Ouch!

... it is why some people lose at forums though Nasher!

I haven't tipped the Dees, but it will not surprise me to see us win, Melbourne probably has a better 'recent' record over Richmond than any other club in the league. If not for injuries last year I think we should have beaten them last year as well. The difference I see however is that they are playing a much more mobile and smaller forward line now, and if we push up as high in defense as we have been in the first few weeks, they will kill us out the back. Plus several of the players in our defense is a little out of form... TMac's absence is still a big hole in our 22, and we need to bring a tall forward in. Tipping a crowd of maybe 72k!

Except it's actually not all that much in light of the new agreement that was sorted late last year. It's a big contract but not inappropriate. Lever is adjusting to a game plan structure that is slightly different to what he had at Adelaide, it takes some time. I'm filthy over what happened on the weekend, and love a good conspiracy theory, but I think we sucked on the day, we were outplayed by a team that wanted it more and we'll have to move on quickly from this experience. Two weeks ago everyone was going hard at the dogs and pies, last week it was the bombers, this week it'll be Adelaide and the Dees will be in the gun. These clubs each to varying degrees have turned it around, we just have to prove we can do that this week with Richmond.

Still stunned, I only got to watch the first quarter and we looked like we were all over them, Hogan was everywhere and Kent and Brayshaw looked strong too. To come back and see one goal kicked for the remainder of the ground left me gobsmacked! Anyway I don't have any real concrete thoughts about who should come in, but a couple of my thoughts... We need a tall forward target, especially if we are letting Hogan roam the ground more. Until TMac is back, we need to play another tall in Pedo or Weid. I think we need to send a message to a couple of the senior players (Lewis... Melk... ) and possibly put them back into the VFL for a couple of weeks.... and given that the closer we get to having Viney play we will need to make this call anyway... if Jones moves out of the midfield to the HBF, we can't have him, Vince and Lewis all playing down there. Melk, ANB, Bugg and Harmes... all too similar at the moment, Kent has some toe, and Fritsch has a leap and would be a hard match up, but I think one these guys has to give way for one of the talls. The balance of the side.... or the structure looks right without TMac...

I'm not concerned just yet. Lever, and our other backs just need time to gel and work as a unit. You hear each and every team refer to their defense as a team within a team and it takes time to get to know each other, build trust etc. Look at Geelong, they are struggling in 2018 without Lonergan and Mackie. Richmond have a solid defensive unit, but it's taken them a couple of years to get it right with Grimes, Astbury, Rance and co. Our backs are still learning this, OMac is really only starting his second season as a 'regular'. Frost is still learning the caper, and whilst Jetta, Hibberd and co are experienced they just need time together. Lever isn't any different. It's probably one of the reasons why I think we are still learning the caper in 2018. I expect us to make finals, but I still think that it will be another year before we are a contender for the premiership (although I don't mind if the 2018 team proves me wrong!!)

I would imagine he fits into the backline and Frost would miss!

Totally agree.... I'm more generally referring to our midfield pitted against theirs. When Petracca is in there, I hope he can work them over pretty hard, but agree he won't run the whole day out! We will run a lot of players through there and these players will need to run, spread, and get physical making it hard for them from the opening bounce!

Has any team actually put a tag into Mitchell? Collingwood and Geelong certainly didn't. Surprising given the talk after round 1 He's a great player and he is a good chance to get a lot of touches true. But of the three teams that the Hawks have played I think McEvoy has been dominant as ruck. It will be interesting with Gawn in the form that he is in and how he taps to advantage how much that impacts Mitchell at stoppages. I wonder if we tag or get a player to run with him... I'm excited to see Oliver, Salem and Petracca line up against Mitchell & O'Meara. But the rucks will be probably even more telling in the outcome for the midfield!

I don't think any of us as supporters think we are playing @ our best, yet we were a stray kick away from a 3-0 start to the year. We have some key players to return in Viney and TMac, we have a full list to chose from, and a very large playing contingent @ Casey. I'm bullish about the season, I think the Hawks this week should be a great test.

I rewatched the game last night. I thought Lever was prominant, but his disposal by foot wasn't great. But he was well and truly in the game. Biggest thing on the reply I noted was not Hogan or Gawn ... they had great games. But Salem and Jones were fantastic in and around the ball, Salem in particular was hard at the ball and good with his disposal. Which was great given we don't have Viney, and Oliver was tagged by Jacobs

have to agree with JnrMac. Frost isn't there as an extra man in defence, he's there as an extra tall IN our defence (even though listed as CHF on the team sheet) It means that Lever can play third tall which should be good for his confidence. But I can't see Frost used as a 7th player behind the ball, that would be Lever playing as intercept player, or someone like Lewis depending on why they are playing a spare defender.

What I find a bit confusing about the selections is Goody's comments. Coach Simon Goodwin said Frost and Kent’s recent efforts for Casey couldn’t be ignored. “They’ve been in unbelievable form at VFL level and they’ve been knocking down the door for a few weeks now,” I didn't think the VFL had even started, and that all we've done is play some practise matches haven't we? I thought our first actual match is this weekend against Coburg?? Didn't think we'd have any changes, and honestly am not fussed with who is in and out, but the comments to justify the inclusions .... just sounds like a guy spouting 'footy cliches'

Kent looked pretty solid up until that match where he badly did a hammy (I think?) that particular game he was smashing it too. I don't think he's been right since then. Haven't written him off, but we've had Harmes, Hannan, Fritz and a few others leapfrog him in the last year or so. I'd prefer him to be smashing the door down with several strong games in the VFL....

Unless there is an injury between now and Saturday, I'll take a punt and say no change. Don't think our players down at Casey have had enough match time to make a call. I would like to see a game or two more of good form. Outside chance of someone like Brayshaw maybe for Hunt. But a pretty solid away win with no apparent injuries and I think the MC will back the same 22 in against Nth at the MCG. Gut feel is that Nth will try and isolate Brown in the forward 50 and Omac to take that role, Lever can intercept with the assistance of our mid/small defenders as part of the zone. Don't see an obvious match up for Frost. Maybe Waite if they push him forward, but he roamed HF and delivered into Brown on the weekend and that worked pretty well in the second half. Nth could pull some surprises and go with two rucks against Gawn, maybe bring in Mason Wood.... but they won by 52 points, I can't see too many changes for their side either. .... I'd love for them to try bringing Daw into their defence this week!!!

Why? and what I mean is .... are you saying that we need Frost (instead of OMac) to man Brown? or we need both of them? if both,... who is the other tall in their forward line that warrants his inclusion? Do we need an extra tall to block the space? why not use the current players who can mark run and carry (and kick) better that Frost? Lever can still play that role with our current back 6 unless Nth put another tall up forward to drag him back to the goal line, but that strategy will then cause issues for Ben Brown and finding space.

... and yet I defend people's right to play pokies if they so chose. I don't like that it's in all the pubs and clubs, and would prefer that it was in the Casinos. But I am also sick and tired of the way governments all over Australia are making us a nanny state. People have to be responsible for their own actions. A lot of things offer their users no benefit, but that doesn't mean you should ban it either. It's a sad fact but I believe a lot of people would find another thing if it wasn't pokies. I'm not saying we shouldn't help people who have addictions as a responsible society, but banning something doesn't automatically solve the problem. These people could turn to internet gambling, and that's even less regulated and grey market without any of the 'levies and taxes' that come back into the Govt.

Whilst we need to work out Brown.... lets not forget the fact that the saints were absolutely deplorable last week, and it was perhaps more about how badly they butchered the ball and how inept they were, than how strong North were. Sure some was Norths pressure, but most was horrible horrible skills by the saints! I'm not saying we should take North lightly, nor do I think we shouldn't have a strategy for Brown, but some people are getting psych'd out before the game has even started because of Brown kicking a few goals last week. Interestingly most of the big powerful forwards have started the season strongly (except Hawkins) There 12 players currently on track for an 80 goal season!! (unlikely I know) If we play our brand of football, the brand that we have played for 6 out of the 8 quarters this year we should win and win well. .... BTW that came out a lot more optimistically than I had planned it to be!

Too early to make a call IMO. I presume most people thought we bought him to the club as the third tall/intercept defender as he played with Adelaide. However he is playing as our 2nd tall and required to play a more accountable game (in terms of minding bigger forwards) it will take a little longer to learn the ropes. I don't know if it will change this week, I don't see us bringing in Frost. Nth left Ben Brown with a lot of room in the Forward half last week, and Waite didnt push up forward all that much, he was delivering the ball (quite nicely too I might add) to Brown. Lever can still possibly play that intercept role with other smaller defenders to take on their mid and small forwards.

As DrDrake mentions, these will be assets that are sold off, if it means clearing down some debt, or investing money into other ventures that can make the club money then thats the key here. Those numbers are misleading as all they do is say how much of our profit comes from gaming revenue. Can't just say now we don't have pokies therefore we don't have a revenue source. What the club does with the profits from selling these two assets will be the key.

I guess it depends how much money the AFL gets from the Fed Govt to conform to the WADA code.... if it's a couple of mil... the AFL can just cut back on some of the funding to the Gold Coast and Brisbane, and wear it.... however if the AFL was penalised through other means such as fed gov funding for grounds, sporting complexes and training facilities, perhaps it's a bit of a harsher pill to swallow.

Presume they are threatening to split from ASADA if ASADA is unable to prevent the FoI request through the courts. Essentially fighting along side them, but saying if it fails, we will part ways so that such a thing can't happen ever again... EDIT: An FoI request can only be made to a Govt agency I believe? or possibly to an organisation that receives public money to fund it's operations. Can't quite remember the details.

.... or we just change up the forward line a bit, We have a few mid sized forwards that are pretty capable, not sure if Hannan, Fritsch, Melk, Harmes, Petracca, ANB, Bugg etc were all going to squeeze into the one forward line in our 22. I still think Pedo is the obvious inclusion for TMac if he doesn't get up for Rnd 1, but I wouldn't be unhappy with a smaller more mobile forward line if it came to that. We have a strong number of goal scoring options in 2018 with our depth.

Pffft, Adelaide’s defence just weaker cos we got Lever.... don’t read too much into the performance. I’m more disappointed we don’t still have Dom Barry... he did look good.

Not sure if this is what POITA means with getting his head right, but last year was probably the most consistent year Salem had with his body, yet he let himself down with a few undisciplined thing (AFL and VFL) and got rubbed out. Given the year we had last year, and how close we got.... sure that can be partly attributed to injuries to some key players... but it's probably also fair to say we had some really costly suspensions of key players (Hogan, Vince, Lewis) but also Salem IMO... and they hurt our momentum at critical times through last year. We missed out on finals by 0.5%

If Watts makes us pay, what does it say about his career up to this point? I wish him and Trenners the best, and I hope they have good careers ahead of them. Everyone thinks that Port had a big win in the trade period, and whilst I think they were canny in some of their selections, I don't actually know how close they really are to the premiership. They have some great players, and perhaps boasted their players in the bottom half of their list. But they had a horrible record against almost all the teams they played in the top half of the ladder... they smashed the lower teams, so I can't get a good read on them as a club.