Pates

AFL is ruining the game with this new deliberate interpretation. Disgusting!

Bradshaw goal there, great finish from Spencer but Brayshaw's work incredible.

Skills that kill, ourselves today.

I love Viney, but that that last 5min would be some of the worst I've seen from him. Can only hope he learns from it. 8 points down in Perth v Eagles, its a pre-season game so there's going to be some scrappy elements to it but it's so far been a good hit out. Oliver easily the standout for us, Lewis has been handy without damaging, Gawn the dominant ruckman on the ground and Spencer is really putting up his hand for round one, Melksham's been good, and Hunt looks dashing when he gets it. Lots to improve on, Harmes looks a liability at the moment and our defence is really all over the place. We really miss the presence of a proper small forward as there's been plenty of ball into the forward line but no crummers there mop up the scraps. Looking forward to the second half, this is a really good hit out before round one. Most importantly, no injuries to report.

Oliver is easily our best mid today.

Hate this interpretation, against the spirit of the game.

12 point turnaround thanks to Harmes. Disappointing.

Done one bad thing in my book, better than others. Those last moments of the quarter still proves we have a lot to learn even when it comes to experienced senior players. I love Jonesy but he handballed to a still player facing the wrong way, and from there it all went wrong. Tyson then did what I can only describe as a brain fart, kicking it right across goal to no one in particular. Lucky not to concede a goal there. How we're playing isn't perhaps as bad as it sounds on paper, we need to get control over our skills and make the dominance in the ruck pay off.

Turnovers are the big difference here, eagles have made us pay more than we have made their errors costly.

Both maccas having pretty poor first quarters, Melksham doing good things, Garland hasn't done much wrong, Clary looking very good, Watts has done some good things.

Yeah Jonesy won't look back on that kick with any fondness.

Pressures very good, there's been good movement but some very poor skill errors have cost us. Probably should be another goal in front at least.

All well and good but if the Saints are able to negate our style there needs to be a plan B to breaking them down. I think the biggest part to the game is Gawn, he was completely beaten both games last year. In an AA year for a ruckman to be beaten both games is something so I think he will have a real point to prove, which hopefully will result in him dishing it down Viney, Jones, Tyson & co's throat every contest + kicking 4 goals!

They won't have Nik Nat for the whole year so this is close to the Eagles 2017 as you're going to get in JLT. A win would be huge for our confidence but not essential in my eyes. A good bit out where we are not belted off the park, encouraging performances from Watts, Hogan, Petracca, Brayshaw, and Salem, and most importantly no injuries. That's pretty much what I'd like from the match. Looking ahead to round one I think Kent won't make it in time, Brayshaw was underdone last year and was a liability on the park, he then went on to have a really rough year with injuries and concussions. While it's not directly linked at the end of the day I think Kent will need a couple of weeks into the 22.

.......crack open a beer in celebration. Doesn't sound strange until you factor in it'll be 8am for me!

How/why are we always such short prices favourites against the Saints?! They've had as good a pre-season as us, they've shown they are as much on the rise as us, and it's at Etihad stadium where we've barely won a coin toss let alone a footy match (GWS & NAB barely count). Maybe I just don't like seeing us go in as favourites, doesn't seem to end well for us! If we beat WC in Perth then it's justified, otherwise it should be even odds IMO.

He's a good kick when he can take a little time but because he's clearing the congestion a lot I think his kicks can be quite rushed. Aside from that he's mostly pretty good in my eyes (though I could be seeing it through rose coloured glasses!).

Love the blokes tenacity and attitude to not give up, but I don't see him being a regular. I think he'll play about 8-10 games at best in the seniors if his body holds up, but make no mistake when he breaks into the 22 it will be fully deserved. As it will be for anyone getting a senior gig this year. FWIW I see him as a half forward flanker role mainly, he's an excellent kick and has good hands for his size.

Weed has great talent and has a great future ahead of him, but as a young player his form will fluctuate drastically and he also can't provide the option of being a pinch hit ruckman. Pedo you'll get an option up forward and at times he can do some really good things, but his biggest asset is that he can be thrown in the ruck. I still don't like Watts going in there.

Watts plays well he's in round one. This is a really good test for us coming up to round one, quality opposition also fielding a strong line up in Perth. This will give us a good indication of how we're tracking. And incidentally, over the course of two NAB/JLT series Goodwin is still yet to taste defeat! Keep it rolling on Goody!

I have this gut feeling the Weagles aren't going to make the 8. Nick Nats a big part of that reason, but mainly gut feeling.

I've never heard of her but Lauren wood is probably the closest to what I would predict (despite her having us outside the 8). I think the final 8th spot could be a really close battle this year between us, the Saints, Tigers, and Essendon (I will vomit if they make the 8). No surprises Robbo has them in the 8. Couple of the predictions I want to come true, us finishing 5 would have me deliriously happy!

I really want finals this year, I think we can do it to. With a bit of luck and the playing group clicking I can see us taking a few big scalps this year and becoming a team other clubs don't want to face.

Really sad for JKH, he'd had an excellent pre-season and this is just rotten luck for him.

He and Matty Whelan loved the long sleeves, but I get why they wouldn't have them anymore for the public. Not enough commercial value.