Gator

I'm not a Neal-Bullen fan, but he's been included due to his pressure/tackling. When a side gets the ball inside 50 they try to lock it in and Neal-Bullen works in that regard. I prefer him forward than in the midfield, as he's a fumler under pressure and panics. He's aggressive though, so the forward-line makes some sense. Kent, Tyson and Hibberd are best 22 outs. vandenBerg arguable. Hannan is a smooth left footer with class. For him to be selected is very exciting, because he's obviously shown the club the attributes they saw when they drafted him. Clubs do match simulation every single week, so don't get too hung up on non JLT appearances, especially for players that were underdone due to injury (like Hannan) and not quite ready to go.

If Watts doesn't play I'll back the coaching staff who've spent the last 6 months with him. It would be churlish for anyone to second guess the coach and someone like McCartney, who was 2IC to Bomber Thompson for 10 years. If he was deemed below standard for "months" how could any supporter complain that he's not named. Blame Watts, not the coaching group.

HS "experts" have picked Saints x 25 and Dees x 2. I didn't include Turnbull or KoD. Completely understandable.

Who's going to be the first poster to take the completely guessed season eve Footy Show squads seriously ?

I think smashed twice is an exaggeration. In the first match their stats were virtually identical. 13 disposals each, Gawn 3 marks to Hickey's one and 38 hitouts to 36, also in Gawn's favour. I'm happy to acknowledge Gawn was nullified and perhaps even shaded due to Hickey's more telling disposals, but I wouldn't agree that a bloke that had no more disposals, less marks and less hitouts "smashed" the other guy. Hickey clearly won in the second game even though he once again had less hitouts.

Jim, if you hear players interviewed on radio, tv, or print you'll note that they are very transparent and brutally honest with each other within "their 4 walls". Especially those with the leading teams model. You don't think supporters want "transparency" ? You're clearly new round here. You're assuming Jones wasn't treated with "respect" because Goodwin decided a Co-captain was best for the club ? Explain why he wasn't treated with "respect" due to this decision. As for the Co-captain call ? Sometimes a leader needs to have the courage to lead. Goodwin made the call and he'll be judged in time accordingly. I have no issue with a leader making a decision they felt worthy, I like the Leading Teams model ? Quote me where I've insinuated this. I have no clue how good it is or otherwise. Looking forward to the quotes, Everyone is on the jury re Goodwin and the verdict is out for everyone. No revelations there. I have no clue to your posting history or spelling errors you may or may not have made. I'm not familiar with you (even though I may have responded to you). Thanks re Watts.

No problem, but I don't agree with your concerns. Internally, footy clubs are the most honest institutions around, so it's not surprising a bit spills out when players are specifically queried about a senior player and his non-selection. Supporters want transparency, but seemingly only when it suits them. If Watts came back with the right mindset we wouldn't be discussing him. If Jack doesn't want pressure perhaps Jack could have handled his preseason differently. He should google the term "personal responsibility". A novelty no doubt in this self-entitled age. As for Jones ? Goodwin makes decisions he deems to be in the best interests of the MFC. He can't not implement something he considers advantageous to the club because he'll get a "three time Best & Fairest off side". I'd have zero respect for him if he couldn't make a hard call based on that criteria. If it's a mistake it's a mistake, but your reasoning is as soft as butter. It doesn't matter that it doesn't make sense to you, or me, it makes sense to Goodwin, i.e. the leader. Co-captaincy is the structure he wants. He thinks it will fast track the communication with the young players, of which there are plenty, because Viney is a peer and Jones a generation away (in football terms). Trengove "insulted" ? Please. Goodwin makes decisions on a "team first" basis and was obviously going to take an emergency in the 24. Trengove was deemed to be that player. Given a choice of staying in Melbourne or travelling with his mates and realising how close he's getting to breaking back into the best 22 I'm sure he jumped at the chance. He would have known the situation before he boarded the plane and there was always the off chance he'd play if there was an injury before the game or early in the match. It's fair to say I don't agree with a solitary assertion you've made.

I'll at least give him the grace required before judging. We'll all know the quality of his decisions in the fullness of time and he'll be judged accordingly.

I'm not keen on co-captains and nor am I keen on Spencer playing, but I won't be critical of Goodwin or second guess his every move for one simple reason, HTF would I know what the best decisions for the MFC are ? I'm a rank amateur, who isn't in the inner sanctum and is completely guessing from afar. It would be incredibly arrogant of me to think I know more than the bloke who's privy to everything I'm not. Thankfully I'm not arrogant

Btw, before they won their first flag in 2008 (before he had runs on the board) Clarkson famously made a "Captain's call" on draft day by recruiting Stuart Dew and overruling the list manager. So I'm not sure your assertion re Hawthorn stands up to scrutiny.

But you said "a top club like Hawthorn" wouldn't act this way. So that's not quite right, is it ?

Do you think Hawthorn's decision to pension off Mitchell and Lewis was a Clarkson "captain call" ?

It's easy to post this today after Goodwin hints he won't be playing on Saturday.

Agree point 1, 2. 3, 6 Disagree point 4 and half agree point 5. I think Kent plays and Tyson will miss.

More Joan Jet.

The reason I asked if you were from SA a while back is because you reverse the order we Victorians expect sides to be named. We start at the top with the defence. Your style is very off-putting and contrary to what we've had for 100+ years. Others won't care and I could name them, but for me it's annoying..

Agreed. The individual players are important, afterall talent is talent, but a team's system of defending through the midfield, forwards and backs is just as important. Sydney beat the Saints last week and Grundy was just about their only key defender. It's all about the quality of the system when it comes to defence. Our system last year vs the Saints was hopeless.

You'd lose it within a year of winning it. So no.

I assume Range Rover is back ?

But that won't be the round one team then.

No, I am Allen Jakovich.

Unfortunately, negative. Jetta won't line up against the Saints. Spencer won't play either. This is the round 1 team: B: Melksham - O.Mac - Smith HB: Hunt - T.Mac - Vince C: Lewis - Viney - Salem HF: Petracca - Hogan - Kent FF: Garlett - Weideman - Watts FOLL: Gawn - Oliver - Jones INT: Stretch - Brayshaw - Tyson - Bugg EMG: Harmes - Spencer - Trengove

Agreed. It's one of the sillier suggestions I've read.

The bolded are the only ones worth mentioning, the others are playing, therefore no longer injured. Hibberd might be a couple of weeks and Frost is pretty much right to go judging by a recent training report. Wagner is also not far away.

Final scoreCasey 17.8 108Port 10.4 64Goal kickers: Watts Hannan Garlett Gent 2, Fritsch Morris Baker Tim Smith Keilty Trengove Pederson Kent Ferreria