DeeSpencer

The Eagles don't have a wingman with Gaff out so we Tyson was very effective. He's still far too slow off the mark and shaky with the ball to be anything more than 20th+ player in a top 4 side but he deserves credit for some improvement in the last month, always working hard to get the ball and having strong hands in the contest. I worry about him against the Giants, and sides like the Tigers but I credit him for giving it his best.

Pretty much. He's always been able to get the ball and to run with it. But in years prior those kicks have gone blazing towards goal. It's very nice to see a player develop on the flanks, work on their weaknesses, maximise their strengths and then perform when required.

Held his marks and nailed his goal early, then started dropping them and missing chances. If it's just fatigue he can get better and better. That said, they did move McGovern forward for a fair bit so he was on a flanker. Easier to get the ball but even more chasing required. Would like to see Sam build for next week especially when he's not playing in the Perth heat. The more he can ruck the more we can rest Max effectively.

Fingers crossed but he's done enough at Casey and is worth another go. His only game this season as 1 of 2 tall forwards was against Richmond where he did a lot of really nice things. He has to ruck well to give Max a decent chop out and he has to dig his knees in to McGovern's back as often as possible. Tom McDonald now gets relieved of the rucking duties and the title of the main man up forward (if he wasn't already). Tom has to kick the goals. Sam just has to compete.

You play for weeks with sore knees, ankles whatever it was that was hampering him and it changes your biomechanics. You put more weight through your foot and you crack the navicular. It's not rocket science. It's the same thing happening over and over again. Numerous posters on here have been saying for weeks lets give Hogan a week off and get him right. Unfortunately the idiots in charge didn't do it and now this is the result.

It's a small sample size I'll give you that but I think Harmes when played in the midfield this year counts. His last month has been excellent and he had a stretch of games from rounds 6-8 and another after that in the midfield when very good as well. Jetta got beat badly on Queens B'day, and has otherwise had some bad moments late in games, most likely because he's battling through injuries. The guy should've been AA last year though and wins his match up more weeks than not, I'm willing to concede him a few bad days and still class him as a very good player. Melksham leads the entire league in goal assists. He's a frustrating and inconsistent player week to week or even contest to contest sure but he sets up goals and can win aerial contests. Petracca I feel the same about, and whether he's consistent or not he has the talent. He's in the category of player a coach should get more out of and hopefully that happens over time. My grades were really for separating the players I think Goody should create a good team out of from the ones who are a work in progress or filling spots. These guys are 8, 9, 10 and 11th in the Demonland voting. Did we get it wrong?

14 disposals at 100% efficiency, ran hard all day, mostly nailed his tackles, wasn't beaten in too many contests, was quiet in the 2nd and 3rd - guess what wing/flankers often are - but was one of the better players in the last term.

The midfield and forward line defend with any kind of intensity and Petty holds his first two intercept marks that he dropped and I bet he keeps going and plays a great game which we win by 10 goals. They also picked Petty a week late, he should've played against Port, after he had his best game in the VFL and had the match up on young Todd Marshall, and in turn freed up Joel Smith to shut down Westhoff, not the week after when he was quiet and probably doubting his confidence going in to the game. The whole backline was exposed by the poor up field pressure and space on the MCG. Lewis, Salem, Oscar were all shredded by the Saints that day not just Petty. It was a diabolical defensive performance that followed the diabolical offensive performance against Port. And it all stemmed from the overreaction to a bad day against the Pies and concern on how to replace Lever.

I think we're very similar to Geelong list wise except their best players in Dangerfield, Selwood, Duncan are all in their prime, our mids are still getting there. Plus their superstar key forward has decided to have the best month or so of his career as he turns 30 whilst our main man in Hogan is battling.

Backline: Quality players: Lever, Hibberd, Jetta, Salem Maybe players: Frost, Oscar, Lewis, Joel Smith, Hunt (underdone), Vince, Pedersen, Wagner Midfield: Quality players: Gawn, Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw, Harmes, Jones Maybe players: Fritsch (looks good but it's his first year), Tyson, JKH, Stretch, Maynard Forwards: Quality players: T Mc, Petracca, Hogan, Melksham Maybe players: Spargo, Garlett, Vanders, ANB, Kent, Hannan, T Smith, Weids etc etc 4 of our best 14 out. No reliable pure wingman No reliable small forward No reliable genuine stopping key defenders It's not a ferrari. It's got a big engine but is missing luxury and some parts are downright dodgy. What does that make it?

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.