Macca

The team is a bit soft both physically & mentally so I'd be playing AVB if he can get himself fit and healthy We need 2 or 3 players of his ilk ... they don't have to dominate the stats sheet either. 3 physical types in the 3 main areas of the ground (as long as they can play of course) Melksham can play a lot better and needs to get to more contests but if he can return to his best form he plays as well ANB is wasteful and I put him in that small forward type bracket (and you can't have too many of those types in the same team)

I wouldn't necessarily be playing too many of our listed small forward types unless they can be relied upon to play well Jones will take up a spot at half forward and if Goodwin thought a bit more creatively he'd use Viney as a defensive forward or as a straight small forward That would allow Oliver, Brayshaw, Harmes & Petracca to play where they are best suited ... on the ball and at the stoppages. And Petracca may well have stints forward as well So with 2 KPF's (pick any 2 out of T-Mac, Ben Brown, Mitch Brown, Weideman, Petty or Smith) Fritsch, Melksham, Jones and maybe even Viney and LJ forward periodically, 1 other small forward is all that we might need. Bench players are often midfield players as part of our rotations We've played 2 or sometimes even 3 small forwards previously where none had an impact. Liabilities as it turned out If Jones doesn't play then maybe you'd play 2 other smalls but I'm inclined to believe that Viney will spend time in the forward line which then probably means that only one of Pickett, Spargo or Chandler plays. None of the 3 are bona-fide AFL standard players just yet anyway ... the future holds the answer to whether they make it or not And if ANB plays then we could easily end up with too many smalls in the forward line who aren't impact players Not sure we can play Jones, ANB, Kozzie along with Spargo (or Chandler) in the one team. And if Viney was playing forward I'd be only playing 2 of the 5 aforementioned in the same team If Hunt can't hold down a spot across half back he'd be out the team as well ... another one who doesn't impact games often enough

He'll play at some stage and that was the basis of my point. Or have you ruled him out completely?

Value Bet (Randwick Saturday) Race 7 No.3 North Pacific 9.00/2.50 More so the exotics and place multi, I'm confident the horse can get into the finish and 3rd up has been primed for this race

Super Saturday coming up at Flemington on the weekend and a super days racing coming up at Randwick as well. Group & Listed races aplenty along with 4 big Group 1 events. I'm mainly playing the exotics and even the quinella's could pay well with such depth to the racing. Quite tricky coming up with a best bet or 2 as well. So far, nothing is jumping out at me Flemington Fields, Form & Odds Randwick Fields, Form & Odds

They might place Gawn back when LJ is on the ball and LJ as a floating forward when Gawn rucks The key is getting Big Ben fit & firing and T-Mac into form If that were to happen then Fritsch & Melksham can slot into their roles whilst the small forwards can battle for 1 or 2 spots (Kozzie, Spargo & the kid Chandler)

I'd be promoting LJ as another but the crowded forward lines these days aren't necessarily suited to a raw 19yo He'll play no doubt because the kid has talent (he doesn't have a look around when attacking the ball) so being used as a utility is his go for now For the early part of the season we might have to make do with a more mobile forward line but Gawn & LJ can't both play on the ball (at least not all the time) so do we rotate the big fellas forward? Maybe

With T-Mac we've got to get him into the game early ... once he's had a number of touches he can go forward and become a real target Otherwise he tends to go cold as a mainstay forward and gets double-teamed out of the game We need to keep the opposition coaching box guessing so the slant should be to use our versatile players properly. If fit Vanders can be a bit of a swingman as well. The team needs to exert a bit of vigour from time to time and that can't be understated. Fearless football was the early mantra from Goodwin so we need to see it if we're going to get into contention

I want to see Ben Brown & T-Mac as a combo with LJ floating in swapping roles with T-Mac from time to time. The wing or high half forward with stints deep forward (in the middle occasionally as well) for T-Mac & LJ with Big Ben as the mainstay up forward Versatile players need to be used in a versatile way and we've got more than a few of those types on the list The Weid as back-up but the lad needs confidence more than anything else. He's got the raw ability to be a good player But above all else all the likely candidates that can play tall in the forward line all need to get healthy & fit to be available for selection Agree on the midfielders but we need a number of others to have one of their better years in the same year! That's what happened with the Bulldogs in 2016 so it's all possible I like your optimism 58er ... tough task around here (that includes yours truly) but keep it up!

I watch the game intently and tend to have the volume down and just tune in to the chatter whenever I feel the need. For some the commentary plays a big part but for me it doesn't (I'm listening in a selective way) So it depends on how you view the whole package. For instance I can't stand Huddo because he screeches too much (which defeats the purpose of having the volume down) McAvaney's knowledge is 2nd to none though (in my view) so that's what I listen to in a selective way We're all different so it's ok to agree to disagree. In the end, the game needs to entertain us

As stated earlier it's not like the club hasn't tried to address our forward line issues in the last decade or more. It just hasn't worked out! The club must have thought that after the 2018 finals that all we needed to do was add in some medium sized forwards and small forwards to Hogan, T-Mac & the Weid But again, all 3 possible/probable mainstays are no longer playing their part to how we'd want it to be played out (Hogan is gone of course) Right now we have loads of potential but nothing is resolved yet. If & when it is resolved we will be a dangerous opponent Hopefully it all develops this season but Stafford has a big task as the forward line coach

Who said anyrhing about 1994? Tigers, Cats & Eagles have 2 traditional type key forwards and Collingwood would dearly want 2 high calibre KPF's All 4 teams continue to feature heavily at the pointy end of the season Not a coincidence You often deep dive when a more obvious way of analysing footy (especially our team) is staring you in the face In other words scale it back when applicable Ain't going to happen now but we could have recruited Lynch & Cameron. In fact, the club should always be on the lookout for decent KPF's And the club has gone down that path in more recent times ... Cook, Hogan, Dawes, Clark, Watts, Weideman, Brown etc etc. We even had a nibble at Jono Brown Put Lyon & Neitz types into our forward line right now and we are genuinely challenging for a top 4 spot (ongoing)

Cats are well poised despite those who believe they will fall away ... multiple big key forwards who can take grabs & kick goals are priceless Smaller forwards will often give greater output as a consequence of those big KPF's firing. The connection is obvious to my way of thinking and often can't be measured by stats i.e. Inside 50 count is often largely irrelevant with an underperforming forward line. Basics such as playing in front, multiple leads to the hot spots, 2nd & 3rd efforts, attacking the contest with vigour, retaining possession, kicking straight and contested marking are all important factors So how do we stack up in those areas DJ? (It's a bit of a rhetorical question ? )

Good forwards stand out and we don't have them. Even a star-studded midfield would not be able to overcome a forward line such as what we've largely had since the Neitz era When we played finals under Northey, Daniher & Balme we had a number of standout forwards However, circumstances can change from year to year and a good example of that was 2018 ... T-Mac, Hogan & Weideman all fired to an extent and our smaller forwards contributed a bit as well (not a lot though)

So 14 wins guarantees a finals spot whilst 13 wins probably gets you there. A team needs to be above average and consistently good just to get to 13 or 14 wins. You've got to win 2 out of 3 ongoing We can get there if our forward line fires ... the midfield & defence can be improved upon but it's the forward line that needs to improve dramatically (as a collective) In modern footy it's easier to defend well (flooding helps enormously) but conversely, it's much harder to have a functioning forward line these days. Coaching the forward line plays a big part especially specialist coaching so Greg Stafford has the job ahead of him. I reckon he needs help from others as it's a big job for one person An example of the standard required is how Richmond play total team footy within their own forward line ... something we need to aspire to and achieve

McAvaney was a great footy commentator and is probably the best sports broadcaster we've ever had His footy commentary was exemplary with regards to his knowledge of the game and the 'gushing' I always just saw as an amusing aside. Never bothered me Even better with the Olympics and horse racing and Bruce will continue in those areas but will go out on top re the footy. Kudos

Mistakes will be made with regards to the adjudication of this new rule but mistakes are made with all adjudications. That's the sport and if you want perfection and/or consistency you won't get it But I really like the new rule in terms of what it could do for the sport as a spectacle ... and that matters to me far more than a few iffy decisions More open footy and more scoring with less congestion & stoppages is what I want to see and so do many others So hopefully this new rule helps us get to that point. Those who like footy the way it is now need to remember that they used to watch (and enjoy) the sport when it was more open with less congestion and with more scoring

The All Star Mile final field has been decided It's a crack field but would have liked to see Verry Elleegant, Colette, Kolding & Avilius included but with 2 Autumn carnivals running side by side, we don't get to see the very best all racing against each other. Still, there's at least 9 winning chances for the Moonee Valley version of the event (to be run on the 13th March) And if Streets of Avalon can get to the lead and put the brakes on, it can get into the finish Promises to be a terrific race, all the same

As it turns out the horse (Buffalo River) apparently does have a habit of taking off like that (according to a few of the pundits) Can't say I've seen it before but it is a frontrunner And it's not like Jamie Kah to ride like that anyway ... in fact, she rates them in front better than any other jockey I've seen (in recent times) You just don't expect that sort of thing to happen but it does happen from time to time e.g. Twilight Payment took off at the 4 furlong mark in the cup but still managed to hold on I'd be getting on Buffalo again but maybe not at Flemington! ?

Racing at Sha Tin today Here's a few links that can help if you're playing Expert Video Preview (Each Race) - Excellent Site Odds & Fluctuations (Available 2 or 3 days Prior to Raceday) Comprehensive Form Guide (HKJC Website) Form Guide (Racenet.Com) All The Tips - Available 9pm The Day Before Raceday (Tom Biddington & RacingPost - 2 of the Best)

Replays of the 3 Group 1's from yesterday

Didn't see that coming! 250-1 fixed odds Form was recently quite woeful although it did win the Sires Produce this time last year

Looked that way and it's a long straight. Jamie nearly always rates them well in the lead too Who knows? ... the horse just took off and when that happens the jockey either restrains them (which can backfire) or goes with it At Caulfield & Moonee Valley it wins

I wouldn't be too concerned Gorg ... I always feel very lucky when a multi salutes (they are hard to get) I had Defiant in a quinella but didn't have the 2nd horse anyway We've still got 3 live chances and if picking winners was easy, we'd be sqillionaires! Got 'Leo', Four Moves Ahead & Fabergino up so another good start ... just need to finish off well (like the Demons yesterday!) Edit: Criaderas gets up for 2nd but got going too late by the sounds of it

Need a clear head tomorrow so just the 2 glasses of Pinot here! However, good wine doesn't give you a headache so 2 more on the cards whilst watching '3 wide no cover' (on now) Got the quinella in the Snoano race so 2 good collects and double winnings on 'The Regiment' ... decent night as it turned out