MadAsHell

Thanks for the detailed review.

Your right about the young bodies tiring, especially during 9 - 18 RR. Hopefully this is where the depth we're trying to create can help us with this problem. If players like Gysberts, Maric, Jetta, Strauss etc, etc can play a few games to give the likes of Scully, Trengove, McKenzie, Grimes one or two rest weeks then hopefully we should be able to keep our form going till seasons end.

Your probably right, they're a weird one Hawthorn, how do you go from being premiers to being so bad so quickly?

I wouldn't imagine it would but it may have also cost us. * Self belief in the players to close out these close matches against quality opposition. It's happened to them twice now this year. Will it play on their minds next time around?

For me: 1; 30,000 people to turn up. 2; Watts to play and kick 2 or 3 goals and a good team contribution. 3; Melbourne to roll the Eagles by 5 to 10 goals.

I should actually add, with Petterd out for the season I'd bring Jones onto the bench from emergency, Trengove to HF line and I'd bring Spencer onto the emergency list.

I don't disagree with with you in that regard. I'm just a big advocate of taking in two ruck options for every match. If I had say Watts in for Martin, what would happen if Russian did his knee at the opening bounce? That's my deranged logic behind it anyway, hehe.

It's a young team, so things like the Kangarros game will happen. We'll have some really good wins (Brisbane round 5) and really competetive losses (Collingwood round 2 & Bulldogs round 7). But we'll have some ordinary games also this year like against the roos. It's just the way this season will go. Having said that by 2012 I wont be accepting a loss to North Melbourne!

Really, really difficult! FB: Frawley, Warnock, Bartram HB: Garland, Rivers, Grimes C: Morton, McKenzie, Davey HF: Sylvia, Bate, Petterd FF: Green, Jurrah, Wonna FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, McDonald INT: Bruce, Martin (know I'll cop it for this one), Scully, Trengove EMERG: Bennell, Jones, Watts

Based on current form I expect Melbourne to be 6 wins, 5 losses after round 11, and in the overal scheme on the season I think will be battling for 8th spot with Carlton, Port Adelaide and maybe Hawthorn (if they get their act together) come seasons end. This is beyond my expectations as I was looking for 6 - 8 wins for the year at the start of the season. This then begs the question, do we want to make the finals one year ahead of schedual? If we make the finals it will be in 8th spot, and they may be the danger of then having happen to us what happened to Essendon in the finals last year. Is this experience good for them or counter productive? What's everyones thoughts on that?

As someone who works in the courts I can tell you that the Melbourne player you're refering to has no criminal record for any incidents like that. Only an alegation that was never admitted to, they just consented to an order of protection being made. And as you said they seem to have gotten their life on track since then anyway. We all know Collingwood is the club for crims anyway. Didak, Shaw, Brodie Holland and now Buckley.

What a stupid thing to post. Probably the same idiot who posted Watts was out for the year last year and then tried to claim they mistook Watts for Blease, why would you?????

It's a concerning incident. Hopefully Buckley's alleged aggressive behaviour hasn't stemed from Melbourne delisting him last year? Hopefully all the parties can move on with their lives and forgive and forget.

At earliest we'll see him in 2012 IMO. Jamar is our number 1 ruckman and for the rest of this year and next year we'll see the 2nd ruck spot shared between PJ, Pencil and Stef Martin. If anything I reckon we'll be likely to see Fitzpatrick before Gawn, but Gawn will be a gun, don't worry about that.

Must be injured. Wasn't out there.

Think it was just a bad night for Jack but I know what you mean. He's been very good up until fri night, and even then he was still great at getting it, he just struggled with his disposal, he just mightn't be a wet weather footballer? More then likely though I'd say he just had an off day.

I'll paste what I put up over in the Casey Scorpions message board: Based on todays game. Watts: Great game, kicked 4 and looked a touch of class above a lot of the other players, will be pushing for selection next week. Gysberts: Very impressive, can't remember seeing him turn it over by foot and will be a very good player, I'd expect to see him in the red and blue before seasons end. Miller: Played well and provided a strong target. Should have kicked about 6 but ended with 3. Missed some very getable goals but is a very good VFL player, not sure if he'll ever play AFL again? Morton: Kicked a very nice goal and will be better for the outing. Could do with another week but was good to see Cale running around again and getting some quality possesions. Maric: I thought he was pretty good today Maric. Tried to do to much at times but there's no doubting his talent is there, the forward line looked very dangerous with he, Wonna and Jetta running around at the feet of Miller, Watts and Newton. Bell: Played a good defensive game today Bell after receiving a heavy knock in the 1st quarter right in front of me from Tom Hislop. Like Miller not sure of Bell's career after this year? Cheney: Dominated across hald back today, seems to have a very good understanding with Tom McNamara. Pushing for senior selection but who do you drop for him? MacDonald: I rarely sighted Joel today, after Rivers solid performance last night it may take a few weeks for Joel to get back in. Newton: Tried hard all day today Newton and presented. See Miller and Bell's comments for Newton's long term career at MFC. McNamara: Played a very good game across half back and was very damaging on the counter attack. Forming a formidable Half Back line with Kyle Cheney. Wonna: Very dangerous around goals and could have easily kicked 3, but had 3 posters instead. Creates a lot of forward line pressure and will probably play for Melbourne in round 9. Was concerened when I saw the trainers working on his hammies at 3/4 time but was just a rub down. Thank god! Jetta: Similar game to Wonna but also pushed into the midfield. Kicked a few goals and will be battling with Wonna to get into the the senior team. All our indigenous players look the goods long term! Spencer: Dominated the ruck against Angus Graham, a player who's had more AFL experience then Jake. Took some nice marks also but is a horrible, horrible kick. Healey: First time I've seen Rhys play and I was impressed. Provided them with a lot of run through the midfield and could be a very handy utility. With our depth though not sure if he'll make it at this club, but if he was on Richmond's list I'd be saying bring him in next week!

Great news KC, they looked very good today. Lets just hope when September comes around this year, a few more of the Melbourne players are made available for Casey to play? Any news on if Fitzpatrick will be right to return next week for Casey reserves? Was a shattering 1 point loss for them.

I was down at Casey today and saw the last 15min of Casey reserves. I was looking for Blease but couldn't spot him, so not sure if he got injured or if he was just on the bench?

I was also at the Casey game today with my mate who's a St. Kilda supporter. In my mates own words "He was best on ground by a mile, why isn't he playing?". He looked very classy and a very good set shot at goal, I must have missed one of his goals as I only noticed the 3.2, but I'll take everyone elses word for it, could have been when I was getting a hot dog? His goal after the one handed mark gave me a nice warm feeling inside and soothed the pain of last night on it's own. His recovery is amazing also, in the final quarter there was an instance when at half forward where he and a Coburg player went up for and mark and fell to the ground and the ball spilt behind them. Watts bounced up and grabbed it in one hand and took off while his opponent was still getting up off the ground. Then kicked a left hand pass into the pocket to I think it was Miller who didn't mark it, but got the free kick. Needless to say Miller let him down with the conversion. Watts will play this year if he continues this form no doubt, wouldn't be suprised if it's as early as next week.

Thought we could all do with watching this again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRFkNbh1mQo

One of his best games, his handball to set up the Bate goal in the 3rd qtr was great also as he knew he'd get hit and he took it. Unfortunatly he dropped out of the game after that, but he's improving with every week also.

18 possesions in a final quarter is amazing! The most I ever remember seeing in a final quarter before then was from Wayne Campbell against us back in 2002. He does turn it over a bit but as we've all said he's only 7 games into his career, this time next year it wont be happening half as much. Agree he should be a lock for the rising star nomination this week, although the AFL do seem to love giving it to a player from a winning team from the week, but hopefully they can look past it this week. And as for NicNat, while he does show flashes of brilliance, Scully show full matches of brilliance, Scully or Trengove should take it out this year fir mine.

Agree, we should win by 5 goals plus next week, fingers crossed Watts plays and can kick a few....

One has to wonder with good weather there very well may have been about 60,000 turn up? Lets hope we can get at least 30,000 there next week.