DeeSpencer

I heard ages ago that Wellman was going to be a part of Hird's team, but I thought when he signed a new deal with us that would be the end of it. It's bad because Wellman has got the best results out of any of our assistant coaches, but good because I think we needed some change in the assistants. Collingwood and the Saints seem to change them pretty regularly and have no problems. I'll be interested to see who we can get. I like the suggestion of Maxy Hudghton.

I know he finally got to spend more time forward this year which resulted in a career best season, but I still worry if there is a spot for him up forward when everyone is fit. Watts and Jurrah are the talls, Green the 3rd tall, Petterd takes his defensive forward role and then we need a couple of smalls - Wona and Bennell. Without one of the smalls I'm concerned we lack the forward pressure that seems to be a vital part of footy these days. Personally I think he might be forced to go back to tagging again. With the retirement of the skipper he becomes the player on our list with the best physical attributes to tag. He's strong, a good tackler and has the speed. His problem with tagging in the past was probably not getting enough of his own ball but I think his time forward will have improved that, he's also a nice kick around the ground and we saw he can kick a goal.

Milburn, Darren - Andrew Mackie Scarlett, Matthew - Jeremy Laidlaw Mooney, Cameron - Mitch Brown Ottens, Brad - Dawson Simpson Wojcinski, David - Taylor Hunt Ling, Cameron - Simon Hogan Podsiadly, James - Tom Hawkins Enright, Corey - Daniel Menzel Chapman, Paul - Steven Motlop Rooke, Max - didn't play anyway Corey, Joel - Mitch Duncan Hunt, Josh - who cares Ablett, Gary - Big whole, but good picks if he goes Personally if Gary leaves I'd try and implement these changes over the next 2 years. They will stay competitive in that time anyway. Some of these kids are a bit speculative but they will still develop in a good side and should come on quickly. Guys like Laidler, Menzel, Duncan and Hunt have shown they can play at AFL level already. In fact I think Geelong went in with a side that was too slow and at least T. Hunt should have been playing. Mackie and Hogan are experienced players. The big question for Geelong is do you throw the coach out as well after next year. Bomber is looking tired and his philosophy and hand crafted side is looking out dated.

Joel Corey, Scott Pendlebury etc.Tall midfielder who will eventually add bulk to his frame so he can be a strong clearance midfielder Positives - racks up the ball - shown a liking for getting in and under and winning clearances - good mark for a midfield - obviously size helps here - very clever handball Negatives - tackling -if you are going to be an inside midfielder you need to get 5+ tackles a game. Gysberts isn't McKenzie-like but with some added muscle and time at AFL level he should improve. - kicking. A lot has been said, obviously he doesn't have the most fluent ball drop or action, and I haven't see enough to say if he's a really bad kick. But I think every player besides Davey and Green on our list should be working very hard on their kicking, and Gysberts looks like he could use some help.

I wonder if Liam is up there. If he is then I certainly hope he is safe, and also hope that regardless of where he is he can help resolve some of the tension.

Even though I do agree that he is most likely best suited to a step down from AFL I think its stupid to ever write someone off completely. I'd like to see Valenti go to GWS and play a similar role as others have at GC.

Thought I'd get in before anyone else! On his twitter he says he's heading to Sydney for a week to chill and for a change of scenery. Now logical thinkers would agree that a week away for a change of scenery would be a nice idea when you've got a broken back and have to battle to get around. But let the trade rumours long continue. Certainly if Jones was leaving Sydney would be perfect for them. He'd slip into Kirk or Bolton's spot and be racking the possies up.

Very similar to Garland? You obviously haven't watched Spangher or Garland very much. Spangher certainly couldn't play on smalls like Garland nor does he have the skills to do things like kick outs. He'd be a depth player and whilst he is younger, I don't think he is better or will be better than Warnock. I'd be happy for us to take a depth key defender especially if Warnock is moved on, but not Spangher.

Biggest errors - Cheney doesn't have good skills, Davey doesn't play half back, Frawley didn't play on Barry Hall, Jones didn't improve as a tagger. But was pretty good overall, was spot on for most players.

Trengove was our best player in the first quarter on Sunday. He's simply struggling to run out games now. How he keeps the ball under pressure, and brings players into the game around him is amazing. Not to mention he is a better user than Scully and his mark yesterday showed what he is capable of in the air. Can't wait for his second season.

I'd be happy with any of a key forward, ruck, key defender, skillful running midfielder/defender. If we go for a solid body/slow midfielder or a small/medium forward with limited midfield ability they better be damn good! Obviously bolstering the key forwards and rucks is a straight forward idea. We play most weeks with Green FF and a spud as a back up ruck. Down back though the Frawley, Rivers, Garland triple is nice, but one injury and I really think Warnock is a depth player, 2 injuries and Tom McNamara is undersized and has a clouded future. More speed and skill either on a wing or half back would be very nice!

To judge Moloney on his last 2 weeks is unfair. He's had a strong season, and will continue to be important around Trengove, Scully, McKenzie and co. He has a big void to fill with no Junior. Line-breakers and skill in the midfield are badly needed. I'm sure we would have won today with Davey. At the moment Davey, Sylvia and Scully are our best line breakers. Bruce gives drive from defence and so does Grimes and others, but we need more line breakers across the ground. I'd like to see Bail, Bennell and maybe others like Blease and Strauss cement spots in the team. If the runners and users can overtake the "ball winners" in ability we will step up again. I'm sure the club are still searching for a big strong FF type but I have every confidence we can win games with a small forward line - Green and Jurrah are a handfull despite not being 6'6 and with Dunn, Petterd, Bate, Watts we have options for players capable to play the lead up CHF role the we favour. The one position where every option is a shocker is back up ruck. I'd be delighted to know that at this time next year we have someone sorted - I don't even care if its as a ruck/forward or a second string ruckman. Bring on the Fitz I hope!

Morton is badly lacking a position at the moment. I wouldn't call him soft because he is still 193cm and built like a rake so he has awkward moments, but he doesn't have the intensity. It's that more than plane lack of courage. I wonder if we will see him off half back again, moved to CHF or continued in this tall wingman role. Bate is a worry. He needs to come back from preseason with massively increased speed and second effort. I wonder whether either the injury in preseason and a desire to bulk him up has backfired. Dunn , Jurrah, Green, Petterd are much better medium sized forwards on current form. This season he has still played some very good games but his second half of the year has been very disappointing and in a way I'm glad his season is over. I'm sure he knows what he needs to do before next year.

Their drafting has been absolutely sensational the last 2 years. Hill, Ballantyne, Suban, Morabito, Fyfe, Crichton, Bollenhagen, Roberton all look like very good players in the making. Not to mention the mature age steals in Broughton, Silvagni and Barlow. Even McPhee doesn't look a completely stupid decision at the moment.To make it as a side they will need to get a couple of tall defenders - McPharlin, Taz and Grover aren't getting any younger, but their drafting of running players has been spot on, and I hate to say it but superior to ours.

I hope and presume it was a direct question. If I was a journo it would be the first question I'd think off when I heard players met with the board to discuss the football department.I think this is a sensible thing to do from the board. I don't want the board messing with the football department as many clubs boards do, but I understand that the board makes very important decisions regarding the FD and they must be in the know. Sitting down with Junior and Miller would get you very valuable insight. I think having Schwab as a CEO is a benefit in this regard as well. I don't know every CEO in the comp but its safe to say Schwab would be up there in his knowledge of how AFL football departments work.

Chicken and egg I believe.When we play better and the ball is constantly moving or trapped in our forward line we keep more forwards deep. When the midfield is getting beaten and the defenders can't get the ball out you have move forwards up the ground. Geelong when they were getting beaten by Collingwood had the same problem that we have had many times this year.

Is being played CHF to accommodate Tippett at Adelaide. Really he's a natural FF goal kicker and I think he'd kick 50 in a year at full forward for us. Also with his size he'd take the heat of Jurrah. If he's attitude is ok and he wants out of Adelaide I'd chase him hard.

Out: Bennell, Warnock, Jones In: Bate, MacDonald, Sylvia 1. Bate can't come in for Newton (who really was ok people!). He can't back up ruck and neither can Dunn. Jamar doing almost a whole game in round 22 is crazy. Bennell was disappointing, it might be his season finished, he's had a solid year. 2. Warnock was very disappointing. If Joel Mac is fine he can come back in, wouldn't mind McNamara or Cheney either. Bail might make his way for one of these as well. But I feel like Bail has earned one poor match, and the other 2 should play Casey finals. Of course they would never pass up an AFL game, but they have been huge parts of Casey's season, same with Warnock. 3. Jones was average, tagging isn't his go. Sylvia is a better ball hunting inside mid. 4. Jones may get a reprieve as the long year/niggling injury is catching up with Trengove. He is still tackling and putting in effort but just seems to be a step or 2 off where he was earlier in the year. Maybe he has one game left in him, or maybe its time to pull the pin. I'd play him if he is no risk of aggravating anything.

Bate can't back up ruck, and I'm not sure Dunn can either, especially if the oppositions ruckman is half decent (for example either of them up against Goldstein from North would end horribly). Miller and Newton do have the size to contest ruck contests. Bate is best used up the ground, and is therefore competing with our other medium/small forwards. This week I think he will come in for Bennell.Our best option for the long kick into the hot spot is Green (who has the experience to force a contest) or Jurrah. When Jurrah is on, as long as he gets a run at the ball his leap will allow him to contests against anyone and bring the ball to ground.

Newton's game today suggests to me he would be as good as Leigh Brown if he played a dozen games in a row for the top side. How has Leigh Brown gone when we've played Collingwood this year. I can't remember any heroics. If they FD feel it necessary to have a stop gap we may as well keep the ones we have (and regularly don't get a game for us). That said I'm happy for us to draft a no name from another club but we have to see long term value in them. We aren't nearly ready to bring in depth players.

Our handball and kicking was brilliant against Sydney, but has dropped off every week since then. It's obviously something they must continue to work on. We've got quite the number of midfielders and defenders in particular who can win the ball, and we beat Port at that today, but used it horribly. I think our goal kicking was more of an aberration today, it's been pretty good most of the year. The Morton miss and Morton stupid pass were out of the ordinary for a guy who is a good kick.

Wasn't it the come from behind win against GC with Miller kicking 10!

Is most likely playing Casey 2's to prepare Casey 1's for the 12-10 rule. Is also a possible of some off season surgery from what I hear. It would be another set back after missing large chunks last year with an ankle injury and a shoulder reco, not to mention the knee injury this year. As for his form he was BOG against Sandy before injury. Also wasn't the worst in his two games earlier in the year at AFL level, he showed some glimpses. He's definitely not going anywhere near being delisted. The main problem for Strauss is that he lacks defensive skills. I think the club would be best to stop trying to make him into a backman and free him up on a wing. His delivery out of the backline (and kick outs) would be very handy, but it would also be pretty good into the forward line. His pace is good and we can see what he can do when given the ball in space. I'd be disappointed next year if he didn't step up and play regular very good VFL games, but we have to realise that with an improved side the free AFL games will disappear. Consider Maric who played some handy AFL games in his first two years but with an improved side has struggled to crack a game. Also there have been a lot of very good AFL players who have taken a few years to get it all together. Not everyone can keep a spot in the side from age 18,19 etc.

Bench: Bail, Moloney, McKenzie and NEWTON! We have to play one of Newton or PJ. May as well give the juice a farewell game. Surely he has a massive following in Adelaide.

The thing that makes Dunn and for that matter Petterd so valuable is they have natural forward instincts and can take marks. They are dangerous options so when they play as defensive forwards they are invaluable compared to other guys in the league who have held similar positions. Dunn is particularly impressive because what is he 192cm? He doesn't exactly play like the tallest 190+ guy around but still if you have him in a marking contest against a 185cm guy he has a massive advantage. I'm getting worried about Bate because watching Geelong, Coll and StKilda the only medium forward who doesn't have strong defensive pressure out of those 3 teams is Stevie J. They fill the rest of the forward line with midfielders or speedy smalls. The medium forward is out of vogue at the moment. Petterd, Dunn and Jurrah will survive due to their ability to put on forward pressure, and Green because he is damn good and can play in the middle. Bate either has to really step it up, or increase his forward pressure.