stinga

We need either he or Tom in case either of our key backs fall over

Totally agree. He might turn into a 30 goal a season small forward, but much too early. Lots of promise.

He never had the ability to get the ball and go. Whenever he took a mark he would just back pedal then look to see where he could go. No urgency in his game. He was another one who wasn't developed properly to get his full potential.

I'm in 2 minds. With zoning, switching and many other variables, sides are just too good at creating mismatches. The days of having 77cm defenders is just too easy for forward set ups to take advantage of that. Unless you are someone special like Short at Richmond who really hurts you offensively is the exception. Lockhart could do that, but hasn't shown it yet, but certainly has 2 years of development to come til he can reach that standard. I like his commitment, so maybe he will.

Simply we need him incase either of our 2 main backs go down. The only way we could trade him would be a 3 way deal where we pick up another key defender. Same with brother Tom. We can't have him and Ben Brown as both are one trick and can do nothing when the ball hits the ground. That's why Jackson is so important.

If we just want a back up for max, geelong have got a few -some of whom will probably be delisted. Then we get a good player for Preuss from GWS. Win/Win

I hope they take a punt and play Gawne at CHF and put Preuss in the ruck. We don't lose a lot that way in the ruck but you saw what happened when May went forward in the last quarter with a guy who can compete hard in the air. Brown (as well as he played) just stuffs Weid up and Weid is the future. We can't afford to take May from defense. We are really missing Jackson or an improved Petty. The Defense should tighten up with Hibberd replacing Smith who I hope never plays another defensive game for Melbourne again. I don't know who had the great idea of turning him from a promising forward into a hopeless defender. Its a pity Jordan and Sparrow are unavailable. Probably VDB to take Brayshaw's spot if injured. Maybe Bennell to cover Jones if he doesn't come up. No future in Josh Wagner so I'd take Loquart Neale Bullen out for Pickett in.

If no Preuss , Jackson or Gawne and considering Smith has been emergency often recently, they might use him as a foil against English. I don't know if he has rucked before but he would certainly have the leap over English at Centre bounces. He gives a lot away in height though. Oscar could match him for strength but doubt he could keep up. Other than Bradke, there's not many choices.

why only limited game time

how does melksham still get a game ahead of Tomlinson

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