DeeSpencer

I'm sorry Mr Rivers, you will have to return via the 2's. Sylvia is the only one who deserves to come straight in. The only guy who has played 2 bad weeks in a row from the midfield or small/medium sized forwards is.... Tom Scully. Give him a week or two in the VFL.

On the Melbourne website Newton is named 4th in order in front of Bate. Jamar rucking all day against Maric and Tippett is just as hard as Jolly and Fraser. He needs at least 15% off a game, and really for his longevity in a season I'd be looking at 25%. That combined with the fact that Newton (FF) and Dunn (CHF) compared to Dunn (FF) and Bate (CHF) is a very small loss with the way Bate has been playing suggests to me that Newton must play. Not sure why Jones has to feel the heat after 2 good ordinary games. Yes we want more from experienced players - but no one really had a dominant display last week (beside Ricky up forward) - it was more the combination of what happens when ever senior player pulls their weight. Jones did that. Oh, that is deluded. Bartram was very solid last week. Why drop him for Cheney and if you were going to drop him, why not for Col Garland.News flash - James McDonald is our best midfield. He plays in the midfield. Cam Bruce has played with good success in the backline for the last 2 seasons as well if you haven't noticed. Also Spencer and Newton is an interesting call. But where has Dunn gone wrong. He played a solid game last week. Also how has Spencer proved that he has more to offer than what he did in round 1. Spencer might give a little more in the ruck than the Newton at centre bounces, Dunn around the ground combo, but he isn't going to kick the 2 goals that Dunn did when he went forward.

Bruce often plays similar games to Jack Grimes off a half back flank. Except when Grimes plays a good one we all hear about how fantastic he is. When he is a bit down we hear nothing. Bruce is completely the other way. Through the midfield Bruce really lost his way in many games (maybe around 2007/08), but I think Dean Bailey has found a great spot for him to play out his career. Hopefully he lasts long enough to really get to see some success (maybe finals 2011, or am I dreaming!).

With Strauss out we need both an extra defender and preferably a tall defender at that. If he's fit they will have to think long and hard about playing Garland. He's been running for what, over a month now? Played in 2 competitive games. He's ideally suited to Walker and could be an option for Dangerfield or the Porpoise. From there it has to be Newton (need the ruck and forward back up), Jones, McKenzie. Which is bad news for Bate, but if he does get dropped I'd expect him to bounce back very quickly.

Of course we will finish top 4, probably losing the flag to Freo because they have Micky Barlow, Steve Silvagni, Pav, Chopper Mayne, Hayden Ballentyne, a really tall guy, Taz and no undie Mundy. Not to mention they are coached by Mark Harvey, who in the space of 2 weeks has gone from the man (fairly or unfairly) widely regarded as the worst in the business to a respectable coach. If you think the comments about Freo are stupid, then think about your comments about Melbourne. We won't make the 8, we'll be lucky to be above 12th. About 13 other teams put out equally skilled teams as us with bucket loads more experience. We also genuinely lack a fit key forward of any note. No matter how hard our boys work, we won't be able to do a number on top 8 sides repeatedly enough to make the 8. We couldn't even get past an extremely flat Collingwood (who have always shown to have flat games and be beatable early in the season).

I would say it might be a fair compromise to let Melbourne clubs train on the G when they play an interstate team (as they get a training session on the G). But really I'm happy with our players training at Casey, and hopefully the oval are producing at the moment next to the rectangular stadium is in tip top condition when we move.

Ben Johnson might argue against that. Wasn't it Jordie who got him.

Why would you change the Newton does centre square, Dunn around the ground ruck backup system for Jamar that we used on Saturday. Why not just increase it. I agree we have to look after Jamar, but I think he was about 85% TOG on Saturday, we could drop that back to 70-75% which should look after him until Spencer or Martin deserve a game.

I'm worried about a big let down after an honourable performance this week. See Essendon against Freo. Also our senior players were very good against Collingwood, and we wouldn't be coming off consistent wooden spoons if they played consistently as well as they did on Saturday. I'm not confident Jamar, Davey, Moloney and all the others will back it up. Maybe that will be offset by Sylvia and Rivers back in. Sadly I'm tipping Adelaide to get over us next week, but I'm confident out first win will be chalked up the next week.

The ball just didn't come back to him on the bounce which stuffed him up. Was so unfortunate because if the ball came straight back to him he could have kicked a goal from 40 or dished off to Green with the odds of getting a goal very good.But he has good size, good speed, runs hard. Skills might not be magnificent but looks to have skills that can make it at AFL if he excels in something. Not sure what his best position will be - half back, wing, forward. Can't believe he was playing VFL 2's last year - I think off field family circumstances must have taken an effect. Will certainly keep the selectors honest this year.

Frawley spent most of last year on the dangerous marking smalls - Medhurst, LeCras, Porplyzia to name a few. I want to give him a chance to take the big guns but Warnock can only really play tall and both of them are ideally suited to the full back line. MacDonald actually played primarily on Cloke and whilst Cloke did snag a couple of marks he didn't get out of hand. Bruce also played on Leigh Brown, John/Jack Anthony, Cloke and others. Garland is probably more amazing because he has shown he can play on Jeff Farmer up to Buddy Franklin. Grimes can certainly play a little above his size as well. The important thing is we keep giving the appropriate midfield cover, because then with whatever choice of defender we have we can structure a strong backline. Also for the future small blokes to develop - Bennell and Strauss will most likely take over from someone like Bartram (who is a great defender but just lets himself down too often) - they need to play on suitable opponents. I really don't believe getting a young player "Zac Dawsoned" does them any good.

Wake up people - Newton contributed today!!! That's what its all about! Martin and Spencer have to earn the right to get past him now. Juice attacked the ball, chased, forced the ball to ground - he did everything we needed, and he kicked a goal. I don't want him around for ever, but I can't see what good dropping him for Spencer or Martin is unless those 2 deserved it. There's a reason Mick Malthouse plays Leigh Brown (although I often struggle to see it). Today Juice was Leigh Brown like, and I mean that in a positive way.

Can't see what game you were watching. Thought Bruce was serviceable.In: Sylvia, Rivers, Garland* - These 3 must play if fit. Out: Bennell, Strauss, Bartram* FB: Frawley Warnock Grimes HB: MacDonald Rivers Bruce C: Trengove Moloney Davey HF: Bail Bate Sylvia FF: Petterd Green Dunn Foll: Jamar McDonald McKenzie Int: Newton, Scully, Jones, Garland I heard on the radio that Rivers should be right to go. Not sure about Garland. If he's not then Bartram gets a game ahead of Strauss as his defensive work is better. We need that at the moment. I hate to drop Strauss but he will get plenty more chances. Some confidence in the VFL won't hurt him. Bate gets 1 more chance for mine. Started to get into the match a little in the second half. We still lack marking targets and players who can kick. If Miller dominated/s for Casey I'd probably bring him in instead. Bail and Bennell both played as defensive forwards today, I'd stick with Bail. It's probably not his best position but he did a job for the team today, just couldn't win the game. Newton can keep the back up ruck/forward job. If Spencer or Martin want to do it they can earn it!

He's not a full forward, but in Petterd, Jurrah, Green and a fit Matty Bate we would have 4 very dangerous marking players. In the long term we will need to find a big guy (or 2) to play down there - most likely at least Watts. But the bulldogs have shown that you can get within 2 goals of a grand final with multiple marking options. I really hope we can get the small forwards back in form as well - Maric and/or Wona!!! Jurrah > Hill Green = Brad Johnson Bate isn't in the same ball park on current form but has the talent to play like Rob Murphy Petterd, as good as Mitch Hahn? Forwards who compete and put on the required level of pressure are so important. If they do that and have a midfield behind them they will be successful.

Take her to more games. The wins may have been few and far between but their have been some good ones in the last 3 years. If you are only going to make it to select games, take her to the winnable ones! Richmond in round 4 should be a good start, I fancy we should at least manage more than 1 goal to half time.

I'll be stoked if he plays in a flag, regardless of if its his 20th or 300th game. As long as its with us.

Whatever system they use in Supercoach seems to get the best players with the best rankings. It does have a midfield bias (in terms of level of the scores) and the big exception is probably full backs as they are a unique breed. However if you look through it the best forwards score the most points and the class midfielders score the most points (led by G. Ablett). Here is players ranked by average score last year: Best Mids - Ablett, Montagna, Swan, Hayes, Dal Santo, Goddard, Chapman, Goodes, Pendlebury, Davis, Sewell, Selwood, Bartel, Mitchell, Corey, Didak, Boyd, Priddis, Cross, Bolton, Watson, Pavlich, Kirk Best key forwards – Riewoldt, Brown, Fevola, Petrie, Franklin, Roughead, Tippett Best Rucks – Cox, Sandilands, Clark, Jolly, Fraser, McIntosh, Petrie, Ottens, Ryder, Jamar, Tippett So I think Priddis and Davis get a bit over ranked due to racking up cheapies, Petrie is hard to judge as he plays games in both positions and Josh Fraser has done a 'Jeff White' crash course in cheap touches to get that high. But all in all if I was picking players in certain positions to sign for a once off game in round 22 last year (without tanking!) I'd pick in pretty much that order.

Backing Strauss for the rising star is stupid. You should just donate the cash to the club. Grimes is a league above Struass as a footballer and had a great season last year and even if he did play 22 games he was probably not going to win the award. Strauss will be doing well to get a vote.

If it was up to Sylvia he'd probably play this week. I'd love to see him out there but we can't risk another broken jaw, hopefully the medico's make the right decision whatever that may be. Rumour is young Trengove has a bit of an injury - nothing too serious and shouldn't stop him from round 1, contact your sources and figure that one out ladies and gents.

The latest 3 decisions have been Maxwell, Franklin and now Kennedy. I thought the head was sacrosanct and if you got someone high regardless of the circumstance and you injure them you are looking at a spell. Ie. Maxwell But it seems to have changed, my new interpretation of the rule is that: If you bump someone with the ball and get them high then you are gone. Ie. Franklin If you bump someone without the ball but they can reasonably be expecting contact, and get them high, but your technique is good and you didn't mean to hurt them, then you get off. Ie. Kennedy I just hope Melbourne players are not dishing out or on the receiving end of the next bumps the test the rules.

One thing we have to do is get all defenders able to kick. Maybe Warnock can have a rest but the rest of them have to do it. Strauss can take the delayed kick ins but the rest need to take quick ones. Running to provide options is definitely the key. Especially on big grounds. The long bomb to Jamar is an acceptable play, but it needs to be deep (like 65m+) and we have to have the numbers at the fall of the ball. Besides that we need a lot of movement to try and get the short/medium kick out to a target. This is where players need to work hard to get someone on a lead 30m out and at least not right on the boundary. Finally we need to get a better zone when we score points, because our zone is as bad as our kick outs.

Bate makes the same mistakes but so do a lot of quality players (not elite players) who have deficiencies. He does get run down from behind and can make a few shoddy decisions at times. But opposed to that is the fact that he is our best presenting target across half forward and has a booming kick. If Jack Watts becomes a solid bodied tall forward and we eventually become a half decent side then Bate, Petterd and Jurrah would make a pretty amazing mid sized marking combination. Maybe my expectations are too high after seeing how effective Jack Grimes was off a half back flank in his second year - but it would be nice to see Bennell and or Strauss have seasons in that ball park.

I thought it got pushed back from a March start to May. Hopefully it is soon. We need every little boost we can get right now

Has to work on his hardness now. He's had a few too many soft efforts in the preseason and it's not acceptable. The other thing he needs to do is to continue taking the game on and backing himself. He did it very well in his first season even in losing sides. Bennell has all the talent to play like Harbrow from the dogs, or even better (which is where the Mcleod comparison comes in), but he has to cement himself in the team first.

This news is worse than Cam Schwab's tattoo.