Bring-Back-Powell

Yep, heading to the game. Need to ignore the scoreboard in these match sims and be rationale in the game threads, as Richmond touched us up and North walloped Collingwood in the corresponding games last year. Last time I went to Arden Street for a game, shortly after the world (or more specifically Melbourne) shut down for the next 18 months so let's hope history doesn't repeat. There were definitely park restrictions near the oval on that Friday afternoon, and I suspect Saturday parking won't be much better. You'd imagine out of our genuine best 23 Trac, Spargo, McVee and possibly Viney and Windsor (if the latter 2 haven't recovered) will miss this game. Tholstrupp as well but I'm not sure he's in our best team at the moment.

6-8 weeks is smack back in the middle of the of the good to bad news spectrum. He’ll probably back in the side around the round 6 game against Freo. AMW seems the logical replacement while Howes and Hore might be asked to play on smaller defenders if either of those guys has a good practice match series. Please no more injuries given Kozzie’s also out for a while.

And more importantly the side. 100% spot on. Well said.

Yes for sure. I’ve broken it into 3 categories given the hammy didn’t look like a micky mouse one. GOOD NEWS - 4 week and will miss just round 1. MEH/ MODERATE NEWS - 8-10 weeks and will be back about round 6 BAD NEWS - tore the string off the born. Surgery and won’t be seen until after the bye.

I admire your optimism. Judging by the footage on channel 7 news he’s going to need every one of those 5 weeks if he’s any chance for round 1.

That's both fantastic and annoying at the same time. Thoughts on how we structure up for round 1 without McVee, given Greene and Daniels are premier small-medium forwards.

How's Trac looking? Finally in full contact training? Thanks for the reports everyone.

True.

Pickett was rubbed out the minute Moore was subbed out.

Sliding doors moment: We choose Hogan oven BBB at the end of 2020. We miss Brown’s impact in late 2021 and either lose the GF in Perth or don’t make it at all. We win the flag at the G in 2023 over Collingwood or Brisbane with a functional forward line, namely a reliable J Hogan nailing the shots we collectively blew in both finals. We had most of the ingredients in 2023, but we just needed to duck down to Coles or Woolies to grab some icing on the cake in Hogan.

That was a genuinely pathetic performance by us that night and Collingwood actually had more players out than us. One team wanted to the end the season with some pride and dignity and the other was just happy for Mad Monday and the ensuing footy trip or overseas holiday to arrive. Yes, as fate would prove it was better to lose the game given we rose 2 spots up the draft, but the game itself was almost a microcosm of the season and most supporters left the MCG dejected from the game and season on a broader level. Expecting or at least hoping that the standards are much better this year and we have less of these Collingwood and Freo non competitive efforts.

I’m more than happy to watch 3 weeks of practice matches starting on Saturday. What other sport is there to watch at the moment?

A record’s a record mate.

I’d say it’s because he was a first rounder, and the fascination behind getting picked that high. I doubt Aidan Johnson, who was picked up in the late 60’s/early 70’s will get anything near 1000 posts around here.

I’d be happy with Culley.

Nothings been reported, but hopefully they’re just giving him a day off as I reckon he’s completed close to, or up to 100% of sessions. Or maybe a personal matter? Hopefully we don’t get an unpleasant surprise next week in one of Richo’s injury updates.

Watched a replay of the first West Coast game the other day to analyse what went wrong that day, as that was quite frankly the beginning of the end of our season. We couldn’t blame injury as Trac and most others were still in the side. Anyway, amongst the doom and gloom, I was 100% impressed by Caleb Windsor‘s set shot in the first quarter from just outside the 50. One of the most pure shots you’ll ever see, and one that not many on our list are capable of. Add that to the clutch last quarter goals he kicked against Port and Geelong in those wins, suggests you have a players that can seize the moment and will embrace the pressure. The point of this post is that I would like him played further up the field as much as possible in order for those goal kicking opportunities to arise (Bowey the same who I reckon is absolute “money” from 50 out on the run). Lastly, I have high hopes that he can turn out to be an Isaac Smith type. 15-20 goals a year as a class wingman who has been clutch on grand final days.

I reckon the quantity of injuries and rehabbers would marry up with this time last year, and we all bemoaned how bad of a pre season we had last year. I wonder why Lever is back in rehab? Hopefully there's no issue with Windsor.

I've just assumed he'll be in the round 1 side and possibly taken it for granted.

And the Suns for beating Richmond by just enough in the last game. Only half a percent separated GC and us.

Brendan Lade (Dogs assistant) confirmed last night that his club is eager to player other clubs in the build up to round 1. Intra clubs only get you so far. I'm sure most if not all other clubs agree.

Thanks for picking up on that. For the record remove Billings from the bench and put Woewodin or Brown on the bench of the "Best '23' pre season squad". I'm sure those two young fellas may be called up at stages throughout the year.

If they're showing a random West Coast V Richmond match sim in Perth on a Monday morning on Fox Footy/Kayo (which they are according to the Foxtel TV guide) then I'm confident our game against North will also be telecast.

Fair call with McVee and Turner. I don't think McAdam did one full session pre Christmas so he'd probably struggle to get to 80%, and he's again under another cloud.

Yeah I did think of that. However they've had 4-6 or so weeks less conditioning from a contact point of view which isn't perfect. Having said that, they're both seasoned pros and champions that know what they're doing with a combined 25 pre seasons between them, and should be expected to get through the entire season with no issues.