bing181

... which you're making very clear.

Gee, things have changed a bit on the boards - an hour ago we were champions. Then, after a bad quarter against one of the best, high-pressure teams around, and everyone spits the dummy.

I think we've noticed - but banging on about it ad nauseum in every other thread is just counter-productive. Why not make your point and then ... move on to other points. If you have any. As for the subject at hand, I'll be happy if we take last week's second half and apply it for 4 quarters. I suspect though that that the result depends on which Hawthorn turns up - if we get the finals contenders, it's going to be tough. Talk that Sewell won't play, which would be one less mid to worry about.

No, but you did say " will not be playing for the Demons next week!". Still standing by that?

As long as it takes. He's too classy for Casey, and the mantra of "getting games into the kids" is nowhere more applicable than with young Jack.

Not sure that a player like Maric is ideal as a sub, think subs need to be able to cover a few more bases. For me, possible subs and changes to the side (suspensions or injuries?) would be (i) Newton - based on reports from Casey, etc., and he wasn't promoted from Rookie for nothing (ii) Frawley - though might not be match fit for a whole game, so sub? (iii) Gysberts - perhaps not match fit enough for a whole game either, but good reports from Casey (iv) Morton - see Frawley

OK, a misquote, but one that sums you up. There are always positives, and there are always negatives, no matter the result. After the preseason we had, the players we've lost, the players out injured, plus the way Sydney came to play (they certainly haven't forgotten last year's drubbing), to have come back from where we did and scramble a draw ... all fine with me.

KC Thanks. Good write-up. Positives there in Gysberts, Gawn and, of all people, Newton.

Did Morton play?

No Bate! Could be a long year for Matty. Also no Wonna - obviously still not quite ready.

Don't know if anyone watched Cam Schwab's broadcast on Ustream today, but it doesn't sound all that serious. Said that if he was a senior player with a more mature body, they might have played him through it (or words to that effect). Player management as much as anything by the sounds of it, not wanting a small problem to turn into a more serious and long-term one.

I know plenty of people aren't prepared to face it, but it's just a year of "getting games into the kids". Even players that plenty of people are pinning their hopes on (e.g. Grimes, Jurrah) have yet to play 30 games. By definition, experience takes time.

.... and now Scully is in doubt it seems, still having trouble with his knee, and even if he plays is "underdone". (HS). Let's hope this isn't a portent of what the season holds.

Don't know what's happening around here recently, another in a series of informed, measured posts. Nice work! Anyone here with kids doing sport will have had experience of that. The best tennis coach at my kids' club is way off being the best player, and when my son did soccer, an ex-international came in a couple of times - great for the autographs, and very nice guy, but that was about it. Not saying that coaching at kids' level equates, but there are parallels.

Trengove seems to be only 50/50. Could be a big ask with him, Morton and McKenzie missing from the mids, plus Frawley. That'll be 6 first 22 from last year out (throwing in Bruce/Junior), or to put it another way, we need 6 to step up. Maric, plus probably Petterd and Jetta OK, but not sure about covering the rest of our losses. Interesting to see Wona, Gysberts, Tapscott and Petterd down to play for Casey and try to earn a spot for round 1. Could yet be a smokey in all this ...

Yes, it's all the Bipond stuff. Think they're locked in to them for one more year.

I've lived OS for many years. For everything footy/Demons, the internet is your friend. AFL have streaming outside of Oz, but in my experience, it's not all that reliable, and seems to only be available in some countries. YMMV.

Good day for the ex-Dees (!). Brad gets the nod at the Tigers.

Absolutely. Big cheer when he gets his first kick on Saturday would be a start. Support the boy(s).

Yep. Unnecessary.

Great report, thanks. According to his tweets, Sylvia apparently has or had some kind of flu.

At the very least, you could be right with Syliva. Tweeted that he has a cold or flu or something: "Not feeling the best, just grabbed some panadol & vitamin c tablets. Any suggestions!?? Laying on the couch hope I can shake it..."

Biggest worry there is McKenzie ... has the look of something that could drag on and on ... and on. We need him, especially with Junior gone. We have some great young players coming into the midfield, but with McKenzie, Blease, Gysberts (and Scully) still not playing, it's looking fairly thin at the moment. Good opportunity for the likes of Jetta - if he can take it. As for some of the other comments here re the injury list in general, there's a difference between 'injured' and 'not fit'. Wonna (for example) isn't on the injury list, but isn't ready to play yet. Presumably, same goes for the likes of Tapscott and Gysberts, both of whom are coming off injuries.

Trying not to duplicate previous posts, so ... 1. The players don't yet have complete confidence in each other. 2. We need all our midfielders in. 3. Hird owes Sean Wellman a beer.

Won't quote the entirety, but another Spot On. Grimes's remarks are also worth noting - we didn't take enough risks.