leucopogon

another wasted year I'm looking at. We'll be bottom 3, probably 17th I think. This team has not developed.

i'm seeing the same school boy errors (2 players getting sucked into the ball carrier, stop-start, not running in support of each other, leading to the pocket at all costs) that I was seeing at the start of the Bailey era. I'm bemused

Excuse me for my ignorance but who was this written about? Jack Watts, Cale Morton, Colin Sylvia?

I think we're gonna be stuck with an untradeable commodity in Watts unfortunately. Every time I see Fyfe play and look at Watts game in comparison it just makes me angry. The two aren't that dissimilar height wise. One is competitor and hard worker the other just won't do what it takes to become elite.

Let's hope Oscar is made of the same stuff as Tom. Imagine those two holding down a couple of key posts for the Dees in a few years time.

Out: titanic deck chairs In: titanic deck chairs

What a horrible game. Would have been more interesting if we had our best 22 out there, but alas. Frawley and Dunstall mentioned in the commentary they thought we need some run and pace. I agree, our midfield is frighteningly one paced. Freo are a team full of giants and made us look physically inadequate. They just might be building the prototype AFL list of the future. Centre clearances were frankly an embarrassment. We needed a 2nd ruckman to give Jamar a chop out. Watts is just a laughable bruise free player that will not get another contract I guarantee that.

Not true, just checked their lineup for that game and they were almost full strength except for Walters and Ballantyne

zak jones

I'm not so sure. This is from the AFL rules for ruck contests Law 15.4.5 (f) A Field Umpire shall award a free kick against a player who makes prohibited contact with an opposition player by unduly pushing, bumping, holding or blocking whilst contesting a bounce, throw up or boundary throw in. Free Kick - Straight arm block preventing opponent contesting the ball Early leap making contact with opponent, then lands on ground and hits the football Crosses the centre circle line going past the flight of the football then makes contact with opponent Makes contact with opponent whilst not watching the football Obvious push, bump, block or hold Crosses the centre circle line before ball is bounced or thrown up Straight leg or foot - block The bit in bold could work in Howe's favour. So if big Sandi tries to body Howe and prevent him from getting a leap at the centre bounce, that's a cut and dried free kick according to the laws of the game. Therefore, Howe has a chance to run and leap at the centre bounce. The only instance where he could be in trouble is a bad bounce that favours sandi getting an unimpeded run at it. In which case Howe can stay on the ground and act as a fourth midfielder to try and win the stoppage. Probably never happen so this discussion is moot, but I'd be quite interested to see if it could work at some point. Obviously, we would not be using Howe around the ground except as a potential 3rd man up, but I'd rather he stay a kick behind play for intercept mark opportunities (much like Jeff White used to do in the good old days).

Could Howe ruck in the middle? Surely his leap and reading of a ball in flight could allow him to at least compete against Sandi (who can barely jump off the ground) in centre bounces at least so that he gets an unimpeded run and jump at the ball up. Jamar/Spencer/Dawes can ruck around the ground where body strength is needed. Worth a punt?

Wet weather, drop watts, dry weather watts stays in Grimes or Terlich for Jetta Bail or Toumpas for Kent (will be sorely missed)

I like Howey, but wouldn't really be fussed if we traded him away (depending on the outcome of said trade). He doesn't strike me as the kind of player that will lead the MFC charge from cellar dwellar to top 8 side, I think he's built up too much scar tissue from the Bailey - Neeld era.

Crows are going to be also rans this year, all other teams will take note of what we did today and raise the level with skill and polish on top. Crows are fragile.

This Jamar offers very little besides his ruck work, and even his value there is questionable. Time to give Max Gawn or Spencer another crack I think.

Posted this after last weeks loss and I still feel exactly the same for those who missed it: Here's who I would be looking to turn over at seasons end Watts (trade) must have some currency lets just cash in these chips already Garland (free agent) let him go, take whatever pick we get for him, he's too inconsistent Cross (retire) old man time catches up with everyone eventually Grimes (trade) try to find a vandenBerg type with better skills and a stronger body with the low pick we'll get for him Howe (trade) if he can attract a late first rounder like was rumoured last offseason that would have to be a win for us McKenzie (delist) Gawn (delist) Toumpas (trade) steak knives in a trade with Adelaide or Port for someone decent Bail (delist) Trengove (retire) don't think he'll make it back unfortunately I'll admit Garland was better today, but I still think he'll leave and I won't be all that sad to see him go.

Hogan needs to learn to kick as well, could be the complete package if he does

I miss Jeff White, we need more than a war horse tap ruckman, we need a ruckman that gets some ball round the ground

Team for next week: B Dunn TMac Jetta HB H Garland Grimes C Vince Tyson Brayshaw HF Salem Dawes Pedersen FF Garlett Hogan vandenBerg Foll Jamar Cross Jones Int: Stretch/Bail/M Jones Michie Kent JKH Outs: Newton (omit), Howe (omit), Watts (omit), Frost (inj) Ins: Stretch/Bail/M Jones, Michie, Grimes, Pedersen Howe, Newton & Watts dropped to find some form, don't care who comes in as long as they play harder than Watts Grimes & H to the backline, Salem to the forward line (can play a forward defensive tagging role, if the coaches want to keep developing his defensive side, but we need his skills hitting up Hogan lace out inside the 30m arc. Kent will need to lift or he's next on the chopping block for mine.

Thought the umpiring wasn't that bad, they certainly let a lot Bernie's cheap shots go, which I found very surprising, given it was umpy's pet Dangerfield who was on the receiving end.

Also, I'm fed up with Salem in defence. Lets run him in the midfield or high half forward. He's not accountable enough, I'd rather he play as a defensive forward where his skills can actually hit up targets rather than as a makeshift defender. eventually he's gonna have to get in the midfield isn't he? might as well be this year.

Outs for next week: Watts Howe Frost (inj) Newton (anonymous) Ins: Whoever plays well in the 2s No more gifted games, I'd honestly rather Grimes or McKenzie than Watts's soft as butter efforts.

Its the "old" heads that continue to balls up our play today, I'm talking about Watts, Garland, Howe, even TMac is starting to revisit Clangersville and Jones hasn't set the ground alight either. The exception is Jamar who is battling well in the ruck but offering nada round the ground

Hear hear, everyone is out their cracking skulls except this bloke

who out of those I've listed would you be looking to keep and why?