DeeSpencer

Who were the rucks up against? Frankston is a shambles of a VFL club and it was a practice match!!! We know Spencer is a good tap ruckman. He can even win hit outs at AFL level. But around the ground he can't chase, tackle or compete when the ball is on the ground. We can't go with him in the team yet. Maybe late in the season but not now. Anyone who saw him against Brisbane would not have him in contention for round 1. Especially when the case for his inclusion is a good VFL practice match.

Thanks for the report. I really like what I saw from McDonald against Brisbane. His kicking needs work but he moves well for a big lad and is strong in the air. Just seems to be a natural competitor as well which goes a long way.

Really excited that Petterd looks set to go for round 1. Wona hasn't hit the scoreboard. Is he playing up forward? I'd have him in if he's fit enough. Forward pressure is vital and to have Wona, Maric and Jetta providing it would be good. Also happy that Matthews is going well in his recovery.

Players are about so much more than stats, goals per game or anything else easily read on a sheet. We need a second ruck who can break even in hit outs and also contribute around the ground. I think Martin provides a good 3rd tall defender and isn't completely inept when in the ruck. Up forward he is rubbish. Maybe Newton is as good as Martin in the ruck, and up forward provides the perfect target to sit 30 out and either bring the ball to ground or get sat on by Jurrah. Time will tell.

Loaded much faster for me than the old one. I use firefox, what about you guys? Anyway it's different, but really not improvement. Just change for the sake of it. The major problem I have with the AFL website is too much clutter (which I don't think has changed) and rubbish video - that I'm scared to even try.

Interesting thoughts these 2.If Sydney go with just White and Goodes then I'd say why bother playing Warnock. Play Joel Macdonald instead. Also I'd go with Stef Martin over Spencer. That way he can go back if Sydney throw a ruckman forward. Let Jamar ruck 70% and play Martin the rest. Spencer is a much better tap ruckman than Martin but is just devoid of talent around the ground. Mumford would kill Spencer for footy smarts. We'd also be getting smashed in the clearances. FB: Bartram Rivers Macdonald HB: Grimes Garland Bennell C: Scully Moloney Davey (drop into the backline) HF: Petterd Watts Dunn FF: Maric Green Jurrah Foll: Jamar Sylvia Trengove Int: Martin, Jetta, Jones. Sub: Bail Emer: Tapscott (nearly snuck him in), Bate (pls dont play him), Warnock The secret for us beating Sydney is to do 4 things. 1. Break even in the contested ball - hence why Jones gets a run. He, Moloney, Scully, Trengove and Jetta must get their hands on it. 2. Stop their run off half back - Maric, Jetta, Petterd, Dunn even Bennell or Bail if they go forward must play accountable footy as forwards 3. Minimise the influence of Goodes. Last year Morton went head to head and was even with him at 3/4 time. This year he's more likely to play at CHF and I think Garland gets him at CHB. An advantage of playing Warnock would be to free up Rivers for 3rd man up duties but I think Grimes and Macdonald have to take that role. 4. Move the ball quickly and isolate Green and Jurrah. EDIT: Thought it wasn't so great having Bail as a sub due to the fact he's got a strong body and gun endurance. He may as well be out there from the start. Either Bennell or Petterd I'd look at for the sub. Possibly Bennell as the sub and start Petterd on the ground. Presuming Ricky isn't quiet 100% after missing a lot of footy he could come off and Bennell come on and be fresh for the second half playing forward/back or middle.

Garland or Rivers when he's up forward. Probably start with Col. I'd consider Dunn for when he goes into the middle but I think Goodes will play the majority forward. Grimes isn't a bad suggestion. You would have to concede a couple of goals in the air but at ground level he would stick on him.

If Jack had shown the same appetite for the contest I would agree. But at the moment Hurley is demanding the footy and crashing packs even if he doesn't take the marks. He also tackles with intent. That's what I haven't seen from Watts. I don't care if Watts doesn't take a pack mark all year if he actually gets his body right in there and commits 100% to win the ball. I'm actually happier every time I see him go hard and get crashed and up again than to see him kicking goals from frees or using the ball beautifully.

Firstly, I started this whinging so I'm going to stick to it. If it turns out to be wrong then that will be a good thing. I'm going to get all my negativity out in this thread, because after watching our first 3 games there is plenty of negativity to go around.Voss and Lyon had shown plenty first and that was 20 years ago. I was at the Brisbane game. Strauss was his usual self - one good kick in between slops. Gysberts they wouldn't even play in the middle, which I suppose wasn't his fault. Bailey was too busy sticking with Moloney and Jones.

Why are Essendon (who have a similarly young list) finding improvers everywhere where we have Maric and Jet. Tapscott I nearly left off that list, that is unfair to him. But Strauss, Blease and Gysberts had a whole preseason to get right and instead got wrong. Sure Blease was injured but you either get over it or you don't. Have you ever seen a race horse come back from 2 years out and be a star, it doesn't happen. I'm not blaming him but if he was going to be a player he would be back by now. As you said Tapscott bounced straight in last week, why are the others not doing that. Stop making excuses for Watts. He spends too much time in his own little superstar world. If we keep letting him play half baked games without dropping him we'll be doing ourselves a disservice.Maybe it will come together in 2012 onwards but I'm predicting a drop this year and I'm almost certain Bailey will go in similar fashion to Knights. He's changed his game plan from up the middle to round the boundary and an already confused playing group don't have a clue what the hell is going on. He's fascinated with how much weights we've done when he should be more interested in how fit we are and how much run we have in the side. Every year Jones and Moloney get more bulked and less agile, it's rediculous.

If we are actually going to play him then yeah I agree Evans. But realistically without many injuries to our midfielders I think he won't get a look in. Same goes for Nicholson.Therefore I think we promote the one guy who sadly makes us a better team and that is Newton. I really believe that late last year he proved himself as our best second ruck option. Of course he is still a spud but picking between him, Martin and Spencer he wins.

I just feel let down that there isn't enough players who have the ability/commitment to show something. So far Maric and Jetta seem the only players to make significant improvement from last year. That's not going to do us any good. We should have a plethora of players pushing up. It can't be Frawley, Scully, Grimes, Trengove. We know what level they are at. But mid range players like Bate, Dunn, Bail, Jones, Bartram, Macdonald and Garland should be firing on all cylinders not just going through the paces. And where is the significant improvement from Bennell, Watts, Blease, Strauss, Tapscott, Gysberts. All these players look too comfortable or seem to losing their battle against injuries.

Being reported on herald sun website, although there source is the leader newspaper. Is this is a good decision for the Melbourne football club - probably not. Is this very exciting for the Scorps - hell yes!

It's a new balance ad yeah? I've also seen the Frawley tram.

1. Jetta played midfield, wing and half forward. Definitely competing more with the likes of Bail and Jones than Maric. Both should play round 1. If Jones plays round 1 and Jetta doesn't that is a travesty.2. Brisbane had a strong backline (Merrett, Patfull, Maguire, McGrath, Drummond) and midfield (Black, Rich, Power, Rockliff). I'd say 5 of their best 22 - Brown, Banfield, Cornelius, Leuenberger and Polec were missing but I'm not sure. 3. Strauss has a sore hamstring which would probably rule him out of round 1. Tapscott would be some small chance depending on next week but at the moment I'd say we'd go in with Warnock, Rivers, Garland, Grimes, Macdonald, Bartram and Bail + Bennell in our defensive rotation. I'd look for Tapscott to come in quickly though based on today.

I had to only have him at bad because his ruck work wasn't disastrous, somehow he kicked a goal and mainly because we need him in the side at the moment.However I think he's best chance of being effective is to relieve in the ruck and also play down back. There is no rule saying he has to rest forward and he is a liability there. Where as I think he's good enough defensive to play on most resting ruckmen.

Good Jetta - BOG for us, busted his gut and was generally clean. Must play round 1 Sylvia, Maric Petterd - strong hands, moved well Warnock not up against much but much better than last week Tapscott and Gysberts being out there. Tappy showed a bit off half back Tom McDonald - the young fella played CHB and had a go. Nice speed and tried well. Kicking not horrible (especially with the rest of our backline) Opportunities for Evans, Cook, Howe (showed a bit), Nicholson Scully back Bad No real plan on show Watts - kicked 2 nice goals from free kicks but otherwise just didn't attack the ball well enough. I strongly believe he should be trialled in the backline where he can be led to the ball and have to improve physically. Playing him CHF when he team mates don't use him is a complete waste. Rohan Bail's kicking Stef Martin Ugly Moving the ball from the back half The lack of movement from the forwards Bate - same story every week now. Is so hard to watch. Must not play round 1. Jake Spencer - I've been a long time fan but he's useless. Just doesn't work round the ground at all. So really he's there for his hit outs and despite being a huge [censored] he can't even win most of them.

Disagree. I think there is room for both Strauss and Bartram in the round 1 team if their form was good enough ie. Strauss had 2 very good games in the next 2 weeks. However, I think it will be Strauss missing out for Bennell and Bail (who have increased versatility).To me Bartram and Warnock were taking the kicks because they are the 2 who will play round 1 and need the work. Makes perfect sense for them to be practicing under high pressure in training.

No Frawley, Grimes, Garland (not sure why he's named in the squad) - arguably our 3 best defenders. Bartram out as well. I'd be looking to rest Jamar - he'll have such a big work load in the season I see no reason that he needs 4 practice matches. McDonald is miles off so I'd rather play others with more chance of making it in the round 1 team. Can't wait to hear how Gysberts, Petterd and Tapscott go. Also I think Cook and Nicholson are a decent chance to play AFL this year, I'd love to see them go well. FB: Bennell Warnock Macdonald HB: Strauss Rivers Tapscott C: Jetta Moloney Bail HF: Bate Watts Petterd FF: Dunn Jurrah Maric Foll: Martin Sylvia Scully Int: Gysberts, Green, Spencer, Jones, Cook, Nicholson Sub: Howe, Evans Emer: Jamar, McDonald

Unless you're Leon Davis. He had to nearly lose them a grand final before he got dropped.

No way should Frawley be a forward. He's a natural defender. Watts should also be our CHF. Don't panic too much about his poor games. However, throwing him back for some games is not such a bad idea. I'd consider giving him some time at CHB in next weeks NAB challenge game. I hear Garland might need some time off with a calf strain.

Good. Great time to take a younger squad on the road. Leave a few of our better NAB cup performed players in Melbourne (ie. Jamar, Jurrah, Sylvia, Grimes, Trengove). Gives an opportunity to give Nicholson and Cook a run who didn't look out of place in Adelaide. Increase the game time for Blease, Strauss, Spencer and Martin.

Let's hope there are no reports from either side. It's a farce that Petrie has to miss a home and away game for something so trivial as last week (and yet if his side had won he didn't have to miss a H&A game).

Great sides have gun midfielders, but great sides also have generals down back, who usually play the half back flank role and set the tone for the side. The last 4 premierships have featured Maxwell, Harley and Hodge on half back flanks. The midfield got a caning last night but a lot of that was also due to the backlines rubbish skills and the forwards lack of defensive pressure. Moving Grimes to the middle wouldn't help that.

5 things I remembered this morning 1. It was the Nab cup at Etihad 2. Our tackling pressure and intensity was miles off unless our players are witches hats 3. Some of our players are witches hats 4. How crap Addam Maric was this time in 2010. 2 possible lessons here. For optimists - who knows where types like Strauss and Blease might be in 2012. For the pessimists don't jump the gun on celebrating a new exciting player. 5. We are going to need to find a couple of skillful running players out of Blease, Strauss, Tapscott, Nicholson and Evans.