Deemania since 56

His evasive skills could almost make up his entire repertoire to the Team both in possession of the ball to feed handballs as Clarrie so aptly has done, or in leading to space to receive from the fwd pocket areas as his short-burst speeds are still excellent whereby few taggers (if allocated) could catch or get the jump on him.

'Team' qualities are re-appearing; individual and solo efforts are now a little less frequent. These are good things...

Jones is ageing noticeably; his pace is well down as is high endurance. He is the big offender in terms of the forward line 'bomb' and is more easily frustrated than ever with his game and an opposition's game, and his team's commitment and skills. Some of these things are reasonable; losing his cool as he did is not a Captain's leadership - a tacit word that directs eyes to the verbal argy-bargy is enough - it is a penalty against the team and was rightly awarded. Jones' best skill is his evasion with the ball and the link to someone nearby. That is what we really need from him looking forward; yet I expect a great deal of sentimental empathy will go his way across the rest of the season - producing football work that is sometimes good, sometimes quite horrible. The sunset support that Jones really needs will keep him valuable rather than overt mistakes and moral retributions, like today. Teammates must be near, around him, in a space to receive his quick running evasion and often sensible handball. If he drops forward, he could be very handy in front or near the goalmouth. Jones has always led to space well, ideally finding isolated space.

Just taken off the cap on a bottle of Teachers Highland Cream, myself. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Frosty is the man.

Then he should go back to the Under 14s team so that he can feel comfortable.

His sacrifice for the Team was astounding. He put himself on the line many, many times and wore the consequences but by hell, he was a great footballer and team man. I watched him ascend from the Reserves games prior the the main game - just knew he was going to be something - and he was one of the greats with all of the necessary skills at very high levels - just misinterpreted by the noisy media about his physical contribution within such commitment.

I'd take Roos back a Coach, any day. Jordan Lewis has much to offer in this regard, as well. We need to assemble a team of Demon ex-players as the FD support coaching team - where the real talent lies. We have fed the rest of the League for too long.

The rest of the year was supposed to be a trial and acclimatisation for all our youth and second-line players. The FD are still nuts.

We need a 185cm plus young bloke or two who can get the ball, kicks with both feet beautifully, hits targets, knows what is needed to kick goals and does so, who can run all day with pace to burn. Another two Aaron Daveys would do it rather well. We need to pick these blokes up from a tough league in which they have survived, so far. My mind goes directly to the North, way up, perhaps Darwin or Tiwi areas.

I'd like to see both TSmith and JSmith in the same team on game day, for that matter. It would have strengthened our Team, all year. Shame about the reality of circumstances....

Simple solution, used by Sean Wight, Yze, et al; could make a big difference to him at the instance of the big grab.

Tim as a forward goes looking for the ball, and is more frequently finding it - a great sign. TMac needs a rest, recuperation and respite. Lever should not play with a foot injury. ANB is a must, given Jeffy's form. Wagner could stay in. Lockhart needs to come in. Viney or Jones need to stay out to reduce 'bombing'. Time to bring in Preuss as a forward. Gus to the centre, and Clarrie to deep forward. Stretch and JKH could alternate on a wing and into a midfield roving role. Frosty to play at CHB and feed to midfielders or deeper fwd if he can get a run. Big demand this week on Tracca, Hunt and Harmes - mobility will be everything with these guys.

Most probably there will be changes - and there are some alternatives worthy of consideration.

Very true. I still know that Gus will improve as he has done in the past with severe injury - and I still hold the images of Gus fully utilising the 360-degree freedom (that he creates) to ply his run, carry and delivery with the hard ball. Gus is not a flanker - he doesn't need that much space and it is restricting for his game style; he sees ball or gets it tapped to him, carries ball, executes. Sometimes these disposals are astray but like Gawn, he has to carry some team dead weight each week. With the return of our acknowledged power bank and some timely good fortune strapped to that return, Gus' value will re-emerge - that's for sure.

It's all succint, good work. Well done Deespicable. Some controversy, some disagreements, some oversights, lotsa value.

Deflection. (Of who knows what.)

Yet another change for the players themselves - another revamp of instructions hiding the total failure of the Goodwin game plan and its implementation, no doubt. Another series of 'how to play football' all over again, that most probably will infuse further failure and uncertainty in the players. Confusion, mid-season, reigns! All done with limited depth and availability with old trojans leading the way with footy field habits carved in granite. Change just ain't going to happen - not for a clutch of years - with this level of either: persistence in a mask - or Game Plan Mark II. We will persist with failure until we are proven wrong. At that point, we will deny and mask it all, because contractually, we're safe. We know it is necessary but that moment was months ago!

Precisely!

A little creativity and we can rest TMac against Fremantle Dockers, so that at least his recovery (from whatever ails him) and performance readiness are addressed.

One might think that for the FD, this normal expectation is too much to ask. For the fans, members and supporters, it seems, in reality, to have been totally overlooked.

It must have been the onions?

A little AFL consistency would save the trouble of a police state. It's perhaps a little like a corrupt, totalitarian regime intent on its own reign into perpetuity. Think what we think; if not, we can penalise you. Criticism is unhealthy. In reality, privilege to complain at any magnitude will be suppressed.

Knew that, but I have a soft spot for Ballarat, and lived there for 2 years in Pleasant Street very near the Bunch of Grapes pub. My point is that there are beers and there are beers, as we all know. And, there are places and there are places, as we all know. Put the two together and you have some variation - for example, Fourex tastes mediocre in temperate southern climates like Melbourne whereas in more humid conditions such as Brisbane and above, it tastes bloody fantastic! The same with VB/BB. It just tastes great in wet weather. Thanks for your additional info, NSFM, as it happens, when I go to the 'G to see the footy, I usually stay at a rented apartment in the old CUB building, as you mention.

A good to very good nursery for upcoming footballers - competitive environment, too.