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Ankle, seemed to land awkwardly then the freo player landed on it.

It's the AFL's attempts at "keep the ball moving", it's not rewarding the tackler and then in a disputed ball the person who actually tried to get it and is tackled and locked up straight away gets done with no chance of getting it out. On the game, I think we're really going to struggle with only one ruckman, Stef you can already see is doing it tough. With that in mind the mids, in particular the in and under need to be able to crum off the freo ruckmen and a few players like Sylvia and Howe may need to go third man up a few times. Positives: Good to see Green with two goals, we need him to kick a bag if we're any chance Tom Mac seems to be ok after his bruised lung and is doing some great defensive things especially with dropping his man to help Chip on Pav Nicho is doing some good runs, he just needs to have an idea of where he's going because he tends to run himself into trouble That goal from Bail came because of his hard work to create an option, will be highlighted for sure during the week We were able to come back and settle in the second quarter after it looked like freo would run over the top Strauss out there Negatives: Our disposal still let's us down, we are our own worst enemies Jamar down Grimes may be down Rivers, Howe, Garland MIA

Ok there are obvious points to make how we're going at the moment, but this is game that we will be making a loss on big time because our crowd figure will be horrible. But could this have been lessend? I have heard nothing from the club this week appealing to the fans to get out and see the boys at Etihad. I'm not suggesting this would bring an extra 5000 but it might just get a few 50/50's off their backsides. And why not some kind of promotion, sponsor product showbags, or merchandise discount. I guess my point is that I don't the the club has embraced the game, more try to forget about where it's at. FWIW I am not actually at the ground today, I have had to work and I did try to get out of it, but there will be plenty that have decided not to go and could've easily got there and that in particular drives me nuts.

Surely with Green back Rivers will return to defense, Howe I'd like to see pushed forward but has worth as a winger.

Obviously this won't help us with Viney, but how about to stop teams from circumventing to rules to force clubs to choose between a father/son pick and giving up a pick they deserve the AFL make an independent selector who rates the F/S picks themselves and where they say the player has to be taken the club takes it or leaves it. Ultimately everyone wants F/S picks to go the their chosen club, it's a unique romance in our game that connects families to clubs forever. What i'm suggesting is fair and prevents opposition clubs from forcing a team into lose/lose situation. Because if we take Viney for overs ultimately he will be compared to the player that we might've got, and if we bypass him then suddenly we are a club with no ethics and loyalty to a long standing legend of the club. FWIW i think we'll take him where we have to, I really hope it's 2nd round because it's where he'd be rated at the moment.

Exactly what I was thinking. His talent is unquestioned, and from what I've heard from Neeld he is a hard worker. His kicking can be improved, definitely get pen to paper for a 3 year deal IMO.

Gifting games to kids was always a concern of mine back in the Baily era, in theory it makes sense. Expose them to the rigors of the game and fast-track their development, but where that falls down is that young players play on confidence and eventually getting smacked around by just about everyone in the competition takes it out of you. Carlton have done it with a future hall of famer of the the game, and they've still struggled for a long time to genuinely match it with the best of the best. Our young players have been devoid of real leadership for too long, and that's who they look to to show the way. I'm happy to see Neeld taking his time with the likes of Cook and Coach, both would've been playing under Baily by now I guarantee it. But rather than sending them to the wolves he's letting them find their feet and truly earn their spot (though I'd hope Couch has done enough from last week). Someone said to me that if we allow Neeld to have his full 3 years, and we have another dog year next year we will die as a club. Bulls&*t. We're stronger than the Kangaroos, the Bulldogs, or St Kilda, and their still going. Mark isn't above criticism, but we must allow him to enact his vision on the club.

Cook I'm happy that they're taking their time, he's a young KPP and he would be monstered by the defenders in the AFL and I reckon he'll get a game at some point this year just to give him a taste. The "obsession" with Couch is that we elevated him at the startof the year and were told we'd only elevate if they were going to play in the seniors. He's been pretty consistently in the best for Casey, and now this week has had a stand out gave only overshadowed by Greens bag. Magner is also out of form/exhausted, so I reckon if we're ever going to play him it'd have t be this week.

I disagree with the opinion that Frawley is a poor kick, apart from the stats back me up on it, the other major difference between his kicking and and others that stuff it up is that he kicks to advantage. So even if it doesn't hit them lace out, generally they are in a much better position than there opponent. Grimes used to be a great kick, before his last long injury he would spot someone up and nail them with precision, it reckon he's down on confidence with that area atm. Blease I'd rate at as one of our best kicks, he just doesn't get enough of it to show it. And Jones has improved his kicking out of sight, but he has also changed his way of thinking, he lowers his head a lot more than others in the team. Maldonboy; I can't believe you rated Bate as one of our best kicks. For goal perhaps, but on the run he looks like he's kicking a lead balloon. Morton is a good long kick, short he butchers it trying to be too cute.

That was my thought as well, there are incidents that are deemed too much for MRP and can't have discounts attached to it. That should've applied here and it should've been minimum 4 weeks. The bloke has a fractured jaw and will be out for four weeks. With the Frawley incident, the footage on the AFL website is the first i've seen it again, and apart from it looking worse than what I thought at the game I've got to give credit to Riewoldt for staying with and clearly being concerned about Chip.

I've just made a subscription, the donations page wouldn't work. Your hard work is probably taken for granted by many on here (including me), thanks for everything you've done for this site.

If we crack 16000 I will be impressed, and this is the AFL's fault for giving us home games at this crap hole. Melbourne marketing team should've been working around the clock to think of ways to get people through the gate. Discounts on sponsor/club apparel, $1000 big screen pick out comp, free hat (for those South Park fans here!). The team isn't giving us much of a reason to go, so the club should be thinking creatively about this one.

Pretty much exactly what I would go for, and all reports say that Jamar will be right. There was also talk this week that Sellar would be right to go and he seems to be a favourite of Neelds so he could come in for MacDonald or Chip if he doesn't come up from his concussion. I'm happy with Col Garland up forward but I really think we lose too much with Rivers away from defense. I won't be pleased if he heads forward again this week.

For me I think it's the skills that are letting us down the most, there are times where we're getting into good runs and positions but stuff t up with a dead basic kick or handball.

Wow Casey love their close wins! Great to hear Green kicking a bag, home he continues it onto next week.

I'd like to think I'm a positive word but I thought we were smashed all day, the scoreboard is extremely kind. The second quarter we had about 5-10 where we were somewhat on top but again that time they missed some very getable chances. At the moment I feel Neeld is pushing sh!t up a hill, he can implement the greatest game plan ever, but there are players in our team that simply do not have the skills. We made VFL reserves grade mistakes that simply cost us goals. I'm glad we fought I out, we didn't get smashed on the scoreboard and that's something, it was one of the most frustrating games I've ever witnessed. Some points though IMO: - Garland forward works, Rivers and Magner don't - Bate (good on him for getting to 100) is not up to it - Spencer needs more time, thank god Jamar will be back next week - the game plan and thought patterns revolve around us having a power forward to can take grab, we don't have that any more so the players have to shift their thinking, Jones was the only one spotting up targets - sheparding, sheparding, sheparding!!!!! It's what the best teams do and I saw Grimes so the first genuine one all year from us!!!! That is basic.

Can't say agree with this, would've preferred to drop him and give him a full run at Casey to get some form, but will be interesting to see how he goes as the sub.

I'm really hoping that Neeld doesn't do with Watts what he did last week and put him on Riewoldt. More because he and Chip have great duals and Chip usually comes out on top, I'd really like to see Watts be given a bit of freedom to move forward a bit and make someone accountable on him. Also want to see Howe played forward, we need marking targets in the 50 and he can make bad kicks work for him.

They are talent that have become stars. Ricky, at the moment, is talent that is struggling at Casey. We've seen what he can do, it's bloody well there. 2010 he was one of our best players until he got his season ending shoulder, I think he is one that is struggling to come to terms with the Neeld style. I also think he's one that can't get into a game playing at VFL level. I hope he can, I really like him, early 2010 I saw him becoming our Stevie Johnson type player.

Congrats to Bater. He tries hard every time and has had some memorable moments in those 100 games. All the best on the weekend.

Different personality type (and player type for that matter). Look at a lot of the recent success stories in coach, the players that they were were hard working and not necessarily the most gifted players. Great thinkers and doers. I would like to have Junior back in some capacity, if nothing else I'd just like him back because he's a great clubman. But it would depend on him liking the gameplan that Neeld puts up and working within that system. My thoughts are he wouldn't have just left Melbourne to go to Sydney for a one year adventure, I imagine he'd like to stick around to mentor the young group.

Yes I would agree that Trengove looks like he's knackered and could use a break, I'm not sure Couch would be the next choice in to replace him though as they are different players. Couch has been a frustrating case, but look at how the selectors have gone this year, a lot of of experience when possible. I feel that they are no longer gifting games to young players, they have to set a standard before they get in. And while there's plenty of argument for blooding players (which we have done in the past), I'm liking the fact that the young blokes have to earn their stripes. I'm confident that by the end of the year Couch, Cook, Tynan, and Davis will have at least a game or two under their belts. Just a taste to get them really wanting it for 2013.

It would be the funniest thing in the world to me if the gave Ratten the ass. And I would be very dissapointed if we didn't get him back as our midfield coach. If the blues have any stones they'll hold on to him.

We can't ask this of Jack, like any young player he'd be itching to be playing out on the G. If we don't want to take him with the pick we have to then so be it, but he wants to play AFL not VFL. We're acting like we'll call the bluff of GWS, I'm leaning to us not and we'll just say that we rated him in the top 3/4. There is still hope that GWS will not nominate him, what we want is there to be 2-3 absolutely top of the line no arguments best players in the draft (that don't include Jack) and give them every reason not to pick him.

He wasn't ready, came in out of necessity not because he deserved a call up. I don't know if he will make it as a footballer but boy his skills were barely VFL level. As I said though, came in because we had bring him in. Martin as well is in because we had to. We lost our no. 1 & 2 ruck combo, and brought in two back ups who have been injured for much of the year. No surprises they struggled. (I'll say this in terms of taps they both did ok)