Doggo

I voted the Dee's, but really, it was more just indifference to the result than anything else. Could never barrack against my Dees, it's just, i didn't want them to win. Sad but true.

Brock McLean

Someone will probably know better than me but was Sam on any particular rehab program? Can't imagine the club just letting him do whatever (effectively wasting this year totally)

I bloody well hope so!

Agree with the Miller call.

Paul Johnson's regression in terms of decision-making and foot skills is another big one for me.

But the biggest disappointment for me is Aussie, Garland and Buckley playing just 2 matches between them. After last year, these guys were set to go to the next level, and to see them go down, especially after such good pre-season form; very dissappointing.

Thought Bennell showed plenty today. Seems to have a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and seemed to use it well. Like all the young guys, needs to bulk up plenty though.

I think he's shown heaps this season with his pace and tidy skills, i just thought he turned it over a bit, and on occasions untidy kicking to teammates in space.

As i said, i like him and think he's got a huge future once his body is fully matured. But today i don't think was his best performance.

It's a moment that was mentioned with the person I was watching it with and I think the Fox commentators may have discussed it.

Maybe it could have gone in an existing thread but I don't see that it's so outrageous to discuss it on here.

Having just watched the replay, i agree it did look bad, and would've been even worse had PJ not nailed that tackle straight after, and they got a goal from it.

Definitely worth it's own thread IMO. I'm not knocking the kid, but incidents like that will always come up in discussion, and for good reason. If they don't, at a coaching level, the said player will never learn from the mistake. And supporters will always want to see their players, young or old, go in hard and put their heads over the footy. It's a common expectation that all football supporters have.

I like Jamie Bennell, and i don't think he is definitively 'soft'. But that incident was indeed soft, and he'll be disappointed by it. Add to that he didn't have the best game, so it will hurt. He'll bounce back though and learn from it, as well as from a few words from the FD, no doubt.

6 - Moloney - solid and effective as always

5 - Morton - nulified Goodes hands down

4 - Petterd - pretty good game across the midfield

3 - McKenzie - great debut, looks likely

2 - Cheney - loved his game down back

1 - Miller - would've been more had he kicked straight and hit targets

Warnock, Rivers, Bartram all deserve honorable mention.

Couldn't give Davey one today, he turned it over far too often for my liking.

Loved the quickness of his hands in close, which he has shown all year at Casey.

Not the quickest or strongest kid, but a real natural footballer who runs to the right spots and knows how to win his own footy. Not a bad pick up at all, and pretty good debut.

For anybody who didn't see the game today, the replay is on channel 7 now.

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere.

Tanking or not, there's no way Colin won't come straight back into the team.

In regards to changes, i'd like to see anyone who's under ANY sort of injury cloud or niggle be given the week off.

OUT: Jurrah (ankle), Cheney (calf), Martin (injury)

IN: Sylvia, Hughes, Jetta

Haha Essendon... WTF?!

not really worried about this

jetta is soft as butter

Really? Are we watching the same Jetta?

Anyway, on topic, as others have already said, if Jamie continues to squib it, then it's a problem. As of now, it's just a one-off incident that i'm sure he'll learn from.

I hope this kid puts his best foot forward,l I saw him play TAC @ Oakleigh 8 weeks back, he was good.

Didn't get much of an opportunity today unfortunately. He would've been lucky to have spent 40-50% time on ground, relieving for Spencer. Turned it over a couple of times and i remember at least one instance where he kicked into the man on the mark. Had a tough time of it when he was on the ground, in the ruck getting jumped into and out-muscled by stronger, more mature opponents and a faster tempo.

Not the most memorable performance from Wylie, but i'm sure he'll be better off for the experience of playing against men, and it will no doubt help him with his TAC cup footy. He played on 2 AFL-listed players, and knowing what is required to play against opposition of that calibre is a massive bonus for his development.

He's a good height, skinny lad, very raw but looks likely enough for a rookie pick.

As an aside, i think the 23rd-man rule introduced by the VFL/TAC U18's is a fantastic initiative, and will hopefully help bridge the gap that the other state leagues have over Victoria in regards to pre-draft development; giving our young guys a chance to play against men in their final year of U18's. We always read about the elite kids from the WAFL, SANFL, AFLQ, etc, having the advantage of playing in the seniors against men before being drafted. This rule allows a select few Victorian kids that same opportunity. Great idea and a fantastic opportunity for the youngsters involved.

No good. To think, she called the last moments of that incredible game, which will go down forever as a classic match... People will be watching that replay in years to come and thinking: "who the hell is this crap female caller?".

Now, i'm not sexist. The issue for me isn't her gender at all, it's her amateur calling style, her voice and accent, and her bias towards Geelong that irks me the most.

Watched the game on ABC earlier today. Here's my 2 cents regarding the MFC players, for anyone who missed the coverage...

Russell Robertson: Went goalless and only had a handful of possesions. Looked disinterested, especially in the 1st half, work-rate and defensive-pressure non-existent. Dominated by his opponent, highly-rated Richmond youngster Alex Rance, who got inside his head and really, just comprehensively spanked him.

Jake Spencer: Average first game back by Jake; his opponent Angus Graham was a standout in the ruck and around the ground, and pretty comfortably beat him IMO. Still a couple of weeks away from regaining his early season fitness and form. Took a couple of good grabs and shows plenty of promise, but his skills and decision-making are still very raw. Tough day today, rucking virtually solo, against 2 AFL listed ruckman in Graham and Andrew Browne.

Simon Buckley: Looked a bit out of touch early but got better as the game went on. Showed some of his trademark dash and ball-carrying, as well as some indiscriminate decision-making and turnovers. Will be better for the run and I was glad to see OP hasn't affected his pace or depth of kicking; kicked a magnificent long goal from about 65m with the breeze.

Daniel Hughes: Didn't get the high possesions he's had in previous games, but worked hard presenting up the ground, has good hands and lovely foot skills. Kicked a couple of great goals as well as setting up another. Should be the next to debut IMO.

Trent Zomer: Kicked goal of the day when he gathered on the left forward flank, turned his man inside out, burned him off for pace with a couple of bounces and finished perfectly. Flashed in-and-out of the game and probably lacks the work-rate required over 4 quarters. He did spend quite some time on the bench though, and in defence in the 4th qtr. Reminds me of former Demon Nick Smith-- is a mountain of a man, looks promising or even brilliant sometimes, but not nearly often enough. Barely VFL standard to be brutally honest.

Of the Casey players, James Wall, skipper Kyle Matthews, little Michael Stockdale and Peter Faulks in defence all impressed me. Pierce Liddle showed a few glimpses, and Ben Waite chimed in with 4 goals from strong grabs. Casey are a really tight-knit and even outfit at the moment, playing a great brand of team footy. Was a pleasure to watch them go about it in such a professional manner, after losing 11 players this week, shows good depth on their list. Peter German is doing some great things with that club and IMO is a real asset to the MFC.

To anyone who was at the ground and saw both games, did Tom McNamara play in the curtain-raiser or was he a late withdrawal with injury/illness?

Agree. Casey certainly do seem to have some great depth on their list.

The tough thing for Robbo would be getting dropped, would trigger in his mind that he's done. Playing for Casey earlier in the year was fine, as he was rehabilitating from injury, and he was working towards his goal of getting back in the Melbourne team.

Now it is completely different, he's been told essentially that his best isn't good enough at the moment. I mean, Rohan Bail was named as an emergency ahead of him, Simon Buckley too who has only just come back from injury. That's a pretty clear message that you're obviously not in future calculations...

He comes back to a Casey side not full of players who he's known for a number of years, and trained along side, but 4 other Melbourne players, 3 of whom are only rookie list players, and Simon Buckley recovering from injury the most experienced of the 4.

That's got to be a massive pill to swallow, and I agree Robbo could've put in a better effort today, but he obviously hasn't taken it well at all, and would've been asking himself why he bothered today, and why he should continue to bother?

I love you Robbo, you've been great for the Dees, look forward to one last game from you in the red and blue, but it's time to go. You've had a great career and should be proud...

Agree completely. Sadly for Robbo, who was my favourite player from 1998 to 2007, his time is up, and judging by today's performance, he definitely knows it.

Thanks for the memories and the amazing highlights reel Robbo... See you in round 22 mate.

Prediction: Sydney by 7 points, after leading at quarter-time by 6 goals, the Demons win the last three quarters but fall just short.

Would make for an interesting, heart-in-the-mouth type encounter to say the least.

no team is tanking we will beat swans eagles will beat fremantle fremantle are so bad that they cant win another game Sydney are finished as a side they are at the same stage as dees where in 2007, too many old frats at the club and a few injuries. they have to play all of there youngster to see who can cut it or not there best 5 player are all over 30 and few of then are finished already. so there is no way a team will get a first round pp, only a second pp which is fremantle, we will beat swans and fremantle at the mcg, the dees don't tank Carlton do hawks do but the dees are to stupid to tank we had our chance in 2007 to make sure we would win less then 4 games but we beat the dogs and Carlton in the second half of that year, and won 5 games we should of got the pp last year, we would of got watts and nat, but not to be . we can build momentum for next year, win 3 or 4 more games and charge up the ladder next year, there are more ways to improve the list then just high drift picks , players on your list can always get better we have 6 player who can step up bigg time next year, the wizard,bate,Dunn,watt,garland,grimes,Jones.

All that in three sentences... wow

Disappointing for Daniel Hughes to have Rohan Bail make the squad for a possible debut ahead of him. From what i've seen, Bail's been highly underwhelming in the VFL so far... surely form would have to have some say in whether a players gets included in the squad or not? Hughes deserves his chance way more than Bail, IMHO.

I think we're finally seeing first signs of real, ruthless "team management" aka tanking.

Final changes for mine would be:

OUTS: McLean (Knee), Jamar (Quad), Green (Scaphoid), Grimes (Back), Robertson

INS: Valenti, Johnson, Miller, Cheney, Newton

With McKenzie, Bail and Whelan missing out on the final spots.

1. Moloney

2. Davey

3. Bruce

4. Sylvia

It's a raffle after that between Frawley, Bate, Warnock, Grimes, Green to round out the top 10 IMO.

1. Jack Watts

2. Liam Jurrah

3. Jack Grimes

4. Colin Garland

5. Colin Sylvia

Cale Morton unlucky 6th.

Would love to have put a Davey or Moloney (should be our next captain IMO) in there, but i have a feeling they'll both be pushing 30+ when we next play in a GF, and it'll be the work of the youngsters above that got us there.

whats the bet spencer will play instead of PJ

No chance. PJ's dominated the ruck for three weeks now at Casey and will surely come in if Jamar's injured. Spencer played his 1st game back in the VFL ressies just last week. No way they'd risk Spencer, regardless of tanking or not. It's just poor team management.

Meesen would've been a shoo in.

I'd agree with that, although he could've done absolutely ANYTHING and it would've been an improvement on the crap he served up last year. He was hardly even VFL standard.

That was a low base if ever there was one...

Enjoy the trip joeboy, post match just won't be the same without your analysis.