WERRIDEE

Did you get any insight on who will be the other emergency? I think it will vandenBerg he hasn't had a full pre season like the rest have had. I think McKenzie will play and Spencer will be a sub and replace Jamar near the end of the game. Your thoughts?

I wouldn't write off Cross. If he has another year like last year there is no reason for him not to go on, he's a proven player and should be backed in. The rest have to do something or they will more than likely be out the door. Pedersen, Bail and M.Jones are all out of contract aren't they? They should be playing for their careers every year and if they are spending more time at Casey they could be given the flick\traded. How long can Grimes, Watts and Garland continue to tread water before they are traded? In Garland's case he could just walk out. I think it could be another big clean out at the end of the year.

2 different views on Newton, I don't know which one to believe. I just hope he can step up because I still think our midfield depth is paper thin, Vince having virtually no pre season will hurt us.

How did Newton go?

B: JETTA, FROST, DUNN HB: GRIMES, T.MCDONALD, SALEM C: CROSS, N.JONES, LUMUMBA HF: KENT, DAWES, BAIL F: GAWN, HOGAN, GARLETT FOLL: JAMAR,TYSON, VINEY IC: M.JONES, TOUMPAS, KENNEDY-HARRIS, PEDERSEN, NEWTON, GARLAND SUB: MICHIE, MCKENZIE

I find it ironic that we overlooked a kid because he done an ACL and the player we picked up does his knee a couple of months later. I just hope he can have a good talk to someone like Gray and take in his advice like Hogan did with Hawkins and not take advice from a Melbourne player because they can never get over injuries.

Terrible news for Petracca, the curse continues 1 day after the 50th anniversary from when the curse first began. How is Harmes going? Will Petracca's setback be his opportunity to crack it into the team assuming that vandenBerg takes Trengove's spot? Is it safe to say that Frost won't play against Freo? What is Garland's injury and how long will he be out for? It looks like we may be a bit short down back if Frost and Garland are out will they push Pedersen back or will they give O.Mc a taste?

I think they should pick the first NAB challenge game based on training form so Howe has already been ruled out and I wouldn't play Vince, Watts and Garland who have been in rehab for a while even if they were fit enough in time, I would hold them back for another week. B: JETTA, FROST, DUNN HB: GRIMES, T.MCDONALD, LUMUMBA C: CROSS, N.JONES, NEWTON HF: KENT, DAWES, BAIL F: GAWN, HOGAN, GARLETT FOLL: JAMAR, TYSON, VINEY IC: PEDERSEN, M.JONES, SALEM, TOUMPAS, KENNEDY-HARRIS, MICHIE SUB: BRAYSHAW, PETRACCA

How did JKH and Bail go? I think both will be fighting for the same defensive half forward spot. Did it look that way or will they have different roles? On suspect users of the ball how did Grimes and Lumumba go? Did Toumpas's technique cause turnovers or is it just something he should clean up? Did he spend some time down back or was it just in the midfield again?

Why did JKH look so poor? Dawes has his critics and I can understand the other 2 but I thought JKH was a good trainer it's what got him games early last year. Was Toumpas training down back again?

Is there a Casey player we should keep an eye out for a break out year? What type of players are Munro, Mason and Hannon?

Does Rawlings see T.McDonald, Dunn, Garland and Frost all in the same backline together? Watts and Vince have been in the rehab group for a long time, will they have time to do enough training sessions to be considered for the fist NAB challenge game or are they in some doubt? Is vandenBerg training with the forwards or mids? Is Dawes doing any ruck work? Good to see Gawn doing well as a forward I have him in my best 22 after those glowing reports. Love your work TDI.

Has Dawes been doing any ruck work at training?

Out of the rookies who looks most likely to replace Trengove on the senior list? Is it too early to tell? What group is Bail training in?

B: JETTA, T.MCDONALD, DUNN HB: GRIMES, GARLAND, HOWE C: VINCE, N.JONES, LUMUMBA HF: KENT, PEDERSEN, WATTS F: KENNEDY-HARRIS, HOGAN, GARLETT FOLL: JAMAR, TYSON, VINEY IC: CROSS, NEWTON, TOUMPAS SUB: SALEM EMERG: BAIL, FROST, GAWN Lumumba is training with the mids so Howe can replace him in the back half. I find it hard to fit the 4 talls all in the back half so Frost misses out, it will be interesting to see if they can fit the 4 talls in the same team. Pedersen will be a replacement for Dawes. I'm not convinced Gawn can play up forward, drops too many marks and is a liability at ground level hopefully his NAB challenge form can change my mind. I can't see M.Jones getting a game. He had a really poor last half of the year and with the recruitment of Lumumba and Newton I see them squeezing out M.Jones, I think Bail and Michie are also ahead of him and I would also like to see our 2 high draft picks Petracca and Brayshaw get a game in front of M.Jones as his skill level is not up to AFL standard.

So is Watts training with the main group now or is he still on a modified program?

Is Howe still training with the defenders? Has he been training with the forwards at all? How is Vandenburg going? How is Frost going?

I'm thinking Dawes might be able to do that.

JETTA, T.MCDONALD, DUNN GRIMES, GARLAND, HOWE VINCE, N.JONES, LUMUMBA KENT, PEDERSEN, WATTS KENNEDY-HARRIS, HOGAN, GARLETT JAMAR, TYSON, VINEY CROSS, NEWTON, TOUMPAS SALEM

Where does Watts fit? I thought he would be ahead of Fitzy, Gawn and Pedo for a spot in the front 6.

How did Newton and Michie go?

MELBOURNE B: JETTA, MCDONALD, DUNN HB: GRIMES, FROST, LUMUMBA C: BRAYSHAW, JONES, CROSS HF: VINEY, HOGAN, PETRACCA F: WATTS, HOWE, GARLETT FOLL: JAMAR, VINCE, TYSON IC: GARLAND, GAWN, KENT SUB: BAIL GOLD COAST B: MCKENZIE, MAY, HARBROW HB: MALCESKI, THOMPSON, KOLODJASHNIJ C: RISCHITELLI, ABLETT, O'MEARA HF: BENNELL, LYNCH, MARTIN F: MATERA, DAY, DIXON FOLL: SMITH, SWALLOW, PRESTIA IC: STANLEY, SHAW, HALLAHAN SUB: LEMMENS KEY MATCH UPS FROST V LYNCH We recruited him to play on the monsters, no better test than going head to head with Lynch. GRIMES V BENNELL It's going to be a tough task but Grimes needs a new role to revive his career and becoming a tagger might be it. We need someone to eventually replace Cross as our number 1 tagger. CROSS V O'MEARA He done a good job on him last time. I expect us to lose by about 5 goals. I really can't see us kicking enough goals Dawes's suspension really hurts us he really could have stretched the Gold Coast defence.

Really happy with our drafting this year. We got our very own Martin with Petracca and our very own Wines with Brayshaw. We also got Neal-Bullan and McDonald who draft experts thought would be picked in the 20's got to be happy with that.

Does anybody know why Dangerfield was taken so low in the draft when he had all the tools to make it as an AFL footballer while Morton was a gutless receiver?

I find it hard to believe that Jones is only on 250K a year. When did he sign his last contract? I don't think the problem will be financial not even Melbourne are that stupid that they wouldn't give him what he wanted. I'll be amazed if it doesn't drag on, this contract will more than likely be his last chance for success. I'll be amazed if he didn't wait to see what direction the club was heading before he would sign.