DeeSpencer

This time last year we rested Oliver and Viney was out and otherwise we went with the best 22. I’d expect we’d go the best 22 again and only rest someone if they are sore. Hibbo and Salem two to watch in that regard. I don’t expect anyone outside the 22, or possibly the 25 if you include Hunt, Weid and Bedford to get a run. If Fritsch, Lever and Viney are good to go then that’s our best 28. The opportunity to throw young players in was there against North. But they can do it the old fashioned way through the VFL.

The top 50 is not just limited to one role. It was one game. Jayden Short was the runner up for the Norm in 2020, he didn’t become the games best back flanker. A fully fit Ben Brown and Pickett with more consistency and hopefully kicking 40+ goals again are better footballers.

I'm also the Melbourne coaches who decided he was our 11th best player and behind 3 other forwards. He played an old school undersized full forward role and did it very well, and had a blinder in the grand final. But if I had to pick 3 Melbourne forwards for this year I'd go Brown, Pickett and then have a tough choice between ANB and Fritsch.

The phrase he's used multiple times is 'most valuable players heading into season 2022'. He says he's assessed recent form but the decision making is based on who he thinks will be the best this year. So if I was lining up all the players in the comp and picking them purely for this year I'd have the following forwards (excluding the flanker/midfielder types) ahead of Fritsch: - Naughton, Greene, Hawkins, McKay, Charlie Cameron I'd say are 5 locks, any argument there? - Then I'd add Max King, Papley, Daniher and Ben Brown as 4 more I'd go with for season 2022. Did they have better seasons than Fritsch last year - no, but overall I'd say they are just better and likely to do so this year. So Fritsch is down to 10th at best. - Plus I'd certainly consider a number of others like Franklin, a healthy Jeremy Cameron, Breust and Kosi Pickett. Add in 10 defenders, 20 midfielders of various roles and a few rucks and suddenly that's 40 ahead of Fritsch. Goal kicking big midfielders who can go forward are the most valuable players in the comp. We've seen that with Fyfe, Danger, Dusty, Bont, Petracca really having a stranglehold over the comps best player status for probably a decade now. I totally understand the argument that guys like Heeney and De Goey haven't paid their dues to be thought of in that company, but the same was true of Petracca prior to 2020. 'Kmart Dusty' might be a joke but if you are the budget version of the games most dominant player then you'll be in the top 50 and climbing. If he doesn't do it this year I'll give up on him. But out of contract, on his last chance at Coll, new coach and a commitment to play him on ball, if his body holds up I think he'll comfortably be top 50.

I’d say Butters was close to top 50 in 2020. Cal’s betting on him resuming that trajectory. But it does seem inflammatory that he’s skipped the 30’s and 40’s and lobbed him in at 25

Not to comment on his quality as a person but De Goey is comfortably a more talented player than Fritsch. His best season at full forward is comparable to Fritsch’s and he can be a 28+ possession inside mid for half a season off little preseason. Fritsch is one of the hardest players in the comp to rank. Personally I’d go with a number of gun midfielders, talls, two way small forwards and elite defenders before I’d get to Fritter. Might find room for him in the 40’s but he needs a second elite season before I’d consider anything like top 40.

I’m a big Smith fan and not always big on Tomlinson but I don’t see them in a head to head battle. We’ve seen Lever at his best with a 2nd genuine tall and wth Petty out that’s Tomlinson. But it’s not all bad news for Smith. One thing Tommo provides over Petty is more uncontested ball and rebounding skills. Which then changes the balance of the backline and raises the chances of Smith over Hibberd, Riv or Bowey. Similarly with Smith in the side May can take a less defensive role and provide more kicking and run.

His defensive pressure was excellent but he was tentative and poor at the contest and didn’t get much ball. He’s so good he only needs to do one or the other to contribute but he certainly wasn’t at his best

Langdon was 6th, ANB was 8th playing defensive forward. No reason Gus couldn’t finish top 10 in the B+F from a wing. We should also stop thinking the wing is a demotion. It suits Brayshaw’s overhead marking game. He still attends stoppages and since when is getting the ball out in space a bad thing? The media think Gus is a star on baller in hiding. I’m not at all convinced. If Gus thinks he is and wants to explore that then good luck to him. But it might be like when Howe thought he was a forward and very quickly found out he wasn’t.

The good part of it looks like most of the force went through his kicking leg, which certainly could get knocked around and sore, but his weight was all on the other leg. That kind of force through a planted leg could be very dangerous.

I'd suggest that even more talented/natural players than Bowey have suffered from the second year blues. He struggled at times today. Uncharacteristic fumbles and skill errors. I thought he was probably trying a bit too hard to be perfect and didn't have his rhythm. But the backline as a whole were super so it's not the end of the world. If May, Hibbo and Salem are all good to go there will be fierce competition for the last couple of defensive spots which is a good thing.

Too big to counter. It’s not exactly a textbook run and jump but his go go gadget arms can’t be stopped at times. Wasn’t much of a walk, and I don’t think the medical team were just sitting him down due to time. He’ll be lucky if he’s avoided a serious injury.

Worried about Salem, that was incredibly nasty. Would also like some reassurance May was planned. Hibbo was also looked at by the trainers and didn’t play the last 20 or so. Backline was excellent given our midfield and forwards took a while to get going early. North were pretty decent for a quarter and a bit until they got tired. We bombed it to talls on the flank/wing for a while before the game opened up and we started to play more. Backline: Joel Smith did look more confident and willing to spoil. Hibberd was excellent I thought. Tomlinson does provide more run and carry and short kicking which is a different look for us. Bowey wasn’t as sharp as usual which surprised me. Mids: Langdon was Langdon. Oliver and Tracc motored. Rucks were excellent. Sparrow has his moments. Forwards: Nibs, Spargo and Pickett great. BBB too big. Tommy was Tommy. At times he’s an excellent match up problem who can clunk it and cover ground like a mid, at others he’s struggling to defend and doing odd things with the ball. Chandler kicked 2 classy goals and has his moments, but he can’t seem to evade good defenders, doesn’t offer much at all in the air and is just a bit messy. I’d like to see him as a midfielder more than a forward.

We just won a flag for them and gave them huge incentives to sign on. It seems a trend across the comp that sponsors logos are getting more obtrusive and it’s really disappointing.

FB: Turner Corr Walker HB: Ziebell McKay Young C: Polec Greenwood Powell HF: JHF Larkey Stephenson FF: Zurhaar CCJ Mahoney Foll: Goldstein Thomas Phillips Bench: Taylor, Scott, Atu, Curtis, Bergman, Goater, Edwards, Walker, Archer, Lazzaro, Hayden, Ford Pretty handy North side given they are without 5 of their best 10 mids. Backline should keep us honest and their forward line is very underrated with some tricky match ups. Would like to see Simpkin, LDU and Cunnington really test us but I still think it's nice to play against a young and hungry side rather than a mature side that isn't that keen on giving much away in preseason.

A little tricky to rate given he came on fresh at 3/4 time which is a huge advantage but Tex Wanganeen looks really talented. Jamarra on the other hand looks a mess. Dogs moved the ball crisply in the first half with their big guns in and Naughton looked incredibly hard to stop. Essendon are handy and well drilled. Looked like 2 finals teams who have had good summers.

Might see something like this. With some of our best players getting pulled out at half or 3/4 time. FB: Hibberd May Rivers HB: Salem Tomlinson Bowey C: Langdon Petracca Brayshaw HF: ANB McDonald Spargo FF: Pickett B Brown Weid Foll: Gawn Oliver Harmes Int: Jackson, Hunt, Sparrow, JJ, Chandler Emeg: Smith, Turner, M Brown, Baker, Bedford

And breaching quarantine orders

I think part of that is the size disparity between players more than teams. Some of our stronger girls push around other teams smaller opponents too. Although, we are a fit running side more than a big body team. Which makes the desire to play straight up the middle even more baffling. Spread it out Mick! And we look more balanced with Paxy on the wing using her run now that she gets beat up by younger players who she used to evade and fend. We’re then a bit short in the midfield with Hanks, Mithen and West but neither of those women take a backwards step. As Purcell gets more midfield time along with Zanker we’ll have some strength to go with the little zippier mids. Our two bigger body half forwards not getting much of it in Parry and Scott has hurt the forward line. If they can get the ball at CHF we’ll put opponents on the back foot.

The economic benefits the same from all those people coming now as it would be if the stand is new. The grand final has never not sold out because the seats aren’t as comfy as they could be. So we spend a billion for a new stand just to fend off the AFL selling their soul for a huge cheque from WA or SA? Governments could stop undercutting each other on events and spend the cash developing their own sports, music, arts, culture scene. Plus invest in transport, housing, health and education so people have the ability and desire to get out and explore and travel. Invest in jobs and fair work so they have the means to travel too. Instead we have this situation where to maybe make back 1 billion over 30-40 years we have to spend a billion first. It’s a con.

I don't understand why Parry is rucking. Zanker should be doing it, especially now that Purcell is in the team for more midfield depth. It gets Zanker in to the game and gives us an extra midfielder around the ground, provides a different look when Pearce is resting. Getting more from Zanks is one of our big question marks right now. The other one is how to use Daisy. The forward pocket stuff has kind of run it's race. I don't think she's got the speed and run to take an opponent down back anymore, that's why she went forward to begin with, but could she just play as a spare back and then drift wherever she needs? That would be fairly defensive and different to the usual plan but given we can't seem to hold teams with forward pressure anyway and are a risk of leaking goals maybe we need to get funky?

I’m not sure why there’s a rush on the southern stand either. Should be good for 20 years more. But I can understand they’ll eventually want to do it and do it properly. 1. New stand 2. New train station + covering over the train lines 3. Removing or Re-routing Brunton avenue, possibly fully enclosing it 4. Roof? Could chuck in some Dees facilities, but how do we get to the oval? E-scooters and the golf cart for all?

She definitely was over the mark. Usually they let that go. But sounds like the ump was calling her back and she didn’t move. Stiff but there if the ump was clear and loud

Excellent win. Although with a big rest advantage making a huge difference. Credit to Mick Stinear for good coaching adjustments, but a worry why we thought the existing plan would work. Nor do I think 6 behind the ball and way too much corridor kicking at half forward will work. But: Bannan FF - tick Paxy wing - tick Daisy spare back - tick Gillard as Harris Andrews will work long term too. Reads the ball very well in the air. Liv Purcell is the solid built mid we’ve been crying out for too. Needs time to get back to full fitness but she’ll be huge for our midfield.

Of course many took less but a huge reason everyone stayed was because they had 1.2M per season free. If we trade Petracca we’ll find it far easier to pay the rest. I don’t suggest we will do I expect we’ll lose a number of our top 30. Pick the right ones and we’ll be fine