Lord Travis

Spot on there. Families are doing it tough, and spending to attend a footy match and eat overpriced food isn't a must. There's also public transport issues. The Belgrade and Lilydale lines in the eastern suburbs are undergoing major works until late May, and I doubt thousands will cram onto replacement buses and do a longer more expensive journey too.

MFCSS kicking in here. If we’re missing those 4 well struggle to win this opening match. Viney and Salem less of an impact, but Fritsch and May are big losses. That’s our best defender and best forward out. Disco Turner in? Might not have the size yet to handle those big talls of the dogs. Tomlinson in?

After mainly playing VFL practice match last week and now this, you’d assume JVR isn’t playing round 1. BBrown and TMac have held their place.

He’s a Melbourne player until he’s not. Until then we block out the unsubstantiated noise and enjoy watching him play. Leave Kane Cornes to disappear further up his own [censored] and keep shouting into the cavernous wreck.

Defensive flood and bore the opposition to death.

Anyone have any insight here?

What sort of role is McVee playing down back? Can he be a small lockdown type to quell the Charlie Cameron, Stengle, Papley types? Could he replace Hibberd long term? Hoping he’s not just another rebounder as we’re well stocked for hbfs, but have a clear list gap for small lockdown defenders since Jetta retired and Hibberd is on his last legs.

Salem has a thyroid issue that will need to be managed. He had similar issues back in 2015-2016 and it limited his ability to train and played funny buggers with his muscle mass. He only just started jogging again last week and won't be seen early season at this rate. Probably more likely to see him mid year onwards if managed well. We have HBF replacement options in Rivers, Bowey, Brayshaw, Hunter and others.

Fritsch rehab sounds concerning. He’s previously had lower back issues, so hopefully they know how to manage it if it’s that. He’s easily our biggest goal scorer (2nd in the entire league behind Hawkins across the last two seasons), to not have him out there would be a huge blow. Our forward line is our weakness as is, let alone miss him and Kozzy further up the ground. Hoping Fritta is ok!

Got caught ducking again, this time in a toilet cubicle 😉 How stupid do you have to be. I’ve got zero sympathy for guys like this. The players get put through education courses for this stuff and clearly know what is allowed and not allowed. They’re often role models and do charitable work in the community to fight issues like prevalent drug use ruining communities and young kids futures etc. The AFL does a heap of work to help other charitable causes and communities of people. The players get paid far more than all the other Australians currently doing it tough in this economic climate. It’s not hard to stay off the gear. 2 weeks is a slap in the wrist. He should’ve got a big suspension, 10 weeks or something equivalent. Same goes for that dopey muppet Bailey Smith last year. Weak.

JVR, Howes, Woey. JVR a lock to play barring a serious injury before round 1. Could become best 22 if he handles senior level well. No others likely to become best 22, but could see Howes, Woey, Laurie all getting a run at some point if they perform well at VFL level. Howes in particular has been close to selection already and shown flashes this preseason in match simulations. Jefferson needs time to build his body and learn at Casey. He sits behind BB, Tmac, JVR, Schache in the pecking order for tall forwards at this stage. Mcvee doesn't look likely and probably be delisted end of year tbh. Deakyn Smith could potentially surprise as a small defender, but is an outside chance. Would be great if he could take over the Hibberd smaller defender lockdown role.

Great news for the club. He’s an elite key defender at the height of his powers. His game against Buddy in the first final was possibly the best I’ve ever seen from a key defender. He embarrassed a legend of the sport and made him look like an absolute second rate spud. Was incredible. May will be key to another flag if we win another one during our window.

Thanks to all track watchers for the training reports. Exciting to hear Kozzie is shredding it further up field, but we need him in the forward 50 for both goal scoring power and defensive pressure. Where ever he plays though, just sign him up long term please! Rivers is another I’m hoping entrenched himself in the team this year. He could be a gun half back and struggled for form last season after an injury interrupted start. If Salem is going to miss a chunk of the year, Rivers will be one who needs to step up.

He’s a likely father son option for North Melbourne I believe.

His best output in a season was 8 games in 2018. He played the third man up interceptor role when Lever went down with an ACL. He averaged 11 disposals a game in that role, was in and out of the team while they tried Fritsch in that role and ultimately got injured again for a chunk of the year again. Without being cruel, he’s the definition of lucky. He’d be gone at any other club you’d feel as he’s clogged a list for 8 years now without ever getting on the park properly or even cementing a best position or role.

Keen to hear how some of the borderline 22 are training. There’s some talented youngsters like Rivers, Bowey, Jordan, JVR all looking to cement a spot in the team. Also who will our small lockdown defender be once Hibberd retires? Does Mcvee or anyone else look like they’re taking up the mantle?

Not the best news. He’s had issues with it in the past and got it under control though. We won’t be seeing the best of him (2021 from) until late year now. Need to rework our halfback line as a result IMO. Rivers and Bowey will need to step up.

She’s an icon. A fantastic footballer who played a key role in getting women’s footy on the map. In the early years she was such a clear level above everyone else out on the field. Watching her was inspiring. She’s a great role model and leader, and you can see her drive and the strength of the relationships she builds. It’s no surprise she found success. She’s also been brilliant in the media helping to raise the profile of women not just in AFL but sport in general, even standing up to some big names at times. Great footy brain and one of the best commentators going round. All the best for the next chapter Daisy. You’re an MFC legend now.

He was great and underrated in 2022. I thought he was our best defender ahead of May in the second half of the year after May struggled a bit on return. Wouldn't be surprised if he was All Australian this season or the near future. He's seriously good down back. Love the idea of trying him up forward, but he's so good down back that I'd just leave him there!

Can’t afford to lose Kozzie. He’s already a match winner and one of the best small forwards in the league. He’d be a far worse loss to us than Jackson. IF he does want out back to SA, Port have nothing to give us, so we’d have to deal with Adelaide and the only way we would begrudgingly do a deal is if Rachele is part of the deal. Cant afford to lose him though. He’s a star in a required position for us. It took us years to find a good small forward and we have no small forwards on the list anywhere near Kozzies capability in terms of scoring power (40+ goals a year) and quick defensive pressure. Lock him into a long deal please. 8 years will suffice!

I find soccer to be an abysmal spectator sport. It's slow, mostly one way, lacks intensity, and generally lacks excitement. You see lots of matches end in a 0-0 scoreline, so it's no surprise when a bunch of losers with a half chub resort to madness. In my experience attending matches, and some have been EPL years ago, the crowd is more exciting to watch than the game itself. Says a lot about how boring the sport is to watch that I had more fun watching some loony chavs getting [censored] up! You could make a case that the Mexican waves, flares, fights etc are partly due to how slow and dull most soccer matches are. People get drunk and without something to focus on or enjoy, they start causing trouble. What happened the other night and at a lot of soccer matches is way beyond that though and is more of a social problem than the sport being a poor one. For generations we've seen young males cause serious trouble and start riots at these sorts of events. A friend of mine attended an EPL match about a decade back. He was completely impartial, no supporter colours, general seats, sober. For whatever reason some fights broke out near him and sitting in his seat he wound up as collateral, got king hit in the back of the head and suffered a fracture in his skull from his head hitting on the way down. When that's even a possibility, let alone an outcome that regularly happens at these events, then you know society is stuffed. The world is too kind to trouble makers these days and without harsher punishments, these life-spuds will keep taking the [censored] knowing they'll get away with their ****ty behaviour without consequence.

Interesting move by Freo to play Jackson mostly as a tall forward. I'm assuming it's out of necessity, since they lost Lobb and Logue (their two main key forwards in 2021). That leaves them with Taberner (injury riddled battler) and Amiss (kid who needs to put on other 10kgs for his role). Jackson is a below average forward. I've said it since before he was drafted and nothing has changed. He's a poor contested mark, two grabber, and only excels when he has a free run and jump uncontested from the side of a pack. With any form of body contact, he's poor and makes Sam Wiedeman look like Wayne Carey at times. If he's going to become the gun player he's hyped to be, it's as a mobile ruckman who becomes a link up option around the ground in the Cox/Grundy mould. If he plays predominantly forward, then they're spending a million bucks a year on a below average forward who will never kick 40 goals in a year. I'm tipping Freo to regress slightly next year. They've got fantastic young talent around and behind the ball, but they lost a chunk of best 22 experience over the trade period, and are completely limp in attack. Jackson playing forward works for us. Play Jackson forward, be an uncompetitive team, and gives us a higher draft pick in return!

Sam Gilbey is worth a go. Classy half back flanker who can intercept and has a good kick (often takes the kick outs). Very much in the Salem mould and stands at 187cms, so decent height. Would need to add a few kgs to the frame though. Had glandular fever this year and likely would've been drafted in the early second round if not for glandular and a broken leg. He could make it as an AFL half back flanker.

Barnett, George, Ryan, Hotton, Hustwaite, Gilby, K Smith would all be good gets in the second round. Outside of them it’s more of a lottery.

Any chance Kaleb Smith will be available at 37? Lightning quick small defender who loves to break lines on rebound. We need more small defenders with Jetta gone and Hibberd heading into his final season.