Pates

I never considered him trade bait. For one it would be extremely poor taste to do it to a young bloke going through a difficult patch with concussions. Secondly we'd get zero value for him, we'd probably get at best a high value 2nd round pick. Not worth the investment. Like Salem (who many had as trade bait not too long ago) with patience and determination, we will see him come good in time.

Wow! Not only do we welcome back 4 best 22 players (Jack Viney you are not human!!!) but Trenners gets a run. I'm absolutely stoked for him but I have to say, why now? Why not when we were crying out of some experience and leadership? Why not when we hade so many from our engine room missing? Anyway, what's done is done. These are huge ins and should make everyone walk a little bit taller this week. Bring on Port!!!

Funny that we got in trouble all those years ago because we sent a defender forward.

The question will become what is his best position though. Ask me 8 weeks ago I would've said "defence, what are you on crack?" But now....the way he moves, has been taking marks, and commanding the ball has really reminded me on David Nietz. On top of that his kicking has been getting better and better. I don't doubt what you say, he probably will be sent back with Hogan and Watts back in the forward line but we shall see. He looks like he's really enjoying his football there.

Totally agree, and he's only getting better with confidence. Been a fantastic (and totally unexpected for me) addition. I also agree with most people's assessments on Brayshaw, I think forcing his way into the seniors will be a bridge too far for this year. The rest of 2017 should be mainly about him gaining confidence in his abilities and his body again, and also adjusting the way her plays. I really like him, in fact when I first saw him play I thought he could be Jack Viney's future VC (could still be), but if he is able to find some form leading into the finals he would be a cherry on top scenario for me.

I get what you're saying but eventually enough is enough. There have been some blatant inconsistencies by the MRP this year, and while I don't Dusty's incident was probably much, looking at the angles available Vince on Betts doesn't seem to be much more than a graze. It has to get to the coaching staff seeing players from other clubs free to walk while our guys seem to get the harsher penalties. As for our unsociable style, it's not gonna win as many friends but I couldn't give a stuff if it wins us a premiership.

I'd pretty much agree with that summation. Beating Port this week would be massive for not only finals aspirations but leaving the door slightly ajar for top 4, while a loss brings us back to the back and we're in a dogfight for the final couple of spots in the 8. I'm feeling that strange confidence this week, not that a win is certain but that we're a very good chance. I don't rate Port, they're like the tigers who look good at times but will go to water in September. Bring finals like intensity on the weekend and I thought no they'll be found out. We've beaten better than them this year.

It's funny, I'd say there are few no 1 draft picks who have had more scrutiny placed upon him. Look at Paddy McCartin, even though he's been given a few rounds in the media relatively speaking he has got off extremely easy compared to Jack. A lot of it is our fault, we got Ron Barassi to present his guernsey, trotted him out on QB and dangled him out like bait for the Pies players to maul. Still, so much negative hype surrounds him, look at what happened in the pre-season. Anyway, for all that has happened he's actually been a very durable player and even when he wasn't staring earlier in his career he was far from the worst. At his best he is the cleanest player in the team and the one I'd want kicking for us after the siren, he's had to work so hard this year to the point I think it finally caught up with him. You've come a long way Wattsy. Let's get him a win this week.

Good luck to him in his comeback, just take it step by step. Would be great to see him back later this year but realistically I just want to see him string games together and gain confidence in himself.

It's funny because every week lots of players try the torp, and guess what it usually goes terribly wrong.

Much like the Blues game the week before, the Port game this week could be massive in determining our position. Port hold no fears for me, we lost to Adelaide last week because we were seriously undermanned in the middle (and they are a good team as well). We should be getting back at least a couple who can help in that regard, although we've lost is our best tagger. But Port haven't beaten anyone of note or anyone who has been in good form, they've been lucky with their draw and lucky the times they've played teams (and like the doggies last year you can only beat who's in front of you). I believe they will be setting themselves for this game as proof they can beat a decent team, but if we get back to our pressure game with hard tackles they will turn to water. There is no team, NO TEAM I fear this year. Win this week and we're well and truly back on track.

Yeah it really epitomised his game for the night, when we needed the first goal to cough up possession so easily (and almost comically) gifting the first goal, I'm sure it would've destroyed any confidence or momentum Hunts torp had generated.

Playing on the edge but to be honest we've fallen over the edge too many times for my liking, and it's mostly been senior players doing to the more unnecessary acts. But that said I do think it's a step we need to take to be a contender, we'll find the middle ground eventually.

That's it keep a positive attitude!

So I'm watching the replay, only from the second half though. Thoughts from 3rd quarter are that once we started lowering the eyes and moving the ball around we looked a lot better, the effort but lacked a lot of class. JKH was in amongst it and didn't look out of his depth which is good, give him some time and who knows he could surprise. Our biggest problem which has been talked about a lot is our poor forward entries. It's a highlight (or lowlight depending on how you look at it) of our play whenever we're not on song where we don't lower the eyes and spot up a target, someone needs to be able to lead by example and show the others what to do. For what it's worth I think the players will move on pretty quickly, we're playing at the G, against a team who haven't beaten anyone genuine next, and we're getting back key players. We beat Port and the season is well and truly back on track.

Yeesh, just saw his miss from 10m out. Not good. But what I liked was straight after he clunked a couple and kept presenting. He will continue to get better.

Wow ok, now I'm completely confused. I thought it was a fine for the "strike" on Betts and 2 up to 3 for the bump. THIS MAKES SO SENSE!!!! I almost feel we should definitely contest the Betts strike, the MRP made that distinction of what is and isn't negligible contact and Vince's "elbow" surely falls under that. It was a graze at best which is exactly what you would've said for Schofield's. And if you're going to suspend Vince for that then you suspend Martin as well. There is ZERO consistency going here, but Schofield gets off because Oliver is perceived to have taken a (pointless) dive! The bump I took as 50/50 and am surprised that given it got a charge he got a fine. The MRP are such a joke, it honestly doesn't make sense anymore.

Cornes is a F-wit and accused him of playing up injuries, him walking in there like that is a good slap to his face in a funny way. Dangerfield is a great player, there is no doubt about it, Geelong would be screwed without him.

As I said to Mono above, you can then say that of practically every player to play the game. Who knows, maybe Gazza Ablett Snr was that bloody good because he was on something whilst playing! He got into drugs afterwards.....just saying. (Tongue in cheek on that) What I'm saying is it's pointless and actually pretty poor form to cast doubt on his playing career when there is ZERO evidence to even suggest he might've taken something during his career. The FACTS we know are that everything he's done wrong came while being a coach, therefor his individual playing awards carry respect. The analogy of Lance Armstrong vs Hird only applies if you think Hird was on something during his playing career. And yes I do believe his story of placing trust in the wrong people, I believe he told those people he wanted his players to standout and have the best advantages possible and gave them license to experiment. I believe he probably thought they were doing everything above board, but he didn't do is due dilegence or keep a close eye on what was going on. That is his fault and his responsibility, and it's a serious failure as the coach.

Well I guess then we can perhaps accept that Woewodin won the Brownlow untainted too. Let's not try to taint his playing record, he was a fantastic player, and as far as we know (which can be said for 99.99% of every other player) he did it without the aid of anything unscrupulous. As for Cousins, well that's a hole the AFL have dug themselves. Maybe get Judd to present it as he was the premiership captain. I'm sure anyone would be pleased with that outcome.

That's the first time I've actually seen that bump, the fact he got off from that is baffling. That is a 100% decision to bump. As for Vince's this week, I called it a 50/50 but I had a feeling it would fall on the other side of the ledger. I still maintain the question of what are his alternatives? Because if he goes for the ball head down it's every possibility that he would get collected high, are we asking the players not to protect themselves? Having said that I'm not overtly angry about this one, I can see where the MRP get the decision. In the end for the two separate incidents 2 weeks is not the worst outcome, part of me was concerned he could get 3 for the bump and one for Betts. It's time for the leadership group to sit down with one of its leaders and tell him to reel it in.

He's got the attributes to get there but I rate stars as Paddy Dangermouse, Buddy Franklin, and Nat Fyfe. Ain't there yet, but boy the kids got some tricks up his sleeve.

I'm not against the idea of him eventually handing over the Norm Smith medal, perhaps to the next Essendon Norm Smith medal winner (may it never happen!). But for me this is too soon for so many reasons, on every major one as others have alluded to is the fact that mentally he hasn't been in a good place recently. Now if he does this and gets cheered, it will probably be a good thing for him, but I would say more than likely he'll get booed. Just look at Adam Goodes, he got booed relentlessly, some would argue different reasons but either way it got ridiculously out of control and it clearly affected him. As for Scott McGrory's comments (and to be honest I'd never heard of him before), it isn't quite the same. Hird won the Norm Smith medal for being a bloody good player, untainted by drugs. He earned it 100% and was a great player in the 2000 premiership, that is something no one can ever take away from him. Lance Armstrong won SEVERAL Tour de France's whilst rorting the system and being bully about it at the same time. He disgraced the sport while he was a competitor and didn't earn some of his titles through being a good clean athlete. Hird f---ed up, badly. He placed his trust in the wrong people, and he arrogantly played the ignorance and innocence card when he failed in his duty of care to the players. I think it's a mistake that he awards the medal while there are players that were affected still playing. I don't expect it too happen but imagine if one of the suspended players wins the medal. It'd be a horrible look for the game.

Betts should be insufficient force, if he does get charged then the club MUST make a big thing of it after Schofield was give then all clear. The bump is 50/50, I feel like he had eyes for the ball and braced himself when he saw the Adelaide player coming out the corner of his eye. But he has a bad record so if he gets anything it could go up to 2-3. I'm really trying to look at it impartially, his actions are that he's down to pick the ball up, he second action comes when he sees the Adelaide player coming, he doesn't lunge into the player he rather seems to slow and brace. The question to ask is what's his alternative? If he kept going it's probable that he would've copped head contact himself, his saving grace could be the fact he put one of his legs out to stop. As I said it's 50/50 and given our record this year it's probably going to fall on the negative side for us.

I think for the rest of the year Jesse should be played as a CHF, at least until his confidence and match fitness returns. He can be quite mobile for a big guy and getting him further up the group will keep him involved in the play. Its going to take time for things to click for him, he's had a rough year by any measure. With any luck he will really hit his straps towards our last finals push.