manny100

Subject to medical and behaviour diligence checks Mitchell would be a more than usefull addition to the midfield. The rationale would be a same as recruiting Tyson for immediate improvement - a couple of pre seasons under the belt and a stronger body than a kid straight from the TAC - unless by luck the kid's another Wines!! Depends on the price the Swans would ask for him. The Swans also pick up a young gun mid this coming draft from their Academy - expected to use their first round pick. Evidently if the kid (Heeney) was on the free market he would go very early. So the Swans mid depth only gets stronger - another reason Eddy is having a big cry over in magpie land. The Swans have to weigh it up - do you pull the trigger at seasons end or wait another year and risk further loss of trade value if he still cannot crack it for a game. What would we pay - pick 4,5 or 6 is way to steep and if we handed it over we would want a fair bit of change back. The Swans 2nd rounder would not be enough. So another player from the Swans thrown in?? It would be hard to get a deal done. If we expect to get Brayshaw or Petracca at our pick and we think they will have an immediate impact then that pick would be hard to part with.

Jordan Lewis on 'Future Stars' said Petracca had trained at the Hawks and that he was a quicker version of John Kennedy.

With only 3 wins under the belt we need to try out Riley and Mitchie with some games this season. We need to see what they can do before next trading/drafting season. Our list is unbalanced with to many mid type players. We have no developing young KPP's at Casey. I would give JKH and Salem a rest and bring in Kent and Riley against Essendon.

Hogan is out but notice that we do not have any developing young KPP's at Casey. This reflects our quest to unearth a money ball mid. No doubt this will be rectified in due course.

I doubt that there will be any unforced changes this week. Changes will cover injuries only. Evidently Frawley may struggle to get up this week! If we get beaten easily by the Tigers or Port expect changes. While the team is going ok Roos will want to reward the behaviours he values such as defensive pressure etc so changes will be minimal. He is a realist. He knows we will cop a few knocks along the way - then changes will be made.

Watts will be a star when we come good as a team. He has poise and delivers well. The commentators sais that what Salem did was either flukey or he will be a very good player - I think he might be good!!

I think this topic has well and truly passed its use by date. Keeps going off on tangents.

Georgiou will be unlucky to get a week for that. Lowest of impact and it was meant to chop Franklins arm so it was accidental. Might get points with a reprimand. Franklin should be reprimanded for throwing himself on the ground like a spoilt brat - over acting and crying like a baby.

Heard Garlands name in the call for the last couple of minutes of the game. So he must be ok. Evidently MFC listed players pretty/very/extremely ordinary today. Callers said no forwards. So I expect a tall to be drafted this year - no doubt. Amazing pre season most were saying we were overloaded with tall forwards - what a difference a month makes.

Well said 1Dee1,Cheers

Lets hope Hogan gets his back right and soon. As a club we have had more than our share of bad luck over the years with injuries to key players. The worm is sure to turn!!!!!!

I would expect that we have dropped off in possession numbers since round 1. Dawes and Frawley have straightened us up a bit so less chipping it around. We can only improve up forward as Dawes is still blowing the cobwebs away and Frawley is getting used to playing forward. All we need is for the mids/flankers to pock up their act.

As we know Roos is big on players mastering AFL habits/non negotiables/minimum standards in the VFL. I note the comment in the VFL players review that Salem needs to work on his accountability when the ball is out of the stoppage area - otherwise all ok. Salem will have to earn his debut which could be a little while away yet. Much better for Salem to master these habits than run the risk of 'burning' another player before he is ready. By the review it seems Riley has AFL intensity already and could be only a couple of weeks away once he reaches AFL fitness levels. Garland only needs a couple more weeks to reach AFL fitness as well.

10 tackles by Riley!!!!! Great effort.

I would not rush Salem in. Let him feel develop his confidence and master team requirements that Roos always talks about first. Better not to see him in and out like a yo yo. Likewise I would like to see the Toump play a decent stint in the VFL for confidence etc. Garland will probably need another week. He can play on small, tall and medium so he will be a great addition to the MFC when finally ready. Its only a matter of time before Riley gets promoted (if he keeps building his form), maybe 2 more VFL games. It was evident yesterday we do not win enough inside contested ball and we need to be cleaner around the ground. When Garland comes in Frawley can stay forward - can't wait for Hogan to debut. It will be interesting to see how Harmes develops. Considering his age he is winning a lot of ball. Thanks for your update WJ.

If you perform the role the coach gives you then you have done your job. Cheney could not get a game at then D's and gets games at the Hawks because he performs his role. Perhaps he will struggle to get a game as we improve but at the moment at least he is a hard body with a few games under his belt - so I am prepared to cut him some slack. Every team has its McKenzie types playing somewhere, yes even the Hawks.

We have a few to work there way into the firsts: Jamar Garland (when he is ready to play) Trenners Toumpass ( although I would prefer to see him play 10 or so games in succession in the VFL to get some confidence0 Hogan when he is ready to play VFL. Mitchie when fit needs to find form in the VFL. Riley to play a few more VFL games to get some match fitness. We could with some real hardness at clearances. Salem maybe a couple of games late in the season. So we can expect to see some improvement at the D's.

That was bloody funny!!!!!!!! Loved it!!!!!!

We will not know the worth of the Tyson trade until we see how Salem stacks up. In the meantime at least we know Tyson will be a very good footballer for the Dees. If Trenners wants out (I hope its not true) we will likely be screwed on any trade. We have to hope he comes in and stars to boost his value.

Pederson is likely to relieve Spencer - has done it before. Not the best option but all we have. Dawes does not have the conditioning.

If we win 3 or less then we will get a PP. 4 or more and we show some improvement in the 2nd half of the season - probably no PP. Improvement is possible with Hogan, Gawn, Garland and Jamar to come in - plus some improvement by the younger players. The Clark retirement further weakens our list which strengthens our case. We are likely to finish bottom 2 or three with bottom a possibility

In the absence of wins drafting possibilities at least provides us with a much needed distraction. Looks like bottom 1-3 for us even with Dawes, Jamar, Garland and Gawn in. Best available for me whether its a tall or mid. I think we will get a priority which most likley will be mid first round or end of second round. If Frawley goes then a pick after our first as compo. If Carlton finish in the bottom 3 watch them heave Gibbs out the door to get an early compo pick. The other clubs will not be happy if both us and Carlton get an extra pick early as compo - compromises the draft again - one reason which will push any priority pick we get closer to the end of the first round. If Frawley does go we would not recruit a free agent as we would lose our early compo pick. Last year some other clubs wrote to the AFL demanding that no priority be given last season due to us having a good list but not developing it properly, ie we already have the cattle. I do not think the AFL can ignore a poor finish again.

I would also like to know how Salem is progressing. Tyson looks good, accumulates and will get better. Kelly looks like being a star for GWS. If Salem comes up trumps we will/should be in front on that deal.

No brainer.......we need another couple of mid type hard nosed big time accumulators who hit the ball and man hard. I know its all hindsight but we fluffed couple of chances in recruiting, eg Wines and McRea - spilt milk now!!. Hopefully Viney and Salem will develop in this mould. Tyson already looks good and should further improve. Lets hope Mitchie and/or Riley can be mid stars!! I would have thought the recruiting priority process would be: 1. Talls when available 2. Inside accumulation tough mids most who can play other flank positions 3. Outside types. No point in recruiting outside types until the insides are in place. Its the insides who get the ball to the outsides. I like the way JKH despite his small size hits the ball and man!!!!

Its not the talent as its what's between the ears that counts. We do not seem to have enough players who can remain calm under pressure (hence fumbles, miskicks and handballs, hesitancy, panic etc) and run and run when others cannot go on. N Jones (ok he made a few blues last week - he is a hard nut and got a lot of the ball) generally has these characteristics and reputably so does Viney and Hogan. Clark was pretty hard at it as well. If you have enough of these types on the field they can lift and inspire others and set high standards. This ability is from within it can't be taught but can be enhanced by being in the right environment under the right training. Players with these characteristics quickly become leaders and lift team standards and expectations, ie they do not accept crap from teammates. WCE clearly (yes I was there on Sunday) have a number of these types. Its very hard when recruiting to assess this area with the kids - we seem to have duded out here - bad luck????? Probably not!! Can't wait to get a few games into Viney and Hogan. Will not hold my breath waiting for Clark to come back into the team. When Northey resurrected the team he was lucky - team shortish on talent but big time big on players with grunt. That is the difference. I suspect that is why we got Riley and Mitchie - both inexperienced and yet to prove they can play AFL but hard nuts at the lower level. I suspect we may turn a few over at seasons end trying to unearth a few (even one!!! )of this ilk. Again I can't wait to get a few games into Viney and Hogan!! Oh and for all his talents Slyvia was not of this ilk.