dee-tox

On form I'd replace Nicholson, Strauss and possibly Morton. To come in? No idea!

Good was the cohesion in the forward line. Petterd. Stef Martin. Maric's first half. Sylvia and Trengove streaming towards goal. Bad was the last quarter, Gysberts disposal and Jones' moustache. Ugly was Nicholson's game apart from a decent goal he was caught regularly, gave away frees and scrubbed many of his kicks.

6 Trengove 5 Watts 4 Petterd 3 Howe 2 McKenzie (tried but was well beaten) 1 Martin (even though he was flogged in the ruck contests and DE was poor.)

6. Moloney 5. Watts 4. Jones 3. Frawley 2. Scully 1. McKenzie Green unlucky

6 Green 5 Rivers 4 The Gys 3 Jordie Mac 2 Martin 1 Trengove Apologies to Jones/Moloney/Jetta/Joel Mac/Chip/Bennell and Morton

6 Rivers 5 Sylvia 4 MacDonald 3 Green 2 Jones 1 Martin On a side note, what does Jordie need to do to get a free kick?

6 Frawley 5 Martin 4 Jones 3 Sylvia 2 Warnock 1 Watts

It is bizarre the lack of love for Jamar. It was the midfield that dominated for Melbourne, and Jamar was the reason for this. He gave Moloney an arm chair ride for a start. To not include him in the top two on the ground is staggering.

6 Jamar 5 Moloney 4 Sylvia 3 Jones 2 Petterd 1 Trengove

I was also at Casey for the first time. I agree about Watts looking lazy. He was just going through the motions in my opinion. Don't want to come across as negative, but there was an exercise that Scott West was running where the ball handling at times was terrible for AFL footballers. Young Troy Davis it seemed failed to hit a target at any time, while Spencer fumbled and bumbled his way around. Far too many handling errors for my liking. On the positive side. I was amazed at Scully's pace in the 220 sprints. Addam Maric is looking like an AFL footballer. Strauss was working well in the one-on-one spoiling exercises. Jamar was working brilliantly and young Cook looks to have pretty decent hands.

It seems obvious that JT has done plenty of leg weights over the break. I reckon he's being groomed for a more inside role. With plenty of running throughout the pre-season he will slim down and shouldn't lose pace.

I have my doubts on Darling. Firstly, because of his size. Secondly, how does a player who prides himself on physicality recover mentally from a fractured skull? Thirdly, what role would we want him to play? Dunn, Bate, Petterd and Jurrah are all similar height. Fourthly, when there are questions about character, they tend not to be one-off incidents. I'd be happy to draft Smedts and hope we pick up a 6'6'' potential forward later in the draft.

Depends on a couple of factors. Injuries and development. Obviously we can't afford serious injuries to major playmakers (Jamar, Green, Davey, Frawley etc) If Maric, Morton, Blease, Tapscott, Gysberts, Trengove, Scully, Watts and Bennell show significant improvement then we'll make top-six. Bailey's credentials are on the line here, as a teaching/development coach and if he does his job like he has with Jamar, Frawley, Garland, Dunn and Bartram, we'll be cooking with gas in 2011.

Think a few bloke are overating Fitzpatrick! Will strugle to make it.

6 Bruce 5 Green 4 Sylvia 3 Frawley 2 Bartram 1 Jamar

Good point Jerry on Davey. He was superb. 3 Jamar 2.5 davey 2 Moloney 1.5 Garland 1 Jones .5 Morton

6 McDonald 5 McKenzie 4 Moloney 3 Watts 2 Grimes 1 Green

It is a good point you raise and something that has worried me for a little while. We need to clone Matty Whelan.

6 Lynden Dunn 5 James McDonald 4 Brad Green 3 Cameron Bruce 2 Mark Jamar 1 Jack Grimes

Strange how things work out. Wellman was sacked by the Bulldogs three years ago.

I think the issue with Hawkins is similar to many key position players and how difficult it is to play that role in today's football. You only have the plethora of high draft, key position players that have not lived up to expectations. Think Gumbleton, Hansen, Thorp, Sellar, Dowler, Hawkins, Henderson and Josh Kennedy. Current game plans make it difficult for key forwards to perform. It is only the truly outstanding players such as Riewoldt, Franklin, Brown and Fevola that have defied this trend.

6 James McDonald 5 Moloney 4 Sylvia 3 Green 2 Jamar 1 MacDonald

6 Junior McDonald 5 Chip Frawley 4 Frank Grimes 3 Bennell 2 Greeny 1 Bail

6 Petterd 5 Jamar 4 James McDonald 3 Davey 2 Grimes 1 McKenzie

Very harsh on Petterd. Did allright considering the entries into the forward 50. Should have had four goals.