Bring-Back-Powell

Very nervous how our forward line will function in the early weeks and specifically the lack of firepower. Today will get our first glimpse of it.

Anyone watching behind the fence with the snakes and the Richmond supporters?

Not at all. Pre season games haven’t been televised on FTA for a number of years.

I got an email from the AFL membership department a couple of weeks ago: Monday 1 March online sales - 12pm for members. 3pm for the public. I assume more details will come to light when Andrews winds back the restrictions tomorrow.

Agreed. They’ve traded for the now with regards to their last 2 off seasons and so far so good for them. They’ve got a clear strategy of trading for players that will have an immediate impact on them and it paid dividends for them last year.

Tiny sample space but the scores appear up. None of this rubbish 60-42 games that blighted 2020. Hoping the 98-83 Hawks v Dogs score from yeaterday is the norm for 2021. Losing teams should be managing at least 75 points a game IMO.

It’s either Petracca, or Jimmy Toumpas popped in for training and donned the number 5 he made famous...

Could probably do worse than PJ as our next president, if he’s suited to that position.

Valid point, and fair enough with it hard to police a non ticketed event. So, why not then make these practice matches a ticketed event? Bring something back to the fans who have been robbed a season of footy.

Had a peek at the HFC bigfooty forum and they're all celebrating their last quarter heroics and thinking it could be a much better year than people think. Doggies supporters meanwhile are saying "it's only pre season, we weren't even trying, Bevo was experimenting in the last qtr" On topic of no fans, why is this? They're letting people go to the AFLW and the AAMI series, but not this weekend's games? I was under the impression this week's games were for the purpose of no interstate travelling for clubs, which is fine but why lock out the fans who are hungry for footy after being forced to watch the entire season in their lounge room. I though we were supposed to be learning how to live in a COVID safe era and therefore a couple of thousand odd supporters can easily socially distance at Casey, Whitten Oval, Princes Park etc...Another example of fan disengagement where it doesn't have to be this way.

Don't know about last year but they most certainly put the Collingwood V Melbourne 2019 practice match for viewing after the game.

I think that sums up Hunt's career to date.

You're correct, the viewing is very difficult, particularly from the opposite wing and players taking shots from 30 mtrs out (although you can probably guess the result of a Maxy Gawn regulation set shot from 25 mtrs out) Might leave it for the game at Marvel against the Dogs on 8 March if they're selling a few thousand tickets for that one.

Anyone have the guts to head to Casey to watch the game on Friday morning behind the fence even though it's closed to the public?

I really like Langdon as a player but he certainly had his honeymoon period of "Demonland whipping boy" immunity in terms of his kicking. Kicked about 2.8 last year. Needs to kick 10 to 12 goals as a full time winger this year. I think it will be if we continue to have games like the Doggies loss last year where they kicked 7 in a row and put the game to bed in one quarter, or the Cairns debacles where he couldn't steady the ship and get the boys focused against two poorish sides. Gawn's nailed the off filed component of being a captain but the on field is up for debate.

Surprise - James Jordon Whipping boy - one of older fellas such as T Mac, Jones or Melksham. Lever’s an outside chance as it’s his 4th season and he hasn’t really lived up to his price tag to date.

Carlton V Essendon, Bulldogs V Hawthorn (both games members only) and Adelaide V Port are announced games that will be streamed live. Hopefully we follow suit.

May as well make it a package deal and change the coach while you’re at it.

Either Melksham is doing his rehab and out for 3 weeks or Tom Browne was wrong. It surely can't be the latter.

I have a feeling you can rule him out for the early rounds. Has he even done a training session since 1 Jan? Our depth will be tested early on with BBB, Weid, Melksham, Hibberd and possibly Kozzie all out for at least the first 1-2 games.

FWIW, Carlton and Essendon are doing a members only live stream for their game on Thursday.

Agreed. Hunt needs to play forward with Melksham injured and Hannan gone. Plus he's one of the more natural goal kickers on the list and is coming off a 4 goal game.

I wonder if both clubs will kick up a fuss if they see people watching behind the fence? And hopefully they'll do a stream of the game.

Given Richmond and Melbourne can choose whichever day they want to play, I doubt very much whether Richmond would voluntarily impose a 5--6 day break on themselves as opposed to giving themselves a proper 7 day break if they play this scratch match game on Friday.

Richmond are playing Collingwood on Friday 5 March so I doubt we'll be playing Richmond this weekend. Will be more likely Friday or Thursday.