PaulRB

Tom Mac at just 100 games is leader of a backline consisting of Jetta (80 odd games) then space... To Hunt, Wagner, OMac, Frost all of which are under 20 games. To fail to value TMacs leadership simply indicates you're blind to reality.

I think the effectiveness of Watts down back is why we should be throwing everything at Hurley, and leave Jack forward.

Proud forwards may not feel happy when they fail to impact on the scoreboard for the second week running, and have a bruised knee...

More so today with Vanders after Hogan was injured and Watts swung into defence, he gave us an option. Petracca's kicking today was awesome, his 70 m knife into Vanders was sublime.

Bring on the Hawks!!!

Vandenberg strong up forward when we needed it.

He was at around 60% game time earlier in the year, and while doing well it means that others in the team had to play more game time. And with a young team that can be problematic. As in, Hunt, Petracca, OMac, may also need to be managed. I also think that they are looking to shape him into a more rounded mid and that education may be better achieved at Casey...

I think he's limited by his inability to play out the full four quarters (or even 80%) at AFL level, and as a result is unable to fulfil his midfield role consistently, despite his obvious talent for it. Roos said as much when comparing Oliver with Petracca recently.

I can see that, but Vanders performs better when resting forward than Oliver and is stronger one-on-one when ball in the air. Another preseason and an injury free run for both will tell us a lot.

Looking at the team, it's raw potential, with Melksham, Salam, Oliver and the Wiedeman to add over the next year fills me with a rare feeling of optimism for our footy club. Hope they bring it today, would really enjoy this team starting to gel and find their next gear.

Yep, he grew up with too much success. Made him soft.

Touch worried, as my dad wants to come, and he only shows up when he thinks we're almost guaranteed to win. His last appearance was to watch us cream the Dons...

We've pretty much got our best 22 in, settled and motivated after last weeks stuff up vs Weagles. Im hoping we can pull all the pieces together and put on an exhibition.

Vanders is a season and several years body wise ahead of Clarry and when on is as damaging, as was seen last year. This year Vanders has been working through his ankle issues and his role shifting to be more up forward as others get more time around the ball. I reckon he's as good a prospect as our top 10 kids in terms of his ceiling, and Roo's (who saw it and developed it with Kennedy) knows it. Hence, straight back in.

[censored] cat-land romance! Demon-land romance has him come to us and kick three against the cats in the 2017 GF including a spiral torp from 60 after the siren to have us win by a point. Clark, Selwood and Danger collapse and weep uncontrollably, and never see finals success again...

How would Gaz go at the MFC for the next three? Now we're talking!!! FF: Gartlett Hogan Ablett

Agree he was better last year, disagree he doesn't deserve a game this year. He's a 191 big bodied forward/mid who is a bull in a pack when on song, plus at 23 games in he's one season into his career, improving and will be a monster at game 100. Has work to do on his engine but has the appetite...

I rate Vandenberg as a big powerful mid capable of kicking goals and punishing teams that reminds me of Swans Kennedy. And his improvement in his almost two years on the list has been as good as any. 23 games in, big fan

I think Oliver's lack of a tank started to effect the way he played and could play, leading to habits that were detrimental to his development creeping in. Several have noted he wasn't kicking and given his engine issues I suspect he was strugging to spread as well. so playing him at Casey to build engine and have capacity to develop the outside aspects of his game may be the reason...?

Dawes came back and kicked two goals (out of 10), (with 5 tackles) two more than Watts and Hogan combined ( 0 goals and 3 tackles combined) ... which I see as a good result = tick Vanders in round 16 and 17 kicked a goal in each and was middle tier in terms of MFC player performance... and is a beast when rolling = tick Keep up the good work selection committee!

Some interesting stats on where the MFC performs well (and not)... http://www.fantasyfootballnuts.org/afl-2016-the-numbers-so-far-how-does-your-team-rank/

We should be focusing on RFA and FA this year to add experience and resilience to the team while our young list develops. We have no serious picks to trade and few players with currency that we should trade, talk of trading TMac is bizarre and would be self-defeating, as to do so would only set us back or expose us to low percentage risks (or both). Hibbert if we can get him as a FA, tick. Otherwise if we can pick up a Suckling type etc to fill specific holes. Our upswing will come from within.

Boom! 39,118

How can you suggest Oliver! he's getting eaten alive in the VFL!

Human bites can actually be quite toxic, lots of bacteria and germs in mouth, saliva, etc... Hope the club doctors are onto it...