Doggo

The Troy Broadbridge award was for the best MFC player in Sandy's b&f i think, so not sure whether that award will cross over into the Casey camp. Best First Year player - Jamie Bennell Best Clubman - Brent Moloney or Aaron Davey

Could build a reasonable side out of that list. B: Bell, Warnock, Whelan, HB: Strauss, Garland, Grimes C: McKenzie, Bruce, Blease HF: Hughes, Bate, Petterd F: Wona, Newton, Maric Foll: Meesen, Green, Buckley INT: Bail, Healey

Green will be lucky to make top 10 this year IMO. Not knocking him or anything, i love the guy, but he hasn't played near enough footy to poll well. My top 10: 1. Davey 2. Moloney 3. Bruce 4. Bate 5. Sylvia 6. Warnock 7. Morton 8. Frawley 9. Grimes (would be much higher if he played more) 10. Rivers / Petterd / McDonald / Jones

Another kid who i wouldn't mind seeing us take a punt on in the RD: Josh Donaldson, played as the ruckman for WA in the U18 carnivals this year, despite being well undersized (193-194cm i think). Skinny but with an amzaing leap in centre-square contests, times his jump beautifully and was regularly out-jumping much taller opponents, and rarely beaten from what i saw. While at this stage he has not nailed a key position as a back or forward, has got some real raw athletic ability and could be worth a look at late.

I saw this guy play last year and was impressed, and have a couple of friends associated with the Jets who love him as a player. They have very big wraps on him and his rate/scope for improvement. Has athleticism, power, vertical leap and pace that you wouldn't believe, although very raw football wise. I'd liken him to Stef Martin, but stronger, and more of a power athlete. Apparently he has grown to around the 196-197cm mark, and is considered to be still growing. Plays ruck and in the forwardline, could be a very interesting bargain basement pick up. I'm sure at least one or two clubs have had a look, considering the dearth of KPP's in the upcoming draft. Here's what i wrote about him last month:

Great post Akum, all very good points, and the right questions to be asking too. The answers will unfold themselves over time, will just have to wait and see Just on PJ's errors this season. I'm so sure that it is a confidence because his decision-making and skills, prior to 09, have generally been his strengths as a footballer. In six seasons of AFL prior to this year, his smarts and 'small-man' skills were never questioned, and his foot-skills, along with athleticism, were his greatest asset. He rarely made any of the same mistakes he's made this year in 07 or 08. Not sure why this has happened or how he can rectify it, but as someone who has closely followed his career since juniors, this has actually been very out-of-character for him. Earlier in his career it was his contested marking and ruckwork that were the main issues he needed to work on. In 2008, he improved his contested marking greatly, but that has once again regressed. And as his ruckwork has improved this season, his former strengths of clean skills and good decision-making have now become his weaknesses. It's like he's capable of doing all those things he needs to, but never getting all those parts of his game to click at once. Last year, his contested marking, decision making and skills were good, but rucking needed to improve. This year, rucking has improved, but marking and skills have regressed, etc etc. Confidence, or state-of-mind, surely must be the issue. The best games he's played this year were as the lone ruckman and last week, when he was selected ahead of Jamar by the FD to do the job on Sandilands. A bit of faith is all he needs, but the FD, much like many of the supporters, must also have their doubts.

Correct weight Dappa Dan, PJ kicked 2 goals in that 2006 match against the Swans, same game he did his shoulder. As ardent a supporter of Paul as I am, I choose to no longer fight to argue my point that PJ "WILL" become a good player, simply because i no longer truly believe it. But i do still hold hope for him bouncing back- stranger things have happened, and as long as he's on the MFC list, i will support him 100%. Agree the animosity towards PJ this year has risen massively and many have 'jumped ship', but much of this is of his own doing. And sometimes, though not always, it does cross the line into that player "hate" or disrespect. IMO he does deserve a lot of the criticism though, but not because of poor ruckwork. It's decision-making and skills, his supposed strengths, and a lack of contested marking, that have been his greatest downfalls this year. But PJ's ruckwork this year has improved out-of-sight. How people can't see that is beyond me. I pay a lot of attention to watching ruck contests, maybe more than most, and i've no doubt that, while he's no world-beater, PJ's no longer a 'mug' in the centre square. His performance just last week against Sandilands vindicated this. He's not as good as Jamar there, but he is the 2nd best 'tap' ruckman we have, just ahead of Spencer, and well ahead of Martin and Meesen. Ruckwork is not the issue here though.

No thanks. I'll take Scully AND Trengove/Morabito/Rohan, thanks.

Sounds like a great night. Were there any guest speakers or anything like that? Would've loved to make it, but, $195... way too steep for me. I'm barely getting by as it is... lol

Doubt this is true, but if it is, as many have already said it will be because of off-field issues. I, like many, don't believe Newton has a future at the club, but it would be just silly and irresponsible of the club to sack him whilst contracted, both $$ wise and in player relations. I'd much prefer him to be traded for a pick 90 or whatever to another club, which we won't use, to free a spot up, or keep him and pray like nuns that he improves his kicking, decision-making, body-on-body contesting and strength! during the pre-season, and actually offers something next year.

Brought a smile to my face :D

Brought a smile to my face :D

Hope he gets it together next year. It's mind boggling how different a player he is now (limited pre-seasons taken into consideration) to when he first burst on the scene. A pale shadow of the young gun he once was. I really hope he comes out and plays some great footy in '10, because at this rate he'll be on the scrapheap as just another NQR before you know it. Would be a massive shame because he's a talented and determined individual, but his body just won't do what his mind is telling it to at the minute.

Poor bloke, gutted for him. First he misses out on the 150 heroes list, then he misses out on the 150 gamers list. The man is cursed! I hope we play him anyway, he's a tough-nut. Give him a couple of jabs (a la Adam Simpson) and let him go out the way he deserves, on the MCG in front of us fans who have admired his hard, aggressive style since day one. He's only a little bloke, but boy did he pack a punch! Feel for ya Wheels. You are a club great, and it's been an honour watching you go about your footy for the MFC, all the best mate..

Bater's got great straight line speed, but his lateral movement and agility isn't the best. Big call from Gaz, top 50? Not so sure, but i agree with those here that have said he is underrated by many Demonlanders. I rate him and was baffled by some of the scathing criticism he copped earlier in the year. Deserves a top 5 finish in the b&f this year IMO.

Good call jacey. I thought Frawley did very well, although 7 goals to his opponent definitely makes his performance seem worse than it was, no doubt. Unlucky for young Chip, should finish top 5 in the b&f this year i reckon.

I've been a big PJ fan since under-18's and have always thought he had the scope to becoming a top-line player, but he's gone a long way to losing me in recent times. I'm hoping that he can bounce back and put his poor performances behind him next year, with his year to run on contract. Funnily enough, his ruckwork has improved out-of-sight, but his decision-making and skills, strengths of his in previous seasons, have regressed. He's not taking any contested marks, a weakness of his that was seemingly rectified last year, but has also since regressed. He's a big "confidence" player, and this season, barring a 4-week purple patch when he took over the lone-hand in the ruck, it's clear that his confidence has been well down. Played well last week on Sandilands, and seems to perform best when the FD have shown faith in him and given him a big task (his job on Dean Cox this year was 1st-class). Is good depth at the very least. Spencer is as raw as sashimi at the moment, but has the makings of becoming a good ruckmen in the future, but could also just as easily be a flop. Gangly and ungainly, but has surprisingly good speed for his size, and his best quality is he's very competitive. If he can iron out his kicking and learn not to telegraph what he's going to do with the ball well before he does it, can develop into a good player. But at this stage, it's probably too early to call. We won't see what he's really capable of until at least 2012-2013. Martin, although a late-starter and drafted as an athlete, is a very smart sportsman and has adapted to playing ruck quite well. The first 4 or 5 weeks we saw him in the centre circle he looked terrible, but he's obviously being coached quite well because he hasn't looked too bad since. Not a ruckman for mine though, best utilised back or forward. Good to know he can play there though if injury strikes the others. Meesen, not convinced at all to be honest. I thought he showed some good signs in his 4 matches this year, but hardly set the world on fire, and was carved up by Mark Blake against Geelong. His ruckwork is poor and for someone with his 'elite endurance' he doesn't make good enough position around the ground, and he doesn't use the footy well. Can take a strong mark though. He's quickly gone from barely being VFL level to being factored into most people's future teams, but I think he's got a lot more to prove. Make or break for him in 2010, along with PJ. Jamar has been the big surprise packet, but is terribly injury prone and not the smartest or most skillful player. Have not been a fan in the past, but there's no doubt his ruckwork and contested marking are clearly the best of our current lot. In his comeback matches, he was working harder and moving more freely than i'd ever seen in his career before, and his contested work and tackling is first-rate for a big man. Is the #1 ruckman at the club at the minute, and his 5 goals yesterday was a welcome surprise. Could be an even bigger improvement next year if he can stay on the park. Never thought i'd say this, but we must keep him on our list next season (if rumours of his wanting to leave are true), or be well renumerated.

Agree, but at the end of the day, 7 goals is 7 goals. I wanted to fit him in there, but I may be wrong, but i think Fev might've even kicked one or two while manned by McNamara and Rivers while Chip was having a spell?

6. Jetta 5. Davey 4. Sylvia 3. Jamar 2. Bate 1. Robbo Junior stiff to miss votes. Was tempted to give Frawley a vote, even though Fev kicked 7, i thought Chip was very good and mighty unlucky.

Haha gold!

One of my favourite's too, ever since i first spotted him in the #42 guernsey playing reserves in 1997. Was a lot skinnier back then, but even then was capable of taking the impossible mark and kicking the unlikely goal. I used to love getting to the ground early and watching the curtain-raiser, and Robbo was the main reason for that. Will miss ya lighting up the 'G with your screamers and impossible goals, Robbo! Thanks very much for your service to the club for the last 13 seasons. All the best in your future endeavours...

Yep, guilty as charged. Melbourne bias shining thru no doubt..

Two changes: IN: Spencer (need to get more game-time into him), Whelan (must play last two games to get to 150!) OUT: Martin (obviously carrying some injury over the last few weeks), Jetta (i like him, but he played an absolute stinker against Freo)

Clinton Grybas was very good, pity he died tragically so young. Dennis Cometti is good fun, don't mind him, and out of the current group of TV callers he's probably still the best. Rex is a laugh, but i find i can't listen to him for a whole game. He's like a kid with ADHD, just can't focus on the game. It's unfortunate, but i actually can't think of any other commentators that i "like" or prefer. There are a few that are bearable, but overall i'm less than impressed with most. Particularly KB, Dwayne Russell, Michael Christensen (the worst IMO), Tim Watson for special comments is very poor - talk about Mr Obvious. For special comments, agree with Trident, Luke Darcy isn't bad, and i reckon Richo has a big future there when he hangs up the boots.

Plugger called to say hi...