DeeSpencer

I'd add 2 extra wins and give them the division if Zeke doesn't get suspended. The OL is fantastic and any RB would put up yards for them but Zeke adds the passing game component as a back and is so versatile defenses can't get a read on him.

Falcons Steelers Chargers

Cowboys most likely lose Elliott for 6 weeks which sends their offense back to earth and their defense is ordinary. They aren't better than a 10 win team. Giants defense is legit but their offense can't run the ball or protect Eli, again, they shouldn't win more than 10 games. Eagles have a chance to be very good on both sides of the ball if the additions at corner and WR work out.

Ok I'm back in for tipping and thought I'd pick the division champs: AFC: North: Steelers East: Pats South: Texans West: ???? Chiefs WC: Raiders, Bengals NFC: North: Packers East: Eagles South: Falcons West: SeaHawks WC: Giants, Panthers Aside from the usual standouts - Pats in the AFC East, Packers and SeaHawks in the NFC, there's some really competitive divisions. With a bumper crop of QB's coming in to the league the teams without one - in particular the Jets, the Bills might fall by the wayside quickly. Otherwise a lot of teams will have something to offer. I expect the 49ers offense with Hoyer playing for Shanahan before will surprise a lot of people. They won't be Atlanta but they'll score. As a Bears fan I'm hoping the team restores some proper Bears defense and they can if they stay healthy. After that most of the season is just living in hope Trubisky develops in to a franchise QB.

Carlton's the only team of those rumoured (Ess, St Kilda, North) that I'd be interested in if I was Kelly. And surveying the other options in Victoria you've got Geelong (no cash), Richmond (minimal cash if they pay Dusty), the Hawks (no draft picks and still in flux), the Dogs (likely no cash), Coll (well...) and us - still trying to make finals and probably focusing on Lever and developing our young players. So I'd take GWS' offer if it's 2 years at 750-800 and then become a free agent after that, with a better than even money chance of a Premiership and maybe a Brownlow as well. I'd come back to Victoria after 2019 and be surveying the options. I've got no doubt the Dees would be selling that to him - reach free agency whilst our side builds in other areas then come in as the cherry on top.

The Clarko saying 'If you can't kick you can't play' is pretty true (even if Melbourne ignore it) but more than anything if you can't run you can't play AFL football. Trenners doesn't have the pace to play AFL these days. McCartin looks quick and agile enough for his role but he doesn't have the tank to play AFL. If he develops it and stays injury free he'll be a very good player. If he keeps breaking down and can't ever get fit then he'll be a bust. I'm hoping the kid makes it for his own sake and then we can just enjoy Petracca without silly comparisons. Petracca's tank is also a mile off where it will end up so I'm keen to see him with a few preseasons when he's fit enough to play midfield, half forward and then rest close to goal.

He's missed more games than he's played so far... Quality footballer when fit. Wasn't fit when he rocked up to the club in November. I hope he gets a clear run at it now for a long time, but my expectations are more that he'll have to be managed at times as well so he's in peak fitness for important times.

May went to high school at Melbourne Grammar. That makes him pretty much a dees fan right? He'd be number 1 on the list of who I'd chase but I also think he'll stay at the GC unless they have another disastrous year.

Nope. We overrate all young players, every team does, but when comparing with each other I don't think Salem's been placed wrong. Billy Stretch is a beauty, he could and probably should play most of the next 100-150 games running a wing, I think he could slot in to most teams in the comp and do a job. Kent has talent and potential to do some really good things but is still an inconsistent prospect for the future given he has to fix up his weaknesses (yet alone his body) and consistently use his great attributes. Salem's prospects are above both and I wouldn't have many ahead of him. He's a really clever ball user and reader of the play. Sure it was dud game for the team but he racked up 27 touches after being out for 15 weeks in round 23. His tackling is really good. He's far tougher and more courageous than he looks. And he has enough pace to chase down or evade players. If he gets fit I'm convinced he'll easily adjust to being a solid contributor to the team and in time if the team improves and as he gets experience he'll be a big moment guy. We're building a very combative physical side to play a finals footy brand but class players stand up in big moments.

I find Dom the hardest player on our list to rate right now. I'd believe someone if they told me in 5 years he was a multiple AA and in the games best dozen midfielders with seriously good clearance work, excellent accumulating around the ground and a habit of kicking a goal. I'd also believe someone if they said in 5 years he's had a decent career, battled a few injuries but is more of a role player who does ok at the clearances but butchers the ball by foot and can be exploited for pace. My eyes were telling me that pre christmas he was looking like taking his best form of 2014 and the 2nd half of 2016 and going to a new level. Unfortunately then he was injured. I wouldn't be against taking a bit longer to bring him back by giving him an extra few weeks of preseason just to see him at his best instead of rushing him and having him enter another season underdone.

I'd probably feel that way but then again we picked Hogan over him in the mini draft, he can probably understand that one, and then we traded the pick he was taken at to get the more experienced Tyson and avoid subjecting him to the saviour complex. In many ways we did him a favour.

When did we last beat them up there? We beat them in round 23 in 2015 in a game where they had about 12 out, wasn't really an AFL standard game. Then we fluked a win in round 1 this year when they ran all over us for the middle half of the game and kicked a bucket load of points. I think the formula for beating them is pretty simple - smash them at the contest, isolate defenders, cut down their outside run - but I'm not convinced we'll do it again any time soon. We'll have to show our run is dramatically improved this year and we'll have to have the skills at a high level like they were in round 1.

A destination for guys like Griffen, Mumford, Shaw, Deledio. And a spot that some young draftees enjoy more the battling QLD teams. Some guys will enjoy the club and enjoy anonymity. But I think they'll always be plenty of guys keen to come back to Victoria and play for teams down here but they won't be picking the bad (or small) Victoria teams unless it's unique circumstances like the Boyd deal. Certainly think Kelly stays given how close they are to a flag. Might be interesting to see what happens if they win a couple and players decide they want fresh challenges but I hope that doesn't happen.

He's exactly what we need, gut running and outside class. Not that we don't need Tyson and Salem just as much, but we already have them! Certainly no point having that debate again! I'm sure the club would have a list of out of contract players around the league and they'd probably have lists of the best players per positions of need. Kelly would be high up on both.

Atlanta 24 - Seattle 27 Pats 24 - texans 16 Chiefs 23 - Steelers 20 Cowboys 16 - Packers 31 Seattle to run the ball and win it with defense. Pats to be too good but Texans D to challenge them. Cowboys offense to grind to a halt at Dak struggles and Rodgers takes over. Chief/Steelers the toughest one. I like the Steelers young D to hold up the Chiefs. Bell will run for 150+. Big Ben has been so up and down. If he plays well the Steelers will win by 7+. If the pass rush gets to him the Chiefs might have 4 picks. Berry and Peters to grab 3 between them

Houston 20-10 Seattle 17 - 16 GB 40 - 20 Miami 26 - 24

The Saturday wildcard match ups don't look too interesting but the Sunday one's seem better. Giants v GB certainly looks the best of the games. I don't expect Eli magic but the Giants defense is legit and getting the ball to Beckham and hope he takes a couple to the house isn't the worst offense in the playoffs! I don't know what happened to make Rodgers lose all faith in his receivers mid year but he's back and these new largely unknown play makers in GB are making plays. You're going to need a great offense (Atlanta, Dallas) or a huge defensive effort (NYG, maybe Seattle) to stop them now.

KC Seattle GB - hoping to mozz them! AFC Kubiak retiring due to health reasons. I expect Denver to win for him. KC get the 2 seed. Even if Oakland win I still think the AFC is the Pats, from the Chiefs, with the Steelers a possibility to get hot at the right time but looking less likely each week to actually do it. 3 out of 6 QB's in the AFC play offs will be back ups. That's crazy. NFC I'm pretty sure GB will win and take the division. No idea about Washington and Atlanta taking care of business though. Can't wait for all the NFC play off games though, there's going to be good ones with some really strange mixes of offensive and defensive strengths. Still have no idea who will win the conference.

GB Pittsburgh New England

Bengals Chargers Cowboys Best bet of the week: Ravens + 7.5

I saw him train early in that block at thought his endurance was poor and skills were ordinary. I actually thought Moncrieff was the far better prospect of the 2. So I was very surprised with his Casey form this year. I get the feeling big raw country lads would be Macca's specialty.

Listed as 194cm but has a good leap on him and an athletic powerful frame that should fill out. Oscar will be stronger next year and Frost is being trained up as a defender now. So that's 3 options other than Tom to take on the big boys. Cloke got him once or twice in that absolute wet bog of a game at Casey but he was more beaten for smarts by an experienced player than for sheer strength.

Thankyou Bears for one of the great tank jobs of all time getting me the tip and getting the bears closer to a top 3 draft pick. Oh and yay another injury to our best remaining defensive player. At the same time, Matt Barkley NFL QB? Maybe? What a shame his receivers dropped all those passes including 2 in the end zone for the game winner.

Titans Pats Giants

Steelers Pats Titans