DeeSpencer

I spotted Jeff out on the ground in the pre game warm up. Beanie on. Rugged up. Looking uninterested. Can't blame him, AFL footy looks a pain in the backside. Not at all surprised by his output, although would've been nice if he could've belted his cousin Lance at some stage. I hope he doesn't sting us for a pay cheque next year if he doesn't want to be here any more.

I'm inclined to agree, although I'll give him some benefit under that kick because Hunt was behind him and knowing Melbourne they didn't communicate. Not standing under a high kick when you have an opponent coming down is worse than not standing it when you're concerned about spoiling a team mate. The fumbles and skill errors are a huge concern. The hope is he cuts some of them out, Harmes has shown this year that it can happen. But ANB is worse than Harmes was, he's just not a fluid mover out on the footy field. I wonder how much he can improve his chase down speed and tackling. If he absolutely nailed every chance he has to tackle his mistakes with the ball wouldn't matter very much.

Jeffy panicked for fear of body contact, stepped wide and rushed the shot. Exactly what Derm was talking about with Ablett (where it didn't actually happen).

Jones either takes Lewis' spot at half back or ANB's spot as the high half forward. Think he could do either next year. Or both even depending on form/injuries to others. Jones nailed a crunch goal today and had a nice popped pass for a shot on goal. Feel free to disagree but I'd still back Jones over nearly any other player on the list to hit a target when the decision making is easy or done for him. He certainly lacks vision, most likely not helped by years of being the man in a bad side, but when the target is there he kicks with lovely penetration. I'd back him to make the easy kicks from half back or to adjust to half forward. I don't see elevating Tom McDonald or Gawn as a successful idea, nor do I think Lever, Oliver or Gus are ready.

On Jones: A) He had some really poor moments today but he also never stopped running in the last quarter and kept getting the ball. He nailed a goal and had some other good possessions in with the bad. The worst players in a close game like today and the ones who didn't even want the ball or want the contest when it got close. B) He's yet to start the next stage of his career as a flanker. Forward or back I think that's next. He's a good runner and whilst his decision making can go astray he is a good kick. Playing forward gets you more accustomed to making the kicks inside 50. Playing back gets you used to the exit kicks. He can do all of that. Don't write him off until he's had the chance to re invent himself. On Viney: A) Seriously questions have been asked about his role in the management of his foot/toe B) He's now missed a fair chunk of footy this year and last. All up I'd go with Jones and Viney for one more year. Jones will still be best 22 - I'm guessing on a forward flank. Viney will then have less pressured to get back for good this time and can take over in 2020 if things go to plan.

Buddy could've kicked 7 if his radar was on. Frost had a good go and his kicking is better, marking more reliable and all round he's made improvements but I'm still yet to be convinced. Once Buddy stopped leading in straight lines and started putting some moves before short hit up leads he had Frost cold. I'm very keen to see a backline with Lever, Hibberd and Joel Smith, maybe a fully fit Hunt after a solid preseason and ideally find a replacement skilled flanker to take over from Lewis. That's the kind of support that would make life easier on the tall or talls. Whether Frost is a good fit in that or not I'm yet to know.

FB: Jetta Oscar Hibberd HB: Pedersen Frost Salem C; Jones Oliver Fritsch HF: Spargo T Mc Petracca FF: Vanders Weids Hannan/Kent Foll: Gawn Harmes Brayshaw Int: Lewis JKH Tyson Melksham Out: Garlett, Hunt, Hogan, ANB In: Melksham, Hibberd, Weideman, Hannan/Kent Spargo made 2 types of error: 1 - couldn't kick it far enough, failing to make the distance or giving it off. 2 - couldn't hold his tackles. I'm happy to live with both whilst he brings a good work rate, clean skills and smarts. He'll get stronger over the summer and be finishing off his work better. Garlett make 1 type of error over and over again - being soft as butter. That has to go. Goodbye. ANB probably won't get dropped. More likely to see Spargs miss or Hannan not come in. But ANB has botched his disposals over and over again and it's time to say we'll do without it. He runs all day and keeps having a go but at some stage that's just not enough and he isn't getting better.

If we had: - A realistic chance to get Tom Lynch as a free agent - Enough confidence that Sammy Weideman will make at least a solid back up ruck and contest/drop the ball down forward option - If we can get and rate Brennan Cox from Freo as part of a larger package Then yep I'll drive Jesse to the airport myself. In his defence he might be injured and playing week in week out through the trademark Melbourne Medical Mismanagement but he looks fine sprinting after the ball when he's going to get an easy goal. He's been such a flat track bully this year. Disgusting football. And for weeks many on here have wondered why he isn't rested or dropped. Today's performance was coming.

I don't like him being tasked as the spare defender. That's a huge job for a young guy. Otherwise moving him to the wing was a very smart move earlier in the year. And now I think over the last month he's just tiring a bit so they've rotated him through the forward line to not over tax him. A bit of half back on a man filling in is good too. They might make a daring move and send him to half back this week, otherwise I'd expect wing/forward to continue. I'd like to see him lock down a position - most likely wing - for the next year or so. Staying in one spot lets you iron out inconsistencies. But long term I certainly see him as a utility. Too good in the air and classy to just run a wing long term.

The day he played full forward (against the Saints I think?) was very Brad Green. Otherwise modern footy has changed so much that especially the way Melbourne deliver inside 50 he's far better up the ground using the ball than up forward where his forward pressure needs some work and where the play is often scrappy.

The game has only become faster since then. I'm not convinced. Almost every side aside from the Dogs has a locked in good starting ruck these days. Unless a team had interest as a defender he'd be going as a back up. I believe the word you are looking for is Casey.

In my mind (and yours might be different) that is because I think he's fully deserving of a long stint on the sideline but not nearly as deserving of some of the media hounding and vitriol he has received. It should mostly die down now but it won't. It's why I think a fairer punishment would've been until the end of the season, not a number of weeks, which would allow him to start fresh next year. I'm not sure that helps him or Andy Brayshaw given I bet the incident is replayed repeatedly before his 'comeback'. Unfortunately the tribunal revolves around outcomes and the number of weeks. There's this focus that somehow 5, 8 or 12 weeks means something in particular and that it had to be 'x amount' of weeks. To me that isn't justice at all really. When you commit a crime the justice isn't only the sentence but the acknowledgement from the judge of the factors involved and a path to rehabilitation. It might just be the reporting but it would've been nice to see more focus from the Tribunal in a case like this that they'll punish Gaff with x amount of weeks, but also he has had a clean record for 174 games, it was a split second incident and he's welcome back in the game at the end of his suspension.

TBH I think a fairer penalty would've been to rule him out for the season, whether that be 5 or 7 weeks, missing finals with your team a live chance is very harsh. Tribunals should have the power to enforce a time sanction not just a week sanction. Oh well, 8 it is. Just think he'll now have to sit between 1-3 weeks next year when he would've served enough time this year. There's no need to overtly punish the individual. Gaff knows what he's done. There's no need to deter the rest of the comp. It's happened once in nearly 200 games this season.

I don't like it as a defence but I think it's reasonable to explain his actions. I can give a guy 6-7 weeks who didn't aim for the head and was trying to whack a player in the chest who was blocking him out of the play. I'd have to give someone 10+ who randomly walked up to any old opponent and aimed straight for the head. In my mind the vision is reasonably conclusive that it was the former not the latter but it's his job to explain it. If he's made an error it's asking for 3 weeks or half the 8-12 range. I would've stated that 6-8 with a discount for a good record and guilty plea back to 5-6 would most likely see a result of 6-8. Asking too low just insults the intelligence of the jury.

Spargo - love him, but he's first season and so will be up and down Jeff - going ok at the moment but still soft and was rightfully dropped Hannan - has good and bad games, isn't established at the level Stretch - couldn't get in to the side, then injured Vanders - just back from injury Kent - whenever he gets some form going he gets injured Bugg - think he's done at AFL level Baker - yet to debut, some promise at Casey but that doesn't mean much until he breaks through Just because we have a lot of options doesn't mean we have depth. Depth comes from having a stable best 22 and then having options who can come in and do a job after that. We don't even have one established wingman, so there's no way to say we have depth there! Fritsch is the closest we have and in an ideal world we can move him around forward/wing etc. Spargo/ANB/Melk etc somewhat lock down the half forward flanker jobs but the depth players aren't consistently tearing it up at Casey. And there's no depth behind Garlett for that designated crumber/goal sneak.

Looked to me like Bowes handballs and at the same time it gets smothered back in to him by Hogan who then tackles him. So his prior opportunity resets, he's then tackled and the ball spills out in the tackle. Would need a reverse camera angle to see. Either way, effective forward pressure turns a potential goal from a holding the ball in to a certain goal. Lovely look away handball by Hoges.

Copying soccer's red card rule and taking a team down to 17 a side would be stupid. Soccer invokes a send off with a red card because harsh punishments are needed for dangerous plays - to avoid leg and head injuries mainly - and for plays that kill scoring chances given how few there are in a game. Plus it's a game based on 3 substitutions and not rotations. Making the game 18 on 17 doesn't' make sense for AFL football. You can't defend and counter attack with 1 short in AFL footy like you can in a soccer game. I'm against red cards/send offs because these incidents are so rare (only about 3 in this whole season) so I don't see the point, but if you were to bring it in you'd start with sending the player off and allowing them to be replaced. That's enough retribution.

Hunt at his best used his speed to defend and to run in to space to receive as much as he did to have those big breaking runs through the middle. Coaches have caught up to the big run and the game has got faster with less plodders to run by but speed from half back is still a valuable weapon. Just don't think Hunt was fit and healthy at the start of the year. Was hands on hips after every effort instead of making the defensive play and then flicking straight in to attack. I don't think 1 VFL game will be enough to have him at his peak fitness. A couple more games at Casey and he could be an option either down back or up forward if they lose all faith in Garlett.

We don't have a good defender to bring in to replace Smith yet alone Bernie. Hibberd and Hunt when right, and maybe Wagner the options but sadly the backline is copping it with injuries. Bernie has played 2 absolute stinkers against Carlton and GC in near 100 point wins. Maybe he likes to give those sides a bit of hope!

Punching receives a fine from the MRP. Or sometimes no fine at all if minor force. Unduly rough tackles receive suspensions as well. Players are constantly belting elbows in to each other, throwing swinging arms in to tackles and crunching don't argues in to the chest or head. Gaff's was worse than that but I don't agree it was a simple stand and deliver punch. It was a wild lashed out round arm. I'm not saying Gaff shouldn't get a lengthy suspension but I thought it was an in game incident and not a completely vicious one that had no context in the game. Barry Hall's was worthy of criminal charges. Bugg's wasn't and I don't think this is either. If you watch the replay you'll see that it wasn't 100m from play. Gaff was right near the play and you'll see the umpire calling play on to the player with the ball. That's what I mean by getting sucked in to Ross Lyon's emotions. Of course Ross is emotional, but that's why we have a tribunal and why courts have independent judges and juries and it's not people with close relationships who get to decide on the punishment of someone else. I criticised Goodwin last year for being too harsh on Bugg. I though he and the club should've done more to defend Bugg as a good guy who made a costly mistake. Instead we went down this line of Bugg having to earn trust back from other players.

Brayshaw was blocking Gaff from running. Under tribunal rules that's in play and it makes sense with how this occurred. If the ball was 1m away he wouldn't have been blocking and scrapping. Don't get fooled by Ross Lyon's emotions. 175 games for West Coast without incident and Adam Simpson clearly holds him in high regard. If he wants to stay there they won't change their offer to him one cent. Joel Smith was dumped in a crude and possibly illegal tackle and is currently having reconstructive collar bone surgery. Should that be a case of assault as well?

I think we are well stocked with Hibberd, Joel Smith, Lever and Hunt for medium sized defenders with a variety of skill sets to replace Vince. Unfortunately all 4 are injured! Josh Wagner and Pat McKenna both options as well. What we do need is at least 1 hard running and clean ball using flanker to replace Lewis and I'd love to give Lockhart a chance. Worried that he's playing himself above a 3rd round selection though.

Kid? He's 18. He's a man. If he's not maybe he shouldn't have entered the draft or should be playing WAFL. It wasn't outside a night club though was it? It was on a footy field and context matters. He was blocking Gaff's run on the field. Gaff was barely looking at him. Brayshaw wasn't either and you can see him dip down to move away from Gaff. Gaff took a swing for his chest to whack him away and smashed his chin. Gaff has played 170 odd games and never hit someone in the head before. That, and the vision, counts for something with me. More so than a hypothetical.

Of course any mother would be distraught. I don't expect Gaff to be on her Christmas list but I imagine in time she'll come to forgive him. Especially once Andy is back healthy which I hope is sooner rather than later. As for Ross - well it's nice to find a distraction rather than talking about Freo's form. He's coached many players who have been suspended for some nasty things over the years I'm sure.

Angus and Andrew's brother Hamish plays for the Eagles. The Brayshaw's will get over it. Mr Brayshaw probably understands that these things happen in footy. Mrs Brayshaw has been through a lot but I doubt she'd hold a grudge. Smart sponsors will be happy a very good footballer has joined the Demons. They'll be fine.