Dee man

Haven't been watching today's game so can't comment, but was very very impressed with Cheney at the start of this year. His run out of defence was really solid and well suited to Hawthorn's game plan. His biggest issue was match ups (I think Clarkson played him on Hawkins one game while Lake and Schoenmakers were still out), but it's hard to fault him for that. I think it was a win-win. Given our defensive structure, he probably wouldn't fit in too well with our team (maybe an upgrade for Terlich, but would argue they're about par), but gives Hawks good depth.

Just to clarify, Salem will be eligible for a nomination all year. The condition is playing 10 or few senior games prior to the season beginning. Think he is a real chance this week. He had at least 7 or 8 score involvements.

Am fast becoming a Matt Jones fan. I think last year he was forced to play more as an inside midfielder. But with Tyson, Cross, and Viney getting so much of the hard ball I think Matt Jones has been able to use his speed much more and be a real playmaker. Yes, he still makes a few questionable decisions, but he's fast becoming one of our better outside midfielders. I'd even go as far as saying he's one of our most exciting players to watch.

Very interesting concept, but I disagree that Cross, Tyson, and Viney are the guys who produce the highest value per possession. Nathan Jones has become a very reliable kick, and he's so good at finding space for himself, waiting patiently, and drilling a pass to a teammate (however, I never would have dared say that 4 years ago). I'd argue that his possessions are the most valuable in the team, and I imagine many Demonlanders would agree with that. I think Matt Jones is likewise becoming very reliable with the ball in hand. Before his form slump, Jack Watts would be in a similarly category, as would Chris Dawes, Colin Garland, and Lynden Dunn (their possessions I'd argue are worth more than double than those of Terlich, McDonald, Bail, Byrnes, etc.) Cross, Tyson, and Viney's possessions are very valuable, but because they are so often buried under the pack they don't always end up in the hands of teammates. I'm generalising, but you could argue that for every one or two opportunities they create (by getting the ball out of the pack), they waste a touch by losing possession or forcing another stoppage. I think a more useful exercise is trying to equate the value of a hitout, or a tackle, or a shepherd, in relation to a possession.

To be honest, Dunn has been pretty good since he lost his mo. His last season and a half has been pretty solid.

Presuming that Garland and Jamar are ins this week, I wouldn't want to be making too many more changes to a team that lost by 8 points. If we were to make a third change, I'd imagine it'd be bringing in Clisby. Roos would need to be feeling pretty savage to make a fourth change. I don't think he will.

He has such a huge on-field presence. As soon as he started running at Gold Coast defenders, they started panicking with the ball. Even when he was the man on the mark and the full back was playing on, he was pressuring the man and trying to force an error. I don't mean to draw out negatives, but I found two faults with his game on Sunday. First of all, he's a selfish player. Don't get me wrong, he's a great kick from outside 50 but he has to nail those shots if he's not going to chip it to a closer option in the forward line. Particularly in the first quarter, there were some very good leads he could have honoured when he took those marks on the 50. Also, as someone mentioned earlier he should have handpassed to Spencer after that great forward 50 entry from JKH. The outcome (a behind) might have been the same, but it's the team thing to do. If Dawes had a go at JKH the week before for not going with the percentage play, then he has to have the same standards on himself. Secondly, when he lines up for shots on goal, I notice he goes quite far back and kicks a fair distance away from the man on the mark - essentially turning a shot at goal from 20m into a shot at goal from 30 or 35m. It's a marginal difference, but may be the difference between him being a 2-goal a game player to a 3-goal a game player.

Garland in for Georgiou makes us stronger down back Jamar in for Spencer will make us stronger in the ruck and give us another marking option on the wing And if fit, Kent deserves to be straight back into the team, probably at the expense of Evans. If we had those three potential ins playing today, we would have come even closer to Gold Coast, if not won. Even Roos acknowledged that subbing Tyson was a bad decision. He didn't have his best day, but still got more disposals in half a game of footy than a lot of the team.

Not sure you can write off our second best defender after one ordinary game. I know his disposal/decision making hasn't always been flash, but wouldn't want to be sending McDonald to the seconds any time soon.

Think you're a little harsh on Matt Jones. He didn't quite back up his game from last week, but I didn't think he was bad today - gave us some good run through the middle.

Had almost 22 classy performers today - very hard to split the votes 6 Frawley 5 N Jones 4 Grimes 3 Viney 2 M Jones 1 Bail (best game of his career) Also super impressed with Dunn (am starting to think he's one of our top 5 players on the list), McDonald, JKH, Kent (he's everything Tapscott can do, but better), and Dawes.

Updated team from http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-04-10/round-two-casey-scorpions-teams Casey Scorpions v Geelong Cats, Casey Fields, Sunday April 13, 2pm B: Clisby, Davis, Jetta HB: Salem, Panozza, Strauss C: Byrnes, Nicholson, Best HF: Barry, Smith, Petropoulos F: Blease, Fitzpatrick, Toumpas Foll: Jamar, Trengove, Gent I/C (from): Rosier, King, Morris, Harmes, Ferraro, Godfrey, Hunt, Riley, Page Melbourne-listed players: Mitch Clisby, Neville Jetta, Christian Salem, James Strauss, Shannon Byrnes, Daniel Nicholson, Dom Barry, Sam Blease, Jack Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Toumpas, Mark Jamar, Jack Trengove, Max King, James Harmes, Jayden Hunt, Aidan Riley 2014 AFL Victoria Development League Casey Scorpions v Port Melbourne, Casey Fields, Sunday April 13, 11am B: Corry, Waters, Hillard HB: Godfrey, Welsh, Westrupp C: Scott, Ferraro, Hunt HF: Rosier, Fisscher, Anderson F: Lang, Thwaites, Rutherford Foll: Thomas, Page, Harmes I/C (from): Plummer, Jackson, Collins, McDonald, Corrigan, Drew, West, Meadows, Murray Melbourne-listed players: Maia Westrupp, Jayden Hunt, James Harmes No Garland or Gawn

There is actually a serious problem here, in that perhaps our players (or coaches) simply do not respect the opposition. They think, 'Let's worry about shutting down Player X or Player Y', and don't bother to rate the new players. If our defender's gave Josh Kelly as much respect as they gave Jeremy Cameron, we might have been in the game for a little longer. I might be drawing a long bow here, but maybe it's a by-product of our young players being gifted games without doing the hard yards in the VFL - they didn't have to earn their place in the AFL, so they naturally assume that opposition debutants are unable to impact on games until they've been in the system for 2-3 years.

This is a great video that the AFL plays to all incoming AFL footballers. It features former Cat Simon Hogan speaking about his battle with depression and how that led him to retirement. Helpful food for thought today. www.youtube.com/embed/CAQJKVhQkQE

Really was a defender's game. 6 McDonald 5 Howe 4 Pedersen 3 Tyson 2 Dunn 1 Georgiou

Born 3/4/1995.

Alwyn Davey has been cut by the Dons. Is he worth a 1 or 2 year contract? http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-30/dons-cut-alwyn-davey

Who are we trading him to?

This is the best place to keep track of who has been delisted. http://www.afl.com.au/news/features/retirements-and-delistings

Dayle Garlett would be perfect, but not sure if Dees will risk pick 9 on him, and he may not be available by pick 40. In the short term, Byrnes, Blease, and Kent can all contribute however none were born to crumb. Jetta would be next on the list, but like the others he's a midfielder. The other possibility is Magner, who played a defensive small forward role two years ago.

He didn't have a great season, but he's got a bigger upside than Sellar, who he essentially replaced in the pecking order. Played some nice games as a floating half back. If he can learn how to consistently take contested marks in the AFL, he'll be handy.

FWIW James Strauss (and Neville Jetta) finished in the top 20 in the league for disposal efficiency. Admittedly he didn't play much and have many disposals, but 86% efficiency is still impressive.

Ah yes, free agency. That new chestnut. With that said, a fit Dale Thomas would be just as good a pick up as a Scott Selwood or some of the other players touted as potential pick-2 trades. Fit, however, is the key word here.

If he can recapture his 2010-2012 form, then he is worth pick 2.

Surely Davis is gawn. I'd also say Gillies, Sellar, Jetta, and Couch have played their last games. While he's been ordinary this year, I'm pretty confident Tapscott will survive. Bail, Nicho, and Tynan are probably 50-50s, depending on who's available in the draft/free agency?