Young Blood

James started off with some real strong foundations and had some key elements of his game which made me think he was definitely worth pursuing. He's always been good in the air with strong hands in a marking contests. I've always thought he uses his body really well in each contest and tackles with ferociousness. He also bleeds red and blue having barracked for the club since childhood and you can see it with his passion for the contest and when he smiles when he got selected and after wins. He's developed steadily and I think this preseason season he built his tank to allow him to run out games better and work on his finishing and polish with the ball. He'd be one of our most confident and consistent players this year. I think his ability to stand up in a tackle and get his hands free is what has really stands out to me. He adds to our other players who do this so well in Oliver, Brayshaw, Trac, Hibberd. You just know they're not going to give up. Would be in our top five most important players now I believe.

Would be interesting if he is playing ducks and drakes. Hibberd to negate McGovern. Or just make Westcoast worry about it.....

Does anyone know what jumper we will wear? I know that West coasts main home jumper is quite a similar blue to our away strip Might West coast go with their predominantly yellow away strip and we go with normal home darker jumper? Would be cool to play in our Indigenous jumper again. I remember hearing we'd play in it again but maybe that was the Darwin game.

I also think Brayshaw shows really positive signs of being a game influencer. Wins consecutive contests/clearances and has confidence in traffic to burst forward with momentum and penetration.

Agreed I think Trac needs a more defined position and role to give him some continuity from week to week. I watch him get lost on the wings often. It's going to be difficult doing that thought for the rest of this season. With no Viney and now Hogan he'll still be rotating through the middle to cover for some of Viney's time there and now more time up forward I would think sans Hogan. The idea of Trac one out in the forward line in a one on one is perfect. But that opportunity just doesn't happen much these days. Even if you push all your other forwards up the oppositions defense stay back with zoning tactics to fill the space. Is there any way to counter this again so we could have a one on one which teams like Richmond and others seem to still get?

Too hard really without knowing where rehab is up to for the ex bomber duo but my guess is something like. Out: Hunt, Peds, In: Hibbert/Wagner, Melksham/Hannan Has anyone watched Kent closely at VFL level? Apart from kicking three this week has he elevated his game since being back and built some form? If not then I fear rushing him back in with the idea of him playing at the standard we have seen from him in previous seasons rather then current. I feel like thats what happened with Hunt. Brought in less because of form but more because of what he could do based on performance in previous years. I have a feeling Bugg might play if Melksham doesn't get up. I also worry about AVB's fitness. He's tiring late in the last two games and looks off the pace when the opposition is transitioning.

You could add: - Nath Jones' leadership - ANB - Goodwin not being the right guy

He did make a good point about our players not coping with the pressure. That its not just around the ground with panicked decision making, its also in front of goal. Prime examples against Power, Geelong and now Sydney where we just did not convert and put the opposition under pressure while gaining momentum our way. I think we were beaten around the ball for most of the game yesterday but the good teams can get beaten at the contest and still find a way to win. Its plain to see that for us converting in front of goal early on would have changed the shape of the game. We wouldn't have gone into defensive mode so much.

Trade a 23 yr old key position forward while he's developing and before he's even close to reaching his prime? Laughable

Yeah I get the feeling that they'll be looking to solidify a team heading into finals and the FD would be keen to see if they can get game time into Hunt to be a part of that and this is the perfect opportunity. We need the desperate Jayden back who plays with intensity and provides pressure wherever he's positioned.

Vanders will hopefully take JKH's spot when Melk and Hibberd come back in. Can play patches in the middle and forward. Still a bit concerned with his fitness. He certainly faded after half time. But was effective early on with a team high 6 inside 50's.

I agree with Prodee that at some point it would be good for Viney to take over as soul captain. I can't see it happening while Jones is still wearing the red and blue. I just can't see the MFC have Jones play without the captancy role. As lame as it sounds they I think they will honor his efforts during the dark times and have him retire a captain of the club. It will be very interesting to see where Jones fits in next season. If we recruit another midfielder and Dom retains his spot (to much dismay of many on demonland) then he won't be able to see the same amount of midfield time he's had this year and it's unclear of whether he can hold down a spot across half back or forward. It will be awkward if he comes in and out of the seniors next year while still holding the vice captaincy. As a side note I think Viney is below average in terms of media and articulating himself. Hopefully this is something he can improve. Jones certainly isn't as strong as Mcdonald and Lewis in front of the media but he gets his point across well most of the time without the stumbling or nerves that Jack shows. Of course this should be of low priority when picking a captain but it does help when supporters/media/general public can gain a good understanding of a club and playing group through its captain and leader

The good outweighs the bad. I think most on here agree with you that he needs to tidy up his disposal no doubt (65% disposal officiency is just not good enough I agree). But he's one of our most important players and is a barometer for our forward half pressure. ANB played for a long time at VFL level playing in the midfield working on his contested game, he put together a couple of seasons of really consistent form, built his tank and now he's an elite runner who provides the best forward pressure in our team. He is still learning to play as a forward as its not his natural position and while the glaring issue is his disposal he simply gives you too many other attributes to be dropped for players like Kent or AVB at this stage of the season. Note he is top 20 for goal assists just behind guys like Dusty, Franklin and Cripps. Along with Melk and Clarry he is providing our forwards many opportunities to score.

I think people tend to forget the importance of Hogan's presence. Even when he's not playing well he still demands the oppositions best key back or even two. This allows Mcdonald the freedom to lead into other open spaces and gives small forwards the opportunity to be proactive knowing Jess is more likely to try to bring the ball to ground when he has two opponents. I don't mind if Jesse is having an off day not marking or finding the football as long as he makes a strong contest in the air and applies pressure around the ball in forward half thats all you can ask of him when he's not at his best. I know Jess has been down on form the past two weeks but if fit I think its key to keep improving our forward structures and keep the team playing together with that predictability and trust as well as continuity in our game. I think that's really important at this time of the season.

Peds, sure as he's played a lead up role as CHF before and performed well spreading and marking on wings. But to play wing you need to have good kicking and Frost is too much of a liability at the moment. Much better for him to continue to play behind the ball. He has improved our structure since Lever went down and is more then adequate at taking the oppositions best or second key tall.

His gut running at the end to seal it was elite. He's been such an important player all year. Sick of people seeing a player make a few mistakes and therefore call for them to be axed. Happens far too often.

Bummer was hoping the one strange upset a weekend we've been getting lately would continue. Unless Freo play out of their skin the Hawks should just control the pace of the game and seal this one. They're experienced and wont get embarrassed again like the Brisband game

Frost on Walker to start as he works further up the ground which works if Frost wins the ball as a better rebounding back. Oscar to Jenkins who usually plays as the deepest forward. I would say they'll rotate players against Lynch. Look for Bernie and Smith to both spend time on him.

Not sure why that's strange. It makes sense. We lack the experience for those 'moments' in games as Judd mentions. The older players who know what to do with the ball in the right time and place when it matters most. Our older brigade aren't as influential as Geelong's, that's clear. Lewis, Jones and Vince all could have done more to try to calm a young side spinning out in the heat of the moment in that last quarter. But I think its important to acknowledge that the majority and most important players we have are 22-24 yrs old and simply haven't developed the maturity and mental toughness as you say to win these sorts of games yet. It's annoying and I understand the impatience and wanting to win more now. But its going to take time I'm afraid.

Yeah but those young mids are mentally week so it means fugazi.... apparently.

That fight seems to resemble the sort of fight you would see at an old peoples home. All it was missing were the cane's for pocking from bystanders.

Harmes will play this weekend I reckon. I think he'd be one of our toughest players alongside Viney, Nev, Oliver, Hibbo and Brayshaw.

Not in so many words maybe. But there are a lot of posters who seem to think that the 19 yr old Baker is going to fix our outside run problem. Or that Keilty would come in and do a better job then Oscar McDonald who a 'woeful footballer'. I think when supporters see Kent kick a few or Vanders lay a dozen tackles that they would immediately come in and make an impact at AFL level. Both of those guys aren't AFL match fit. Goodwin mentioned in a press conference last week that AVB was a month away with him needing to build form and fitness at VFL level.

Is this only if Keilty replaces Oscar Mcdonald?

Apart from Brown, Cox and Roughhead he's had a very solid season. If you believe he's had a poor season that is your own opinion fair enough, but for me apart from those three he has kept his direct opposition to 3 goals or under (mostly 1-2 goals per game). I personally can't ask for much more from a developing 22 yr old.