grazman

I agree, but MM has form for turfing blokes he doesn't like, and I don't think he 'likes' Yarran.

A lot will depend on who is coaching them I suppose. If its still MM, and he does have a history of trading away players that he doesn't like cheaply (Garlett) I'd certainly entertain the notion of Chris Yarran for the right deal ( low 30s pick). I know many wouldn't go there, but I rate Yarran's outside ability and speed which we seriously lack and think with the right environment he could get back to where he was a couple of years ago.

hmmm. He's improving for sure after some early hype, but he isn't necessarily the big framed midfielder that Roos seems to favour, but you never know - talent is talent. We'll be in the market and I can easily see us trading away our first pick for a ready made on-baller, but the Eagles haven't really traded away players for picks recently.

I think going on earlier penalties this year the most either will get is three weeks. After all neither Goldstein or Swallow needed to have their heads surgically reattached or even had to spend the night in ICU. Even with both their records I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibilities both might be available to play the Dees with an early plea ... perhaps.

Just imagine what DL would be like if we still had Scully and no Hogan.

If he was to do that, then many of the criticisms would be justified.

I agree... well sort of. The comment was from Wayne Carey who went into bat for him 24 hrs previously. I've watched the incident about 6 times now (courtesy of the replay) and the issue is that Jack drops his head just as the ball hits his hands rather than watching it until the mark is completed. Yes the ball was exceptionally slippery*, and in this instance it wasn't because he was expecting any contact, but its clearly a fault in his game. He drops far too many marks and I'm not sure whether this is a 'technical' thing that can be corrected or a lack of confidence or simply a fear of physical contact. Whether people like it or not he'll be continually criticised for it until he can fix the problem. * I'm not suggesting he should have marked it, but even on a dry day this makes marking the ball harder than it should be.

If you listen carefully to the commentary last night the Duck made a comment about Watts dropping his head again... and stated that you can get away with it one or two times in your career, but not every week. The mark he dropped on the HFF (while a wet ball, and understandable) involved a last minute duck of the head. In the GWS game and against Adelaide he crashed the pack, but the issue here is that he's never, ever going to take those marks. He'd be a much better player in a top four side, but in a side that's battling for credibility his deficiencies are being laid bare.

I was a little dumbfounded by his comments after the game, particularly that on their day they can beat anyone... now I would be concerned for a number of reasons if I was a Brendan Gale. Firstly while it's fine to support your playing list, I thought he has seriously misplaced his faith in what his list can achieve. They are the quintessential flat track bullies. I think he's going to have to do a Peter Schwab and go to the board cap in hand and argue for a rebuild.... the result will be the same. Secondly it's not that hard to see that their structure is horrible. They have no crumbers, only two good defensive talks (either of whom misses, that seriously disadvantages them) and an over reliance on Deledio to setup off half back. Their forward structure almost solely relies on Riewoldt while being solid is completely overrated IMO, they have Vickery playing twos, Griffiths who is perennially injured and no other options. They win contested ball, and Cotchin is very good, but... for a side that wins as much of the ball as they do, they don't score. Thirdly his claims don't hold water, they can't beat anyone, they rarely if ever trouble a top eight side and I think while it stuck in his mouth to admit it, that when the other side wants the ball more, they go missing.

Mark Thompson on 'Open Mike' in response to the question of whether we'll know the truth? "No" Hmmmm why would that be?

listed on the AFL site as injured, but exactly what is unknown. The concern is it's been listed as 'foot' - without knowing the details this category is as concerning as 'knee'.

There was, but only the dumbest criminals fail to cover their tracks. Any records they had would have been destroyed as soon as they were tipped off made aware of the investigation. Don't assume anything Dank says is accurate either. The man can not in any way be regarded as a competent professional authority and he has no credibility or integrity. Too many people are getting hung up on the injustice of it all. It's the way of the world, criminals regularly get off not because they didn't do it, but because the law (quite rightly) requires a sufficient burden of proof to be offered. This will be the watershed for greater scrutiny in professional sport in Australia and testing regimes. The AFL need to 'reinvigorate' their drug policy and mend their relationship with ASADA or they face some troubling times ahead.

No Hogan did too... starved of opportunity after half time, but he is going to be something very special.

Or as a defensive forward.

Maybe, Roos admitted that the coaching needs to improve, but its a hard gig. Melbourne did drop a player behind the ball towards the end of the second quarter. Not sure who exactly, but I'll go with Watts as he was rarely sighted in the forward line. The problem with the tactic is that it actually helped GWS by allowing them to create the overlap from their halfback line which is where most of their drive in the third quarter was coming from. You could move players onto different opponents, but if they're not getting their hands on the ball what do you achieve? More confusion than what you have. Viney in his interview pretty much stated he was at a loss of what to do when Griffen went forward and stayed there. Another couple of years under his belt and he'll be more assured and confident to adapt to such changes in the game. Most of us don't want GWS to be any good, the reality is they have too much talent on their list. Most of us would trade any one of 95% of our list for a crack at Shiel, Treloar, Whitfield, or Kelly. Griffen is a seriously good player and their support cast of Congilio, Smith, Greene, and Voldemort are miles better than what we have atm. * Just checked Roos' post match comments. We did drop a player behind the ball: "We tried to put one back and slow the game down, but ultimately it comes down to us coaching and obviously the message isn't getting through, and we have to coach better than we are at the moment.

I've always had an issue with these games for a number of reasons, the symbology of comparing a game of football to the sacrifices people make in fighting for their country is so trite. It's a commercial venture... I just wish the RSL could have been stronger and come out and called a spade a spade and preserved the solemnity of the day.

Yes they were, and I'm not suggesting we should have won, by any stretch of the imagination, but the story of our club... we failed to put on scoreboard pressure when we had the opportunity, stopped believing and ran up the white flag way too early. Jimma to his credit didn't stop competing all day, but too many team mates simply didn't want to apply physical pressure. In a similar vein I thought the unsung hero or 2000 was Matty Collins who put his body on the line to fly the flag.

I'm not sure the AFL will be too upset with their investment, there was a lot of latent support for a team on the GC and they're not as dependent as someone like GWS to be spoon fed success. There's only so much the AFL can do to manufacture this anyway. The real concern for the AFL is that GWS have a player on their books that isn't in their best 7 or 8 midfielders and is on over a million a year and they can't even get 8k to turn up to watch them in Canberra (not that Campbelltown attracts much more). The only way they draw a decent crowd is when they play the Swans and they're badly outnumbered. The club will need substantial financial support to be viable and while its good that players like Cameron are committed, they're undoubtedly worried about a raid on their stocks (starting with Boyd) when cashed up clubs come a knocking. All clubs go through bad patches and GWS simply cannot afford to have one or what little support they have (and from a Canberran's point of view most of their supporters are the half in half out types who aren't really that entrenched in the game) will simply dissipate to watch some other team that's winning.

Maybe... I was at the 88 GF... like 2000 very little combat put up by the majority of players that day.

An absolute indictment and travesty on the game that the people that implemented an injecting regime where they cannot produce any documentation of what players were given can be allowed to remain in the game. I have no problem with the players not being banned, but FFS how those in power can allow the reputation of the game to be trashed by allowing Hird and Co to continue on is beyond me. The end result is the game suffers and pecuniary interests always win out against what is morally right - reprehensible.

One of my favourites, but I've always been biased in favour of unobtrusive - get the job done backmen. I think Tommy has improved in all facets of his game this year. We know his disposal and decision making at times aren't elite, but he's playing the percentages so well now and playing within his limitations, I think that's benefited his confidence because while his making and spoiling have been his strengths (along with his speed) he's taken that to an even higher level this year. His improvement has helped both Dunn and Garland in their roles too (though Dunny was outpointed against the Giants) hopefully along with Salem and Jetta we're building a solid and dependable back 6.

Being a Canberran I went to the game yesterday. Without wanting to sound like a bitter old curmudgeon... (yesterday was also my 47th birthday so I realise the description probably fits), but... I mistakenly took a call from the club the day before and again tipped in for the raffle thing that I never get any joy from either so that just increased my sense of frustration. Anyway some rather limited observations FWIW. Pregame warm ups. Jeff Garlett and Dean Kent need to practice kicking sodas 30 meters out in the V. We do not do the basic things well. I'm prepared to cut Hogan some slack in his second game, but these two are experienced players and to miss what should be absolute gimmes in footy terms was simply not good enough. We go in 27 points up rather 42 points up - scoreboard pressure counts and I've no doubt at half time that the Giants think they're only playing the demons and about how they towelled us up both times last year and believe they're still in the contest and they're right. Secondly it wasn't so much a lack of genuine pace (which has been addressed somewhat) it was more simply our lack of intent. Not once did a Melbourne player line up a GWS player and sit them on their arse (i'm not talking dirty tactics, just hard contested footy) they brushed through tackles and we simply failed to stand up to their pressure. They ran with impunity through the middle of the ground and were able to dob goals from the fifty because there was no point trying to hit up Cameron who was well and truly beaten by Tommy Mac. Mumford is along with Sandi is competing for the best ruckman in the comp (probably better in terms of physical presence and importance to his side). I was really hoping when he left Geelong we'd get him. He is easily GWS's most important player. There is no way they would have won yesterday if he didn't play. Jamar was Jamar and he battled manfully, but he wasn't helped because our mids just couldn't get near the ball, he doesn't get a lot of possessions but outside of Dawes who really struggled to impose himself he's really our only physical presence on the ground. I also think it is why Spencil will be persisted with for a while as he is aggressive and physical. We are a better football side than this time last year and substantially better than two years ago, but we are still no where near having the consistency required. We drop off the pace far too easily and we have too many players who are simply not hungry enough and drop their heads way too quickly. I think we will improve as the year goes on, but I'm envisaging as part of Roos/Goodwin's realistic appraisal of our list that there are probably 5-6 of our regular starting 22 last year that are playing their last season in Melbourne/Casey colours. As Roos said we need more talent and I'd expect a few to be offered up to get what we need. We need someone like a Josh Kennedy almost as much as we need a Dylan Shiel. Tommy Mac would be one of the best backs going around ATM. He dominated yesterday and apart from Cameron's freakish goal and a couple of low worm burners onto his chest when we were being overrun beat him convincingly. If he continues in this vein he will be a genuine bona fide A grader, along with Salem who is well on track to be as well. I think Hogan is something special, his game for a second game player will probably be largely overlooked, but he is going to be our first genuinely elite player in quite a while and hopefully one of Brayshaw or Petracca (or both) can join him. And for some perspective an arguably stronger Suns outfit than the one we played was beaten by the wooden spoon favourites at home, maybe we buttered them up for them, maybe...

Depends. Still have to find a deal to satisfy Brisbane. Aish is not a free agent. At this stage it'd be an early first round pick and a player* you would think. Yarran is interesting, like others I think he has a tendency to be a little lazy, not so much soft as just not liking the way he is coached. If you could get on his right side he could be a real weapon. We have few other players that could match his pace and skills. Interesting times ahead. Garlett was a steal, but Mick wanted him gone and he may want Yarran gone too if he doesn't play to instructions, but he's no guarantee to be coach in 2016. * a good player not the usual DL party bag of potential delisted players.

No tagging in TAC is a myth. I had a conversation with a TAC coach 20 years ago when I was coaching school footy and while he wouldn't tag opposition players other TAC clubs did. Of course they don't call it tagging - "they run with- or at least close to opponents". Maybe there's been a mindset change, but I doubt it. Good football starts with defence. Its why Neeld was such a culture shock when he walked through the doors. We had no concept of two way running. We could always play attacking 'attractive' football under Bailey, but it was never going to win us games consistently because better teams with better players would just rebound far too quickly. These days even one forward who won't chase his man (like a Brendan Fevola) is enough to destroy defensive structures.

And expect the saga to go on. Irregardless of the verdict there's an extremely high likelihood that there will be more lengthy appeals. Many are wailing and gnashing their teeth that this may take as long as four years to resolve... welcome to modern justice. Without the wisdom of King Solomon and a device such as a guillotine for cutting things in half (or off) this is what we are left with... thanks James