Radar Detector

Yeah, not counting the expansion sides.

Beat the same team twice in one season (2010 apparently)

Now where have I heard this before?

I mentioned in a post a couple of weeks ago that we are still yet to beat a team this year that we didn't also beat last year. We've been fortunate to draw a bunch of teams we match up well against early in the season. Admittedly we have looked far sexier this year, but we are still what feels like a perpetually long way off and the "young team" defence remains a convenient escape clause. I have some high hopes for the young crop we have coming through but the same could be said of the group we watched under Bailey. We have been hearing the young inexperienced team excuse for the best part of a decade. "Just wait till players x, y and z have played 50 games, then we'll be a good side". As logical as that may be, it ignores the fact that the reason OUR team is still so inexperienced is because so few of our promising x, y and z players have actually carved out meaningful careers. As I said, there are signs that this time might be different, but our improvement this year hasn't been quite as drastic as many believe and nothing is a foregone conclusion. There are some real tests coming up and if we can beat a couple of teams of the calibre of Hawthorn, Sydney, Adelaide or even teams like the Saints and Port, then maybe we can all start drinking the cool-ade. But let's not trick ourselves that beating up on teams like Brisbane and GCS means we've finally turned a corner.

I reckon harmes needs a spell at Casey. Few cheap goals in junk time last week but can't remember the last time he hit a target

Who here is shocked that Dixon has already kicked three halfway through the second quarter? Anyone? Didn't think so.

Garland would get murdered by whichever of Dixon or Westhoff he has to play on. He'd be a good match up for Aaron Young. If OMac goes out we need another big bodied defender like Frost or Dunn if not for form then at least for match-ups. We've ignored match-ups at our peril so far this season. Pederson I suppose is an option but suspect he would come back in as fwd/ruck.

In the game against St Kilda and the Bulldogs I would agree with this comment. But yesterday it was often about inability to compete effectively in a one-on-one contest, not easy ball out the back.

There is definitely some long term promise in OMac although I don't think he played great today and probably isn't quite ready. I don't mind giving him some AFL games to reward him for strong VFL performances. He played well enough to earn a call up in the first place and Plapp speaks highly of him in the Casey match reports. But the idea of him standing next to Charlie Dixon next week, let alone someone like Buddy, gives me genuine nightmares. Play him as the third tall, drop Garland and bring in a bigger body. Has Frost done enough?

Harmes' kicking into F50 has been terrible today

Believe it or not, it is possible to win easily and not play well... We are clearly a class or two above Brisbane but some of the decision making has been nothing short of baffling. Skills are up a bit on last week though.

Not saying I disagree, but for King to stay, doesn't he now have to be upgraded or go back through the draft as his time on the RL has expired? FWIW I think Terlich, Grimes and Dawes in that order will be most likely to make way. JKH is contracted until 2017 so may be very lucky as I don't think he has shown near enough to retain and unlike Hunt doesn't have any elite attributes... Maybe he can do a Jetta? Newton would have to be the other one under the pump at this stage although his Casey form since coming back from injury has been strong. I think Matt Jones has shown this year he is comfortable at AFL level, offers outside run which we lack and accordingly he should be offered another one year extension. i think we are well set for KPFs if Hogan and Watts both stay. Weideman will be ready to come in by next year and Hulett is developing. KPDs we have TMac and hopefully Frost and OMac will also be ready to really own spots next year (or earlier). They are all tall and fast so I can see a world where we play all three every week which would make life hard for most forward lines. We are really developing well in terms of inside mids and have a range of players that can play small/half forward. Melksham will come in as a HBF next year to compliment Salem, Vince, Lumumba, Wagner and Hunt. Jetta is a lock selection every week. i think the areas we have no or little coverage are rucks - really only Spencil if Max goes down. Outside pace with damaging skills - Stretch can be this but do we have any others? Maybe Salem becomes this player? And another small lock down defender like Jetta. These would be my areas of priority, But you can always use more mids, quality talls and players who have skills coming out of the back line.

Tyson - he is really building into some good consistent form now, back to 2014 level Viney - has to be one of the best players in the comp right now. Clearances, contested possessions, tackles and has hit the scoreboard the last few weeks Jetta - best small defender in the AFL TMac - Difficult one. I think his howler in the first quarter set the nervous tone for the team as it did in the Essendon and Saints games. But his body of work after that was first rate so have to give him credit. Watts - Also a tough one. Was conspicuously absent until halfway through the third quarter. But credit to him, he kept working really hard and attempted to lift the team. 3 goals a solid return despite being well below his best. Stretch - Played a really nice game but I don't think had the same impact as those above. Offers great run and starting to cement his spot in the side.

We have had bags of goals kicked against us by tall forwards in every game so far this season except the GWS game (Cameron didn't play and Lobb still kicked 2.3). Going in short in the backline was never ever going to be a good idea.

It was obvious we needed to play another tall in the backline yesterday. Garland was never going to be big enough for Redpath. I'm not sure which is the bigger mistake, knowingly going in one tall too few or knowingly going in with the match-ups right but with one of your players out of form. I'd suggest probably the former. Overall, I think that the selection this year has been very ordinary and has cost us at least two games.

That is a pretty cheap shot. Jack was terrible for 2.5 quarters but you could see him trying to work his way into the game. The turning point for me was when he ran around the man on the mark and delivered to Hogan. He was visibly trying to lift the side. He has his shortcomings, Jack, but he did what good players do and worked hard to try and impact the game in the end. Calling his goals junk time I think shows a poor awareness of where the players thought the game was poised at the time.

Campbell has had his measure the last few times they've come up against each other. It is a massive problem for us today. No clean ball out of he middle at all

Michie is has been great as well. Only two in our back six with any composure right now

We can't play worse. Just need to bring the improvement quickly

Because we have a full compliment of mids all playing well.

Surely it has to be at the end of a round to count?

I am happy with this change. I think it creates a bit of flexibility with our defence. Salem is more than capable of providing a forward line threat as well.

That named side would beat half the Demons sides we fielded 2012-2014. Although they obviously won't line up that way.

I think the stats are slightly misleading but somewhat informative. They are basically just ranking the draw based on % instead of W-L. I think our draw has been pretty soft to date. The fact remains that we have only beaten teams this year that we also beat last year. The real measure of our improvement will be starting to beat those sides that have historically given us trouble. That is why a win against North or the Saints would have been so valuable.

As a slightly left field suggestion we could do worse than Sam Reid. Edit: although his injury history would be a big concern. Runs in the family.