WERRIDEE

Preview V Carlton If we played this game after the St.Kilda game I would have thought 5 goal win at least but after the shocker against the Dockers I'm not so sure. Carlton are ordinary but we were as ordinary against the Dockers. It will be a tight game, our key forwards need to find the same form they had against St.Kilda if they don't they will lose. T.Mac comes in for the injured Disco in his 250th game and surprisingly Cross comes in for the out of form Rivers. Unlucky I thought Sparrow should have got the chop ahead of Rivers. Gawny plays his 250th let's do it for Gawny! Melbourne by 2 goalds. Team: B: Lever, McDonald, Salem HB: Lindsay, Petty, Jiath C: Windsor, Langford, Langdon HF: Chandler, van Rooyen, K.Pickett F: Fritsch, Mihocek, L.Pickett FOLL: Gawn, Steele, Tholstrup IC: Sparrow, Howes, Sharp, Culley, Cross EMERG: Rivers, Laurie, Heath

Geelong V Adelaide Age doesn't bother Geelong they still keep on turning up and winning big games at their fortress in Geelong, let's see if they can win anywhere else. Smith on fire helps them out a lot. Adelaide has gone backwards not in a big way but they have still done backwards, probably don't have the depth in the midfield that haunted them in the finals.

Port Adelaide V Essendon Port Adelaide were good but they had no opposition. They still struggle against the better clubs. Essendon have the spoon in the bag, it's hard to see a team play worse than them.

Richmond V Gold Coast Richmond's reliance on Lynch is too much they have nothing up forward without him. Nankervis is a big blow too. They are a battling team that will struggle even more with those 2 out. Gold Coast haven't been challenged yet. That's why I don't think they are as good as the Bulldogs, they are a tough team to beat though even without Humphrey and Petracca.

West Coast V North Melbourne West Coast look to be improving and they should too considering how long they have been on the bottom. North seem to be going nowhere they had a 5 goal lead early in the second and threw it away giving West Coast a sniff and you don't want to give a team that hasn't won for a long time a sniff they play above themselves.

I don't think he's valued like that. His tagging assignments have been pretty poor and considering Freo next 2 best players ran riot in Brayshaw and Bolton I'd say he didn't have an assignment. If he was a good tagger he would be our number 1 tagger not Tholstrup. I think he is valued on pressure acts more than playing on a direct opponent. The last 2 weeks we have been really low in the possession count. We need players that can find the ball Sparrow ain't one of them. Who knows we could only make the one change and play Gawn until he breaks down or burns out we will wait and see. I think Sparrow is a surplus.

When I said he hadn't had a kick I didn't mean it literally, I meant harldy had a kick which I was right less than 10 kicks a game is pretty poor.

He hasn't had a kick since the premiership. Talk about premiership hangover.

I'm not questioning his defensive ability and I'm not judging him on one game, if I did I'd drop 20 players. I'm questioning his offensive ability over 4 years. I think you must have both these days. His defensive ability is fine but his offensive ability is no good. When was the last time he got over 15 possessions? More importantly when was the last time he got over 20? No excuses he's a midfielder, just like a attacking player who can't defend he gets dropped quickly. King wants to be a more attacking team and Sparrow can't be part of that.

I wouldn't say he beat Jackson convincingly. He was good but not great. I think he is tiring he's not a machine. He needs a rest shortly. Time to see how Heath goes. I'd like to know why Sparrow should keep his spot when he hasn't had a kick for 4 years. He's been gifted games far too often. We do lose run a bit but to keep giving Sparrow games when he doesn't deserve it is detrimental to the side. I'd use Langdon, Culley and Sharp more in the middle to give them more run. I wouldn't use Heath as a forward unless Roo, Fritta or Checkers are getting a bath to see if he can make a difference, you can also use T.Mac or Petty up forward and Roo down back. 10 minutes a quarter for Heath in the ruck then the rest is Gawn's.

Possible Team B: Lever, McDonald, Salem HB: Rivers, Petty, Jiath C: Windsor, Langford, Lindsay HF: Chandler, van Rooyen, K.Pickett F: Fritsch, Mihocek, L.Pickett FOLL: Gawn, Steele, Tholstrup IC: Howes, Langdon, Sharp, Culley, Heath EMERG: Moniz-Wakefield, Taylor, Sparrow

GWS V St.Kilda GWS haven't done too bad considering they have half their team out. A win against the Hawks almost beating the Saints. They got belted by the Bulldogs but a lot of teams will get belted by the Bulldogs they are the real deal. St.Kilda don't know how to win. If you're 21 points with 4 minutes to go you should feel pretty safe not St.Kilda almost threw it away.

Langford is built for the midfield I don't care if he can't 2 way run. He has to play midfield minutes it's the only way he will learn. Rivers has been disappointing in the middle probably time for him to go back. The difference between van Rooyen's best and worst is far too great. He was a CHB at under 18 level time to put him back there. Petty has lost me as a defender too loose and too slow. He's better at CHF IMO. He competes that's what we need for a CHF. Windsor is a wingman. Was great as a wingman in his first year. They have decided to make him something that he is not which is a inside midfielder and half back flanker. Keep him at the spot he was best at. The team I'm looking for in the future is: B: Salem, Kentfield, Turner HB: Rivers, van Rooyen, Bowey C: Windsor, Langford, Lindsay HF: Chandler, Petty, K.Pickett F: Fritsch, Mihocek, L.Pickett FOLL: Gawn, Steele, Viney IC: Taylor, Tholstrup, Moniz-Wakefield, Jefferson, Heath Had enough of Lever does nothing these days. Can't intercept like he used to, too slow. He's a burden ATM. Kentfield should be tried down back. He, van Rooyen and Turner can be used as swing men. Lindsay to the wing hasn't come on as much as I would have liked.

I don't know waiting like others.

McDonald will come in. I think Moose should come in to give the tired Gawn a chop out. Sparrow is the one I'm looking at to replace. He hasn't had a kick since 2021. It shows just how bad we have become to allow a player to continually get games when he hasn't had a kick for 4 years. Moniz another week at VFL level for me isn't ready yet. Jiath deserves another chance or 2. Latrelle was great against St.Kilda now people want him dropped must keep for mine along with Culley.

In: McDonald, Heath, Moniz-Wakefield Out: Turner, Jiath, Sparrow

Fremantle V Melbourne Fremantle were fantastic always hard to beat at home. Melbourne on the other hand were deplorable. As I said worst first quarter since the Gold Coast debacle last year. We are really missing Petracca. Gawn, Steele and Tholstrup are the only 3 who can hold their heads up high. The rest shouldn't get paid. Couldn't watch the last quarter they were that disgraceful.

GUTFULL We'll I've seen enough not watching the last quarter. We should change our name to the Melbourne Fumblers. First quarter the worst effort I have seen from the club since last years Gold Coast game. The 3rd quarter not much better. Thank god for Gawn, Steele who's been a better recruit than Oliver and Tholstrup who's shown us he can be one of the best taggers in the comp. The rest have been disgusting. If this is the new Melbourne I want Goodwin back.

The chips were tasty. Enjoyed the coffee.

Moniz was good but not great. He's still a month off from looking like senior material. Melksham should not have played. Heath was our best player I thought. It wasn't his fault that our midfield was terrible. The player I was most disappointed with was Laurie. He's plateaued since he's got here. Delist at season's end. Bonner even though he turned the ball over a bit was our second best player while Moniz was third. I'd bring Moniz to the emergencies taking Laurie's spot. I don't see any changes next week even if we lose to Freo, hopefully we don't get belted then we will have problems. I think people are being harsh on Mentha and Taylor young kids playing their first official game down back in a backline that was under siege give them a chance to grow into the role. They were poor but did have some good flashes like Matthews and Berry. I don't know why we held on to Henderson, another player we should delist at season's end. Adams needs to get better, running out of chances.

It's definitely too early tell. We will be a better when we get our key talls back but we have nothing in the middle. That's where it's won and lost. We also have nothing at Casey, Bonner and that's it. Melksham really struggled probably should not have played. Don't understand why Gatt and Scapin didn't play they were in form in the pre season. Never heard anything about Sruk and Craven, Sruk was terrible and Craven was quiet even though he kicked 2 goals probably should have made way for those 2. We will get a better look against Box Hill who we almost beat with a full contingent of Casey players in the pre season games. Footscray already have the VFL premiership in the bag.

VFL Review V Footscray We played the benchmark and fell short badly losing by 7 goals. Lucky the dogs didn't kick straight otherwise it would have been a very long day. I'm not saying it will be a long year for Casey but we are well below the benchmark. Our best players were Bonner, Heath and Moniz-Wakefield the rest were pretty ordinary. No one came up and said pick me this week. Melksham was terrible, worst game for a long time. Laurie was disappointing a step backwards today. Too many mistakes and well and truly beaten out of the middle. Footscray 19.21.135 V Casey 14.8.92 Goals : Craven, Pipicelli, Stanley 2 Bonner, Cheffers, Cross, D'Angelo, Heath, Laurie, Matthews, Melksham 1

Adelaide V Western Great game Adelaide lost no admirers even though they would be disappointed in losing at their fortress. They are really hard to beat at home. The Bulldogs are the real deal to beat the Crows on their home turf is no easy feat. Fancy Baker kicking the winning goal another ex-demon who has found a new lease of life at a new club. 3 goals for the game good effort. Keeping players like Treloar out. I also liked Khamis game he's improved a lot.

Western V GWS Western are the form team of the competiton, even in front of Gold Coast who are flying. If they can beat the Crows they are the real deal. GWS played the way I thought they would last week which was terrible, but they got over the line against Hawthorn. This is the real GWS really hard to be competitive with half your side out. Oliver is cooked too one paced, turns the ball over and plays 1 game out of every 8 these days, thank god we got rid of him.

VFL Preview V Footscray No tougher task than taking on the reigning premiers. The big names that they have in the side are Treloar, Dolan, McNeil, Jones, Cleary, Gardiner and ex demon Billings. We have a reasonably strong side having beaten St.Kilda by 100 points, a lot of the Melbourne players played well with Melksham being particually impressive with 4 first half goals. I'm going to this game. Laurie will probably only play a half. 12 Melbourne listed players are in the side. Team B: Moniz-Wakefield, Adams, W.Lual HB: Taylor, Berry, Mentha C: Bonner, Onley, Stanley HF: Matthews, Bowden, Henderson F: Cross, Melksham, Craven FOLL: Heath, D'Angelo, Laurie IC: Sruk, L.Lual, Pipicelli, Sinnema 23rd Man : Cheffers EMERG: Gatt, Scapin, Laplanche