Gator

If you choose not to believe it that's up to you. For me there's enough smoke. Others can please themselves.

Poster vindicated for their rumour. 3AW - Watts came back in poor shape with poor attitude. Fit to play and not picked by Goodwin as a statement. Silly boy after one good year. One lousy good year.

Last year we (just) beat the Dogs reserves. Without exaggeration they had 15 of their best team out. Chalk and cheese compared to their lineup this year.

While it's no doubt a work in progress, outnumbering the opposition at the contest is very much part of Goodwin/McCartney's game-plan. Once the ball is won they try and spread in multiple directions and if there's a turnover the aim is to get back in as quickly as possible. There's no doubt that while they're mastering the new style players will get caught out of position or not get back into the contest quickly enough, but they were able to noticeably outnumber the Dogs at contests on numerous occasions. If we didn't have enough sweepers I'm sure it's something they'll address in their reviews. The Dogs game-plan is now second nature, while we're working towards that.

If you don't like it I doubt you barrack for Melbourne.

Goodwin made it clear pre-match when he said, "we want to get games into our best 24". Weideman is ahead of Pedersen in the pecking order. He'll be playing more on the G than at Casey.

Weideman showed in his first game against the Hawks that he'll be a player. Whether he "makes it" or not isn't in question. Footy brain and courage in the air. He's 3-4 years away from his best footy, but he'll develop quicker at AFL level. I hope he plays at least 15 games this year. He's the future and games are an investment. And he's not so far away that he's going to be a liability.

Glenn Luff was saying the same thing on SEN last Thursday. Apparently he's plus 60 odd % for his position, but gets hammered by Dees supporters for a couple of errant kicks per game. Re Frost, Max Gawn said in a Dee tv interview during their camp in Queensland that Oscar McDonald and Frost were battling it out for the key defensive post. They may play games together, but there appears now to be evidence Goodwin doesn't want to play both.

What ? Salem's soft ??? This is one weird Sunday morning.

Goodwin said in an interview before the match "we wanted to get a fair bit of game time into our best 24", which was in reference to picking such a strong squad. For whatever reason Watts didn't play and Tyson, Kent, Jetta weren't ready. Smith a BIG chance to play round one. Loved internally.

Re-read my post. I said one was one of their best mids prior to injury. Clearly that was Wallis and not Suckling, who plays in defence. Opinions can be wrong when there's enough evidence. Those 3 were best 22 in 2016. Nothing has happened to change that. Certainly not the acquisition of Cloke, who's not competing with Dickson for a spot. I agree an opinion based on bias is not worth arguing about.

My mistake re Suckling (injury), but those 3 are most definitely best 22 whether it's your opinion or not.

Seeing two of them are premiership players and the other one of their best mids before injury I'd say you're mistaken.

Where did I say you "constantly" criticised him ? You asked for examples "in this thread" and I gave you them. I also said it's a regular theme. Why anyone would highlight a fumble in a first scratch match is beyond me. Talk about sweating the small stuff.

Clint and from memory you. But it's not just this thread, it's a general pattern.

Their outs diminished them more than ours. They had multiple All-Australians missing. That said, I thought we controlled the bulk of the game and a 2 goal win at their dunghole is nothing to sneeze at. A good hitout and the coaches will get as much out of it as the players.

@Webber

Each to their own, but I get amused by the constant criticism of Brayshaw, who is tough, smart and a beautifully balanced footballer with great foot skills on either side of his body. Does he incorrectly weight the odd kick ? Sure, he's an improving young player. And it was the first hitout for the year. Imo, he'll become one of the games elite midfielders.

I was just about to post the same. Dogs were the best team in the finals, but finished 7th on the ladder. I'm not that fussed on winning or losing, but with their best midfielder out and 5 less weeks preparation I won't be at all surprised if we get the chocolates. That said, Dogs will rightfully start favourites on their own dunghill.

Dope

At one point my nephew trained as a masseuse and back in the day did a Melbourne game (he's a Hawks fan). Out of all the players he singled one player out as being really friendly and welcoming. Matty Whelan

All Barry has to do is pretend it's opposite day - every day.

I'm one of O'Meara's biggest fans, but understandably he's just going tonight.

1. It's extraordinary that the left can't debate Islam without constantly referring to Christianity. Try actually arguing in favour of Islamic practices and Muslim immigration without referencing Christianity in the same breath. You won't be able to. 2. I'm not interested in your personal story or family history. No weight is added to your argument. 3. Whether you're smart enough to realise it, or not (the latter), Christianity has shaped the West's culture and values. Totally !

So Christianity "annoys you more" than a political ideology that subjugates women and gays and wants to dominate the world ? A barbaric theology that abhors freedom and wants the extermination of every living Jew. A religion that allows wife beating and rape, as long as you marry the woman afterwards. A religion that allows sex with a goat, as long as you kill it afterwards. But the left is more annoyed by Christianity, which is the bedrock of the civilised western world and indeed framed the values of your own country. That's leftism for you in a nutshell. It's a sickness. Btw, if you ever take the time to research polls in the Muslim world you'll be frightened to know that this tiny percentage of radicals is far from tiny. Over half of the middle east supports death to apostates, etc. It's a myth that only a small percentage of Muslims are fundamentalists. Islam is Islam. And it's radical. Thankfully, most westernised Muslims are not, but why any civilised country would want to import people on mass from these backwater shitholes is beyond me. The Saudis don't want them, yet unsurprisingly no-one from the left is critical.