Jaded No More

Same team, same game plan, but completely different attitude and confidence. When you're staring down an 8 goal deficit in the first quarter, you are going to play very differently to when you are leading by 8 goals. A young team thrives on self belief, and we had it in spades from the minute Dunn soccered that ball through for a goal.

Sylvia's performance was even more amazing when you consider they put Brett Kirk on him to try and curb his influence!

The sort of player supporters love unconditionally and who brings so many intangible qualities to a side, which are priceless. He is Junior Jnr Could not give a stuff what the general public thinks. The more he goes under the radar, the easier his life will be. For someone who is so "inside", he has very nice foot-skills and good pace too. He is the sort of player that won't ever win big awards, but will be instrumental to the team's chance of winning every week.

His target for next year should be to double his current average possession count. It can be difficult to get a lot of the ball when you're playing as a small forward, especially when we're getting smashed in the middle and the ball is barely seen in our forward 50, but he is so damaging when he gets it, that for me, he needs to push up the ground when his corner of the world is drying up, and get his hands on the footy. 20 possessions a game from Bennell, is like a 20 possession game from Davey because it means 18-19 disposals that are so spot on they burn the opposition and put us into a scoring position. And like Davey, his first instinct needs to become "run".

I knew Chip would come good with a goal. Another $50 for a worthy cause. Go Chip, you star!

Sorry but anyone standing one of one in the goal square with Adam Goodes and no teammate within a 50m radius, would be [censored] themselves. Be it Morton, Scarlett or Jesus himself. Goodes is a bloody unbelievable player who has won two Brownlows and Morton was hardly disgraced. It was one of the best footy lessons he's ever likely to receive and I don't think Goodes walked away from the MCG thinking "man that kid is a spud, I had it so easy today".

Many years ago, I volunteered to start a breeding program at Melbourne. Sadly, I picked some pretty horrible players to try and boost Melbourne's father-son selections (highlights include Bell and McLean), but I'm pretty confident I can get the program up and running again with one James Frawley. We need lots of Nuggets (Spud... Chip... Nuggets?) running around for the next 30 years. Donations can be made at www.breedmeastar.com.au

Would be brilliant to give him the Jack Grimes treatment and reward him with a Round 22 game for getting through his rehab. Just a small taste of what is expected of him in the future, to get him excited and up and about for pre-season. I'm excited!

Walk away dude, just walk away.

His forward pressure is the best in the team. It was instrumental to many of our goals today, especially early on. He isn't at peak fitness yet, but he was chasing well and had good speed on the burst.

At the risk of turning this into yet another Jack Watts thread, he did hurt his thigh in the third and had to get some strapping done. He kept talking to the trainer about it. Everyone played their part today. I thought Jones were down on numbers, but his two goals were very good. Maric did some very nice things, but he spent too much of the game without an opponent which is a worry. Still, he will play next week and it was a pretty good performance from someone who has not played in a year. Aussie was huge, and I don't just mean his backside

I was tempted to jump the fence and give him a big kiss after he kicked that goal. What a champion. Just unbelievable. Who the hell did he even play on today? B) AA next year. Lock it in.

I want to marry James Frawley. F'ing gun!!!!!

We are talking about the same Jack Watts who considered not nominating for the draft for fear of having to move interstate? LOL!

I hate this organization. If it wasn't for our club I'd never bother watching another game ever again.

You can teach a player to go harder at the contest (Brad Green is probably the best example), but you can't teach a player the sort of skills that Watts has.

Junior better not go out the way Neita did!

You're right, at this rate our logo will never be able to feature on an episode of The Weagles.

It is a shame that it was leaked before the official reveal by the club, but gees it's an awesome emblem. LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

I don't disagree that Aker is a moron, but I know who I'd rather in the GF when given a choice between Aker or some untried kid. Of course the Dogs may not need to replace injured players in finals, but it has happened before, and I reckon when you're so close to winning and at the same time, so close to having your window of opportunities close, you put up with [censored] if they can play (or take risks on guys like Barry Hall). He's definitely been down on output this year, but he's exactly the sort who will pop up in a final with 4 goals and win you a game (Nick Davis style). Still, not shocked the Dogs let him go. In the end he was never willing to learn from his mistakes or take club directions, so he has nobody to blame but himself. A brilliantly decorated career, and a champion player, who will be remembered mostly for having a big mouth. A real shame.

It depends whether he considers Bennell, Petterd, Bail and Aussie as small forwards. If he does, then I think we've got at least 2 certain future players (how good they'll become is anyone's guess, although Bennell has the skills to become elite). I'm more worried about our lack of good small defenders. I know Garland and Frawley can and do play small if required, but I still think we need to find a small defender who can totally shut down assholes like Milne and Co without compromising our tall defense. Bartram is doing a good job, but he definitely hurts us on the counter-attack. Ideally I'd love to see Strauss take over this role, but I question whether he'll ever be good enough defensively. As for tall forwards, IMHO the number of "talls" is just that, a number. There is no set formula, and we've seen sides win a flag with one or no KPFs (West Coast) before. It's far more important to have enough avenues to goal and plenty of midfielders who can kick goals (this is where Sylvia is potential gold), because sometimes too many tall forwards is like having 3 arms, great in theory, but not really practical. For me, Watts and Jurrah are the sort of dangerous forward combination that can kill teams, and if we can find a second ruckman who can successfully be rested in the goal square (read: not PJ), then I think we'll have a good enough attack going forward. Besides, our biggest issue is not our forwardline, it's our midfield and the ability to get the ball inside 50. Our conversation rate is actually pretty good, but no forward, no matter how good he is, can do much if the ball is not coming their way. Franklin would kick 9 goals a season if he played for us. Oh and why the hell do I care what Terry "list destroyer" Wallace has to say?

Clicky Here Round 17 injury list Jack Grimes (hamstring) - 3 weeks Jordie Gysberts (back) - test Rhys Healey (hamstring) - 3 weeks Danny Hughes (ankle) - 4 weeks Stef Martin (hip) - test James McDonald (hamstring) - test John Meesen (foot) - indefinite Brent Moloney (corked thigh) - test Michael Newton (quadriceps) - 2 weeks Ricky Petterd (shoulder) - season Jake Spencer (back) - 2-3 weeks James Strauss (knee) - 1 week Jack Trengove (hip) - 1 week What the hell is going on with Grimes' hamstring? 3 more weeks??

Jones will get burnt by Goodes both for speed and in the air. Heaven help us if that is the matchup!

Idiotically harsh penalty for a player with no previous record. If it was Scully I'd burn down the MRP!

Bail to kick 3 goals. Random.