DeeSpencer

They policed that well mid way through last year, then kind of stopped doing it. But the knee dropping is less clear cut. Less dangerous and more about taking on a tackler than risking injury. But there's just too much of it and too many frees paid for it at the moment.

I don't think there's that much difference between same knee and the other knee, it all comes down to individual circumstances. If it were the other knee he'd potentially have 2 dodgy knees going forward which obviously isn't an ideal result. If there isn't too much associated damage and they can fix this one well then it's probably a better result. At least he got a preseason in of skill development and learning about AFL footy and now he can do a lot of gym work. I'm not buying the 'it's better to have a year out with a knee' theory, but for an 18 year old ruckman game and training development is only so beneficial and physical development is a massive part of it. I've often thought about 15 games at any level might be enough and they should spend longer doing skills and time in the gym.

ANB not getting a game has nothing to do with his draft position. But I think your comment does. If we can develop his skills, poise and tackling I think he could be the perfect foil to the likes of Oliver, Petracca, Brayshaw etc. All explosive players who need to build their fitness bases. ANB could use his endurance and determination to compliment them. West Coast had a similar set up with Rowan Jones, who was Chris Judd's most trusted team mate and his defensive work covered for Judd, Cousins and Kerr.

Played in the middle for a half v Port, and against GWS for a fair bit and looked very much like an out of place forward. He hasn't looked on his game since that 2nd half against Port way back when, so I think he might go out of the side this week.

Nah Gerard was saying that guys who drop at the knees have every right to in order to avoid tacklers and if it's too high it's a free kick. Dunstall, Brown and King were saying knee droppers need to not be rewarded and high tackles should be play on. I'm not sure where I sit. I hate knee droppers, but at the same time it's going to be hard to tell the difference between guys dropping knees and guys dipping and twisting to get out of traffic. I think tacklers should be very careful. Nev Jetta got a way with quite a few on the weekend. Tackling isn't the number 1 aim of AFL, getting the ball, running with the ball and then kicking/marking with it is the aim. Personally I think some kind of balance is right, even though that will frustrate fans. Call it play on when repeat offenders keep ducking, give the benefit of the doubt to others. And if the initial tackle is below the shoulders and a player drops after contact then call it play on.

Watching the replay of the first half he sure likes to still have a crack at us but I feel it's somewhat out of love. I get the same way when players are making mistakes and we are losing. I couldn't blame him for not liking Neeld and being frustrated at certain times of the Roos era. The end of the Daniher era as well. Not sure whether he was on or off board in the Bailey years. He's definitely been bitter for a long time. Would be a good result for everyone if he isn't.

Goldstein runs forward a heap, I'm not sure his defenders would always appreciate it. But that's the game plan and he gets rucks caught napping. Gawny let him go once. Frost another - where he ran in to the point post which should've been a point - and he got those free kicks/50's. I'd love to see Gawny learn how to run forward without interfering with the forwards space. Goldy does that well. Drifts in from the fat side pretty nicely without clogging it.

VFL umpires are some forms of professionals though, they'd be attending trainings and looking to rise up the ranks. The centre umpire here has clearly missed the free, it happens. The off the ball umpire has seen the free kick which is a start but might not have seen it clearly enough to report the player. I know a prominent local radio announcer who does some weekend local league reserves umpiring who's very big on players sorting it out on the day as he works during the evenings.

Always a tricky one whether to stop the game though. I think with a soccer influence (as in more people watching it and how players put the ball out to stop play) and focus on player safety we are much more for umps stopping the game, but historically it's been tough luck if you're down a player. But yeah, a ball up in pretty neutral territory early in a game, I'd stop it for at least 10 seconds to see if it's serious. A group of trainers and player not moving would probably then stop it for longer. And yeah. Bit hard to see all that happens with Trenners, looks like he taps the ball out in front and is planning to follow it up when the Frankston player just goes straight through him. Good job by Viv to catch him before he falls over. Another centre square incident that makes me think no one should be allowed in the centre square until the ball comes out.

Last year we were insipid in round 2. Vince came out rampaging in round 3 with his job on Dangerfield. Similar thing this week. What I'd prefer to see would be the job of enforcer go to a lesser and replaceable player. And a few more of our players take up the challenge of physical football without crossing the line so much. Or if we do cross the line at least make sure we back it up with hard physical play as we did on the weekend. The old rule is the first to the ball usually gets looked after by the umps. Unfortunately that wasn't the case on the weekend

You can see Mitch King's knee go at 18:18. Some fat scrub from Casey just rolls right in to him. Very unfortunate. Could've at least got the free kick for a slide not that it would be much consolation.

I'm bringing in him now despite not really needing him because 1. He should be able to play on Howe. Jetta to Fasolo, Dunn to Cloke, T Mc to Moore I'd have though. Rotating as necessary and giving us enough strength in the air. Frees up Lumumba from a dangerous opponent. Same for Wagner, Salem etc. I don't want us losing the run and skill aspect but I'm hoping Oscar can contribute with that. 2. I want to win a flag and I don't think Dunn is going to be the answer and I'm not even sure Tom will be (although he should make it as an above average two way defender). 3. Richmond are likely to have 3 talls next week. As will most sides up the top of the ladder. If we can find 3 key defenders who give us enough run, skill and intercept play then we need to play them.

Vince out. Garlett if right to go is an automatic inclusion. That could be the only change but I think it's important to find the right team balance. Question marks over: Vanders isn't doing much. Kent's first half was terrible but 2nd half saves him. Bugg needs to use it better. Dunn, I see why they left him out now. The Frost v Pedersen debate rages on. Did Wagner do enough? Speed and run are the keys to everything we do. Out: Vince (susp), Vanders In: Oscar, Garlett FB: Jetta Dunn Oscar HB: Wagner T Mc Salem C: M Jones Jones Stretch HF: Harmes Hogan Kennedy FF: Garlett Frost Watts Foll: Gawn Viney Tyson Int: Oliver Bugg Lumumba Kent To replace Vince: Bugg to play on the ball/tag with a bit of defensive forward as well. He'll provide the pace and run around the ground and his disposal issues shouldn't matter so much compared to when he's on the wing. Oscar gives us some needed aerial strength down back. Frees up Wagner, Lumumba and Salem to attack more and then can even spend time on a wing. Or in another way Oscar takes Wagner's spot, who pushes up and takes Salem's spot who can then replace Vince with stints on the ball and down back. Change for Garlett: Vanders is the unlucky one. I liked having the 4th tall and his physical presence but he's just not finding it or using it well enough. I don't think he's got full confidence in his ankle yet. Kennedy, Kent and Harmes have out played him. I don't think we can play 5 small/medium forwards when none of them are legit midfielders. One has to miss. Garlett should also do a stint per quarter on the wing.

The hacked kick forward is a weakness in his game for a player so very capable of getting out of trouble and using the ball well on both feet but we won't be better without him. He made a difference going in to the middle against GWS in the last quarter and he was involved in our best passages and ran more than most others in the slops of round 2. I'd say he's got room to improve but wouldn't quite go as far as saying average.

Hope for a reprimand but likely 1 week. Silly. We are a long way off mastering anti social football at the moment. Too many dumb down fields and silly incidents. Senior players involved in some of them. I guess sometimes you have to cross the line to find the right spot when for a long time we've been no where near physical enough. Just wish it wasn't Bernie!

I'm not sure Bugg is that great as a lock down either, but he's super fit and whilst a shaky kick can sometimes use the ball ok and runs all day. He was depth recruited for nothing really. More a state of where the list and culture is at, but at the same time at least he's played enough AFL to know his weaknesses and hopefully be working on them. Frost is a bit more frustrating, because he looks to have talent as a backman, but for now we only want to play 2 key defenders and have more run and skill for down back. Dawes is injured. Pedersen isn't up to it. The question is are we wasting a potential star backman up forward or are we giving a young player a different role to stay in the side where he'd otherwise be at Casey. I don't know what the right answer is. We need Frost to play more games first regardless of position or team.

He'd drop the odd mark or fumble a bit at training as well which is strange as he was very clean in his one AFL game. Good size. Runs all day. Kicks it very well. I doubt it's an eyesight issue and he looks pretty tough so I doubt he's scared. Maybe just losing concentration when he's already thinking of what he'll do with the ball. How did his speed look? If he can start to break the lines and cut out the fumbles then I'll be awaiting his return to the big league.

Neal-Bullen, Hunt and maybe Oscar McDonald the best placed to come in. Pedersen to put pressure on Frost to perform. I'd be surprised if Jeffy isn't right for next week. Not buying that much has changed with Brayshaw and definitely not Petracca on the back of one game against ordinary opponents. Same for the Weed. Petracca presumably played decent minutes, which makes it his first full game back. Surely he needs at least 1 more hit out. Weed got the end of a few up forward, but who wouldn't in a 150 point win? McCartin kicked 7 for Sandy, didn't touch it for the Saints last week, knocked himself out this week. Brayshaw looked a mile off it last week, really short of a run and not nearly as clean as we expect for him, 1 week wouldn't have fixed that entirely. I'm genuinely excited about what those 3 can do in the red and blue, but one night out doesn't change much for me.

I feel for the proud folk who volunteer and support Frankston. Wouldn't they be better off in the Morny Peninsula league or otherwise. Just never seem to get the talent needed for VFL. Would be so disheartening knowing you can't win every year.

From the twitter seems like they are snapping points at well. Any chance they want to put it through the hands a bit and take better shots??!

Garlett's a big lost but it means Vanders, Kent, Kennedy and Harmes can all play closer to goal. They all have the talent to kick goals and put on forward pressure. Let's hope we see it. Frost should help the forward line speed as well. Clarry gets another chance. Vince back in to the midfield mix I think. Viney, Tyson, Jones. We have options there. Bugg can tag Wells or Harvey. Huge game for Gawny. Billy Stretch to give us some of the gut running we need. Matt Jones to hopefully continue what we can probably call reasonable form by now. Dunn to command the backline and hopefully Tom McDonald can put in a big game.

So far it's: Dunn for Garland. Wagner for Brayshaw, with Vince likely going back to the midfield Not really a surprised that they are making more changes and if Garlett doesn't play of course there will be one more. Of all the AFL websites bad ideas the 'late mail' column isn't too bad, but it's hardly shocking news at the moment.

Presuming: Stretch gets picked in the 22 Garland is being dropped, we've got 2 tall defenders in and Col needs to go back to Casey Oscar Mc isn't really ready either and needs a game to prove his fitness Michie, Terlich and Grimes have done little to show they are AFL standard this year JKH, Hunt and Mitch White are still kids who haven't done much this year either Pedersen and Frost are competing for a forward/ruck spot All the young talls - King, King, Hulett, Weed etc aren't in contention to play Clarry and Brayshaw are back to the 2's or rested Petracca and Trengove are coming back from injuries Then 'guys like ANB' is actually just ANB. So one 2nd year player with all of about 10 games of AFL and coming off an interrupted preseason has the right to be frustrated they were looked over. And it's not exactly like for like, Wagner is a skilled back flanker with a bit of height, ANB is a smaller inside mid who can play a bit of wing/half forward. I'm hoping Brayshaw, Oliver (if dropped), Trenners, Petracca, Garland, Oscar, ANB and many others can all dominate for Casey, the guys in the team can play well and then we can get some legitimate selection pressure on. But as of this week there isn't a lot of competition for spots. So it's not a surprise a mature rookie gets the call.

Gibson is: - Stronger - Fitter - reads the play much better - uses the ball better Garland was a decent player for a while there but my mail is ankle injuries have ruined his top endurance and now he's more suited to sitting deeper and playing on an opponent. Unfortunately he doesn't have the skill set to play on genuine talls (neither does Gibson) so is limited there. He's a great clubman and can come in and do a role, and maybe after being dropped he gets confidence back in the VFL and starts attacking contests more, but I'll be shocked if he ever compares to a star of the comp like Gibson.

I like ANB but the 35 disposals doesn't really interest me all that much. Any and all of Harmes, Kent, Kennedy, Bugg, Salem, Tyson, Oliver, Michie etc etc can get 30+ touches playing as an inside mid at VFL level. ANB showed some really positive traits when he played last year but his disposal and tackling needed a lot of work. If that's still the case then let him work on it a bit more at Casey before he comes in to the AFL team whilst the guys who were picked ahead of him for a number of reasons get another chance. That way when he comes in to the team he's got a solid bank of form to be confident about and he can hold his spot for a while. We have to get rid of this up and down cycle.