45HG

Bolton have gone ahead against the Reds twice, but have no had Davis sent off. Will do well to hold on from here. Liverpool not looking anything like the side they were last year. Bullet from Gerrard into the crossbar.

For a few weeks now I've had Collingwood as my favourite and Adelaide as my smokey - we'll see

Weren't King and Gardiner traded to the Saints for pick 90?

I thought Maxwell and Franklin's bumps were very different. Cousins had the ball and was ducking and weaving, Franklin cleaned him up (legally in my view). Maxwell ran passed the ball, ignoring it, and cleaned up a player front on hitting him in the head.

I don't think Bartram is contracted beyond this season and it would be a minor miracle for him to be re-signed IMO. Which is a shame, because he's a great kid who gives his all and has had a terrible year already.

I don't believe so, poor kid.

Give him 31. Trengove 3.

No Jackie Grimes?

Against the Dogs.

Or at Casey.

Was going to say, they haven't "achieved" much in the last 4 years!

He's struggling to get over the ground and still averaging 22 touches a game. He hasn't done any speed training for two(?) seasons. I'd put the gun away until next year.

Ha, thanks for the photo HT. He's a beautiful man.

36 disposals against the Dogs.

I mildly agree HT Obviously, stats don't say all but let me indulge with a comparison with Mclean, because after the rubbish day I've had there's nothing better to do. Sylvia has had 7 matches of 24 touches or more. Mclean has had 9. Games over 20 touches, Mclean has 12 Sylvia has 9. In two extra matches, Mclean has had 40 extra touches going at 73%. Sylvia has had 3 30+ matches, while Mclean has had 1. Sylvia only has two matches below 15 touches (14 and 13) Mclean also has two but much lower stats of 10 and 7. Putting these together and then comparing their average stats - Mclean with only .2 less per match, it is evident that Mclean has been consistently getting more ball. Now, obviously being played largely through the middle, Mclean should get plenty of footy. But in my view he has been doing this and it must not be forgotten that Sylvia has spent plenty of time through the middle and off half back (where there has been plenty of ball this season. Goalscoring is one area Mclean must certainly improve - having kicked 7 this year. Sylvia also has 20 score assists and 25 scoring shots agaisnt Mclean's 13 assists and 8 scoring shots. Brock has also had only 75% time on the ground in his matches versus Sylvia's 86% - which is something worth keeping in mind. I know it's not a direct comparison, and stats don't tell all, but I seriously do not believe Mclean has been anywhere near as bad as some on here would claim.

I honestly don't understand these claims that Mclean has had a poor season. Doggo, you used stats to say Sylvia has had a very good year - 22.1 touches per match. Mclean has averaged 21.9

Best clubman is almost impossible to speculate on IMO as it's more in house. Frawley must be in the top 5. Joined by Davey winning, hopefully Green, Moloney and Bate/Sylvia

Unfortunately, we'd be only one of a few teams to defend our wooden spoon. Having one of the best defences in the worst team isn't much to write home about

Grimes has had one game very close to a ripper, the same match of colin's brain explosion. He hasn't got close to col's sipper match yet, but mind you, only a couple of players on our list have - bruce, green, mclean - and two of those had their last one years ago.

To me it makes more sense to give him a one year contract extension now, before finals that will be noticed by few, to see what he can do with the list over the next two years and then be able to evaluate, rather than wait until next year where there will be an enormous amount of pressure on a young coach and young list to perform beyound their years. Giving him a one year in that situation will be perceived horribly IMO

Off the right and left!

I don't really see why you assume that will magically start happening next year. Technically, our team will be less experienced and much of our team will be made up of very young players with less than 15 games experience - Maric, Watts, Grimes, Jurrah, Blease, Strauss, (Trengove?), Mckenzie, McNamara etc. Plus Aussie and Garland after missing a year. Next year and probably the next year will still be teaching years, it's just the players will slowly be getting used to exercising their knowledge and bringing it to good use.

Evidently I have a problem with the rule then.

Surely they would appeal though, what's there to lose? Perhaps I misdirected my frustration - in my view there's no way this should have been a suspension. The points system helps to categorise and clarify to an extent, the tribunal should essentially be a common sense committee IMO.

I don't particular like Franklin but I cannot believe the tribunal has upheld the decision. Two weeks is outrageous in my view, the only real crime he seemed to commit was to be taller than Cousins. Any other views?