Pirlo

His decision to give Goodwin a three year extension on the eve of the season is just another in the long list of erratic captain's calls that saw him sacked at the Pies.

Nail on the head

So Jones and Viney are both unfit and missed most of the pre-season, but Jack gets a rest and Jones has to slog it at Casey. Right. Ok.

Out: Frost, Hore In: May, Stretch

Laughable overreaction

He was actually okay aside from that insidious drop that ended the game for us. I don't see anyone in the reserves that would do a better job than him, and he's far away from first in line to be dropped.

Jack Viney ran like Jack Trengove today. I fear for his foot, I really do.

The article in The Age suggests that Hogan has had mental health issues since what happened last year, and it certainly explains his dip in form after Queen's Birthday this season. Will miss him dearly, and feel like we were short changed (giving back pick 55 is a kick in the teeth), but its clear the club was hamstrung by a young man desperate to go home and decided that May was the man to bring in as a replacement tall.

God some people are stupid. Kennedy-Harris played one good game, and that was in 2014. McDonald has been excellent for 90% of this season. Who would you play instead? Petty? Keilty? [censored] stupid.

How many midfielders are game breakers within 100 games, let alone 50? Only one I can think of at Melbourne is Oliver. Cripps, Bontempelli, Kelly, Shiel stand out in recent years. Coniglio is rated by everyone these days, but took 80 games to really get going at all.

Bloody hell, the guy is out of form. Not sure why he deserves so many people casting aspersions over his character. He obviously needs to improve, but there's plenty of time for that. Lets wait and see where we are in six, 12, 18 months time before we start piling [censored] into a 22 year old.

That's what worries me. If he'd said from the start that they wouldn't be negotiating until after the CBA, then that's fine. As things stand, they've been at it for a few months and either the club aren't fronting the money (unlikely) or he just doesn't think he wants to stay.

I reckon he'll go, sadly, and have thought so for some time. Its the risk of drafting interstate players, not that the Bleeding Hearts who support Freo/WCE will admit (but, but, but we lost Dylan Roberton ). The narrative of "talking", "maybe negotiating" and "putting off talks" has been seen too many times and rarely works with the exception of players like Cloke who are openly after a payday that their clubs aren't willing to offer until they have to. Two things have led me to think this: He can write his own cheque here, for as many years as he wants. His manager referencing the reforming CBA is a positive, but then could also be the most convenient excuse for a person in the snake oil industry that is AFL player management. Every time he's been asked whether he likes Melbourne, he never really answers yes. I asked him two years ago whether he missed Perth/preferred Melbourne and he pretty much point blank said he missed and preferred Perth but likes Melbourne. At this stage, I think we're going to need a massive, massive year and to make finals - or he'll ask Mahoney to trade him. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who'll hold us to ransom; loves the club for what it is and will drive a fair price for his own head. I just reckon he'd rather be surfing in Scarborough on his days off, rather than heading up to Torquay every six weeks and hanging out in the city when training is off. Club comes first every time, but if we go backwards/Goodwin ends up being poor - we could see repeats of 2008 doomsday scenarios :(. Lets just hope he does re-sign, and that Weideman is bloody good.

I'm as big a fan of his as any, but sometime you need to put your foot down and say that his attitude isn't good enough. Problem is he knows he has us by the balls, because he can leave and we need him to stay. Also, we beat Geelong without him.

Very encouraging, how Maxy went today, but one swallow doesn't make a summer. If he keeps on chipping away in the VFL and gets some form behind him then maybe, but Stewart is looking very comfortable at AFL level already.

With Patton still pencilled a spot at GWS, how about James Stewart as that resting ruck option? 21 years old, 198cm, can kick a goal.

I thought the Toumpas vs Wines debates were just parodying the ridiculous nature of judging a kid before he matures. Now it seems that they're authentic. 19 ... years ... old

People forget he's 20 years of age. It's amazing.

You can't blame Jimmy Toumpas for not being Oliver Wines. At least he puts in and seems to have the right attitude, unlike Morton or even Watts.

You'd hope he can have more of an impact on the contest than TJ did. Harsh to say trade table, but no doubt Trengove needs to stand up and not be satisfied with 17 disposal games like he's been dishing up.

G'day guys, I post a fair bit on BigFooty but am in an exams period and found the temptation to stray from Demons talk too hard to resist. The board there, aside from the Dees board, is obviously rubbish - so I'm looking forward to contributing here until my final exam and beyond!