DeeSpencer

The only thing that gives me pause is it was Neale’s first game back after a long lay off and they missed Berry who usually troubles us. Along with Neale it’s the younger guys in Andrews, Berry, McCluggage, Bailey, Rayner and Dev Robertson who will eventually lead the team. They remind me of a more talented/experienced version of us in 2017-2018, with Zorko playing the role of Jordan Lewis or Bernie Vince. They’re a long way ahead of their development timeline and they could become a serious team at any stage.

Sparrow is 0 goals and 6 behinds at Casey this year. His kicking action is a bit robotic and I’m not sure he’s got a lot of touch on his kicks or much of a left foot. But what has impressed me is he’s certainly working on lowering his eyes and I think he’s exactly the kind of player that will benefit from Mark Williams.

I'd go Langdon in for May. Andrews to full back, Macrae to the bench. Half forwards and wingmen get no love from a lot of selectors. I'm ok with it if they are naming Bont and Petracca at half forward and Duncan and McCluggage on the wings. But there needs to be a minimum game time played in the position and there needs to be at least consideration for the best guys in each role.

I'm not so much worried about the club getting value for money as I am about the other players. It seems clubs have a salary cap structure then also seem to have a hierarchy as to who gets put forward for VFL/AFLW commentary jobs, promotional opportunities, footy clinics and so on. This is just an example but I'd hate to see someone like Lil Mithen who bleeds red and blue get shuffled down the order because we bring in Harris if she doesn't commit to the team culture. Which as far as I can tell is pretty special with the girls.

Hard to know what to think about it until we find out the trade details. Same goes for the salary. She'll likely be a top band players I guess and then get some kind of marketing allowance. The marketing she does = a higher profile = more photos of the team sponsors = more revenue. Good clubs take chances and make them work but there certainly is some risk here. She does seem very keen on her boxing career. She does seem very keen on marketing her image. Is she as keen to make sure her football really stacks up? From an on field perspective the team could do with an accurate kicking full forward. Zanker appears more suited to a midfield role. Cunningham might not have a lot left. Bannan is really young. I'm cautiously optimistic, with a decent chance she's a solid contributor but also it's entirely possible she flames out if she's not committed to the team cause.

He's an interesting player. Good size and speed, attacks it well, decision making and disposal look haphazard at times but often works out pretty well. He'll stop and move in uncertain ways and all of a sudden be in a pocket of space. At this stage he probably reminds me more of a smaller Petracca than a bigger Viney. There's a little bit of Harmes, and a little of Viney all mixed in. I'm keen to see him get a run of games.

Sparrow played 58% and the Commission has made no recommendation on the dreaded sub rule and the absence of the VFL. Both those negate the benefit of a veteran role player taking the 22nd spot. Langdon will come back in and play his usual 95% game time, although I’ve always said this should be more like 90% so we don’t overdo him. But Oliver, Brayshaw, Petracca, Harmes and Jordon all played 86% or more. With 3 wing options (Langdon, Gus, JJ) and 5 on ball options (Oliver, Petracca, Harmes, JJ, Sparrow) it’s time to share the loads and share the half forward time. It promotes skill development, selfless play and keeps the big guns fresher.

I certainly couldn't ask for a PM of the article, but maybe a summary, of sufficient detail, could be interesting. Without reading it I maintain there's enough space at Gosch's for an MCG sized oval and a soccer pitch. It just needs some space reconfiguring and some trees replanted. Oh yeah, and some facilities.

Shocked to see who asked the question (not) Viney has to be healthy and in good touch but after that - yes. The thing we haven’t had the freedom to do since the early rounds is up Petracca’s forward time. If we get Tracc taking clearances then going forward we open up more midfield time and have a scarier forward line. We could also do with a speed, skill, inside to out midfield flanker type to genuinely put pressure on spots for our bruisers. But Zac Bailey isn’t walking through the door any time soon.

It was bad but typical Tom to not give that one off. I don't think it's selfishness but more just the way he plays. If he sees a way for him to get a kick generally that's what he does. The funny thing is Tracc isn't exactly one to handball in that situation either. Overall I'd like to see a bit more sharing from our forwards, it's something to work on, particularly if we can ever get an easy kill (not that I'm complaining). We've improved so much with the tap ons or blocks to free other players up, there's probably just another step to go to nail that ability to give the right amount of handballs or square up kicks.

Poor Tommy being a few bucks lighter in the pocket for no good reason. At least he's got all those match payments for games he didn't even play in to make up for it. More importantly he gets to build some continuity.

I’d like more pressure from Sam but a big part of our game plan when the opposition has the ball on slow plays from the back half is not to over pressure and get side stepped. We want teams to jog it wider across half back and then kick to our waiting down the line defenders.

I agree. Jackson has an impact at times like Langdon just adding run to the midfield. Especially without Ed last night we needed that extra run to open up gaps for Harmes, Tracc and Oliver to get the game on our terms. Daniher and English are 2 of the best back up rucks that we’ll face all year and have beat Luke at the hit outs and out marked him, but he’s put pace and creativity in to the game.

He steps past the ball because he knows if he blocks Rich he’s got 3 team mates ready to gather and run it through the corridor. Rather than picking it up and being tackled by Rich. It’s not like he’s chosen thuggery over playing the ball. Rich milks it for all it’s worth then springs right back up. If they’re evaluating what truly happened then it’s below the force required for a reportable offence.

We've seen what a freed up Hibbo is the last two years and it isn't good. It's turnovers and getting caught with the ball. If it was 2018 then that's absolutely what we'd do but Hibbo is now at his best in a deeper role that sees him get more rest before burst efforts. Hunt's speed to close down and his aerial ability have both been important parts of the structure. Lockhart could provide some of what he does but he doesn't have the height. I'm all for giving Bowey a taste because I want to see his attacking game but I really think we'd have to be comfortable knowing the defending would take a small hit.

Bailey clearly kicked one goal (the soccer) on Brayshaw on the wing, another when matched up by Lever or possibly Salem. Hard to know not being at the ground but I didn't see Hunt on him all that often. A lot of his damage came from being the spare half forward that we allowed to go to the stoppage and then our mids and wingers not tracking him back to then handover to a half back. Every time I've watched Bowey he's done very little defending. The Casey system has been excellent and Bowey has been good at getting first hands on the ball like most smart players do, but there was no evidence that Bowey will help our defending at all. In fact I'd be confident to say he won't, apart from making the attack more dangerous and getting the ball up the other end.

6. Petracca 5. Oliver 4. Gawn 3. McDonald 2. May 1. Pickett Apologies to Spargo, Harmes, JJ, Rivers, Petty, ANB and plenty more

Simon Goodwin has made us better every year, apart from one drastic fall down the ladder. Nathan Buckley has made Collingwood worse every year, apart from one stunning rise up the ladder. #uselessfacts

First half showed all our weaknesses if our pressure and intensity is off and the midfield are getting beaten. Second half showed all our strengths. The mids did a fantastic job turning it around. Credit to Gawn, Oliver, Petracca but also Harmes and Sparrow. They weren't going to be pushed around by Brisbane like they were in the first half (and last year too). Credit to the forwards for flicking a switch. Tommy and Kozz led the way. Tom started to attack contests. Kozzie backed himself rather than being tentative. Great in game turn around from those boys and the rest of the forwards. Tom McDonald's long been a confidence player and to see him being able to turn a game around that wasn't really happening for him is huge. Koz probably hasn't had a game like that against high class opposition before either. In a big week for him with the Indigenous round and some media work it was super impressive. Big tick for JJ on the wing, filled in very nicely. Surely can now add that versatility to his string. Huge tick for Steven May turning a bad Maysy game in to an excellent one. Did his body work early and attacked the ball in the air. Petty and Rivers really rallied around him. Hibbo a mixed bag but important in enough contests. Lever won't play a worse game than that this year I don't think.

Langdon for Melk makes sense. I think Hunt's too important for the structure and solid enough defensively that he's still unlikely to be dropped. But if he's sore then the week off afterwards does encourage playing it safe. A look at Bowey has to be something the coaches are itching for I'd imagine. A taste of the big leagues might sharpen him up to work on his defensive stuff at Casey. I can't imagine they drop Weid now without any VFL. Did enough.

Pack the game up if that's a week

A big issue with Weid is he just doesn't change direction fast enough on his back leads, and we don't find him over the top. He had a play early tonight with Fritsch had the ball on the flank and I think it went to Spargo then eventually to Sam who sprinted all the way to the pocket to mark outside the Lions defender. All he had to do was change direction early and Fritsch would've found him in the corridor. He's doing the team thing by making the ground big but he's not doing the smart thing for him by knowing when to hit up at it. Andrews had 9 intercept touches but didn't dominate the game and Sam had moments when he was body on body or leading up that he looked like he had him beat. But he has a lot of moments where his momentum is dragging him one way and he doesn't get to contest with any force. He's not the athlete of Jackson or McDonald. He has to get straight lines at the ball. Personally I'd love to see him get deeper forward earlier and lead up at it more. But they want him up the ground doing the team thing. He tackled pretty well, scrapped for the ball and had a few crucial clean handballs. Wasn't a terrible effort against what might be the games best defender, but just wasn't what we hope to see.

The same way that every other junior drafted does? The NAB League is under 19’s now, plenty of guys get drafted at 19 without state league form. But my guess is as a standout performer it’s very likely that they would’ve organised a link with a VFL club at some stage later in the year. Or maybe playing local footy against men and the young guns game means he didn’t need it.

I am guilty of judging from the highlights but even reading between the lines of JT’s comments, he’s been flashy but inconsistent so far in his VFL career. I like the upside and who knows what he can be with some time in the system. I’m just not convinced he’s the right type to bring in mid year. It’s really hard to come in to a club mid season, adapt to full time footy, learn a new system and then perform if you get a chance.

A couple of comments from Aussie Rules Draft Central https://afl.draftcentral.com.au/tag/daniel-turner/ Midfield skills at local level combined with a natural intercept game is a good combination. The kind of late bloomer who might've got a call up to higher levels last year in a normal season too.