DeeSpencer

First half was terrible. The girls looked so confused in trying to structure up and were making terribly panicked decisions with the ball. 2nd half I thought Hickey in to the midfield changed the game. She crashed in a won a few really nice clearances and then with Pearce, Paxman and O'Dea we had a midfield rotation that was dominating. It also signalled that they weren't afraid of losing the game to Mo Hope and had to go out and win it with the best players around the ball and getting it forward. Cat Phillips is the female Isaac Smith. Just a power running machine. She's very raw and it won't always work for her but she can work a team over. Emma Humphries is impressive on a wing as well. When Hickey was freed up the backline still had talent and belief. Clifford, Duryea, Downie, Smith (a gun), Patterson form a really strong unit down back. The forward line is probably still the weak link. But Anderson looks a really classy forward who is only 19 and will get better. But they probably lack that 2nd tall option as well as a proper small goal kicker. Rocky probably comes in next game to see if she can add a combination of size and speed in the one player.

Midfield: Rucks: Gawn took some strong grabs mainly behind the play and one forward, they didn't use him for the long bail out kick. May as well save that for the real stuff. Spencer's work rate was good and his skills ok. Gawny pushed him around at some stoppages. Flippers was a bit of a disaster but looked willing. Inside: Clarry the stand out, only thing I'd like to see more is him straighten and pump it in from stoppages instead of kicking it to the wingman who gets held up. Viney scratchy around the ground but willing. Jones smooth running with the ball and kicking long to players in space. Trenners with plenty of touches. Salem with moments of class. Brayshaw came on in the 2nd half and made an impact inside and out. Outside: Lewis spent time in a number of spots but his kicking to corridor options was the highlight of the game for me. Bugg's work rate was very good. Stretch the same, he links up smoothly. Harmes spent some time on the wing and also provided an option. Forwards Tall - Weed with some moments, Hogan working really hard. Watts hopefully at about 50% but the class was there. Pedda looked solid inside 50 for the 2nd team. Hulett mobile and involved a lot as well, bobbed up for a few goals. Med/Smalls - Tracc with burst, just needs to balance up. Vanders with some hard stuff but scratchy. JKH prolific for the 2nd forward team, really busting to get in to space. DJ's tackling was excellent and good positioning. Garlett missed a couple of chances but he also played a part in good passages with speed and crumbing Backs Tall - Tom kicked well and mopped up around half back. Oscar was solid in the air, just misses kicks when he has to judge depth and movement particularly inside 50. Frost was sharp for the 2nd side and had a few strong runs and lowered the eyes and kicked well. Garland didn't do much wrong. Med/small - Hunt's defensive work and aerial work strong, started by doing too much with the ball but then settled in to some good options. Vince made some precise short kicks and looked decent. Melksham got a lot of the footy and was mostly decent with it, tried to take Oliver on from the mark deep in the backline and probably regretted that choice. Wagner very composed and kicking short sharp kicks.

Hogan was up the ground most of the game. The reason he and Weid play from behind is a lot because the McDonald brothers took up the positions in the zone defense to play in front. Weed got in behind once nicely. Both of the talls have to work on when to stay behind and when to get ahead of their opponent, and they have to work on smarter double and triple leads to confuse the defenders in front of them.

Harmes with a cramp. He worked hard in the match sim. 1 on 1 drills were great! Keilty copped something. In to the 3 team shuffle now. Guthrie's report seems decent. Lewis, Jones, melk hunt, JKH. Braysh 2nd half. Gawn. Oliver. Bugg's run. That's most of the best. Frost was solid. Kicking seems better. Garland slowing it up and using the longer options helped the backline ball, he was good.

Gus with a lovely step from a stoppage and checkside poster. better kick out from white team. Jones involved a lot

Gus on. Point. Bugg goal soon after. Track with brilliant burst but nothing kicks.

Nice movement from blue team. Oscar turns it inside 50, good intercept from McKenna white go bang bang Garlett point. its now half or quarter time I guess

White goals. Weed I think. blue get the clearance, tumbles kick lands to Pedda 35 out who goals

DJ nails another tackle but didn't capitalize. Blue with a lot of play

Gus just doing skill work with the boxing coach JHK work rate stands out. Garlett fumbles. These Casey blokes are ordinary

Dion J nails some Casey bloke with a ripping tackle to force a turnover

Dom arrives in street clothes. Some nice work from White going end to end again but Hunt rides the contact and spoils Track deep one on one. Oliver heavily involved. Lewis and Salem all class

Spencer gets behind Gawn. Hulett crumbs and the Blues have a snag. Smart ball use from the Whites from deep. Salem long from middle. Weed strong chest mark, plays on, goals

Hogan, Watts, Weed, Traxk, Jeff, Vanders in white forwards Macs, Hunt, Melky, Wags, Vince the starting blue backs. Mids split. Back ups and Casey at the freeway end (my end)!

Hibberd, Hannan Jetta going off to do skills

No Tyson, Kent. King in a singlet. Not sure who else isn't there. Not sure if I've seen Mitch white or Joel Smith. Blues v Whites with the Casey guys mixed in and proper umps coming up I assume

The former. Couldn't tell who was kicking in, bit of a worry as Tom, Oscar, Jetta, Hibberd, Hunt are down there.

Blues picking off kickouts - Oliver and Gus and resulting in goals. And now some quality ball movement by the blue mids and Gawn grabs a strong mark inside 50

Smooth paddling from Oliver but blue gets it back, Salem shows some class and Hoges marks on a flank and spots up Spencer deep who kicks the set shot

Oliver, Hogan, Garland [censored] around with at half back before it finally gets switched wide then goes inside 50 to Garlett. Hunts turned it over a couple of times trying to do too much. A lot of play on the AAMI wing unfortunately because most of the crowd are using the shade

Flippers spills a chesty. Green attack, Brayshaw gets in and out of trouble, bomb goes to the square and Hannan crumbs and scores

Trenners everywhere for the blues

Green is first choice defenders and 2nd line forwards from what I can tell. Blue vice versa. Numbers coming off the bench rotating mids between the teams

Lovely inside 50 kick from McKenna. Green team very scratchy so far

If not for missing a string of games through injury Viney would be a back to back best and fairest winner. Talent shouldn't have a huge bearing on leadership, but I think performance is an important factor and I think it's fair to say Viney is our best performed player over the last 2 years. That's worthwhile considering.