Macca

Stand corrected ... so did we tank to get him? haha

He'd be a coaches dream in terms of all the selfless roles he can play and does play We've got plenty of other playmakers to do what Brayshaw once did As you said, how others who criticise him can't see all that is baffling

You're right, it won't be easy but we are now in a strong trading position with our existing talent If a decent player wants to go because of lack of opportunities, other clubs have to pay with draft picks and/or talent that we want back in return A strong list is worth more than just what happens out on the field LJ is a good example ... Grundy came cheap as a replacement and he's a miles better player. Plus, we received 1 first rounders & 2 x second round picks That could end up being a bonanza if all the cards fall right with Jason Taylor continuing to identify young talent in the way he has done previously

More on Brayshaw If a 70% DE (Disposal Efficiency) rating is at least a pass mark then Gus is killing it right now R1 - 95% R2 - 63% R3 - 84% R4 - 88% So what is the issue? I'd argue there isn't one Get off the bloke's back, he's playing a tremendous team role that needs to be appreciated

Drafting = Recruiting in terms of picking the right sort of player and then the biggie ... development So it's all encompassing AF The big question is if we remain strong how do we get hold of elite young draftees? Remembering that we traded up to get Clarrie and LJ and even though we lost Luke, we quickly did some sharp recruiting to replace him (Grundy) ... and if Freo bottom out or have a lousy year we'll get a pick in the top 8 at least (trade up again from that pick?) Plus the 2 other picks from Freo which Taylor will no doubt use wisely (does he miss?) There's a lot to be excited about and we have every right to be confident looking ahead

For those questioning Brayshaw do a re-think He's being used in a fail-safe role a kick behind the play in a clean-up role. In defence not on the ball. 16 possessions yesterday and not one clanger. Repelled a lot of WC forward forays He in fact used the ball very well when he got it and it wasn't his fault that he didn't have that many opportunities. He wasn't needed much due to West Coast being so poor He's played well all year in that role and the coaching staff wouldn't be expecting a stack of possessions

He was our choice, we picked him. And then he arrived at a dysfunctional club where development was poor. We paraded him around like he was a prized colt at the Magic Millions. What were we thinking? Fast forward to the now and we develop our prospects properly and Jason Taylor had got the midas touch And we don't need Taylor being poached (we poached him from the Pies) In terms of best recruiters, his record is right up there with the best if not the best As for our depth, I honestly never thought we could do as well as we're doing. We are leading the way in terms of list building Just imagine if we continue to list build properly for the next 10 years? No more bottoming out or rebuilding from scratch Finals and top 4 ongoing every season

The Eagles were woeful, really bad. As poor as we were in 2012/13. Their skills were shocking and they turned the ball over all game They gave us no real opposition but you take the percentage booster and look ahead to Essendon. The match was riddled with mistakes and resembled a bruise-free training run with skill levels below par If we had brought our best we could have won by 20+ goals such is the gulf between the 2 sides right now We really are blessed with a great list so it was nice to cruise to a 10 goal with no injuries coming out of the game Bring on the Bombers but we are quite capable of blowing Essendon out of the water early. Goodwin will be emphasising that we need to start well next week Selection will be interesting again with a number of players in contention for instance, the MC will be itching to see Howes in the seniors sooner or later. No spot for him right now but he's putting the pressure on And the pressure remains for those who don't want to exit the team. New territory for a club like ours but after following the fortunes of the best teams from the past, real player depth is never an issue. It's what the club should always be working towards (real player depth) For instance, Jordon gets dropped from the 22, comes on as the sub with a quarter to go, then gets involved with 8 possessions as a reminder to the selectors. All good

Many of us here on this site are old enough to have ventured to all the suburban grounds As a youngster it was quite an adventure trying to find your way to Moorabbin, Windy Hill, Footscray and even Geelong by train and then trying to find a viewing spot at the grounds (most were standing room only) was difficult I can still remember being at Brunswick St as a little tacker and was at Glenferrie when Peter Hudson hit the deck (that was a big story back in the day) I remember getting to Arden St late one time in 1972 ... quarter time I arrived and the scoreline read North Melbourne 0.2.2 Melbourne 11.7.73. Hard to believe but true. And I missed the onslaught!! Later on the neutral venue Waverley appeared and that was difficult enough to get to even by car! Getting in and out of the carpark required a cut lunch to pass the time Victoria Park and Windy Hill were scary places and real eye-openers! You could sense the violence in the air I miss those days but even so, I wouldn't want to go back to those times. Creature comforts supercedes these days!

Count me in TD

I don't quite see it that way Frankie but JJ certainly has the scope to elevate his game. The coaches would be explaining to him where his game is at too. To get to B+ level takes a manic mindset sometimes He did play well last week so is definitely unlucky. They just ran out of spots but there might be a late withdrawal anyway which could lead to a reshuffling As an example not many were predicting Petty forward last week as a replacement for Gawn's role in the forward line

Jordon will play plenty of games as we're likely going to get a few injuries and the squad mentality can mean that players will be rested & managed Geelong did it to a nicety last season and we are in a copy-cat league so expect more of the same ... however, the squad mentality was always coming to the AFL as the game itself is incredibly taxing on the legs As an example our team last season ... we looked tired and listless from about round 8 and would only play with legs on top of the ground periodically. The flag run took it's toll Geelong this year so far? They look slow and not desperate. They'll probably come good but there are no guarantees in this comp

Being relegated to sub should improve the bloke especially if he is made of the right stuff Didn't do Fritsch any harm when Bayley was dropped for the Prelim final in 2018 Jordon's ambition should be to become at least B+ or better. Then they'll never drop him Reality is that we've got a really good list so it's a great problem to have anyway. 10 years ago we barely had half a dozen AFL-standard players on the list

Ha ha! It was 10-6 when I made that initial post ... a free scoring affair thereafter. Like an underdog so barracking for the Flippers Much rather be watching AFL though ... over the 5 days the AFL manage to have 2 games clashing with each other on Saturday night Bulldogs/Tigers moved from the Saturday twilight slot to tonight with 1 of the Sat evening games played Sat twilight?

I remember the days when we played very little sport on Sunday's. Cricket Test matches had a rest day on Sunday's back in the day. Pubs were closed and supermarkets couldn't open either Times have changed and integration for worthy causes and sport is the new way. As you said, tie the evening game in with the appeal. It's a no-brainer

It is and they are giving Rugby League free air tonight And it's a good match too ... Cowboys/Dolphins Reckon we should dispense with pre-season games and start when RL starts ... 25 game season Straight into it And play a game Good Friday evening ... maybe a 6pm start so that the Royal Children's appeal gets the last 3 hours of the day

Jordon probably the sub and might end up on the ground before half time anyway (for any sort of reason including resting a player who might have a niggle) I'd be surprised if Melksham is the sub before Jordon

You only realise the value of a good ruckman when you haven't got one There are many ways to create scoring opportunities but taking one aspect out (taps to advantage with clean possession forward) is not one that clubs can do without ongoing. Certainly not if a club is a true contender So it's not so much being prepared to try and shark the opposition taps (that's quite do-able) it's the advantage that a good ruckman can bring with taps to advantage But the main reason the Pies lost last night was the Lions all over the ground pressure. The Pies couldn't deal with it Under pressure the Pies turned the ball over. The Lions had the game won early in the 3rd quarter and played very well in the process

Big meeting on at Geelong today including a sprint race worth $500k ... a crack field assembled for the race too (R7) The race prior (R6) is also a good betting event (Country Oaks)

There's probably 4-5 players with some sort of niggle where a game off helps to overcome So Kozzie in for a player in that position. T-Mac & Tomlinson will continue to keep their names in the hat and Howes & Harmes are 2 others that can press for selection It's a good problem to have genuine depth and that allows the MC to make non-risky decisions over those who might have a slight doubt about their ability to play out a game Nearly every time this sort of dilemma pops up some player (or players) end up being out injured

Yes Liverpool started well but Man City then just took over completely. They are very very good and if they don't win the EPL title then they will see it as a failed season. Can they catch Arsenal? Or will Arsenal slip up? But they are in the last 8 of the Champions league so they could break through and win that trophy Liverpool's year under Klomp is an absolute head-scratcher! Self satisfied? They haven't looked hungry all season

We will get some extras but sustained finals works much better. Even last year helps a lot despite going out in straight sets. 16 wins in the season proper will bring in new supporters Everyone loves a winner but it's not all about premierships Look at the Pies for instance ... 2 flags in 65 years but they play finals a lot. Their supporter base is huge but we can catch them Might take a while though!

True but because we are not a big enough club yet, these things will continue to happen Change will occur with sustained finals appearances and 2-3 more flags over the next 10 years* Years and years of contending and we'll become a big club. Do that and we won't be fixtured down there as much (or, at all) In the meantime, the club has to take the attitude of anywhere, any opposition and anytime. It's not like the team can't win anywhere. The list is a good one But we need a generation of new Demon supporters to get on board and gradually replace our aging supporter base - and then lookout! *Teams like the Cats, Pies and Sydney have proved that the window of opportunity can remain open indefinitely Recruiting & list management is key

And tomorrow is a free-to-air game so the sponsors and the team get lots of exposure. The Sunday arvo game often attracts a big TV audience. However, it will be interesting to see how our game rates up against the F1GP It wasn't all that long ago where we were rarely on FTA at all. And that went on for years But we have to turn up like we did in round one (last week was a no-show and a head-scratcher)

The Sunday Multi beckons GC vs Cats (Cats 1-39?) Demons vs South (Demons 1-39?) Freo / Eagles (who knows!) Sharks / Warriors (Sharks, probably) Bulldogs / Cowboys (a toss-up)