miles ahead in the Bluey Truscott Medal.

Neeld said he wanted to bring in more youth, which I think was just some sort of spiel line because our side v Pies was younger than any other side we have previously listed this year with Kent, Toumpas, Blease and Evans all together. Only Jack Viney could make it a more youthful squad, unless Dom Barry is included and he did not even get a gig for Casey last week.

Neeld also bagged our senior players and given that Davey was handy and Rodan is new and he went to great lengths to praise him the week before, he must have been talking about Jamar, Dunn and Sylvia because the rest of the side is under 26. So maybe the Russian is going to be dropped with Dunn.

A few other things - Jordie can't kick but he did work hard and we need a tagger for Jack Steven, so unless Bail replaces him, I'd stick with him.

If Clark is now even longer term, then surely Couch can come off rookie list and he deserves another chance and that means someone has to come out of the engine room - Rodan is the obvious choice.

Pedersen is an obvious match-up for Stanley or Hooper (if they play him) and while Tom Mc did well on Riewoldt last time, Garland is our main man at moment. Tom Mc will therefore most likely go to Maister. Col is so quick however that he could go to Milney (who is the one that fires them up). If not, I'd bring J Mac in to play on Milney, because the little pest is a very good lead-up player. If J Mac is out, then Clisby must be a chance.

If Neeld wants to drop Jamar to give him a lesson about working harder then it's a big ask to just go with Gawn against McEvoy and possibly Hooper. Big Ben is very fit, so Spencer would have to come in as well as Fitzy is not quite good enough for lengthy stints in the ruck.

So assuming Dawes passes his fitness test and Viney and J Mac are available I'd go for the following changes.

Out: Tapscott, Rodan, Dunn (delisting is just around corner), Fitzpatrick, Jamar.

In: Viney, Couch, J Macdonald, Gawn and Spencer (yes I know he isn't up to AFL level, but he is doing well at VFL level and he and Gawny had the better of Hudson and Witts last week.)

However I won't be surprised if Neeld does the exact opposite of what he says and goes back to older players such as Byrnes at the expense of either Kent or Blease.

Should the Dees do the dirty on Casey again?

History: For the past four years, Casey has made the finals on the back of some handy Melbourne-listed players, only to find that come the finals, the Dees heirarchy decides that it wants to send most of its eligible VFL players off for a break so that the AFL-listed players can begin pre-season training in early October. The only exceptions to this policy have been players about to be delisted anyway (eg: Bate last year).

Not surprisingly Casey comes up short in September - usually out in straight sets.

This year Casey again looks set to make the finals and its Melbourne-listed contingent (which includes young Jesse Hogan) have been firing.

Given how bad the Dees have been going, players who have been dropped to the VFL get a chance to play in a winning line-up and get some confidence back and play proactive football, rather than the reactive chasing type they get in the AFL.

Casey strength is serving a really good purpose in the current environment and I don't understand why the Dees football administration treats them like s... in September.

My view is that young guys like Hogan, Toumpas, Kent, Gawn, Barry and Blease etc would really benefit from being part of a genuine finals campaign with the added pressure that entails.

If they were to make the VFL Grand Final it would serve as a positive note for the whole club to end its season on - just like it did for Geelong when they won the VFL flag with guys like Ablett, Stevie J and Lonergan one year before they made a quantum leap.

The VFL finals series (and a potential GF at Etihad Stadium) would also give guys like Davis, Spencer, Fitzy, Taggert, Nicho, Tynan, Magner and Couch etc one last chance to show on a biggish stage that they are worthy of being kept on the list.

Whilst I get why Misson and his fitness staff want players to be back early in October, I think the benefits of a successful Casey finals campaign would far outweigh the downside of a later start for the 10-12 guys that would do us proud for Casey.

Am I missing something? I always thought that success was meant to breed success.

What Blease offers is pace (which we currently lack) and the fact that he is one of the few genuine potential linebreakers in our squad of players.

The worry I have on him is not his tackling, but that he may not have the peripheral vision to ever really make it in this role, but unless he plays on a wing or half-back regularly we won't know.

Can someone explain to me what we would do with expanded salary cap?

We have only two big money players in Clark and Dawes and we barely reach the 92% TPP minimum because our players don't have big reputations.

Davey, our next highest paid player, is out of contract this year, so we will have plenty of room to move anyway if we wanted to try and tempt a quality player.

Frawley doesn't have to be resigned and upgraded until next season and I'm sure he wouldn't anyway until he knows the next coach.

Same applies to Grimes, N.Jones, Trengove, J.Viney, Howe, Garland etc.

The only well-known uncontracted players, who other clubs will have an interest in, are Watts and Sylvia, and based on what I have read on Demonland, there are plenty who wouldn't care if either left us. Hopefully they stay on with new contracts with major performance incentives.

So why?

Agree with Scott for once that Melbourne needs to stop asking for handouts and fix its mess and that includes not requesting a priority pick because all that does is make all the other clubs view us as a charity-case. You can't win respect without earning it the hard way.

Here's a few match-ups.

McKenzie (best tackler) on Pendlebury.

Bail (has enough speed) on Swan.

Trengove on Sidebottom (classy, but not mega-quick so Trengove has ability to run with him).

Howe on Seedsman (who has been very good of late and needs a mid with height). J Mac is other option for Seedsman.

Pies will probably use Macaffer on N.Jones with Ball and Rodan to go head to head.

Watts will most likely cop O'Brien unless Howe plays forward.

Heath Shaw will go to Tapscott, Marty Clarke will most likely get Sylvia, Marley Williams on Davey.

With Maxwell out, Reid will have to go back and match up on Dawes. Brown will have Gawn (or Fitzy if they stick with him).

Down back Strauss will have to play on Blair, Terlich will pick up Elliott leaving Dunn (eke) to claim Krakouer.

Pedersen gets Lynch and Garland gets Cloke (if he plays) or Witts. If Cloke plays, Sellar or Tom Mc will come in for Witts.

Posted Today, 02:27 PM

One of Matt Jones or Evans will be rested - won't play for Casey either. Sellar will play if Pies go big, Blease will be listed if Pies go small - but Bleasey will probably be sub.

Given all our pressure indicators were way up last week, I think it will be minimal changes this week - but then who would have predicted Magner getting chopped last week.

Frawley is out so that leaves Pedersen on Lynch and Garland on Cloke (if he plays). Given that Witts is a likely Pie inclusion, I reckon we will need one more big defender which will get down to either Tom Mc or Sellar. Report from VFL says Sellar was very good so I'd go for him. Agree with other comments that Tom Mc should go back and dominate VFL before being included anyway.

Sylvia obviously comes in and it is a question of whether Evans or Matt Jones needs a rest more.

The only other change is that Fitzpatrick still looks too un-coordinated to make it - did you see his ball-drop on his shot from 45m? Gawn went back to VFL and got his form back and he's a much better tap ruckman than Fitzy, so he comes back in.

Strauss couldn't stick several attempted tackles on Puopolo but we need quick smalls down back against Pies, so I reckon he'll stay in side and his disposal skills are good.

Either way, they will pick a squad of 25 for Monday and I'm tipping the following:

Out: Frawley (inj), Fitzpatrick.

In: Sylvia, Gawn, Sellar (will come in if Witts and Cloke are listed), Blease (should play to add pace but won't unless Pies don't add Witts). The fifth 'in' won't matter because they won't play and will play for Casey on Saturday anyway.

No.1 reason we get smashed each week is lack of a modern game plan. However if it rains our game plan of kicking it back up the line to a contest may hold up better - just like it did in the wet against Essendon last year.

Almost everybody seems to agree that the four possible outs this week are: Gawn, Bail, Nicho and Jetta with injury to determine if Terlich misses as well.

That leaves Fitzy, Strauss, Rodan and either Tom Mc or Pedersen as likely inclusions.

After two great games in VFL, surely Pedersen deserves his chance to line up on Gunston or Roughead - rather than being used as a pinch-hut ruck/forward where he has been abysmal.

While Sellar, Pedersen, Garland and Frawley is a big defence, the Hawks do have Roughy, Gunston, Buddy and if he returns from injury - Hale.

If we go four big defenders then Dunn probably should be made sub this week.

The master,

I like how your original list contains a host of midfielders because we have the talls covered if Clark and Dawes can get over injuries and get really fit.

A lot will depend on three things:

1) Who the new coach wants to keep - Watts, Sylvia and Frawley are our three most viable trade options because they are majorly talented and have underperformed and will be courted by other teams who are now eyeing us off as a dead carcass they can prey on. Our new coach may feel they can transform them and hopefully has enough charisma to convince them to stay.

2) Will the AFL give us a sympathy concession pick - meaning we could have two picks in top five. I'd be happy if they water down our concession pick to an end of first rounder beacuse that pick doesn't come with such connotations of charity and pressure to perform on player is not so great.

3) Whether we have enough money to pay 100 per cent of cap and therefore the ability to go after any out-of-contract player - assuming a player is willing to take the risk to come to us, we will have to pay top dollar for a decent midfielder.

Personally I think our aim should be to get two quality young midfielders - one via pick 2 or 3 (Aish or Billings etc) and the other via trade of our second round pick (eg: Mitchell).

Then the rest of the draft can be about getting four or five more strong-bodied midfield types before taking a couple of exploratory talls late in draft.

Agree with you that we have about 10 delistings on way and you can add Jetta, Taggert and Fitzpatrick to your possibles.

Garland's been our best defensive backman this year so he has to get serial pest Ballantyne (yes I know he's a small but he leads up well like a tall forward).

That allows Terlich to play on one of their lesser lights and run off as he's been doing.

Frawley gets Mayne and Sellar gets Hannath.

Davis is unlucky but there's no real match-up for him this game unless he plays on Mayne and Frawley is used more as attacking defender.

Given we are on the biggest ground in country, then Blease has to come in and play on Hill (if fit). I'd take J Mac as the one emergency because of his versatility and let Rodan, Davis and Co get some VFL game time v Geelong on Friday night.

Anyone who saw Watts play in Brisbane knows he can no longer play down back - that experiment is over.

The good thing is that if he plays forward it allows Howe to play as sweeper or as a midfield lead-up. Howey could even play on Fyfe.

Gawn's game was shocking v Richmond, but Fitzy didn't look that good v Box Hill and that leaves Pedersen! So I'd take Gawn and hope he lifts.

So my changes are:

Out: Toumpas (inj), McKenzie (too slow for Perth and I hate to think what Freo will do with his turnovers), Nicholson (has lost confidence to take game on).

In: Watts, Blease, Byrnes.

7 def: Garland, Frawley, Sellar, Strauss, Terlich, Dunn, Howe

9 mids: Jamar ®, N.Jones, Magner, Evans, Blease, Trengove, M.Jones, Byrnes, Bail (sub)

6 forwards: Gawn, Dawes, Watts, Tapscott, Davey, Jetta