Nascent

Fair points, well made and can't disagree for the most part. Particularly about the players we've traded in. There was clearly a lot of risk involved with some of our long term deals and in the context of this season we are being stung. There must also be acknowledgement of the risks of not signing up players long term, which is now a common practice. We don't offer long term deals to Oliver and Petracca then they could have very well been wearing a Blues and Pies jumper respectively. Is 2024 a fail for the MFC in isolation for our list management team, quite probable. However, we've been provided a premiership and a top 4 list for the past 3 years which is no easy feet and in a competitive industry is well above the norm. A lot of angst on this forum in my view is coming from the perception that we have underachieved and perhaps that is true. In my opinion, we should have taken out last year's premiership and that failure lies on the players and coaches, not the list management team. Our list is no longer the same as 2021 and we're in somewhat a state of transition. Will our list management be a fail from 2021 - 2029 is what I'm interested in. We still have an amazing core and now room for aggressive trading and drafting. I'm holding off my judgement of our list management team for now as I believe with the right calls at the end of the year we will be right back in contention.

Sadly, if we miss finals we could end up with a pick between 6 - 10. An option maybe to split our pick. Freo currently have theirs, ports and pies first rounder. Could enable us to split say 7 for 12 (port) and 15(freo) with some balancing if required. 12 for Houston, we retain 15... or vice versa. Of course this doesn't work if we get on a roll and win the flag

Hustwaite was reported to have had a foot stress fracture.

In defence of Lamb, our priority was clearly re-signing our premiership team which he did well. We secured Petracca, Oliver, Pickett, JvR, Lever, Rivers, Brayshaw among others in what we hoped would keep our core team together for a long time to challenge. This can be picked apart in hindsight, in particular the Brayshaw deal and Oliver's issues, but it was clearly a well supported move that most here were happy about. As such, we were playing on the fringes of trades with what salary cap we had left. Players left for more opportunity and we had limited salary cap with our stars signed up long term, so we scouted the fringes of teams of what we could afford. Were there other targets that could have improved our list or provided better depth, most definetely. Could we afford them from a salary cap position and did they want to come to us with best 22 spots limited and the prospect of spending the majority of time in the two's? That's another question. The good news (sort of) is we have best 22 spots opening up on the list and salary cap space now to hopefully lure some talent.

Out: Tholstrup, Salem In: Gawn, Howes Billings probably gets Tholstrups half forward spot after his performance. Woewodin, K Brown or Laurie potentially brought in as sub for someone else if they want to make further changes.

Strapping young lad. Just wait till he gets older, then we'll have a real talent on our hands.

Matt demon Nice and simple

Salem with a tight hamstring apparently.

Suns have Lombard, Brisbane have Ashcroft and Marshall. All in the mix for the first round, Ashcroft potentially top 5. Don't think Sydney or GWS have anyone significant coming through. With the new potentially NGA rules essendon will have rights to Kako who some say is top 15.

We have the dogs 3rd, not second sadly.

Excellent news. Needs to return to the backline next year and hopefully we'll see Jefferson play some games alongside JvR and Turner.

I'd take Darcy Moore, at least he's knees will be on our team.

Adams went off injured in the 3/4 I think? Didn't return. He was serviceable with his defensive work, though doesn't accumulate the footy. Kentfield is combative and strong. Injury interrupted wafl season and nil afl pre-season so reserving judgement for now as he's essentially a first year player and 1.5 months into an AFL environment. With Ben Brown and schache probably coming off the list at the end of the year I'm guessing we wanted to have another developing fwd option.

Conditions were terrible. About a 4-5 goal breeze down one end then heavy rain set in after half time and made it a contested slog. Not ideal for keys. He should have had 2 goals to his name and that would have been a great return. Regardless, the fact he could get his hands to the ball and pick up as many disposals as he did in the conditions is a credit in itself, particularly coming off covid.

Lichtenstein for the win!

Geelong no longer have a fortress. Lost over 3% so far. God I hope we leap frog them tomorrow.

Any chance of a tigers upset?

Haven't gotten around to this weeks podcast yet, will do so this weekend.

Are pies putting up one of the weakest premiership defence seasons? Media had a crack at us for following up our grand final with a failure to win a finals game, yet we finished top 4 in consecutive home and away seasons while Geelong and Pies won't even qualify for finals the year after their flags.

Ugly game. Kentfield giving away stupid free kicks with clear in the back shoves. However I do enjoy his aggressive nature, when the Frankston player tried to wrestle him to the ground Kentfield absolutely dominated him and held his position on top with a few shoves into the turf. Shame that that's probably the highlight of the game apart from kynans tackling.

More meaning Casey emergencies like King, Neocleus and Valentine

Failed a fitness test prior to the game apparently. Broadcast also said we are playing with 22 instead of 23 so must have been late and no emergencies on hand.

Ben Brown and Taj Woewodin not playing today for those wondering.

It appears all of Tomlinson, Laurie and Fullarton will travel across to Perth as travelling emergencies. With Billings and Hunter out it makes for a fairly weakened Casey team. Yze listed as out as well. Jefferson is back from illness. VFL RD17 Team | Dees set for Dolphins https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1604560

Well Laurie may as well ask for a trade now as the club clearly doesnt rate him. Been in the bests for nearly every game he's played over the past two months and was a clear best on last week. He's never had more than two games in a row this year (one as sub as well) so he's never been given a good crack at it. Meanwhile Tholstrup, McAdam and Billings all get extended stints in the AFL team off far inferior form. Must be frustrating more or less carrying the VFL team and seeing a teammate have one half decent game and leap frog into the seniors.