DeeSpencer

Newton was amazing, but I feel like some of the other members of Carolina's offense need to get some credit as well. Their O line is really good. Olsen is making a case for the 2nd best TE in the league. Stewart always runs hard and the WR keep making big plays. I don't care if they have drops and bad moments, they keep getting open when they need to be. I feel like the success of the panthers is that their good players are really good and the role players around them just keep stepping up when the time is right.

Irrelevant. You sign a contract you live with it. That's how it works in sports with guaranteed money. No one complains that Angus Brayshaw was underpaid last year based on the set draftee deal. For what it's worth Pedersen came from North on a 3 year deal and apparently for good money as Collingwood were keen on him as well. That deal has since expired and he'll likely now be on a 1 year deal that recognises his value as an ok mature back up player. Dawes has a year left of his 4 year contract and at the end of the year he'll probably be offered (or not offered) some kind of deal that reflects his value in the game as well. The AFL salary cap is 10million per year with 44 players, that's 227,000 per player, given a lot of that are rookies and kids who just make basic wage the average wage for a senior player is well over 300k. If Dawes is on 500k he hasn't exaclty bled us dry.

Wow. That Denver defense is something. I need to watch the replay as only saw the last quarter but to make the stand and stop Brady on the 2pt conversion was something. Brady is amazing and Gronk is even better, just a freak of nature. Peyton looked bad in the 4th quarter, might have to watch more to see if the Broncos will get something going in the superbowl. As for Carolina, they are fantastic. They know who they are on both sides of the ball, aggressive and capable of big plays. Most will tip Carolina for the superbowl and I might too, but I'll be keen to see what Denver come up with on offense because their D will at least give them a chance I think.

Pats 24 - Denver 13 Arizona 27 - Carolina 30

Think you nailed it. Brady gets the ball out so quick a pass rush is irrelevant. I think you have to put 2 on Gronk and maybe even 2 on Edelman at times, then disrupt Brady's throwing lanes and not be afraid to give up a big play every now and then. The issue for Denver is without a great passing game they don't want to sell out and take some risks to force Brady in to a mistake or to get a punt and instead I imagine Denver will die a slow death in this game as NE gradually pull away by sustaining drives.

http://demonwiki.org/Round+22+1987

He's a big improver body wise which hopefully means they've fixed his back and should translate in to both improved performances and consistency at Casey. I'm not convinced he'll be the dashing half back flanker we recruited him for as so far he hasn't been a natural high possession winner which good back flankers are, nor has he used the ball particularly well. But the goals he kicked at Casey and the x factor displayed on the back of an interrupted season points towards him being a very handy half forward type who could easily come in to the AFL side. Early days though, he's really only catching up to where most first year players are in terms of his body and skills,

I was thinking that as well, but also thinking it's not a bad thing. There are many players ahead of him for an inside midfield spot, what we need from him is to become a good rotation player with nice skills on the outside. For that to happen he had to get a lot fitter and if that means he's trimmed right down to achieve that then I'm not disappointed at all.

Melbourne's first game in on the 26th of March and we don't have a NAB challenge match on the weekend of the 19th of March so that match is the last chance for any injured or otherwise guys needing to prove their case for round 1 selection. Good to see Casey playing 3 really strong teams in the lead up to the VFL season.

Overall I agree, there's a gap between them but I don't think a lot of those achievements really indicate the gap, some of those are just popularity awards above and beyond the stats and eye test that tell you Selwood is better. Also this year Selwood's team missed the 8 for the first time in his career and was sat on by heavy tags and often his output suffered and he lost his cool. There were lots of games he didn't do anything significant to help his team win. At one stage I think it was Healy who suggested he take a sabbatical and come back when the team was healthy and more talented. The opposite to that is this year was probably the first time in his peak form that Jones had a class ruckman and 2 other quality inside mids to work with and on several occasions he hit the scoreboard and gathered the big possession totals that seem to draw interest from the media. He was also carrying a significant injury and our 3rd best midfielder for most of the year. My point is, Selwood is ahead of Jones, but there's value in considering just how much better his team has been. I don't think Jones will ever get the reputation Selwood has, but you can see the value improved team performance has had on Matt Priddis who I think is an inferior talent to Jones (better clearance winner but far less skilled) and is now regard as an elite midfielder.

Tyson, Vanders, Jetta, Kent the big difference makers, maybe Petracca as well. Howe and Cross come out from that day though. The scary thing is how many GWS had out, with Mumford the biggest impact player but also several other class players. The last time we had a big conversation about depth was after our round 1 win last year when Dawes came back in for JKH. The depth was somewhat of an illusion. Yet we managed to beat Geelong in Geelong without several of our best and with the likes of Bail, M Jones and Spencer playing. I think our list is at the stage where we should always have options in terms of guys coming in and playing a role, what we need to have to progress is enough of a spread of quality players so that on any game day we have at least a few players making an impact and a spread of reliable players who get the job done most weeks. We always focus on who will fill the bottom 5 spots each week when the reality is we've been let down by not having quality in the top 5 and certainly not having enough depth in the top 15.

Viney's ready. Roos and co have trained him to play a role and developed his game, with another preseason under his belt he should be comfortable at AFL level and ready to consistently impact. He would've won the B+F in a canter if he didn't miss games last year. Trenners is definitely a great leader, but it's just not fair to have any extra pressure on him.

Ok after the comments made by Roos (about waiting to see the games) and by Vince about stepping up, I'd say. Jones, Viney, McDonald for sure. Keep Dunny, but get him to remain focussed on his own game as well this year. Give Bernie the chance if he wants it and has worked for it. That would be 5, probably only need 1 or 2 more, if Garland or Grimes play well in the Nab challenge they are great clubmen and have to be considered. On the other hand i don't think Dawes or Lumumba will be fit to play well and should focus on their own games. If there needs to be another candidate I'd consider Nev Jetta. Then from way out in left field, but screw the haters (which I'm one of), if Jack Watts can finally fix the fatal flaws that limit his game then put him in. There's no one more Melbourne than him, for good and for bad. Very left field and unlikely and he has to earn it with toughness, maybe not this year but it could happen.

Given this was built up as the biggest session so far this preseason and likely the biggest session until the intraclub matches I can live with this result. They wouldn't have McDonald run laps if they were seriously concerned and his shoulder is usually strapped anyway.

Long term I see Frost as a backman as well but I understand why they want a 2nd ruck who has the physical gifts to compete (ie. height and a leap) that Dawes and Pedersen just don't have. Obviously positions aren't fixed these days and there's a lot of moving around but the other factor in Pedo v Dawes is how they combine with Hogan. Dawes is better using his tank playing more in the CHF role, which in turn leaves Hogan close to goal where he can hit the scoreboard - presuming the ball gets to him. Pedo is more likely to take a grab one on one inside 50 than Dawes, but will blow up if up the ground, which means Hogan has to do more of the up the ground work, which suits his game but also takes him away from goal. Late in the season when Hogan was tiring I wanted him close to goal, but early in the season last year he was playing great games getting up and down the ground and having Pedersen meant we still had a chance for the inside 50 kick.

Certainly not much between them but I wouldn't agree with your fact there. Pedersen was initially overlooked for both Frost and Dawes last year, but he got injured at the exact moment he was making his case for being the best of the bunch. Besides lack of talent the biggest issue with settling this debate is that they've rarely been fit at the same time. If he is fit I think the coaches will again pick Frost as the 2nd ruck and welcome the speed he can provide around the ground and as a defensive forward. I'm not sure if there will be room for a 2nd tall forward or if they'll pick Watts or Petracca as alternative marking targets.

The 2nd ruck/2nd key forward is a disaster spot for us, it's likely a choice of 3, 2 of whom (Dawes and Frost) aren't in full training. You can add Max King as well. The preseason games will be vital in determining who gets the spot for round 1.

Let's have some stats to back them up.

Exciting times, really hoping he can use this new found bulk to stick an effective tackle without giving away a free kick.

There's plenty of valid reasons to be critical of Roos. But you can't appoint a successor and then be criticised for stepping back and letting that successor take up some of the workload. There's no way to have Goodwin learn and prepare without it and there's no way for Roos to oversee the program and stay as the head coach for the year if he doesn't have the title, responsibility and pay packet. I remember when Clarkson was sick 2 years ago people from Hawthorn said Clarko hadn't run a training session in years and I bet no one is critical of Clarkson for it. I'm glad Roos is still the senior coach this year and I think it's vital he is and equally vital he spreads his time over a variety of roles and not physically overseeing training drills.

I don't hate the Burgan diaries. I like the bits about what the players are up to in their spare time not just their training. I'm not such a fan of what Matt is up to in his spare time.

Do you even remember in 2013 when Essendon were banned from playing finals, fined and had draft picks removed? It is completely impossible to play an AFL season with 34 players. It's an OH+S issue and could do serious damage to innocent young players. If you want Essendon banned from this season then that's fine by me. I understand that point, even if I don't agree with it. If you agree that they should be able to field some kind of team this year then you have to let them sign top up players to assemble a proper squad.

That's a matter for Crowley and Swan Districts to negotiate, didn't they have a contract? The AFL has to allow Essendon to sign top up players and create rules around that. You can't have a team enter in to a season with 34 players on the list and the majority of them being under developed kids. If players break existing contracts with state or local clubs then they can seek compensation from those players or Essendon but it's not the AFL's fault.

Bit of a worry that he got the lemonade from the bulldogs seemingly as soon as possible once Bevo got there, but he seems to be in a role that will fit his skillset and it's good for McCartney and Goodwin to have a trusted advisor to work with. It's a simple idea but a decent cultural change to process that you can't just teach the right things but you have to actually analyse whether that teaching is working.

Silly idea. Players not getting games can be traded or delisted and picked up as a free agents at the end of the year. Even contracted players manage to force trades if they are starved for opportunity. Loaning makes sense in soccer because there's so many levels of talent and big teams sign more talent than they can develop and hence send them to lower levels. AFL lists are 44 players, 22 get a game each week. Teams usually have at least a few long term and a few short term injuries from the best 30 or so players at any one stage. The point is if you're in the best 30 players you are likely to get opportunities. If you are in the bottom 10 players on any list you are most likely either a young kid still physically maturing or an experienced depth player. There's only a small group of players who are ever truly missing out on opportunities, it would be silly to start shipping those types from club to club.