pm24

I think they'll play scarlett on whoever they deem to be the most dangerous forward. The Geelong back line seems to have the flexibility to line up based on best matchup, rather than best position.

I'm not keen on having Strauss return for this game as from all reports his form at Casey hasn't been good enough. On form, Cheney deserves a spot ahead of him and I would also prefer to see MacDonald retained ahead of Strauss. The only inclusions I see this week are injury replacements, or in Wonna's case due to resting players. In that case, unless there's a successful challenge at the tribunal, I see it this way: Out: Moloney (suspension), Aussie (rest) In: Bate, Warnock Bate to play at CHF, Warnock at FB. I'd hold Bruce out for one more week if he really did do his hamstring. No point rushing him back ahead of schedule. However if Bruce is deemed as fit, i think we slot him in and make the changes: Out: Moloney, Aussie, McKenzie (rest) In: Bate, Bruce, Warnock

This entire comment suggests to me that you didn't watch any of the game. Thompson and probably the bulk of the entire north melbourne backline were all over Barry all day. If they had done that to Watts or Petterd or any of our young guys, and they stood up for themselves you'd be giving them a pat on the back. This entire incident was the fault of the north melbourne players at appears to be a constant theme to their play when they're struggling. Remember Ferrito inadvertantly running straight through our team huddle at three quarter time just to try and fire up. I agree with Eade's comments. The umpires should have pulled up thompson and paid a free kick. But you know why they didn't, because it was barry hall getting pushed around.

updating my averages. Supercoach - 2159 - 6 trades left $140,000 cash, Dreamteam 2100 - 5 trades $250,000 cash

I've got a few demons in each of my team namely: Scully, Trengove, McKenzie (supercoach only), Frawley. I've just traded McKenzie to free up some cash to upgrade to someone like Pavlich or Bartell in the middle to join ablett, selwood, judd, cooney, barlow with Scully and Trengove as well. I'm not sure what my average is but i believe it's somewhere close to 2100.

Maybe our expectations of what is or isn't fast are different.... Remember, Watts was the 2nd placed non-aboriginal player in the sprints test in the pre-draft testing. That being said, he doesn't look that fast when he runs.

I agree about with your statement in regards to Molony, Jones, McKenzie and Trengove, but have to disagree about your inclusion of Syliva, Scully and Jetta. Sylvia and Scully in particular can be very explosive players and the same goes for Jetta. The fact that commentators have highlighted the use of our speed to outrun Brisbane (big win) and Collingwood (despite losing) highlight how inaccurate your statement is. Don't forget the one known as Flash, Bennell and now Aussie and we have plenty of speed in this team. I'm also looking forward to Blease joining the team to give an additional boost to our already quick mid-field.

I'd hate to say it, but i see Stefan Martin as our attempt to convert an athlete into a footballer. Granted he hasn't been playing the game long, but sometimes you get sick and tired of hearing about the potential of a player, and would prefer to just see some results. PJ is another example of an athletic guy (for his size) who just has no football brain whatsoever. Those two are living proof that athletic ability seems to trump football ability more times than not.

Well i guess the thread i started just a moment after this one can be deleted LOL. Spencer inclusion is puzzling and interesting to see Strauss and Dunn named as emergencies alongside Jetta. I wonder if the late change could be Dunn for Spencer which would then make Miller the backup Ruck.

Team changes have just been posted on afl.com.au Melbourne B: Clint Bartram, Joel Macdonald, Jared Rivers HB: Jack Grimes, James Frawley, Colin Garland C: James McDonald, Jack Trengove, Aaron Davey HF: Jamie Bennell, Brad Miller, Cale Morton F: Nathan Jones, Brad Green, Jack Watts Foll: Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, Colin Sylvia I/C: Tom Scully, Austin Wonaeamirri, Jordie McKenzie, Jake Spencer Emg: Neville Jetta, James Strauss, Lynden Dunn In: Miller, Macdonald, Wonaeamirri, Morton, Spencer Out: Cameron Bruce (hamstring), Paul Johnson, Matthew Bate (ankle), Daniel Hughes, Matthew Warnock (soreness)

What about bartram missing instead of hughes. I could see Bennell moving to the backline if that happened. OR does it seem as thought Bartram is pretty safe at the moment.

thanks, i do my best.

Herald Sun reporting that Aussie is in......well the headline does anyway....and then they go on to quote comments from Bails which are non-committal. Gotta love journalists.

I believe this season should be dedicated to development of the young players while getting as much AFL game-time in to them as possible without reducing the competitiveness of the team from week to week. So if bring Gysberts in doesn't hurt the team structurely or hurt its competitiveness, and he deserves the spot on form, bring him in. Enforcer25 - let me just explain why i use the phrase succession planning - My profession is Human Resources....that should explain it enough. But also to clarify my comments..i'm simply trying to point out that the team has recruited well, and we have guys coming through that will fill the gaps left by those veterans retiring in the next few years very well. I agree that Morton will spend some time in forward line....but so did bruce in his younger years, or have you erased the 2000 finals campaign from your mind? Morton to me, could be our Mr Versatile, which is what Bruce has been. I don't think that's a bad thing.

I completely agree. I view a lot of our recruiting as almost succession planning so we don't need to rush our young guys. Just let them develop until they become the type of players we expect them to be. I can see Gysberts getting a chance to play a decent stretch of games next season, but only maybe a game or so this year. I think Gysberts will be a good replacement in the middle for Junior. I mean a Gysberts, McKenzie, Scully, Trengove core looks very good going forward, particularly if Gysberts is as clean with his hands as reported. Morton is the perfect replacement for bruce once bruce gets a bit older. Morton is possibly already better than bruce, but I can see Morton being that jack of all trades guy we use like we've used bruce over the years. I could go on, but i think that we'll have a seamless transition into our new era despite losing guys like Junior, Bruce, and Green to retirement in the next 3-4 years.

Davey was concussed but came back in and finished off the game. Yes he could be replaced but i would think that Jetta would be the more likely inclusion for Davey. As for Sylvia, Gysberts could come in for him but then you have one less goal kicker in the team. Davey and Sylvia are more than just midfielders for us. They are goal-kickers. If all are healthy (and neither Davey or Sylvia are listed on the Injury List) i can't see any room for Gysberts. I'm not trying to say that he doesn't deserve a call up. Just saying there isn't any room for him in the team because of our midfield depth. As for Junior, i think taking his tackling pressure out of the middle would really hurt the team.

Please tell me you're not being serious drdrake. If our FD started picking people just so they could play in a home game in front of a big crowd, rather than picking guys who are best for the team form wise and structurally we'd have a big problem. I don't really understand why everyone EXPECTS Gysberts to be in the side. Where would he fit in the lineup and which midfielder would everyone expect to be dropped for him to take his place? McKenzie? McDonald? Scully? Trengove? Jones? Moloney? Davey? Green? Sylvia? The only player i can see potentially be dropped is Bartram but yet again I don't think he'd be dropped for Gysberts as Bartram is a small defender not a midfielder.

I don't disagree that the loss of Bate and Hughes hurt (particularly bate), but we're replacing them with Miler (a taller and stronger marking option) while we still have Green as a solid marking option as well. That still provides us with 3 marking options up front with another 3 guys with pace to provide tackling pressure and creativity around the goals. Bennell is a good mark as well.

I think the reason Gysberts misses out here is because of positional needs and nothing else. He's an in and under midfielder who doesn't play forward or back. I don't think any of our current midfielders would be dropped for him: Moloney, Scully, Trengove, Jnr McDonald, Jones, Moloney - none would deserve to be dropped on form. Then if we look at the suggested in's they make a lot of sense structurally. Miller - logical replacement for PJ given his ability to pinch-hit in the ruck and play the lead up forward in place of Bate. Not to mention we need the extra strong body up there to give Watts a hand. His been playing fantastic footy for Casey too, so he deserves the call up. Aussie and Jetta - both can go forward and improve our forward pressure. We have lacked creativity in our forward line all season and these guys give us that. Jetta can also swing into the midfield if needed. Having Watts and Miller up forward means we have two guys that can bring the ball to ground a bit, where jetta and aussie can pounce. Probable replace for Hughes who has showed good effort and is possibly unlucky to be dropped (if true). Joel Mac - obvious replacement for Bruce down in the backline. It was just a matter of time before he came back in. Morton - he has the ability to play anywhere on the ground thanks to his height and endurance. He is also easily in our top 22 so it makes sense to get him back in after showing enough at Casey. Could fill in down back in bruce's role, or move forward to take over Hughes or Bates role. He's the ultimate Mr flexibility. All of the in's make sense from a structural perspective, otherwise if we just went for who's in the best form we would have a team of almost purely midfielders with a couple of bigs scattered around. Gysberts and Cheney are in the same boat. Both can't break into the side because of our depth and strength at their positions.

Diablo, my understanding is that we didn't take Thorpe for two reasons: (a) he reaggrevated his injury that has been haunting him for a couple of years; (B) Joel McDonald became available and we had to re-pick Meesen and Juice because we had them contracted for this year. I would like to see us pick Thorpe up in the rookie draft, given that he's apparently starting to play very well in the VFL for Werribee, has good height for a KPF (195cm or 6'5" - not much shorter than Jack), and he's still young (22 years old). A guy doesn't get drafted with pick 6 if he has no potential either.

I 100% agree with your recollection of this passage of play. I remember thinking at the time,"Come on Jamie kick the freaking thing to Jack....Kick it now....Kick it now.... Bloody kick it to him!". And then he shanked the shot at goal which just happened to go in Jack's area.

Rex Hunt called the eagles the magpies at half time LOL

I don't think Hughes was that bad. He presented pretty well and took some good marks and i actually place the blame on the midfield for the pathetic disposal. Our forward structure was lacking (this is true) but our delivery into the fifty wasn't much better. Much like Watts, Hughes had to come into the center of the ground to even get the ball because we couldn't clear the ball out for a clearance cleanly.

I really think we missed Dunn as a marking target today. Especially when Bate hurt his ankle in the first Q. We need him to play out of the forward pocket. Thought PJ played a shocking game today, i think all of our forwards should be excused today because the delivery into the forward fifty was just pathetic. I'm think Morton should be back, and hopefully Wonna but i think Dunn needs to come back again (depending on form with Casey). Just don't know who the three we'd drop would be because i'm hesitant to drop PJ because we need a legitimate big man who can give Jamar some rest. however, if bate and bruce miss i'd say move Morton onto the half back flank in bruce's place, move wonna into the forward pocket and substitute Dunn for Bate while dropping Bennell for a rest.

Anyone else get the impression that some radio commentators get paid to be idiots!