DeeSpencer

I know you have links to the Russian so thanks for the update. I think the truth lies inbetween. His body has not yet failed him but full training only in late February is a sign there's not a lot of tread on the tires at the moment. Getting your first hit out either in the last practice match or only in VFL practice matches isn't a great sign either. I'd be inclined not to play him against the Hawks so we can use the game minutes for Fitzy, Gawn and Spencer to all rotate through the ruck. Don't get me wrong I think Jamar still has more to give and he can even recapture the first ruck job and then roll with it. But if the others have it then they should stay with it and Jamar can build up through the VFL. The true indicator of a player being finished isn't so much if they struggle to get back. Young players struggle to get back from injuries at times. It's when they get back if they can't stay up. I'm tipping Jamar to make a serious run at the first ruck job and maybe even keep it as his based on form. But then if he breaks down he'll be in trouble. I hope all of Spencer, Jamar and Gawn can be fit for most of the season so they can push each others game. Spencer will know he has to use the ball better. Gawn will know he needs his endurance to lift. Jamar knows he has to find more footy around the ground and all 3 know they have to be better at hit outs. That's good exciting development. Jamar was exploited a bit being made to be number 1 ruck and also ruck coach pretty much, Stafford should be good for him as much as the young guys.

I'm just saying that maybe the way Dwayne didn't go in to specifics about Newman is because there are more to the specifics. The more likely scenario is that Dwayne cant recall one fact from another. At this stage all I've heard about Williams is about what happened that night via the trial and how he's been well behaved since. I wasn't necessarily saying his good behaviour should buy him much sympathy. I just wanted to highlight that there might be differences between the cases in a lot of ways. He will now get his punishment. I too have been assaulted without warning and it's a horrible feeling. The police didn't even find who did it and considering that I didn't have any obvious immediate physical trauma besides cuts and bruises to be honest they didn't care. I went off to get patched up and I had no follow up. If I ended up with a delayed medical condition my family or I probably would've had to notify the police because they weren't checking on me. Not that i blame them individually they have so many other cases to get on with. One difference between you and I and this guy Williams hit is that we were minding our own business yet Williams was earlier set upon the toilets by this guys friends. In a lot of cases I'm all for big sentences and giving clowns who commit coward punch attacks the most we can. Same rapists and murderers and so on. But I think the Williams case deserves some proper judicial consideration when sentencing.

Newman's legal predicament is pretty simple as you say but I think there are a lot more issues in his background and involving family that he's had to work through. Doesn't excuse his criminal behaviour I'm just saying there's more behind that story I think. Williams is a bit more straight forward. He might have been a bit of a lad around town in Albany and not exactly a clean skin but really at least since his incident he's been a good citizen and an improving player.

A moment of madness when he decided it was 'self defence' to go smack a bloke with his arms down because the guy and his mates had jumped him in the toilets. A cowardly and stupid decision. Walking, running (these AFL players are pretty fit) or getting assistance from police or bouncers would have been the gutsy and smart decision. Anyway I have no tolerance for these drunken cowardly assaults. But at the same time Collingwood or not he's avoided trouble since and done charity work. He's not a repeat offender who needs to be taken off our streets for good. The judge has a tough choice whether to side with the communities need for a message to be sent or side with communities need for young guys who make mistakes to get a second chance. But Collingwood, dear high horse cleaning out the rack pack Collingwood. They too should stick by this guy and let him get a shot at making a career and a life for himself long term. But in the short term he should be at least stood down regardless if he gets gaol time or not. He's a convicted criminal now.

Theres always confidence. But usually it's based on hope of this and hope of that. This year we've at least actually seen some results already. In previous years we'd be saying Salem and JKH are key parts of the team. This year we hope they can give us some decent games and play a role

As the ruckman who plays 75% of the game I'd rather Jamar. But mainly a Spencer or Gawn!Hit outs are overrated but getting destroyed in hit outs really kills you. As the second ruck competing with the opponents second id rather Fitzy. But it's not Fitzy v Jamar for that it's Fitzy v Gawn who is a better ruck and a better contested mark forward even though Fitzy is a far superior forward in all other aspects

I get the feeling Etihad isn't Clark's go anyway. Too firm and small. Let Fitzy or Gawny fill in for round 1. Big Mitch is a man of the people and that means playing at the peoples ground. That's how I'm convincing myself of a positive!

Oh FFS. You're making stuff up. Dawes appears perfectly fit and has been managed up until this point. Off restricted training today he came out and kicked a couple of goals and probably beat Tom McDonald. Clark was improving and then pulled a hammy. You are right to be speculative in regards to Clark because of his troubled history of late but you can't just guess injuries and then say how smart you were. Hogan was not substandard today. He was not unfit or overweight. He was on the losing side of a completely unrealistic practice match against a decent enough opponent (I think Georgiou was on him for a bit). He kicked a goal didn't he or at least had a shot. Won a lovely ruck tap and followed it up and won the ball at half forward kicking to the north end and did one of the best handballs of the day to release a runner. If round 1 was tomorrow he wouldn't play. But it's not. It's in a months time in which he will be back in ball work training. He should also play 2 practice games that will allow him to highlight his ability. Maybe Fitzy, Dawes or heaven help us Pedersen with his 8 touches and 1 mark games will out play Hogan in to round 1 but you can't make a judgement on Fitzy and Gawn taking a few grabs on undersized young Casey defenders.

I like it when Fitzy gets the ball 60m out and can race away in to an empty 50 with his speed and blast a goal with his high ball drop strangely effective kicking style. I'm not so keen on him getting the ball up on the wing and trying to kick it to a forward target. I'd be much more confident with Bernie Vince or Jack Watts! Either way if Dawes proves his fitness the next 2 weeks and Spencer is set in the ruck (almost by default considering Gawny is just warming in to his season and Jamar is MIA) then it probably leaves 2 spots for 3 talented guys in Hogan, Gawn and Fitzy. I can't remember the last time we had a confident best 22 to line up in round 1 (2013 we played Gillies, 2012 an outmatched Tynan debuted and maybe even Spencer himself played round 1 in 2010 or 2011) and this year we might still be guessing on the last forward or defender picked but at least in terms of big guys we might get a competition for spots. That's exciting. That's how you get better when good young players aren't improving in preseason just so they can say they got better or to keep their spot on the list but they are doing it because they desperately want a round 1 spot.

It's Jesse Hogan we are talking about here. He won the B+F at Casey last year. He looked more than capable of mixing it in the NAB cup last year. I don't care if he spends most of the year back in the VFL if that's deemed necessary but this is not a guy who needs cuddling and protecting psychologically. To be honest I don't think Watts ever needed that either he just needed to be supported physically and not ruined psychologically. As I've said before they made a lot of mistakes pumping up Watts' debut but maybe the bigger problem was they didn't work out how to send him back to Casey with specific goals and expectations and without feeling like a failure. Hogan will lose confidence if they chop and change his role and keep him in the team if he's underperforming or drop him and not set him specific targets. I'm 99% sure that debuting him even in round 1 wont hurt him at all. The young midfielders will be protected from heavy work loads as well of course. Viney wont be playing 80% game time in the centre square. Toumpas looks set to start at half forward. Salem will need dominant NAB challenge games to even get close to round 1.

By the way possibly the best look on track today was Todd Viney. He looks to have lost about 2 stone. Was looking good.

Spencer ruck is fine, He's got a bit edge in fitness and match play practice heading in to round 1. 2 decent games against Geelong and Hawthorn and the spot is his. Clark will almost certainly miss. Dawes as the lead up CHF yep. Hogan as a roaming forward wherever he needs to be. But no point playing Fitzy AND Gawn. It will be talls tripping over each other and no defensive pressure. If Dawes and Hogan make it to round 1 fit and showing enough form then I think we chose between Gawn and Fitzy for that remaining spot. I think they know it as well and were both keen to put their best foot forward today. I expect in Alice they'll both play majority forward and spell Spencer at various times and have a nice competition. Rhys Stanley is likely to be the saints second ruckman. Which means if we play Gawn we get an edge in ruck ability but also means we can play Fitzy and not be concerned that he'd get monstered in their by a team with 2 strong rucks.

God no. You'd be stupid to go near that moron not to mention he can't hit the side of a barn by foot. I'm talking about Jackson Macrae who was drafted after Toumpas but before wines. Left footer, grown to 191cm, predominantly outside but building his inside game and found a heap of the footy against the saints last night. I like Toumpas and I think he's got as much potential as anyone I'm just a big Macrae fan as well.

But Hogan does set a trend with hardness and contested footy. That's 2 of his best attributes. I'm all for treating him like a young inexperienced player but he's got the body to play now and I don't see the team potentially struggling as a reason to hold him back.

Yep but rookie list tall running last in the your time trial is probably how it's meant to work! And I don't think these days that ruck, forward or back are any less taxing. Maybe short spurts in the middle or forward could save him running the most but really he's VFL fitness at best and that's where he'll be just a matter of what position

I think that will see Salem miss. And JKH will still have to show in the next 2 games that his skill and talent makes him indisputably better than the competition for his spot. But Hogan is big, hard, plays angry. I don't want to waste him in the 2's lets just get him in.

The way I see it is that bad kicks still have to kick especially half backs or midfielders. McKenzie is going to get the ball in space or running in to space and hit targets by foot. He can't just wait and slow down the play and handball sideways or backwards. That doesn't mean he should be trying to kick all the time of course he should try and handball, but McKenzie is more than enough of a kick that he can use his boot when needed. He should learn a lot from Cross who usually plays it safe but kicks when required. Plus hey we wont win the flag this year and we will still have games where we are down by a significant margin. No better time for the likes of McKenzie, Spencer and Tommy McDonald to practice kicking as much as they can. Nicholson is a different to me because he's a small defender and that means kicking is a huge part of his game. It's defensive work then kicking that's about it. It's why I don't see a future for him in that role and think he may as well compete with the half forwards.

I think that was only about list balance and trying to work out a way to keep draft picks whilst bring in experienced talent. But if by some miracle Clark, Dawes and Hogan all played the entire year and Fitzy didn't get a look in he'd probably be asking for a trade himself so it's not crazy. Personally I don't think you trade your depth in the one area of the ground you actually have some in. That's crazy. My only concern about Fitzy is now that he's brought his unique style of game to the AFL is he going to iron out the weaknesses. This goal kicking action with a ball drop from about 1m high is unacceptable. He looks thicker framed this year to help his body but can he get to that really good body shape with the right combination of speed, strength and endurance especially given his health issues. And will he learn enough ruck work to be a competent back up. Last year when he went in to the ruck it was like oh well we may as well concede the hit outs lets hope he can use his speed around the ground.

Dont know if I said that but it's borderline. Think most teams will go for a ruck 205+ or 200cm with a big leap. That's a role more suited for Spencer and Gawn. King is coming along with Clark and Fitzy as that 200cm ruck/forward. Or as I think they should investigate as a key defender

OD was Dawes actually injured or even tight in the calf or is it a preventative thing. I suppose time will tell but surely the Journos picked up on him icing his calf and asked the question?

Jayden Hunt went on a blistering run. 22 for the Casey player in blue kicks a well weighted footy and Jake Best in 9 for blue didn't do a heap but looked classy and tough. Still surprised someone didn't rookie him

By the way I don't neccessarily agree on this notion of needing a 200cm defender for new age forwards. I think McDonald and Fralwey are big enough. But with the way he moves and kicks the ball plus a natural overhead ability we should seriously consider Max King as a backman. 12 months as a defender never hurt anyone plus he can build endurance that way. Poor Kingy got smashed in the ruck by guys with height and significant weight on him but still impressed around the ground with some nice marks and a lovely weighted kick to a leading forward.

Bit of a nothing hit out. 3 short quarters. Lots of Casey guys Negatives - No real differentiation between the small defenders gained with Georgiou, Strauss, Terlich but they did look better than the fresh Jetta and Clisby - No real differentiation in the small forwards with Blease, Byrnes, JKH, Kent or Salem - Tappy injured Positives - good to have Viney and Watts back both played to their strengths - Michie, Matt Jones and Tyson looked a cut above - Kent and Salem both involved - the big boys out there with Gawn and Fitzy impressive (in battle for round 1?) - minimal injuries - game style was still on display

EFA.

Yep, mostly on a wing where he pushed back and got involved in the chip around. Very hard to make any real comment on his talent from what I observed as I was focusing more on the guys I think are in contention for round 1.