Red and Blue realist

The funny thing after the Adelaide game last year (the one where we went there not the Darwin one), the people talking up Weid's chances were all about his intensity, pressure and hunger during that game, while the detractors talked down his score board impact and contested marking. I think it's always incredibly hard to judge a young tall on their impact at the lower level, from my observation at the lower level you don't have many key defenders that do much more than spoil - as opposed to AFL level where they also have to attack/zone. This means often if conditions are poor for marking (rain/wind etc.) they don't have the chance to show off there pressure acts, probably why a lot of them get a run in the ruck at times.

On the Saturday, and there saying it's likely to be at Ikon park, as they don't want to run it before one of the mens games. Kinda makes sense as besides Brissy (who are only a small chance of making it) all other mens teams play on the Friday or Sunday. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-12/aflw-ikon-park-firming-as-grand-final-venue

I think most wouldn't be saying who's spot is he taking, but who is in line to take Tyson's spot. I have no doubt he's nearly an auto pick, and would only be at Casey if he's injured or his form horribly drops off. He doesn't have to take one of Viney, Jones or Clarry's spots to be in the team.

He played in the AFLX, so they might think he's done enough competitive stuff and giving him a freshen up, he did have the ankle issue at the start of pre-seaon, so probably just a rest, same as Harmes who also played the X as well. Seems strange cause I would have thought they'd want TMac playing alongside Hogan as much as possible?

Now there's an article on afl.com.au saying that he won't play and if he doesn't play in the next Casey praccy game he won't play round 1. Here's a link http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-07/dees-dday-looms-as-he-struggles-for-fitness From reports it sounds like he's back in full training, so I reckon Hogan's probably got it right.

I see it more of a game plan selection, it looks like they want to run with 1 true tall (OMac), then have Lever, Hibberd, Hunt and Wagner as mid size, more flexible types. I'd think that if J Smith was fit he'd be right in that mix for Wagner's spot, so wouldn't be surprised to see him come in for round 1 like last year, if he's match fit. They also will have Jetta and a mid, like Lewis/Vince as the smaller player. We might be trying to replicate some of the Doggies, run and dash out of the backline with virtually all players having the ability to do that.

They ran 100,000 simulations so can't possibly be wrong. I wonder if with their simulations the ability of the coach was taken into account, the likes of Clarkson given an upgrade while Buckley.............

Yes, silly me, how could anyone forget about that magical tournament.

I would think the AFL might eventually make it compulsory for say 3 or 4 weeks following a player receiving a concussion, just to be seen to be doing something more than anything. Doesn't Gus wear it to put his mother mind at ease? On a side note, the picture shows Gus playing against Carlton in our new tops (with Zurich as a sponsor), have I missed a game????

I don't think any flag could be considered a fluke, but they all involve a lot of luck. The dogs were incredibly fortunate to have that week off pre-finals, meant a couple of key players got fit and probably allowed the eagles to drink their own bathwater and think they'd beat them easy. The Hawks were coming to the end of their dynasty and looked tired, the game against GWS (sensational game) could have gone either way but the giants looked tired by the end. In the grand final I took it that Sydney paid no respect to their game plan and just thought they could play on their terms. The Tigs got on a great run of form, had no injuries at all, then had a game plan that most didn't think would stack up in finals, but obviously it did incredibly well. I'd prefer that we became a great football team with good tactics, rather than have great tactics and hope a good football team can carry them out.

I don't think we can do a Richmond - purely because I don't think we've got a one dimensional game plan. The last 2 flags have been won by the team with the best game plan come Sept, rather than the best team. The Doggies had that back line pressure then wave type running from half back and then the Tigs had that maniacal forward pressure. I just think that Sydney and Adelaide (who I thought were the best teams of '16 & '17 - my opinion) just thought they could play there own games without regard to the doggies and tigs game plan. I'd prefer to have a team capable of matching up against anything the opposition throw at us, similar to the great Hawks teams, and I see Goody building something like that, rather than just relying on one game plan.

I think it's because guys like Harmes, ANB, Hannan and too a less extent Melksham and Salem, have gone from being regarded as depth/fringe to best 22, while we've only really lost 1 best 22 player in Watts. Of the 3 you listed only JHK was seen as depth last year the others were developing. Honestly this year I think our fringe/depth players are - Brayshaw, Stretch, Peds, J.Smith, T.Smith, Keilty, Maynard, Kent, Frost, AVB, JHK, Balic, Dion and Wagner (I haven't included the rookies, or projects like Flipper). Which means we've potentially got a core of around 20/21, and then hope that those right on the fringe set up and force their way in like Harmes/ANB. Realistically our core last year might have only been around 16/17 plus the fringe.

Na, only played the first. Looked pretty good, not sure if both he and Vince are needed in the same team. Having said that I thought Vince was pretty good too

If he's given a little licence as to when he goes into the middle, it also then plays on the mind of his opponents. Do they follow him, how long will he be there, do they have the tank to go with him? There would be many a key back who'd struggle if they had to spend more than 5% of the game out of a defensive role, and that's what dragging them into the middle might do. So the move could be as much about getting Hogan some of the ball, as well as disrupting the defensive structures of the other team. Someone like Nick Riewoldt did it for years very effectively, needing a key back when in the Fwd 50 area, but also someone who can run with him. He always seemed to kick a nag against teams that played a stricter zone (like us!!) due to the mismatch he could generate.

Would love to go again DV, team name was DoubleDigitMayhem

Totally agree, MS, and this might sound funny but think Tyson will be able to lock down his position better if he gets a full preseaon in. He's a perfect in-between inside mid/distributor but sometimes seemed to get caught in 2 minds as to what he was and when in games. He's both but working with Oliver, Viney, Jones, etc. over a lot of time will hopefully give him the confidence as to what he needs to be doing at any point in the game.

Came on to see if anyone was reporting from the final training session (that's really appreciated by those who aren't in Melbourne and can't make it) and again it's another pissing competition about OMac. Please take it to it's own thread FFS

Pretty sure the debt only came about from the takeover of the Bentleigh club. We took over their debt and poker machine obligations but obtain the asset and future revenue. Either way the on-going profit is a great result.

Very happy he got another gig, would love it if he got back to being a regular AFL player again.

Great list and talking point, I will say that while I agree a lot of our improvement will come from those yet to reach there potential, part of the optimism has to lie with so of those who have "reached their potential" actually doing so again. I'd argue that in 2017 Jones, Viney and Gawn had interrupted seasons which meant they only rarely reached their potential, so we'll also gain plenty from them. I'd also move TMac to the 'haven't yet reached potential' area, if including him as a forward (or even swing-man), we know what he brings as a defender but I think they've only just started to explore his forward capabilities and with Hogan being fit his forward role would develop even further.

Don't think it does, but remember we're upgrading Joel Smith which does make up 1 of the draft selections. So I think we could take 2 delisted free agents and still use 2 draft picks (plus Smith). Personally none of those delisted strike me as must haves, I'd prefer to go to the draft.

I thought he actually re-injured it during the medical testing, that potentially they got him to put his foot through some examinations (stress testing etc.) he wasn't quite ready for which then meant he wasn't traded and wasted another 6 months recovering.

Undoubtedly, and when making the fixture I can see that when they do the 3-1-1 splits that they should always make sure the 2 WA, NSW, Qld and SA teams have double headers. Rather than just purely base it on ladder positions.

Posted this in another thread, but my main wish is that we get a lot less 6 day breaks and an even time to recover as what our opponents do. Given we were a younger team I think with a more even draw we would have been better placed to recover. You can see how we fared against the draw for the top 8 teams and clearly we got a poor draw, so I'm hopeful PJ will be addressing this and getting us the same advantages as other teams have. 6 day breaks Playing teams on 6 day breaks Games against teams with shorter breaks Adel 7 10 10 Geel 8 9 8 Rich 6 5 8 GWS 5 7 9 Pt Adel 6 5 8 Syd 6 7 10 Ess 7 7 9 WC 6 5 5 Melb 9 2 5

All cat a rookies can play from round 1 next year, no need to wait for an injury. Cat b still would have to wait. Might be more a show of faith more than anything