Bring-Back-Powell

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.

I would like to see Mitch Brown play the Marsh Series. I have a feeling we'll be relying on him for much of the season.

1976 - We beat the Roos at Arden Street by 23 points after trailing by 16 at quarter time. Some bloke by the name of Henry Coles had a day out with 3.5 and 25 touches. In the 1978 season opener we got flogged by the Hawks by 79 points.

You must have known something was up because he's not training today. Demon royalty is a big call for vandenBerg! Good player but doesn't quite have the runs on the board yet I wouldn't have thought.

Geez the injuries are starting to stack up, after what was once a very healthy and promising pre season. So Gawn, Brayshaw, Bennell (obviously), Hibberd and VDB will miss the Adelaide game if the latter 2 are confirmed as injured. Hibberd will be lucky to play round 1 if he's done his calf proper.

It’s not as if the men’s league has been covering themselves in glory in this department. Last year we had just 3 AFL games were the losing side scored 100 points (we were involved in 2 of these) Conversely in 2000, we already had three 100-100 games by Sunday night of round 1. The lack of scoring is an epidemic across both leagues.

Who remembers the St Kilda game at Waverley that year? It was a very significant game in 87’

That is 150% true. It's an indictment on the club website that I come to Demonland for all the training and injury news. I doubt the other clubs are any better in terms of keeping their supporters in the loop.

Brayshaw Melksham Weid Gawn

Assuming he plays every game, it would be V's GC Suns in round 15, Sat arvo at the G.

Even though there was only 17,108 in attendance?

No. It was technically called a behind by the umpire with 1 or 2 seconds left.

Not anymore. Carlton and Collingwood met just once last year. And Richmond and Essendon only met once as well last year.

I walked out of that game livid despite actually getting 4 points. I should've been doing cartwheels considering we'd go on to win a whopping 2 of the next 14 games.

I agree. Having Richmond V Carlton as the season opener since 2008 (excluding 2014 which had an even worse opener in Pies V Freo) is an absolute farce and an embarrassment by the AFL. This fixture should belong to two high premium finalist from the previous year that will put on one almighty show for the public. Eg - Richmond V Collingwood would be tremendous. Instead, each year we have to put up with a dominant Richmond that never gets out of second gear playing a serial garbage side that wins 4 games a year in a yawn fest. Does the AFL think the general viewer actually enjoys this?