godees

I agree that we do need to start planning for next year. BUT that does not mean bringing in players who haven't earnt it e.g. Buckley, until they earn it (at least until the last 5 rounds or so and then only maybe bring them in). People keep calling for Buckley to play but he has not earnt it with his performances for Sandy. Players like Wheatley and Miller who are still young but many have written off, need to be given another chance. Give the young players in the team more game time, particularly game time on the ball for players like Petterd and Jones. Give them more responsibility. Don't risk any players with injury. Particularly OP. Moloney should have all the time he needs to get it right. If Sylvia feels anything in his groin, don't risk it. But DON'T blindly play youth. Play the players who deserve it. If it is between young and old and it is relatively close, chose young. But don't play Buckley ahead of Brown, for e.g., because Brown WILL give us more now, and most likely in the long term. If the young players are going to be any good, they will earn their place. If they can't earn their place at VFL level, how can they be expected to compete at AFL level. Would love to see Newton ASAP. Even if it means having Dunn, Neitz, Robbo and Newton all in the same forwardline. And then Frawley once he gets back into the swing of things. Must keep trying to win. Tanking is a dirty word, and it is disgraceful for people to even suggest it.

Don't stress. When it is a sunday game Gameday always just puts in the first 4 players named on the bench and our bench was PJ Jones Whelan Warnock McLean HOlland Petterd. So although Warnock has travelled (which is normal - we always take an emergency over), I don't think there is any reason to expect Petterd to be out.

Are you speculating or do you know? If you know, how do you know?

Yeah exactly. It seems strange that McLean and Whelan are named on the bench - I would have thought they are either in the seniors or not playing at all. McLean and Whelan should never play at Sandy.

Plus Robbo and Whelan would be in our top 10 IMO and they have missed plenty too. Exactly. It has really been annoying me when people have been saying injuries are not an excuse and pointing to Adelaide and Brisbane. Not only for a couple of games were we missing 8-11 of our best 22, but they were the best of the best. We were missing who I consider to be our best 2 forwards, Neitz and Robbo, our best 2 midfielders, McLean and Johnstone, and our best 2 defenders, Whelan and Rivers. NO TEAM can be expected to win without that QUALITY. However, we should have been a closer IMO and I think the reason was that ND, unbelievably, didn't adapt the gameplan because he didn't want us to play an 'ugly' style - simply terrible coaching. Who cares how ugly it is - I wanted us to be competitive! And in the last 2 weeks we have been doing what Adelaide, St K and Brisbane have been doing. We were still missing 6 or 7 (last week Rivers, Robbo, McLean, Whelan, Petterd and Bartram, and Neitz/Moloney/Pickett struggling after coming back from injury) of our best 22 for those games but we had that extra bit of quality that made the difference.

I'm pretty sure he got into some modelling after he left us.

I agree. We should be following what Port did last year. They played their young players, played to win (and did win quite a few games) and didn't worry about draft picks. And look at them now. Their young players are stepping up and they have a winning attitude and culture. And I'm confident ND will try to do this.

Well you can consider it a disaster then because once when get Rivers, Whelan and McLean back then Robbo and whoever else we are going to be out of the bottom 4 in a flash and we won't be going back there. Plenty of crap or just regularplayers have been picked in the top 4. We will finish 10 or 11 and get pick 6 or 7. I'd rather see us fight and see a few wins than fall over and lose every week like we have. Look at Fiora, and even players like Brennan, Goddard, Sylvia, Ray, etc who will play many games for their team, but none look like they will be superstars of the competition. Kerr was selected in the teens, S burgoyne was at about 8, Cox was a rookie, Dal Santo was at 13, etc etc A top 4 pick doesn't guarantee anything

Wrong and the team will show you this week against west coast that with most of our players back we are not that far off.

Thank you!

You have got to be kidding me! You just wait til he is fit again - he is a vital member of our defence and at 27 still has plenty of years left. Re: Brown. When it comes to Brown I don't want kids played ahead of him just bc he is old, IF he is playing well (as he has been for the last few weeks). He plays his heart out for the team and that MUST be rewarded. We MUST encourage our players to fight the way he does (and Godfrey) and reward them when they do.

I can't wait to get those players back - it is quite an impressive list. And your mate is right. After the WCE game we have a lot of winnable games in a row and I can see us winning quite a few there, especially with Whelan, Rivers and Petterd all potentially returning next week. Plus although Neitz is playing he is still yet to return to his old self. I know the season is over but I would just LOVE to see a few wins. It must be so disappointing for the players as well. I'd imagine we probably will win more than we lose for the rest of the season and end up with about 9 or 10 wins and at least we will get a good draft pick to add to what is an impressive group of youngsters. Despite the 7 losses I'm quite up beat because of our youngsters. We have the nucleus of an outstanding midfield with McLean (21), Jones (19), Petterd (18), Moloney (23), Bate (19), Bartram (19), Bell (22) and Sylvia (21). Plus Davey (23), Dunn (19), Rivers (22) and Frawley to come. The performance of our youngsters this year gives me the confidence that next year with a decent run of injuries we will be up there again and really challenging. I can't wait for our first win and thankfully I'm sure it is close. Go dees!

Yeah, Morris is awesome. Regularly fights above his weight division. Miller will be no match.

Why on earth is Warnock getting a game? He was far from impressive last week (bar his goal) and more importantly, the bulldogs have only 1 tall forward (who is also their second ruck). We have 3 talls named on the bench (PJ, Dunn, Warnock), they have none. Just a baffling decision. (I also really don't rate Warnock and would rather see anyone on our list get a game before him and that includes Ward) WESTERN BULLDOGS B: McMahon, Harris, Morris HB: Gilbee, Wight, Hargrave C: Eagleton, S.West, Griffen HF: Giansiracusa, Johnson, Boyd F: Hahn, Darcy, Akermanis FOLL: Street, Cross, Cooney I/C: Ray, Higgins, Addison, Harbrow EM: Faulkner, Minson, Power IN: Harbrow, Hahn, Street OUT: Murphy (hamstring), Minson, Power

Krazyjay, there is no point having McLean as an emergency. If he is fit enough to play, play him. He doesn't have to have a full game - he can replace Pickett. If he is not fit don't play him. Sandy is just a stupid idea.

I'm pretty sure it was Ferg who refused the deal as he was contracted. I think we were going to do it if he said yes.

Where did you get that forecast from? The bureau of meteorology website says 21, rain clearing later. So hopefully it will be ok

I'm going

You'd think Rivers, Moloney and Johnstone would have a good chance of playing next week though Jaded. Petterd definately deserves a game. I'm going to the game and would love to see him play.

Exactly Mick. I saw some very good signs (watched on TV in syd so missed 1st quarter and half of 2nd - blood V8s supercars) Dunn - very impressive. The way he played was so smart. Always seemed to keep his feet and held his own several times alone against multiple Freo players. Miller YZE - what a goal! Davey McDonald Bate Green Bruce (9 tackles) etc put in good efforts today. We just lacked class - A grade players. Carrol was poor IMO. Sylvia and Pickett needed the run but were ok. And we were very scrappy. Forwardline didn't function well. Too many lose Freo players on the counterattack etc At least we are improving.

I agree 100% Take the 2 best midfielders, forwards and defenders (McLean, Johnstone, Neitz, Robbo, Whelan, Rivers) out of any side and they will look crap. Plus moloney, Bartram, Bell and Jones. I thought we at least fought hard today. And anyone who bags the players should get some perspective. And WELCOME BACK YZE!

That is exactly what has been frustrating me recently. I couldn't believe that he tried going with geelong in an open free-flowing game even though he didn't think we were good enough to do that. Then the media said he was almost apoligising for shutting the game down in the second half. You play to WIN, you don't play to look pretty! When we have a near full team on the park you can play to look pretty (and win) but with the team we have at the moment only an idiot would try a free-flowing game. Plus he has been wasting Bruce who is just about our only in-form player --> Put him ON THE BALL and rest him at full forward. Not flanks, not wing (although this week I suspect he may play on Tarrant or Pav at CHB which is ok given we don't have a CHB this week - why did we drop both holland AND Ferg???) He has to go.

If Sylvia is not injured and plays for Sandy, that is the last straw straw for ND as far as I'm concerned.

Thanks to the clearance of Whelan and Davey at the MRP, I'm feeling much more confident about this game. My team: Whelan Carroll Holland Brown Rivers Bell Johnstone Jones Moloney Pickett Miller Green Davey Neitz Robbo White McDonald Bruce Inter: Bate CJ Bartram Jamar In - Rivers Brown Pickett Out - McLean Ward Yze Possibly Bizzell for Holland if no match up but I can't see ND dropping Holland. This is what I want to see: Davey played in and around the forward 50 for 75% of his game time, with some SHORT bursts further up the ground. ND to put Bruce where he should be - ON THE BALL. No flanks. And rest him in the forward pocket (not the bench). Bate played on the wings or flanks - he should not be in for the centre bounces. If Holland has no match-up try him up forward.

I'll definately back you up about his defense. He is particularly lazy when the opposition has the ball, and rarely, if ever, puts enough into a chase. It has been annoying me for quite some time.