deespicable me

Gee he's improved massively over the years. He's more confident, ready for any question coming his way and has developed a good ability to shut down anything that obviously has negative ramifications to the club. As an example he said they had not trained for players to bump. Kozzy in a split second decision had got it wrong. We as a group were very happy Smith was okay and as a player Kozzie is irreplaceable. So acknowledging the action as wrong, yet praising his player as a great player. Obvious yet nicely done. His treatment of Bartlett was superb. Goodwin looks in good early touch. Well done.

Seeing a lot more kids barracking for the Dees now.

I always wonder how finals work. Do the players get their weekly equivalent, do they get bonus's for winning finals and does the Afl pay for all that and is it seperate from the TPP? Apart from the glory and players natural competitiveness is it worth playing in finals or getting the extra 4 weeks off?

Yeah fair enough, I shouldn't be knocking someone with that motive, that drive show on SEN with Andy Maher is really bad though.

It's sad really. I think he's given up. He's lost sight of himself. Everyone thinks he's a fool so he plays the fool. The whole industry is sad really. So many ex footballers out there who think they're comedians. My pet hate is (obviously not an ex footballer) Andrew Gaze. Had a very decorated career and now has created a terrible caricature of himself as this over enthusiastic fool who thinks he's funny. Just too sad.

Death Taxes and Anamoe

This is a real problem for Luke. He had trouble passing the concussion test when he was at full fitness. He'll have to study hard if he's going to pass that test. Could take years.

No-one here has gone much above $1.50. He's 23. The next 3 years he should be able to continue to improve. He's now got the body to tackle and he's as fit as anyone in the side. He just needs confidence, which will come as he becomes a mainstay in the side. I'm buying for sure. $2.50.

I have been to a few pre-season training sessions and here are my thoughts. Forwards JVR to debut round 1 alongside TMac and Fritta. Ben Brown looks really well at training but I am guessing they are holding him back and his aim will be 10-12 games and be one of the fit ones come finals if we make it. I think they may rotate them a bit. Schache is the injury back-up. He can't hold a mark but is an option to "create a contest" if one of the other 3 go down. Chandler is being set up for Kozzies role in the forward line. They may revert to Kossie at some stage but I think Kossie might be played almost as a wild card through the middle and forward of centre. Chandler has had an excellent pre-season. He is almost a lock to come in. Spargo has had an excellent pre-season as well and is a lock in his position. His work in Match sims has been very good. This leaves a few headaches with ANB who should hold his spot. Harmes and Melksham are candidates to miss. So the main 6 in my mind will be Chandler, Spargo and ANB as the smalls and JVR, TMac and Fritta as the main targets. Harmes or Melksham may get a go as the 7th forward off the bench, especially if they take the teams to 23 and no sub. Lawrie is a long shot but should move to the midfield for Casey and if he goes past Dunstan who is an injury back up at best then he may get a go in the second half of the season, and those that think Sestan is a chance in my humble are kidding themselves. He is strong and he will take his chances near goal but his weaknesses are glaring. He gets caught with the ball a lot and his disposal is poor. Has a lot to work on. Jefferson in one pre-season has been impressive. He is a natural footballer and has a lot of upside. Saw him on Wednesday after one play completely exhausted and unable to chase or compete even so clearly isn't AFL ready. An ideal youngster to take through the VFL system and should be a ripper in a year or two. Not sure about Howes. I like him but I'm not sure where he goes. He is the player that I don't know about. Mids Apart from the obvious we have Jordan, Sparrow, Hunter, Kossie and Grundy to fit in. It is probable the mids take 8 spots of the 22/23. Gawn, Trac, Oliver, Viney and Langdon are locks. Only injuries or inexplicable poor form would rule those 5 out. Jordan has been excellent in pre-season and looks ready to be given a full time crack. Having said that I'm not sure where but he and indeed Sparrow should make up the mid rotations. This still leaves Hunter, Grundy and Kossie without spots. I'm getting into trouble here. I think Woey is a mid as well but must be behind these players. I'm hoping he tears it apart at VFL level and pushes up for a second half year debut. Backs May, Lever and Petty and I think Brayshaw are locks. Brayshaw has done all pre-season off half back. Hibberd was flying in pre-season before getting injured. He may be over-looked for early rounds. I talked to Salem who said the thyroid issue shows up in blood tests. His reading is low I think. You can take pills to control high but only rest helps low. (I'm not sure what blood read out they test for and I'm clearly no doctor but he has to go through a pre-season build up again and keep his blood levels even.) I suggested mid -season and he was pretty sure if all goes well it will be early season. Either way 2 players who are mostly best 22 probably won't be there in round one. So we have only 2 players to go or 3 if one extra goes to the bench. Choosing from Rivers, Bowey and Turner as the main candidates, with McVee and Deakin Smith as others well in the mix as most here have indicated. Both McVee and Smith have had good pre-seasons with McVee being used with intent. He and Turner, depending on size of opposition forward lines may share that role. I hope Rivers and Bowey are the two who make up the six backmen. Tomlinson will be a great full back at Casey and could walk into lesser teams, but I think has gone behind Turner. Joel Smith will probably get his body finally right in time to move on at the end of the year. Farris Wite should be someone to watch at VFL level. He is really quite good. I think. He needs to not get injured and play 18 odd games at VFL level. With the talent he has around himself and the obvious progress he has made in just one pre-season, he is an exciting prospect for the future. Adams looks good and will hopefully play 10-15 games at VFL level, hard to do taking on guys older and stronger so we wish him well. Plenty of depth and a lot of fun ahead. Hopefully we see the team develop further as they need to.

Talk about premiership hangover!!!!

Yeah again I mainly agree with you, lists do change quite a lot, and surprisingly quickly, I was just putting forward an opposing view. I think they are both worthwhile views and quite opposite to one another. The other thing to take into account is money. Every list needs balance whereby the wages of your bottom paid players, depth and developing players, can be just as important as your stars. I will be surprised though if our 2022 recruits get much of a show in their first 2 years. But hopefully it makes them hungry.

I agree but the opposing argument is also valid. That being that we have a team that is already hard to break into with Bowey, JVR and maybe Turner, Woewodin and Howes etc wanting their chances, to pick up a kid who's upside is fringe at best seems like a waste of resources. Given our draft position it will be very hard for the 'class of 22' to have any impact on our AFL team in the next two to three years. If Taylor and co. get an AFL talent into our side in the next two years from this years draft they will have done a very good job.

The crowd at Ikon Park was definitely dissapointing. Lovely balmy evening, but very few there considering the players close contacts were probably half the crowd. From the west myself I refuse to trek out to Casey any more, but try to get to any game within inner city, but this year we were so often at Casey or interstate it just highlights our issues of a home ground. Maybe we would have got more at Casey? I think we'll win it this year and if our last two finals are at Ikon Park I'll be wrapped. Free parking everywhere 2 minutes from the ground. This is Daisy's last hurrah I would think and if they finally get a flag it would be fitting for the standout icon of the Women's game. I think Daisy will be as important and as much loved in Melbournes history as Robbie Flower in years to come. People really should be taking their chance to see her in action. Also if your as lucky as me you might also get to see Allissa Bannen go for a 7 bounce run around the wing leaving a couple of crows players in her dust. Wow, she's terrific.

Does this mean Collingwood should have a dog on their board.

Surely, given we aren't getting enough for Jackson, getting Lobb and pick 13 would be a better outcome than trading for Bruce.