binman

I'm often surprised on this site with the lack of respect for Rivers from alot of posters. He is absolutely in our best 22 and will be a 200 game player for the dees. He does lack a bit of strength but that is why he doesn't play on the gorillas and can miss some targets. Some seem to suggest that his style of third man up, floating role is an easy one or somewhow less valuable than the man on man style of say Frawley. He plays his role to perfection, reads the ball as well as any one in the team and is a huge part of how the back half works as a unit - each with their own role to play and each their own strength. There was no better exmple of this than the tigers game. He was terrific and played a significant role in assiting Frawley shut down Reiwoldt. I bet if you asked Frawley he say he loves the support he gets from Rivers with the way he gets back to help

I often see a game and think gee he played well and jump on this site and he's copping a spray. I don't get it. You don't have to agree with me of course but i've got some pretty good support for my view. Our coach! Bailey clearly rates Rivers very highly and as i noted he is clearly an important part of his "structure" and game plan. Despite Warnock being in rare form and them also having Morton who can play a similar role he chooses Rivers. I reckon a coach of a senior AFL team has a pretty good idea about a players ability and he isn't playing Rivers out of some sort of misguided appreciation for him. Different strokes for different strokes i suppose.

i'm an easy gainer, perhaps i could do some specialist coaching and help the skinny bugger out

Cheers. Must be close to selection then you'd reckon. Interesting selection quandries with the MFC site suggesting Grimes might be a chance to return (though you'd have to think he'll come thru Casey, easy to forget with him being out for our last 3 and a half wins how important he had been for our backline early on so perhaps there will be a temptation to play him if he's fit) and Miller surely some chance on the back of 10 goals (keeping in mind he was also listed as an emergency)

I must of missed something but what happened with Cale Morton, didn't play for Casey, not injured. Emergency?

No problems with rotating Jones, of course unlucky and i'm in no doubt in our best 22, but i think Malthouse has given us a glimpse of the future with his selection policy this year - ie moving players back and forward from VFL and AFL and picking "horses for courses". In some ways it is an exstension of the philsophy behind how the bench is currently being used and in this era of incedible demand on players in terms of fitness (how often do you hear a plyers "tank" discussed theses days compared to even 10 years ago)will become standard practice, particulary for mid field players/runners.

We don't have the same need for a hard grunt player, particularly with Maloney and Tregove back in,aginst the young tiger midfield that we did agianst the more hardened Brisbane and Swans team, so makes perfect sense. Of course this policy is easier to pull off when you don't have too many injuries, again particularly to your midfield brigade, as is the case for the dees at presnt (and Collingwood for that matter).

Bailey has stressed time and again his forward and back half units need to bank significant playing time together (50 - 60 games) and whilst it is also true of the midfield it is less of an imperative. If you look at our drafting over the last few years (eg taking Gysberst at 11 rather than a key postion player) the club has placed great empahsis on building a large number of potential midfielders with big "tanks" and good hands. In addition to those already in the midfield (Trengove, Scully, Maloney< McDonald, Sylvia, Jones etc) you can add Blease, Strauss, Morton, Grimes, Gysberts, Maric who will all be a chance of being on ballers and coming oin as rotations.

As i've noted previously about young players going back to Casey Bailey will ensure they understand the reasons and that it isn't a knock on their ablity or comment about future opportunities. Good work Jonesy, he'll go back and go hard and be back soon. He is only 22 and will be 200 gamer at the dees. If we make the finals i'll bet he'll be one of the first picked.

As for Maloney and McDonald not being in our best 22, no offence but that is a silly comment. Both are are in our best 5, with Maloney having his best year, working beautifully with Kareem, number 1 in clearances and inside 50's and McDonald just a ripper. Not in our best 22? Please

Absolutely no way they will drop the skipper. One game back from a longish lay off he's only going to get better and it is easy to forget how important he is to this side. Big game this weekend, you want an experienced man who is unbelievably hard at for someone his size. He is both our spiritual and actual leader.

I reckon they will drop Morton and Wona. Morton a little unlucky but he is not a key player at present and our backline has a surfeit of options agianst the tiges. Wona adds spark and forward pressure but prob didn't do enough last week and i reckon they will be looking for a team with lots of run, which is why Benell is safe (plus he plays in a range of positions)

In Tregove and Moloney. Both will be keyed up, particularly Maloney and i reckon the dees will have marked this as one of those leave nothing in the tank games. They will want the grunt of Maloney and the in and under skills of trenners.

I concur totally with the "great post" posts. Nice wrap and insight. This is the sort of post that ensures i check the site every few days - some anyalysis, no bagging players or pointless arguments (eg "will Watts re-sign or his he off to GC" - blah, blah, blah).

Precient call about Maric, who i just saw has been dropped for McDonald. Unlucky, though someone had to come out. I thought he played well last Sat. Beamer also still out, must have been some corky (Bail also copped a shocker earlier in the year as he notes in his Q&A on the dees website). No point risking him flying to Brisbane. Intersting comments about Watts and his leg and he may well not go for the same reason. Can't see Tregove remaining an emergency and he might come in, if not for Watts for some other unlucky player experiencing "general sorenes", McKenzie perhaps.

I too like Dunn as a forward and could actually see him becoming a fixture up there, partic. with the current trend of having a "forward defender"

Cheney to develop a mysterious illness and Bail to come into the side

"A couple of comments.

Jack Watts. His best game for the Dee's (I didn't cringe when he got the ball - and the Saints supporters didn't laugh) and most importantly, his team mates started to kick the ball to him whereas in previous weeks they seemed to bypass him, probably fearing he may "stuff it up" (which he often did)! Jack's gaining confidence in himself as are his team mates in him"

I agree with dee dee on this. I thought it was easily his best game, competed well, seems to be fitter and not so stuffed at end of quarters, still could be more fierce at the contest but still went in and tackled, great hands - that give in the first q for a goal was silky. One thing though i slightly disagree on is his teammates starting to kick to him more. I felt they often ignored him, even when he lead well and made it into space - which in turns means he is sometimes out of position when a teammate kicks it 40 metres away from him. I think they have to be told to start looking for him more often and "honouring" his lead. By the by he can seeem a littel laconic at times but his joy at kicking his goal is a good indication of keen to do well he really is. An injury free preseason, a full season next year, another good preseason and we will have top shelf forward at the start of 2012.

I've got no probs with dropping Gysberts. Part of the challenge this year, and next year for that matter, is "managing" the playing list and planning, developing and moulding the team. Each young player will have a specific plan laid out for them for the couple of years which include number of games and areas to work on. As others have said Gysbersts has had a taste (coming in as he did when they rested Scullgove for the afore mentioned reason of managing the list) and he will now have things to work on. Selections for the rest of the year will not be week to week but rather with a view for the next 2 seasons. Bailey will make it clear to any young player dropped that it is not necessarily a reflection of the clubs assessment of their current rating in terms of the best 22, but rather part of their development plan.

Cheney deserves a go as reward for sustained effort, though unfortunately for him it may not be this week (though he will prob. travel with the team for the experience). Big Mac is a quality player, as evidenced by being a cut above when he's gone back to Casey and i reckon Bailey considers him to be an important player. He'll play.

A word on Miller. I've read the various threads on him, most of which are invariably negative. Over his career I’ve never been a great wrap for him, primarily because he hasn’t delivered on the potential he showed early in his career and also because he just doesn’t hang onto enough contested marks, even when he uses his body to advantage (shades of early Neitz).

That said I agree totally with demondave. In this team his physicality is vital and he always puts his body on the line. Against Collingwood he again fluffed a couple of marks he deserved to get but he hammered packs, brought the ball to ground, led hard and made his presence felt – not to mention kicking a vital snapped goal that he read beautifully of the pack. With Watts yet to develop any real physical presence (and arguably a little wary of getting amongst it) and Bates not big fella he plays a key role. There is no coincidence the best games Watts has played at both Casey and with the dees have been along side miller. Until we find another strong mid twenties forward MFC will keep him on the list and deservedly so. He may not be there when we win our falg be will have played his part in getting us there.

Hoodoo schmoodo. Hell we just moved into AAMI park. We love the place. Its our new home!

If you want to raise questions, ask that turd burglar McBurney why he paid holding the ball against Moloney? Moloney had the ball for less than a millisecond, was jumped on by three players who all pinned his arms and then proceeded to lecture Moloney about giving him ample time to dispose of it!!

I've been reading the board for a bit and was inspired to join as i wanted to reply to profs "best team" post a week or so ago (which when i work out how to find it i will do!) I saw the robbie link and loved it. I following footy in about 75 and started going regularly in about 78 (when i was 11) and of course saw countless losses in those early years. Watching robbie owning the members wing helped me maintain my passion. I don't reckon i knew another dees supporter at primary or high school and Robbie gave me at least one thing to pump up about the redlegs to all the roos, hawks, blues and maggies fans.

I remember being furious with Barrassi when he started playing Robbie on the half back flank - after 4-5 of games of it i stormed to the rooms after another flogging and demanded of the wisened door man to let me see Barass so i could let him know what i thought of his "strategy". The old fella told me Barass might know a bit more about the caper than me and then told me to bugger off (in hinsight Barass actually was a bit ahead of his time, with each team now needing a creative half bank flanker who can run)

One element of Robbie's game that i thought has always been underestimated by commentators and other club's fans was his ability to play at such a consistent level of intensity and performance when for so long he played in such unsuccessful teams. He never dropped his head, never shirked the contest, always gave his all. That is the mark of a true champion. He was also terrific at bringing other players into the game, whichh is highlighted in the you tube clip. How many of those runs, weaves etc end in him didhing off to a team mate. Obviously i am biased but i have never understood how commenators such as Mike Sheean do not rate him more higly when they complie "best teams" and top 50's. In my time of watching footy the best i have seen have been Matthews, Carey, 2 of the 3 Abletts (sorry Geoff) and Robbie (not in that order). I have no doubt he is up with the best in the modern era and would be my first choice as captain. As others have noted he really shoeed his class and heart when playing for the Vics and they were always games i loved to watch.

As other as noted he would absolutely kill in todays game, with his run and carry, huge tank, great hands and beautiful kicking skills (off both wings). Funnily enough he was always such a skinny bugger and looked out of place amongst some of the monsters. Today with the more atheletic running players he would look like half the league. In terms of physique Morton actually reminds me a bit of Robbie, being so tall and lanky. Some similarities in terms of time with the ball, good skills and good overhead. Perhaps i should tell Bailey to stick him on the wing!