DeeSpencer

FB: Rivers Warnock Bennell HB: Bruce Frawley Grimes Int: Garland Thoughts Garland:might not be available for round 1 in which case others come into thinking, and I want to try him forward at some stage but the first thing I'd like to see is him back to being a versatile athletic defender. 4 talls: Saints had Fisher, Dawson, Blake + Gilbert, Geelong had Harley, Scarlett, Taylor, Milburn - I believe we can easily play 4 talls but it will be important to get run from them. Frawley and Garland have this in their games already but need to step it up. I really rate McNamara as a mid-tall player and he might end up being best 22 ahead of one of the others Bruce/McDonald/Grimes half back: I like Bruce off half back, he reads the play well, knows when to attack and defend and unless his kicking is off uses it well. Where as I still think Junior will have a role leading the midfield (not in terms of minutes played or being the number 1 player but I think it is where he belongs). That should definitely stay the case if we don't get Ball. I also have concerns over his pace in a deep back pocket. Grimes probably deserves a shot in the midfield but he is just so great off half back and good teams have superb players in this position. Bennell/Strauss/Bartram: I like Bennell as the small defender and we need to train someone up to play on the (generally indigenous) quick crumbing small forwards. Strauss is another possibility for this position but Bennell has him covered at the moment due to exposed form. Bartram is a good defender in this position but I don't see him holding a spot without improvement in skills McNamara/Cheney/Bell: I think these guys are competing with the 4 talls for the shut down midsized defender who plays on guys like Mark Williams and LeCras. McNamara needs to work on his body to primarily improve his defence, Cheney needs more skills and speed and Bell needs to get back to playing something like his best footy.

Promoting the club is always good and I don't mean to be harsh but if I was Brad Miller I'd be looking to line up some future employment prospects after football.

A nice half back flank type with good aggression and some nice size. Don't think he's the most skilled but certainly not horrible. If we are to use 34 or PSD1 and the club rates him as the best available then I wouldn't be overly disappointed. But I doubt we will be missing out on much either. Originally from NSW I believe so maybe the swans have had a word to him.

He constantly played well at VFL reserves but obviously due to injury didn't get to put it together long enough in VFL seniors to get a Melbourne call up. But that doesn't neccessarily mean we should write him off, however anything we get with him in terms of him being a player of the future will definitely be a bonus. Is certainly stuck at the end of a que for midfield positions which is about to get longer with Pick 1 and Pick 2 but I'll be watching him and Jordie McKenzie (who I think is a real find) to see what they can offer. A massive preseason will be the key. Good luck to him.

From a football point of view away games at the MCG are very good. You're right, we get a chance to win and then we also haven't used our home games. But from a financial view it would be nice to play a big home game early, get some coin in the bank. If we start with away games against the hawks and pies it would be important to win at least 1 of them, so then come a round 3 game against an interstate side or something like that we have some drawing power.

Yes we are definitely moving some of our offices into the new stadium. We are also going to train at an oval next to the stadium which should be completed by the early rounds of next year - see Schwab's twitter

The worst game for the year was the Adelaide game. Freezing cold, raining all day but not during the game, 4:40 Sunday start. Plus we flooded the whole game and got our first goal half way through the 3rd from Lynden Dunn if I remember correctly. Also I think Juice missed a couple of sitters. We were also in with a chance half way through the last until Tippett slotted a couple. Anyone who went to that game was a true believer! The Freo game on the other hand was great fun. Never have I seen such a stupid thing as a bottom of a ladder team that had no real interest in winning most weeks turn up and completely dismantle a side.

Surely with Essendon having picks 24 and 26 he wouldn't get past both of them. With only Watson a real contested footy midfielder in their line up, and their midfield all being around the mid 20's age anyway I would think they would be negligent not to take him. Collingwood at 30 would be the furthest he would last.

Stolen (taken for the greater good with no copywrite intended) from KickLongTackleHard on bigfooty So yeah, TU summed it up pretty well

He is still the best shut down small defender we have (maybe barring Grimes). If I'm Neon Leon outside of September I'd much rather be on Cheney, Bennell or Strauss. It's the promise of Bennell and Strauss that would force Clint out. Personally I'd rather lose Cheney than Bartram though, Clint has similarly average skills but very good speed. As a tagger he's decent, but how do you justify giving games to a tagger when you need to develop other players. Dunn as a tagger has more potential (I hate to use that word) as shown through his goal kicking.

See the Coughlan thread. Both of them are not worth taking.

This is just my opinion, and I know it is a harsh call - it's because he doesn't have the speed or skills that are needed. I'd rather toughen up Bennell, Strauss and McNamara by playing them for 50 games than trying to get skills into Cheney. Bailey always stresses the need to get games into "the right players". I believe Cheney is not the right player.

Isn't it pick 34 opened up? Someone on bigfooty was claiming McNamara and Bartram to be gone.

Grimes looks bigger, good to see him out there running around. Hope he can stay like that for at least the next 11 months.

I'm pretty sure senior players start back 2 weeks after the others. I'm not sure who qualifies as a senior player though - McDonald, Bruce, Green would be about it! Maybe Riv, Warnock, Moloney, Jamar, Miller, Davey can have a bit more rest. I just hope we get some good numbers on the track and minimalise injuries. Hopefully as many as possible can have full preseasons, and we get some good improvers similar to Frawley. I would expect Watts to be training sporadically until the end of his exams, and then crank it up towards December, likewise with Blease. I'd like to Watts just go from private school boy to strong young tall. I'm not expecting him to look like Riewoldt but if he starts to get a frame that looks like a young man with a physical presence it would be nice. As for big improvers - Martin, Bate, Petterd, Morton and Maric are my tips to go from boys to men over the summer.

I hope we lock this bloke in soon, and get a good preseason into him. Is a lovely run and carry and kick of the footy. In 2 years he has only battled away at VFL but his AFL games were very very solid. Whilst I don't think he'll ever be a true tall defender if he can be a handy defensive player he has a great attacking game with his run and foot skills. Reminds me off a young and exciting Darren Milburn.

Timing could be the issue. McDonald will surely have his last year this year, and then we will be looking to hand over the captaincy. Davey and Moloney seem to be the logical fan favs at the moment, as the idea is that Bruce and Green have missed their shots, and younger guys like Grimes, Jones won't be ready. If Ball had a super debut season with us then he could be in the same area as Davey and Moloney, but he would have to win over the players. I think we should to see if we get him first! This years leadership group will also be interesting. McDonald, Davey, Moloney, Bruce will be certainties. Green probably gets in. Miller will again push, despite being such an average player, but who else will get a call up - Rivers, Warnock?

I think taking a player to get us there isn't the worst idea though. Aaron Hamill and Rob Harvey aren't at the saints any more, but I think they really helped get them in the right direction. Ball could do similar for us. Medicals will be so important for both Smith and Ball. Playing on the lush surface of the MCG should be good for both of them!

If he goes ND, I can see Essendon with picks 24,26 snapping him up. They are dying for someone to help Watson out in the middle. Can we convince Ball that we are a better place to go than Essendon - I think we could.

Yes but I'm sure we can ask the AFL for permission for him to train with us, just like Carlton did with Chris Johnson last year. The whole situation firstly depends on how badly he has fallen out with Ross Lyon and the rest of the saints. I'm sure we will get a Ball weighing up options article in one of the papers soon which will give us more of a clue on what his plans are.

Early or Late sorts it out.

Mumford has great skills for a ruckman and gets around the ground well. Probably doesn't have the physicality of Jamar, and we'll need to work on his hit outs to go from good to very good or even top line. But he's a player I'd love to have for a PSD pick, or pick 34 or later. Not sure I'd give him 1mil of 3 years though.

Marribynong to Casey is a fair hike, I get that. But you're a footballer getting a great wad of cash- move house!!! You're not a student with no cash who is practically forced to live at home. Considering that you are driving against the majority of traffic, and the M1 up grade is nearing completion, as a Melbourne player you can live in a vast array of eastern suburbs - expensive or inexpensive leafy or bayside, and be at Casey in around 40 minutes. Plus you are closer to Junction oval and our future base at Olympic park.

So you are saying he would be more of a stopp-ing defender?

Hmm, if tanking caused him to leave it comes down to: Pick 2 and Pick 11 or Brock McLean. I know what I'd choose!