Diamond_Jim

Agree Dr G.. Frost has done little to earn a recall. If we had Tom Mc in the side the debate would clearly be about swinging Tom down back for the fist half or the like. I also have a suspicion that Frost like Garland and Dunn before him may not be favoured by Goodwin and his game plan. On the other hand including Frost may have the necessary placebo affect on this skittish team we have come to know. In reality this weekend should be a regulation win.

Lot in this BBO but the reality is that Norf have continually scored against us on the rebound. Nothing wrong with picking a specialist player to give a better opposition match up. Frost in (no other choice) and either Wagner or dare I say Hunt out. Hunt just has not been the same player since that big hit last year (against Adelaide IIRC) and his game is being negated by other teams relatively easily. Might benefit from a few weeks without the AFL level pressure.

Thanks D77 As that accords with our position on the ladder at present how apposite. Now to get them both to number 1 !

A good coach gets the best out of the players. For the first time in around ten years we have a decent list with a sprinkling of "potential" A graders. Have a look at Collingwood teams under Malthouse and North teams of the last several years. Their lists were okay without being outstanding but you could rely upon them to give you a good game. So far Goodwin's efforts have not clicked with the players. If anything the bulk of them have underperformed (including the last six or so rounds of 2017). The next five-eight weeks are the key. All the games are very winnable. I don't expect to win them all but I expect to win 5 at least of the next 8 as a minimum. North is a good test of coaching skills. We are a better team. Weather predictions are perfect (24 and light winds). No excuses.

The reaction by the Bulldogs player is classic. Akin to a child looking to see if anyone is watching before starting to cry. Not condoning the cheap shot by the Eagles player but the other guy should go for bad acting !

Beautiful weather predicted for next Saturday. Top of 24 and light winds. Points towards a quick game with lots of scoring.

Guys please some perspective ... what happened in the big one ? Did the Zephyr salute?

why not ... the style of game is there for everyone to see

Good post AF although I have only selected one section to comment on. The deep press is good but you need some really good break away players to pressure the opposition on the rebound. Not sure if we have that (those players). I know a lot of people deride his skills and he is slowing down but the likes of Heath Shaw are fantastic at providing that brief run and deep kick out of defence that sets up the quick attack.

This is a healthy discussion. Not sure why some posters get so upset when we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the coach. Just like players they have strengths and weaknesses and just like players some coaches are better than others. Interesting that the WCE coach had to return to Perth due to a family emergency (daughter ill) and the assistant took the reins. They had a good win and the assistant made the comment that there really isn't much to do on match day as most of the planing is done during the week. I suspect he was being a little modest but it was an interesting comment nonetheless.

The jury is out on that one still I think. We have better player development than we had.... (not very hard) .... but the next year or so will tell. Petracca needs an absolute break out year. Hunt has stopped. Salem ... we all live in expectation. Oliver has done well and O mac has been well developed. At present I would say we have adequate player development but nothing to write home about. Agree very much re match day. On the game plan ... not sure about the game plan. It could win you a flag on its day but because of inconsistency we may never get to the GF.

Those calling for Kent to be included: He had a woeful second half of the VFL season he was put up for trade over the off season and no one wanted him even as a fringe player On Friday Casey played Frankston... they are a scratch VFL side like the original Gold Coast Bears... cobbled together from players who were not at the top of their game in other VFL sides... (no disrespect intended to Frankston but that is the reality.) In the previous practice game I cannot remember him setting the ground alight... (could be wrong on this.) Sorry ... not yet from me.

The Casey practice game was against Frankston who are just a scratch team this year. Nothing really can be read into that game. If Kennedy plays well against Coburg next week and Bugg fails against Norf then I think you might be right in calling for a change.

Macca when you say Internationals do you mean owned from overseas or simply bred overseas. Not sure but it seems that we don't see as many of the visiting internationals any more. Strange given the ease of transport but I suppose it's the old quarantine problem. Good luck to the Demon Zephyr !

Funny if it was not so true MR! Remember that no one actually saw the sandpaper being used. It was merely in Bancroft's pocket like the stuff in the Bomber's fridge. Oh what a great tribunal the AFL put together !

Bancroft's press conference was an example of what we should have got from the Essendon players. It goes a long way in healing the hurt suffered by the Australian public. I will have no problem welcoming him back to cricket when he has served his suspension.

an example of where the bigger clubs can invest their money to remain at the top, size wise. The fan experience or whatever you like to call it is very important.

just looking up Winx' prize money to date and came across this interesting point: Unlike many elite racehorses, Winx does not have a particularly long stride – her stride was measured at 6.76 metres (22.2 ft) compared to nearly 8.5 metres (28 ft) for Black Caviar and Phar Lap. Instead, her success has been attributed to a "freakish" stride rate that allows her to take 14 strides every 5 seconds, compared to 12 for her rivals. "This means she can settle or accelerate at any time during a race," said Dr. Graeme Putt, who has studied the science of racehorse success. "I think this makes her unique."[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winx_(horse) Would have loved to see her at Ascot.... perhaps we can get some stars from overseas to come and contest the Cox Plate. I see the second favourite for the Cox Plate is Humidor which is a little like ground hog day.

Won't happen but I would like Australia to stand out of international cricket for the year. The way we play cricket is toxic and a circuit breaker is required. To argue that everyone does it and that we are just taking the rules to their limits etc etc is just not good enough. As to those directly involved I hate to say it but two year suspensions are in order. That is light.

no... you miss the point Both last year and this we have suffered key injuries which should have given a chance to several fringe players. No one was expecting him to star either last year or this but the fact that he is not considered capable of filling a short term gap is as Dr G just said ... "underwhelming". And don't say he isn't getting a run this time because he lacked a pre-season. He wouldn't have been considered anyway. Lists require analysis and this is what we are entitled to do as followers of the team. Just accepting the mediocrity of the last fifty years got us to where we are. By the way good luck to the young man and we all hope he makes it.

boy ,,, what else would you expect from Goodwin. Don't tell me.... "he's on track"

The pressure on Weid perhaps comes about because he was a number 9 pick. At that level the player is expected to contribute to the senior team within a year. This includes talls. Look at Moore and Daniher. Similarly look at the pressure on McCartin. If he had been a pick 40 development player the debate today would have a different tone. Football has changed and the need to get a player from a team's first round pick is essential. I haven't written him off but this is the year where we need to see repeated signs. As an aside longer term you have to wonder if he has a role to play in the modern game even if he develops in the classic FF mode. That role seems to be going the same way as the ruckman

He needs to show this at VFL level let alone AFL level. The fact is he had one decent game for Casey last year ... Even the great Juice Newton killed it at VFL level. Unfortunately yes Dr G ... and we all want him to succeed. Finally I will make the point again that the shortened VFL season means Weid misses 3 games in which he might show development.

this is going to be a long year !!

This is where the ridiculous delayed start of the VFL begins to hurt. MFC seniors have completed round 3 before the first Casey VFL game begins.