DemonDave

So would you be happy next year if we were more consistent but still won 8 1/2 games? I dont look at the 1975 or 1992 ladder, see our win-loss record and think "If only we'd kicked 2 more goals against Fitzroy in '75 and St Kilda in '93 we wouldve had two more wins and moved up two spots". I look at our end of year win-loss record. Its win-loss ratios that coaches are judged on, and what perceptions on playing lists mental fragilities and leadership deficiencies are assesed. If we hadve won those two games, Id still be disappointed in our season as a whole, and expected us to win more games the year after.

If by 'a bit' you mean about five or ten minutes of each game they play do they look up to league standard, then yes they showed 'a bit'. Apart from the Darwin game last year I'd love to know what our win/loss ratio is with these two in the team compared to our normal w/l ratio. They offer very little to our side, and I'd dare suggest neither have improved much from when they started, given they've been in the system three years now. I'm afraid I have misplaced my rose coloured glasses, think I left them on the ledge of the premiership window that I was gazing out of after Neale gave one of those powerpoint presentations. By all measures, I think our season has been an unmitigated disaster. Our 8 1/2 wins have consisted of five wins against teams below us, two wins against the next two teams above us (one an interstate team at the G), and a draw and a win against teams in the finals (again, one against an interstate team at the G, and another in the middle of a form slump). All this from what was supposed to be a 'dream draw'. Heaven help us if we draw a few more of the top 5-6 twice next year. Given that we got eighteen games or more out of these players: Moloney, Watts, Jones, Frawley, Martin, Green, Rivers, Trengove, Sylvia, Garland & Jurrah we can hardly use injuries as an excuse either. We'd need to win 10+ games next year to be seen to be progressing

Maybe Max was at AAMI Stadium on Sunday rather than at the Adelaide Oval. That could be why he figures we'd be deelighted at that result?

Interesting to note with the reserves game, the scores were level when the siren should have gone but there are special rules for when the ABC is telecasting games in finals, meaning the game effectively goes till a golden point. This is why as soon as that point went through, the siren went. I was with the Port media communications manager just after it occurred and I certainly wasn't previously aware of the rule. The last Casey game I went to was the Geelong massacre, and now today. Think I might stay away from now on! I thought Gawn was great around the ground, but we were smashed in the middle and he broke even at best against Fanning and Skipper. Stockdale was just about our best, kept cool under pressure when others didn't. McNamara and McDonald were excellent in the middle in the first quarter, but faded after that. Shane Valenti absolutely tore us apart at the stoppages as did a host of other Burra mids. Dunn was very ordinary today, had no impact whatsoever on the contest, for a guy of his AFL experience, he should find the going much easier at this level but he barely had a dozen touches. It doesn't make his job easy that the ball is kicked to Fev inside fifty nine times out of ten, but he needs to learn to get his share of the footy. Worst on ground for mine was Ben Waite, how does this guy continually get selected? Mystifying.

Who according to the AFL teams page is a new Hawthorn player recruited from West Coast!

The same Paul Johnson that got upgraded to Hawthorns main list and is selected to play against the Suns on Saturday?

Does this mean we should let a Victorian, say on a rotating basis, be our captain at the MCG every week? Sorry rubbish idea, I dont have a problem for milestone games but not 'home state' players..

I assume this was as a direct result of the coaches telling him to act a little less selfishly. The Hawthorn game Rnd 2 was the nadir for this, Liam flew needlessly to try in vain to take mark of the week every time the ball went near him. It didnt, the ball was moved down the other end and we got flogged. I think he should still be given the freedom to go for his hangers, just balance it with plenty of team orientated 1%ers as well.

It worked very well yesterday, Freo have successfully employed the same tactic at times this year too, kicking long up the centre to Sandilands and a bunch of spreaders. But as has been pointed out the ability of the younger gold coast players to structure up at this stage of their careers may have somewhat flattered us. I'm sure coaches would've learned much more the week before, where Richmond very effectively used a second backman close to the man on the mark to impede Frawleys kickouts, as he almost without fail will chip it to himself and run out to the right. The second man close in effectively coralled Frawley into kicking it to the opposition more often than not due to the pressure he was placed under...

The thing that I was very impressed by with Blease yesterday was his ability to hit targets with both his left and right foot. I think I even called it Leon Cameron-esque. He's only going to get better, you only have to look at how important a role Leon Davis has had in the Pies backline this year, to the extent that Freo started their best tagger on him Friday night, to know that Blease's hopefully continued developement will be an important factor next year. Tapscott on the other hand was completely lost in yesterdays game. Seems his thinking had been hard wired to that of a backman this year, and he simply didnt understand the strucures enough up forward to know when and where to lead into. He's had a pretty ordinary last month, when he's been in the side, so will no doubt enjoy the end of the season for a hard earned break. My biggest concern is his lack of pace.

I mentioned this in the Bank of Melbourne sponsorship thread, its pretty clear that in NSW every single person that used the service was told to switch to AGL. I have no problems if it was clearly a sponsorship for AGL itself, but these quasi 'advisory companies' are shamtastic. Nevertheless their money is welcome!

Pretty much agree with you word for word here RR, Ricky had a couple of fantastic 'break out' games where he lead the way with his defensive presence that had been hitherto unseen. I genuinely believe he has improved in a number of areas, showed he could push up the ground and win ball in the middle, but now all he needs to do is work on his consistency. He's one of the best one on one marks in the team, but doesnt have the body size to make it a prolonged threat deep forward. So yes, if he was put up for trade would definitely have currency, but I dont know that a team in our position should be trading out best or bordeline best 22 players at this stage of their developement, especially as he's just notched up 50 games which for us is relatively experienced. What we are crying out for is a Kane Cornes type, that is hard and can win his own ball in the middle, too often our smaller bodies are getting smashed in the clearances, I think its our biggest structural weakness at the moment.

And now for a stab at the final bench. I/C (from): Cale Morton, Jordie McKenzie, Joel Macdonald, Tom McNamara, Jeremy Howe, Daniel Nicholson, Jack Fitzpatrick You'd think with Petterd out injured, there's no way they would not select Howe. MacDonald has been as good as he has been bad the last few weeks, but unlike not many others he attacks the ball ferociously and doesnt deserve to be dropped. McKenzie similarly is a workhorse whose workrate cannot be questioned, albeit he lacks polish. He doesnt deserve to be dropped. Morton comes off his best game for quite some time so is safe also,despite his many detractors on here (and yes, i was screaming at him to attack the contest in vain last week too). Fitzpatrick, McNamara, Nicholson the subs for mine, although they may be tempted to utiilise Nicholsons pace given Davey and Sylvia are out who quite often provide run (well Davey used to). A case can be made that McNamara will also be selected, as usually when players are elevated they get the call up that week, although I've seen enough of him both as a defender and midfielder to not get very excited.

Tom McDonald to debut, congratulations Tom thorougly deserved! And Fitpatrick on the bench 'froms' to also potentially debut: B: Colin Garland, James Frawley, Clint Bartram HB: Luke Tapscott, Jared Rivers, Tom McDonald C: Sam Blease, Brent Moloney, Jack Trengove HF: Tom Scully, Stef Martin, Brad Green F: Liam Jurrah, Jack Watts, Jamie Bennell FOLL: Mark Jamar, Neville Jetta, Nathan Jones I/C (from): Cale Morton, Jordie McKenzie, Joel Macdonald, Tom McNamara, Jeremy Howe, Daniel Nicholson, Jack Fitzpatrick IN: Tom McNamara, Luke Tapscott, Jack Fitzpatrick, Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Daniel Nicholson OUT: Aaron Davey (suspension), Colin Sylvia (suspension), Ricky Petterd (quadriceps) NEW: Tom McDonald, Jack Fitzpatrick

I would sure hope it isnt, and highly doubt Energy Watch will be our sponsor next year. For those of you that have seen their ads where an Indian salesperson is doorknocking trying to offer cheaper electricity prices to a hapless bloke, only to be intercepted by a scantily clad 'energy referee', well those ads have been pulled due to justified complaints that the ads invoke racial stereotyping. To make matters worse for 'Energy Watch', the proverbial will most likely hit the fan in the ensuing months, as a litany of complaints have lead consumer groups to uncover that this company is nothing but a front for AGL. Expect Consumer Affairs to come a knockin sometime soon.

The official website, which is usually a good portent early in the week to possible debutantes list four players 'in the mix' to earn a callup for this weeks game: Jetta, McNamara, McDonald & Fitzpatrick Four Youngsters in the Mix Given we've got two mandatory changes, its fair to say at least one may be a gig

I'm sure a team at the foot of the ladder will be dying to offload a player whose shown more promise in two games than the rest of their forward line combined this year. Primus may as well start packing his bags now for him and giving him directions to get to Aami Park.

Haha too true! I didnt say he redeemed himself on one kick alone. His first set shot miss in that last quarter has happened far too often this year for someone who used to be a dead-eyed dick. The second shot was quite a tough one so can be excused. The problem with Green is he clearly does not have the pace to go up onto the wing/midfield/half back for as long a period as he has been able to do in the past, he seems to have lost that half a step that players quite often do in their twilight years. Hence he will be limited most likely to playing deep forward, which can be starvation corner when our midfield is (frequently) getting belted in the clearances.

Like most on here have already mentioned, I'd seen Blease play at Casey and thought he was nothing more than a battler, and the last two weeks its been a revelation to watch just how comfortable he is at senior level, and his confidence in himself to take on players using his asset of his pace. He doesnt just run straight lines either, and few people would have the ability to slice their way through a pack like he did in that third quarter. Very excited by the prospect of him getting a full (first?) pre-season into his body, get a bit of core strength up and develop even further.

Green wasn't all australian last year old dee, he did make the initial squad though. On fox footy show after the bounce last night they did highlight footage of when green came on and kicked a goal, he made a very obvious and pointed gesture of shaking his fist vigorously toward the coaches box. Think he made his feelings of being the sub quite clear

MELBOURNE Backs Colin Garland James Frawley Clint Bartram Half backs Aaron Davey Jared Rivers Joel Macdonald Centreline Sam Blease Brent Moloney Tom Scully Half forwards Jack Trengove Stef Martin Jeremy Howe Forwards Ricky Petterd Jack Watts Brad Green Followers Mark Jamar Colin Sylvia Nathan Jones Interchange (from) Jamie Bennell Lynden Dunn Neville Jetta Liam Jurrah Jordie McKenzie Cale Morton Daniel Nicholson In Jamie Bennell Brad Green Neville Jetta Liam Jurrah Out Luke Tapscott (soreness) Tapscott has been pretty ordinary the last few weeks been non-influential so not that fussed he's rested given its his first full season at the top level. Would like the final bench to be: McKenzie, Dunn, Jurrah, Nicholson

Plus Watts played as the sub against Gold Coast remember, so his gross figures for this year will be somewhat lower as a consequence...

You would think that Gerard would be keeping a keen ear to all of the ongoing discussions his younger brother would be currently having with the club about our makeup next year..

How do you thinks Essendons 2009 season was judged? They made the finals by scraping into the eight, and got flogged by just under 100 points in Adelaide. I wouldnt want to be in that position...

Gysberts falls victim to a wrist injury (probably overdue a rest anyway), and no Jurrah again: Melbourne B: Luke Tapscott, James Frawley, Clint Bartram HB: Colin Garland, Jared Rivers, Joel Macdonald C: Jack Trengove, Lynden Dunn, Aaron Davey HF: Brad Green, Jeremy Howe, Tom Scully F: Colin Sylvia, Mark Jamar, Jack Watts FOLL: Stef Martin, Brent Moloney, Nathan Jones I/C (from): Cale Morton, Jordie McKenzie, Ricky Petterd, Max Gawn, Tom McDonald, Sam Blease, Daniel Nicholson IN: Mark Jamar, Colin Sylvia, Cale Morton, Sam Blease, Tom McDonald, Daniel Nicholson OUT: James Strauss (leg), Jordan Gysberts (scaphoid), Matthew Bate NEW: Tom McDonald