DeeSpencer

His best mark up forward was when Oscar ran in a circle all around the ball, otherwise a lot of his better play was at ground level or when he shifted to a wing for the last 5 minutes. Losing Vanders as a 190cm+ physical wingmen who could hurt him and defend him was a loss. Same with Kade Kolo who would be a decent wing match up as well. Otherwise the way Port were moving the ball at least one of their forwards was going to do damage. The rucks and Marshall did pretty much nothing, so not surprised it was Westhoff. In terms of a long term plan Lever is much better as a 3rd tall and combined with big body midfielders we can finally counter Westhoff, but it's a matter of finding that 2nd genuine stopping key defender.

It's more a design of the system that's at fault. Create a system with rigid guidelines and you'll get people who cling to them. The Cunnington punch off the ball had plenty of force and a whole lot of nastiness to it. But impact comes down to silly things like whether the player went off the ground and if they sat out the rest of the game. Now that tribunal challenges are back in force it's very easy to overrule based on the AFL's own guidelines. It's the unfortunate thing about the May incident. The vision was in my mind thoroughly inconclusive. The medical report similarly inconclusive and he didn't return to the game. Anyway, I couldn't care less about who does and doesn't get suspended from other teams. All I want is our players not be suspended. So if he's lenient that's better than the alternative.

Yeah completely forgot about that one, he's had that knee taped up for a fair bit of this summer. Which suggests it's not an immediate problem but also doesn't help. I'm hoping it's not the foot but simply a whole bunch of little things and just not having done enough match practice to be up with the pace of the game.

Viney has looked pretty good in the rehab group (yes I know) for most of summer. They seemed to be timing his run pretty well. Apparently he got a corky at the end of the Casey game, and then there was talk of a head knock in a Friday training session. Both of those could account for his performance as much as any long term foot concerns. I commented after training last week that he was held out of drills and something didn't seem exactly right otherwise he would've done the whole session. Absolutely agree that he needs to be 100% right to play again. No corkies. No concussions. No anything. Still think there's some chance that could happen by Saturday and he just had a shocker but I want to hear Goodwin say he's 100% and it's almost to the point where I'd like to see him prove it by dominating at Casey first.

2 Clayton's, 0 Brayshaw's. After hearing the Casey reviews and reflecting on the game some more I'm actually more likely to stick with Hore and hope he can pick up the tempo. Change both the key defenders. And make at least one change to the half forwards. The other thought I keep coming back to is what to do with Viney. If he isn't 100% cherry ripe I'd rather he miss a couple of weeks. There's just too great a difference between his best football and when he's not healthy.

Yes I should've said that, I wouldn't have him going anywhere for a month and if it was then the case it would be either for a Keilty/Preuss with a Tim Smith/Joel Smith. Teams are working well with 2 rucks, 1 key forward and 1 slightly undersized mobile forward. I still think we can use Gawn, Weid, T Mc with Melksham, maybe a Smith and a rotating cast of big mids - Petracca and Fritsch mainly. But I can see the appeal of 2 rucks - it helps the midfield and provides a long bomb target, Tommy Mc as the main man and then another mobile guy.

Austin being competitive at VFL level is a great sign. If he can compete and get involved in games he has the skills and athleticism to develop. 2nd quarter was in to the wind right? I always played my best footy at CHF in to the wind, the ball holding up let me lead up and grab it easier! Kyle Chandler??

When I've seen Keilty play forward at VFL level he's only been hit and miss. He got drafted on the back of good defensive play including taking some nice marks but it's always easier to take marks as a defender than a forward. Especially with some of the delivery at Casey - both our players going forward and the opposition bad clubs attacking. I wouldn't be against Weid going out of the side, he's still yet to look consistently involved in games and his ruck work at throw ins was inexcusable, I'm just not sold on it working if it's a straight swap for Dec.

Bit early to judge but from one game against the Suns I think we can cover Kent's 8 disposals, 6 clangers, 6 pressure acts, 3 tackles and nailing a bit of a flukey set shot to win the game. Sparrow and Wagner did more than that against a better opponent. We need a crumber and we need some depth on the wing. Kent promised both was never either of those.

Missed Weid's big contested clunk? Sam was bad in the ruck, mostly at boundary stoppages, which is somewhat a surprise because he's usually ok in the ruck. Follows up at ground level and around the ground does ok. If you remember the Richmond JLT game Keilty was good in centre bounces but also beaten by a ruck who grabbed it from a throw in and kicked a goal. According to the website Keilty is 194/94kg, Weid is 195/97kg. Who knows how accurate those numbers are but I'm not convinced there's much difference. Keilty might be a bit more effective in the ruck but I'm not expecting miracles up forward from him, he didn't do a heap up forward against the Lions. Realistically swapping Weid for Keilty would be getting a similar player without the upside. I've got no interest in that. Preuss for a big contested body would at least mix things up. Or adding Keilty alongside Weid, playing Tracc in the midfield and T mc on the wing for part of the game and changing the forward mix. Or waiting until Tim Smith is back soon and getting that 3rd tall versatile and defensive forward in the mix.

I'm not entirely sure what people want. After the game I was [censored] off. I still am. But there's very little that can be done about the number of injuries and surgeries. I think they pretty much nailed the best available 22 yesterday given the attempt to balance picking experience and the formula that worked last year and making drastic changes. Sparrow as a late in tells me they were getting pretty desperate. The main thing I want Goodwin and Co to change: No more talking about our brand, contested footy and getting the game on our terms. More talk about players executing skills, team first attitudes and disciplined smart football. I want a team that has a style but can adapt and withstand the opposition, not purely bludgeon them because you can't simply beat up on every team every week.

Unless it's a really good training program adding more weight would only slow him down and decrease his endurance, neither of which are strong points already. Even if he's thin and a little underweight at 23 he should have the core strength to hold tackles and hold position against most opponents. He might get pushed off against a genuine powerful player but not by the average AFL player. It looks to me like he just isn't up to the pace of the game. Won't be the first or last good VFL player to have that problem. The good news is there's plenty who have struggled with their first game or even season then been up to it once they get comfortable. Nathan Broad from the Tigers is a good example. He looked like the worst player I've ever seen in his first few games, before becoming a very handy addition for the Tigers over the last two years.

I like Petty and he'd be my first choice but one of Weid or Keilty might have to be on stand bye as a defender as well. Frost really turned his year around last year after a horrible start. Oscar can also go back to the VFL and dominate games and learn to be more physical, more involved and more proactive. Right now I wouldn't bring Preuss in. But I'd have all the talls on notice that things can change quickly. It's unacceptable to be dominated in the air by this Port team. Really it's a joke.

He does what they ask by positioning in the right spots at set plays and usually not turning the ball over but golly that's all he does. He's shown signs of something more at times in 2016/2017 in games he took a few grabs or got plenty of the ball but it's hard to imagine a footballer with less interest in getting involved in the game than Oscar since about mid year last year.

We appear slow because we throw numbers at the contest and therefore guys on the outside over lap and run away from us. Up forward it's because our crumbers don't get to the right spots, down back it's because every goes up for the mark and in the middle it's because everyone piles in for the ball. Port were also just fitter and healthier than us right now. That said - we need another outside runner through the midfield, we need either Hunt to be fixed and keep improving or at least KK from half back and we need a quick zippy forward. Backs will look quicker if May gives them an anchor to spread around. Mids will look quicker with more fitness and an outside runner. Forwards will look quicker if the delivery is better and we can get out the back.

Spargo has some limitations but along with Melk he's probably our best forward at creating space by getting to the right spots. Went for a bit too much with some kicks and had a bad dropped mark, plus the obvious size issues but there's still only a small number of players in our team who go to the right spots. Be silly to drop him. We have to see if Chandler, Lockhart or Bedford do anything at Casey - my guess is the first 2 do a fair bit - but in the mean time we aren't dropping any of the smalls. If we are then it would be one of Wagner or ANB. They are the guys who don't have any much physicality or footy smarts. Wagner wasn't bad today, but he's very limited unless he starts to take the ball cleanly and read the play better. Midfield pressure and defenders incapable of winning easy contests were probably more of an issue than the forward pressure. It's very hard to generate forward pressure when there's free running midfielders and half forwards open for easy passes. Plus we weren't even getting it deep forward to begin with.

If Big Juicy Preussy is going to play then maybe we chuck Weideman to CHB and get some education in to him. He can take a grab, is a keen tackler, has good hands and a nice boot. I can't see the Tommy Mc/Weid/Preuss forward line being anything but a disaster.

Oscar had 1 intercept possession today. You could literally stand still at CHB and at least manage 3. Plus he wasn't running freely by the end of the game. Whatever was wrong with his hip that needed surgery I'm not convinced it's suddenly right. He played on Schoenmakers and Jack Henry in the finals last year and as soon as he took on a half decent opponent he was crap. I'm struggling to remember a tall defender who has no strength, no speed and no ability to take a mark. Nor does he counter attack and run the ball out. Frost did a good job on Hawkins in the elimination final but he was awful today. The thing about Frost is he just has no football intelligence at all. None.Plus a poor tank. As the season goes on and he builds his match fitness and gets in the rhythm of playing games he can be more useful but every time the season starts again he's all at sea. These guys are both dreadful and we worry about which is worse instead of moving them both on and bringing in someone with upside.

FB: Jetta May Hibberd HB: Hunt Petty Salem C; Jones Oliver Fritsch HF: Spargo T Mc Petracca FF: Melksham Weid Lockhart Foll: Gawn Oliver Harmes Int: J. Wagner, C. Wagner, Viney, Sparrow Out: Oscar, Frost, Hore, ANB In: May, Petty, J Wagner, Lockhart The 3 taller defenders were all absolute witches hats. Get rid of them. Hopeless. I don't want to bring in J Wagner but he has to be better than Hore and I don't think KK is ready. Not too much to be done with the midfield except hope they improve. Viney should find match fitness. Jones was actually playing ok until his awful last quarter. Maybe KK comes in here or maybe Oskar Baker but for now leave as is. Forward line: tempted to overhaul with Keilty or Preuss for Weid as well as making multiple changes to the smalls. But I'd back Weid in rather than go with an underdone Preuss. ANB has to go though, complete liability who doesn't want to win the ball. C. Wagner and Sparrow both looked equally effective (or ineffective) as pressure forwards, keep them in and try either Lockhart or Chandler. Someone with some skill and craft.

A decent debut overshadow by the crappy team. Had a dip, used it better than I expected and worked hard. Goes for the ball and then actively looks where to use it. Against teams with more pressure than Port he might get caught a bit but he has the right approach.

FB: Jetta Oscar Hibberd HB: Salem Frost Lewis C; Fritsch Oliver Jones HF: ANB T Mc Petracca FF: Melksham Weid Spargo Foll: Gawn Brayshaw Viney Int: Hore, Harmes, Stretch, Hunt That's what I expect gets named tomorrow. Don't love Hore down back but I can see why they'll give him first crack at it. Stretch, Hunt and ANB all make me concerned but they are fit and have experience in the side. Keen to see if Goody has a surprise pick instead.

They did a drill today that was one weighted kick to a player cutting on a 45 backwards lead from half back to the wing, then a long flat 40m kick to a leading forward 40m from goal. That's a different approach. The reality is the best way to score is to go quick from half back, get the ball forward and either score or lock it in and create those repeat entries. Going slow from half back/midfield when you get a chance gets you no where. Even the precision Hawks were bombing it last year because speed of entry meant more than precision. As for our overall kicking skills: -The first choice back 7 are all above average kicks. - The hope surely is Gus, Harmes, Tracc, Oliver all improve and if they keep finding the ball they should. Harmes took a step forward last year and Brayshaw is the main one who gets the ball on the outside and needs to stop butchering it. No more left foot heaves when running in open space, save them from where they are useful in congestion. - Fritsch, Kolodjasnij, Spargo are 3 efforts to bring in more skills to the inside 50's. Get them the ball on the wing and half forward and good things will happen - Baker is more speed than precision kicking but line breaking run creates the same inside 50 benefit that good skills do. Jordon is a lovely kick who could play half forward or wing if not half back. Hannan can hit targets. Chandler and Lockhart have potential from what I've seen as nice kicks. I'd like to improve the kicking but a good crumbing forward would make the messy forward entries better and getting back on topic a good crumber would pair really well with Weid. Getting more run and spread to open space from a contest will help the inside 50's too. Throwing numbers at the contest against the good teams really hurt us last year.

Clearly they overloaded Vanders though!

Harmes had a red hat on for the match sim. Viney had a lovely orange hat on. They still took Jack out of several drills so I'm not 100% that he'll play. Or 100% that he should play. Oscar, Frost, Hibberd, Hore, Lewis, Jetta, Salem, Petty, JWagner, Jordon with the defenders so take your pick of 7 there. Lockhart with the forwards which I don't really like. I know he's undersized but not every defender has to be 6 foot+. Liked what I saw with some of his kicking though. I guess the thinking is get the competition for spots in the pressure forwards right because if they play well my concerns about lack of pace from the backline/midfield isn't such a worry. They had CWagner, ANB, Lockhart and Hunt all on the probables team for match simulation so no real guide for which way they are going. Steve May doing a lot of interval running and not looking overly pleased to be doing so. Wish he was playing but maybe the week off will do him good. Focus the mind and make sure his body has a bit more preparation for the season.

I imagine he was our first option but we waited until the deadline to see how the list was shaping up and if there was someone who suddenly appeared on the radar by having a drastic preseason overhaul or dominating the NTFL. You'd have to do something pretty special between Nov and March to really standout as suddenly being a draft option. The Hawks added a developmental ruckman, the Swans a young tall, Gold Coast a young kid who missed out in the drafts and the Saints added Sam Rowe from retirement and Jono Marsh to fill specific key defensive needs. There wasn't a splash signing in any of that lot. The only thing I might've done differently is either had Lockhart or another kid train with the team over summer - although I assume there's a cost issue as well as tipping our hand. I think the Tigers were smarter than the other teams by getting Sydney Stack to train with them before committing to him. I'd be on the lookout for similar players in future years.