DeeSpencer

Never fully recovered from his ankle going late in 2013. He was on fire that year. When his ankle went he lacked the fitness to play on hard running half forwards and stopped being a two way player. He's never been a key defender. He's a running player who could defend and intercept and had a nice long kick. He's looked good in preseason and played well in the intraclub so I expect he'll do very well in the VFL and if he gets a chance I hope he plays well but I can see why others are preferred to him.

Hogan's defensive work has improved from what I've seen this preseason, and he's never had issues with work rate or contesting around the ground. Plus he's just turned 22 not about to turn 26. But sure, if Hogan wasn't contributing to his full ability I'd drop him at some stage if it was needed. If Watts is training with intensity then he'll play with intensity and be part of the best 22. An easy way to test that is tackles and pressure acts.

He should play JLT 3 v WC and if he lays 3 forward line tackles and 10 pressure acts he plays round 1. If he doesn't do the team things with increased intensity then I'm happy to go in against the Saints with lesser players who will give their all. It's a long season and we have to get Watts sorted out at the start of the year otherwise he may as well have played the last two weeks.

Improvement and intensity. Oliver has shown both this preseason even if he didn't start in prefect condition.

I can somewhat live with the turnovers with Tom. What still upsets me is since his hot start to 2015 I'm yet to see him play with the same power. His spoils lack conviction, his marks aren't strong, he isn't pushing forwards off the ball and his tackling is meek. Watching Weitering sell him candy and walk by him was very disappointing. He had one really nice athletic spoil going back with the flight but that's about it. Otherwise his game was mainly just hard work, which is nice, but it doesn't beat the best forwards. In the 3rd preseason game I want to see some power.

Is there really any evidence playing 80% in the ruck will wear him down faster than 50-60% ruck, 25-40% forward which is probably the way he'd play with Spencer? With a more open spreading game plan that doesn't kick the down the line nearly as much and with no 3rd man up playing in the ruck could be far less physically taxing than last year. Spencer just isn't smart enough to play regularly. Watts isn't big enough to ruck more than a few minutes a quarter. I think we'll have to get creative with the answer to the 2nd ruck problem and if Joel Smith or Frost establish themselves as the 3rd tall defender then I'd be throwing Tom McDonald in to the ruck at times. He's the fittest key defender in the league and capable of swapping between positions and not getting gassed like most would. He was drafted to be a 2nd ruck and can be an extra midfielder around the ground. Roos has done it a couple of times when we've needed a change up and I'd do it more often especially if games are all but decided. I wouldn't be against the Weed going to CHB for some education every now and then either.

Membrey's listed at 188cm, Hibberd 186cm. Both play above their height. If Frost and Smith aren't deemed ready he'd be a decent match up.

Smith over Jetta could potentially be our highest ceiling backline. 2 McDonalds, Smith, Hibberd, Melksham, Vince, Hunt. That's a lot of run, marking/aerial ability and pace. It's an ideal zone defending set up where 7 guys can all intercept mark and cover territory. But it's also a lot of headless chooks in the same backline. Hibberd's the only calm player in that lot. Vince and Melksham have moments of madness. Hunt has times where the run and carry doesn't work, especially if he's on a small forward close to goal - surely Hunt is better across half back where he can break the lines than stuck deeper minding an opponent? Smith is obviously inexperienced and the McDonald's are the McDonald's. Even if Lewis and Salem go to half back during games and Vince/Melksham/Hunt rotate on to a wing there's still not going to be a lot of cool decision making for a lot of the game. Jetta's lack of two way run is clearly a concern to Goodwin and the game he wants to play but right now I'd rather start the year with a bit more composure. Especially at Etihad where Jetta shouldn't have to cover all that much ground and where his side step and short kick in to the corridor could be extremely valuable.

I think it will be either Hibberd or Joel Smith on Membrey. I don't think Frost will be ready if he's not back training in the main group soon. I do agree Vince is the best match up for Riewoldt. He has the fitness and he loves a tagging job. We don't have the backline depth to free up Tom McDonald to do the job and Tom would be lost on a wing. Vince can hurt Riewoldt the other way as a midfielder and might be out marked a few times but it's the job of the forward pressure and zone defense to stop Riewoldt getting free one on ones.

His body and fitness looks vastly improved from the start of preseason. Although I did see him on field in the last and he didn't get a stat, so we might have to temper expectations a little on consistency because the fitness base just isn't there. I also still think he needs to work on a left hand handball because his vision and movement is so good it's a shame to see him give inside out handballs. If he can use both sides of his body like Sam Mitchell then watch out.

Weideman and Watts vs Spencer, Pedersen +/- Vanders has little to do with marks and goals. It's: - Running hard to provide options - Forcing contests in the air - Defensive pressure and tackling If your tall forwards do all of these 3 the marks and goals will take care of themselves. Weed getting forward to get simple goals doesn't look that hard but it's smart forward play and good work rate. His aerial contesting has been really good. His defensive pressure has gone from a liability last year to decent enough this year. I think he's got Pedersen covered. If they made that decision based on preseason training I don't think the games would change their mind. Spencer probably didn't do enough forward or do well enough against Carlton in the ruck to hold his spot if Watts is back in the team for the 3rd game. Despite some shoddy ball use Vanders probably holds his spot because his run and contested work is exactly what the coaches want. If Watts is in form and Kent and Garlett are good to go then maybe he comes out.

There was nothing wrong with his defensive efforts in 2015. He held Charlie Cameron to 3 touches in a game against Adelaide over there. He struggled last year but it became obvious his thyroid was playing up. I've got no doubt if he's fit he can go back to half back and defend against the right opponent. I'd play him in whatever the best position for him to stay healthy and develop as a footballer. To me that's probably on ball for maybe 40% game time, a bit of a stint on a wing and then enough time forward to not be gassed. The midfield to half back rotation is a big work load for a young player. Once he matures I expect he'll shift between on ball and half back.

Double double there.

Assuming we go with 24 again: In: Tyson, Watts, Kent, Jetta Out: Harmes, Johnstone, ANB, Smith FB: Jetta Oscar Hibberd HB: Vince Tom Hunt C: Lewis Viney Stretch HF: Petracca Hogan Brayshaw FF: Watts Weed Vanders Foll: Gawn Oliver Jones Int: Melksham, Tyson, Kent, Bugg + Spencer (or Pedersen, just another tall forward to get a different combinaton) and JKH. Would like Joel Smith to have another run as well so if there was a way to keep him in I'd take it.

Was in the rehab group with Frost and Mitch White doing boxing yesterday. Didn't seem to have any obvious issue with his knee. Maybe a problem with the knee or maybe a different injury. Not convinced it's anything major. They might just have needed to back off his rehab and take a cautious approach.

Not sure if they've been discussed but Goodwin opened up a bit on his footy philosophy in this article. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-02-18/goodwin-has-high-hopes-for-new-recruit-salem Outside pace could be a query, but Goodwin was comfortable with the midfield balance on his list. "I see the game differently. I'm not a big believer of inside or outside players," he said. "I believe in players who can operate around their decision-making in the game … but if you asked me, 'have we got some speed?' We have. "Jayden Hunt, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Dean Kent, Josh Wagner, James Harmes … we've got a lot of guys who have actually got speed, but it's not something I focus on." He also talks up JKH. Hunt and Kennedy-Harris were two players Goodwin nominated as potential big-improvers in 2017. Hunt's potential is well known after being named the Demons' best young player in 2016, but Kennedy-Harris is coming off a year ruined by three hamstring injuries. "We built him up slowly through the summer and he got his body into peak shape heading into Christmas," Goodwin said of Kennedy-Harris. "His last seven or eight weeks have been outstanding and he'll get his opportunity through the JLT Series. "He could easily be in our best team. He's got some attributes that he brings to our forward half that can potentially be really dangerous." And comment's about Salem's midfield move "He's a quality ball user … but there's also things in his game that he brings around the contest that really help us. The inside/outside stuff is interesting. I think you need versatility these days but also pure outside run is super valuable. The hawks were ahead of the curve on both. Salem might be playing more inside to get a sweeper around the contest instead of having 3 guys who dive straight in for the ball. Lewis might play outside and not be as fast as most wingmen but he can sit off the pack and use his skills. The balance will be interesting.

In the intraclub he just looked a fraction behind the pace of play in terms of leading out to the flanks when required. Otherwise didn't really notice him good or bad. He seemed to be playing a CHF type role for the lesser of the teams that day so it might not have been an easy spot. He hasn't looked out of place at training. At this stage I'd say he's a wait and see. If we persist with Weideman, Spencer and Vanders in the side and leave Watts, Hulett and Pedersen out of the team there's a lot of competition for spots.

Last year was a nice bonus to see the Weed play a few games at AFL level and just as importantly have some really good stretches in the VFL. So I hope we don't go overboard with expectations this year but the good news is he's stronger and was running really well when he came back from the break. He has to hold more marks and work on his defensive pressure but the way he attacks the ball and his class stands out. The 2 goals he got against the Dogs on the weekend were gifts but it shows he can read the play and run hard in to space to get on the end of it. He took a really nice mark as well and missed the shot that he'd usually kick based on his VFL form.

Mark Neeld had no relationship with most of the players. A completely dysfunctional game plan and constantly shuffled Jack around whilst also not dropping him and letting him build his game at a lower level. Jack's 25 now and isn't a young player who has to be managed. He's an experienced senior AFL player who can live by the same rules as his team mates. His team mates have supported him in the media. Josh Mahoney has supported him. It's unfair on the other 44 players if Watts get picked and 'supported' when they would've been left out. Who knows what Goodwin is doing privately? I'm sure he's been supportive and not abusing him.

Mahoney confirmed that key forward would not play again this week and explained why. “We think there has been some predictable, but unfair media speculation about Jack Watts’ non-selection. To clarify, the team is being selected on some key criteria, during the pre-season,” he said. “Jack knows exactly what needs to be worked on and his past two or three weeks, he’s been working hard on what he needs to improve on in certain areas. “He still remains a key player for us this season.”

Mitch King, White and Frost doing boxing in rehab. Garlett doing boxing. No sign of Wagner nor Ben Kennedy. Lots of small group craft based drills and then even a period at the end that looked a bit free choice in terms of players pairing up and just working on specific things. Tyson practising his kicking to a lead with Weeds. Garland and Tom Mc working on left hand spoiling. Hogan and Tim Smith doing one on one body work in the goal square. There was a short period of the 3 team full ground match play. No real standouts. Watts trained fully, nothing really to note. If anything I'd say he looks a little thin and underdeveloped, certainly not carrying condition.

Out: Wagner, Garlett In: Hibberd, Johnstone, Garland, Trengove Hibberd in for Wagner. Will be interesting to see if they go with the same emergencies this week or if they give someone else a run. I'd certainly like to see Trenners and DJ get a run, maybe for Harmes and ANB. Edit: DJ will play as per MFC website.

Yep it was pretty bad at times but then they also corrected when they had to. I think one of the main reasons Lewis will play on a wing is because he'll be used to the Hawthorn system that maintains space around the ball. Oh and it is brain science! The dogs haven't just trained it they've used computers to study it. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/personal-technology/western-bulldogs-gain-from-artificial-intelligence/news-story/dcfdf70ec2d4acdccc6776348412b47e

Those two weren't preferred to Watts because they are better but because they've put in the work. Vanders has questions over his skill level but I don't doubt his work rate and physicality, especially with tackling. Can you imagine how good Watts would be if he attacked the ball and then chased and tackled like Vanders does? Because to me that's what an AA level player would be.

That's important, he has the base fitness under him to do whatever the coaches are asking. But if he's been coasting he'll need to step it up in the next month before round 1. Particularly if the coaches are demanding a big lift in defensive work rate.