Gator

Well I don't think you're insane, so I accept your "preference" is for him to stay. However, you said, "Stay or go i am fairly comfortable with where we sit." That's a theme I've read from others as well. And for the life of me I don't understand it.

I just don't understand this attitude. Hogan is incredibly important if you want to develop a premiership team. The last thing we can afford is to lose Hogan. Nothing would come close to compensating us. The ambivalence of some to Hogan and his importance astonishes me. With the midfield we're developing I've never been more confident of seeing my first flag in the next decade. Hogan is a pivotal cog in that ambition.

It's being dressed up as a "collaboration", but I suspect the new game-plan is nearly all Goodwin and Gavin Jennings. I applaud Roos for giving Goodwin his head, as I reckon we'd still be playing stodgy football if Roos was more than our matchday coach. Goodwin took all of the preseason training sessions and even now he controls the football side of things midweek, while Roos takes the reins on gameday. Our young RS nominee basically confirms many of our suspicions. "Harmes attributed the Demons’ new-found attacking flair — they have kicked 100 points four times this season after doing so just eight times in the previous four years — to incoming coach Simon Goodwin. “He’s a really good coach,” Harmes, 20, said. “He’s come in and he’s the mastermind behind a lot of our offensive style and the way we play, so I think he’ll slide right in and it’ll be a pretty smooth transition (from Roos next year).”

Don't judge Prestia on his 2016 form. He'll be far better next year if his knee has mended. In 2013 when just 20 Prestia was runner up in the Suns' B&F to Ablett. He came third in 2014 averaging 27.1 disposals and in excess of 100 DT/Supercoach points. He's only averaging 85 this year, so you can see he's not the same player. His numbers are 15-20% down. The proviso is his knee. Fully fit he walks into our midfield and makes us better. He's also coming into his prime years - 24 from 2017.

They haven't come up against a 208cm ruckman. Gawn will get first use and it's up to the mids to make the most of this advantage.

I understand your view, but I reckon he's really important even in his quieter games. If he's ready to go I'd never not have him in the team.

Bugg is a terrible matchup for Stringer. Stringer isn't strong in the air, but he'd make mince meat of Bugg. We don't have an ideal matchup, although Garland will probably spend more time on him than most. They'll all take him at some stages. Hunter is the type of player Bugg might spend time with. He's been hurting clubs on the outside. All ruckman try to nullify Gawn, but it's not that easy. The Dogs don't have a quality ruckman, so I expect Gawn to continue to give first use of the ball to Viney, etc. With the form Gawn is in I certainly don't expect they'll "succeed" in nullifying him. Gawn has over 30 more hitouts to advantage than any other ruckman in the league, so I don't know why they'd be planning on him being nullified. But the club will react accordingly to whatever transpires around the stoppages. Footscray didn't tag Mitchell and Beveridge traditionally backs his mids to go head to head, but they'll be trying to put a block on Viney around the stoppages. But you can't block them all. I doubt they'll run a hard tag on Viney, because it would be atypical to the way they play. If they do they do. As usual, the game will be won in the midfield and we need to out-pressure, outnumber and out-contest them where the heat is on.

I do. Resting him for one week was smart. Resting (not selecting) him for 2 weeks was stupid.

I've heard Hogan's manager has asked for ridiculous coin too. I've also heard this coming from an Essendon source.

I reckon Petracca's second goal is underrated. I know he made it look easy, but that goal summed up his one touch talent and freakish ability.

That logic kept Oliver out against St.Kilda. We needed him.

Hurls on all fronts. But I'd like both.

Yes

He said it's giving him nightmares, he's not suggesting we have Geoff Southby on the list. It gives me nightmares too. Have you seen Garland play ? Cross all fingers and toes.

"Small forward" ? Of course he's not a small forward. He's a gun mid. A quality mid doesn't fit Roos/Goodwin's "prototype" ? Sure. And he's not just "inside". He's fast with a booming kick. What you're seeing now isn't indicative of Prestia as a player. Don't Melbourne supporters watch players from other clubs ? I agree we have other needs, but I'd suggest the club wouldn't knock back someone of Prestia's quality and we're still not exactly a destination club, so I'm not sure who some of you are referring to.

Love the sentiments in this thread, but the "Choo Choo" should never ever be referenced again.

We're one bad performance from wanting Prestia again. While we need a key defender and an outside mid we can also do with a class ball magnet like Prestia. We're not restricted to targeting just one player in the off season. Prestia is coming back from injury. He'll be better next year.

How many posters have called for this ?

That's the one.

Love to see a gif of this.

I've been posting here since Nov 2002 in one guise or other and must have seen roughly 150 players come and go. Some through retirement and others through trades or delistings. I can hardly recall a player that's made me eat humble pie. But plenty have had their bags packed. You can back every dud that's ever been on our list. I have no problem with that. I won't.

His speed and preparedness to run the lines is incredibly important. He'll become a genuine weapon down the track. My Brother's future Brother-in-law is a well-known former player and head recruiter of an AFL club and said a few years ago that Hunt was considered as good if not better than Salem and another player whose name presently escapes me, but dropped off the radar while still at school due to injury.

60 seconds of carnage from this rawboned footballer. The reason Sexton had scans to detect a possible broken bone in his arm was Oliver's tackle to the ground a moment later.

The swagger after he kicked his second goal...

Clearly Michie is the first in line to be dropped. It's not like he's a debutante where they're often given a second game. In: Salem Out: Michie I'd love Trengove in, but I doubt they'll bring him back next week.