DeeSpencer

If his job was to be completely pantsed by a young ruck and converted key defender then yeah, he did his job. We've got a tricky decision to make about that spot come finals.

Ziebell already got the retired/assaulted. LDU out last week. Shouldn't be hard to add a few more.

The bad news is we aren't getting Reid. The good news is the league doesn't have to give in to North's woe is me sooking for priority picks. No more Ben McKay pick 2 compo. No more nonsense with Colonel Sanders. We should get a fair crack at pick 4 or pick 5, which will then ease out at least one spot with Walter from the Suns but that's better than McKay compo and Sanders off the board.

6. Lever - solid throughout and controlled the game in the second half 5. Rivers - looked the only player who could run with the Hawks in the first half 4. Melk - poor finishing and some drop marks cost him but he was all over Sicily early and the best forward 3. ANB - crucial contest wins and some very good ball use. Didn't finish off his own shots but did enough other important work 2. McVee - held Breust to 2 (one from a shove in the back), won a number of vital contests when out numbered and had some lovely use too 1. JVR - solid and important in big moments Gus, Viney, Langdon, Gawn unlucky but it wasn't a day for the mids

He can play 80% midfield and get 30 with ease, the issue what do you do with Viney, Oliver, Gus, Sparrow and Tracc if he does that. Also if he is getting 30 at the coal face then Viney, Oliver and Gus aren’t unless they are handballing to each other in circles. Even with Tracc playing predominantly forward we don’t need another full time mid. The only move to create midfield opportunity is to send Gus to a wing or possibly half back

I’d have him 30-1 to play at best. But we haven’t seen him up forward to know. Obviously the tank isn’t there but he’s playing 50-60% ruck minutes and doing really well. The bar to getting a game - play 50% up forward and don’t be completely terrible, has never been lower.

Schache should ruck the second half to get him in the game. Verrall - who looks a proper talent - should play forward to see how he goes. If he can compete forward he’d almost be a crazy chance to play next week Big Kyah has no place at this level, back to the talent league please

The Harmes and Munro spud off has been compelling. Casey have done well to scrape 3 of the last 4 goals, just need to settle down around the ball and trust their forwards. George Gray has been very good to get Casey back in the game

Smith had a couple of very bad lost moments. One on Martin in the second. One leaving Curnow in the 3rd (caused by May charging up to spoil Rivers). I really think 10-20 straight backline games would largely fix it but Hibbo is probably the preferred option just lacking fitness and Smith is likely required forward (or sub). So it’s hard to see him getting that continuity down back. That’s always been the issue for Joel, he needs one continuous run of games down back and has never had it. If we get T Mc and Fritsch back in round 24 I’d like to see JVR, T Mc, Fritsch, Smith combo with Melk sub. The mobility of Smith would take the load off T Mc and he’d provide much needed tackling pressure in a tall line up like that. Which then lets Kosi have a midfield roam.

Try the Avenue in Parkville, risk a 2hr park in Princes Hill or worse case scenario go the zoo

He had some exceptional marks and contests in the wet last night. Once he gets a tank to play genuine CHF he’ll get more easy footy. Wish we had 2 of him. I don’t care if he’s hopeless let’s give his brother a try in the draft!

He really really doesn’t. We have 4 elite ball winners in the midfield. We need run and skill. JJ at least has run. Dunstan has neither

Backline and forward line have issues but we aren’t really going to solve either of them. Have to live with a backline that is mostly good but doesn’t have the personnel (no clear 3rd tall) or elite form to be great. Have to live with whatever difficult choices the coaches go with up forward. The big question mark is do we change up the midfield mix or hope improvement in Clarry is enough to get it done? The current set up just can’t string together quality kicking and run. Especially on a wet night. Not enough dual sided players or creative players who find space for themselves and find team mates.

T Mc needs 2 Casey hit outs, no point picking him off a good first up effort to only have him battle big time second up.

Geez you’re an [censored] to suggest selecting a kid who gets 5 touches a week. Grow a brain

Hibbo to start. Smith to sub. Schache tomorrow playing for his chance next week. Harmes, Laurie, Spargo and Moniz-Wakefield playing for JJ’s spot next week. Id have Hunter out, Gus to the wing and Woey on ball rotation. Hunter continues to provide absolutely no drive with everything backwards and sideways. He’s simply too slow and soft to play in finals. And Gus is too slow to play as a midfield runner when Oliver is pill hunting. Balance between contested and uncontested on ballers is way off. We need someone, anyone to link a handball and run the ball through the middle or we’ll never score against good back lines. Salem could do with a rest but we’re out of half back options.

It’s really not

He’s our riskiest first round pick. Low possessions, no standout athletic traits and whilst brave in the air not a physical player. But the same could be said of JUH who is a pretty similar package with more output and maybe a touch more speed. JUH was nowhere near it year 1. Played 1 good game year 2, and is now a star in year 3. I think we’ll know by mid way next year if Jefferson is on track to being a regular in years 3/4 or a genuine project player.

Don’t worry, after the first year or two they won’t send the big clubs to the new stadium either. The roof that will or won’t be built (even if clear) combined with the stadium being built on a wharf will no doubt see it be a Docklands/Perth stadium disaster style surface.

Don’t risk playing Petty in finals for what? To save him for future finals? He has to prove his fitness and we shouldn’t jeopardise his career if there’s a specific concern but otherwise if he’s available to play there’s no point holding him back

It also happened the last few weeks with Tomlinson, and happens when May is worried about McVee too. Really it’s happened at every team line up apart from prime 2021 backline where May had faith in Petty and Hibbo. At some stage May trying to do too much is the problem. Smith wasn’t perfect yesterday, he rushed up at one stage that wasn’t needed and had that dropped mark (that was clearly a mark) in the goal square but he also looked more reliable one on one than May and Lever who both were stuffing up. And that’s without mentioning the deer in the headlights routine that happens when May has the ball and his awful kick outs. Moving May forward would be absolute last resort, but we aren’t far off having to consider last resorts. There’s at least a chance Tom McDonald takes CHF and we have to swing May and McDonald in game to chase a lead.

He’s an ok role player who always has a dip but he’s up against it when he concedes 10cm+ in the ruck and he’s unremarkable as a forward, although he does compete well on the deck. He’d be replacing Melksham and could ruck if we had 2 key forwards who we want to keep away from the ruck. I’d probably try him filling in as a 3rd winger for back up minutes rather than as the back up ruck. I’d have him for cheap but the priority is surely for a genuine tall (at one end of the other), and if we move Grundy then we need a spare proper ruck as well.

The one thing we haven’t tried is splitting the game in half. Grundy takes the bulk of the ruck for first half where the game is often in tight and he’s useful as a clearance player. Gawn plays mostly forward in the give a contest role where he’s likely better than anyone we have. We then sub Grundy off after half time for an impact forward (not sure we have one but maybe J Smith, Schache or Melk once Fritsch is back). Someone with some forward craft who can find space as the game opens up. Gawn then rucks 80-90% of the second half. The big issue is an in game injury but it might be the best way to get value from Grundy, not completely mess with Gawn and have a functioning forward line.

6. Tracc 5. Viney 4. Pickett 3. ANB 2. Hunter 1. Gus

I’d have Fritsch as a finals inclusion.