John Dee

We have Spencer and Grimes out for the season. Newton was named as our promoted rookie that we were allowed to have because of our veteran, Green. Evans was named as a replacement for Spencer or Grimes; I can't remember which. Nicholson was named as a replacement for Fitzpatrick and will therefore lose his upgraded status when, and if, Fitzpatrick comes back, even for Casey. However, that point is moot as the point in the season where you can play rookies regardless of LTI will have been reached before Fitzpatrick's LTI period has elapsed. We can play Campbell whenever we want be naming him to replace Spencer or Grimes, whomever was not used for Evans.

6. McKenzie 5. Rivers 4. Gysberts 3. McDonald 2. Trengove 1. Watts

Am I living in a time warp?

Didn't play any games. Football was not a priority for McLean, which Melbourne obviously knew. He was cleared to the filth for a record price; in those days you could offer money. One of the greatest trades Melbourne has ever done.

I wish I had something better to do ... A defensive tactic is just that. It is designed to limit the opposition team's offense. It must be accepted that this must limit your own offense. It does not mean that you have conceded the game; it means that you have decided to play a low scoring game. This is a time-worn tactic that can mean that a clearly lower rated team can, with luck, beat a far more highly rated team. Footscray against Essendon circa 2000 ring any bells; I am sure there have been other examples. Most people in this thread have approached the matter with an already formed opinion and clutched at anything they perceive supports it. Where are the people who have bemoaned Bailey's lack of any Plan B? They are probably the same people who are now bemoaning the evidence of one.

Reported on SEN that Lake and Gilbee are coming into the Footscray side to replace two injured players; Hargreave and somebody else.

Jeez, Darling has been there for 5 minutes, and Vardy hasn't played yet. Cook was the All-Australian CHF and definately looks the goods, just has to develop a bit more physically. Gawn is coming along a treat as well. Get down to Casey and watch them, you'll be quite impressed.

With knee soreness, they would have tested the mechanical structure of the knee thoroughly. Once that was found to be sound, they would have treated it internally and hoped that it would settle down of its own accord whilst mindful of their ignorance of the source. When it did not settle down, they got scans and discovered a small tear in the cartliage. Davey will have an arthroscopic procedure to clean this up. Quite normal practice.

Strauss played his first game back for Casey after three weeks out with injury in Casey's last game. Blease picked up a knock in the same game and probably would not have played last week, had Casey had a game. IMO Blease is in front of Nicholson and may still get a gig; wait until we see the side.

Nicholson is a rookie and therefore has to be upgraded to replace a LTI. Once this is done, the cat is out of the bag, so they may as well confirm it early. Howe, and maybe Gawn, can still get a guernsey.

I would have thought that a thumb was still a finger; in the same way that a square is still a rectangle and a circle still an ellipse.

Gawn and Spencer double-teamed at Casey for all of their early games. Gawn dropped down to Casey seconds for one week when Martin dropped back to Casey, so that he could get a full-time go in the ruck. It is the club's call, but I wouldn't rush him in; he is showing too much promise to be used as cannon fodder. Howe is a real goer, and had a very good game in Casey's last start; a definate chance. Don't discount Blease or Nicholson, either.

Both Newton and Meeson were contracted. They were moved onto the rookie list to free up a draft pick in the main draft. This strategy replaced a rookie pick with a pick some 20-30 picks earlier. Stop re-writing history.

I kid you not, when my son was at state school one of his best mates was one Michael Hunt.

It is still only three compulsory changes. Upgraded rookies now replace your last draft picks. Newton, as the nonimated rookie, will have to be upgraded or delisted; good luck in your future endeavours, Michael. Evans, an a rookie elevated to replace a long-term injury, can remain as a rookie next year, should the club not be in a position to upgrade him.

The finacial guy said that we had budgeted for 35,000. The most interesting thing is that in response to a question about what 40,000 members would mean to us, he said about $500,000.

I saw John Butcher playing in the Adelaide competition a week or so ago; in the ABC VFL coverage. How about we trade for him.

Lucas Cook?

I don't like Caro; I hardly ever read anything she writes ... She still gets my vote ahead of the buffoon.

Statistics are things people use selectively to back up their own specious arguments. Our midfield is, in the main, underdeveloped and as a consequence we get a lot of entries into our defensive 50 and not enough into our offensive 50. This leads to us getting most of our turnovers in the defensive 50, but it is not nescessarily our plan. We need to get a couple more pre-seasons into Skully, Trengove, Tapscott, Blease, Gysberts, McKenzie and Grimes. Only then will our plan become evident to all.

According to the VFL Footy Record from round one last week, he is on the list for the Oakley Cargers TAC team this year.

6. Rivers 5. Jurrah 4. Maloney 3. Gysberts 2. Jones 1. Jamar

He was held over as the emergency for MFC, as was Strauss last week.

I have dropped down to Casey and watched the last two Casey games. Gysberts has been very good both times and is due for a recall. Warnock has been very good also and will be the one to come in if Garland does not come up. Wonaeamirri was very scratchy in the last practice match against Port, but worked into the game against Geelong, particularly late; he is playing as a full-time midfielder. Blease gets better each time I see him. The first ten minutes against Geelong was like the third quarter on Sunday; Casey could not get the ball over the centre line and the score was 31-0. Casey worked back into the game from that point, holding Geelong and with Newton kicking a late goal. The second quarter was a real tussle with Casey getting a goal back to trail by three at half-time. A complete change then came over the game and Casey was in total control for the rest of the game; it was a real surprise when Geelong kicked the last goal of the game to get it back to 27 points. Warnock, McDonald, Mohr, Strauss and co were just about impassable and Spencer and Gawn got right on top of Blake, West and Dawson. I can't argue with any of Gotch's comments, although, as usual, they are a touch rosy.

Yeah, I simply cannot understand it. One forward, Jurrah or Watts, should be instructed to play five metres behind the last player in the opposition wall, no matter what. If that player drops back, drop back as far as needs be. That will ensure that there will always be someone to kick to, should we gain possession of the ball.