stinga

you can only have 4 of the 8 on the bench. Pickett, AVB, Smith and Jackson for me. The last 2 simply because you've got to give them at least 2 weeks to show something. ANB, Jones Hibberd and Hannan miss.

Agree with all that but differ in the ins/outs. I'd keep Jackson and Smith (They need at least 2 games to see what they've got) It was the experienced players you named that let us down. I'd add AVB to the ins and drop TMac, Jetta and Melksham with Jones. I really like Lockhart. At least Weideman, Smith and Jackson can jump and go sideways which Tmac can;t.

Agree with the side but I'd have Jackson instead of weideman simply because he is more mobile for shortened quarters.

Just heard on the drum tonight that because of the ICU beds shortage in Italy people over 60 are being triaged not to get them. In OZ we have 2000 that are mostly already in use. Good luck everyone.

it just makes sense to me. we've gone from a small midfield of Jones Viney Brayshaw and harmes with the only tall being Oliver. To a taller group of Viney VDB, Trac and Oliver (maybe even Jackson next year). Brayshaw is more outside. Even our two new wings have height. The tall midfielders dominate the comp with some notable exceptions. It's only a few cm but with that height other sides have to go sideways and gives us more opportunity to own the corridor. Not only height but they are all hard men. Harmes is not small at 186 but in the back half against smaller set ups like richmond makes sense. If Jones is going to be that extra small forward he can rotate through Harmes in the back half as well. Harmes is a much better mark than Salem.

you forgot our 2 wingers

I couldn't agree more with what you are saying, it's just that we don't have anyone that has yet shown they can do that. It's like playing with one player short. If one of them does give a consistent performance of one or two goals per game and an occasional bag full, and consistently chases down players it would be great. But that hasn't happened yet and I'd rather have someone who lets the defender know he's around and can still get that 1 or 2 goals a game. I hope you're right and one of them does it.

I agree with how you've broken the forward line up into 5 sections, but I think you've missed 2 sections. Resting on ballers of which Petracca, AVB and maybe Brayshaw, Sparrow or Clarrie would mostly utilise one high half forward Flank. I doubt Viney would go through there. They can't all be on the bench at one time. Resting Ruck of which Gawne, McDonald Weid take up one. I think for that reason we might go 3 talls. Petty/Jackson or Brown as the extra. So that we have two marking targets when Gawne goes to the bench. Fritsch and Melksham are certainties so only leaves one small forward spot. Picket and Bedford are untried, Jackson goes missing in about 70% of his games but maybe improves it this year, Hannan can also mark but again he rarely gets more than 5 possessions, Chandler and Wagner are more consistent but at this stage neither has done brilliant things. That leaves ANB (running ability but not a marking option, has defensive ability, but not strong in a contest), Jones (experience, goal sense, leadership, defensive ability, hardness, can mark) and Hunt (Pace, marking target, x factor). I'd go with Jones but I see why others might pick another.

Most of the negative comments about players are in the back half and fringe on baller types. But when you look at the side, you just wonder where the goals are going to come from. We need 250 plus goals to be succesful in a year which means we need lots of 20-30 goal a season players. Hannan is one of the possibilities, so I just hope he can get back to 2018 form and stay injury free.

At one stage he ran 80 metres at full tilt to get back from helping out in defence, just in time to jump across the front of the pack to take a contested mark at its highest point. Weid did a similar thing in 2018 but didn't go on with it this year. Will wait and see.

Love his intercept marking. Was in the top couple in the league before he was injured.

In my mind he has all the attributes, but a bit like Stretch was. He gets found out at the higher level because he doesn't have the will to get inside or centre side of the contest. He's always between the contest and the boundary line and unlike casey, at the top level you run out of room. Maybe if he builds his body up he will get the confidence to change. James Hird used to call it sheep dogging - circling the pack but going nowhere.

he gets a game because of his two way running not his skills. If he kicks 30 goals its a success, if not it's a failure.

He's a small forward with ability to jump for marks. Our fastest small forward to create pressure, and kicked our second most goals. With a better forward line he could boost 20 goals to between 30 and 40. That's our problem - where do the goals come from. He's a necessity.

So with just 35 on our list and 2 selections, how do we get the senior list to 40

I can only find 18 players on our current list left from last year and not including any we have picked up in the trade period, who are in our best 22. By jumper number May Jones Salem Harmes Petracca Viney Lever Brayshaw Gawne Oliver Hibberd Melksham VanDenBerg T. McDonald Hunt Fritsch Hore Jetta The rest are just fill in for injury types, untested over a quantity of games or development types. We need every best 22 we can get whether it's Bruce or someone else.. To get a best 22 you need at least a best 26 to cover injuries and create competitiveness. I even think there would be debate whether all the above should be in a best 22.

Hannan is too soft and doesn;t get the ball enough. Smith is better especially when he is the 3rd tall which he will be if we play Preuss and Gawn. So Lever for Hore, Gawn for T Mac and Smith for Hannan. If Petty still concussed then either J wagner or Oscar. Jetta needs another week.

TERRIBLE GAME. BUT SO MANY INJURIES. HIBBERT LONG TERM INJURY MELKSHAM AND LEWIS BOTH PROBABLY OUT. ALREADY GOT 3 OR 4 OTHERS PLAYING ON ONE LEG THEY'LL HAVE TO GIVE THE BOOT STUDDER A GAME SOON.

Baker would be the outside runner. At least a run for 3 games just to see how he goes, even if only as experience for next year. Can't do much worse than the others and he has a bit of height to take a mark.

thanks. With so many injuries you'd think they might give him a run at vfl

KC Bradke not selected and not on injury list. Any reason?

There's no point in playing the Wagners and Lewis. They won't be there next year and we need to get game time into some of the others, regardless of the results

sounds like the coach gave the better players a break on the bench in the last quarter

Sparrow Has had a taste and will be a good player but not yet and cant be carried in a side under performing Petracca needs to go back to Casey and get some confidence. Can't mark, can't kick and can't chase and fumbles at the moment. Neale Bullen - all at sea at the moment and can't get to where the ball is Hunt - should have been left forward but now lost confidence and needs to go back to casey and played as a forward. Let him get a couple of bags of goals and then bring him back as a defensive forward. B Jetta McDonald Keilty HB Hibbert May Frost C Viney Oliver Salem HF Melksham Weid Tim Smith F Lockhart McDonald Preuss R Gawn Harmes Brayshaw Int KK Jones Fritsch Baker Of the doubtfulls May gets benefit of the doubt due to corky but has to attack the ball more and no silly free kicks in front of goal Jetta maybe carrying an injury, but too good to throw out. He'll come good Keilty deserves a chance to show what he's got Frost Makes blunders but there is a lot of upside when he goes well. Gives better balance as 3rd tall Weid - we just have to persevere Tim Smith - At least he can take a mark and certainly adds pressure Lockhart - did enough and you don't drop a kid on 1 game unless he has a shocker Preuss - The only time their back line looked under pressure was when Gawn went forward and 2 or 3 had to go up against him. They have to try it at some stage. McD and Weid are good runners so you don't lose too much defensive run in our forward line. Jones and Fritta are making mistakes but at least they are getting the ball KK looked ok but went missing too much. Deserves at least 2 games. Baker is a taller and quick midfielder who can't do any worse than the ones left out. They might want him to do more game time at casey , but I'd take the chance.

Seems to me we have 3 problems 1. Too many players back after injury still carrying after effects combined with lack of game time 2. Too small Jetta, Harmes, Jones, Viney, Hunt, Spargo, Salem, Neale Bullen, Sparrow, Lewis and Wagner from last week are all under 185cm 3. Too slow. Only Frost and Hunt have short burst pace. Until we get better players back from injury and game time into those returning we need to look at pace and height. The only options are May, Preuss, Keilty, Kolodjashnij, Baker and Garlett I'd take Kolodjashnij Baker Preuss and May and lose Hore, Neale Bullen, Sparrow and Viney(he's obviously carrying something). Did anyone else see Oliver vomiting down on one kneee after the half time break? I wonder if a virus has gone through the team.