Maldonboy38

O'Meara is a class above the average player and we would be silly not to consider him. Judd, Stevie Johnson and many others have had major knee issues but played brilliant footy. Maybe O'Meara can too. But that is not my concern. Hunt, Stretch, Tyson, Oliver etc... are playing great team footy. Why would we want to stuff that up? We are playing a brand of team footy that looks like it will pass the test of finals, if and when we get there. To break something that works to bring in something that MIGHT work is poor decision making. If we can give something like a Grimes and a future 1st rounder, well maybe yes, but I don't want to mess with what we have currently working.

This felt like a new day at the time. And maybe, if our club had been half functional, and we had one person in the football department who understood player development, it could have become what potential hinted at. But what it turned into .... !!! A pathetic VFL standard mess.

It feels a little bit like 87, but we have played in 2 grand finals and multiple final campaigns since then so it doesn't feel quite the same. The relief after the Footscray game was as big as the excitement. 23 years of always missing out - it felt like Oliver Twist was finally allowed inside the shop to experience the treats for the first time. 87 was pure joy. This time the feelings are more based on justice and anger - that our club stuffed us up, the whole "benefits of losing" administration, and the favouritism shown Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon while the Doggies and us struggled along. I want vengeance this time.

The way Oliver plays makes you watch him even when 20+ players around the ball. At this early stage the comparisons with Voss might be a bit steep but he does possess early glimpses of Voss' brilliance and influence. Brayshaw is rising in brilliance and aggression with every game he plays. He seems to make so few errors (apart from that horrible switch that cost a goal against the Hawks). It is his run and carry, and fierce tackling that place high above many others on our list. Petracca. His vision, ability to give himself space, and brilliant kicking make me drool. I can't see him ever being a regular 35 possession player, but 20 possessions and 3 goals, 3 goal assists and 8 forward 50 entries might become very regular.

The ones who struggled against Port were Hogan, Harmes and Garlett. Hogan had a quiet patch last year too, but came through it so leave him be. Harmes out for Salem but only if Salem plays an exceptional game for Casey today. The difficult one is Garlett. He may stay in to stick one up Carlton but his attitude and concentration at th moment are below standard. Again, if JKH plays a good game then he comes in for Garlett.

Spot on, Chook. It feels more like a draw. But winning ugly by 40 points is a huge effort against Port in Adelaide. Our midfield looked poorly skilled, and our forward line clumsy. Our defence was fantastic. And for the first time in years we look quick. Hunt, Frost, and Brayshaw on the run make for good viewing. Oliver is becoming my main man, I just love his vision and poise. Massive game for us next week.

At half time I asked the question, can we play 4 quarters of footy. After that weak, really dumb quarter of footy, the answer is a resounding NO. How many times can Port run a free player out wide from halfback with the Dees boys looking on and jogging? I have enjoyed a lot of footy this year but the mess of the 3rd quarter has got me frustrated and calling out questions at the screen. Bloody frustrated.

I have forgotten how good, tough and clean Brayshaw is. Really enjoying every play he is in. Hunt and Dom Tyson - wow. Our play through half-forward is fairly clumsy at times, we should have 3 or more goals by now, and the two clumsy misses by Garlett and Pedo were excruciating. Our backline is immense. Some of our best team football in years, stifling Port inside their forward 50, then running it out through gut running, and 2nd and 3rd efforts. Huge 3rd quarter coming up. Can we play 4 quarters of our best footy?

No way he will leave. He is a WA boy through and through, and Freo's next captain. As a professional footballer, his manager would be remiss in his duties if he didn't explore options, but in the interviews I have seen with him he doesn't seem motivated by money. Perhaps the current status of the Freo list may pose questions for him but not enough to leave.

Great news. The club has huge raps on Oscar so it will be "watch this space" over the preseason to see how he develops physically, and in terms of footy nouse. Both these boys are capable of thevery best and the very worst but their best is very, very good.

I much prefer Pedo over Dawes, but he often plays 2-3 quality games followed by 5 average or poor ones. So he gets dropped and Dawes comes in, lasts 2 games because of re-occurring injury, and so Pedo gets a go again. Personally, this is a great time for this merry-go-round ro stop. I would bring Hogan back in - he is our best forward since Neitz retired, and teams have to plan to counter him. Keep Weideman in - what he showedaround the ground was "special". With Pedo, I would start him on the bench and rotate him into the play when Gawn, Hogan, TMac or Hogan are rotated off. I don't fully understand our rotation system but something like this could work.

Viney will probably vote in more games and Max did have a quiet few games mid-season. Ireckon Viney's consistency will get him over the line. After these two, it is a raffle between N Jones, Watts and Tyson.

I don't easily become fans of individual players, even though there are obviously some I admire. But watching Oliver around a contest, there is something about him that satisfies an old purist's heart. It is more than class - it is the kind of football that thrives in any era. Skilton, Ian Stewart, Robbie Flower, but also lesser lights like Brett Lovett, Ian Fairley from the Roos, Bartel. At a contest, my eyes are drawn to him because he is such a natural footballer.

Hodge, Mitchell, Thug Lewis, cheat Rioli, and Third man up only Gibson... ...beaten by Oliver, Viney, Tyson, Jones, Gawn and Watts. The Rolling Stones were wrong - I can get satisfaction.

The glory of the English language is insufficient to express the delight I am experiencing in reading this thread tonight. Ever since 1987 and 1988 I have hated Hawthorn. The win today AND this thread - a very enjoyable evening.

His natural football instincts are first class, as are his willingness to gut run, contest-arrogance and natural aggression. However, give him time to think and he seems to make poor decisions, and he can go missing mentally st important moments. I love watching him play, and have a lot of confidence in his left foot. I can see him as an absolute gun at about 80 games plus.

Spot on Bandicoot. They are by far the best kicking side I have ever seen, and once they have it, it is very difficult to get it from them. That includes kicking under extreme pressure - when tackled, for example. Geelong have beaten them so many times in close games by using a soccer tactic. When one of their 5 or 6 best kicks ge th ball get ready to pressure them two-on-one. Don't let their elite kicks (Birchall, Smith, Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell etc...) have any space, and make them handball as of they kick. Important for the Dees are Harmes, Dawes, Jetta, N Jones, Kent when he can be bothered, Viney, Kennedy, because they get quickly to the ball carrier and place pressure on. Tackling appears natural to them. Even though it is unlikely, Grimes and Trengove fit into this category well. Our errors will win or lose us this game - you cannot give the ball back to the Hawks, they will slaughter you on the rebound.

Visiting Demonland sometimes is like watching an episode of Home Away or Neighbours - every small act from a MFC player or coach causes rage, swooning, relationship breakdown, rolling eyes, tantrums, and posturing. I just dont see Dawes or OMac as our biggest problems. Our turnovers down back contribute to our losses, yes, but when we lose games it is usually our defensive spread and/or the outside pace of our opposition which kill us. Maybe Dunn, Grimes and Garland are given little or no game time because their defensive spread is poor? Maybe Oliver, Hulet and others younger players' fitness is still developing and by the last quarter they would not be able to spread defensively because of exhaustion? The danger with Gold Coast is not the quality of their midfield - it is whether our midfield will be diligent and hard-working enough to cover them when Gold Coast have the ball. If they get it down to Lynch, 2 Metre Peter and the others with ease, we will get killed. I reckon Dees by 20 points in a close but clumsy game.

It sounds like Oliver is struggling to see out the season in terms of fitness so I doubt we will see him again this year, unless there is injury. Brayshaw needs to stay in for the remainder of this year to give his body some confidence. Will be a gun next year. The players and coaching staff will be gunning for more wins, wanting to see the year out stronger than the past two years, so I can't see a glut of young talent being tried. Pedo in, OMac out, no other change.

Frost and TMac are very different players. Frost has less vision than TMac, so takes less intercept marks. He spoils less often and will keep the ball in play while TMac often looks for the boudary. They are both very quick for big fellas. Frost is able to hit top pace very quickly which gives him line breaking capabilities - a huge plus. Neither are great kicks, both are Iimited, but TMac continues to make momentum-killing clangers that turn directly into goals, especially when he tries to switch or hit up a target. We need both, but our smaller defenders like Jetta and Stretch need to roam around TMac and get him to handball more often. Loved Frost's work against a quality forward line - great job.

1987 semi-final versus the Swans. We won by 76 points but Robbie Flower started on the bench after kicking 5 the week before. I can still hear the cry of "Robbiieeee" as he ran onto the ground for the first time, and even the memory of it sends shivers down my spine. I could not talk for 3 days after that final. By far my best Dees moment ever and proud to say it includes the best Dees player I have seen, the late and great R. Flower. The 94 year. If we had all our players fit and available come finals time (which we did not) no one would have beaten us. Still the best Melbourne team I have seen. And I have to agree with the comments about Trav Johnstone in the losing semi-final of 2002. How the hell we lost that game after the first two quarters I will never know. But the kicking skills of Trav make Watts look like TMac. His goal on the run from the right hand boundary - football perfection.

I agree with you Stuie, your list is spot on. Joel Smith is a really interesting one for me. There is something about the way he plays (I have only seen him on limited game time in the Casey replays) with his movement, vision and play-reading that suggest he could very well make it as a player. But persevere with him as a rookie at this stage.

For once I am feeling ok about this game against the Saints. Right now we have their measure and our defence is starting to tighten up. Our defensive spread from the midfield will make or break this game. Dees by 30 points I reckon. I will have to take many secretive peeks at the AFL app during the game because unfortunately , I start evening shift at 3pm.

Their run and spread killed us last time, as did their outside pace. Two things will make or break this game. 1) Our defensive spread was lazy, dysfunctional and slow last time we played. Their outside pace after a turnover from us killed us and our defensive diamond didn't work at all during that game. We need N Jones, Viney, M Jones, Hunt, and Vince to be switched on with defensive running, especially after a turnover because they are good at it naturally. Tyson, Petracca, Kennedy, and others dont spread defensively well and need to be on their game. Oliver will come in because his defensive running is also very good. 2) The Saints simply cannot match our forward line. With Hogan, Watts, Garlett, Kent, and Petracca growing in confidence as a unit, we can lock it in ther and score. Unfortunately, Reiwoldt has been spending some time in defence so we might have to plan for that.

It was a good game of footy from him, but Freo were so bad in most parts of the game it is really hard to rate how he played. He is a better mark and interceptor than I tnought he would be and is a good size to play on the chunky, mid sized forward. Wagner will come back in but I hope White stays in so we can get a better look. St. Kilda aren't a great team but they are very quick, so we will should get a better understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.