PaulRB

Pass on Lever, and let Jason Taylor and the team work their draft magic with a full set of picks to use... In addition to young guns via the draft, we are entering the window where we can attract quality free agents who'll slot straight in. Trading picks or our gun players for other gun players should be our last resort.

Lewis -> Vince Hogan -> Smith Give Kent, Frost, etc another week at Casey to present a stronger case for recall, build fitness and form, etc...

With Hogan and Vandenberg out, Smith's number's come up earlier than most would have anticipated, would love him to grab the opportunity with both hands.

As a restricted free agent we wouldn't need to trade anything for him, Freo would get top compo for him in draft. And if he chose Melbourne it's because he's decided he can help us win a flag. He'd get better coin at Suns but no possibility of the big one... Lewis choosing us last year plus a finals finish this year will play a big role in helping to convince Fyfe to chose us. We'd have to be on his short list.

Has Peders actually been playing for us at Casey? have heard nothing on him doing anything of note for months..?

Maybe it was the co-captaincy call they has inspired Jones to take his game and leadership to another level..?

Hogan and Lewis both be out for next week... bring in Vince and Spencer.

And now Dwayne has jumped on... http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/expert-opinion/bornagain-demons-could-go-all-the-way-this-season-says-dwayne-russell/news-story/21d02a5bd8568d53abd41c4ad55e7488 gawd.

Tigers early beneficiaries of their draw, beating Carlton and Pies, both teams I'd have in bottom 6 spots come years end...

Trump's dump.

Kent sounded under whealming at VFL level and we've a full deck of forwards, Harmes brings grunt, run and backline experience. Don't mind it.

Oliver, Game 1.

I find it weird people would suggest it's a boys club that keeps non-AFL level players becoming successful senior coaches. It's about the apprenticeship a person goes through playing for 10 years at the highest level, it simply prepares them better for the challenges of being a senior coach.

Also "good recruitment" could actually be a result of good development..? Perhaps it's the arrival of Roos, Macca and Goodwin that is the reason Taylor looks like a genius?

Frost and Wagner back on track with Hibbard not far off. With those three again in contention for a spot we'll see changes and more improvement. I think Frost's run and Hibbard's boot are ideal for line breaking offence from our backline, which seems a cornerstone of our new Gameplan... if our opposition are relying on us being too short by loading up on their tall forwards we should kill them on the rebound.

Out: Slow tentative starts In: Guns blazing from first bounce for four quarters.

It's the Old Melbourne factor, where most punters, seeing a loss to Melbourne think "Geee they must be (have played) bad to lose to Melbourne...!". The penny is yet to drop that we've got a serious team this year, a New Melbourne... Happy to fly under the radar tbh.

Stat from The Age today, that 70% of teams that win Rd1 finish higher then the team they beat. Given the Saints are meant to be pushing for the 8 like us, this win might be the difference between finals or not...

That's harsh on Roos, we bounced back against the Kangas last year after a wipe out first term.

He does a bloody good strutt...

And those wimps who put money on the Saints to Win... uurgh!

We pulled GWS out of our butts last year. This was controlled and kind of brutal.

Clinical in the end. Thats settled which is a better team in 2017...

Demons rookie Smith to make debut against Saints So now have Stretch, Viney and Smith in the team - Looks like the breeding program is starting to pay off!!!

While every team is looking to improve and can, in the haze of pre-season optimism, make a case for rising up the ladder... I thought I'd list why we should rise: Lewis, Hibberd, Melksham - Recruitment of mature top quality talent where we need it - Lewis, Hibberd, Melksham were all quality players for their former teams, with all finishing top 5 for good teams at various points. Viney, Tyson, Hogan, Salem, Hunt, Oliver, Brayshaw, Petracca, Stretch, OMac - The maturing of our young talent - Given Hogan, Brayshaw and Salem had issues last year if these 10 play most games and continue to realise their talent anything is possible. They're the key to our optimism, and I've left out Frost, Wiedeman, J Smith, JKH etc... who could work into the team as well. Gawn, Jones, Vince, TMac, Garlett, Kent, Watts - are a solid crew with all capable of playing outstanding football for long periods of the season. That's 20 players who have or are capable of finishing in the top 10 for us at years end, and 10 of those 20 are young, yet to fully or consistently realise their potential, but likely to this year and/or next. If we can keep those 20 on the track for the year then we're in for something special this year. Prediction: 5th+