DistrACTION Jackson

The way I see it we have two outcomes come trading time. We are able to lure one of Treloar or Shiel to the Dees and will likely give up our first pick plus Howe for a pick in return. Or we are unsuccessful of landing one of those two and have to resort to free agency, maybe chase Scott Selwood or a DFA and then use our high pick on another kid. Fingers crossed we land one of the GWS boys.

I'd keep Stretch in for another game but start him as sub. Assuming that Jetta and Viney are good to return I'd go with the following: B: Jetta McDonald Garland HB: Salem Dunn Lumumba C: Cross Jones Tyson HF: Toumpas Hogan Howe F: Garlett Dawes Watts R: Spencer Vince Viney Int: Bail Vandenberg Brayshaw S: Stretch Ins: Jetta, Viney, Bail Out: Newton, Pedersen, JKH Jetta and Viney pick themselves. I'm not a big Bail fan but he has pace and can find the footy so he can replace JKH who is struggling a little at the moment and may need a couple of games at Casey to find some touch. I like Newton but he lacks pace and isn't damaging at all. If Tyson doesn't get up I'd bring Newton back in for him and still leave Stretch the sub.

I'd like to see Toumpas given a full game on the ball. Or alternating between HF and in the centre. I feel like he is better when he hunts the ball rather than floating around not knowing what to do. He also laid a few good tackles which I was happy with.

I would possibly look at getting both Gorringe and Leunberger. Leunberger is a pure ruck and should play 70-80% of the game there, while Gorringe can be more of a ruck/forward. I would love for Frost to not have to play any ruck role so we can use him purely as a shutdown back who can run off his man. This would then allow Dunn to take the 3rd tall who he will destroy most of the time.

Good point Goffy. I think the Roos player recruitment policy centres on bringing in undervalued players which we will see again at the end of this season. We need to bring in more role players and then try and develop some stars in Hogan, Salem, Brayshaw and Petracca. I'm of the thought that we will only be able to compete in the finals once guys like Newton are only depth players.

Easily our best player this season and will be AA if he continues. Lets hope his brother can come on as much as he has!

I think we have got most picks right in the last two years. Salem (plus Tyson), Brayshaw, Petracca, Stretch, ANB, JKH, O-Mac. They all look like they will be able to add to the side in the coming years, hard to say yet for Omac but the others have definitely shown promise.

Definitely need to get a good ruck man. Whether that's a trade for Gorringe or pick up Leunberger as a FA we are dying for one! After that it is mids, mids and more mids. Would like another good half back runner as well. If we can build a strong midfield now we can then chase another big forward once Dawes is done. We don't need a gun forward as we've already got one in Hogan. Will just need to get a big guy who can ruck a bit and split a pack.

I'm happy to see him stay in the back half with stints in the middle. We desperately need his classy disposal in the back line so I think he should stay there. What we do need though is more big bodied ball winners. We are getting belted around the stoppages at the moment. I imagine once Brayshaw and Petracca are fit enough to play full midfield minutes we will see this improve a lot!

Haha hilarious mate!

Really not concerned about that. Petracca, Brayshaw, Stretch and ANB are all good mates. I've seen them all hanging out at a restaurant near my place. They all seem like guys who want to build something together rather than chase an easy flag. In regards to Howe if we can get a pick in the top 10 or a decent mid for him I think we should go for it.

The whole team was deplorable in the first half. Anyone bagging Toumpas watch the game. He was tagging McVeigh on the first half. Once he was put around the ball in the second half he actually got a bit of it.

Terrible defending there. Why wouldn't Riley just bang it out?

how is that not in the back? haha terrible

100%. It is hard to tell just how good or bad our forward and back lines are because they aren't getting the same go as a lot of other clubs. We have one of the lowest inside 50 counts so our forwards are struggling to get their hands on it. And we have the highest inside 50 count against which is making life very difficult for our backs. If we start winning the midfield battle we may find we've got pretty decent forwards and backs (McDonald and Hogan we already know).

I thought it was interesting that Freo had 12 players who played last Sunday that also played in 2011 when we beat them by 89 points. Just goes to show that if you can build around that core group you can turn it around relatively quickly.

I grew up in Perth and then went to live in Canada for a year. Came back and it was a lot smaller than I remembered! I now live in Melbourne and I never want to move back to Perth, Melbourne is such a great city to live! And the bonus is I now get to go watch the Demons play with other supporters with me rather than 40,000 eagles or Dockers fans (it's terrible if you've never experienced it).

I don't think there is any guarantee that those players mentioned will be able to play to the level their senior players are now. When those players come into the side they are given a very small role and have star players like Fyfe, Mundy, Barlow all to shield them. Once some of those are gone they are then expected to step up, which not all of them will be capable of doing. A couple of years ago I remember reading how the cats had drafted well with guys like Smedts, Horlin-Smith etc. Fast forward to now and those players really don't look that great once they are expected to do more. I think it is underestimated just how important the top 5-6 players of a side are.

Maybe Prestia is starting to wish he was back in Victoria

I was reading the other day that Freo is 1st in terms of list age and games played. The Roos are actually second which makes me feel a bit better seeing as they got pants'd by the Hawks. We've just got to continue drafting and trading well and we will eventually get to that level, it won't be easy though.

I think he is a RFA or possibly even UFA so wouldn't have to trade for him!

Sad thing is even without Hodge and Lewis we will still get pumped by the Hawks.

I somewhat agree with you Bob. While it's good to keep things realistic, this constant talk of 'oh they are a good side' and 'we are a long way behind' seems to fuel the lack of self belief. I don't want people to come out and say we are expecting to finish top 4, but I'm sick of the excuses like 'we are coming from a long way back'. Got to get rid of the loser mentality.

We should go after Dixon as a free agent. As long as he stays injury free he would be a perfect ruck/forward to partner up with Hogan!

I think he will start as sub as the 22nd player picked. Roos will back the players from last week to do the job and McKenzie will come in as the next best mid rotation. God I hope Toumpas starts to find some form soon!