DeeSpencer

Good - Howe - Morton's first 3/4 - Sylvia Bad - Jones' decision making was really bad today. Still give him credit for having a dip, but at one stage he chose to handball backwards instead of forwards mid way through the first quarter and it set the tone for what was the come Ugly - Morton's last quarter - Nick Maxwell - he and a few of his mates down back for Collingwood would get well and truly found out if they didn't play in a great system with a damn good midfield and forward line in front of them

He's a great mark. Probably one thing he needs to do is realise when he isn't under so much pressure and just take the mark easily out in front instead of springing way up high and under the footy. But he springs up really well and uses it well (and intelligently). It's such a shame that he comes in a looks a much more natural mark than guys we've had up forward (Bate, Dunn) for years.

He wasn't horrible against St Kilda or Adelaide in the midfield.The problem is he can't hold a mark out in front, can't take a pack mark and is so slow and has so little agility that as a small forward he is past it. Shame really, but to me he's shows all the signs of a guy whose best is past him and is slipping down the slope pretty quickly after a great year last year.

To me it simply says he's [censored] at golf! Which is hardly a surprise considering he's a giant and his set shot shows maybe he won't ever be the most skilled bloke.Anyone think big Maxy won't play this week after being named on the extended bench. I'm pretty sure he still will and Barty for Evans will be the only change.

I see a doom loop springing in to action. Why wouldn't the top 5 be heavily populated by the likes of Collingwood, West Coast, Essendon, Carlton etc who can spend big. Clubs will be forced into even longer re builds to make sure they can get up and stay up. Good young players would leave struggling Div 2 sides to jump into Div 1. We would get some interesting end of year play offs and games leading up to them, but it wouldn't be worth ruling out half the comps chances before the start of the season. Why does every game have to be watchable to every person, it never will be anyway. The true supporters of a team will still be interested in their side in the current set up. A flexible Friday night roster should be the first change the AFL make, by picking the Friday night game a month out from one of the first 3 games of the round.

FB: J. Surjan (Port) N. Grima (NM) S. Hurn (WCE) - out of form, injured, dominating HB: J. Kelly (Geel) L. McPharlin (Fre) J. Adcock (Bris) - all it top form C: D. Thomas (Coll) S. Thompson (Adel) S. Hill (Fre) - Pretty happy with this HF: M. Morton (Rich) L. Henderson (Carl) D. Swallow (GC) - Morton's quit, Henderson in the VFL, Swallow's good! FF: A. Monfries (Ess) L. Franklin (Haw) A. Schneider (StK) - Buddy!!! Schneider and Monfries disappointing R: M. Jamar (Melb) J.P. Kennedy (Syd) R. Griffen (WB) - Big Rush injured, happy with the other 2 Happy with the midfield. The rise of Daisy probably helps. Not sure what I was thinking with Morton, but I still believe with a clear head the guy is a massive talent. Should have gone with Nahas! I think I really let myself down by not getting in some better players from weaker clubs (namely Port and Richmond).

Dunn's a right footer, are you thinking of Bate? Either way I don't think he's a viable back up ruck.Gawn is a poor kick which is hardly a surprise. But he'll work on it and kicking is a ruckmans least worries. Priorities are hit outs, marks, winning contested ball and making good options with the footy which is generally a handball.

I still think he needs to show the same improvement up forward. At the moment he's shown he can be a good back up for the number 1 when he's injured, as good as Bellchambers or Hampson. He'll probably show on Monday that he's about as good as Wood, hopefully better. He also has the added string to his bow of been able to play back. But to become a consistent best 22 player I think you have to play forward as well. Otherwise he might be in and out of the side when Jamar is back and in a few years over taken by the Gawn. I definitely think the number 1 ruck and back up ruck are two different positions with two different skill sets these days. If Martin can just keep working on his forward work he'll be a gun. Number 1 ruck (70% ruck, 10% forward): Jamar, Martin, Gawn, Spencer Number 2 ruck (30% ruck, 50% forward): ???? Fitzpatrick, Newton (rubbish), Dunn (not big enough), McDonald

No way is he a better kick than Rivers who is a very good kick. He's not better than Grimes or Frawley either who take chances with their disposals moving the game on. Bartram gets the ball and unless there is a clear option he often stalls the play and has to kick it long down the line.

Jones - does his job Watts - edging towards breakout Gysberts - can find football Bennell - took them on Frawley - another reasonable performance Trengove - skill, determination, workrate Morton - much tougher effort Sylvia - subbed off early McKenzie - one tough hombre Moloney - great second half Jurrah - needs to lift Rivers - outstanding all night Macdonald - showed his professionalism Scully - run, run, run Martin - agility is bewildering Gawn - something for future Howe - amazing first game Jetta - hard, agile, clean Strauss - can build upon Nicholson - speed + left boot = ! Evans - never shirks issue

I wanted Bartram in because I thought he was the only reasonable player on our list who could tag Thomas. Now daisy isn't playing I see no need for him. Half the board was calling for him to be dropped only a few weeks ago. Strauss, Bennell, Morton and Nicholson all defended very well against Essendon so I'm not sure why people feel the need to replace one of them with Bartram. Evans may not have got the possessions up or the sublime skills, but his application has been great. He shouldn't be replace lightly. Tapscott is an interesting one. I'd hate to see him do an early injury against the pies. Possibly he could come back and be the sub? Take Evans out and give Nicholson/Morton/Bennell some time on a wing. I do love his long kicking and hard at it footy. All that said my personal preference is for no change.

He laid a ripper of a bump on someone at one stage, not sure who it was but I enjoyed it. I like his sidestep, it gives him an evasive edge that he needs. He seems to read the play pretty well as well. I think he needs more fitness so he can get in more contests, but it's nice to have a player out there who you can see is having a red hot go. He'll keep getting criticized when we lose if he keeps playing at this level, but a tiny bit of improvement and he'll be a regular.

Good to see Blease has been freed up into the midfield. Not sure if he's done enough to dislodge Evans yet but it's promising. I wouldn't want to make too many changes to the team that played on Friday but of the guys playing Petterd really is AFL level. He's done a job on Shaw before and if Sylvia is injured I wouldn't mind sneaking him back in. With a half decent forward structure he really can play well as a defensive forward. Just interesting to see if he's redeemed himself yet because his work rate was poor the last few weeks at AFL level.

Needs to work on his composure but that will come and as it does the clean kicking will improve. What was impressive was that he defended well and took the game on at times. I'd rather have him kicking out than Frawley, who I think should make himself a target for kick outs at times instead of taking them. I'm still expecting a bit of up and down with Strauss, but he's shown he's still on the right path. Also got collected as he kicked out (by Bellchambers?), looked like he was limping at times, so I wouldn't be surprised if it limited the rest of his game.

FB: Bartram Frawley Garland HB: Grimes Rivers Tapscott C: Jones Moloney Scully HF: Davey Watts Howe FF: Jurrah Green Sylvia Foll: Jamar Trengove Bail INT: Martin, McKenzie Gysberts Bennell EMER: Petterd, Morton, Macdonald The bolds are locks, the others are pretty interchangable. I've gone for Bartram and Tapscott in the backline, but Macdonald might offer more defensively. Strauss, Morton and Nicholson aren't too far off. Bennell I've put on the bench due to his ability to play multiple positions, but I haven't locked in Bartram down back. He could take that spot. Im pretty keen on having a tagger, or at least a defensive midfield with the capacity to tag and physical attributes for it so for that reason I like Bail in the side. Were short a gun small forward, and I could have named Bennell or Jetta there, but I think it's better to play the extra midfielder and have them rest forward - particularly Sylvia and Davey who should start forward and do bursts in the middle.

What I love about Trengove is its no fuss. Everything is just clean and simple, even his big hangers. Martin is sensational to watch he plays an unreal power game. But Trengove just plays pure football, like how it was meant to be played. You think no matter what decade it was he'd be just class. He reminds so much of Jimmy Bartel, just the way he can seem to do anything. The one knock on his game is goal kicking, not sure why he can't find the middle. Probably needs a tweak to his routine and to use the full 30 seconds to get his breath back.

People only remember the old, full forward, mark it (usually via hanger in case of very old Robbo) and goal Robbo.He best year (maybe 02 or 03) was when he played at CHF and was just a work horse. That's what I saw from Howe. Strong leads, backs himself to jump for a mark and then just as importantly can recover very well, get a bit of space and deliver well. It's early days, but I just imagine him and Watts been a CHF combo. Still room for Jurrah and a Petterd/Dunn deep if they play with the same commitment and energy as Howe.

6 Rivers 5 Macdonald 4 McKenzie 3 Gysberts 2 Moloney 1 Trengove Thought the win was set up by the defence returning to 2010 form (even without half their numbers). Rivers and Macdonald were kings in that area. In some ways I was disappointed with our midfield, but they kicked ass. Still a lot of work for the forwards to do I think, but if I had one more vote it would be for Howe, he gave us structure!

Good A young side giving their all Bad The OP's comment about Howe. Should not be a bad word spoken about the man after tonight Sylvia injured Ugly Gawn's shot for goal. Classic, still love the big fella though Jurrah early - come on Liam, get physical. The forward line probably needs an enforcer to go with Green, Watts, Howe, Jetta and co. Dunn could be this man if he got back in 2010 form and I'd love it to be Sylvia if he could be played in his best position.

Tall man is tall. You can tell he is a natural footballer!!! Still heaps to work on, but he gets it. Mark handball, short safe kick or long kick if under pressure, punch from behind. When your 7 feet whatever its best to play a simple game and he does that. Not sure I'd play him for the rest of the season, but he gives you hope for the future and we're gaining something from Jamar's absence.

The specialized type who when they line up on the premier wingman of the game (Dale Thomas, Hill for example) get slaughtered! Bate's a damn good VFL player who just isn't up to AFL any more. See Brock McLean.

My main problem is that he plays a lot of a game on a wing. Now put him in the middle and he should get more tackles, clearances and contested possession I agree. But from the wing they aren't so easy to get (but he does need to work on it).So are we continuing with a B grade wingman, who isn't really suited to that position and should be there in the long term? Or is his hardness an advantage over most wingman? He's better than Morton, but probably less talented in that position in the long term. Or do we put him in the middle and find out maybe he's not as good as Moloney, Syliva, Trengove and co? Either way credit to Jones for upping his game, but I still think he's a bit of a way off being a good play in a good side.

And by good decision making you meant excellent stopping skills, courage, tackling and pace didn't you.

At the moment though he looks like a bigger, stronger version of Blease. But he's hardly a player I'm disappointed that we let go off. Collingwood you would think would get the best out of someone and he's been handy. He'll probably play in a flag now.

Riewoldt last year would have kicked 100 if he started the season in the form he was in by mid year. Yet the Tigers didn't beat a good side all year. Same with Barry Hall at the dogs, kicked plenty of goals, but he was at FF and they didn't have a proper CHF nor were they playing a modern brand.The hawks won that flag due to an innovative defensive game plan and a gun midfield (Hodge, Sewell, Mitchell, Crawford, Bateman). Buddy hardly dominated in the grand final. It was Dew who did the damage and little things like Rioli's defensive pressure was instrumental in the win. The saints nearly won 2 flags with Kosi at FF, largely due to Riewoldt. Even though he was well held/beaten in both grand finals (Not talking about the replay) his work to contest set them up.