Roost it far

Did he play 4 quarters?

How did Spargo go on the weekend?

He kicked 14 goals in the last 12 rounds last year, showed little to no second efforts, defensively he was horrible and on Sunday he was goalless and lacklustre at best. At what point does he get a whack. I’d give him another 3-4 games to show us he deserves a game.

Sign him up to a 4- 5 year deal

You wouldn’t play him forward.

I don’t care if he’s the best forward in the history of world sport. He’s not delivering, if that doesn’t change and guys like JVR, Jefferson, Turner, AJ, Pickett are all playing good football then his spot may be at Casey for a few weeks. Also I’d take Neitz, Lyon, Robertson and a few others ahead over the last 50 years.

Thats what I’ll be doing

That’s a Premiership trio right there

It’s these games I prefer to go to. As an MCC member I’m not into the book ahead. I like to rock up, find a seat and relax. I also don’t particularly like big crowds although I do love the atmosphere at times. I’ll be heading to all the smaller drawing games, the Anzac match (Richmond mate books the tickets every year), Carlton and Hawthorn match’s. KB if we’re travelling well. I absolutely hate Collingwood crowds and I’m not an MCC softy, I just don’t enjoy the aggressive, anger based supporting they belt out. I’ve had 3 of the last 4 ruined because of this.

I haven’t been a big wrap for Jefferson but to say he did nothing else isn’t watching his efforts. He had as good a debut as anyone could hope for, led well, competed hard against a very strong backline and was a real positive for me on the day.

The hardest positions to fill are the key positions. They’re just isn’t that many kids who are nearing 200cm who can play footy at the top level, it’s pretty much always been this way and now there’s 18 teams chasing them. Richmond had Lynch and that was it, they went ok. I’m not sure this means that 2-3 big forwards is a thing of the past. We don’t have an abundance of small running forwards like Hawthorn but that doesn’t mean we can’t beat them with 2-3 quality talls playing a system that works. I’ll give it more than 1 week before I decide which method is best. I’m confident in JVR and Turner, I thought Jefferson had an excellent debut. AJ I like but I think he’ll end up fringe to our best 22. My concern atm is Fritsch. I don’t remember his last great game. Again I’ll give him a few weeks but with Pickett, Spargo and Melksham soon to be back he will want to start contributing meaningfully.

Don’t be so sure, he’s on $800K, someone’s going to offer him $1.2 - 1.5, that’s a big big difference at the end of your career.

I think part of winning the flag is fine tuning your game plan as the season progresses. We’ve started by playing 3 talls who will all be better for the run. AJ goes out so I’d bring Turner in and go with 3 talls again. When we have Pickett, Spargo and Melksham available I think we can adjust the set up. It seems the FD want to try JVR as a stay at home forward, I like this but that means we need another relief ruck….enter AJ. No one else in the team can play that role so I think we’ll see JVR back there this week unless Turner is given a shot. Personally I think you pick your best 22 so at times that’ll be 3 talls and at others it won’t be. For mine a lot depends on whether Spargo can find form as I think Chandler is running out of chances and I wasn’t overly excited about Sharp’s game. I’d like to see both Pickett and Spargo play and with better crumbers I think you can play 3 talls. Again we’re relying very heavily on a 33 year old ruckman but his form looks good. I just hope they give him games off as the season goes on. In other words I think this week’s best 22 has 3 talls playing.

I think we play Turner for AJ Langford on, Sharp the sub Howes is the tricky one. I don't see an obvious replacement. I'd give Woewodin a shot but that to comes with risk. I'm guessing Howes gets another chance. Fritsch is no chance to be dropped until Pickett, Spargo and Melksham are back. He needs to find some form and this week could be just the week. I just want the points and no injuries the next 2 weeks and then get May, Pickett, Spargo and maybe Melksham into the side for Freo. That to me is our must win game to make up for the points we just lost. I want to see a ruthless edge the next 2 weeks.

Jackson's new management are basically saying to Freo. You are going to have to add 50% to his contract or we're heading to Melbourne.

I can see the threepeat now 25-26-27

Bugger but Turner now gets his chance

I actually think he’s going to be an absolute ripper. I think in time he’ll make his way into the middle but there’s no rush. These wiry framed guys can end up holding their own in contested stuff. Put him beside Langford, Petracca and Oliver in a few years and he’ll go alright.

Take that, misread the post. Still it’s an odd observation if a guy playing his first game.

I reckon if they had their time again they’d go with the big 4 at the bounce.

Didn’t Lindsay Rocket up that list!

You weren’t watching. Lindsay put his body on the line at least 3 times right in front of me, copped some hits and got straight up.

What was the alternative to 3 talls yesterday considering Pickett, Spargo and Melksham are all short term outs. I would of liked top see AJ off for Langford at 3/4 time but can see the thought behind Howes off and Rivers back. It may just be that Rivers is a HBFlanker and not a mid. I also thought the big 4 needed to be at the centre bounces for the last 15 minutes. Anyhoo we'll likely beat North and GC and forget about this soon enough.

I don't think you can say we lost that game because we played 3 tall forwards. Who do you suggest we play as a replacement. Others have suggested Billings. He's a winger and he's vanilla at best, he doesn't change the forward structure. Until Pickett, Spargo and Melksham are back I'm not sure we have another option.