It's Dwayne being Dwayne, the blokes a Richard head

The recruitment of Rowe still seems baffling when he still would of been available as a rookie

Rather lose every single pre season match, BUT win the opening round and get 4 points.

If I recall correctly, during the glory days of the 79-82 period the blues rarely won a pre season match - couldn't beat anyone.

We also won a couple of NAB cups - under pagan and maybe Ratten too. And we all know what happened when the real season started.

Only the Coach and players know what the goals are for the team and for individual players during the pre season matches - winning should be incidental to these goals.

Players would be tried out in different roles and against different types of opposition - test them out.

Other Players may need match hardening and run in their legs (like Daisy and Kruezer)

If these internal goals have been met then, I would be far more happy than winning the game and not addressing these important issues.

But then again I have neve paid much attention to pre season results (ie win or lose)

My main concerns for this year are very similar to recent years

1. Can we string wins together (haven't won 4 games in a row for a very long time - could be over a decade)

2. How we match up against the Hawks (haven't won since 2007, and regularly get physically intimidated without a response - see last year response to Hodge hit on Murphy and Hendo)

3. How we match up against the Cats (leadership and mental strength test) and Freo/Swans (the strangling teams that do the 1%ers very well).

We will take big steps forward if we show progress in these 3 areas.

I know this will make me a heretic, but I thought Dwayne's commentary was good last night, especially compared to the normal tripe that most channels offer.

He seemed to be balanced, and even the last game against Port Adelaide he did a good job.

*cue tomatoes*

I recall a 70 point loss to Claremont in one of those premiership years

.....the blues would play an intra-club practice match in 79-82 out on oval number 1 at Princes Park, and the seniors would still lose to basically our reserve sides with some under 19s thrown in.

Then have a smoke and a few beers after wards.

I remember watching Southby kick out from full back out at oval 1, and sometimes even fetching the ball for him. Wow, what a brilliant kick he was. Effortlessly onto to the boot, 65m drop punts. Harmes was another one. Very scary close up, wouldn't want to get tackled by him. Then there was Doull. It was like watching a prophet medidate

I recall Chapman on radio last year saying that at the cats they look at the players character and motivation etc and whether they would fit into the Geelong structure, BEFORE they looked at talent and reputation etc....

The recruitment of Rowe still seems baffling