MadAsHell

Watched a fair bit of the match and I must say from the game on saturday and the Casey-v-Coburg match I watched a few weeks back I am really impressed with Stockdale, the guy is a gun! In the Jarrod Harbrow fashion IMO. Can play midfield or as a small defender and provides a heap of run for the team, whether it's Casey or the Vic's! Really damaging when he uses it also. Looks to be a very good player, I'm not sure how old he is but I hope Melbourne look at rookie listing him at the end of the season, was shatetred when we didn't do this with Silvagni end of 09', would hate to see it happen twice in 2 years and have Stockdale go somewhere else and make a good impact.

Strauss is an interesting one. I thought he was stiff to get dropped initially as I though his game against Collingwood in round 2 was quite good and Davis (who he was playing on) didn't have much of an influence (apart from the last goal of course). True Strauss didn't get a lot of the ball and hasn't at Casey since but I don't think he's the type of player who will be likely to get a lot of the ball. I see him as a shut down defender with a beautiful kick, nicely suited to kick ins, but that's just my take on him. I see Strauss as a direct replacment for Bartram, not MacDonald or anyone else, but Bartram as I see that as Strauss's best role to play in the team. Cheney will be battling for this spot also, Cheney's plus side is he gets more of the ball but doesn't use it as well.

Fingers crossed for Col, would be absolutely shattering if it has flared up again but the fact he came back on the ground you'd think suggests it must be something different considering how cautious they've been with his re-hab.

Cheers Maurie, I was under the impression he was spending some extra time up there, glad to hear he's back and in that case up for selection for the coming week.

With the suspension of Moloney and Wonna spending some extra time up the top end I now see our changes looking more like. IN: Bate (if fit), Bruce (if fit), Strauss, Warnock (if fit) OUT: Moloney (susp), Wonna (rest), Bartram, MacDonald FB: Frawley, Warnock, Strauss HB: Garland, Rivers, Grimes C:Morton, McKenzie, Davey HF:Trengove, Bate, Bennell FF: Watts, Miller, Jetta FOLL: Jamar, Sylvia, McDonald INT: Bruce, Green, Jones, Scully Pending fitness, if Warnock doesn't get up I'd have MacDoanld hold his spot, if either Bate or Bruce don't get up I'd have Gysberts make his debut, and if they both miss then I'd have Cheney play also.

The big test will come in 6 - 8 weeks time when Jurrah returns. With Bate back also, if Miller and Watts continue in the vain of form they're in at the moment, who will make way? Hopefully the FD would do the right thing for the future and keep playing Watts and Miller would be the one to make way...

So will Fyfe from Fremantle, 23 possesions and he used it pretty well. I'd expect it to go to one of Fyfe, Grant or Watts. Reckon Dustin Martin will get his nomination when Tigers have their first win, if they go winles wait for round 22.

Podsiadly - Warnock Mooney - Frawley Johnson - Garland Varcoe - Strauss Stokes - Grimes/Morton depending on who of Chapman or Hawkins is forward or in midfield Hawkins - Morton when playing forward Chapman - Grimes when playing forward

I see your concern but I'm not actually dropping Jetta for Strauss but Bartram for Strauss to play as the small back pocket, draft pick order has nothing to do with it. If anything I'm actually dropping Jetta for Bate. I'm looking at team structure. Could of dropped Wonna instead of Jetta I guess but just can't see the FD doing that.

Actually change my selections IN: Bate, Bruce, Strauss, Warnock OUT: Bartram, MacDonald, Rivers, Jetta (very, very stiff, would keep him in if Moloney is rubbed out) FB: Garland, Warnock, Strauss HB: Morton, Frawley, Grimes C: Scully, McKenzie, Davey HF: Sylvia, Bate, Bennell FF: Watts, Miller, Wonna FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, McDonald INT: Bruce, Green, Jones, Trengove EMERG: Gysberts, Jetta, Spencer Players I've brought in are players who should be in our best 22, only players in who'd I'd say aren't in our best 22 are Miller, Watts and Bennell who I'd have out for Jurrah, Petterd and Martin to play at CHB and as our back up ruckman for Jamar.

IN: Bate, Bruce, Dunn (2nd ruckman/utility), Warnock OUT: Bartram, Rivers, Wonna, McKenzie (purely for a rest after a taxing game, if Moloney is suspended then keep him in).

6. Miller 5. Green 4. Sylvia 3. Jetta 2. Bennell 1. Frawley Honerable mention to Watts who was very good!

Actually now after having watched the St. Kilda-v-Essendon match the Saints might be a club that could do with someone like Rivers, Zac Dawson really does struggle down there. Possible trade Rivers and a draft pick for Stanley or Lynch?

Not saying age is the reason why Bartram wont be there, more so because apart from his stopping ability I don't think he offers a whole lot. Struggles at times in the air against good marking small forwards and his disposal and decision making is questionable. Cheney's been carving it up in the VFL and looked good in the matches he played last year. It's nothing against Bartram, just with the competiotn for spots on the list starting he may struggle to stay on the list end of next year or 2012 IMO. I'd be more then happy if he proves me wrong however.

Jones was looking after him at the opening bounce. He did pretty well for himself otherwise I thought. You'll probably see Miller there next week to do the job, if not maybe someone like Rivers will go to CHF and fly the flag for Watts if need be?

The match Melbourne-v-Adelaide last year was at the MCG on a sunday twilight time slot where the weather prediction was, as Cam Schwab said "The world was going to end". Also Melbourne were playing poor football and were never really considered a chance. Last night's match was at an indoor venue where weather doesn't come into it, was a very winable game for North Melbourne who were 3-4 and on a saturday night, very popular time slot for football. The fact they only drew 16K is very poor, and I thought the passion and noise their supporters ceated at the Melb-v-N. Melb game was equally as poor, the Melbourne fans were the only ones making noise. I really do worry about their long term survival, makes me wonder if they'll look at the possability of the Tasmania Kangaroos????

The answer to the question who is the better player or who should Melbourne of drafter probably wont be know for another 6 to 8 years at least. But I am suprised that you would say you already wish Melbourne had of selected Nik Nat, I for one am very comfortable with their decission. As far as Melbourne's ruck stocks go we have Russian is red hot form and a couple of beautys waiting in the wings in a few years time in Gawn and Fitzpatrick. We desperatly lack key forwards and if the FD saw Watts and Natinui as equals then it made sense for them to go the key forward, and the fact he doesn't have the go home factor makes it all the more reasuring. We don't want another Darren Jarman, Jeff Farmer, Scott Thompson incident. IMO Watts will most likely be the more consistent and decorated footballer, while Natinui will have his bursts of brilliance and be a more flashy player ala Leon Davis or one of those types of players.

Dogs had Mitch Hahn playing the linking half forward role however which is where Matthew Bate comes in, and he played that role in the Brisbane game. I agree with you that Watts and Jurrah are the future, but with Jurrah and Bate out injured, along with Petterd someone needs to play that role for the time being? It's got to be Miller, Dunn, Garland or Rivers IMO. Dunn they seem to prefer roaming around as the utility, Garland they don't seem keen on moving and same goes for Rivers. I'm not arguing Miller is the long term answer, I agree he's far from it, what I am arguing is that there really isn't anyone else to play there, at least for this coming week assuming Bate doesn't get up for it.

There's a very good case to bring Miller in: 1) Our three main marking forwards of the future will be Watts, Jurrah and Bate, two of those three will be out injured next week and two of our other forwards who can take a good mark for their size are Petterd (out injured) and Sylvia who should get dropped which leave us 4 down in the forward line. 2) One of our other young developing tall forwards in Fitzpatrick is also injured so he can't play. Still 4 down. We don't have any other young tall forwards to play that I know of. 3) While Hughes looks like a good trier, at 23 years of age I'm going to call that he wont make it. 4) Next week we should get Wonna back (who's one of our 6 main forwars IMO) and I'd expect Jetta to come in also to add some forward line pressure. Throw in Green to play deep (FF), Trengove and Watts to wonder half forward and occasionally drift deep we're still one down at half forward to play the vital linking role. This has to be Miller. And yes Miller is a certainty to be deisted at seasons end and you can argue all you want about what's the point in playing him if he wont be there, but the answer is who else can you play there? Dunn will come in also but as usual he'll play as a utility roaming through midfield, defence and forward not as the CHF role that Bate plays, that's where Miller will come in. Once Bate is fit then it's a straight swap but unless the FD try playing Garland or Rivers there which they seem reluctant to do then I don't see any other option.

I think Bartram's been more then servicable over the last few weeks but is he going to be there in 2012 onwards when we're looking towards winning a premiership? I'd say no. Cheney and Strauss are the two most likely players to hold down that defensive stopper back pocket position and Cheney's form warrants him getting a crack. I saw him with Casey last week and he looked good. We just need Cheney to develop Strauss's kicking skills or Strauss to get Cheney's toughness and that back pocket position is taken care of!

No idea. When Strauss is back in the team this will be his job, until then they should get Davey to do it.

Agree, bring him in for Bartram next week.

As opposed to holding onto a guy who probably wont be able to get a game in our back line next year at least we'd have a forward who can't get a game for a team with Franklin and Roughead already in their forward line, he might relish the chance at a new club. Kicked 7 goals in the last 2 rounds last year and the VFL match I saw him play this year he looked alright. As for Thorpe from all reports I've heard he's doing pretty well at CHF with Weribee in the VFL, while MacDonald finds himself battling with Frawley, Warnock, Rivers, Garland, Martin and McNamara for 3 or at best 4 tall defender spots. The most obvious deficency we have is tall marking forwards, not tall rebounding defenders.

Personally I'd say Martin but play him in defence isntead of forward. That would require dropping Rivers though. So if you're after someone to go forward Miller would be the best option closely followed by Newton IMO. Fitzpatrick will hopefully be ready to fill this role by 2012, until then Martin's our best bet.

Thanks for the wrap KC. Any news on Bail and his game? I saw he was named on the interchange bench, do you know if he took his part in the game?