stinga

Hawk vice-captain Jordan Lewis is now a Demon. Hawthorn will receive picks 48 and 66 in exchange for Lewis. Melbourne will also receive picks 57 and 68. Hawk coach Alastair Clarkson said: “Jordan has been a big part of this football club for the last 12 years and he will be sorely missed by the players, coaches and staff. “He has given great service to the Hawks and his leadership both on and off the field has been invaluable. “It is never easy to part ways with a champion of the club, but we have got to this point through mature and open conversations with the best interests of both Jordan and the club at heart."

They're at AFL House putting the paperwork in for Lewis. It's getting scary - In my best 22 I can't find room for Wagner, Salem ,Stretch, Harmes or Brayshaw. If you do find room for them, then someone just as good misses out. At last we've got about 10 - 12 guys able to run through the middle.

Slightly stronger than weiderman but still suffers from a lighter body and being outpositioned. He is purely a defensive player, so It will be interesting if he has a good preseason building up, to see if he can take the game on a bit more and run the lines. I also hope he gets some pace into his kicking - the ball seems to take forever to reach his target.

He's got the size and needs lots of work. Doesn't seem a natural forward as is often out of position compared with say Tim Smith and Weiderman when at Casey. It'll be interesting to see if they persist with him as a forward or try him down back.

I think he has to go. If he stays then it's only as a depth player. So he would be at Casey demanding to be the main go to forward - that doesn't help players like Hulett to develop.

You already know he has good hands and knows how to present, but his skinny frame said he wasn't ready yet. The part I like about his game, is that he is not a one trick pony. He is good below his knees and has quick hands. I think he had about 12 handballs in his first game.

Yeah I agree with all the above. Midfielders who can kick goals are like gold. His best games were when he was allowed to go forward. If they let him do that next season, not only will he kick goals, but also help bring guys like Petracca on. I hope he can stick around for another 2 years.

I like him in the VFL and he's a ball magnet. But you have to be very very good at what he does when you don't have pace or height. I have no problem keeping him if we think our list doesn't have enough back up midfielders (I think we do - ANB is pretty similar. Salem Melksham Petracca Hunt will all push for midfield duties on top of what we already have). 2 Years of the Rookie list usually means you have had your shot, so the place can go to a new up and comer who might do something special.

I think he's a long term investment. He's got all the skills and a bit of pace. Once he can't be knocked off the ball and learns a few tricks, he'll be a permanent.

I agree with you General in priciple. I would rather have a key forward there all the time rather than filling in for Max, and I think there was a time 2 years ago when Pederson was playing the spare in defence and he filled the role. Not sure he's a good enough ruckman, but probably no worse than Watts. And I'd rather Watts forward kicking goals.

I think the attacking game plan means we are bullies when we get a break but struggle in defence when we get ahead of the ball and then other sides do the same to us. Last night's 2 halves show that. Guys like kent and kennedy struggled for possessions in the first half but finished up ok. Is that their fault or the game plan fault. So instead of dropping them for someone more defensive do you keep them while the plan develops and they learn to get more of the ball when other sides come at us. After a big win like that, I think more than anything else you keep the side in tact for confidence sake and accept there will be times when things go wrong. I rather like the fact we seem to kick 100 points or more each game.

Nothing to do with the footy. I went today and prior to the game went into the Victory Room for Melbourne Members and had a coffee. I am a Melbourne AFL member and had no trouble getting in. Someone was interviewing a couple of the players from tomorrows VFL game which was interesting. At half time I tried to return but was told I'm not a Melbourne Member I couldn't go in and there are rooms for AFL members. There were other Melbourne AFL members also turned away ( the room is directly opposite the AFL members area behind the interchange gates). I just wondered if anybody else had the same experience.

I agree. I reckon Trenners should be next cab off the rank. Good grab for his size. Finds the ball and generally kicks goals.

You are right in that he doesn't deserve to get dropped (no-one does), but the balance of the side seems we play best with only one small forward that doesn't go through the middle. It's a bit like playing two good ruckmen in the same side. I don't think you can disregard his bad game, otherwise you have to disregard his best. Having said all that they probably will not drop him - I just think it would be better for balance.

Vince and Garlett have to come in. A small forward and a mid have to make way to keep the balance. Kent (doesn't rack up many possessions when averaged over games and a spell at casey could give him an opportunity to run around in the midfield and rectify that)for Garlett (better forward pressure and more goals). Vince for Oliver(various reasons as expressed by others here, even if it is only a week or 2).

In a losing side Kent has to go. Only 5 disposals and nearly full game time. Yet Oliver and Brayshaw only had just over half game time each for a combined 25 possessions. Coaches should never have left Kent on the ground for as long as they did, when he wasn't producing.

I Think FB Jetta Dunn Garland HB Salem TMac Hunt C Grimes Jones Vince HF Kent Frost Harmes FF Watts Hogan Garlett R Gawn Vandenberg Viney INT Tyson Brayshaw Petracca Pederson Lots of others unlucky Backs - Dunn and Garland are the rocks, Jetta and Hunt the run and carry and run down pressure, Salem the sweeping deliverer (similar to flash) and McD takes the best tall and has the aerobic ability to carry through the end of the game Mids - Jones VDB Brayshaw Viney Tyson for the inside muscle. Grimes Vince for the ouside run and Harmes Petracca for forward marking ability. Forwards- Hogan Frost best keys. Kent Garlett best smalls Watts played his best at the intraclub leading from deep. Flexability - Pederson covers everything Forward,Back and Ruck.

The problems we faced whilst we improved last year was that we couldn't match it with the good sides who had tall and strong marking midfielders. As good as they are Jones and Viney are small. ANB and Stretch are not your taller strong mids either. (with Matt Jones, Bail, Cross etc. all relatively small that have left ) left us with few who could go forward and take a mark. Vince was the only one you could rely on the take good overhead marks. We seem to have improved with VDB , Gus, Harmes last year. And if we add Grimes, Petracca and Bugg into the midfieldmix this year our marking power in the mids really improves from 2 years ago. I think you would lose that improvement if you played the 6 smalls in Kennedy, Garlett , Jones, Viney, Jetta and Kent. I remember 2014 when Kent seemed to be the go to man at half forward only to find him trying to mark against a guy 6 inches taller than him. So I don't see how Kennedy (and I like the way he plays) can get a game unless one of the others gets injured.

Does anyone know when they add in the AFL members who who automatically become melbourne members when you nominate your preferred club. I'm one and the money comes out monthly, so you don't know if it's part of the current total.