Fat Tony

Austin Bradtke said on the video on the MFC website that he will be focusing on weights and running laps because his skills are "pretty good".

Are the five teams Richmond, West Coast, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide? I wouldn't rule out Port, Geelong, Hawthorn or even GWS completely. It is only May.

There is a lot to like about Spargo and he looks a good pick up so far. However, he is only 18, and I think Garlett at his best offers more at this stage. I know Garlett was out of form earlier this year but I think it was partly due to our lack of talls in the forward line and the way we were kicking inside 50. I would make the change this week. The other possible change would be Smith out for Hunt or Bugg. This would be only due to the bigger size of the Alice Springs ground and the high forecast temperature rather than Smith's form, as he was pretty good against Carlton.

ANB led our pressure acts yesterday for what it’s worth.

I loved the game of TMac on the weekend. He played well in every role. In saying this, I don't know how the statisticians calculate the time in each part of the position given the congestion.

Brainstorm: what about trialling Mitch Hannan in defence?

I am not sure about going full man on man, but I agree we should look to hold our defence deeper. I think defending a bit deeper would help open up our forward line as well. Having multiple players flying for the ball is an issue but partly reflects the selection of OMac, Frost, Lever, Wagner and Hibberd in the same side. I think a lot of our problems defending would disappear if we could be a bit more precise with our kicks inside 50. We are leaking a lot of goals from chains starting in our 50 and then the opposition getting over the back.

My notes: Petracca can be played in the centre bounces at times, but he should be predominately played as a forward. Jones tagging Mitchell was a very good decision IMO and he did a great job. I would probably play him on Martin next week. Pedersen needs to come back into the side for balance until TMac is fit. Particularly given how far up the field Hogan is playing. I like Frost, but he is poor in the wet. Lever lacks confidence at the moment and is a liability. I thought Goodwin should have tried him up forward yesterday once it was clear our structure wasn’t working. Lewis is finished. As good a kick as he is, we would be much better with a player who can keep his feet in the contest. Vince had a dirty day but has been very good this year otherwise. I wanted Bugg dropped last week and you cannot trust him to kick goals. Hunt must come back in. Our defence needs to trust OMac not to be out marked because we are getting beaten on the crumb. This will be a big issue this week given how Richmond play. Overall, I think Goodwin needs to go back to making sure we have balance in our selection. Hogan, Pedersen/Weideman and Petracca as our key forwards and OMac and two of Frost, Lever and Wagner in defence. The rest of our side needs to be selected with an emphasis on pace.

We will need to play four quarters to win today.

Pedersen polled 3 votes against St Kilda in round 21 and 1 vote vs Brisbane in round 22 last year. Both these games were with Gawn in the side and Hogan played against Brisbane. He hasn't set the world on fire this year in the AFL, but there is no doubt he was unlucky to be dropped IMO. (Especially given the wet conditions in round 2.) I am not advocating to bring him back this week, but I wouldn't see it as a bad move either given Hogan is our only key forward and he is pushing very high up the ground.

Melksham has gained enough credits from last year and his preseason IMO. This year has been a bit of a slow start and he has (just) missed a few goals but he hasn't been terrible. I would stick with him as he clearly looks an AFL class player to me. ANB has been ordinary as well this year and missed several marks going back with the flight of the ball on Saturday. Still, I think the best omission to maximise our chance of winning against Hawthorn is Bugg, with Hunt coming in. The only other change I would consider would be Brayshaw for ANB, but I can't read much into the VFL form against Coburg given the strength of the opposition.

I would bring back Hunt this week. I know he hasn't been great so far this year, but I feel we need his speed to combat the likes of Smith, Rioli, Breust and Puopolo. Finding an omission is difficult because our lesser players had good games i.e. Kent, Bugg, Tyson, Salem. My only change would be In: Hunt, Out: Bugg. (Yes I watched the game, but I think we need to be forward looking.)

One change. Frost in for Bugg. Frost to play on Waite and OMac on Brown. Petracca to spend more time forward. Lewis to play midfield/wing not loose man. Lever to play as a third defender or loose if we play a seven man defence. Even play him on the wing if they drag him to full back.

I think Frost needs to come in so Lever can be a third defender. I would even consider moving Lever to the wing rather than let him be dragged to full back. I thought Maynard did ok, especially in the third quarter on Ablett. In saying this, our midfield needs some pace and better kickers to complement Oliver, Petracca and Jones. For this reason I would favour Brayshaw over Tyson if we made a change here. I would also play Petracca mostly at full forward. Our midfield can win enough ball without him and he would add significantly to our goal scoring power and forward pressure.

I know Viney is our captain and that he sets the benchmark for intensity (especially early in games), but I would have trouble leaving out someone like Harmes, Vince, Tyson, Hannan or Fritsch for him in round 1 given his lack of preseason. It is a long year and he needs to be at his peak in September. I doubt Goodwin will take the risk unless he plays a full game in the VFL next week.

I also like Frost. The way I see it, having both speedsters (Hunt and Frost) in defence compensates for our lack of quality outsider midfielders. I also think Lever would benefit from playing the third defender role, as he did at Adelaide where Talia and Hartigan were the key posts. We may go with only two key defenders to start the year to allow extra skill in the backline (Vince and Lewis) but this could change if we struggle to contain the key forwards.

I wouldn't have Tyson as a certain starter in our side every week, but I thought he played alright yesterday. He looks very fit and I would pick him in round 1. I don't really like him on the wing (due to lack of pace and average kicking) and I think he is really a centre square midfielder only.

It was fantastic to see Gawn, Harmes, ANB, Melksham and Fritsch play so well. I watched the game twice on the weekend and Brayshaw was better on the second viewing. I like him at half back. He has better closing speed than Lewis and Vince and I would like us to persevere with him there. He defiantly needs to tidy his disposal though. I liked Vince’s game and the consensus view of his demise is premature. I thought he was one of our better players and doesn’t look to have lost any real pace. I feel our defence would be better with Frost in the side and Lever as our third defender in place of Wagner. Lever was caught out a few times out the back and sides will try to draw him back to full back. As an aside, I think Lever could eventually become a gun forward. I wanted us to try Hogan, TMac and Pedo in the same forward line, but it was clear we are a better side with just two key targets and mid-sized players like Harmes, ANB, Melksham, Petracca, Hannon, Bugg and Fritsch.

The Age reporting Ablett has hamstring tightness upon hearing the news Jack will be right for Round 1.

Tyson will need to be improve his disposal on last season to maintain his spot in our midfield IMO. Oliver, Jones and Viney are all great or very good extractors and I feel they need to be balanced out with speed and skill on the outside. Players like Lewis, Vince, Salem, Petracca, Melksham and Neal-Bullen either have more speed or polish (or both) and better complement our inside strength. Brayshaw and Maynard could also possibly win a spot in our midfield. (All of these players are also capable on the inside.) The way I see it, picking Tyson boosts our midfield grunt marginally but it means that a faster, more skilled player like Harmes, Hannan, Fritch or Vince misses out. Given we also have Gawn giving our midfield the advantage (and Oliver is such a good clearance player) I would be going for the speed/skill option unless Tyson can take it up a level.

I am happy to experiment, but Hogan's best position to me seems to be CHF/FF.

Gutherie also goes ok.

Geelong would have the best midfield in the competition on paper with Dangerfield, Selwood, Ablett and Duncan.

The rating of Geelong as seventh is staggering.

Can we please get a Round 1 side based on what you have seen at training?