MadAsHell

Anyone going to bother watching tonight?

His output has dropped just slightly the last couple of weeks. Likely just decided to rest him based on that. No need to over work him now. He's got 25 senior games to get through next year!

Joel Smith?

Wish they just did it like they did back in the 90's. Just give us the Friday Night, saturday afternoon replay/highlights (comprising left over matches), Saturday Night and a double header on Sunday. Living in the past, I know.....

Was just looking at the stats for this from the weekend, and once more I note that we fielded the youngest and least experienced team against the Hawks who fielded the 3rd oldest & 2nd most experienced team of the round. The stats actually make for some interesting reading. Paints a good picture for us, Bulldogs, Adelaide & of course GWS. And it makes things look pretty grim for the likes of Fremantle, Richmond, St Kilda (given their performance) and it also outs Carlton's efforts into perspective (as well as Bolton has done). AGE: North Melbourne 27 years 11 months Geelong 26 years 4 months Hawthorn 26 years 2 months West Coast 26 years flat Fremantle 25 years 9 months Carlton 25 years 7 months Sydney 25 years 6 months Richmond 25 years 6 months Essendon 25 years 2 months St Kilda 24 years 11 months Collingwood 24 years 8 months Port Adelaide 24 years 8 months Adelaide 24 years 7 months GWS 24 years 5 months Gold Coast 24 years 4 monhts Western Bulldogs 24 years 4 months Brisbane 24 years 4 months Melbourne 23 years 7 months GAMES EXPERIENCE North Melbourne 151.3 Hawthorn 125.6 Geelong 120.8 West Coast 118.4 Sydney 104.9 Richmond 104.1 Fremantle 103.1 St Kilda 93.2 Carlton 90.1 GWS 87.1 Collingwood 86.3 Port Adelaide 86.1 Essendon 84.5 Adelaide 79 flat Gold Coast 79 flat Western Bulldogs 71.6 Brisbane 71.3 Melbourne 64.2 North played a 22 that had more then double the games experience that we fielded. We also fielded a team on average 9 months younger then any other in the comp. Encouraging signs of things to come hopefully!

Hopefully the club will push for a pre-season game in Alice Springs from next year. Not the same for the locals i know, but at least they'll still get a game each year.

Just taking a look at the VFL ladder, and apart from Casey being a game clear on top, I notice that 6 of Casey's 8 games played have been against teams in the top 8. Footscray (currently 7th) is the only top 8 team we're yet to play. Certainly bodes well for the Scorps for the remainder of the season. Top 4 spot is their's to loose you'd think.

To be fair to McDonald, up to the half way point last yera he was coming on very well. Hit some poor form and adapting to a new defensive structure this year, but I get everyone's frustration with him. Another VFL player who could also be worth watching (also from Casey) is Declan Keilty. 194cm & 88kg who can also ruck & is only 21. There's options out there if Tom decides to go the way of Chip.

That is an option like the Bulldogs did with Adams. I'm a big fan of Casey's skipper Jack Hutchins who played a few games with Gold Coast in their debut year. It'd be a big risk though, and at 192cm & 95kg I don't know if Hutchins is big enough? Still only 24 though.

Agree with both above comments. He needs to respond on QB however, otherwise may be given a VFL run.

From my observations of the three young players you've mentioned. Hulett: Could well become a good ruck/forward option. He's very strong in the contest and is already a bit of a beast for such a young kid. From all reports he played as a bit like Pedersen as an U18, in that he could play forward, back & pinch hit in the ruck. Haven't had the chance to see him ruck at VFL level yet due to Spencer, Max King, Keilty, Pedersen & Mitch King (Round 1 only) all being available at different stages to play ruck. So there's certainly scope for him to play this role, but it's hard to make an informed call as of yet on his body of work. Looks a player though. Max King: 3rd year on the list, and he's capable of some special things, but if I had to make a call either way, I'd say I don't think he'll make it and will likely be delisted at years end. Still looks very light physically and gets pushed out of marking contests a little to easily for mine. I'd go as far to say that both Weideman & Hulett look stronger in the contest then King does. I hope he proves me wrong, but don't see him being an option. Weideman: Very excited about his prospects going forward. He looks a natural footballer & a natural forward at that. I don't see him as being a 2nd ruck option as I think we'd be robbing Peter to pay Paul. Again, may be proven wrong, but he just doesn't strike me as the type to go into the ruck.

Wont lie, it is an issue, however I see it an issue either way going forward given Dawes eventual replacement (Weideman) doesn't ruck either. This is a major reason why Hurley would be such a huge signing for us. If we could land Hurley, it would free Tom McDonald up to play on the 2nd dangerous forward and chop out in the ruck when need be. When Tom goes into the ruck his defensive spot could be covered by a utility type. This would be the only role I can see for Garland going forward, utility who spends time back and forward. Failing us landing Hurley we could look to secure a ruck/forward like Nathan Vardy, this would then require us to move players around like Watts to defense as our 3rd tall back, which given he's just found form as a permanent forward, I'd rather not do.

But they wouldn't need to do it every week. How many times this year are 7 showing an east coast game friday night & perth game saturday night. Most weeks i'd imagine it's two Melbourne games or a Melbourne game followed by a 1 hour flight the following night to Adelaide or Sydney. I don't deny that it's easier having commentary teams set up in each city, but that's exactly what the issue is. If you only had two teams you'd be able to just use quality rather then spread it thin like now.

None of Frost or Oscar will get dropped as the filth are playing three big forwards (Cox, Cloke & White). Mitch White probably isn't quite tall enough for Jesse White. He could play as the third tall defender against other teams though.

Saints will win next week. Nothing surer.

We will be the filth next week. We were poor last week and still managed to stay in striking distance for 3 quarters. Today shows Collingwood poor is even worse then us when poor. I take it as encouraging that we've improved.

Didn't realise it took 24 hours to fly from Hobart to Perth? Channel 10 seem to manage it with the Big Bash. Regularly they'll do a match on the east coast and the following night in Perth and at least one of their three commentators was doubling up.

Channel 7 could do with a clean out, and they would be able to do it easy enough, just concentrate on having two commentary teams. A Friday/Saturday Night team and a Saturday/Sunday afternoon team for each week. Two commentators, two special comments commentators and a boundary rider each. Anthony Hudson, Jason Bennett, Jason Dunstall, Wayne Carey, Mel McLaughlin (she needs to do something at 7) Team 1 Gerrard Whately, Matt Granland, Garry Lyon, Dermot Brererton, Sam Lane Team 2 So in short Carey is the only one there who i'd be happy to see stay (baring in mind Commetti is retiring). Bennet can be promoted from the VFL, Lane can be given a boundary role as can Mel McLaughlin who's joining the network. Signing Hudson, Whately, Granland, Lyon, Dunstall & Brererton could do 7 some good. It's all wishful thinking though, which will never happen.

8 years ago. During the Bejinng Olympics i'm pretty sure?

Pending tomorrow's match; IN - Kennedy OUT - Harmes Tempted to say White should come in also, however Wagner seems to have his role for now & is doing a decent job. Pedersen, Grimes & White emergencies.

Thanks for the info. Really not a fan of this weekend free before the finals (thankyou North Melbourne!), and wish they'd announce it by a set date.

Vickery was very happy with himself when he got his 2nd for a team that's 10 goals down.

Suns will move to Cairns/Townsville and be known as North Queensland, wont move them to Tassie. But you should get used to night games in Hobart & Launceston DC, Tassie will be the 19th team so they can reduce the season to 19 rounds (18 games) and extend the finals series. And Bellerive Oval is one beautiful ground to watch sport from. Saw the Ireland v Zimbabwe World Cup match there back in March 2015.

Would only entertain it for a Jeff Garlett type trade. North don't deal that way though.

Would be interesting to see how they do it. Given Richardson i suspect they may initially go 5 & 5 and the relegation and promotion happens after every 2 seasons (allows for home & away series). So as it stands now you'd probably see Australia possibly start doing 7 tests a summer while in top division bringing Manuka Oval in Caberra into the equation. Means one summer they'd probably have 2 tests v NZ & a normal 5 test Ashes series, then the following summer 3 tests v Pakistan & the usual 4 against India. And it would be nice to see them bring in a 3rd division to see if some countries can move up the rankings. As it stands now that group would include Afghanistan, Ireland, UAE, Scotland & PNG. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Cricket_League Whatever ends up happening, i think we all agree, change of some kind is required.