The training has all changed in recent years, previously you’d do all your running then skills then maybe some more running in preseason. Nowadays with all the sports science involved, GPS tracking, training schedules etc, players have certain loads they have to do and can’t go past. Brendan Fevola talked about it on radio saying he used to be taken off the track because he had reached his load and couldn’t spend more time on goal kicking and skills.

These players nowadays are all lean, fit, strong endurance athletes. Coaches and Fitness staff spend more time focusing on the sports science and loads as well as gameplans. Less time is taken with basic skill acquisition and development. So in all it’s pointless. What is the point of having a supreme athlete, that undertsnads the gameplan but doesn’t have the skill level to complete it.

We know this is true, as stated more clangers than ever before, kicking efficency is down on the most part, tackling is down this season and scoring is down.

Great game for the Swans, Kennedy back into the form we all know he’s capable of. Also on the plus guys, it gives Longmuir confidence these other players such as Rohan, Hayward, Florent, Ronke, Papley etc can perform and the Swans don’t need to be so Buddy Franklin centric.

Richmond have the experience on their list, the majority of their players are in or coming into their prime. It’s probably what makes them a better list than Collingwood at this very moment.

But the Pies do have a better list than everyone thinks, these young players such as Murray, Scharenberg, Stephenson, Brown and De Goey just need more games and I think the Pies can really have a good crack at making the top 8 this season.

Grundy is the revaluation this season an outstanding junior and now realising his full potential and can easily now be considered in the top 3-4 ruckman in the AFL along with the likes of Gawn, Martin and Jacobs. Kicking goals and being a presence around the ground racking up a lot of the footy.

Terry Stotts got Portland to third place in the West and made the Trailblazers one of the best defensive teams in the league. Yes, they got swept by Pelicans who boast an MVP candidate in Anthony Davis, an underrated scoring forward in Nikola Mirotic and Rondo who we all know steps it up the playoffs. Getting his team to third place in the West I highly doubt is underperforming.

Thibodeau did get the Timberwolves into the playoffs for the first time since the 2003/04 season, that year the Pistons won the NBA title and that feels like ages ago. He’s brought in Jimmy Butler who will grow along with Towns and Wiggins and can become a real force in the West.

You’re right in saying no other NBL centre is anywhere near Bogut’s calibre (when healthy). If Bogut can stay healthy he has the chance to dominate the league. It turns the Kings into a very dangerous team with Randle, Lisch and Bogut and finally, some success could be on the way for Kings fans.

Off the court as well you’re right it will be great exposure for the league and the game around Australia. Other NBL franchises will be licking their lips knowing when the Kings are coming to town, a great way to help fill up an arena.

Hopefully Bogut can push through and stay healthy these next two years, and have one final crack at winning an Olympic medal with the Boomers in 2020. Bogut will be the experienced head in what looks to be a strong 2020 team with guys like Bogut and Goulding from the NBL and then NBA stars such as Ben Simmons, Joe Ingles, Patty Mills and Aron Baynes.

The Swans played poor as a massive Swans fan I’ll admit that even short on troops and losing Hartigan early the Crows played well especially down back. They blanketed Buddy Franklin and none of the other Swans forwards looked dangerous even with Rohan kicking multiple goals.

Young Doedee played the best game of his young career in that Jake Lever third tall role intercepting the ball taking 11 marks for the match.

The Crows played well, the Swans struggled and were to Buddy conscious and struggled to find other avenues to goal. This week coming up against the Cats will be even more difficult with Buddy out, some one needs to stand up and right now no one is really putting their hand up.

I personally don’t think the games in Shanghai will be a real success but if the AFL is insistent on playing there start off with maybe AFLX or a JLT preseason game first, not for premiership points. After this season I think the Power and Suns should look more at other ways of playing in Shanghai because during the season shouldn’t be the way to go. Whatever happened to games in New Zealand, I believe that is a more viable option especially with New Zealand being such a sport loving nation already.

Oladipo and Sabonis have thrived at the Pacers and both become major pieces. In the same amount of minutes this season with the Pacers as last season with the Thunder Oladipo has improved in every category, points, rebounds, assists, steals, field goal and three-point percentage and made himself an All-Star.

Sabonis in his second season with only four more minutes a night has doubled his average points, rebounds and assists and improved his field goal and three-point percentage.

Both should be major parts of the Pacers sucess for the years to come.

I agree with Gobert and Williams winning Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year respectively. I’d have to say for Coach of the Year my vote would go to Quin Snyder. After losing his team’s superstar Gordon Hayward at the end of last year everything thought the Jazz would struggle and they were at the beginning, then to lead them to an amazing second half of the season and getting them to 5th in the West which matches what they achieved last year with Hayward.

The Jazz are a serious threat of knocking off the Thunder, everyone is contributing Mitchell, Rubio, Ingles and Gobert is a presence on the defensive end. To me that is the most intriguing series, because if the Jazz go through to the second round it poses so many questions. What now for Paul George? Does Carmelo need to move to the bench? Is anyone going to want and come and play with Westbrook?

Also how much the Jazz have improved in the new year, proving doubters wrong that said they would be lost without Hayward.

All their stars are on song Cunnington was best on ground against the Hawks, Jacobs shut down Mitchell’s influence. Ben Brown and Jarrad Waite are forming close to if not the best tall forward combination in the game at the moment. Robbie Tarrant and Majak Daw marked pretty much everything that came their way and Jack Ziebell at the moment looks more dangerous. As long as their stars can keep this form and can get solid contributions from their youngster’s finals is well within reach of North Melbourne.

It’s when these guys are struggling for form, teams are pressuring them, putting them under the pump that’s when North will face their real test and we’ll see who stands up for them. But right now they’re a dangerous side and can pose a threat to anyone.

Way better option than Redpath for the Doggies and can give young Tim English a good chop out in the ruck when needed. All Doggies fans would wanna see from him is to be aggressive. Attack the contest, compete, from there his confidence will come then he’ll start taking big grabs and kick goals, and do what the Dogs are paying him to do. We all know he’s capable we’ve seen it on the biggest stage in football, all he needs is confidence and that will come from doing the little things.

If his so-called philosophy is that he is playing the youngsters and that it is part of all the rebuild plan why the hell hasn’t Harry McKay still in the VFL.

A 200cm key forward McKay was pick 10 in the 2015 AFL Draft, now in his third season with the Blues still is currently only on two career games. Both of which were at the back end of 2017 season where Carlton had no hope of finals.

We all know that key forwards take longer to develop than others and at such a pick why aren’t Carlton developing him in the AFL where he at least he won’t be the focal point and will have better service. In a weak Northern Blues team he struggles to get good service and is normally taken on by the best defender.

Give him a chance Carlton have be screaming out for a key tall. Young Charlie Curnow looks to be developing into a star, give McKay the chance to develop alongside him. McKay a 200cm full forward and Curnow at centre half-forward could be a scary prospect in the future.

I know the award isn’t up there but even though Rudy Gobert has to be a lock for defensive player of the year. The Jazz are ranked the number two defence in the league and number one in the league when he’s on the floor, he might not always have the stats even though (10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks) are still great numbers.

It’s just his presence has teams keeping away from going into the lane and reverting to jump shots.

When he came back from injury in January the Jazz were struggling and since his return have gone 30-8 and moving to 5th in the West. A lot of that is to do with Gobert’s presence on the floor.

Jack Steven needs guys like Armitage, Dunstan, Billings etc go stand up her cant carry them all on his own.

You’re right struggling with leadership since losing Riewoldt, Montagna, Dempster etc.

Dunstan was touted as a future leader at the club, high draft pick, captained South Australia in the under 18’s champs a few years ago. Had an amazing rookie season, but is in and out of the side, in the Saints want to grow he needs to play regularly in that midfield.

The Bulldogs and the Bombers really put in some great performances and have silenced some of the critics for now at least. The Bombers positional changes worked wonders and were aggressive all game. The Dogs even though going down really took it up to Sydney and were in the game up until the final minute, they might not make finals but will produce some upsets this season.

Brodie Grundy now has to be looking at an All Australian ruck spot, the big man made Jacobs look ordinary and has outperformed every opponent he has come up against this season so far McEvoy, Lobb, Kruezer and Jacobs.

In the West the most interesting series would have to be Pelicans v Blazers, two teams led by two players who have had career seasons in Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard.

Also the Jazz against the Thunder will be very intriguing. The Jazz have been in amazing form since the All Star break and are a completely different team with Gobert out there on the defensive end. Thunder have not worked how we thought they would but we know Westbrook, George and Anthony are capable of going big on any particular night.

In the East the Sixers against the Heat will be the series to watch. The Sixers are on an amazing run at the moment, but the Heat are full of playoff exeperince and could easily give the Sixers are real test.

Out of the three big recruits Devon Smith is the only one who can hold his head high. Jake Stringer and Adam Saad have both being very quiet in this first three games.

Stringer is being used as a midfielder which he clearly isn’t, in his best years he was a strong lead up forward that attacked the packs. This is where he should spend most of his time as that third key tall. Midfield only in patches to impose himself and attack the ball.

Saad is a devasting running half-back who can break the lines. With young gun Andrew McGrath being pushed more into the midfield it is leaving Saad down back to play as a small lockdown defender which he is not used to and it is taking him away from his natural attacking run and carry game.

Smith is averaging 21 disposals a game in more midfield time than he’s ever had before. He attcaks the contest and can tackle hard pressuring the opppistion. Resting forward where he’s played the majority of his career we know he can be dangerous and hit the scoreboard. He’s working his way into a becoming a full time midfielder really well and with this can become one of the better players for the Bombers

Agreed not ready for Finals yet, but Eastern Conference Finals a good chance depending on who they draw and when Joel Embiid comes back. They are such an exciting team already with great building blocks Simmons and Embiid. Surround them with shooters to go with Redick, Covington, Saric already.

Fultz is probably best suited to that sixth man role at the moment, providing a good scoring option off the bench and can lead the second unit. Injuries permitting the sky is the limit for the 76ers.

Exactly, we all know how good a Philly crowd can be they love their sports teams and Simmons is the new star in town. The between the legs and flick out to Redick for the three really got the crowd going. But it was his big two-hand slam in transition which really set them off.

They’ll be a force in the playoffs especially when they get Embiid back, it will be exciting to see how deep they can go. If they make it past the first round and meet a wounded Boston team I can see them maybe making the Eastern Conference Finals.

I agree with “How on earth did Nick Coffield not debut in Round 1?” he stood up in the preseason and I believed was a safer bet to make a Round 1 debut over draftee Hunter Clark. As stated he was composed and efficient which is something the Saints really need at the moment coming out of their back half.

Also, the fact that Tom Mitchell without a doubt should be the Brownlow favourite, his form in the first three rounds is unheard of the start a season. One more 40+ disposal game and he breaks the record of most consecutive games with 40 disposals or more

He’s really stepped up in the past few games in the absense of Joel Embiid putting the team on his back. He could really help them maybe try hold on to the forth seed for home court advantage in the playoffs.

He plays with such freedom and he knows he has the size and skill to get to the basket whenever he wants. But it’s his passing, court vision and Basketball IQ that really sets him apart from the rest.

Burgoyne and Sicily are two big outs against the Tigers this weekend. Burgoyne so consistent and dependable. Sicily has been working well as that intercept marking player in the backline. I love his passion and aggression but as in this instance he needs to know where the line is and not cross it. The only benefit if these losses are maybe the chance to bring in some more youngster to give them some exposure and expierence againsts the raining premiers and the opportunity to maybe hold their spot.

It’s been amazing how Clarkson has been able regenerate this list so quick and have them playing so well after missing finals last year. Many of the young players including the likes of Brand, Howe, Hardwick, O’Brien and Burton still have so much development ahead of them.

Mitchell at the moment you would have to say is the best player in the competition. After his record breaking 54 disposals last week he backed it up with another 40 disposals, seven score involvements, 595 meters gained and hit the scoreboard with two goals.

That brings his record this season so far to 94 disposals, 50 of them contested and averaging over 680 meters gained.

The Saints really need to consider changing this three talls in the forward line. As pointed out not one goal between them against North. After last week people were saying that the Saints should stick with it, and that they can work together just that maybe every now and again will have off days not all three are going to kick bags of goals every week.

In my opinion, the Saints need to keep playing Paddy McCartin, number one pick he is a confidence player and the Saints need to keep allowing him to develop still having only played 24 games.

Tim Membrey has been the best performer for the Saints up forward in the past two seasons since he arrived from the Swans kicking 82 goals. So he needs to stay forward becasue he is a consistent option they can use.

Josh Bruce is the one they need to move, not drop, but move. Bruce came to the Saints from the Giants as a key defender and was then moved into the forward line. But after watching on the weekend it would be a smart option to maybe think about swinging Bruce down back again, especially with Nathan Brown struggling against Ben Brown and pushing 30 it is worth a thought.

The Swans set up was really good on the weekend for Buddy, having him one out in the 50 with other small forwards Florent, Hayward, Cunningham, Hewett etc creating space then pushing back to help out.

Creating the space for Buddy to lead into made him unstoppable, one on one probably the best in the game inside 50.