Forest Demon

I remember the last couple of trade periods when we were wanting to trade one of our top 3 picks for Parker or Kennedy. Great players, but I would swiftly show you the door if you tried to swap either of them with a Clayton Oliver today, given how many years of good footy Oliver has ahead of him. Probably lucky Roosy didn't get his way.

Yep, this. Their top 10-15 is as good as any, but geez they drop away quick after that. Heeney, Rampe and a couple of other injuries and they are looking very vulnerable.

Jack IS very ordinary. Hasn't played good footy for a couple years now. Just ask an honest Swans fan.

Watts was good today, but the dropped chest marks are a bit of a frustrating pattern. The other calls are ridiculous, especially to go as far as to say they are "shirkers". DS is usually a decent poster, but having a howler of a post game tonight.

He had a shocker or two early on, but got better as the game went on, and is a walk up start. To say we are better served with Brayshaw on the ball is an odd call, as Brayshaw struggled big time today. But agree to disagree I guess.

Hyperbolize much?

Melksham was good imo. ANB, Hannan and Gus were quiet today. Harmes came into the game as it went on and was a big reason we ran over them in the last.

Collingwood's poor disposal isn't a one off. This is the team Buckley has put together, and this has been their issue for the last 2 or 3 years. He is in big strife.

You are right, he is a nothing player. Depth for an inside mid role in a decent team.

Rance is one of those players who, in the media's eyes, gets better during the off season. Finished last year as a very good defender, then next minute he is being compared to SoS as one of the best backmen of all time. Give. Me. A. Spell.

Jeremy Howe was very good last week, and has started very well tonight.

Yes

It will be interesting to see how he goes when he cops a tag, which seems inevitable. Given his best work is done in close and with such quick hands, I'm not sure they would be able to stop him.

Would love a fit Hibberd to take Smith's place, who looked good in the short time before injured. Would also love a fit Frosty to take OMac's spot. We really are being tested for depth in defence already.

Clayton Oliver grabbed that game by the balls in the second quarter and swung it in our direction. He is already some player.

Great lateral movement. He may not be lightning quick, but good luck tackling him.

6 - Oliver - turned the game for us in the middle 5 - Jones 4 - Lewis 3 - Vince 2 - Hogan 1 - TMac

Please finish it. Clayton Oliver is hands down my favourite player. How good was that collect and handball for the Jones goal, and as usual the commentators didn't even notice it.

Salem and Viney need to give us more, both are capable. OMac's 1st quarter was horrendous. Lewis, Jones and Oliver our best, while Brayshaw had a crucial burst on the ball imo, and his mate Petracca has been very dangerous.

Just watched the highlights from round 1 last year. Geez Jack Watts was the match winner in that last quarter. Big mark and goal. Great hard lead up to centre half forward, turns and hits Hogan lace out for another goal. And then of course bustling through multiple tackles to set up VDB for the winner. More please.

Very open game. Richmond will win by 7 or 8 goals unless Carlton can somehow turn it into more of a scrap. That Petrevski-Seton looks a good young player, seems to be in the camera frame all the bloody time.

Glad Jetta is back. His experience and composure will be crucial in a defence that seemed a little bit undermanned. I feel like VDB is important to the coaches as a predominantly defensive forward, who can then bob up for a goal or two, and they have Hannan in to fill this role with his speed. Just give him simple instructions, run, hunt and tackle.

Stood out like dogs balls last year every time I watched hawthorn that they were under direction to kick it off the ground rather than try to take possession under pressure, and not just in the wet either.

He is a gun. The rest of the footy world will wake up to it very soon. I still think his first year was underrated, he was huge in the GWS and Hawthorn wins straight off the top of my head. Even does little amazing things in games that commentators seem to miss. One example on Thursday night where, in a pack, he sort of flicked the ball from one hand to the other, and then handballed it to a free player. Hard to explain, but it was impressive, and I was like "am I the only one seeing this?"

I'm certain Trengove would have been aware of what was going on before the game, and probably before they flew over. "Jack, we want a full dress rehearsal before round 1, so we aren't planning on using all 24 players. We are going to take you over as an emergency in case someone gets injured" Pretty simple really.