MadAsHell

I would have thought three weeks back at VFL level would have been enough for Fitzpatrick to put his hand up as being match fit.

Dawes still at least a week away you'd think. Gives Fitzy a chance to play for his AFL career at least..... Watts, Fitzpatrick and a resting Gawn/Jamar as our tall targets against Carltank.

If we get any former players back at this club in a coaching capacity my pick would be Brett Lovett as senior coach if Neeld doesn't work out which is looking more and more likely. Edit: Spelling

Thanks for that summary, the VFL gameday thread got hijacked. At least Casey are stringing some wins together...

All I'll say to a comment like this is you're making a call like that far to early to say they've screwed up picks (Toumpas 3 games into a career and Barry yet to play). Incidentally Kade Simpson from Carlton (similar type player we expect Barry to become) was only 67kg when drafted (less then Barry) and didn't get a possession in his first 3 games! So acording to you Carlton would have screwed that pick up and you would have cast Simpson aside never to play again. Well Simpson's now a very good player and if Barry matches Simpson I think we'll all be happy. And as far as hard yards go, think of the supporters who followed this club between 1965-1986 where we didn't make finals once and still stuck it out. Now that's hard yards, so if we get to the end of the 2029 season and are still yet to make the finals, then feel free to say you've done the hard yards. But back on topic. Anyone see how Tynan and Barry went with the seconds? Edit: ?

I see what you're saying Macca, and I have no trouble with Australian cricketers playing in the IPL in general. I just think we should draw a line at our contracted players, for example the below list: CRICKET AUSTRALIA'S CONTRACTED PLAYERS FOR 2013/14: (with age) George Bailey (TAS) - 30 Michael Clarke (NSW) - 32 Ed Cowan (TAS) - 30 Patrick Cummins (NSW) - 19 Xavier Doherty (TAS) - 30 James Faulkner (TAS) - 22 Brad Haddin (NSW) - 35 Ryan Harris (QLD) - 33 Ben Hilfenhaus (TAS) - 30 Phillip Hughes (SA) - 24 Mitchell Johnson (WA) - 31 Nathan Lyon (SA) - 25 Glenn Maxwell (VIC) - 24 Clint McKay (VIC) - 30 James Pattinson (VIC) - 22 Peter Siddle (VIC) - 28 Mitchell Starc (NSW) - 23 Matthew Wade (VIC) - 25 David Warner (NSW) - 26 Shane Watson (NSW) - 31 Those contracted players were announced earlier this year, and when a player gets a contract I reckon part of that should be that they waive the right to play in the IPL for that season. As this related article shows http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/the-6-million-man-michael-clarkes-huge-pay-rise/story-e6frfmqi-1226406055466 players who play often for Australia are earning over $1,000,000 a year as it is anyway so it's not like they're struggling to make a crust. One has to be vary careful with greed as it comes at a cost, just look at what the US banks being to greedy created, hello G.F.C. Any un-contracted Australian cricketer I'd say go for your life with the IPL bt anyone who gets a contract then it should be off limits for mine, And for players who miss large chunks of the year through injury like your Ryan Harris's and Pat Cummins, surely there should be some type of bonus cricket Australia can pay them for missing out on the IPL.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2013/content/current/story/632264.html One has to ask the question, what the hell is someone as injury prone as Harris doing playing over in the IPL in the lead up to the Ashes??? I know this argument has been done to death but can we please stop allowing our contracted players (which Harris os one of) to play in the circus! The English players don't seem to mind not playing in it and the Indians don't allow there's to play in the BBL so why do we let ours go over there and allow stuff like this to happen?

Agree with pretty much all of this Macca. I'm assuming that if anything were to happen to Watson then Faulkner may be given a debut cap and put in at number 7. He's certainly capable with the bat, just hasn't shown consistency yet at shield level. From what I've seen in the media I'm now left with the impression that Haddin will be given the gloves and that one of Khawaja or Hughes will play as a batsman meaning Wade will just be backup gloveman. Also was some mention in todays Age that Warner may be pushed down the order in the hope that Rogers & Cowan can take some shine off the duke ball. Makes me think the main XI could look something like: Cowan Rogers Khawaja Clarke* Warner Watson +Haddin Siddle Pattinson Lyon Bird Harris & Strac to be rotated in with the other 3 quicks. We possible could see all of Siddle, Pattinson, Bird, Harris & Starc play 3 tests each? I reckon Wade will simply be reserve keeper, Faulkner reserve allrounder and Hughes reserve batsman. Agar possibly to be drafted into the squad in case anything were to happen to Lyon.

I have real hope for Taggert going forward with his height and size. Could be a very valuable utility and I'm hoping may find himself in our 22 by the end of this year or early next year. Tynan I have hope for also, however I think may be more of a depth player. Will really be competing with the likes of Strauss, Blease, Toumpas, Dunn, Watts, MacDoanld, Nicholson, Terlich & Jetta for a role coming off half back and rotating through the midfield.

This! There's also someone coming up in two drafts time by the name of Billy Stretch that could fill this role. Crumbing forwards can be found easier then mids and good small defenders. I'm confident we'll be able to find someone along the way.

Just ask Luke McCabe after his encounter with David Neitz Round 1, 2002, never played again after that one I don't believe.....

Announced the Ashes squad! http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/tasmanian-james-faulkner-will-be-selected-in-a-16-man-ashes-squad/story-e6frfg8o-1226628456005 Australia's 16-man squad for the Ashes: Michael Clarke ©, Brad Haddin (vc), Jackson Bird, Ed Cowan, James Faulkner, Ryan Harris, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson Very inteesting squad. Do they play Haddin as a batsman/vc and Wade with the gloves or does Haddin take the gloves and Wade miss out? Also odd with only 1 spinner. Fawad Ahmed's citizenship obviousnly hasn't come through fast enough which is disapointing, as I believ he'd have more to offer then Lyon. My ideal first test XI would probably be: C. Rogers D. Warner E. Cowan M. Clarke* B. Haddin (vc) S. Watson +M. Wade P. Siddle J. Pattinson N. Lyon J. Bird Great to see Harris back in the squad along with Rogers, two of our better performers at state level and deserve their call up. Faulkner's an interesting one. If Watson's form continues to dive he could get an opportunity over there. Hughes continues to have more lives then a cat and Khawaja's and Starc's selections are obviously expected. George Bailey possibly a little unlucky despite his poor shield season, thought his weight of ODI runs may have forced him in there.

That's right, Collingwood didn't think Dawes was AFL standard, that's why he's played 71 AFL games. Same as Byrnes who played over 100 games with Geelong including two flags and Rodan who's managed over 170 AFL games. Players who aren't AFL standard I think you'll find would normally be weeded out of a premiership winning team or have their careers ended before they got up to as many as 170 odd AFL games.

This, or in the long term I could see Toumpas off half back but I certainly think Tapscott's best role is as a defensive forward. Our 22 within a few years time could look like. FB: Garland, Frawley, Terlich HB: Grimes, McDonald, Toumpas C: Evans, N. Jones, Bail HF: Howe, Hogan, Tapscott FF: Clark, Dawes, Kent FOLL: Gawn, Sylvia, Viney INT: Blease, Trengove, Watts SUB: Jetta Other players to keep the pressure on this lot will hopefully be the likes of: McKenzie Taggert M. Jones Barry Strauss Anyother new draftees etc...

I guess guys like Rodan, Byrnes and Dawes bring both experience and inexperience at the same time as some have mentioned. While they may be inexperience in as far as playing with this team and game style. They are experienced in terms of having played in big games, been there before, composure and decision making should be more sound then others. It's also worth noting the roles we have some of our players playing compared to others. We have Trengove, 21 years of age and 62 games as a co-captain compared to Duncan at Geelong who's 21 years and 55 games learning his craft from the likes of Batel, Selwood, Corey, Chapma etc... I did a quick comparison amongst 6 teams of players who have played more then 50 games and the average games played amongst them and we're a long way behind. St Kilda: 18 players avg games: 162.72, Geelong: 18 players, avg games: 157.44, Hawthorn: 20 players, avg games: 144.95, Collingwood: 24 players, avg games: 143.92, Sydney: 24 players, avg games 133.96, Melbourne: 16 players, avg games 104.69. It seems to me that you probably want your core group of players with an average games played inbetween 130-150. Once we've got our core group there then that should be when we're ready to strike.

After every game this week we've heard Neeld and Craig go on about games played average amongst the group and how young our team are. All the while I was thinking yeah, yeah we're not that young, a lot of these players have been around long enough now. But after going through our player list before I received a rude shock. We only have 16 players out of 45 that have played 50 games or more, 7 between 50-100, 7 between 100-150, 2 between 150-200 and none that are in the 200 plus category. Our list of experienced players reads. PLAYER AGE GAMES PLAYED David Rodan 29 178 Aaron Davey 29 161 Colin Sylvia 27 142 Nathan Jones 25 139 Mark Jamar 29 128 Joel MacDonald 28 123 Shannon Byrnes 29 112 James Frawley 24 105 Lynden Dunn 25 100 Mitch Clark 25 97 Colin Garland 24 84 Chris Dawes 24 71 Jack Trengove 21 62 Jordie McKenzie 22 58 Jack Watts 22 58 Jack Grimes 23 57 I'm yet to compare that to a Sydney, Geelong, Hawthorn or Collingwood as yet but I'd imagine that the results would be pretty damming. Makes you realise just how far back we a re coming from. especially given there's a good chance neither Rodan or Davey will be here next year. Lets hang tough and give these kids a chance to grow!

Congratulations. You are now in line for the worst post on Demonland of 2013. Tell him what he can win RR!

Far far to early to call. With another 18 games to be played we don't know who might come into good form or poor form, if anyone will suffer a Bartram like career ending injury or where we're likely to finish and what draft picks for trades we may have available. Sure Dale Thomas would be great as a free agent but the chances of landing him are about 1000 to 1. All I will say is that it's a big season for the likes of Watts, Davey, Taggert, Tynan, Fitzpatrick, Davis, Sellar, Rodan, Gillies and MacDonald all of whom are out of contract at the end of the year I believe? So is Gawn but I'm hoping they sign him to a new 2 year deal shortly.

IN: Dunn, McKenzie, Rodan OUT: Clark (inj), Jetta (susp), Viney (rest but I'd take him on the trip up as the 3rd emergency) FB: Garland, Frawley, Terlich HB: Dunn, McDonald, Grimes C: Howe, McKenzie, Bail HF: Trengove, Pedersen, Tapscott FF: Gawn, Watts, Byrnes FOLL: Jamar, Sylvia, N. Jones INT: Davey, Evans, M. Jones SUB: Rodan EMERG: Blease, Fitzpatrick, Viney Dunn takes Watts role off half back and Watts goes forward and has to try and keep his spot there knowing that Clark and Dawes are to come back into that side. Frawley to Brown McDonald to Martin McKenzie tags Rockliff or Moloney? Bail to Rich

100 tackles in a match for a team almost never happens. In fact, not one team managed it for this round of football. How about we set realistic goals?

Was thrilled to see Byrnesy play well today. I think he'll be a valuable player for us for the 2 seasons he's contracted and will hopefully help re-shape the player culture that we have here. He's no world beater but he's a good solid small crumbing forward (something we haven't had since Farmer) and some of our young players can learn a lot from him.

I thought the other Col. Garland also played a huge last term. Hopefully he can take this form into next week.

Entitled to your opinion but I reckon he was good. He made some mistakes but he often went back in and made up for those mistakes in the same passage of play. As soon as his suspension comes to an end he'll come straight back in. And if that was a dirty play then I'd hate to think what you thought of footy back in the 70's and 80's?

In my opinion it's because he works hard off the ball which a lot of players on our team don't do. Late in the 2nd term the ball was deep in GWS'S forward line and Jetta was running the ball out of defence. Sylvia was calling for it short just outside the defensive 50 but instead Jetta went long to the wing (can't remember who) and they took a mark out there. Sylvia then proceeded to give Jetta a mighty spray while Jetta just pointed to where he kicked it and sprinted past Syvia who was still giving Neville lip, Jetta kept gut running forward into the 50 to provide a traget and was passed the ball but with a horrible kick that went over his head. Jetta then kept running and provided a sheppard (could have been a better one) for Byrnes who then dribbled a much needed goal from the boundary. All the while the higher paid and more highly regarded Sylvia was still standing in the middle of the ground. If more of our players worked as hard as Jetta does we'd be a much better team.

Cheers KC. Look forward to the report.