WERRIDEE

So what? How long have the underrated N.Jones? He averaged 24 disposals with no preseason and finished 2nd in the B&F. What does he have to do? average 40 disposals and win the B&F? We have 2 stars Tyson is one of them, N.Jones is the other IMO, they can laugh at me all they want.

I think both Howe and Vince can play but one of those 2 will be the sub.

Tyson is too good to be a "break out" he broke out last year. He already is a star and will enhance his star status further this year. Look at the list none of those players have done anything yet while Tyson finished 2nd in the B&F last year.

Who got them back into the game? Their guns Boyd and Bontempelli. Where were our guns in the last quarter in N.Jones and Tyson? Nowhere to be seen. I don't care about who we are playing if their guns are tearing us apart and our guns are doing nothing we will look ordinary. I would take something out of the Freo game but we were always on a hiding to nothing in the next 2 games. Even if we have an ordinary game against the Dons I won't be concerned. I think it will be better going into the Suns game knowing we have plenty of work to do than belting 2 ordinary sides that will give us no indication of where we are at as a footy club. I just hope some individuals can find some form like Toumpas and Salem did this week.

THE GOOD JETTA - Had a good year last year, he will rise to another level this year, his run and carry was superb. SALEM - Quality user of the ball, he will be a weapon this year, he made a few mistakes at the end but he will learn from it. GRIMES - After the shocker he had last week to be one of our best this week showed real character. DUNN - Getting back to his form from last year. TOUMPAS - Real positive display from him, besides 1 poor kick I didn't see him do a lot wrong. Even Picket Fence gave him a reasonable review, that's how good he was so the rest of the haters get off his back. THE BAD DAWES - He's in the best shape he has ever been, time to show the benefits of that and start getting a kick, he has done nothing so far. GARLAND - He looks really out of touch and undisciplined, I wouldn't have him in my best 22 due to his preseason form. BAIL - Done nothing all day. Why Roos continues to persist with he and M.Jones is beyond me. MICHIE - I rate him, but it looks like Roos doesn't, for him to spend so much time as a sub was disappointing. VANDENBERG - Really disappointing to see him cop a cut head which ended his game, it has probably cost him a spot in our 22 for RND 1. 24 to play the Dons B: JETTA, DUNN, GRIMES HB: LUMUMBA, T.MCDONALD, SALEM C: CROSS, N.JONES, NEWTON HF: KENT, HOGAN, KENNEDY-HARRIS F: WATTS, DAWES, GARLETT FOLL: JAMAR, TYSON, VINEY IC: TOUMPAS, FROST, GAWN, GARLAND SUB: VANDENBERG, BRAYSHAW

If he's fit play him, the sooner we get Hogan, Dawes and Watts to gel together the better. Would love to see them have a combined total of 8 to 12 goals between them even though they are playing a ordinary team with key players out, it will take my mind off Clark anyway.

Why on earth don't you rate Vince?

How they can overlook Hogan is beyond me, big, strong forward who is a excellent kick and mark don't come around too often. I don't think Salem will be a big ball winner, 15 to 20 disposals will be a good game for him because his disposal should tear teams apart.

Exactly. I can tell you this from personal experience. Psychologists are like GP's they tell you what you want to hear, if they don't they know you will go elsewhere which costs them money. Chops acting like he knows everything about CD is BS there is no scan that tells you that you have CD or not, it's all guess work that's why it can be rorted. The only person that knows wether or not Clark has CD is himself. The thing that gets me is his move to Geelong due to medical advice, they don't just come out and say change clubs just for the sake of changing clubs he must have had a problem with the Dees. What were they? Is it just because we keep on losing or is it something deeper? I think we have the right to know. The thing that is going to make me sick is that he will be a feel good story while we look like shite.

I had to laugh when they mentioned Hawthorn. Don't they have a salary cap? We won't get a gun player, that's a fact we aren't good enough. We might have a chance of getting Selwood if we over pay him enough.

IN : WATTS,VINEY,FITZPATRICK OUT: MCKENZIE, PEDERSEN, HOGAN I can't see Brayshaw getting a game, Stretch would be ahead of him for a start. It will be interesting to see if they persist with Pedersen after his shocker last week. Roos usually doesn't make changes for the sake of making changes especially after a good performance so the handful of maligned players will get another chance to redeem themselves. Hogan will definitely be rested we can't afford to take even the slightest risk with him and then bring him back for the Dons game.

If it was on the Gold Coast yes but it's at our home ground. We only lost to them by 8 points last year although it should have been by about 3 or 4 goals if they kicked straight. Lynch kicked 2 goals 2 and took 6 marks so he caused us problems. The players that they didn't have in that game that will probably play are Bennell, Malceski and Hallahan, while we will have Lumumba, Hogan, Garlett, Newton and Frost. We definitely will be the underdog but it will be a lot closer than people think. Our team should be a lot stronger than the side that ran out against the Saints last year.

Will Fitzy and Watts be available for the dogs game?

I think the second ruck must do something up forward. Gawn has rarely ever done anything up forward and Pedo has done nothing for half a year now. They are very thin in this area I think they have to look outside square for alternatives maybe use Howe in the ruck his leap would make the equivalent height of a ruckman or use Watts, Frost or Dawes. We should be playing our best 22 not bringing in out of form players just because we have no one to help out Jamar in the ruck for 10 to 20 minutes a game.

Knowing our luck it will only be 1 week and he will miss a NAB challenge match come back against us and kick 5 and be the match winner.

Does anybody know what's wrong with Fitzy? I thought he would be there. Good to see Watts there hopefully that means he's available to play in the game against the dogs and Neal-Bullen might be closer to full fitness than I thought he would be at this time.

Surely he will get suspended he hit the bloke in the head. How many weeks will he get? I thought that Gold Coast would be about a 3 goal better team than us but now that Lynch should be out I think it is an even money game. I'm really looking forward to the game.

Does he really? He got dropped for 2 games near the end of the year while Garland and Grimes never got dropped.

I don't think he's a lock he would want to do more than he did against Freo. I think his selection will depend on what Roos values more skill (Salem, Toumpas)or experience (Grimes, Garland). I'm surprised no one has commented on Pedersen who most people have replacing Dawes. 5 disposals 40%DE and dropped a sitter, we have to use someone better than that. I'm also surprised that no one has commented on Michie while he didn't set the world on fire I thought he was pretty good, statistically he was rated our 4th best player. I would have him ahead of the likes of M.Jones, Bail an McKenzie every day of the week.

I know he copped a knock to the head and I already posted why I thought he needed to lift his endurance but as someone already said his poor chase could just be put down due to the heat and he doesn't have a problem.

I think Watts's biggest weakness is his marking, people go on about Dawes but I think he is worse. He will always look laconic and weak that is just his make up. Brad Johnson who watches a fair bit of under 18's football said he used to clunk all his marks at that level. He said he has been working on his marking this pre season, so if he can get back to clunking marks again that should give him enough confidence to kick at least an extra 10 to 15 goals a season which will make him more than a handy player and should keep the doubters off his back. Toumpas just needs a little love as he is a confidence player. He just needs a bit of continuity in his game to turn his fortunes around. Under Bailey or Neeld I would say he was no chance to turn it around but under Roos who is one of the finest and most respected teachers going around (although I seriously doubt that Toumpas will be anywhere near as talented as Macrae, Stringer and Wines)Roos can turn him into a fine player.

Viney, Watts and Salem

Very harsh on Cross, he a very good consistent footballer.

He chased a player pretty poorly which I think resulted in a goal. The commentators commented on it, he looked stuffed.

I have to say that I was happy with the performance, I can't remember the last time we haven't been belted by Freo so that's a positive. THE GOOD TYSON - The only one to have a consistent 4 quarter performance, he made a few mistakes but so did everybody. We finally have a player that will end N.Jones Bluey dominance. N.JONES - Terrific first half then he faded. NEWTON - Great first half until he got subbed out, will need to improve his fitness though. FROST - He gave us great run when he switched to defence. LUMUMBA - He will make Collingwood pay for letting him go. THE BAD PEDERSEN - He had a spot for the taking with Dawes being suspended for RND 1 and he was pathetic, the only thing he did was drop a sitter that cost us a goal. I would be giving Fitzy every chance to replace him. GAWN - I don't think he will ever improve, he can't take a mark and he can't kick, he is no good as a forward so he really can't play second ruck and Jamar is a better ruckman so he is at the crossroads. M.JONES - While his ball use wasn't that bad his tackling was dreadful just as I thought he is nowhere near our best 22. GRIMES - A game he would like to forget, another player at the crossroads. DUNN - Was really quiet I hope he doesn't fall back into old bad habits. Next week's 26 B: JETTA, FROST, DUNN HB: LUMUMBA, T.MCDONALD, SALEM C: CROSS, N.JONES, NEWTON HF: KENT, HOGAN, VANDENBERG F: FITZPATRICK, DAWES, GARLETT FOLL: SPENCER, TYSON, VINEY IC: WATTS, MICHIE, TOUMPAS, BAIL, MCKENZIE, GARLAND SUB: STRETCH, BRAYSHAW RND 1 22 B: JETTA, FROST, DUNN HB: LUMUMBA, T.MCDONALD, SALEM C: CROSS, N.JONES, NEWTON HF: KENT, HOGAN, VANDENBERG F: WATTS, HOWE, GARLETT FOLL: JAMAR, TYSON, VINEY IC: VINCE, TOUMPAS, MICHIE SUB: BAIL