MadAsHell

Made it on this morning on my work computer, but couldn't get on yesterday afternoon on my home computer. Will try again tonight and see if all is good.

I'm after whole sale changes after the dismal display of skills but I don't expect to see it. My changes would be. IN: Cook, Couch, Davey, Green, Gysberts, Jamar, Jetta, Petterd OUT: Bail, Bate, Bennell, MacDonald, Magner, Moloney, Nicholson, Spencer FB: Garland, Frawley, Jetta HB: Watts, Rivers, Grimes C: Gysberts, McKenzie, Trengove HF: Howe, Cook, Petterd FF: Martin, Green, Davey FOLL: Jamar, Sylvia, Jones INT: Blease, Couch, Tapscott (Dunn sub) EMERG: Fitzpatrick, Morton, Nicholson Edit: Nicholson as emergency.

Donation made. Cheers.

Haha, woops. 21 year old should I say.

Was at the game again yesterday, but haven't had a chance to post until now. Gee Casey has given us some classics this season! My take on the Melbourne players was:- Jordan Gysberts: I was actually suprised with how much of the ball he got which suggests he was getting a lot of it in close which is a good thing. I noticed him more in the second half and he really is a smooth mover. Could have kicked a nice goal at the end but missed. Reckon he'd be a good show to come in next week. Cale Morton: He was alright. No usual shocking Morton turnovers, although he did drop a simple mark on out HF line in the 2nd term as we were moving forward which resulted in the ball running out of bounds. He seemed to mainly be playing off half back I thought. A good solid game. Ricky Petterd: I was suprised Bobby wasn't in our best today. Started the game really well and could have had 3 first quarter goals if not for inaccuracy. Unsighted in the 2nd term but he went into the midfield in the 2nd half and had a few vital clearances. I'm starting to wonder if he's really a midfielder? He hasn't done his chances of a recall any harm on yesterday's game IMO. Brad Green: Vintage Green yesterday. Couldn't miss, was great in the air and his leadership and direction was vital. He's a shoe in. Possibly as a small FF next week. James Strauss: Was ok but I didn't notice him much. On a good note I think he was on Chris Cain (2nd VFL leading goal kicker) and kept him pretty quiet, only kicked one. Still a few weeks away IMO, but will be better for the run. Lucas Cook: Quiet first half but along with Green and Petterd I thought he was one of the major reasons for Casey's 2nd half fight back. Didn't take any strong pack marks, but lead up really well and presented strongly and helped Casey break through Port's zone which they seemed to have locked Casey with in the first half. No goals but an important game and he used the ball well when putting it inside F50. Aaron Davey: One of Casey's better players in the first half but didn't seem to get as much of it in the second half as John Baird started following him around everywhere. As you expect from Flash, he used it really well and his tackling and pressure was very good which is a positive. Neville Jetta: One of the players in the first half for Casey IMO and if it weren't for him they would have been down by a lot more then 34 points. Ran hard, used the ball well and was good in congestion. He's a good small defender in the making. I reckon maybe another run or two and he'll be right for a recall. Troy Davis: Struggled a bit today with Galea kicking seven on him. Having said that he did a few nice things; took some good marks and made some vital spoils late in the game. Seemed just a fraction slow for Galea which I found odd as Davis's pace is normally one of his better aspects. Tom Couch: Has to paly after today's game. Plenty of the ball, good at the stoppages and very dangerous when driffting forward booting 4 goals. Time for a swap with Magner. Jack Fitzpatrick: One of the best games I've seen him play and it was as the No 1 ruck when he's suppose to be a better forward. His agility and pace were too much for Wayde Skipper and Sam Pleming and being named BOG was more then fair enough. Could have kicked 2 or 3 but his awkward kicking style let him down. Could be a dark horse to come in as a stay at home forward, but with Jamar coming in that's most likely doubtful. Leigh Williams: Only kicked 1 but the defensive side of his game for a deep forward was first class. In the second half he made two vital smothers when Port were trying to clear the ball which resulted in goals to Casey. Two goals in a 9 point win were the difference. Well done Williams, next step is to start plucking a few pack marks at FF, On another note there were two Casey players well worth talking about. One who's alreadys been mentioned is Tim Smith. 21 years of age, 192cm, 90kg, has a strong pair of hands and took an absolute screamer in the final term to go with his 2 goals. Every time I see him play I'm more and more impressed. Seems to have the ability to play high HF or closer to goal and we really need key forwards. He's be well worth a rookie selection IMO. And another player, today being the first time I've seen him play was Nathan Page. 12 years of age, 177cm, 75 kg. Getting a game ahead of Casey veteran Rian McGough and William Petropoulos as the small crumbing forward. His disposal was good, his pressure and chasing were top notch and kicked 2 traditional small forward goals in the last. The first of which I could have sworn was Stepehn Milne hitting a pack at pace from a stoppage and streaming into goal to put the Scorpions in front for the first time in the match. Another player who'd be a rookie roughie as we're crying out for a small forward.

So many people on this site reckon the sky is falling! Was a bad loss, agreed. Disposal was very poor, agreed. Are Melbourne experimenting with plays like Rivers and Garland forward and Dunn in defence? Clearly. There's several players who clearly aren't up to it, and this last few weeks is clearly about Neeld having a good look at them so he can make a good informed decission about who to keep, who to move on, and what position is best for them to play moving forward. For me I got a bit out of today. Sylvia I now still have hope for, and reckon Neeld can still mold him into an elite midfielder after building up his fitness base over the first half of this year. Garland I reckon is a forward and that's his spot going forward, with the occasional move down back. Martin can make it, showed a bit in the ruck and up forward, just needs to improve his set shots and awareness. Jones has become a top notch midfielder. Spencer's 2nd efforts are great, but he wont make it in the long run. Bate, Dunn and Bennell are gone at seasons end. And Bail and Nicholson will spend more time at Casey then in Melbourne's 22 next year unless they drastically improve their disposal. Come on people, I marked this season as a write off after round 2. For the rest of this year I'm just looking forward to the continued improvement of players in the seniors and at Casey, trade week/fortnight and the draft. Lets look forward, not back!

You haven't got much wrong there. The one's that I'd disagree with are Fitzpatrick, Jetta & Moloney. Fitzpatrick has only recently been diagnosed with diabetes, so who knows how long that's been affecting his footy? He's still a potential long term KPF/pinch hit ruckman. Jetta I reckon could be in our best 22 as of next year as a small defender. His attack on the footy is great, he's good in traffick, a good tackler and his disposal is better then both Bartram's and Nicholson's. Reckon there's a spot there for him. Moloney is a difficult one. B&F winner last year, but giving us nothing this year.I hope he stays, 2 year deal maybe at reduced wage. And again I reckon there is a spot for him as a defensive forward. Will take a lot of commitment from him and the coached, but I reckon that's the only place for him as of next year. He has to re-invent himself. The rest on your list I agree with. Magner I still see a spot for in our squad (not best 22) in the short term, same as Bail and Evans probably deserves another year also as you can't get rid of all of them at once. But long term, I don't think any of those on your list bar Jetta, Fitzpatrick and Moloney have a long future at the club. On a side note I was delighted in Sylvia's game yesterday. Could he finally be starting to click with Mark Neeld and the new regime? Is there still time for him to become an elite midfielder? Only if it is for 2 or 3 years?

My bad, I meant to say restricted free agent, not unrestricted. It's my understanding that he's a restricted free agent. And if that is the case, it means there is still some trade value there yeah?

Forgot, Goddard is an unrestricted free agent isn't he? Having said that I'm not sure how that works re: trading an unrestricted free agent. It'd be the same as trading a contracted player wouldn't it? Cause if he just tried to walk the origonal club can just match the offer? Will be interesting to see how St. Kilda go this off season. Lack of ruckmen and key defenders with aging midfielders and KPF. Wouldn't love to be in their position...

I would have thought so to. That's why I'm not convinced by this rumor myself. Thought I should post it anyway seeign as that's what I'd heard on the grape vine.

Current rumor going around work at the moment, and if true it means we wont get Boak. Rumor going around is that Port Adelaide, Geelong, St. Kilda & Carlton have already struck an in principle agreement that will see Boak go to Geelong, Dawson Simpson & the Ablett compensation pick go to St. Kilda, Goddard go to Carlton and Russell and Carltanks first round pick to Port Adelaide. Discussion of swapping lower picks ongoing. Don't know how reliable, but that's what I've heard today. I hate to say it, but this is a friend of a friend scenario.

I just reckon with a midfield that already consists of Moloney, Magner, Trengove, McKenzie and Jones they don't see the value in playing another one paced player, and if any of the above have missed, they've taken that opportunity to bring in runners like Blease, Bennell and Bail. He'll get his shot, it's just a matter of when.

Can't believe I forgot to mention him myself! Agree, reckon he'd be a great get for us, and certainly achievable. Also David Ellard from Carlton is someone who I think would eb a good get for us. He's 23 (I think), 30 odd games experience, a quick crumbing forward who can rotate through the midfield but can't crack a regular game because of Betts & Garlett. Would be a good fit IMO.

Two very good players. Don't think they're as getable as the others though.

I reckon the blokes you're referring to (Russell, Ray & Hansen I assume) are all good role players, but have that stigma of being top draft picks. Hansen's probably been the biggest underachiever out of the three, but he's constantly been moved from forward to back to forward. I reckon if we put him in and left him at CHF he'd become a valuable player for our structure and help Clark out a lot.

Travis Boak: Port Adelaide Shannon Byrnes: Geelong Travis Cloke: Collingwood Lachlan Hansen: North Melbourne Farren Ray: St Kilda Jordan Russell: Carlton Matthew White: Richmond Jesse White: Sydney They're some of the blokes that I'd be looking at. Byrnes and Boak top of my list!

Would be happy with either to tell the truth. Garlett excites me a bit more.

Out of the three mentioned I rate them Toumpas, Stringer, Wines. Meaning I'm hoping we can draft 3. Toumpas 4. Stringer 13. Garlett 26 (2nd round). Viney I reckon we'll be able to get Viney 2nd round. GC wont want to risk giving up Whitfield and GWS wont want to risk giving up Grundy when they really need a ruckman.

Touche! Although that Scully pick could turn out to be Stringer and Garlett? Fingers crossed things work outr better with them.

No thanks. When this club is trying to build a strong culture, the last thing we need is the son of a bikie member that's his current team saw fit to remove from his home and live with their president instead as a condition of him being drafted. IMO that's probably why Melbourne never interviewed him, although that bit's an assumption only, I don't know that for a fact. He's a great player. but far to much baggage for me, might get set straight at a club with an already strong culture like Geelong, but while we're trying to reshape ours he'd be as damaging as Fevola would have been and we'd never achieve the success we want and neither will Richmond while he's there IMO.

I mentioned this in another thread. If he gets the sack we should go after him big time!

For me it's IN: Davey, Green (got to get him to 250!), Jamar, Jones, Strauss OUT: Bate, MacDonald, Magner (for a rest if anything), McDonald (inj), Spencer FB: Farwley, Rivers, Nicholson HB: Watts, Sellar, Strauss C: Moloney, McKenzie, Trengove HF: Howe, Dunn, Green FF: Martin, Garland, Davey FOLL: Jamar, Grimes, Jones INT: Blease, Sylvia, Tapscott, Bail (s) EMERG: Bate, MacDonald, Magner

FB: Frawley, Rivers, Bartram HB: Watts, McDonald, Strauss C: Trengove, McKenzie, Stevens HF: Howe, Garland, Magner FF: Martin, Clark, Byrnes FOLL: Jamar, Grimes, Viney INT: Blease, Jones, Sylvia, Tapscott (s) EMERG: Cook, Gysberts, Toumpas New: Koby Stevens, grab him from WC with trades of Bennell & Petterd and our 3rd round pick, may involve a 3rd club being involved. Shannon Byrnes signed as a free agent as the squeez starts to take effect at geelong. With Motlop, Stokes, Varcoe, Christensen, Chapman etc, lets throw 700K over 2 years at him. Very good small forward, premiership player who will fill a badly needed void of ours. Jack Viney, fingers crossed we can get him with our second round pick. Jimmy Toumpas, would love to get him at pick 3, will put real pressure on our midfielders for a regular game. Other new arrivals I'd love to see would be Jake Stringer at pick 4 as a potential long term KPF or midfielder and Dayle Garlett at pick 13 as our long term crumbing forward. This team would see the likes of Moloney, Gysberts, Toumpas, Jurrah, Davey and Bail being forced to play at Casey to earn a game. While Stringer and Cook are still given time to develop at Casey before they force the likes of Garland and Martin out of the forward line.

The idea works in theory, but then again so does communism..... Just can't see Jack or his agent agreeing to it as it's delaying the start of his career, unless there was some brown paper bags at play! Certainly not the worst idea I've heard, a bit harsh I would have thought.

For me, end of the season I'd be looking at not moving that many on. RETIRE: Green FREE AGENTS: Bate (Bulldogs?), Dunn (Carlton?) DELIST: Spencer, Lawrence TRADE: Petterd & third round pick to Lions for their 2nd round pick. Bennell and same 2nd round pick to West Coast for Stevens? Gives us live picks with 3, 4, 13 & 26 (assuming we finish 16th) Upgrade: Magner Sign Shannon Byrnes as a free agent for a crumbing forward Nicho & Evans get a third and final year on the rookie list Shehan, Couch & Williams get a 2nd year on rookie list 1 pick in the rookie draft.