REST or run

Peter Ryan, AFL Record writer: Carlton's Michael Jamison blew up early on Friday night after missing seven weeks and the pressure is on selectors to get the house in order. What considerations do selectors need to take into account as they prepare for the next two weeks? Should Collingwood be concerned about the position it finds itself in?

Geoff Slattery, Managing Editor, AFL Media: Pressure? What pressure? Selectors have one job — to provide the best team to compete against that week's opposition. Simple as that. Jamison's return has been managed to give Carlton the best chance to have his services, at close to his best, for the finals. Interesting that he played without any knee support. He looked strong and dangerous when he went forward. Collingwood has the best pressure — having a wide list to choose from, after blooding several players. The conundrum is Maxwell, who will enter finals lacking form before his enforced break. The Magpies will play him: he's too much a spiritual leader, and great finals performer.

Michael Lovett, AFL Record writer: Jamison will be better for the run and given the Blues have the bye this week, they had to play him. Apart from his kicking, he gave them something up forward so that's got to be a positive as well.

Slattery: Hawthorn will go into the finals off two soft assignments: the Bulldogs on Saturday, then Gold Coast. Interestingly, Alastair Clarkson said after the Carlton win: "We haven't taken the attitude we'll rest players and I doubt we'll do it this week." I reckon he will in round 24. He also made the ultimate — and succinct — match review: "We were better than Carlton in the key parts for a greater part of the game."

Ashley Browne, afl.com.au writer: I agree with Geoff. The Hawks should leave Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Cyril Rioli, Lance Franklin, Josh Gibson and Max Bailey home in round 24.

Ryan: What Jamison showed though is how hard it is to come back and have an immediate impact. Alan Toovey was the same on Saturday night. Collingwood needs to settle its best defence: Maxwell, Ben Johnson, Ben Reid, Christ Tarrant, Harry O'Brien and Leon Davis (with Shaw on a wing). As Malthouse says there is no second chances in finals when it comes to who plays. Maxwell is a certainty if fit however. He is a great finals player (played with a broken arm in final in 2008 against Adelaide and shut down Scott Thompson) and great organiser of others.

Lovett: If the Hawks have a soft run, what about the Bombers? Port this week, then a bye. Does Hirdy give them a Tommy Hafey-style preparation after the Power game. On that, I see the Cats had a full-on hit-out at the Cattery last Saturday.

Nick Bowen, AFL Record writer: I think the Magpies have their concerns. Dawes has missed a lot of footy and Shaw will have too by the time his betting ban is over. I know both will have been able to keep their fitness up while sidelined, but there's no substitute for match fitness.

Howard Kotton, AFL Record writer: Carlton had to play Jamison and he made an important contribution at both ends on Friday night. The Blues face a dilemma over Jarrad Waite. If he is going to take any meaningful part in the finals, he must play in the VFL this week and then against the Saints in round 24.

Callum Twomey, AFL Record writer:  Agree that the best pressure is having selection pressure - obviously it isn't the case at Fremantle at the moment - but Collingwood does have a hint of Essendon in 2001 about it. Everything was going well for the Bombers at this end of the season, but a couple of untimely injuries and an inability to have a settled side before the finals certainly hurt their premiership chances that year. The extent of the injuries might not be as bad, but a settled team is surely important before probably playing West Coast in week one.

Ryan: Basically, don't flirt with luck. Rest vital players only if they need it and get matches into those who need it.

Slattery: The concept of resting at the end is interesting. Remember 1990, when the draw between West Coast and Collingwood gave Essendon two weeks off before the second semi — which it lost to Collingwood. Kevin Sheedy always reckoned that extra week took the edge off the team.

Bowen: Geoff, I think that shows any player resting should have been done by now. You want players working into peak form by the finals and they can't do that if they're in the grandstand.

Ryan: Yep, touch is the issue. Round one is always difficult to predict because of that factor. But as the year has gone on more teams are winning after a bye so it's a fine balance.

The Hawks defence

Ryan: Hawthorn's defence remains a potential concern but Josh Gibson is playing like Kelvin Moore, David Dench and Geoff Southby rolled into one. What mix does the ideal defence have?

Slattery: The stats show Hawthorn's defence is up there with the best. The Hawthorn coaching panel deserves the ultimate credit for manipulating the group, and the way it plays to get the best out of it. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall as they worked through replacements for Stratton and Gilham. They have another in their back pocket — Lisle was looking a natural before he got his head smashed in. Now it's Schoenmakers making his mark — remarkably, he's a third year player yet to turn 21.

Browne: To beat Collingwood, Geelong and West Coast you need two talls. That's why the Hawks brought back Ryan Schoenmakers a while back. Interestingly, it was Jordan Lisle who comprehensively beat Chris Dawes the one time Hawthorn played Collingwood, so he may yet get a look in this week or next.

Bowen: Remarkably, Stratton is a chance to play in the VFL this weekend apparently. If he can string a couple of weeks together with the Box Hill Hawks, is he a chance of forcing his way into this impregnable defence you talk of, Geoff?

Slattery: I didn't mention impregnable, I mentioned a) statistics and b) remarkable management by the coaching panel. North Melbourne fans just can't get over the fact that Josh Gibson is playing like Jack Regan!

Lovett: The same Jack Regan Collingwood fans say should have been full-back of the century?

Ryan: The back six you need two talls, a lock down player, two sweepers or third man up and at least one attacking runner. Hawthorn appears slightly different in that it heavily relies on midfielders to get back and swoop on Gibson's spoils when confronted with a marking contest. They switch and kick rather than run out of defence. It will be fascinating to watch Gibson on Cloke or Podsiadly when he is stretched into a one on one contest. He enjoys packs more than one on ones.

Bowen: Let's see how Gibson goes on a monster like Cloke in the finals. Very good third defender, but can't play on the gorillas.

Ryan: I reckon he can play on the big boys but he needs support. Hawthorn has Hodge to play that vital third man role. Geelong must have Matthew Scarlett fit for similar reason: to help Harry Taylor.

Slattery: I seem to recall the Hawks went for Gibson because he performed so well against L. Franklin?

Bowen: As well as Gibson played on Franklin that night, Buddy still kicked 3.3 on a night when North controlled general play for much of the game. Buddy's also not in the same league as Cloke when it comes to contested marking.

The Blues

Ryan: What did we learn about Carlton on the weekend?

Slattery: Carlton looks like it will finish where it should: the only loss it will be rueing is the round 16 flop against the Dogs. It has won every other game it should, and will become the second team in the history of the AFL to miss the four with 15 or more wins. That was Carlton in 1996! It lost both finals that year, which means nothing. For interest sake only, Essendon finished on top with 13 wins in 1993.

Ryan: Carlton don't deserve top four because it has not beaten a top four team. What do the Blues need to take that next step?

Kotton: The Blues need a tall target in attack to ease the load on their talented group of smaller forwards. Jarrad Waite would be handy, but he is more of a talented secondary forward or flanker. Lachie Henderson is better suited down back and should develop into a key defender alongside Jamison. Another big body in the midfield would help. For the finals, I believe they should go with Setanta O'hAilpin in attack and think seriously about bringing Shaun Hampson back when he is ready, particularly for the MCG and, if they get the chance, at Patersons Stadium.

The role of the coach

Ryan: Speaking of coaching a la Hawthorn's effort: There is a lot of discussion about senior coaches recently but should the emphasis be more on the performance of coaching panels rather than the individual as senior coach?

Bowen: Probably. But how do we know which assistant has done what? You hear of Scott Burns having played a big role in helping the Eagles implement the forward press this year and of Adam Simpson's influence with the third-man-up tactic at Hawthorn, but otherwise assistants are largely anonymous. You may be heaping praise on individuals that have just been along for the ride. Without being inside a club, you'd never know.

Browne: That's a good point. The Collingwood and Geelong panels seem to work seamlessly. Geelong hasn't skipped a beat with the loss of Mark Thompson and Brendan McCartney. Collingwood's system seems to be first-class. West Coast looks to be well resourced and well structured and it is interesting to note that John Worsfold is coaching more and managing less this year. It took Alastair Clarkson time to settle his panel after losing Todd Viney and Damien Hardwick, but Adam Simpson and Leon Cameron have been huge additions.

Slattery: The concept of the coach in the modern game is something that needs to be revealed in full. There remains a view in the bleachers and the press box, that the model remains the same as that delivered by John Worrall, Jock McHale and Norm Smith. Nothing could be further from the truth. The coach these days is CEO of the coaching panel and the playing group, and marketing manager of the club; as well as the COO, responsible for managing the board. The best of the genre is also a great listener, prepared to believe he might be wrong, flexible, amusing, and a great HR manager. A genius coach is not a strategic genius, but a management genius.

Ryan: Or they have the right fit a la James Hird and management geniuses around them while they get better, almost like the model of a family business grooming the person with the right fit. As to assistants, the senior coach is reliant on the expertise and intellect and ideas of his coaching panel and assistants. Assistants need to be able to bring ideas to the table and importantly quickly assess the range of ideas from the senior coach and report back without fear or favour, which means the system needs to be good and the personalities know their role and play their role. I reckon if a senior coach is talking up an assistant they will be OK because his reputation depends on it.

Kotton: The senior coach is the frontman for a club. And the major judgment of his performance is the win-loss ratio. However, the support staff he has around him is also important. At Carlton, Alan Richardson and Gavin Brown, in particular, have been huge additions to support Brett Ratten.

Slattery: All these "huge additions" remain dependent on a belief in the main man. Coaches are leaders of the pack, able to sniff the air for change, and push their assistants into finding answers. Any coach who thinks he has all the answers is dreaming. That's why discussion about Sheedy not coaching GWS is tosh: he could coach in the modern method until he's 90: he leads by prodding, and listening, and implementing the best outcomes.

Browne: ...and spying on the Hawthorn interchange on Friday night if you believe the papers.

Twomey: Undoubtedly, but sometimes it takes the senior coach to recruit the right people around him, which comes back to the individual. Carlton's an example, given Alan Richardson's influence has certainly helped Brett Ratten this year. At Essendon, the 'super panel' has each delivered in different areas. James Hird has been the main man, but it has been a team effort. Jake Melksham and David Zaharakis have improved as midfielders thanks to the work of Simon Goodwin. Brendan McCartney has also worked very closely with Michael Hurley to develop him as a forward, improving his body work, his contested marking and repeat leading. Hird has been integral, of course, but so have the others.

Lovett: I think you will find that is one of the reasons Neil Craig will be in demand at the end of the season. A senior man with great man management skills coming in to mentor and support a young coach — eg, if Leon Cameron won the Bulldogs job.

Ryan: Sheedy will be the model in action it appears. He needs however those around him to believe in the model because it takes a stepping back of the ego to work within a system and contribute while another gets the plaudits.

Bowen: All of this would explain why Port Adelaide have been so awful this season. The fact their senior assistant, Dean Laidley, commutes from Melbourne should embarrass everyone at the club. Should never be allowed to happen again.

Ryan: The coaching discussion and Michael and Nick's points shows why clubs with resources at their disposal have such an advantage over other clubs.

Slattery: Sheedy has always been the man who drew people to him, and used expertise he didn't have. When he started out he was like vacuum cleaner: he never answered questions, he asked them. A few years ago, when he was appointed coach of the Australian team for the Irish trip, he came and asked me of my experiences watching previous tours. He was voracious in his search for knowledge. He has never changed, and never will, AND, nobody could disrespect him, or believe in him getting the plaudits. Just as the game is about the team, so is the coaching. It's about time we observers sang this song more loudly.

Ryan: Coaching is about team and in any profession it's about seeking information, asking questions. Sheedy is a great coach because he never stops searching for an answer, like a scientist looking to unlock secrets. I love the example him sitting behind the bench sets for everyone. Where you can get an edge, go for it.

Goal umpiring technology

Ryan: Jude Bolton kicked a point yesterday when replays showed it should have been a goal. The decision was fair enough from the umpire but should technology be used to adjudicate scores where possible?

Bowen: The main argument against technology is that it will slow the game down, but will it really mean much more of a delay than we get at the moment when every umpire at the ground trots in and flaps their arms around until a consensus is reached? I say no. Bring on the third umpire!

Browne: We have the technology, so use it. But the issue is the delay of game and how often clubs should be allowed to appeal? One a quarter? One a half? Do you get penalised for an unsuccessful appeal? These are issues the NFL grappled with for years and still haven't perfected.

Ryan: I am a technology advocate because I think it an investment in time will get the right result which will quell oodles of discussion later. It's a business now that depends on the right decision. Nothing worse than watching a disallowed goal over and over. Imagine if Geelong had won the 2009 flag by less than a goal.

Kotton: In the Bolton case, the goal umpire should have trusted his instincts and overruled the others. He was closer to it than anyone else. We don't want technology to be used — it would slow the game down too much.

Slattery: Technology around goal umpiring only, or about every decision? Sam Mitchell was coat-hangered on Friday, but the ump was blind-sided. Let the game run, and we'll live with decisions like this: remember Tom Hawkins' poster-goal in 2009?

Ryan: Decisions around goals are not as open to interpretation as decisions around the ground. It's a goal or a behind and game goes on a clear path once the call is made - a kick out or a bounce.

Twomey: Agree with Howard. I think he was about to award a goal, because he was looking for the all-clear rather than signalling it was touched. Hot spot or the snicko, Nick?

Bowen: Showing your age, Howard. Do you mean to tell me video technology hasn't worked in cricket? If for nothing else than getting the run-out decisions right? That's all we're talking about here.

Kotton: Yes, Nick, I'm showing my age and proud of it. Technology in cricket is not infallible. There was a stumping in the Test between England and India at The Oval on the weekend that could have gone either way on the replay. The Indian batsman was given out and the commentators were still debating it in the commentary box after the decision was made. It should not be used for LBWs.

Bowen: Captain Callum, you'd only use video to see whether a kick had cleared the goal line or, in a case like Bolton's, just watch the replay to see whether he'd actually got his boot on the ball last. It was pretty obvious he had from one look at the slow-mo. Even your great mate Billy Bowden could have ruled on that one pretty quickly.

Race for the eight

Ryan: So to finish off in a word, who deserves to be eighth?

Lovett: North Melbourne.

Bowen: North Melbourne. If not for several close defeats, would have locked up its spot already.

Twomey: The Swans.

Ryan: Saints for me still.

Browne: I'd love to see St Kilda have to beat Carlton to make the finals.

Kotton: Saints deserve to finish eighth.