Wiseblood

Have you got a problem with Jack, SWYL? It seems you have no wish or hope that he gets better and returns to the field, and that makes no sense to me.

All good points WJ. I'm happy to back the club in terms of giving him another year. Obviously they see enough to give him another year and, if it pays off, it's a terrific find for the club as he possesses traits not many of our players have. If, on the other hand, it doesn't work out then the risk was minimal and we move on.

I'll preface this comment by saying that I want ALL players on our list to make it. While that never happens I still want to see our players succeed. However, we are living in the era of training reports. They are great for the off season and provide us with something footy related when there are no games on. But they also skew our view of the players and we are more likely to get excited about them and go right over the top based on them hitting a few targets under no pressure or running a good 3km time trial. That's all great, but it also pumps them up too much. Then we get all disappointed when they don't reach their potential and we are quicker to bag them as our expectations have hit unrealistic levels, levels they were never capable of achieving. I'd love Jayden Hunt to make it but I have no expectations, high or low. I'm glad he is improving but actual football will really tell us how he's going.

From what I've heard and read about him he reminds me of Sam Blease. I'm hoping he sees more success but the blistering pace, coupled with his ability to go missing for large parts of the game, doesn't exactly fill me with excitement. I'd love him to prove me wrong though.

I was going to complain about a lack of Allen Jakovich in that forward line until I realised it's made up of blokes who played in the 80s.

Even if 6 midfielders somehow improved unbelievably out of sight over the next month or two, Jones is still a lock for the Round 1 side. He is our captain for a reason.

Agree with all of that. And you're right - it's not a knock on Jones, but more about the fact that we need the kids to surpass him over the next few years and push us to the next level. Jones has been a warrior for us, but you wouldn't class him as an A grader with some of the other elite mids who are on that level. We've got the players who can get there though, and thankfully a guy like Jones is an excellent role model due to his terrific work ethic and willingness to improve.

What I think Roos does better than most is that, when recycling these players, he clearly gives them a set role he wants them to play. They know exactly what is expected of them and, if they fulfill that role, then they play. Bugg is someone that will be asked to play a lock down role, either through the middle or across half back. He will know exactly why the club has traded for him and know that if he does what is asked of him then he can not only play, but thrive as well.

Rubbish. I had an opinion that differed and responded in kind. I wasn't rude about it. Your post, however, added nothing to the conversation either, so go ahead and sort yourself out.

Is that a realistic hypothetical though, mate? It sounded like a few players returned from the 6 week break before pre-season a little underdone, but would the modern footballer turn up with terrible skin folds these days? They might not do everything asked of them, or play basketball and injure themselves, but you would have to do plenty of terrible things not to get picked if you're Hogan. Roos himself even suggested that, even though he is disappointed with the injury Petracca sustained, he is still well and truly in the running to play Round 1. That tells us plenty. I wasn't looking to start an argument and derail the thread in this case, more that the idea that every spot is up for grabs is ludicrous and we all know it. We need to play our best players each and every week.

Don't twist your words and meaning around now. You said that no one was guaranteed a game, and I argued that this notion is ridiculous as we have a number of players who are an automatic walk up start. If you didn't say Hogan and Jones wouldn't be playing then you should have said SOME spots are up for grabs, not all.

You're kidding yourself. Really, you are. Jesse Hogan plays in Round 1 no matter what. Even if he plays in two NAB Cup games and doesn't get a kick, he plays. The same goes for a number of other players. We aren't Hawthorn. We need our best 22 on the park. The players might be on 'notice', but any person with half a brain knows that guys like Jones, Vince, Viney, McDonald, Gawn, Garland, Dunn, Salem, Tyson etc. will be playing in Round 1 if they aren't injured. That's just common sense.

Serious question - you are trying to tell me that Jesse Hogan, for example, is not a lock to play in Round 1 this year?

Matt Jones a lock in the best 22 again this year Saty? Without a doubt. There are 5-7 spots up for grabs in the side for Round 1. Plenty of them are well and truly filled and everyone knows it, no more so than the players.

This is rubbish WYL. Is this an aberration or are you showing your true colors here?

Roos didn't bring him over to have him languishing at Casey. If he is fit and doing all the right things then he gets a gig in the Round 1 side, probably off the bench. NAB Cup form will determine that though.

Bernie Vince is a gem. Just like Crossy he came over to the club and totally embraced it. A stroke of genius getting him to the club. My leadership group would include Jones (c), Dunn (vc), Vince, Viney, Lumumba and and McDonald. Some are saying Viney is a little young, but it isn't as if he is being made captain. Being in the leadership group is a great stepping stone without huge amounts of pressure. He can handle it.

We got Lumumba in the Mitch Clark/Trav Varcoe three way deal. Pies are certainly ahead at the moment in that deal, but I still think H has something to offer going forward. I don't necessarily disagree with your views on Dawes. There have been other good games outside of the Crows one where he has kicked a few goals and offered plenty (a ripper against the Hawks a few years back springs to mind), but he hasn't done enough. The club just see him as a more viable option than Pedersen, particularly with his on field leadership, and that plays a part in why he gets a gig ahead of others.

I don't want to speak on behalf of Goodvibes, and he is welcome to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think he is having a crack at expressing their views - more that he feels sorry for them that their views are constantly negative, which they are. They are always negative though. It's rare to see them enjoying anything about the club which is a shame. Good post as well Goodvibes, agree with all of it.

Frost will play forward IMO. They see him, at the moment, as a second ruckman. And Garland will play no matter what. You might not consider him a walk up start, but the club well and truly does. He plays.

True. Let's thank our lucky stars we have Hogan as Pederen or Dawes are decent second forwards who still command enough respect that they keep a backman away from him. I do like the crumbers we have down there too. Garlett, Kent and Kennedy are all capable of multiple goals in a game and they can put on plenty of pressure when the ball gets down there. Our forward line is really beginning to take shape.

Thanks for the report and the follow up Barrass. Great to hear T Mac was up and about not long after the incident and didn't seem phased by it. That's good news. I wish people would wait for the confirmation on the injuries before getting their knickers in a twist. Did you see anything in terms of an injury with Dawes?

Not to mention that there is no T Mac or Garland in the backline, although I think having Frost in there twice was obviously a mistake. I agree with your points, although you can hardly be surprised. It's rare that someone puts up a proper Round 1 side as they factor in their bias as well. Dawes is a prime example. People leave him out but we all know that, if fit, he plays.

You honestly think Hulett will play Round 1? Seriously? I want him to make it, but people are getting excited over nothing more than his size. The kid hasn't even played in a NAB Cup match yet. Let's just temper the expectations a touch here and let him do something before we go sticking him in a Round 1 side.

Dawes and Pedersen are not the answer and are similar players, in that both are average. One can run all day, provide lots of contests and is a poor mark. The other is a good mark in contested situations but has a poor tank and doesn't get to as many contests. I don't care which one gets pocked, makes no difference.