Bring-Back-Powell

Oh for goodness sake.

So Jade Gresham's (0 All Australians and 0 B&F's) a better player than All Australian and 2 time best and fairest winner Clayton Oliver. Seems logical.

They're simply practice matches with a naming right and are televised on Foxtel. Certainly no trophy involved.

Oliver didn't even get selected for the VIC's?? Or am I overrating Oliver?

I'm wondering what the point of this fixture this, unless it's actually Casey Demons V Essendon's VFL side. There will be bugger all MFC players (due to injuries) aside from a couple of kids and perhaps a Tomlinson and Spargo who've been in rehab for a chunk of pre season.

Gary Pert more or less suggested that May misses round 1, but they're hopeful he'll return in the early part of the season. Hopefully we can get 18 consecutive games out of him this year, otherwise this trade is looking disastrous.

I’m not even sure he’ll play. He’s spent almost the entire pre season in rehab, aside from the last 3 or so weeks. Whether that’s enough to get a game??

They ought to cancel the Essendon hitout as we're running our of players: Here is the side for Saturday if we go ultra conservative and disregard players who are either currently injured, in rehab or have been in rehab for a large part of pre season: B Jetta O Mac Hibberd HB Harmes Lever Salem C Langdon Petracca Jones HF Hunt Weed ANB F Fristch Brown Pickett FOLL Jackson Oliver Viney INT J Wagner Hore Lockhart Sparrow Jordan Bedford Rivers is literally the one and only player I couldn't sneak in. But could put him in for one of the others on the bench. Unavailable - T Mac, Gawn, Brayshaw, Tomlinson, Preuss, Spargo, Hannan, Melksham, Petty, J Smith, VDB, May, Neita, Chandler and who ever else I've overlooked.

T Mac in the rehab group .... https://www.afl.com.au/news/374096/big-demons-forward-joins-all-australian-ruckman-in-rehab-group We might be making an early claim on the Mitch Brown insurance policy this weekend.

And hopefully all OK with T Mac. The most recent training report indicated he rolled his ankle and didn't complete training. (unless you believe the Friday training report when Lever kicked 6 on Weideman, and T Mac kicked 3 sausages in match sim)

I'd say it's his personality - but yeah, he wouldn't be the most trustworthy bloke going around given his history. I know words aren't everything but when he said he had to leave his brother's house on GF day and cried after seeing his ex GC mates win a flag at Richmond while he didn't have a contract, it probably spoke volumes on how much he wants this second chance. Would really like to hear that he's doing something more than light jogging before I can picture him an MFC jumper this year.

According to Dal Santo and other gutsy media pundits, the 8 won’t change despite at least 2 changes every year since the final 8 was introduced in 1994 North, Hawthorn and Port to replace Essendon and 2 other clubs that cop significant injuries. And yes it could be Richmond who couldn’t cover for their injuries at one stage mid season (losing to Geelong by 75 during their worst plight)

It was round 20 1990. We also beat them by 2 points in round 8 1989 over there but there was no such controversy or carry on in that game.

It's our board that was extremely generous in giving him a 3 year extension despite no evidence that we would have a back to back finals campaign. Therefore, Goodwin is as safe as houses if he has a mediocre 8 win season, IMO due to his multiple year contract. Another 4 or 5 win season might change the landscape.

Agree with that. Not too many coaches get a 2 year apprenticeship with the promise of the full time gig. He'll survive with 8 wins though. Too many years left on his contract and it would be an improvement on last year (sadly).

Add Hawthorn to the possible ins. Can see them making top 6.

The first two are bloody tough but the draw opens up a bit between rounds 3-11 as six of those games involve non 2019 finalists and another against Essendon who I don't rate this year. We just need to keep our percentage intact after round 2 with two close losses and then launch from round 3 onwards.

10 wins is my pass mark. And even then, I think we'll have to work damn hard to get those 10 wins. I agree with others that Goodwin needs 8 wins to survive.

Simpson said it’s a possibility but in no way confirmed that he misses.

No way Darling's missing our game with a fractured cheekbone. Has 5 weeks to get over it.

There was a report somewhere that his arm guard has been removed and he might ramp things up next week. Hopefully he'll be ready for Marsh 2 V's Hawthorn along with Gawn and May.

Why not? Jackson is a player on our list and is eligible to play seniors and was the number 1 ruck for WA last year. He can receive some solid back up by the tall forwards but I don't see an issue with him being the number 1 ruck in a mid Feb game.

I'm confused with where Melksham's at. One poster claims he'll miss the early rounds with hamstring soreness, but here he is training fully today.

I’d give Jackson the number 1 gig vs Adelaide with heavy back up support from the tall forwards you mentioned. The result’s irrelevant given we’ll have as many as Gawn, Melksham, Preuss, Brayshaw, May, Tomlinson, Spargo, Hannan and VDB out- so you may as well give Jackson some good experience in the ruck. (Tomlinson and VDB may very well get selected if they’re good to go) I’m disappointed how the pre season’s evolved given how much the club has craved an injury free summer.

Bitterly disappointing news if true.