DeeSpencer

No howling down from me. Leaving him out has to be an option. He's probably the weakest of the 4 defensively and he doesn't have the tank of Bugg or the speed of the other two. Hasn't shown any significant midfield ability either. But I like his skills too much to leave him out. I think we just have to play him. I'd be testing all of the small-medium forwards in a heap of defensive pressure drills over the next two weeks. If Garlett and Hannan thrive in those drills then I'd leave Bugg out. If Bugg aces the field and the rest are just mediocre then it's back to the same tough decision.

FB: Hibberd Oscar Jetta HB: Hunt Lever Lewis C: Harmes Oliver Jones HF: ANB Hogan Melksham FF: ##### T Mc ###### Foll: Gawn Petracca Salem Int: Vince Tyson Brayshaw ##### Happy with that 20. Still not sure which 3 out of 4 of Bugg, Garlett, Hannan and Fritsch play. Hannan's midfield burst and important late game goal kicking can be so valuable and he's a bit stronger and maybe more of a tackler this year. Its very hard to leave him out. Fritsch gives us a bit more in the air and a beautiful kick to set up or score goals. Bugg's the fittest player on the list and the ability to keep running is so important late in early season games. I'm wondering if we need Garlett, but if he's at his best he's an automatic selection (I think).

At full fitness Jack Viney might be our best player, but an underdone Viney can be pretty ordinary, we've seen that a few times of the last few years. I'm hoping this decision was really based on what's best for Jack but I also don't think it's a surprise that the call has been made after Brayshaw and Tyson both played well last night. Time to back those boys in for round 1 now.

The right decision. Learning from the mistakes of last year. Hoping he plays for Casey next weekend and can build for round 2 onwards.

That was one of the highlights of the game. No longer as we handballing ourselves crazy around in circles and instead we are making other teams do that. We are a side designed to move the ball with kicking. We aren't a run and carry handball team. So the ratio of kick to handball should be much closer to 1:1 with some extra handballs around the clearances when needed. For the first half we had the same amount of kicks as the Saints and far less handballs. That's good efficient footy.

I thought Dom was solid last night. Especially given he's a game behind the others. Frost, Jetta, Garlett - the others who missed JLT 1 were also a bit off the pace at times. If we play 7 backs, 8 mids, 7 forwards then I think he's in the 8 best mids. If it was up to me: Gawn, Viney*, Oliver, Petracca, Salem, Jones, Harmes, Tyson. With Brayshaw playing as one of the 7 defenders and Salem going back at times as well. With Viney 50/50 for round 1 I'd say Gus takes a midfield spot and Vince takes the 7th defender. As long as he's not matched up on a speed/endurance running machine type I think he can play wing as well as on ball. He probably finds the most uncontested possessions for any of our centre square players in that he's very good at making himself an option for a short corridor kick. Very reliable hands in that situation as well. Oliver (for short rests), Petracca and Harmes are the mids who will go forward with Hannan, Melksham, ANB maybe moving in to the midfield. We don't need to be spinning all the midfielders forward and vice versa. I'm not that in love with versatility in rotating players. He's not an automatic pick all season, but I think he's pretty safe for round 1 and almost a certainty if Viney isn't right.

Pedersen - good again when given a chance but still can't see him playing alongside Hogan and Tommy Mc. Unless the niggle that kept Tom out is more than that I'd expect Pedersen to miss round 1. He's more natural forward than Tom, a better tackler, better in the ruck but Tom's endurance is hard to ignore. Wagner didn't make a mistake in the first half when the team was rolling. Couldn't do anything right in the second half. Really looks to suffer from perceived pressure. Maybe trying too hard to get a spot in the team? Maynard - gets caught out when he's out in space or unfamiliar positions but he certainly qualifies as a tough player in tight. Round 1 is probably far too soon but at some stage I think he gets a go as a midfield tagger. His athleticism and tackling around a stoppage should be put to use. If he was picked to play round 1 in Viney's role I'd be very surprised but not exactly shocked.

You could tell from the moment the 3rd quarter started we were flat after half time and stuffing around with the ball. Bernie - who was otherwise excellent all night - started doing all sorts of dinky kicks. The midfield couldn't win a clearance. The backline started bombing it in and the forwards weren't defending at all well. I don't really care that we came out flat thinking or knowing we were ready for round 1 and in some ways it made the 4th quarter a better test to play the game out. What kills me is that we can't bottle it up once we've started poorly. You have a bad 5 minutes and give away a couple of goals to start a quarter - every team does - but then you have to find a way to get control of the footy. Take the pace out of the game and switch the ball around a bit and get numbers to the contest. Every team has bad quarters. The difference between the good, the bad and the ugly is shutting those quarters down and getting back in the game.

Was one of the best trainers at the club in his first year. Since then - just hasn't wanted it enough IMO. Should be right up the front of the running groups instead of just another also ran. Goodwin showed him a lot of faith last year, picking him as soon as he was fit, same with ANB. ANB rewarded that faith getting super fit and giving his all on game day. Jay knows where the footy is going and can be a beautiful kick. With some toughness and real desire he could be a handy high half forward despite his lack of size and only average pace. I remember I'd see him out on the town a fair bit (in my and his younger days). Not that he'd be doing anything wrong but some guys desperately want an AFL career, others are so good or so bad it doesn't matter and some have enough talent and work hard enough to stay on the list but not to really get the most out of themselves.

For those who haven't seen by now. So yes, he had a stroke, but it was relatively minor and caused by a not uncommon congenital heart condition and he should make a good recovery from both. Stroke awareness is a very important message. FAST.

It's an interesting opinion coming from Blight given he sacked a bunch of Crows legends as soon as he got there in order to play younger players. Including a teenager who was fantastic in their first grand final win. The young player back then is now our coach!

100 games is a very arbitrary number given the way modern teams and lists are made. Experience defenders: Hibberd, Jetta, Lewis, Vince Young defenders: Oscar, Hunt, Lever, Wagner, Brayshaw Should be lots of leadership and the young players aren't babies anymore. Experienced mids: Gawn, Jones, Viney, Tyson Young mids: Salem, Petracca, Oliver, Harmes, Stretch Again, a mixture and no super young players. As are the forwards Experienced forwards: Garlett, Melksham, Bugg*, Tommy Mc* Young forwards: Hogan, Hannan, ANB, Fritsch, *new to the position How many guys are physically under developed? Fritsch and Stretch are skinny but they have games that don't rely on crash and bash. Oscar and Lever aren't full formed. Petracca and Oliver hopefully keep building on their tanks each year. Where we have a lot of room for improvement is in the team cohesion from guys playing with each other year after year. But that's true of a lot of teams and the Richmond forward line came together very quickly last year as did the Dogs entire side the year before. Inexperience is an issue come finals but I don't think we can use that as a reason not to make them. 8/18 teams make finals. Not every one will be full of 100 game players.

I'd extend Jetta but I don't think that's a huge issue. I wonder if Harmes isn't worth getting done before the season to get him cheaper so to speak. Obviously the club would want to sign Brayshaw and Oscar but I'd probably let them play and earn the bigger deals if they want them. No idea what to do with Tom McDonald.

Didn't see enough of him really. All I can say is it was nice to see him in the main group.

Any good defensive system will always rely on defending as a team AND defending as individuals. Just as any good attacking system in a game of footy should be based upon attacking as a team AND winning one on one match ups. Richmond last year - great team defending and great individual defending. Good enough team attacking, often used Dusty one out when they needed a goal. The system worked and Lever did well enough one on one - better than I expected - that I'm now in full agreement with the 2 talls. And I've stated I'd play Frost just for a half as one of the 23-26th players to get him a run as a depth player for early rounds. My reply here was in reference to a poster asking what the Saints will do to test us. North did not have a legitimate 3rd tall marking option like Membrey. I'm not worried about the cm's so much, the guy can mark a footy - on the lead or one on one. That makes him a test for our zoning defenders who at times will have to win those contests.

Maybe Jetta trained the other day. I probably missed him! I'd play the best 22 as part of a team of 24 with a little extra rest and have Frost, Pedda, Maynard and one other play half each. Full strength Saints is good to see. Will be a good test.

If Bruce, McCartin and Membrey all play then it tests our match ups if we don't play Frost - with Wagner, Hibberd or Hunt playing on Membrey. Might test Lever's ability to balance attacking and defending at CHB. Oscar will be FB and so probably spend most of the time on McCartin. I believe they played against each other in under 18's so it's a good test again. A lot of McCartin's game still looks below AFL standard but his ability to clunk a big pack mark is very good. So that's a good test for Oscar who needs to be more consistent in big aerial contests. Billings (if fit), Gresham and a new kid in Hunter Clark actually provide the Saints midfield/forward line with some polish. They were rusty as could be against Carlton but could improve quickly and have a lot more quality than North did against us. Their midfield depth is solid as well. Gawn is really the advantage around the packs. Their biggest weaknesses are isolating their defenders and then pressuring them with the ball and forcing skill errors. It should be a good test of Hogan/T Mc etc. ability to work together and for our pressure game plan.

I'm not a physio but groin muscles - the adductors - go from the pelvis to the thigh. If you were to put a compression bandage on a groin strain it would wrap around the thigh.

I'd imagine they wouldn't look to make any forced changes given there's a couple out and couple of best 22 in Out: Lewis, ANB, (Harmes) In: Tyson, Garlett, FB: Hibberd Oscar Hunt HB: Wagner Lever Vince C: Jones Oliver Stretch HF: Bugg Hogan Melksham FF: Garlett T Mc Fritsch Foll: Gawn Petracca Salem Int: Brayshaw, Tyson, Maynard, Hannan, Pedersen, Harmes/other Frost a reasonable option if they are looking for something different and I'd take a chance on Dion Johnstone but I'm predicting they keep the same group.

Went for a look just after 10 but didn't stay for too long. No Jetta, Lewis, ANB, Vanders or McKenna. Harmes doing a bit of kicking with Crossy then some laps. Nice to see T Smith, J Smith, Weeds, Garlett and Tyson back in with the main group and of course Viney who was winning the footy in tight in one drill I saw. Didn't take note off too much happening but one half of the main group were doing a bit of half court simulation stuff that looked very fast and crisp with the other half working the ball from congestion. Then it was in to some goal kicking before some whole ground match simulation that was a little messy but certainly willing. Standout moments were probably: - Garlett's zip to get on to loose balls or shut down rebounds and a nice front and centre then underground handball to a free Fritsch - Joel Smith plucking a one handed contested mark with ease - Lever's willingness to run and be an option as soon as a fellow defender has got the ball.

I don't think the culture, salary cap, team structure etc problems that come with signing a big fish really matter all that much if they are a gun player. Think advantages of having superstars make up for a lot of the problems. The issue a club like Collingwood have now and North are in the same boat - is having all but flagged their intentions publicly where does it leave their current players? They'll be looking for a pay day now as well, plus wondering why they aren't good enough and why they need some outsider bought in. It's the same issue that happens with tanking. Tanking is fine if you're going to discard pretty much every player who's currently on your list and start afresh. If you've got 10 of your best out injured and are going to trade a few more away then go for it, but if you've assembled an improving team and you send the message that they aren't good enough and that they can't focus on winning then you hit problems.

I assume they'll play in some of the remaining 3 practice games. The AFL has rules (that seem very flexible) about which AFL players can play in VFL games. The more experienced guys are surely keen to press their chances but I think holding out the kids and therefore shortening their season is a good idea.

No, no and yes once he finds a bit more confidence in attacking the footy safely around contests.

Think people need to calm down on his kicking and decision making. He'll have plenty of down games there. Not much of a left side, not a super long kick, doesn't snap the ball well and can sometimes miss a target over their head. Even last year I'd tear my hair out watching Nibbler miss a kick or take a silly option. He was always bobbing up getting the ball in good spots though, so if he keeps that up he can iron out the decision making. He's not afraid to win contested footy and he's great at running in to space and keeping the ball moving. Solid enough in the air and solid enough as a tackler - has really improved in those areas. Combined with elite endurance that's why he makes a lot of sense as a high half forward. He makes defenders accountable and creates space for the goal kickers, that's an impressive team attribute. In terms of comparison he's similar to Kane Lambert who was great for the Tigers, and a little bit like a poor mans Toby Greene who's stronger one on one and more dangerous near goals but otherwise finds the ball across half forward. If there's a player I'd be giving ANB tapes to watch or having him sit down for a chat with (given our connections) it would be Paul Chapman. He's about as good a half forward as there's been this century. Never missed a snap, a brilliant kick inside 50 and racked up the ball moving in around the midfield and also leading or crumbing as a forward.

I'm not over the moon about our depth and I think depth in general is a little overrated. Most teams have similar players in the 25-32 range who aren't regulars for a reason. Injuries to top players are very hard to cover, injuries to middle tier players are best covered by the top guys still playing well! One thing that impacts how depth players are viewed is more mature depth players are often given little patience by the fans. I know I do that. The inherent bias is they are no good so you're waiting for them to stuff up. Where as younger players are often viewed positively when they come in. For example Dean Kent and Dion Johnstone could both come in and play the same game on a forward flank and Kent would be labelled a failure and DJ a success. Similarly the young guy might get a few weeks to prove himself whilst the older guy gets 1 or 2 games. Our list isn't really full of young kids so I think we'll at least have a variety of options if they stay healthy and there's about 6 or so who played on the weekend who might miss round 1 and have something to offer - Wagner, Brayshaw/Vince, Maynard, Stretch, Pedersen, and one of the small forwards. I'm also very keen to see Spargo, Baker, Joel Smith, DJ and Balic start playing some footy at Casey.