w00dy

backline was poor for periods last week where it really hurt us, kicking goals from stoppages in particular, the inexperience back there is the problem with Nicho, Strauss and the Bull... I'm a fan of these guys, Nicho especially, but we have both in the side for their accurate kicking (in particular Strauss), but they had only 31 possessions between them (Nicho 14, Tapscott 9, Strauss 8)... if they aren't getting much of the footy, I'd rather have bartram in the side as he's going to offer more defensively, and he finds more of the footy, even though he doesn't use it as well.... I'd like to give Maric another run, but our defensive pressure in the forward half needs to improve, and Bennell offers more in this area... Gysberts is out, struggles to find the footy around the ground when we struggle against the better sides, Scully's inside work much more important against the Cats... so having said that I think the changes this week are pretty obvious... Out: Nicholson, Strauss, Maric, Gysberts In: Bartram, Macdonald, Jurrah, Scully

that's the same for any trade... I don't see why the trades for these picks should be done any sooner... it is interesting that the mini-draft is held immediately after trade week, before the national draft...

been loving watching him fight the last 3 nights... well done Cadel... lets get him in a Dees jumper, with that much determination I'd imagine he'd do a lot of damage in last quarters...

I thought Strauss was okay tonight without standing out, then looked at the stats... he had 6 posessions, whilst his opponent Hitchcock had 20 and kicked 2.1... not exactly a great game...

Agreed, I feel that not putting the Power away tonight may come back to bite us later in the season... If we're fighting with Essendon or the Saints for 8th then percentage will be important, and we're likely to lose some percentage over the coming month, hope it doesn't but at 40 points up, we needed to make that a 10 goal win...

I think they have worked it out, or at least Stef has worked it out, he's the swingman... Rucking, filling in the hole down back, pushing forward as a target... He can do it all, coming together now that he has the confidence... It's so exciting to see someone of his potential start to fulfil it, he has come so so far...

How good was Stef Martin in the last quarter? We might've lost the game without some of his efforts when Port looked like stealing it from us. Rucking, following up with the clearance, then pushing forward and kicking the goal while all of his team mates had run out of legs... A supurb effort.

Firstly, the AFL has all but confirmed that Scully will be deemed to be the same level of compensation as Ablett if he signs, meaning 2 first round draft choices. Happy that we will get this if he leaves. What I'm thinkiing, and although I wouldn't like to deal with those GWS grubs, is trading those two picks for the first crack at the 17 yr olds, and grabbing O'Meara. If we were to do that, we may not have lost that much, will wait and see. Having said that I think Tom will stay. But the AFL are taking every opportunity to get him up there, tightening the screws on third part arrangements. But Juddy will still be allowed to keep his... Absolute disgrace...

Mark Kleiman, Scully's former manager talking with Barrett on over 55's (assume its on 3AW, not sure) in about an hour about where Scully's at... I'm in the West, so anyone who can listen in, should be worthwhile, as he disputes what Barrett reported last night...

not sure about this one, look forward to watching him play... but are there others that deserve a game ahead of him? The three emergencies along with Michael Evans strike me as names who perhaps deserve a game ahead of Blease... looking forward to him hopefully proving me wrong tomorrow night...

players want it tied to the total revenue... I think they will get it in some capacity, but the definitions will change, and so will the rates... AFL seem dead set against it at the moment... They're currently at 22%, I think they'll get 1% more each year for the next three to 25%... at the moment they're asking for 27%...

A little left field... If garland misses, we play stef as a key defender, with gawn and jamar sharing the ruck... In: jamar, gysberts, Out: bennell, Garland/Gawn Very tempted to drop bartram, but his value is greater in tighter games, so he stays for now...

some comments the pies have been extremely impressive... they're bigger, fitter, stronger... always have numbers at the ball, their pressure is awesome... rivers needed to go to CHB, he's always going to be exposed deep... possibly trengove's worst game? he's trying real hard, but just not got the touch today... the effort is there from most... you make a mistake, they make you pay...

if Stef could bring this new found confidence to the forward line, the we may very well have the best swingman in the comp...

B: Martin, Frawley, Bennell HB: Nicholson, Rivers, Macdonald C: Evans, Moloney, Trengove HF: Sylvia, Watts, Green F: Howe, Newton, Jurrah R: Gawn, McKenzie, Jones I: Scully, Jetta, Gysberts S: Bate Out: Warnock, Maric, Morton, Petterd In: Howe, Scully, Gawn, Trengove Back to basics at selection. Warnock had a shocker, bringing in Gawn allows Martin to play back in his place where he is strong. JMac can cover for Stef when he needs to ruck. Maric and Morton both midfielders need to lay tackles, Maric laid 1 tackle, Morton 0... Back to Casey for you two... Petterd laid 4 tackles, but didn't get enough of the ball...

great improvement from Stef, fantastic around the ground and holding his own in ruck contests... Rather than being used sparingly in the ruck like he was before Jamar went down, we'll see him play 30-40% (perhaps even 50%) ruck once the russian is back, allowing Jamar to play forward... if stef can learn where to lead as a forward, then we have a real player... as the work rate is there, just needs to position himself well... skills are there too, they've improved greatly with his increased confidence...

for all the newton bashers, without looking at stats he took the most marks inside 50, had equal most shots at goal, like it or not he gives us a target no one else does... he makes some shocking mistakes, but he is the best option we have up forward right now...

Tapscott has been poor recently, time to give him a rest... Crying out for mids, so Morton gets a run... Bennell to go and play back like in his first season, to play Grimes' role... As does Petterd... Evans and Howe in the best from Sunday, so they make their debut... I looked for room for Bate, but couldn't find any unfortunately, no spots in that forward line, in the middle and down back is where they're up for grabs... In: Evans, McKenzie, Howe, Morton Out: Bail, Garland, Dunn, Tapscott B: Bartram, Warnock, Frawley HB: Bennell, Rivers, Petterd C: Davey, Gysberts, Sylvia HF: Green , Watts, Maric F:Wonaeamirri, Newton, Jurrah R: Martin, Moloney, McKenzie I: Jetta, Evans, Howe, Morton

disagree with those dropping Jetta, he stays... Aussie tried today, but Rawlings was wearing him like a glove, especially early...

will be interesting to see how Casey go tomorrow, but at the moment... Out: Bail (inj), Garland (inj), Dunn (susp), Bennell In: Rivers, Nicholson, McKenzie (if he gets through a full game), Macdonald

23 to North, 15 to Melbourne at 3/4 time... What's the world record for free kicks in a game? This umpiring is atrocious, especially after seeing how last nights game was umpired...

It would never happen, what would be great to see is a gentleman's agreement between the two sides to not lay a tackle at all in the first quarter... a preview of where the game is headed with such decisions?

according to the Herald Sun, Stef Martin hurt his ribs in the VFL on the weekend, and is unlikely to come up for the game... unless they parachute Maxy or Campbell from the Casey reserves into the AFL, it will be Juice leading our ruck division on Saturday if Stef doesn't come up...

KC, is big Max Gawn ready to step up in the AFL? I'm sure he'll be at least considered for the game this week...

as it has done previously, the club won't promote any rookie until they are being selected in the side... nicholson and evans seem to be the two leading the charge... but with Spencer going down, the club will surely want to leave one of these spots for robbie campbell... if jamar gets injured, even for only a week or two, we'd be relying on Max Gawn to carry the ruck with Stef... so don't expect any movement on this soon, although from the sounds of things Nicholson may not be far away from a call up...