Roger Mellie

Unfortunately, they then play North, WCE, Adelaide and GCS. They could conceivably start the season 5 - 0 🤮. Hopefully, the sky will fall in with Adelaide, GCS or the Dogs and Lions after that.

WCW, there was, in fact, a tiny clue there, but it was so small, I hadn't noticed. Good luck and it's not boxers or anything to do with music.

Thanks TRAB! I'm honoured to be part of the club, but there are definitely no single or double-bluffing clues. I can even confess, the bench is nothing more than a typo - should be I/C not !/C. Go Dees

You know the drill. If someone gets this quicker than the time it took me to put together, I just might lie about it. Funnily enough, these players have something in common. My apologies if this (theme) has been done before! PM the answers (this means you Lampers). The prizes are phenomenal.............. and fictitious! On ya bike and bring on season 2023: Mitch Hahn Stef Martin Jay Lockhart Chris Scott Henry Playfair Ted Richards Adrian Battiston. Jacob van Rooyan Ed Lower Tyson Stengle Tim Membrey Jayden Hunt Aaron Naughton. Brendon Favola Billy Brownless R: Michael Gardiner Cam Pedersen Cam O'Shea !/C Callam Sinclair Liam Jurrah Jarrod Berry Kayne Pettifer PS - There's no clue in any of the above, hence the name 'clueless quiz'

IIRC, he had some role at or link to MFC (can someone enlighten on this?) but this ended when he was found to be leaking info about the club - MFC supporter and all! Top bloke!

The AFL website has listed all the club's leadership groups including ins and outs. https://www.afl.com.au/news/880565/who-s-in-who-s-out-your-club-s-captains-leadership-group-for-2023 As per usual, only Gawn and Viney are listed for us. Last year in the Gus & Gawny Podcast, there was often reference to our leadership group, although the group was never listed. All I could glean was that Brayshaw and ANB were in it although I assume Lever would be there too. Anyone know what this year's is (or last year's for that matter)? It seems to be a very in-house thing.

They've all got something to do with 'Stones favourite record, book or film collection.

Definitely a Certificate of Achievement at the very least!

To echo the thoughts/questions of others, can you please discuss the midfield function generally and more specifically how the less or non-regulars performed in the middle - Kossie, Harmes, Sparrow, ANB, Rivers Spargo, Brayshaw and whoever else was in there? I see a bit of a gulf between the regulars and the rest, although Kossie could be anything.

Let the AFL make the game truly international and send them to Port Moresby.

Barely got a touch and jogged around. I hope for his sake, Scott told him to take it easy.

I actually thought they were both rubbish with one side flattered by kicking straight. Fair enough St Kilda are missing their forward line, but I didn't see much to write home about - the game looked like a race for the spoon. Parish was unforgivably pathetic. The bummers should trade him for someone who has a crack (practice match or not).

He does some great things when he's got the pill. He just doesn't impact games a whole lot. There was a game at Casey last year where he picked up 30 touches in the middle. At the time I thought...yes, this is why we recruited him! His ball use was amazing and he seemed way above VFL level. I have only seen glimpses of that since. I dunno, he strikes me as bottom-heavy in physique if that's a thing.

Thanks Viper, I don't listen to the AFL Daily podcasts or anything on the AFL site that starts with 'Listen" so this is much appreciated. It's hard enough to read an article by 'Damo' let alone listen to him. Cheers

I think he did a great job considering he spent a significant chunk of preseason in rehab

Excellent assessment again Graz. I had slotted PA into the 8 without really thinking about them, aside from the gains, but that's a compelling argument. Their resilience deserted them last year and I'm not sure it won't come back to haunt them, particularly with that fixture. I agree with their thin ruck depth. I watched the first few games Hayes came is as No.1 ruck and he had a tank like Preuss - just couldn't get to contests. He's been in the system long enough you'd think, but if it's still an issue in what must be his 6th year, then you'd be praying Lycett stays fit at least until Finlayson returns. Never been a fan of Drew and thought he was a bit of a weak link, but I suspect he does the off-ball work and running to enable the other mids to do their thing. JHF is a huge in but I'm not sure we'll see much defensive running from him for a while.

Great article here about Turner coming from nowhere to the Dee's list: From B-grade to the big time: Dees land diamond in the rough

IIRC, Smith got two weeks (added to his onfield suspension - IMO rightly as concurrently would translate to no penalty) because he claimed to be having mental health issues. Ginnivan pulled no such card. I expected him to get way longer than Smith in terms of H&A games. Practice games don't really count IMO. Listening to the radio, they said JG was back training with the club yesterday.

I was impressed with how well Amiss performed last year coming in for the last 2 or 3 games. I think he might surprise a few as he certainly has tricks. He's still pretty lean though so I'm expecting inconsistency and a bit of wilting as the season progresses. I don't know enough about Treacy to comment but it'll be interesting to see if he can step up. Taberner had a stinker last year mainly as a result of injury, but sadly for him, I'm not sure he'll be able to string a season together. Jackson's not likely to be the answer yet and Fyfe is clapped out. I get great amusement from watching Walters. If things don't go his way, he completely loses sight of the game and chases frees. Longmuir drummed that out of him last year for the most part, but I'm hoping it returns in 2023. He's also not getting any younger. The rest of the side is easily top 4, particularly if they can fill the wing hole with O'Driscoll or the Frederick to the wing experiment works.

The media have been pumping up the tyres of JVR to the point of explosion. Richardson is just tempering the expectations of supporters as a result.

You haven't mellowed over time then

Thanks Gator - excellent report again. If you don't mind me asking, who were you before you were swallowed by a crocodile?

A petless friend of mine signed up my dog as a Hawthorn member years ago 🤮 Livid

They took a fair old beating with the injury stick in 2022. They haven't started 2023 well in that regard.

Not quite. According to the club, he had his best game in the VFL grand final, which for me says he stands up and performs when the pressure is really on. IMO the club see something in him and I'd expect gradual improvement - I think we've seen this over the preseason. Having said that, there's no way he replaces Salem ahead of Bowey.