Adam The God

This is hyperbole, although I hope you're right. I can't remember the last MFC player with such clean hands off the deck. He's a one grab player. Really excited by him and our new midfield. It'll be really interesting to see how we go against Port without Dawes' presence and work rate.

He's the guy. Not this off season though (re-signed last season), so I'd be going Shiel this off season. Come back for Prestia in 2016 - particularly if the Suns falter in the finals. Can't see it happening. Perhaps, this is more out of hope.

Enjoy the GOT ep tonight.

I think we're gonna be in big trouble without him. I can foresee us kicking a very small score.

They're actually coming out of the wood-work at the moment. I'm seeing them all over Facebook. It's good to see, but at the same time, where the hell were all these 'supporters' when the going was tough the last seven years? I guess a few came back in 2010, but then a lot went missing again.

Agreed. As long as we keep things at the back end in tip top shape, I reckon Roosy will stay.

Not even necessarily pre-determined, but certainly he wasn't "dragged". Perhaps, it's nit-picking? They probably simply assessed the situation. They saw that Riley was tiring and given it was his first game in, decided to rest him for the fourth.

McDonald almost always beats his man. Even Terlich provides great run off half back, though he often neutralises that by turning it over by foot, but at least I can see what he's trying to do. Give Terlich twenty or thirty more games and I'd hope he can eradicate those errors from his game. What does Grimes offer? He's a decent reader of the play. He can drop into holes, ala Maxwell or Rivers. But he doesn't hurt the opposition enough. There's no real weapon there. The spoil against Dangerfield in Adelaide was brilliant. His best moment for the year, but he's the captain. This is the thing. We need more from the captain, otherwise he should give up the captaincy and focus on improving his own game. This is what I'm getting at. We can't have our leaders consistently turning the ball over. McDonald's young and Terlich is playing his third season of footy (effectively).

Hit the nail on the head, chook. We are missing elements right across the ground. We need to hope Gawn and/or Spencer come through, because Jamar won't have much longer after his current contract expires. If Chip stays, I reckon he's the swing man between third forward and occasional defender. If he can, our KPF issue is sorted. I feel like the small forward is the icing on the cake. I just want our mids/fwds to cover this role and if we can pick up a zippy bloke down the track, then good, but this is probably the least pressing of needs. I think we need top ball users coming out our backline. I think you might see blokes like Toumpas and Salem rotate between half forward and half back to provide some of that, but we'll need one or two others that can provide that efficient, penetrating disposal. Garland and Dunn to provide run and rebound.

I agree, in terms of the draft, but that's where free agency might become our friend.

Given he trained with us for a bit, I would hope Roosy and the boys got a bit of a look at him. If we go with him, we go with him, but I think we're well positioned to get a feeling for him.

He did.

The Pederson trade was not a stroke of genius. Neeld never got anything out of Pederson. It has been since Roos came to the club that he has been given a clear role and non negotiables to follow. He's a role player and doing it well, but that is all. It wasn't a stroke of genius on Neeld's behalf.

Roosy has already shown a reluctance to pot players in his pressers. I think he was trying to pump up Grimes, because the alternative is giving up. Martin killed us yesterday. I lost count of how many times Grimes lost him in traffic. I remember Grimes winning a single contest yesterday - in the third quarter. The rest of the game he turned it over, made horrible decisions and failed to lay basic tackles. It's good coaching from Roos to pump up Grimes. I'm just not sure Jack has the footy brain to make it.

I read this somewhere else on DL the other day, but I no longer care about draft position, because I have faith in our recruiting team that they'll get our early picks right.

He's really worked on his game over the past two or three seasons and it's paying off big time. Last year, he began to make better decisions and seemed to recognise his limitations. I'd say he'd have to be A grade this year. It's a real credit to him. He was working his arse off, even before Roos and Stone waved their magic wands. Now he's a super hero.

It's such a soft game these days though, that you can rarely tell what the MRP will do, but usually they'll jump to a ridiculous conclusion. See the Viney mess.

I'll tell you what I love? A couple of posters coming on here and reading a few posts from previous weeks and then lampooning posters for having those earlier (quite valid) views. Well done. Doesn't take a lot of insight. I thought Howe was very close to being dropped, but glad Roos kept the faith. Whereas, with Watts, I knew that dropping him wouldn't do anything - Roos and his match committee had to keep the faith with him at AFL level and the tide would turn. Sure enough, it has. But as C&B rightly points out, that shouldn't invalidate any of the earlier held views. Both were playing ordinary football and their desire and impact was rightly questioned. It's fantastic for us and them that they've slowly turned it around though.

It's a rubbish comment though. I know it was slightly in jest, but it pays little respect to Roos. Of course, Roos knew what he was getting.

Don't get me wrong though, guys. I'd much prefer Sandy over most of the other flogs. At least, he's not a Melbourne hater.

Watching this replay, it's probably about the fifth game I've heard Sandy Roberts call this year. He has completely lost his marbles. Has absolutely no idea what's going on. He had no idea who any of the Melbourne players were and couldn't work out who Ben Lennon was even though his number would have been clear to see from their commentary position. Sandy is just an embarrassment now.

It's a great point, S. I'd forgotten about Trengove, but can't wait to see him play under Roos. He and we should be confident Trenners can build back up to his early career form and hopefully surpass it soon enough. I reckon Frawley will come in for Dawes, who will get one or two weeks on the sideline for that soft hit on Rance. Personally, I'd bring Jetta in for Grimes, who will have to play on Wingard.

I need to apologise to two blokes. 1) I thought Jamar was gone last year, but he has been vital since his return to the side. Really giving us something around the ground too, which was my major criticism of him last year. He's also tapping to advantage now. Fantastic. 2) Jeremy Howe. He still makes some dumb decisions, but he could seriously be a game breaker down back. I reckon we've gotta throw the rules out the window with him. Defenders should usually spoil, but I think the go with him is to just give him license to mark everything that comes his way. He was terrific yesterday. The most complete game he's played for the club. He was goal-saving marks, providing run off half back and giving some of the defenders a chop out. Could be a real weapon now. Keep up that work rate, Howe. I think this idea is a fallacy. I heard it a couple of times yesterday too. In the past, we rarely had a sniff, so when we did, we would follow through and win games. When we didn't turn up, we'd simply be blown out of the water. There was no grey area. I just disagree that MFC sides of old would have capitulated. There is no doubt we're building some strong foundations now though.

I reckon we've gotta give him four or five full games now in a row. He looked so smooth whenever he got the ball. He still has to build a bit of confidence at this level, but he looks comfortable to me.

There's a bloke called Grimes whose horrid kicking and decision making resulted in three direct goals to the opposition. You're right. At least, Jones gives us something else and Tommy beats his man one-on-one, so I forgive some of their brain fades, but Grimes is captain. He'll get surpassed very quickly unless he learns how to kick and make much, much better decisions.