DeeSpencer

At their best is Rodgers because he can scramble, he can avoid rushers and throw bombs, he can do anything. That said, if I had to start from scratch with both players aged 30 and I had a good defense and special teams and enough money to buy some quality offensive players but not break bank I'd go with Brady. Here's why: Obviously any QB is reliant on their scheme and coaching, but I think it's easier to create the system Brady plays in and it's safer for the QB. This is nitpicking and most will disagree with me but I think Rodgers isn't as easy to coach as people think. I'm not saying he has a good coach, I don't think he does, but he shredded the Bears just staying in the pocket and putting his receivers to work when he had to. He should do that more often but I think he likes to scramble around and make the big plays. The knee injury could be a blessing in disguise for Rodgers because he should play more like Brady. Develop insane chemistry with a small group of receivers and receiving backs and just take what's there mechanically marching down the field. The obvious thing to say there is McCarthy isn't Josh McDaniel's so it's not that easy but I think Rodgers has played at too high a level for too long for any half decent coach to not create a system based on his timing and accuracy if he wanted it.

Carolina (falcons are missing their best 2 players on D) Houston (Tenn qb situation is less than ideal) Chargers

J Smith slow? About as quick as anyone on the list. He'd come in and Hibberd and Fritsch would be pushed in to more attacking roles. But praying Salem is ok. He's had some tightness in what looked like a groin to me over the last few weeks.

Oscar - Vardy/Lycett Frost - Josh Kennedy Smith/Hibberd/Jetta - Darling, Ryan, Rioli Salem/Lewis - Le Cras, Cripps Oscar and Frost will take the talls. Salem and Lewis will play up the ground. Jetta and Hibberd take the match ups in between, with Jetta staying closer to goal. Fritsch has been doing a little bit of everything in between but they've tried to keep him up the ground so he's not tested one on one deep. Smith would give the backline more flexibility and free Hibberd up. The question is what price is that worth when Smith won't give rebound or skill and will probably turn it over at some stage? Fritsch wasn't perfect with the ball either on Friday. And if he plays wing he's got more pace and skill than Tyson but isn't as strong at the contest. But he can also go forward instead of Vanders who can stay wing. It's all very hard to compute. Just as I did last week I think Smith is the logical man in to a 23 man squad and there's no one else really in contention. Tyson, possibly Vanders (but I think his defensive work rate was strong) and Fritsch the only 3 to consider if they miss out.

The game was awfully over umpired early. Jetta free was yuck. Picking free kicks off the ball for slight holds or contact after the ball was gone but then Clarry is getting belted in the chest and hung on to and gets nothing for the best part of 3/4's. Slide rules are mostly there, although the Brayshaw one was silly. The Lewis one was his fault. Crap rule. Messy umpiring didn't help a messy game.

Hasn't done a lot at Casey but lock down back pockets who have clean skills so don't turn the ball over aren't easy to find. I really like Lockhart from Casey but I think he's more of a rebounding flanker. I'd love to get him in the 3rd round of the draft but I don't think that means much for Dion. I think it comes down to the coaches evaluations about whether DJ can be a Jetta like player in a couple of years. Nev seems to be teaching him. He has neat skills, he has decent athleticism. I assume he's coachable and professional. If that's the case I'd probably give him another year.

Career numbers are pretty similar. I just think he's a heavier, stronger and more reliable.

I think he's faster than Hannan and a better tackler, that's why I'd want him to be a supersized version of Jeffy. Hannan's a better mark and a craftier forward. I like Mitch, but I'm also always concerned he follows a good game with a down game with minimal impact, his Eagles game was a return to the promise he showed last year and at times this year, if he can produce similar more often he'll go right up in my evaluations.

I'm in the minority here but I actually think he'd be an upgrade on Hannan, plus he can play down back as well. But I'm probably not interested because we don't need more players who are 20th best on the list, we need to spend resources trying to find more quality. We do have quite a number out of contract so maybe we replace 1 or 2 of them with a flyer on someone like Rohan but if it's going to cost anything in terms of trade or salary it's not worth it. Keep guys like JKH or Kent instead.

2 really bad mistakes - the playing on and trying to take a bunch of players on in the city end forward flank and the rushed play on to Jetta in the last quarter. Apart from that I didn't think he had too many huge mistakes. I get that we have a lot of players who were really good with their tackling but only Vanders injured an opponent in Murdoch. Along with Viney they are the meanest players in our side, they set the tone for the others to follow. The Cats started to make really uncharacteristic mistakes under pressure as the game went on, that's perceived pressure worrying about getting crunched and Vanders contributes a lot to that.

Petracca plays deep forward because he's a difficult match up 1 on 1, is the best crumber in the side (a low bar to clear) and most importantly deep forward is where his defensive ability/liabilities are best placed. He's the closest thing we have to a zippy tackling agility type player (ie. a Rioli). He's not a great runner. So deep is better than up the ground. Spargo and ANB play higher and use their work rate. Hannan plays deeper where he can chase, crumb or get out the back 1 on 1. Petracca had some stinky moments, dropping marks or not going for them. But he set up the first goal and the crucial Jones goal. He's not the only player to not perform in their first final. Yes our forward line isn't perfect. We'll rely on a group of T Mc, Weids, Petracca, Melksham and Hannan as the deeper forwards and they probably have to kick 8-10 each week for us to win, with the half forwards, mids and half backs chiming in for another 3-5. The good news is we have 5 guys who can all take a mark or get on the end of a lead.The finishing has to be better but if we bring the ball in well we should get some good match ups.

I doubt we make it that far but if we do the sight of Jordan Lewis attempting to chase Richmond forwards will make plenty on here very keen on Hunt. Didn’t look fit at the start of the year. Got injured, came back and was far from terrible and then got injured again. Hopefully plays well in the VFL finals and carries some confidence in to preseason. Get him fully fit and he’s very much a required player

Linc McCarthy anyone? Not a pressure small forward but a super talent who would give us the crumber we need if we got his body right. I'd be keen for a 1 year deal and a token late pick trade.

The Prooster to give us a genuine back up option is a great idea IMO. And Bradtke as a cat B. Probably room for 1 more developmental prospect. Not sure if it's possible to track down games or tape of him but the Swans picked a former rugby player who had 60 hit outs on debut in the NEAFL. Sydney have an absolute eye for a ruckman so I'd track him down and give him strong consideration based on that alone. The Swans will no doubt be trying to hide him.

Richmond weren't at their best that's for sure. Should've dominated in the midfield and on transition but couldn't get anything going. Essendon did have a number of really good players though particularly the talls. Aaron Francis - far too good for VFL, will intercept all day if not negated. James Stewart - more than handy key forward at this level and surely the match up for Dec Scotty Draper - very good young ruck Nick Hind - speed machine Jordan Ridley - classy half back with an AFL future, needs to be tagged Michael Hartley - very solid full back at VFL level Will be interesting to see if Casey gives King another chance in the ruck so Pedersen and Smith can stay forward.

The commentators are unsurprisingly wrong there. It was clear we were slowing the game down as much as possible when we had possession in the last quarter. Chipping it around to get to the wing. Vanders play on (to Jetta I think) was just crazy. 5 goals up there's no need to take risks

Corey Maynard's another who would've played more games this year and maybe even developed and stayed in the side. At worst he would've been very handy for Casey right now!

Missed 2 easy goals we can't afford to miss against better sides, but yeah he was excellent. Won the ball, took the right options, excellent work rate, so often the 3rd man in to a contest. Stuck most of his tackles. Holding his tackles, not fumbling and taking the first option when it's their are the keys to his game. He does all of that and he's a good player.

What? I'd prefer him to be a stronger tackler and he can get caught in tight congestion, but in any kind of space he weaves out of traffic and uses the ball perfectly. Probably had the 2 best kicks of the night as well. One straight up the middle, another going back in to the corridor. Under really physical pressure he lacks the experience and strength to get out of trouble sure, but otherwise he was one of the few who was composed and not rushing. Salem and Oliver were rushing early, Tracc was spudding it up and Gus was typically for him burning the ball with shonky kicks. I'd prefer Fritsch on the wing and Smith in the team but Smith's errors with the ball are going to be far worse and I don't quite know who to take out.

Joel Smith is the one I'm interested in, especially with an eye to the Eagles if we do make it. He comes in, we push Fritsch to a wing/ forward flank, rotating with Vanders mostly like. Then have to find someone to go out. Spargo's two way running is great. It's worth more than possessions. He gets to the right spots that helps his team mates do likewise, both in attack and defending. Thought Hannan was the weakest link up forward but he kicked the sealer. Smith in to the 23, work out who goes out later for now.

AFC East: New England AFC North: Baltimore AFC South: Houston AFC West: Chargers WC: Jacksonville WC: Denver NFC East: Philly NFC North: GB NFC: South: New Orleans NFC West: San Francisco WC: La Rams WC: Minnesota Saints over Texans in the SB.

Rams SeaHawks Steelers If it's not too late

He's 23. I think we say to him come to us for 2-3 years when we really need a solid back up as we develop 18 year olds. You'll play at Casey but even if Max is healthy we'll at least give you a couple of games when we rest Max and maybe a couple of games together if we have key forward injuries. Plus you'll get taught by Max and Greg Stafford. By the end of the 2-3 years you'll know everything Max does. And we'll let you go to whatever club you want if you're playing like an AFL level starting ruck and have offers on the table. I don't think there's a big money contract on the table for him from any club. He's not quite good enough to get the Nankervis/Jolly/Mumford back up ruck to starting deal straight up from a team. NFL fans will be familiar with Jimmy Garoppolo who spent 3.5 years behind Tom Brady as his back up and played in all of about 2 games. He was traded to the 49ers, looked like a star and got the biggest contract extension of all time from them after 7 starts. Things are different over there but Jimmy G learnt from great coaches as the back up to the goat. Not saying Gawn is Tom Brady but he'd still be pretty handy to train against every day.

6. Harmes - what an effort 5. Weids - sensational breakout game 4. ANB - I'm not always a fan and he missed some easy goals (who didn't) but his work rate was out of the world, he made clutch tackles and he always put his head over the ball. 3. Gawn - impact doesn't really show up on the stat sheet, every contest he's in from a long kick - ours or theirs - is massively altered, and we dominated clearances especially in the middle 2. Viney - welcome back 1. Oliver - looked nervous but what a machine Salem - poor first quarter kicking cost him, otherwise a superb game Brayshaw - just too many easy clangers still from him. Does a lot right but has to start kicking it to our side or it will be costly Apologies: T Mc, Hibberd, Jetta, Fritsch, Lewis, Frost

I'm amongst his harshest critics. Still will be. But he's certainly deserved his spot in the side the last 6 weeks or so. Dropping his head under a high ball tonight was bad. As were a couple of tackling efforts, but by in large he did enough to break even in contests. Some better tap ons and things like that. Not as many panicked kicks or handballs. Helped control the tempo pretty well. Wasn't happy that he couldn't call a mid or defender in to Hawkins' space at times but credit the Cats there as well. He's more than holding his spot which is far better than when I thought he was actively harming our chances. A big test coming against the Hawks though because they'll try to drag him deep repeatedly and they'll big right in to him if he takes a backwards step. They know his weaknesses.