Pates

That is a choke of the highest order; like the West Coast game. Just end the season now, I'm bloody sick of it.

I feel in my gut we're losing this. It was ours to lose and we lost it.

We had chances to kill the game in that quarter and failed to finish our work. But although I feel like the umpiring has been pretty average both ways, Harmes is being held at almost every contest but it keeps getting ignored. So many times he was clear and the hold just gave the crows the chance.

Damn it, we just keep letting them back in.

We're getting chances to bury this game, have to start taking them.

JKH! Has he actually managed to kick it to anyone on the full?

Lowering the eyes, forwards leading and marking, looking good!

Well we got a few soft frees there that we managed to get a goal from.

Who was with Lynch???

Great first quarter, but boy Brayshaw couldn't have done much worse in that last 1 minute of play! Especially after kicking such a fantastic goal!

Well this is much more like what we saw last year!

Stupid from Harmes then.

That's ridiculously stupid. Such a shame. And JKH is not AFL standard, full stop.

That's the Jeffy we love!!!

What a pitiful fist from Wagner.

We're putting good pressure on but just still letting them get a couple of easy goals.

Hannan in without good VFL form is a sign of desperation in my eyes but if he gets in the game early his X-factor could really help us. The other two ins are big for us though, getting some class into the backline will be massively important. We might start getting our team back over the next few weeks but I fear it's going to be too little too late.

I was thinking the same thing. Bet you he smashes someone from the first bounce and plays a massive game.

It's about knowing when to go and when to read how the game is going. Playing on at all costs can look bloody fantastic when it comes off but when your playing and handballing to someone running past they have to have someone to link that chain to. I feel like the best styles that we implement are whe the first few kicks in the chain are controlled with the link up players moving to position further up, I think we are lacking this first initial control as well as the execution for basic deliveries. It doesn't help that our defence is lacking in genuine quality right now, both Jetta and Salem are excellent kicks.

Wow, I can't believe the really harsh negative sentiments towards Lewis. Did we think we were getting a gun player at the peak of his prowess? Of course not! When we got him we had a vacuum of leadership and experience and he was bloody valuable at that time. Has he been in decline in the last 18 month? Blind Freddy (and Lewis himself I'm sure) would tell you he has, but guess what that's what happens! Bear in mind we got him for practically for nothing, he has done what we needed him to do for his time at our club. I feel that given our position on the ladder and that 2019 is basically shot we should look at giving games to others in his position, and he can play as an almost on field coach at Casey. That's not to say he can't play for the seniors again but I'm not sure we get what we want from him anymore. As for his suspension, bloody stupid.

Heartbreaking to hear, my deepest condolences to Brad and his boys. Very tragic.

Low impact and to be fair the GC seemed to channel Oliver's flop from last year. I feel like if that had been the first offence in the run he would've got away with it, I still feel like the reprimand system (not so much the left over points) wasn't the worst idea, two reprimands equals a suspension. He should've been gone after his second elbow. This one he had to go, I think a week was right.

Look I was another that had Preuss coming in after two weeks on the road being the sole ruckman and a particularly big game last week. I would've also liked to see him come in as Mumford is known for his physicality and Preuss would be more than able to give that back to him, but that said Max is in red hot form right now and does play his best footy when he's the only ruckman. It also gives us the option of more pace in the side. But should Smith be a late withdrawal it should definitely be Preuss that comes in for him. Wagner in for ANB I'm not exactly jumping for joy about, Nibbler hasn't been doing great but are we going to get much different from Wagner. He's looked very VFL to me.

Surely Melbourne is taking the pi55 by naming Harmes at Casey! No way is he playing VFL this week, those days are behind him. I confess I don’t see what others do with Fritch, I wouldn’t say he’s been outstanding but I also would say he’s one of our better ball users. I’m just not sure we’re using him properly. I’m cautiously optimistic about this week, but not enough to tip us.

The MFC website still says he's 1-2 weeks away, sounds as though physically he's fine it's just getting him confident in his recovery that's what holding him back. Surely Gus and Jetta would be great people for him to be chatting to, both were in a very similar position to him.