Nascent

Abandoned friends and family and got myself a ticket this time round. 100% worth it.

Any word if we're challenging or accepting JvRs ban?

Will he still want a trade after being a member of our premiership team? *I'm not high, you're a towel

There must be a dozen plus smother attempts a game and I've never seen a player knocked out in this manner. I have to concur with most people here that have made excellent points. Maynard plays on the edge and likes to impact with physical contact at any possible moment. I have no doubt in my mind that this was less a bracing action and more a classic shirt front that went wrong. He probably intended to flush him in the chest. He was careless and it caused severe head high contact. Has to go. Given he would presumably train as he plays with 100% intensity, would he ever run through a teammate like this at training. Of course not. But the pr machine is in full swing and while he will probably get a suspension he'll get off on appeal.

Watson has starred anywhere he plays when I've watched him. Seen him moved back for a quarter/half and seen him carve up opposition and rack up disposals at will. I wonder what the long term plan is for Howes. Think he played more wing/forward role at Sandy but obviously serving an apprenticeship down back with us largely as a loose 3rd defender. Was close to getting a game in his first season allegedly then I don't think has been an emergency at all this year despite racking up high numbers. Clearly the club want him to work on something. As for Noah, didn't really get going this year on the limited times I've seen him. But has another year in the talent pathway and you never know where he might end up with some development.

I've made no secret that I'm a fan of the kid. Think its important to remember that players develop at different rates and Laurie has played great consistent footy at VFL level but lacked AFL opportunity in a top 4 team. He's played two full AFL games and three as sub. His debut he clearly struggled to adapt to the pace of the game, won't be the first debutant that happens to. His 2nd game he got all of 5 minutes after being subbed on incredibly late against Richmond. Started to show some promise against Hawks and his game as sub against Sydney I think highlighted the player he can became when he was subbed on halfway through the third. Clean hands and excellent kick with fantastic agility. His 5th game was a bloody qualifying final against the best team and he had by far the least amount of game time of any player out there bar brayshaw and ginnivan. He struggled, yes, but again it's his 5th game and 3rd as a sub. For mine, he has qualities that I think are AFL standard and needs to be given greater opportunity (form warranting) next year. If he can't bridge the inconsistencies in his game after 4 years then perhaps his spot becomes questionable. However, given we will lose Dunstan, Melksham and perhaps Jordon and Harmes we will have close to zero depth next year (pre-trade/draft). For mine, now is not the time to trade a 3rd/4th year player that has shown excellent consistent form at Casey and one that actually can dispose of the footy well. Just a reminder of his skills.

He was named 16 times for us in his final season for us. Shame it was an injury sub rule and wasn't used 8 of those times. Pretty sure we made it clear to him he would be getting more game time and wanted to keep him. We run the risk of losing a few players this way if we don't introduce them consistently into our team. Turner, Howes, Laurie should all get significant game time next year you would think.

Carlton will match us in the centre and have a much more even inside 50 count. We surely need to play with three key tall defenders, even with McKay out.

I think we can do it. We are playing a great brand of finals contested footy and won nearly all the stats that matter (yes, except the one that matters most). We aren't limping to the finish line with a banged up list like last year. To the contrary, we are storming home in most games. Teams should rightly fear playing us and I'm sure if you asked the Collingwood FD they probably wouldn't want to play us again in the Grand Final.

No dramas at all mate, I rate your footy knowledge so I'm feeling somewhat vindicated in my initial interest in him. Would love to nab O'Sullivan as well if we can move up the board.

Just gonna leave this here 😉

So who do we want to win now? I'm hoping Sydney and Port get it done. Think we match up better with Sydney and we play Adelaide oval better.

I spent alot of this game, both during and immediately post, angry and annoyed. However I'm now washed over with a sense of confidence. Cant really explain why. We should roll whoever we play next week, don't care if it's Carlton or Sydney. Brisbane and Port at their respective home grounds shouldn't hold fear for our team. We'll play Collingwood again in the granny and we'll get them when it really matters.

I suspect he intentionally turned his body to inflict damage but they'll argue he was in the air to smother then braced in a split second decision. He'll get off.

Out: Brayshaw (inj) Laurie - has a future but showed he is nowhere near ready for finals JvR (sus) - predicting he'll get a week In: Jordon Turner/tomlinson sub - harmes/woey Didn’t like the forward balance. Smith and Tmac foward and one of Turner/tommo back makes us look better in my view.

6. Gawn 5. Trac 4. Bowey 3. May 2. Hunter 1. Sparrow (2nd half)

T-mac normally kicks those and kozzie panicked twice when he had plenty of time and space to drill those snaps. Poor kicking is poor football. Make no mistake though we outplayed them everywhere except where it mattered most. If we don't win next week I'll be surprised. And angry.

Dominated most of that game but our forward half entries were shocking. Why we went with 4 medium talls in JvR, T-Mac, Fritsch and Smith when we haven't done it all year and then leave a key defender out I'll never know.

JvR, McDonald, Smith and Fristch. We've never gone this tall throughout the season. Meanwhile we've identified we play better with 3 key defenders and to allow lever and may to get their intercept going. So we drop our third defender. This was lost at selection.

Surely we need to put Smith behind the ball. We have set up with three "talls" in the back half for most of the season. He plays tall and has closing speed and is not needed up forward.

Btw, love the possessed marketing campaign.

Thoughts on Jordon Sweet? May decide waiting 1-2 years behind Max is better than 2nd fiddle to English indefinitely. Ned Moyle is the other one I like but doubt Gold Coast will give him up.

Missed out on tickets so will be watching on from home. Hope everyone here that is going has a great evening with hopefully a dees win to celebrate. If we're comfortably winning with a minute to go, an ironic Collingwood chant from the Melbourne faithful would be hilarious.

Interesting. Dogs apparently favourites for pick 4 as well.

Like these little guys?