Grand New Flag

Just on a side note: on Footy Classified last night Caro wondered why we continue to treat Scully and Trengove like a 'package' by resting them both in the same round. She suggested that we should have rested one in one week, and the other the next week, to avoid this idea that they are twins or something and they do everything together. Interesting thoughts, even though I don't actually think it matters.

Interesting, I was talking to Chris Judd (a friend) about this last Friday and he said that he thought it was a very good idea to rest the kids during the season but that we should have rested them on different weeks. I told him that we rested them together because we had just played a hard game in Darwin and because we were setting ourselves for you blokes followed by QB. He replyed "obviously".

Ricky would be mad not to entertain the GC offer, but this does not mean he will go. I think its a 50/50.

As for Ablett. I think he is almost certainly leaving Geelong and going to play with his brother at GC next year. If Ablett was not going surely he would have told Geelong and neutralised the situation. Remember we are talking about a bloke who tries to stay out of the media spot light. I think Ablett to GC is about 90/10 to move North.

I am certain Wonna will be given some very tough training sessions later in the week and the weekend.

Scarlett will take Miller you would think. This leaves Watts with the second defender rather than Scarlett (double premiership, best FB in the game). Even if Miller does little except make a contest against Scarlett this is a win for the Dees.

We will not make the 8 this year. We were never going to. I would suggest that if you think we will you have dangerously high expectations and suggest you water them down know rather than make unreasonable dummy spits on this sight when our team links together a few bad performances. Fairies don't exist at the bottom of the garden.

Very exciting indeed!

Wonna was some way off full fitness and also some way off an exceptable AFL level of fitness. I think he is about a month away from being fit enough to make a four quarter impact.

Nevertheless I was very impressed with Wonnas game. He did not get much of it but every touch was clean, his kicking sublime and great to see he had not lost a yard. I had forgotten how good he was.

I expect him to play the next two/three games at Casey to regain match fitness, hopefull he will be back for QB.

This is NOT NEW. Ricky told at least 2 Demonlanders 3 weeks ago that he will be at our club post this year.Also it has been recorded on two other threads previously.

Jay: steady on. Few demonlanders read every post, I as one had not yet heard this rumour...... and I am on here everyday. There is no point in being critical of such posts as this would only discourage people with information from posting it in fear they will get slapped by people like you. This in turn will slow the information flow on demonland and thus in time reduce its value and in turn readership.

Not a smart post Jay.

Would be awesome if true! Ricky is far infront of Robbo weight for age (who at 21 struggled to get a game, had no second effort and was a C Grade set shot for goal). I think Pettard could end up being a 500+ goal kicker in his career. Further in a forwardline with Jurrah, Watts & Green, he is unlikely to get the same defender attention as he did this year as our prime go to man.

I think the reason Gysberts misses out here is because of positional needs and nothing else. He's an in and under midfielder who doesn't play forward or back. I don't think any of our current midfielders would be dropped for him: Moloney, Scully, Trengove, Jnr McDonald, Jones, Moloney - none would deserve to be dropped on form.

Then if we look at the suggested in's they make a lot of sense structurally.

Miller - logical replacement for PJ given his ability to pinch-hit in the ruck and play the lead up forward in place of Bate. Not to mention we need the extra strong body up there to give Watts a hand. His been playing fantastic footy for Casey too, so he deserves the call up.

Aussie and Jetta - both can go forward and improve our forward pressure. We have lacked creativity in our forward line all season and these guys give us that. Jetta can also swing into the midfield if needed. Having Watts and Miller up forward means we have two guys that can bring the ball to ground a bit, where jetta and aussie can pounce. Probable replace for Hughes who has showed good effort and is possibly unlucky to be dropped (if true).

Joel Mac - obvious replacement for Bruce down in the backline. It was just a matter of time before he came back in.

Morton - he has the ability to play anywhere on the ground thanks to his height and endurance. He is also easily in our top 22 so it makes sense to get him back in after showing enough at Casey. Could fill in down back in bruce's role, or move forward to take over Hughes or Bates role. He's the ultimate Mr flexibility.

All of the in's make sense from a structural perspective, otherwise if we just went for who's in the best form we would have a team of almost purely midfielders with a couple of bigs scattered around.

Gysberts and Cheney are in the same boat. Both can't break into the side because of our depth and strength at their positions.

Its great to hear some logic thought process. I agree, well done!

He is certain to play seniors this week.

Expect to see a few players being rested. Melbourne looked tired last week. No run, no spark. There is no doubt some of our young boys are tiring both physically and mentally. No upside in sending them to the other side of Australia to play in the most taxing conditions when there ready made replacements that need to be given opportunity.

I would much rather they all just get banned and thrown out. (Or blown up if you prefer)

These things ruin lives, and i don't get any joy out of us making money from them. They are a blight on our local pubs, turning these social places that should be a joy to visit and into a dazzzling display of lights, noises and depression. I'm not against gambling, but this form of it is truly disgusting.

But we're stuck with them because if we didn't have them we wouldn't be competative against the other clubs.

Hear, Hear!

I am a good conservative voter, don't mind a punt, but I am disgusted in this sort of gambling and appalled with both sides of politics for letting this life destroying, pub and social killing thing to continue. Pokies are a black mark on society with those who can least afford falling into its trap.

Saying that if its going to happen I would prefer the money in MFCs pockets over any other organisation.

ive got a bad feeling we are going to lose an untouchable to either GC or GWS and then have to use our compensation pick (which will be our best in that draft) on Viney

A likley outcome.

Hey guys, first time poster here, but been reading the forum for a while.

I think Bailey's interview on SEN gives almost a guarantee that Danny Hughes will get another game given he actually said something along the lines of "it'll be great to see how he goes next week".

I'm not sure i'd like to see Dunn dropped. The guy has the most marks on our team for the season to date and is providing a consistent target across the half forward line. His disposal has been patchy, but he should have had at least 2 goals on the weekend (if that touched call in the 4th Q went our way), and he also did well in forcing the ball to the goal square in difficult conditions with a couple of other snaps towards goal.

Dunn also has a bit of mongrel in him, which this team needs. His mobility and height (he's 6'4")along with Bate's on the forward line is an asset to our team. He may not have kicked a bag of goals, but our forward line isn't set up like that anyway. We need multiple contributors each game to be competitive and he can at least be one of those.

I don't know who'd be dropped but i think Dunn has done enough to warrant another game. I wouldn't be surprised if a guy is dropped for Watts on the pure basis that he needs to be rested, just like we did with Jordie McKenzie.

Agreed pm24. Dunn should not be dropped, nor should Hughes. Simply the team would not be as good without Dunn in the team (some posters will disagree). This makes for a very interesting time come selection. Although I hear from inside the club Watts will play, my information has proven to be wrong before and can't be taken as 100%. Strong cases can be made for and against his selection...... but someone has to go.

Scully got it last week in a losing side

Yes, but statistically speaking nominations go to players on winning teams. Same as brownlow votes.

You dont think that Garland and Frwaley can match them?

I think they both have the pace.

I guess it also depends ono their taller options, who at the moment are Waite and O'Hailpin.

I would think Bartram would get Betts, Garland on Yarran, Frawley on O'Hailpin, Warnock on Waite and then Grimes maybe on Garlett.

We may need to bring in another small defender as back up and/or to release Grimes, so they would need to be quick, maybe Bail/Strauss.

Perfect Yokozuna

100% agree

Back to the topic...... Gysberts form has been nothing short of outstanding at Casey. Gysberts has more than earned a place in the senior side. If he had of come to the club in any of the last 3 years he would have played 7 senior games by now. The problem is that we literally have no similar sort of player that deserves dropping and no midfield injuries. Gysberts (assuming no injury) will get his opportunity and will get a rising star nomination this season (will be our 4th behind McKenzie). If Watts gets his act together he could also get a nomination. Thats a potential 5 nominations. However, you would think that Melbourne would have to make the finals to get this number.

This is interesting. I am hearing the same thing from my sources inside the club. "Watts will play this week". What ever the case it is certain he will be seriously considered by the selection commitee.

I know (as a fact) the blues would have been much happier if they traded Fev to West Coke instead of Kennedy. They regreted this error almost immediatly.

I think young Jack's confidence is the key.

I would much prefer him to debut for the season this week against a significantly weaker opposition at the MCG rather than against Port in Darwin or taking Scarlet on at the Catery.

Further, our forward line is desperate for some talent.

Not sure who to dropped but it should not be Hughes, be deserves a go in dry conditions.

Our forward line is obviously needing a revamp after the long term injury to Pettard. I hate to say it but with Pettard in GCs sights we may never see him play for the red and blue again! So what do people think? Who should be selected?

Personally I would like to see Garland moved forward and Addam Maric given a gurnsey as a small forward. If this does not work other combinations should be tried. I would love to see Watts get a gig but I see him playing off the wing rather than forward.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/in-the-wake-of-wooden-spoons-the-silver-spoons-are-back-at-melbourne-20100427-tq2d.html

Hard to beleive stuff like this is being writen after the smacking the media gave us just 4 weeks ago.

Don't be so sure.

What worries me about North is the pressure they put on the ball carrier (similar to our own). Adelaide, Richmond, Brisbane and certainly Collingwood were all very poor with this. The only team that put this sort of pressure on was Hawthorn and we buckled.

Now we are a far better team with significantly higher confidence than round 1, however, its defensive pressure that will bring us unstuck, force mid-field turnovers and force us to play wide.

How to beat the demons:

1. Defensive Pressure

2. Zone the corridor

Also we are not playing at the MCG. I think I might tip North.

Glad I am not on the selection commitee this week.

Talk about a difficult decision!

5 weeks and no new injuries...... Wow!

We are better off without him, and because he didn't come to us we are now probably on par with Carlton given they have lost Fev and that their backline is nowhere near as good as ours (and we have arguably gained players who are as good if not better than Gibbs, Murphy and Kruezer).

I don't doubt that you know him, or that your story is true, but if Judd wanted a flag above all else, he would have gone to Collingwood because they were the most advanced in the premiership race and probably still are. The addition of Judd would have almost certainly helped them win a flag, whereas I think the loss of Kennedy has seriously damaged Carlton's chances, especially in light of Fev's departure.

Either way, the universe was working for us with the Judd situation. We lost nothing and won plenty, so he can enjoy playing for scum of the earth and I'll enjoy our rapid development.

Very true Jaded, Collingwood would have been the place to go for a flag. However, there were other influences. Firstly Collingwood was unable or unwilling to satisfy West Coasts demands of 2 very young top ten draft picks. Secondly, West Coast simply refused to negotiate with the woods. Finally Richard Pratt connected with Juddy in a way that Eddy could not. In fact the late Pratt turned into a close mentor of Juddy.

Just on Cale, I'm a bit worried that him coming back may upset the team balance.

I know he's not purely an outside receiver as opposition supporters see him, but I also know with his light frame he does fill that role quite often.

I think for the sake of chemistry we might see Bruce out for Cale.

Otherwise, I'm not sure I can see us maintaining our new-found hard edge.

NNo chance of this.

Cale will be playing forward this year. Bruce = experience and is thus very important to the current balance of the team.