Skuit

Well, this. But, I was referring to Carlton's midfield unit, which presents particular challenges. Although, I'm sure you knew that, as Trenners has absolutely zero chance of breaking into our half-back line. Exchange Carlton for whoever you like, and the sentiment remains the same - I think he'd be better suited coming into a strong midfield than being thrust into the mix as a primary driver. If he has any future with us, he needs to be managed as if a new recruit. Return to the bolded statement. My point was more that his card was stamped some time ago, rather than as a dawning conclusion of his non-selection this week. Indeed, I think it would have been likelier that he would be getting a game around now and over the past couple weeks had Jones, Viney and a cast of others not been injured, as a suitable rotation for player management.

We need to retain ANB to satisfy the Bulldogs in a trade for Bontempelli next year.

Packaging up Stretch, Kent and JKH of course.

I don't see Trenners getting a game anytime soon, but I also don't see the argument that this would have been the week of all weeks, and thus that this specific non-selection equals a definitive card-stamping. With Jack's current deficiencies, I would much rather see him come into a midfield with proper strength and support, rather than be brought in after so long for a core leadership role with pace and impact issues against a challenging Carlton unit.

After doing this armchair-expert caper for while you begin to get a pretty good sense of who is leaving and staying through the media comments. This is a tough one, but I think there are some hints he's on the move. My guess; Adelaide are trying to sweet-talk him for taking unders or current market, 'we will negotiate the appropriate deal', to reserve some cash for a potential post-season midfield splash if something pops up. My opinion: forget the sweet-talk, and send Jake King 'round to get him to the Dees on the coin he deserves. Strategically, my tune is also changing, and I would be prepared for us now to sell a chunk of the farm for a couple of key acquisitions, namely Lever and Kelly (the latter with a sub-committee set-up to attract him for slight unders against success , camaraderie and culture as to what's been reported offered from North et al.). We need to guarantee tangible success now (as best we can) for the general sustained-success group-wage-reduction plan to come to fruition, and we only have a short window before GWS own the comp - to first achieve success, and to construct an actively competitive list thereafter. I now don't think that a couple of wage outliers will spoil the broth if signed to four/five year big-bucks contracts now, (with a lot of our key keys not coming up again until 2019/20). And if we lose some decent talent looking for dollars along the way, we will be duly compensated, and still better off to cover it with KPs Lever and Kelly in place.

Was saying just a few weeks back, that with the general playing attributes of our forward starters, we basically had a set-up full of mediums. Now with Watts and Bugg out, and Hannan and Petracca pushed up to the centre-line (with Harmes likely to run through the middle a bit more this week), replaced by a mix of Hogan, Pedo, Tmac and Kent starting forward with Garlett, we practically have no mediums up front but an arrangement of talls and smalls. There's a great deal of inbuilt versatility there though, and I hope we use this to our advantage by rotating set-ups and tactics to unsettle the Blues' defence. If in one moment you've got to contend with Hogan, Pedo, Tmac and Max drifting forward, and in the next, Tmac is floating off half back, Hogan is in the middle, and suddenly Petracca and Hannan are lurking around, it's going to keep you on your toes.

Leading the tipping is a sign of derangement this year rather than insight.

By way of puntkick's vessel.

Yeah, the Stupormarket. Stupor being 'the lack of critical mental function' or a 'condition of greatly dulled or completely suspended sensibility'. Sorry Daisy - but please don't throw away your money to those blood-sucking bookies based on some sort of sentimentality. I'll send the club a cheque for $50 on your behalf if Trenners gets even close.

Six weeks is 42 days. And therein lies your answer.

Half-back line of Hunt, Frost, and Smith is pretty zippy.

A selection of the potato offerings at Fat Monkey.

In Jack Viney's case it's more like 6-to-4.

The cat was away and the mice played.

Abstract, and not so much positional, but Viney and Jones have left a gaping hole in leadership and drive. So . . . Oliver. The only one left capable to drive us to a win from the centre. A bit of an ask from a 28-game second-year mid who is already playing at a level well above expectations, but if he takes the responsibility on himself, as the primary midfield generator, I think he could emerge at another level - from young phenom to a leader and outright elite mid. Will need Vince and Lewis to provide old-stager support around the stoppages, and dare I say it, will need to use his burst strength and look get ball to boot more often. But I hope Macca is in his ear telling Clayton that he's the chosen one. Otherwise, as to the multiple holes, If Joel Smith pushes his way back into the team, I wouldn't be surprised to see him potentially fill a couple of them as another emerging swing-man.

The MFC should employ you to take the players out drinking. Everyone would would make their excuses after the first round and quietly head home.

Just the death throes of the Norm Smith Curse. Don't worry, it means we're getting close.

Like 127 Hours? I suppose if anyone would saw off their own foot to take the field it would be Jack Viney.

Didn't see the match. Haven't read the thread. Expected a loss due to injuries and our fixture. Add Viney after the half and I'm sure it quashed any hope of a comeback. Not concerned as such (for this one). But can someone outline any positives for me? I see we kicked four goals in a handful of minutes. Did we still look threatening at times? Cheers.

Off-site facility gives me the shivers.

Said it last year, and will say it again. Those trying to scrape together a list of our 'minimum three' in turnover as per regulations are ignoring the historical reality. Lowest turnover numbers for the last however many years: 2016: Bulldogs/Richmond/Port - 7 2015: Bulldogs/Saints/Hawthorn - 8 2014: Freo/West Coast - 6 2013: Bulldogs/Gold Coast - 6

I think Sydney will be coming for us. We may have a depleted forward line, but we're still kicking decent scores and it revolves a fair deal on forward-pressure. The Swans will be looking at ways to counter this. Garlett is no. 1 and drives the forward line in this regard - is he replaceable or do we look at a different forward set-up to counter Swan expectations - e.g. go as tall as we can and counter their planning with Weid and maybe Spence in rather than try to cover Garlett with Kent/Kennedy/JHK/Hunt/etc.? Next stop, midfield. Where it will probably be won when all is said and done. And they've got the insides to match. Jack Viney will still be hurting, and he'll be tested by the senior Swans. Expect this to be a focus of theirs, a lot of blocking, the Swans to be planning for Max, as well as our extras of half-back, and maybe conceding some Oliver touch in the middle. This is where I'm actually most concerned for the first time. And defense. I reckon the Swans will try to isolate and get us on rebound the way other teams have kept the scoreboard ticking over in the past. But I have also sensed a subtle change in the past two weeks (didn't see much of the Collingwood match), with us relaxing our high press a bit and tightening down back - while scoring a lot ourselves on rebound and over the top. Will be interesting to see if the Swans have looked at this themselves as well or if they'll rely on the old formula of beating the Demons 2017. All in all; I think this will come down to the coaching, and Goody and co. are at a decent disadvantage.

See the Jack Viney made me cry thread. And maybe the Rolf Harris trial transcripts and the left, right and centrist media.

You forgot the great Alex Georgiou. Not just kept him quite, but let Buddy know about it as well.

Still not entirely certain whether Pedo missed the ball after the Hibberd kick or tried to tap it over his head? Looks like a fumble, but he is partial to the paddle. The other note: if Tmac didn't cop a decent tackle, we had players in the right spots for a dish and goal. Harmes for the first hand-off, then Pedo back in the mix and Hannan free and open. Also - love the still of this you-tube clip - nine Demons occupying the centre of the screen.