drdrake

To me the next three weeks will really define our season. They will determine whether we have a slim chance of being a top 8 contender or just hover between 12-16th. Three games that we can win against Collingwood, Richmond and St Kilda, we could be 4 and 2 after this stretch, at a bare minimum we should be 3 and 3 and it would be a complete utter disaster if we are 1 and 5. Our players talk about improvement, GWS was a terrible game but we stole it, Essendon well no need to comment and North another should have game but at least we played well. It is time for the club to get of the rollercoaster and show us what they are really made of. Three weeks, a lot of talk out of the club over pre-season the next three weeks will show us supporters whether this talk was to build the Hype or we have the game to back this up.

Nothing like stalling, what could have been again 38-40,000 will now just fall over 37K, unless of course we beat Collingwood, Richmond and St Kilda all three games we can win if our players want to.

I always thought Richmond but I reckon this could be pushed back to St Kilda, another 2 runs at VFL should see him cherry ripe. Brayshaw another run VFL this week in for Richmond. I wouldn't mind 1 change this week Garlett for Vince.

The way Oliver plays reminds me of C Judd when he started, great at the clearances seems to find space. Our 3rd Tall Forward back up Ruck is a concern, we just don't have one and unless Max King really comes on this year. Loss is a Loss, we just really need to improve our bottom 4-5 players, replace them with Brayshaw, Trengove, Petracca and Garlett that will certainly help.

I still think Trengove will come in first, backing him for Richmond, gives him 2 more weeks at Casey. Petracca, I reckon could be on track for Richmond also but it will depend on how bad we go over the next two week. If we get smashed by North and beaten by Collingwood, I reckon both will be back for Richmond. If somehow we are 2 and 2 going into Richmond I reckon we will see Trengove against Richmond and as long as Petracca's form holds we will see him the week later.

Agree with this, can Brayshaw play 90 mins of AFL football, you need to pick one Oliver or Brayshaw, I reckon they are good for 60% game time at the moment. Brayshaw give him 2 games at Casey. You then will have 3 good footballers AFL ready in a fortnight, Brayshaw, Trengove and Petracca. I would target Richmond 24/4 for all three

My team against North Jetta Frost Dunn Salem T McDonald Grimes Stretch N Jones Vince Watts Pederson Kent Garlett Hogan Kennedy Gawn Viney Tyson Oliver, Harmes, Vandenberg, M Jones In Frost, Dunn, Grimes, Stretch Out Bugg, Garland, H, Brayshaw Need to get our defense solid. I have brought in Dunn and Grimes as I believe both have a very good defensive side. Frost lets start playing him in the postion we picked him up to play, crash packs, our defenders don't destroy the contest. Salem is our get out man he gets the 6th forward.

I didn't attend the match this week but watch on TV and even went through the pain of watching again yesterday. For years Jack Watts has been the whipping boy of our club, tell you what it should be Tom McDonald, he is the barometer of our club. When he is off so are we, the issue with us is we attack from so deep in defence but our defenders can't kick. We turn the ball over in our defensive half to much and usually results in a score because no one is behond them. I bet sides are happy for us to switch the ball in our defensive 50m arc and they leave Tom as the free man for us to kick to. You know that he will turn over 4 out of 10 disposals. Each week Tom gives away as many goals as he saves. What a difference, we are 11th could have been sitting 5th, we now face 3 weeks that will define our season. We can be 1 and 4 after round 5, we need to pick up 2 wins over the next 3 weeks or we start talking about draft picks. Oh Sh*t no point talking about draft picks we gave away our first round pick next year.

I reckon Friday the club will announce it has surpassed our previous Membership record. I think once they finalise processing memberships from the weekend and a the renewals coming in the week we will hit the 37K mark

Carlton will beat Richmond

2 working days to go, should push past 34,000 prior to round 1. I think 38K, I reckon 40K hinges on our performance against Collingwood round 4, if we can be 3 and 1 or better still 4 and 0 we hit 40K, if we are 1 and 3 it will stall to about 37000.

See its over 33,000 members today, be great to crack 34,000 before Friday.

I reckon this is pretty much spot on. That means our 2nds look like Hunt O MacDonald White H Frost Terlich M Jones ANB Stretch Petracca Dawes Trengove JKH Weiderman Max King Spencer Newton Michie Mitch king, Smith, Hullett, Max King Wagner

It is all about the start of our season, if we can start well get the confidence up anything is possible. If we can be 4 and 2 or even better 5 and 1 by the end of April that would really set us up. If it is the flip all that confidence gets smashed and you are done. The only thing that is holding us back to really improve is belief, at the moment our players have it most clubs do through pre-season but that can be taken away very quickly if you don't deliver in the first 5-6 rounds

It will be round 3-5 before we see him play for Melbourne. 3-4 runs in VFL, I reckon Melbourne V Richmond 24/4.

I'm only comparing the two as Juniors, there are a lot of similarities in the two from an under age footy prospective. Petracca will be evaluated on his on merits and number 1 is playing a match in the VFL, then two matches, then a third and really starting to stake a claim. At the moment he has no merit only past junior history. No one on this site wants him to be another Col Sylvia, far from it we want him to come in and realise his potential and not waste it. Every player needs to earn a match, no exceptions he will need 4 runs at a lower level minimum, build him into the season. It wouldn't harm him to spend 8-12 weeks at Casey, make him get 3 or 4 times in the best before he gets a crack at AFL.

I think Old Dee's position is spot on. We had a player not so long ago that came to us with all the same if not better attributes this guy has, like him missed early football because of injury and was one of the most talented frustrating players on our list, then Fremantle took him off our hands before he was walked. If you compare Trac and Col Sylvia when he was drafted they are exactly the same. Hopefully Trac makes the most of his talent.

I thought we were pasted this sink or swim attitude. Both him and Trengove need at least 4 matches at lower levels, and if they both start at the same time round 1 VFL or last scratch match VFL, Trengove will earn his spot before him. Jack Trengove is a gun and if fit and in form will demand a spot. This kid is a great unknown, good junior but we have seen a number of high pick good juniors. I hope he comes out and gets best on a couple of weeks in a row in the VFL and demands a spot, but I think it will be Trengove demanding a spot first

He has to earn his spot, 12 months out of the game, a silly injury I reckon round 6-7 we will see him. We will see Jack Trengove in our senior line up before him

The good and bad of yesterday, Bad Luna Park, good because we have out grown it. The venue is now to small for us.

You will find that we will go in very similar with Jones and Vince. It is all about match time 8 on the bench, I think this week will be more of the same a lot of rotations managing game time. I reckon this is the best way to do it, I was surprised to see how low Ports Interchanges were.

With just over 1 week until our pre-season opener I reckon at this stage round 1 our team is: Jetta T McDonald Dunn Salem Garland White Vince N Jones Vandenburg Watts Pederson Kent Garlett Hogan Brayshaw Gawn Viney Tyson Kennedy, Stretch, Bugg, Frost Guys that aren't full training by now will struggle to make Round 1.

This time of year you have the variable of when was our first pre-season match. You expect a little spike then, plus from memory our Family day was very early last year, I reckon it could have been early Feb. The AFL should rank on Revenue from Memberships rather than membership numbers. If that was the case West Coast and Adelaide would rank 1 and 2, the micky mouse membership numbers that Richmond/Collingwood and Hawthorn throw up mean nothing.

Chris Dawes is one of the most important players for our club in 2016. Jesse Hogan will be targeted next season, he needs the seasoned big body next to him. Like to see Pedersen as the third tall and give the young talls time to develop. To have a forward line like below gives us a chance Garlett Hogan Pederson Watts Dawes Kent

Who cares, you play the teams you have to play win more than you lose. We need to live in the ross lyon bubble, control what you can and ignore what you cant