poita

He has had a few weeks now to settle in and adjust to the pace of the game, and he is still miles short of what is expected. His first year was pretty good, but I can't see how he has improved over the last four years. A few nice things each week doesn't cut it when they are accompanied by a number of miskicks, decision making errors and his lack of pace and size. And we have plenty of others who can play a similar role with more upside - I'd rather Hannan was tried on the wing - at least he can run and take an overhead mark.

Good on him for making it back to the top level, but his disposal simply isn't good enough for him to be anything other than depth in a good side. A bit sad really, because he does have some very handy characteristics.

Good luck to Harley for the future and I hope he finds what he is looking for, but I find the whole episode fairly puzzling. We gave up nothing for him, and the opportunity cost was minimal, so we are not greatly disadvantaged other than using a list spot on someone who didn't want to be here. But who at the club did due diligence on the guy when recruiting him? Clearly he had issues during his time at Freo, and similar issues have arisen at Melbourne. Different scenario obviously, but a year earlier we drafted McKenna who was always injured at GWS and has barely left the medical room at Melbourne. Before that we recruited Lumumba and all his baggage. Ditto Clark. Are we still so needy and grateful for attention that we draft anyone who comes our way? What makes us think that we can fix the issues that other clubs can't?

10 goals is the absolute minimum we need to win by this week given the opposition, and a 100 point margin is certainly achievable if we are serious for four quarters. Good luck to Vandenberg on his return, but I hope he has improved markedly from his last run of AFL games in 2016 - he is a decidedly average footballer at times. It concerns me that four weeks out from finals, and with a relatively small injury list, the likes of Kennedy-Harris, Kent, Vandenberg and both Smiths are still in the mix. Our depth is still almost non-existent, particularly through the midfield.

I've been saying for years these numbers are a load of crap, and this data further supports it. Either report in actual dollars received from memberships or in 11 game equivalents (ie 3.67 x 3 game m/ships = 1 x 11 game m/ship), or just don't bother. I'm sure a club like St Kilda is boasting about increased member numbers, whereas their membership revenue would be significantly reduced and their crowd numbers are well down on last year.

Clearly none of you people actually want to attend the game and support your club.

You are a tool, and clearly don't understand the game if you think Oscar was responsible for the majority of those goals. The lack of midfield pressure in the last quarter is one reason. Our guys were out on their feet by the last quarter, and Gawn had a relatively poor night in the ruck. No full back in the competition would have stopped those goals. Goodwin's continued stupidity in having a loose man in defence who doesn't stand in the hole of front of the opposition full forward is the second reason. Stewart parked himself in front of Hogan for most of the night, and completely negated him. Smith or Frost could certainly have done a similar job for us. As for JKH, he should have been delisted last season. There was absolutely no reason for him to get a new deal.

JKH was a poor selection two weeks ago, should have been dropped after his ordinary game against the Dogs and had another shocker against Geelong. He is an obvious out. We clearly need another tall defender for the Crows, and I would play Pedersen for his ability to follow Jenkins into the ruck. McDonald would then take Walker, Frost would get McGovern and Smith can take Lynch. I would love to bring in another midfielder, but there isn't one at Casey. Salem can perhaps push up the ground and have some midfield time given the Crows have a tall forward line. in: Pedersen, out Kennedy-Harris

No way 12 will be enough. 13 might not even be enough without a strong percentage.

The problem with the VFL team is that it largely consists of developing key position players (and Pedersen) and more established flanker / utility types. When the injury list consists of elite midfielders and key position players, the cupboard is bare when it comes to like for like replacements.

If you are ever going to do without Hibberd, this is probably the week. Geelong have Hawkins, Menzel and a bunch of quick, small types. Yes, we lose Hibberd's run and carry, so I like the idea of Fritsch playing back, but we can cover him defensively. More of an issue is whether Lewis and Vince can keep up with their opponents.

I can think of ten players I'd move on before Keilty. I'm more than happy to see him kept on for next year, even if he doesn't make his debut this year.

The problem Balic has is that we have so many half forward flankers on the list. He needs to show that he is capable of playing a different role at VFL level to force his way into the AFL side. The fact that he is not getting midfield time at Casey really hurts his case. Even playing off a HBF for the remainder of the year would boost his chances given that Vince & Lewis are nearing the end. I'd rather see him get another year over extending contracts for the likes of McKenna and JKH, but you couldn't blame the football department if they choose to move him on either.

The role for Bugg is providing very deep depth in a bottom 6 side, there is no way he should be getting a game in a finals contending side. Seven years into his AFL career I can't see how he has improved his game from his first year at GWS. Sure he's playing a different role these days, but only because his poor skills no longer allow him to play in the midfield, even as a tagger. The coach is clearly a Vandenberg fan, but he has the same issues as Bugg. He is not particularly young, he has gone backwards from his first season (even before his injury), he is slow and his skills are well below AFL standard.

I'd be happy with Gawn & Oliver. Anybody else would be very lucky, although we are owed a few from previous years. Hopefully both Gawn & Grundy make the team - both should be in the first five picked.

Tyson is a straight swap for Viney, and clearly should have played on Sunday. JKH was just atrocious for three quarters, albeit better in the last, and proved once again that he is not an AFL standard midfielder. Nine tackles means he was second to every contest, and he showed his lack of pace and size on a regular basis. I hate seeing McDonald ruck. It destroys our forward structure and he had no impact in the middle. Pedersen coming in would give us a decent back up ruckand three tall up forward to replicate the structure that Adelaide beat Geelong with last week. He can also provide cover down back if Hawkins gets on top of McDonald. Hannan is a clear out as he goes missing far too often and we have too many similar types. I want Vince out as well as his disposal is shocking and will cost us big time against quality opposition, but I can't see a worthy replacement at Casey. Maybe he can be redeployed to the forward line.

Just another example of Goodwin being too clever for his own good. Next we'll probably see Oliver playing full back to stop him being tagged.

Far, far better looking side, but it genuinely feels like Goodwin has no idea how to pick a team at the moment. Guys like Petty get picked from nowhere on a whim; other blokes (eg Tyson) come in and are played out of position; others (eg J.Smith) are given one role at Casey and another in the senior side. Frost should have been in the side for a month already, but we we have tried J.Smith & Petty ahead of him, and both have failed. Garlett was sent back to Casey three months ago, didn't do anything in that time, and is now back. Spargo has played one game in a month at any level, but is back in favour for some reason. I'm not saying any of these are bad selections this week, but what are the messages that are being given to the players? In the past five weeks we have gone Smith --> Pedersen --> Smith --> Weideman --> nobody for the second ruck / third forward rule. I'm no fan of Smith or Weideman, and Pedersen didn't grab his chance on QB, but surely all of these blokes need more than one week to find their feet. Hopefully it is Frost backing up Gawn in the ruck, but more likely we'll try to destroy our forward line by using Tommy Mac.

Yep, we'd obviously be 14-0 with a percentage of 180 if it wasn't for the umpires. Bastards.

Good to see Harmes locked away for a couple of years. I'm not a fan of Wagner particularly, but a one year deal is fine. There are about ten players to move on this year, before Wagner's spot on the list is in jeopardy.

Nice idea and all, and I'm sure the hippies that dreamed up the idea went to bed feeling warm and fuzzy, but really it is just a way for opposition supporters and uncommitted Melbourne barrackers to get into a free game of football. The queues of people lined up at the tent outside gate 3 would suggest that everyone has cottoned on by now. It was a poor crowd anyway for two Melbourne teams on a nice winter's day, but I would hate to think how many people got in for free that shouldn't have. We probably made a loss for the day, which is totally unacceptable. It would be far better to give every Melbourne member a couple of free tickets during the year that they could use to bring a friend along. At least you know opposition supporters aren't benefiting.

The Collingwood & Richmond losses were tolerable given that we were beaten by two very good sides, and didn't really drop our bundle under severe pressure. We should have beaten both Port & Geelong, but didn't take our chances. However, yesterday's game and the Hawthorn game were both disgraceful. In both cases it was a diabolical combination of disrespecting the opposition, overrating our own abilities, poor team selection, and woeful coaching and strategy. Gawn was quite outstanding, we got contributions from Fritsch, Harmes, Hibberd, Viney and Oliver, and that was about it. Hannan has been disgraceful for a month and should be at Casey. Melksham had one of his regular 'can't be stuffed days'. Weideman is not an AFL footballer, and almost certainly never will be. Ditto Smith (both of them actually). Lewis is lazy and should never be allowed to play as a loose man. Tyson is being played out of position. Jetta and T.McDonald were both clearly unfit and should not have played. Salem is a constant disappointment, and I would happily trade him for someone with some leg speed. Neal-Bullen still can't handle the heat. Our inability to get around a player who is struggling is just mind boggling. Petty was obviously struggling, but when did our senior players get over to him and try to help him out? Oliver was being scragged and molested all day, and nobody flew the flag for him. More than any other, Jones disappoints me in this respect. Yet again Goodwin did nothing, tried nothing to change the course of the game. T.McDonald had no impact on the game, so we could have put him to half back to help out Petty & O.McDonald. Hogan could have gone into the middle to get some touches in the first half. We didn't man up their loose players coming through the centre. Why not have Melksham run with Steven, or Hannan play across half back to get them in the game? The Casey game was pretty ordinary, but we clearly need to bite the bullet on a few players and give them 3 weeks to find their feet in the senior team. Garlett, Frost, Pedersen and Stretch are the obvious ones. I'd even consider Bugg if it was to do a tagging job.

Clearly Goodwin doesn't rate Frost (I don't either), but it is good to see us with some balance back in the defence. Good luck to Petty on debut - I was excited about his recruitment more than any of other picks last year. We desperately needed another tall to free up Hibberd. Joel Smith gets a chance to show his worth in a more suitable role after an ordinary game last week. I'd prefer Pedersen but more likely Weideman will come in to replace Tim Smith. That makes it four weeks in a row we have changed that role. FCS just pick someone and given them a few weeks to gel with Hogan & McDonald. I'd give Vince the week off, and keep both Harmes & Tyson, but I wouldn't be surprised if both are dropped and Vince and Spargo play. Goodwin is seemingly making it up as he goes along at the moment.

Good in theory, but we'll cop a home game at Etihad if we leave the NT deal. We'd be lucky to get 15K for any of GWS, GC17 or Freo there.

Great news for one of the nicest blokes in footy. I wish him very, very well.