DeeSpencer

It’s mostly dependent on Petty’s health and desire for one last game in this wretched season we’ve put him though. If Harry’s happy to keep going then we keep going with him. If he’s keen to put the feet up then I don’t need convincing, the quicker he can have a good rest and start a proper preseason the better. We’ll need a fresh runner to replace Sparrow. Saturday was nice and we played pretty well with the taller forward line but it’s a battle to back up again for a game with nothing on the line. Laurie probably should be given another chance.

As long as it’s not rude and especially if it’s their actual nickname you can call a player whatever you like. It’s a training report by a poster on a forum. They aren’t journalists. If you don’t know a nickname just ask and someone will let you know. WCW and I don’t often get along but I’m glad for her reports and I don’t expect her to be spelling out surnames.

I see Sesto in the back of that video? Any info on why he didn’t play for Casey on the weekend? VFL guys still on deck? Obviously the young guys have to be but if I was BBB, Hunter or Schache and not getting a fair well I’d skip the training.

Tell Keith the next you see him that he looked better in purple.

He went from a mile off it last year to looking more than handy in the VFL with a heap of scope for improvement. He was always going to be a long term project. Needs a big summer and has to dominate VFL and get some games, but it’s far from make or break. I doubt he’ll ever have the physical dominance to be purely an attacking force so to get the best out of him we have to develop his tank, his pressure and work rate and his uncontested game.

The last 2 flags have been won with the best midfielders being Selwood and Danger (and Isaac Smith) and Pendles and Sidebottom (post Treloar and Grundy trade outs). I’m fine with 1 going, maybe even 2 if we can bring someone of quality in. Losing all 3 would be condemning us to a bottom 6 finish and from there the only way to rebuild as a non destination club is to go harder and deeper towards the draft. And then it’s every chance you have to rebuild everything - culture, coaching, off field staff. We have to weigh a complicated series of decisions including leadership, skillset, position, health, durability, trade value. But all 3 plus Nibbler after losing Gus and JJ has to be a hard no.

I think any trades of midfielders out has to come with trades of playable midfielders in, even if we are comfortable using the picks for depth and being a couple of injuries away from somewhat a rebuilding side as we were this year.

It will just be the 2 of us but welcome aboard

He’s played injured in finals the last 2 years and there’d be doubts on him carrying this injury through real pressure games this year if needed. His so called brilliant leadership doesn’t sound so crash at the moment either. I expect he can play at least 2 more and every chance of 3, but unless there’s a huge discount in his 2025 wage I can’t see the upside here. And time will tell but so far it’s hard to see where the cash will be required. Gawn’s now got his. So Viney wants his too, when Jack might not up to the level in 26/27. Maybe this is good, but I don’t see the amazing optimism to cheer for this like the rest of you lemmings.

Like join the happy clappers in the cheer squad and all clap along with each other? My opinion is my opinion. There’s no need to have Gawn signed for 3 years.

The larger game is a 36 year old with 1000 injuries collecting a pay cheque like Ben Brown was this year. It’s ok to just be patient with veterans and sign them when required. If the club needed a sugar hit of a Gawn extension we are in big trouble.

Absolutely bizarre extension. Leadership is going year by year when you’re 32, not asking for a 3 year deal. Zero faith in the Melbourne list management team.

Lukosius - he’s not for me Fiorini - he’s ok depth and can play inside and out but he’s slow Davies - he’s interesting. Untested as a full time mid. Big body. Joel Jeffrey - interesting. Super talent, can play at both ends. Is he a serious footballer? Sean Lemmens for a year in the back pocket so we’ve got an actual specialist in that role? Most of the rest aren’t doing much in the 2’s. Davies is probably the standout option.

If BBB comes it it can only be for Petty IMO. Need JVR to ruck and can’t drop Disco. Petty might appreciate the extra week off, but not sure we do it. If Hunter (after missing the vfl game??) comes in it can only be for Melk as sub. Seems unlikely. And would need Melk to have another year. Suspect they just keep Tomlinson for a farewell and keep May on ice so he can attack preseason. Laurie or K Brown for Sparrow?

Narrow loss against a good side ala GWS and Port would’ve been perfect. I don’t care about the media. I don’t care about weak fans and people at the club with no fortitude. It’s nice for the players to get a win. But we had 10 of them for the year already. We don’t need to buy in to this nonsense about a crisis.

Exceptional game from Jack. Im not too worried about his future, he’s contracted, it’s our decision. If he goes it will be because it’s time for fresh legs. But I suspect that isn’t plan A.

We won a flag on the back of high picks. You never tank but it’s nice to have both. Sadly Gold Coast are just too ordinary to have beaten us.

The 4 points and percentage hurts but hopefully the Suns can give the Tigers a good belting next week. Lots of drama still to come but a nice reminder to the players of what they can do when they’re physically up for the contest and the opposition are witches hats.

Yes, but not just the run but also the ball winning. Viney as the main ball winner and Rivers the second is a great balance. Surrounded by runners. Viney and Oliver have spent most of the year fighting over the same footy then providing no run for each other.

They should probably call what they think it was! But the vision was conclusive if you lined up the split screens.

Exceptional Bowser chase

I agree. But I’m not saying he can’t do it in time, I’m just saying it’s foolish to have expected him to do it this year

Skills 1/10 but effort, desire has been 9/10. The review will be very positive

Happy to wait for a larger sample when he’s physically mature and experienced at the level. Posters have whinged all year that we had Daicos in the backline.

I’d rather Rivers turn it over 100 times than we play long bomb footy. Trent rarely misses targets when people run with him for options. That last switch was a perfect indication. No one was giving anything until Kolt late