Older demon

No he withdrew from Casey with back spasm on the day. So he gets back in on not playing, maybe he trained really well.

I see that kennedy-Harris and salem have been named in the Casey development squad. I imagine on limited time but great to see them back playing.

SEN discussion today was about 2017 draft prospects and it is expected to be a great draft and clubs will be reluctant to trade out future picks unlike this year where they thought on trading a 2016 pick wouldn't miss much. Anyone considering trading a 2017 pick should shelve that idea.

The figure is speculative but for arguments sake lets say it is close, then as all the commentators agree, you have to pay overs to get someone to move, especially interstate. Sydney may have $700K on the table but I would like to think that MFC can retain him for less as Tom will need the extra coin to live up North. If Dawes is on $500K and about to take a pay cut then Tom is entitled to start at that figure and reach a suitable agreement somewhere between that and what others are offering.

Chris I like your list and I agree with it. I think you missed my point and that is while I am impressed with what Roos has done it speaks volumes of how low a point we have come from and how much work we have to do. 9 of the players on your list played yesterday and are the future but it is an unrealistic expectation for this young group to take on and beat teams in the top 8. St Kilda may have as many youngsters but they have Riewoldt, Stevens, Armitage, Montagna, Gilbert, Dempster and Geary as their senior group to provide the consistency, muscle and guidance to their young group. We do not have such a senior group and it will take a couple more years for our group to reach that level of maturity.

Just notice Bugg and Stretch were the match day emergencies with Billy having the weekend off. No sign of Chris Dawes at Casey is he injured or what? Certainly could not expect him to be considered for selection. Eagles play tall with 2 rucks so I would like to see Spencer play and he and Max to spend time up forward. Promote ANB because need to see if he has what it takes in the last 6 weeks and Frost hopefully over his illness. Out, whoever you like. I hate it when Viney says that St Kilda wanted it more than us. Viney clearly cares and I can never question his commitment, but I find it disgusting other team members as paid professionals lack desire and work rate. Some of those players have no right to ever be accused of not wanting it badly enough given what has been dished up over the last 5 years.. We the supporters certainly want success badly

The major shortcoming is that this year 3 sometimes 4 first year players are playing Hunt, Petracca, Wagner and Oscar and Harmes may as well be. What has happened to the players developed in the 2 previous years? Talk about 1 step forward 2 steps back in some instances. OK year 1 Roos had a very ordinary list, in year 2 some improvements but where are those players this year? There has been yet again an influx of rookies. We still lack key position players up the middle i.e. CHB & CHF who can straighten up and maintain that corridor football we would like to play. mentioned earlier is spread and movement up the flanks, a good point, but to do so you need good ball handling and kicking skills. The teams that make this work hit targets and don't fumble. The current backline do not have a lot of good kicks. Missing in action this year for a variety of reasons when we really needed them to step up have been Salem, Dawes, Lumumba, Dunn, Garland, Pederson and to a lesser extent Kennedy-Harris. Compare with the Saints. Their core of Riewoldt, Montagna, Dempster, Ermitage and Steven shows just where our deficiencies are and that is in our senior group. We have nowhere near the class in our senior group they have. It is almost like we have gone back to square 1 with a rebuild in year 3. Roos himself has admitted that in the 3 years of his tenure the team is getting younger not older and we still have no idea who our best 22 is and what the future holds for the likes of Dawes, Lumumba and co. We are a long way of the pace atm

Unless Prestia is having an op and won't play again this season because he has told Gold Coast he is leaving means I would not be interested at all especially at the price quoted. Wonder if the Richmond doctor has checked him out?

I am surprised in the clubs interest in Hibberd. I base this on this years rookies, Wagner and White who have both surprised me albeit in a good way. Wagner is poised takes a good overhead mark is a left footer and can only improve. White is similar in that he is a raking left footy and comes with a great rap from Macca who will tell anyone he speaks to that Whitey is a keeper. I thought both would be elevated to the senior list depending on who goes.

If Tom McDonald is lured to Sydney then what would we expect in return for his departure. I am unsure of the status of the Sydney academy this year and how many brownie points they need to retain their academy players which may limit their desire to give up any draft picks. If they finish 1 or 2 then their first pick will be nearly the same as MFC's 2nd round pick. If Hibberd is a 2nd rounder then Tom would have to be worth a first round. Roos has always been fair in trading and IMO with the footy dept good at assessing a players worth when trading in, who on our list who we would be willing to trade would have decent currency? Then we can work out who we could target.

Yes it was Chris from Camberwell.

Brian Waldron teed off on a lot of rumours, Tom Mitchell to Hawks, Bulldogs into Hurley big time and Hibberd keen to join Melbourne and wants out. He stated that he didn't know anything about McDonald, it was Chris, a regular caller and D's fan who bought up the topic of McDonald to Sydney and then it grew from there.

Watch Footy show tomorrow night for the fastest par 5 segment. Featured today in ghastly conditions on the 18th at Yarra Yarra hitting into the wind. Angus Brayshaw teed off (Jack told me Angus hits a driver 280 meters) to Sam Newman who hit it up to the green for Jack watts to chip it onto the green and Uncle James Brayshaw to putt. Unfortunately James had to wait for the ball to stop on the green, as, in that wind on a sloping green the ball took ages to settle. James putt was close and Angus who had raced up the fairway had to put in the par putt. You will have to watch the segment to see if they break the record. Angus and jack are seriously good golfers

As mentioned earlier, Weideman is a skinny kid and the club hopes to put 7 kg's at least on him this year. Macca rates him as the best of the young group and is willing to tell that to anyone who he has a chat with. Peterson was listed as injured on the website with a shoulder injury, so no surprise he didn't play this weekend I hope Hunt get the rising star nomination this week. His pace is blistering and I hope we look back at today as his breakout game. I know we made lots of errors and turnovers today but I think you will find that the Crows made some seriously bad turnovers too that resulted in goals. The game is soon quick you don't get a second chance.

I hope Hunt gets a Rising Star nomination, he is a line breaker and generates excitement. Watts - 6 Garlett - 5 Hunt - 4 Jetta - 3 Jones. N. - 2 McDonald. T. - 1

If we need to land a big fish then it needs to be a key position player. No offence to Prestia but we have greater needs than another high priced mid.

I did try and start a new post but obviously didn't do it correctly but this heading is close to my point. I noticed early in the year the Hawthorn appeared to be under instruction to kick the ball off the ground to clear a pack. At the half way mark they are still doing it and often one of their players will run forward of the ball and guess what the ball pops out and they run on to it. Against us in the wet I thought they were lucky and Mitchell kicked a wild one which went to Breust who goaled. Well he did it again yesterday against Gold Coast and it is a trend that they kick off the ground or even punch the ball forward for their swarm to run onto it. I am surprised that no one else appears to have cottoned on and still, us included, try to handball our way out of heavy traffic. Do the Hawks train for this? I don't know. Is it another Clarkson innovation? Maybe. They certainly don't bomb the ball into the forward line like we do and the Kangas did last week in Adelaide. The only time it didn't work for Mitchell, who does it, most was when he kicked in danger against Ablett. Has our football dept noticed? Any thoughts???

I noticed early in the year the Hawthorn appeared to be under instruction to kick the ball off the ground to clear a pack. At the half way mark they are still doing it and often one of their players will run forward of the ball and guess what the ball pops out and they run on to it. Against us in the wet I thought they were lucky and Mitchell kicked a wild one which went to Breust who goaled. Well he did it again yesterday against Gold Coast and it is a trend that they kick off the ground or even punch the ball forward for their swarm to run onto it. I am surprised that no one else appears to have cottoned on and still, us included, try to handball our way out of heavy traffic. Do the Hawks train for this? I don't know. Is it another Clarkson innovation? Maybe. They certainly don't bomb the ball into the forward line like we do and the Kangas did last week in Adelaide. The only time it didn't work for Mitchell, who does it, most was when he kicked in danger against Ablett. Has our football dept noticed? Any thoughts???

I noticed early in the year the Hawthorn appeared to be under instruction to kick the ball off the ground to clear a pack. At the half way mark they are still doing it and often one of their players will run forward of the ball and guess what the ball pops out and they run on to it. Against us in the wet I thought they were lucky and Mitchell kicked a wild one which went to Breust who goaled. Well he did it again yesterday against Gold Coast and it is a trend that they kick off the ground or even punch the ball forward for their swarm to run onto it. I am surprised that no one else appears to have cottoned on and still, us included, try to handball our way out of heavy traffic. Do the Hawks train for this? I don't know. Is it another Clarkson innovation? Maybe. They certainly don't bomb the ball into the forward line like we do and the Kangas did last week in Adelaide. The only time it didn't work for Mitchell, who does it, most was when he kicked in danger against Ablett. Has our football dept noticed? Any thoughts???

Re Sydney I know Richards is probably in his last season and Grundy has only just turned 30. They also have Talia who i forgot about and Sam Reid as key position players who can play down back. I can see how McDonald would attract interest but I cannot imagine Sydney would pay overs. They have Alir Alir as their Oscar mac, the developing key back.

Noted at Community night, Lynden is fit and ready to go. Roos stated that every year the list is getting younger. 4 first year players each week, possibly to get game into them and injuries to more experienced players. RE Adelaide they have to 2 key forwards but from what I saw against the Roos they are seriously quick and move the ball quick. Jacobs will match it with gawn so we need some runners.

Sydney makes sense and given that Richards and Grundy are nearly done have a need. They have always sourced their key position players from other clubs. Surely they don't have that much money in their cap to throw squllions at Tom??

At community training last night I arrived at the same time as Lynden. His Hammie is fine and he is available for the next match and he told me this session was a touch and greet as they all trained in a full session in the morning. Also noticed Gus and Heretier running around so assume they both just need to get match fitness. Salem took part in all the drills as well. Even Kennedy-Harris was moving around despite his hamstring injury. The only player I couldn't spot was Trengove. The only player who cannot play is Mitch King and he was wandering around in a tracksuit so I expect barring a training mishap that we will have a nearly full list next week Was lucky enough to chat with Roos who was amazed that in the 3 years he has been with us the team is getting younger. I wonder how many of the first year players will drop off as the year progresses and the weather makes it harder?

I keep telling everyone, Jesse has a girlfriend, she is a local Brighton lass and the connection to Jack is that the was until recently dating her sister. I believe that Jack is no longer dating the sister. No surprise that Jack still has jesse and friend over to visit.

Agree and I know it has been said before I think the biggest errors have been at selection. Take this week. The half back line was Hunt, O. Mac, and Wagner. ANB & Newton to hold the midfield with Harmes and Petracca running around the forward line. So in order that is Hunt 7, Oscar 5 & Wagner 8 games across half back. 13 & 17 for ANB and Newton. Harmes a veteran of 18, Petracca 5 and Billy Stretch is in there with 16. There is some serious talent in the group but not a lot of match hardened warriors, in fact it is a credit that they have performed so well thus far, but clearly moving into the second part of the season as they tire we need some muscle and hard bodies. I would love to know the match committee thinking behind team selection right now. A lone ruckman, a bunch of kids (8 players who haven't played 20 games yet) means a lot falls on the senior group Van den berg, Grimes, Trenners, Dawes, Lumumba, Dunne, Pederson, Matt Jones and Salem represent a much harder bunch albeit not as promising. You could even add Melksham when he is available next year. Roos promised changes last week of a 6 day break, that didn't happen and he declared they didn't want to change a winning team. Well this week opens up all sorts of possibilities but as Casey didn't play, there is still question on the match fitness of the mature group. I would hope, given Roos wants competitors that we will see a much different team in the second half of the season