Wiseblood

I wouldn't mind seeing Tommy Bugg run with him today. I think we need Vince playing more of an offensive role today with Viney out. Let Bugg run around and annoy Mitchell all day.

True, but then that doesn't look that good for Daw either as Hampson isn't anything special. Hampson had 51 hitouts to Majak's 19, which doesn't look all that flash to me.

On the flip side, I reckon Oliver will absolutely love these conditions. His sure hands and ability to fire off pin point handballs will be invaluable today.

I'm actually not feeling to bad about this game. The weather will work a little in our favour and I think we'll certainly put in a much better defensive shift than we did last week. The Hawks aren't the gun side they were either and I think we can get close to them IF we limit that run off half back.

No late changes to either side.

They play in different positions, though. Plenty of people can play the roles Michie, ANB and Newton do. We only have a select few who can play as a key back.

Of course not Rusty, but that is beside the point. As the FD have mentioned on numerous occasions, for us to win games every player needs to fulfill their role in the side. It's clear then that Dunn did not complete the role he was given, and not completed it to the point that he has been banished to the VFL. It's not hard to work that out.

I get your point DD, but he was hardly the finished product in his second year. As a young fella his disposal was average at best and he wasn't a huge ball winner. He has improved plenty since then, though. He came second in '08, a year that none of us would look back on fondly. He didn't have strong competition that year.

He's had a few touches against a pretty poor Richmond opposition, while at this stage Hampson has smashed him in the ruck. Still don't see it, sorry.

Will become a 6 time AA, 3 time premiership and 250 game player for the MFC. Calling it early.

I'm always intrigued about why some supporters want an explanation from the FD as to why a player isn't in the side. You guys can't work it out for yourselves? He was given a chance and fluffed it, and clearly didn't play the role he was brought in to do, hence why he is overlooked for other players in the short term. Why do you need the club to tell you this, and why is it our business anyway? No doubt Dunny will have been told what they weren't happy with and what they want to see from him before he is selected in the side again. If you can't work that out on your own then I don't know what else to tell you.

I think we've generally been pretty good in our list management in terms of who we let go. How many have we delisted or traded that have kicked on after us? And I mean properly kicked on. Petterd, Sylvia, Gysberts, Maric, Rivers? Nope. Howe has played okay in the last 2 games and Chip has been solid for the Hawks, but I'll back the club in to make the right decision. If they feel that trading him nets us a pick that will help us get another player we need, then I say go for it. I do agree, though, that I think there is something to work with going forward. I'd like to see him given another chance before the season is out so we can see what he can do.

ANB is most definitely worth persisting with. He might not have taken his chances like we hoped in the past two games, but I think there is enough to work with over the next few seasons to suggest he could become a handy role player in our side. If Newton and Michie don't improve from here then you would think that's it for them. We are their second club and if they can't make it now then you would think they won't make it period.

This is it in a nutshell. His form this year has been pretty putrid, and with Roos talking about everyone playing their role each week, it's clear he didn't get the message and wasn't doing it. His non selection is a pretty clear indication of this. As jumbo said his one on one stuff a few years ago was sensational, but with so much running being done this year it seems that he doesn't have the capacity for it. I still think it's a storm in a teacup - Dunny might be a good kick and have some experience, but it's not going to change anything.

What rjay said didn't need to have a line put through it. Everything he wrote is correct. Yes, we still need to either gain more A grade mids or develop them from within, but what others need to realise is that our fringe players won't get anything for us than fringe players or picks in return. Throwing ANB in with a 2nd rounder is not enough to land an A grade midfielder.

That's true, but then you aren't going to have a full side every week either. It's also up to the club to move those disgruntled players on and replace them with similar types as well. That's what list turnover and regeneration is about. It won't always work out that way, but most times it will.

I think most of us would be glad that nobody on this board is in charge of our list.

You can never have too many midfielders in the modern game.

I don't think that's entirely the case. Sometimes you need to select side based on the opposition you're playing - the Hawks have bigger bodies all over the field and, as we found out last weekend, a lack of these can hurt your performance. Every one of the players selected this week brings in a more mature body that will be able to match it with the Hawks. You're right in saying that neither VDB or Frost have been in the kind of form that would warrant selection, but I think the need for them this week against seriously good opposition superseded their current form. We'll know in a day and half's time if it was the right move or the wrong one.

It makes little difference if he plays or not.

All good changes, although Harmes is a very lucky boy. Clearly we've gone for the bigger bodies this week, with Trengove, Oliver and Vanders giving us extra size around the ball. Dawes will take some pressure off Hogan and we will see how Frost goes in the defensive 50. It can't be much worse than his efforts at the other end.

At least they realised it wasn't working and changed it. No one is perfect.

He has seen it, and he's frustrated by the fact that we couldn't beat the Power one week, yet the next week we can beat Hawthorn. That's what I get from it anyway...

To be fair though, they've done things many teams don't for a long time. We are but just one face in that crowd. I expect us to get rolled, but I also expect us to play better than we did last week. Hawks will probably win, in the end, by 5-6 goals but it won't be a smashing.

Why does it have to be learned in one pre-season? Not everything works that way. Not only have we changed how we play defensively, but that has also impacted on how we play offensively. For two years we were defence first, second and third. That's now changed and it's been a rocky start. There is nothing wrong with that IF we can correct it. As I said, if we are still struggling at this stage next year then yes, we have some problems. But we are 10 rounds in to a new game plan. Sometimes these things need time and, clearly, this is a case of that.