MadAsHell

IN: Clark, Frawley, Petterd OUT: Dunn, MacDonald, Tapscott Petterd to play Dunn's defensive forward role, Tappy needs some miles in his legs at Casey and MacDonald although playing ok needs to come out to fit Chip in. FB: McDonald, Frawley, Bartram HB: Garland, Rivers, Grimes C:Trengove, McKenzie, Bate HF: Watts, Sellar, Petterd FF: Howe, Clark, Davey FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, Magner INT: Bail, Jones, Sylvia, Morton EMERG: Fitzpatrick, MacDonald, Tapscott

For our first & second round picks & the 2 compensation picks I'd be looking for. Viney with either our round 1 or 2 pick, hopefully 2nd. Garlett with our compensation pick after 9th place getter (pick 12) if he falls that far. Don't let West Coast or Freo play everyone again. Compensation pick after our 1st round choice, best available, preferably outside midfielder with pace and can use it. First or Second Round pick (whichever we don't use on Viney) same as above. With all of our talls I wouldn't worry to much about drafting in anymore at this stage.

No longer on the injury list I noticed this week. Fingers crossed he gets a start in the Casey development team this week.

IN: Fitzpatrick, Grimes, Petterd OUT: J. MacDonald, T. McDonald, Sellar FB: Garland, Frawley, Bartram HB: Grimes, Rivers, Bail HB: Watts, McKenzie, Bate HF: Howe, Dunn, Petterd FF: Fitzpatrick, Clark, Davey FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, Magner INT: Jones, Morton, Trengove, Tapscott EMERG: Blease, Couch, Sellar Seeing as Sylvia hasn't played for 5-6 weeks now I reckon he should have at least a week in the VFL to blow the cobwebs out. My changes were based mainly on trying to create a bit more run and not so top heavy. Sellar gave us nothing, Joel Mac was terrible and poor old Tommy Mac was very nervous.

If there's another thread that mods think this should join then please move it. However I thought it warranted it's own thread. Hear me out. I don;t think it's a case of not having the cattle to get this team off the mat. I think we have a lot of the cattle, we just need to get this game plan down, get more games into the young players and fill our 3 vacant slots (by my count). If you compare our team to that of Collingwood in 2010 who Neeld's probably modeling our game off I think we'll get there. Here's a bit of a run down comparing the two. FB: N. Maxwell = T. Davis (need to start playing the kid, hits the contest hard.) FB: N. Brown = J. Farwley (need I say more, Chip has him covered.) FB: B. Johnson = S. Blease (the kid needs to pull his finger out, could becoem a massive weapon and fill this role.) HB: H. O'Brien = J. Grimes (Already plays the same role, will get better if he stays injury free.) HB: B. Reid = T. McDonald (Similar to Davis, I really rate this kid, and he's tough and can play on bigger opponents. Sorry Riv.) HB: H. Shaw = J. Strauss (need his kicking skills back there.) C: D. Thomas = (This is where we have a vacancy. Need an explosive line breaking classy mid in the next draft.) C: D. Swan = J. Trengove (I reckon JT can become this good, he's got a lot of work but the kids all class.) C: S. Wellingham = (I'd love to say Morton, Bail or Dunn could play this role but not convinced as yet. Probably another oppening where we need a midfielder who can run with someone all day, shut them down and get the pill a bit themselves.) HF: B. McAffer = R. Petterd (Ricky's got the guy covered easily with skill, just reckon he needs to focus on his defensive sid and fill the defensive forward role.) HF: T. Cloke = J. Watts (While Watts will never be the massive unit Cloke is, I still think he can reach the heights of N. Riewoldt who is still a very effective CHF in todays game. Watts just need to keep bulking up and his work rate up.) HF: A. Didak = C. Sylvia (Like for like for mine.) FF: L. Brown = J. Fitzpatrick (Reckon Fitzy is the guy to play the forward/2nd ruck role. He's agile and starting to clunk more marks out at Casey. Starting to have doubts if Stef will learn how to play as a forward.) FF: C. Dawes = M. Clark (Big bodied FF filled.) FF: L. Davis = (Obviously we need to recruit a small crumbing forward or two.) FOLL: D. Jolly - M. Jamar/M. Gawn (Either of these two will be able to play as no 1 ruck, just a question of how long Jamar can hold out Max.) FOLL: S. Pendlebury = J. Gysberts (Reckong the Gys is a mini Pendlebury in the making.) FOLL: L. Ball = J. Viney (I know Jack isn;t here yet, but reckon he'll scream Luke Ball the way he goes about it.) INT: D. Beams = J. Howe (forward who can also play midfield.) INT: J. Blair = N. Jones (Blair's more of a forward who occasionally plays midfield, Jones is a midfielder who I'd like to see add the ability of being able to play forward.) INT: S. Sidebottom = B. Moloney (Vital part of midfield rotation. Sidebottom has more class but Beamer could be equally effective.) INT: A. Toovey = L. Tapscott ( swing man who can play anywhere. Toovey plays mainly back but does get moved around. Tappy has the ability to play anywhere.) So would like to hear what peoples opinion of our list is. By my thinking we're onlt 2 mids. (1 quality & 1 tagger) and a small forward short of what we need. So for me it's time to start getting more games into the likes of T. McDonald, Davis & Fitzpatrick. But then again I might be looking at this with red & blue goggles. GO DEES!

Agree Dee-luded, but it has to be the right mix. For example Russian as the number 1 ruck and then say Clark & Fitzpatrick forward, but forwards who can play in the ruck. I'm starting to think Stef's biggest problem is that he's not a natural forward.

Far to top heavy today, I want to see some run added into the team. I want some of the young players to be stuck with and some of our ordinary older players moved out. I want to see a strong bodied tagger in our midfield, a small crumbing forward who can tackle and harrass and some creativity coming out of defense, which leads me to. IN: Blease, Davis, Moloney, Petterd, Tynan OUT: Bate (hasn't really shown anything), Garland (in poor form and made a lot of mistakes), Martin (can't play he Jamar, Clark & Sellar all in the one team), McKenzie (love his tackling, but needs to get more of the ball or be able to play a tagging role which he doesn't), Rivers (lack of run out of defence. Time to bring in a tall who can provide this). FB: Davis, Frawley, Davey HB: Grimes, Sellar, Bail C: Watts, Moloney, Blease HF: Trengove, T. McDonald, Bartram FF: Howe, Clark, Tapscott FOLL: Jamar, Dunn, Magner INT: Jones, Petterd, Tynan, Morton EMERG: Couch, Martin, McKenzie Edit: Forgot to include Tynan in my INS. If Grimes doesn't come up then Couch should make his debut.

Best comment so far, Carlton had a shocking 2002 and started their rebuild from there, where as Melbourne were still playing finals till the end of 2006. Lets give it time, it took Carlton several years to turn things around with all their resources, it will probably take us at least equally as long and we've had more distractions to deal with then they did.

Thrilled to see him updated on the injury list to only 3 weeks away now. Obviously he'll have to do several weeks with Casey Reserves before being considered for Casey Seniors, and I don't expect to see him with Melbourne at all this season but I'm looking forward to seeing him run around out at Casey. Competative kid who could play almost anywhere on the ground, and is the type of build we need going forward. All the best of luck in your comeback from injury Rory!

For mine. IN: Couch, Martin (if fit), Moloney (if fit), Morton, Tapscott OUT: Bennell, Green, McKenzie, Rivers, Sellar FB: Garland, Frawley, Bartram HB: J. MacDonald, T. McDonald, Grimes C: Trengove, Magner, Morton HF: Howe, Watts, Petterd FF: Martin, Clark, Tapscott FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, Couch INT: Bail, Bate, Jones, Dunn EMERG: Davey, McKenzie, Rivers

I agree, it's not that hard at all. I love a drink and used to go out drinking 6 nights a week and have a glass of wine at home every night. I was getting married in 2010 and wanted to loose some weight so went off the grog from mid March until the end of October. Wasn't easy but if the will power's there then it's easy enough to do. I had friends birthdays and all different functions to get through. Also look at one of our former champs in Shane Woewodin, the man didn't drink during the season back in an error where drinking was a lot more accepted during the season. He was ahead of his time and if he could do it 12 years ago, I don't see why our players can't do it in the professional era we are in now.

That was my line of thinking. If Jetta was fit I'd of been looking at him, but Bennell is the only other player (apart from maybe Lawrence) that can play that small crumbing, chasing and harrasing forward pocket role. Plus he was one of Casey's best on the weekend so good form should be rewarded.

Wholesale changes for mine, need to send a big message. IN: Bennell, Couch, Dunn, Petterd, Sellar OUT: Blease, Davey, Green, J. MacDonald, Moloney FB: Frawley, Rivers, Bartram HB: Garland, Sellar, Bail C: Trengove, Magner, Bate HF: Howe, Watts, Petterd FF: Martin, Clark, Bennell FOLL: Jamar, Grimes, McKenzie INT: Couch, Jones, Tynan, Dunn EMERG: T. McDonald, Morton, Tapscott

After yesterdays results for both Melbourne & Casey I'd be looking at: Bennell for Davey Couch for Moloney Dunn for Green Petterd (if fit) for Blease & Sellar for Mac Donald Gysberts, T. McDonald & Tapscott emergencies. Need to bring some physicality into the team which Couch, Dunn & Sellar all do, Sellar also helps with WC's tall forwards, and Bennell & Petterd to hopefully give us some forward pressure. Moloney you may bring back in after 1 week in he dominates. Davey & Green would have to dominate for weeks on end to earn a recall. Morton & T. McDonald clearly wont be far away if they can continue their good form & I have no doubt both Gysberts & Tapscott will be better for their runs.

Thankfully I decided to bring round 1 in with Casey-v-Williamstown. Gave the Swans-v-GWS match a miss, although I would of liked to have seen how Junior went.

Went out to Casey last night, and while Watts didn't play the classic CHF game he was still clearly the most influential player out there. Kicked 2 2nd half goals when it really mattered, gave off numerous goal assists, a couple from some clean gathers near the boundry, beating more then one opponent and finding a team mate when the ball looked certain to go out. Oh and he kicked probably the greatest point you'll ever see from a snap over his shoulder in the last quarter which if it had of gone through would have put Casey in front at that point in time. He took on some responsability tonight to make things happen, and was good to see him back himself on occassion instead of looking to give it off everytime. Was a very good standard match and I'm very glad I went along to Casey instead of watching the Sydney-v-GWS match.

2nd Test team should be interesting. Of all the players out injured I think Cummins is the only one likely to be fit for Hobart, straight swap for Starc you'd assume? Warner & Khawaja are probably in a bat off to see who survives when Watson & Marsh come back for Boxing Day. Surely Hughes will be one of the 2 to be dropped. I'm expecting the team for the 1st test v India to look like: Khawaja Marsh Ponting Watson Clarke Hussey Haddin Pattinson Siddle Cummins Lyon Warner/Starc 12th man As for NZ I'm not sure what changes they can make, they only have 2 other players in their squad. Maybe Trent Boult in for Bracewell? NZ really need a good pace bowler. Last summer I remember seeing one in a 20/20 match NZ played called Adam Milne but haven't seen or heard of him since. They do have some good batsmen (despite today's efforts), they just need a quality pace bowler and they have the makings of a good team. Edit: End bit about the black caps.

Surely Ponting and Haddin have to make way for Marsh and Wade for the first test against New Zealand now. And unless Johnson can take some wickets without going for 4.5+ runs an over he should get lost also!

Absolutely love this kid. Jack Watts will become at least equal if not better then Nick Riewoldt.

Agreed! Reckon Hussey & Marsh are the way to go at the top of the order for now. But no doubt they'll stick with Hughes for awhile now with his Marcus North impression. Some other names to consider for the openning position though are Ed Cowan and Nic Maddinson a little further down the track. Both have very good techniques.

Spot on there TU! I hope we give Lyon time. I do like the look of him. He has truggled since the 1 st test but I reckon he's the best we've got at the moment. I'd like to give him the whole summer to try and settle in, may turn out to be no good but a bit of faith could bring he rewards. Trent Copeland has the potential to be a McGrath clone but I agree his lack of pace is a worry. Personally for our line & length bowler I'd have both Josh Hazelwood (always injured) and Clint McKay ahead of him. McKay could consider himself unlucky. He's far from express also, but I reckon he does have a bit moer on it then Copeland does. Siddle as you said is ok but that's it. With Harris injured I can understand why he's getting a game but as soon as Harris is right to go again I'd bring him in. I reckon James Pattinson would be a better option then Siddle also. Different type of bolwer being a swing bowler but has a lot more upside then Siddle. Johnson is the most annoying bolwe going around. Has the ability to be one of the best but is mentally fragile. I'd like to see Mitchell Starc have a good domestic summe to start putting some pressure on Johnson. And as far as our batting goes some serious changes need to be made. Watson needs to drop down to at least number 4. His batting's suffering cause of the extra bowling we need him to do I reckon so the sooner we drop him down the order like RSA did with Kallis the better. Hussey with his technique should move to open the innings IMO along with Marsh. Khalwaja is probably our best option at number 3 seeing as Ponting hasn't passed 50 in his last 9 innings! Clarke to number 5 cause he has to bat somewhere even though he isn't doing it well and Ferguson should bat at 6 I reckon. There's a lot of issues with the Australian side at the moment. They were unlucky with the weather in the 2nd test but certain areas still need to be addressed.

Hate to be a negative Nancy, even though it was a great effort by Lleyton. But if Hewitt can't beat Wawrinka on grass (Wawrinka's worst surface & Hewitt's best) at home then surely the end is coming. Maybe an Australian Open farewell tournament for Lleyton. Should play in the singles and would also be nice to see him play in the doubles at the Aussie Open with Tomic, changing of the guard if you will. And the mixed doubles with Sam Stosur as she like Hewitt has been our most succesful womens player in the last 30 years. Hewitt, Tomic & Stosur would have to all be willing to do this but it would be a nice way to go out IMO.

Well done on the US Open win Sammy Stosur, first Aussie woman to win a Grand Slam title in 38 years! Suprise, suprise to see another Serena Williams blow up, can't stand that woman! Hopefully she can bring her winning form to the Australian Open in the new year.

Trying to play one day/twenty/20 cricket in a test match. Dilshan's not the sort of person that should be their captain and his batting far to ill disciplined and hardly sets a good example for his team mates. Really like the look of Lyon & Copeland, lets hope they're given a good run at it. Wonder what this means for Siddle?

Anyone watch that Stosur-v-Kirilenko match the other day? Would have to be the best womens match I've ever seen. And I hate womens tennis! Anyone reckon she can take out the open? I reckon she can as long as someone else beats Williams before the final.