Nasher

Uncalled for I reckon. Let bygones be bygones and all that.

That's pretty much what I do anyway. One thing I've learned over the years is that I know bugger all. I can spend valuable brain cycles by trying to work out what's going to happen, but then get it totally wrong or I might fluke it right. Far more fun just to let the emotion take over and run with that. Well, that's more fun when we're winning anyway.

?!

Part of me can never but help but feel that the next bitter disappointment is just around the corner, though... I don't usually leave that part in charge though. The rest of me tells that part to bugger off and stop ruining my optimism.

Pleased enough with that - the side is very settled, no changes at all around the edges. Thought Pedersen might come back, but happy to live with out him. Also glad that ANB and Newton were both able to remain after good performances against Brisbane. So much for Roosy's "yeah, we'll definitely makes changes" comment though!

Our first pick on current standing would be #28 - it's hard to get enthusiastic about the talent at the pointy end when you know we're not going to be near it. Though our trio of Viney/Mahoney/Taylor have developed a habit of pulling a rabbit out of a hat in the last few years, so I suppose we'll see - but I find it hard to see them trading in to the top 10 with the tools at their disposal (i.e. no first round pick) this year.

Yep - last year he was the youngest player on our list. This year only Hulett, Weideman, Mitch King and Oliver are younger. Stretch came to us as a bottom ager - I reckon this makes a big difference in the level of development you'd expect to see when they arrive at the club; he would be nearly an entire year behind in development than a player like Brayshaw who arrived at the same time. Scary to think that Oliver is the current youngest player on our list and is in the same boat.

20 possessions as a second string mid and a goal, and loses his place. Bloody stiff, but I can't see a way out of it. Welcome to the new MFC.

Oliver won't come out unless he's definitively injured, surely. Can't see him being "rested" again in the front half of the season, that just seems overkill. You'd think Jetta and Tyson are locks, and I doubt we want to ruck Watts again (though I wouldn't hate it), so you'd think Pedersen takes his spot back. Alternatives are Spencer and Dawes, but that seems unlikely to me. The outs will come from OMac, ANB, Newton, Michie and Hunt. Another tough week at the table. Three walkup starts returning, and that's ignoring Grimes, Salem and Trengove who are keeping Casey at the top of the ladder, and Vanders who will be at full fitness soon. The pressure on our MFC bottom six is immense.

Viney. Gawn, Vince, Jones, Watts up there. I like Kennedy, but he doesn't belong in the same group as the others you mentioned.

I harp on about this a bit I know, but those "if only they'd kicked straight" arguments are pointless anyway. If the first of those behinds goes through for a goal then the ball goals back to the middle, and we're on an entirely different path of existence. There's nothing to say we couldn't have won by even more if they'd nailed a goal or two more.

That's a ripping photo - you can see clearly that Watts has him by the jumper too.

You might be right OD, but it does diminish the importance of Pedersen to the side. I changes the role mix a bit - I don't think Pedersen is that far ahead of Dawes if competing on forward merit only. I think it throws an interesting spanner in the works, though like DA I require some convincing that it's a good idea long term.

Thoughts on Watts in the ruck? I only saw the second half, but I think we were at least no worse off than when are when Pedersen is in there, and he definitely makes a better on baller than Pedersen. If Watts is able to do this regularly, it makes it much easier to find a place for a genuine forward like Dawes, Hulett or Weideman when they are ready.

How does he go in the VFL though? If he's demonstrating skill and confidence at the lower level, then you could mount an argument that it's just settling time in the seniors he needs.

For a supposedly even competition, there are some seriously pants teams in it, and Brisbane without doubt, are one of them. Very pleasing to have demolished them as we should, though we didn't necessarily play our best footy on the day.

What sarcasm? It's truly the impression I get sometimes. I missed the first half and was hoping for some insight, but all I saw was grumbling.

So all I know is the score, and the Demonland commentary. I gather we're terrible, no hope of making the finals ever again, and this will go down as the worst 10 goal victory of all time. Does that about sum it up?

If we can get it done by over 100 points, we will finish the round in the 8. Not getting ahead of myself though of course

We used up our one "we didn't come to play" (I miss Danners) for the year on Essendon. The boys bring that up all the time in their interviews - hopefully it still stings and we come out breathing fire. We'll smash them if we do.

Honestly though, the Pies are seeing exactly what we saw at the MFC. He'll go through a really lean stretch as a forward, go back to defence, look really strong and settled in the back line, go through a really lean patch, get moved forward, look strong and settled for a while, cycle restarts. I reckon Buckley hopelessly misjudged him, thinking he was a much better player than he is. Laughing all the way to the bank with Kennedy IMO.

"They have a defined role for me up forward." NEK MINNIT

Agreed WJ. Given that he's physically got work to do by the sounds of it, it's no big deal if he doesn't get a run in the seniors at all this year, but it's only positive if his form demands it eventually. So nice to have the luxury of being patient.

Freo are totally and utterly pants. I just can't see how a quality side can just dissolve so quickly. Gotta be the least number of people I've seen at Subiaco too, or so it seems on TV. Can see them finishing last, cleaning up in the draft and then miraculously bouncing back next year though. Hopefully they linger down there for a bit.