Dee-licious

6 - Hunt - 27 touches, 10 contested, 8 rebound 50's 5 inside 50's. 733 meters gained. I was worried that he wasnt going to get back (this season) to pre knocked out form. All it took was to play Adelaide again to reset. W 5 - Hibberd - 779 meters gained, 11 intercept possessions. He and Laird (who will go AA) basically had the same game (eerily similar) and Laird's is another game to add to his AA crown. It is tough coming back from injury and getting into AA contention because certain players are already cemented. But will be interesting to see if he makes the squad of 40. 4 - Oliver - was going to go Lewis, but I think Oliver's game has been underplayed. Leading clearance and contested player on the ground. He is a second year player and without him I dont think we would be in the 8. Just found a way to win the contest. 3 - Lewis - The Lewis insurance policy paid off again. Just looked like he was playing at a different tempo. Sees what is happening and helps our boys get to the right position. 2. ANB - Toss up between him and JKH. 11 contested possies, 5 inside 50's, 24 pressure acts, 6 tackles, he is getting better and better and I think a few clubs (Adelaide included) will be asking him if he is happy playing half forward flank for the Dees. 1 - JKH - did not see that happening. Started slowly and then bang in the second half! 20 pressure acts, 10 contested possies, 5 tackles. Really played with some freedom. Will be interesting next week with Tyson back (maybe Viney), then Jones, then Salem what happens with JKH, but done himself no harm. Special mention to Petracca (much better second half), Melksham (3 goals), Vince (tagging), Oscar (golden paw), and Jetta (keeping a good Eddie down).

@Wiseblood - what s/he didnt say is that Oscar got his mitt on 4 balls on the line that would have been goals. He was a goal keeper tonight and would have been a lot worse if he wasnt back there. We bombed it in a lot to the forwardline which was our issue. Kent had another down day. Some good pressure work but looks a shell of last yer. Frost had a terrible last quarter which undid a lot of his good work. Pedo he was right on and Max looks like he is short of a gallop. Again the opp targeted him off the ball and one time Jacobs took an uncontested mark as Max was 10 metres away on the ground with 2 crows standing over him. Hogan was an almost game. If the umps were on his side, he would have been paid another 3 marks which probably would have given him confidence to take another 3 he dropped easily. Garlett tried a few things that didnt work, but we get that. ANB wasn't poor - he was a key cog and looks like one of the only players who have grown whilst our leaders are out. Hope that helps.

They haven't made that public yet. They don't give you the whole rankings for the year, just top 20

He is now like the 20th best mid in the comp and Jones is 15th according to their figures for this year. Their mids are ranked: Danger, Martin, Ablett, Pendles, Zorko, Sloan, Sellwood, Cotchin, Fyfe, Jones, Neale, Heeney, Treloar, Bont, JPK, Over the last 2 years they have Viney at 33rd best player in the comp (22nd best mid) Jones 42 (27th), Tom Mc (31st and 2nd best def),

At @ProDee mentioned the AFL champion data stats. I love them because they measure everything that you do on the footy field from putting on pressure, to competing in contests. This year, Trac is ranked 40th in the league. He is ranked the number 1 Mid-Forward player in the league above that of Wingard, Walters, Libba, Mundy, Sidebottom, Daulhaus, Edwards, Sheed. He is also on the forward line of their team of the year and really has been since round 3. He is ranked the 92nd best player in the league over the last 40 games. For those astute people out there, you will know he has only 32 to his name. So whilst everyone around him on the list has played 40 games, he hasnt (score / 40). Thus, each game he plays his ranking sky rockets. Knowing that the first few games that you play you are finding your feet, expect that if injuries don't hit and we play at least 1 final, he will have 40 games under his belt. I'd be expecting he'd be finishing the year with his ranking inside the top 50 players in the league with an assault on the top 20 in 2018. Well done on Mike Sheehan for predicting his rise into the top 50 players in the AFL at the start of the year. Off topic, but the other 2 who are sky rocketing are Hunt (ranked 141 overall, 93 for the year, only 34 games) and Oliver (184 overall, 28 games), which are reasons why our rankings are now so good.

CAnt find it on the radio...

The Dogs, dees and Saints have as many supporters combined as either Rich or Essendon. It's a $$$ decision.

Thanks Neita!

Casey at 2pm will make fascinating watching. Start with the in's this week - Wager (replaced Salem) and White (who replaced Hunt as Hunt went forward for Garlett). I believe that we are not going to drop these 2 for more Casey players as they both have good disposal and are not bad players. Not to the extent they showed last night. They were not up to AFL speed, and you dont get up to AFL speed by going back down to the 2's. I would assume they stay in for one more week. If one goes, I assume it is White. We start with the contested ball, so who is in the centre? Gawn, Oliver, Tyson, and Petracca. Our defence needs to hold firm, and Hunt needs to come up off the backline again, so you have OMac, Frost, Jetta, Hunt, Hibberd, Vince. We need to create a forward line, so that goes to Melk who will have the role on Docherty, TMac, Pedersen, Hannan. You know Lewis will be in there as well somewhere. So we need 2 half forwards who are going to trap the ball inside forward 50, 2 wings, and 3 men on the bench who can play the contested game. Last night we had: Harmes, ANB, Stretch, Wagner, and White. None are playing a contested beast role (although ANB can play it). I assume Harmes stays in the forward 50 role (although no pressure last night from him), ANB (22) and Billy's (18) pressure acts numbers were quite high which might save them. If Weiderman has a 3 goal game today, he comes into the side for Bugg. One of Trenners, JKH, or Kennedy comes in for Viney, but wouldnt be surprised to see ANB on the ball and bring in someone like Kent. Hunt goes to the backline and White comes out for Kent/JKH/Kennedy. See how we go today. Also couldnt find a Bulldogs injury list from 2016, but right now we have Hogan, Viney, Jones, Watts, Brayshaw, Salem, on the sidelines. That is 6 first round picks (yes liberally applied). Take 6 first rounders out of any side and they are in serious trouble (e.g. Dogs - Bont, Boyd, Stronger, McCrae, Wallis, Libba). Having injuries to McKenna, Garland, AVB at the start of the season didnt hurt because they were depth. You can replace your bottom 10 with others. The cream on top wins you games, and weve not had that for so many years. Now we do, and we've just been unlucky.

6 - Hibberd - he was the only one getting the ball and 800+ metres gained. Would have been lost without him. 5. - OMac - 10 1%ers, 2 contested marks. Could have had a dog day if Rohan started well but is really starting to become a rock. 4. - Tyson - I thought that he was really one of our only winners through the midfield today and getting better each week. 3 - Jetta - rock solid defence. 2 - Tom Mc - 2 goals, went back when he needed to. I'm looking forward to Watts and Hogan back so he is back in the back line. 1 - Viney - Fantastic early and we really dropped away once he was off. Special mention to Oliver who rectified his game in the second half again, Petracca who is coming along nicely, Vince who offered a little, and Frost who offered run from half back. They are all the players I felt deserved a mention.

What I find hilarious is that he clearly has a lot of one-liners ready for these media conferences but because all of the journos are focused on their job (I guess that is what they are paid for) a lot of the times they are gawn unnoticed and Gawn just stands there waiting for someone to laugh. The comment above saying he was best on, nothing at all from the journos. His pre-surgery press conference was hilarious as well.

Finey ans Lucas on SEN talking about how Pyke (Crows) needs to be more creative like Goodwin

6 - Viney - breakout captains game. Just a huge effort with 26 contested. Even if he wasn't playing sore he was still best on 5 - t Mac - he said it wasn't his best game because as a backman you can't measure performance in goalS. Maybe not his best game, but certainly his most important. 5 goals were great - what I loved was kicking the last and running to the backline pointing 4 - Oliver - was tagged all night. Sloan gets tagged to single didgets, Zorko had 5 yesterday, Oliver had 28 and 7 tackles. If that was him with a hard tag - lucky for WC they tagged him. 3 - Gawn - influential and can't wait for him to get back to the speed of the game and take the 3-4 marks he dropped tonight. 2 - Tyson - with Oliver tagged, Viney off, and Jones not playing, the boy stepped up and led the midfield and looked like a jet. 1 - Vince - very important last quarter and really took control as Jones and Salem weren't on the field.

All of the traits. Knows where the goals are, good speed, great hands, a little light but 186-188cm. Will be drafted next year unless he gets injured or form drops dramatically. Think Mitch Hannan

INJURIES West Coast: Hurn (chest)Melbourne: Viney (shoulder) goodwin didn't seem to concerned with Salem or Garlett. Seems like they'd be expected to play next week.

One of those really awkward situations where you want him to come back and have a run at it, but the next four game we are on broadway - v WC Saturday night on 7; Friday night v Syd on 7; v Carlton Sunday on 7; v Crows Saturday night on 7. Add to that we are 5th, there is a lot of media attention around how we are playing and we have some tough winnable games coming up. If he plays well it and we play well it is a great story and clubs and supporters are seeing what Trenners can do. If we dont play well and/or he doesnt - the goose is cooked. Hope he enjoys the spotlight.

Dogs now 3 down - all emergencies still playing. Could be interesting if they have a late out tomorrow

Kennedy and he's not playing. Interesting all of the dogs emergencies are playing and are still on the field. Tbey are 2 players down on the bench.

Jay Kennedy Harris on fire this half, 22 Disposals, 4 Inside-50s, 6 Tackles and 1 Goal really be nice if he could play on the outside where we need him.

Scott to Weid and he goals. 21-20

TRenners playing the half back role by the sounds of it. Sounds like he's the Lewis of Casey.

QT Stats - Jay Kennedy Harris 12, James Munro 9, Mitch Gent 8 Goal-kickers Liam Hulett 1, Jay Kennedy Harris 1

Hulett goal. Also the commentary is comedy gold.

Weiderman and Spencer have been called so playing - haven't heard Kennedy's name yet. So maybe hold over? Also seems Stretch has been in the thick of it so far.

On Oscar - he had 8 touches in the first half because he kept getting in the right position and intercepting. Yes his decision making is terrible but cannot fault the way he makes it to contests and always seems to be the one back there reading the play. Just need to make sure one of our leaders is next to him at all times.