Nasher

In: Hogan Out: Hannan I'm not sure this is the way they will go, but I never am. I think ProDee's point has merit - perhaps a change in the mix of players will be help Weid - I saw him as the only tall target a number of times. He's still too slight to win in those pack splitting situations - that's what Hogan is for - but I think we look better when we have two viable marking targets. The alternative is just Hogan for Weideman. I think the one change is enough - there's a few hanging on my the skin of their teeth though. This is where the late start to the VFL season is a pain. Players like Brayshaw who have been left out to work on things haven't had the chance to actually work on any of it.

This question gets asked every year, and usually after a loss people are emotional about. It's a question that is impossible to answer unless you're prepared to look at the big picture, which most people just aren't when they're cranky about a loss - and the opposite goes when we've had a good win. If you chain together all the threads and responses over the years, you could conclude that we haven't improved since 2012, which is clearly not true. Also, lots happened last year. We haven't yet reached the heights reached against the Hawks last year, but we also haven't yet been as pitiful as we were against Geelong in round 23. "Last year" is too non-specific a benchmark to compare against.

I thought he was excellent, even taking in to account the hitout diff. Sandilands is a genuine monster - once you take into account armspan he's got to have 10cm on Jake. You'd expect to lose the hitouts against Sandi - so groundwork and physicality becomes crucial. This is what the Russian did well in his strong years. Jake got involved in the clearance work a number of times, filled the hole in defence and looked dangerous when forward. Couldn't ask for more in my opinion - hopefully in the next few weeks against ruckmen of a more civilised size, he can add a few hitouts while maintaining his around the ground work.

Spot on. Today's the first day that I can honestly say I'm fed up... with Demonland. I don't think I can take another minute of the full grown adult tantrums that go on every time we lose. I think you can be bitterly disappointed - and believe me, I am - without resorting to ridiculous over the top pessimism. It's getting really, really old. Nearly time for me to go on a self imposed hiatus for the three days following a loss.

How old are you? If you're any older than the age of 6, now seems an odd time to be fed up.

By that logic, Steven Armstrong had a better career than David Neitz.

Brian Taylor.

Re: being harsh on Smith: being left out of the side doesn't have to be taken personally. Maybe they've backed in Weid as their main tall and wanted to go smaller, and have added in a player who, while by no means a perfect player, is known for his ability to pressure and become a danger on the scoreboard. It may be that once they moved Watts out, they saw that the forward line was far too inexperienced. Bugg obviously isn't a key forward, but he's an 83 game player compared to Smith's 1, it's a huge difference. There are a heap of justifiable reasons that don't involve it being any criticism on Smith. If the message is delivered right, Smith will go back to the VFL itching to prove himself ready for the next attempt. I really doubt, given where he's come from and the path he took to get on the list, that he's going to crack the sads from being left out.

We might look stupid, but I don't feel it. This is all part of the fun of being a mug supporter with no idea about what gets discussed behind closed doors. It's what I enjoy about the banter on Demonland. I'm very surprised - but more than happy to run with "if you say so Goody".

Stating the obvious a bit there. What group wouldn't the strongest midfielder in the competition compliment?

There's still time for Lewis to turn his career around. He's only 27. Don't know what's happened though, his burnout seems to have occurred as quickly as his career took off.

Imagine if we'd delisted Hunt and lost him before the rookie draft!

Exactly. (edit: redacted) The fact that Mahoney, Jones and Gawn have now all now been asked and all said "we're right behind him" says to me that Jesse is in a tough place and is being cut a considerable amount of slack. I expect he'll be back because he's a competitor who will want to compete, and surely the club's supportive attitude will only help.

Robbie Flower? ed: nah wasn't that, but I remember that event did thrash the existing record and I remember being amazed the site didn't fall over, as it regularly did at that point in time. This one could just be an error in the counting algorithm.

Disappointed to lose the best ruckman in the game for half the season, obviously, but in a way I'm looking forward to the element of intrigue this adds. Spencer's games record in a season is 8. Not many players get to stay on a list for 10 years for 36 games - most either get axed or go looking for more opportunities, so it's a very unusual case of the club and player sticking together. He's never had an extended go like he's about to get, and opinion is so divided on him. I suspect we're about to find out one way or the other if he's truly capable as an AFL ruckman or not. Good luck Jake!

He's a grown man, they can't pull the pin on anything of the sort. If they start trying to be all draconian on him, the club knows full well it will lose him. He's always going to want to go back to Perth, so be supportive and flexible about it. So long as he comes back fresh, fit and focused, who cares. Honestly. The only thing the club should be doing is saying "mate, next time please make sure you save the dart until you get home".

I reckon it's all in his head, too, because he is a neat kick when he's on. Needs to work out how to calm himself down I reckon. Definitely a player I want to see get to the next level though, because all the components are clearly there.

The stats confirmed that Oliver was very quiet: only 28 disposals and 8 tackles this week!

I laughed. Then sobbed violently.

Gawn going down mid-game has been a danger since the middle of last year and was bound to come undone eventually. Goodwin would have been well aware of this. It's a roll of the dice that we have clearly been willing to make and it has paid off for a long time with the extra run it adds. I'm not going to criticise an obviously calculated risk just because yesterday happened to be the (inevitable) unlucky day it came home to roost.

Yep. One of Hannan and Weid may make way, but I can't see both going and personally I wouldn't do either. It was different last week when we had Kent in the VFL ready to go; which AFL ready player do we have waiting to go now? I'm not interested in swapping one borderline player for another. I've seen suggestions to drop Tyson, Harmes, OMac and Melksham. I understand why some aren't fans, but these are just fanciful suggestions I think.

In: Spencer Out: Gawn. Keep the faith in the struggling young forwards. Thanks for the belly laugh to those who have put up 4 changes. Extra credit for those who included OMac.

No "bro", you drew the irrelevant and inequivalent soccer analogy, not me. I shall take you up on your offer to agree to disagree.

Better than being below average, I suppose.

Don't think I said anything of the sort, did I? The missed set shots are more like taking a penalty at goal with no goalie or defenders in the way and still missing (i.e. there's no soccer equivalent). It is massively deflating and, as I said, is worth 5 less points to the team, and gives the opposition the ball. In your ball hitting the cross-bar example, play goes on in a real hurry - there's no chance for the players to all flump and go "farrrrrk". Soccer sucks, by the way.