titan_uranus

I'm not sure why you're telling me about Watts' pace. I didn't question how fast he could run, and yes, I agree that he is quite pacy, especially for someone of his height. What I question is how up for the contest he is. He was always going to be beaten by Walker, so I'm not worried in the slightest about Walker's dominance.

Bahahaha, thanks Hannabal, maybe I should proof-read things. Now corrected. I think it's clear that he is struggling physically. But to me when I look at his body language and his overall intensity out there, it's just non-existent. Plenty of other players get tired yet manage to at least look like they're trying. Wonaeamirri didn't once look to me like he had no desire to be out there. To me he was just way, way off the pace and thus couldn't play the way he wanted to. Watts is in the same boat, except with Watts I don't get the same sense that he's really up for it.

Nadal back to world number 1 after smashing Soderling 6-4 6-2 6-4. Second year in a row Soderling's beaten the world no. 1 and defending champion then lost the final.

Look at our midfield and half-back line: Moloney, Grimes, Scully, Jones, Bruce, Bartram, MacDonald have all played there at times this year. None of them is a reliable kick. Scully has plenty of other attributes that make him far from a worry, same with Grimes (yes, I believe Grimes' kicking sucks, I know plenty of others disagree but for a player with his obvious talent he turns it over too much). But the rest don't do a lot more than bullocking work, and in Bruce and MacDonald's case they create the run off half back and more often than not turn it over. Clearly the drafting of Strauss, Blease, Bennell, Jetta and Tapscott was targeted at improving kicking skills but they're all developing. So for the meanwhile we have to look to the aforementioned players to work on their own kicking skills. I mean, Moloney and Jones really do struggle to hit the target week in, week out.

Bell is not a midfielder. If he plays it is as a defender. In which case Cheney or Strauss get in over him. Well then put Grimes in the middle. Or maybe we should give Strauss a run in the guts. I reckon with his disposal he might be just as good as wingman than as a back pocket/half back flanker. Either way Bell is a long way down the list. I'd be happy to argue this one with you Hannabal, as I totally disagree that Miller has no heart. But arguing with you is a lot like banging your head up against a brick wall. Not that you're stupid, far from it, just that you're very stubborn.

It seems there are three categories of Watts-supporters: The first is the group who thinks he is a dud, and will never make it. They fail to spot the moments where Jack has displayed immense ability at ground level, smart kicking and good hands, evident in the West Coast and Port Adelaide games. Then there are the people who cannot stand criticism of Watts at all. They fail to recognise his apparent lack of hunger, aggression, intensity or passion on the field (that's not to say he doesn't want it, but he sure as hell doesn't look like he wants it). Finally, there are those who combine both, who can see his obvious talent and ability, can see that he is hampered by his lack of fitness, the fact he is only 19, the fact that the team isn't playing well, and the fact that he's played only 7 games. But at the same time, there is a pressing need for him to show more hunger, more desire and more passion on the field, given that there are players at Casey who are doing just that. Hopefully those who fall into one of the first two categories will, sooner or later, move into the third category.

I don't like Dunn. Not at all. But I'm willing to see how he goes as a forward. Solely as a forward. None of this midfield/tagging/winger business. It's clear he's not a midfielder. Let's end that experiment. Give him a go in the forward line, see if he can play the role Petterd was playing. Deserves a go based on Casey form but not on previous AFL form, and this call up might be his last if he doesn't take the next step.

Who cares? By the way, I hate North Melbourne. And Hawthorn. Who are now both above us on the ladder. If anyone cares, we're back in the bottom 4.

Disagree, and that's far too harsh a call. He just has minimal talent.

No. No. No.

Maric hasn't earned a spot in the seniors yet. Leave Bennell there.

Rating: 6/10 We've let 2 games slip and we've put in 2 shocking performances against teams we're better than (North and WCE), as well as 3 really bad games (Hawthorn, Geelong (excusable), Carlton) But we've still exceeded expectations. 3-2-1: 3. James McDonald. Really, really playing well, and tackling ridiculously hard. Wasn't sure if he was going to be any good this year but has proved me and most others wrong 2. Mark Jamar. Close to All-Australian. Dominates most games now and gives us first use of the ball quite often. And is a great mark. 1. James Frawley. Been beaten once, maybe twice (one of which was when he was ill and shouldn't have played). Will be the cornerstone of our premiership defence. Team Highlight: The Brisbane game. They were undefeated, but we didn't just beat them, we smashed them by 50. That was a game where close to everything worked. A close second would be the Collingwood game, simply because of the way we bounced back from Round 1 against a team that had previously knocked off premiership fancy the Dogs. Team Lowlight: The West Coast game. Worse than the Hawthorn game. Really, away from home the Eagles are crap and we should never, ever have lost that game. Biggest Surprise: McDonald. Just didn't see his form coming. Biggest Disappointment: Sylvia. Promised a lot with his 5 goals against Richmond but has only had 1 decent game since then. Being asked to ruck which isn't easy but his efforts through the middle and across half forward have been woeful for someone with his quality. Hasn't kicked on from 2009 like I hoped. Individual Highlight: Scully's fourth quarter against the Dogs. Awesome. Individual Lowlight: Jurrah's shoulder injury. Closely followed by Petterd's shoulder injury.

He stays for QB, with an instruction to do these three things: 1) Play in front. Yes, that is easier said than done for someone of Watts' fitness and core strength but for the last 2 weeks he's been caught behind his man far, far too often and he's not going to win a lot of the ball playing from behind. 2) Show more hunger/aggression/desire. The most worrying thing for me about Watts is he just hasn't shown a lot of desire or aggression. His body size shouldn't preclude him from at least looking like he really wants it out there. 3) Keep his feet. Yes, it was wet yesterday but in almost every contest in the second half Watts went to ground and his opponent didn't. Again, influenced in part by his fitness but it's something he can work on over the week. I'm not looking for dominance from him. I just want to see more of these three things. If he doesn't show any improvement in these areas next Monday I doubt he'll be making the trip to Adelaide the next week.

Please explain.

In: Dunn, McKenzie, Frawley, Cheney Out: Miller, Rivers, Bartram, Jones (inj.) Dunn kicked 8 for Casey yesterday. Miller did nothing. As much as I hate Dunn, he will get the call up this week, and must play forward the entire game. Frawley takes Rivers' spot. Bet on Collingwood going smaller next week anyway. Cheney for Bartram: Bartram gives his all but sometimes that's not enough and he gave away at least 2 goals to Carlton from direct turnovers. His disposal and decision making are a liability. A lot like Bell in that respect. Cheney's been dominating for Casey for months now and deserves a call up. McKenzie to replace the injured Jones. McKenzie should never have been dropped in the first place. Watts to get another crack at it, but if he plays like he did yesterday he won't be going to Adelaide.

I've been of the view that this is part of the style Bailey wants us to be playing. An open forward line with forwards running towards goal, rather than away from it, and the ball being popped over the top. It happened once yesterday, Watts' goal in the first, but other than that it created more problems than goals. Moloney's comments last night made me question whether or not this is what Bailey wants, hence this thread.

You were probably saying the same thing going into Round 2, and we know what happened then...

This I agree with. He has to show he wants it (and deserves it) more than he is at the moment.

When we're 5 goals down, surely the only way to win is to play a style of football that is going to help us bridge that gap? Can't see how getting defensive after 15 minutes when we're 5 goals down is going to get us enough on the board to win.

Too many long bombs with no target or benefit. Before he got OP his kicking was a treat. Now it's pretty mediocre.

No it didn't. We played against the Dogs like we did in the third quarter today. There were lead up targets presenting to the ball carrier. Agree. Has been a common theme in our losses (Hawthorn, North Melbourne, West Coast, Carlton), and a common positive in our wins. No surprise there.

Frawley > Riewoldt Only because Frawley is down to earth and isn't a show-off.

How is it beneficial to have nobody forward of the centre or presenting to the ball carrier when it's pissing with rain? That just forces us to go backwards/sideways or over-use the handpass which is more likely to result in a turnover than if we had an option to kick to. This plan would work a lot better (and has worked a lot better) in the dry.

Oh, and someone needs to get him to start playing in front. That's two weeks in a row now that he's been caught behind his man far too often. Should have learnt from last week.

One of only 2 or 3 players to give a yelp in the first half. At least tried to get the ball moving by foot when others were intent on handpassing despite the conditions and the problems we were getting into.