DeeSpencer

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.

We have to keep the run and speed in the side!!! If Miller comes in it has to be for one of Watts, Jurrah or PJ. I wouldn't think we'd be dropping Watts or Jurrah so maybe PJ comes out or Miller doesn't come in. Warnock for Rivers? The question has to be asked but I think the answer is probably not. Cheney in? I wouldn't think so. If Moloney comes I'd like to drop an inside player to keep our speed. Unfortunately Jones is in good form and its hard to drop the skipper, McKenzie or Trengove. Maybe Bail goes down back again and Bennell comes out. Then Sylvia plays more up forward. A difficult week ahead at selection.

Good idea to put him away for the year. Battling away in Casey 2's can't be good for anyone. I think the rookie list similar to Newton and Meesen this year wouldn't be the worst place for him next year. But I'm not ready to give up on him yet regardless of whether we think he deserves to be contracted or not.

Moloney is one of only 2 players I think who have got off at the tribunal (although he still got a reprimand). PJ was suspended in the VFL.

I'd be open to Kerr. For all his off field antics and injury problems he's a gun. Head says no but heart says 'just do it anyway'! Can't see the club sharing my enthusiasm. Cox is too old and I think this year has shown that he's better as a number 1 ruck in the game all the time than used forward/bench and sparingly in the ruck. Sure he's a solid back up but Jamar should be in better form than Cox for the rest of Cox's career and I think we should be looking to develop a second ruck with complementary attributes rather than paying top dollar for an ageing and slowing star.

What is this one dimension crap. Aaron Davey doesn't have a right foot either but you don't want to throw him out. If we trade Bate it must be because we got a very good offer (pick 20 or higher). He's not key position but he can turn games of footy. He has deficiencies in his game which is why he's currently at Casey.And how is Martin better than Warnock. Warnock is an extremely honest full back who has shown he can compete and not be destroyed by the best forwards in the game. At AFL level he is a role player, at VFL level he is dominant. If we are trading him we better pick a young key defender as cover. Martin seems to be without a position, soft and struggling in the VFL 2's. If he's contracted for next year then I'd be rookie-ing him like Newton and Meesen were. He is behind 4 in line and slipping for a ruck spot and not viable in any other position on the ground.

Your post has me thinking - In 50 years from now will we regard not having clash jumpers as much as an unfortunate relic as jumpers covered in mud. Maybe we will and the AFL is progressive and we are all too caught up in traditions.Also on a separate note - Who was Thorold Merritt, and was Thorold a popular name back in the day? Right now I'm happy that we've won twice in the white jumper this year. If we are going to wear it we may as well win in it.