You know mate after the devestation of the recent FIXture, I feel I have done a 180 on my thinking. That fixture just tells me straight out that the AFL are happy to let us die. No doubt about it. I now agree with you that we just have to put in an at least decent year of footy this year at the price of the draft bonus or we could really be in a mess. I still don't think we will have the cattle to take us all the way in the future but I don't think we can afford to risk finishing last again, Mr.Demetriou is sharpening his axe. That means of course we have to actually play decent footy, something we have been spectacularly rubbish at for the past 2 years. We need about 10 blokes to have their absolute best year of footy yet - probem is I can think of about 10 who had their best year last year, and that certainly didn't help us. Can we at least get bloody McLean on the park at least half the time please. Anyway, i'm with ya, back up the ladder pronto please Dees.

Is that a backward triple somersault, 2 twists, finishing with the pike position with 3.4 degree difficulty off the springboard "BACKFLIP", or what Schtaker?

It hurts, huh.

I say win.

A winning team is an overvalued team.

Half the first round of the draft in 2010 will be undervalued as trade coin.

If we're winning, and if, for example, Miller is happy to return to his childhood area (and I mean practically the same streets), we could get a first round pick for him, which would be seen as luncay in any normal draft.

Gold Coast are the next Freo; they will have huge pressure on them to be competitive immediately, will have to make a lot of trade and draft decisions in a hurry and they will have a surplus of early picks with diminished 'marginal utility', making the value of mature players much higher, especially key position players. Being in a good position to dupe them will be almost as valuable as getting a high pick now.

Why do you think that the full set of Frawley, Newton, Petterd, Bate and Dunn all got signed for two more years?

Win! Win like crazy, win everything you can! It's the best way to improve out draft position!

It hurts, huh.

I say win.

A winning team is an overvalued team.

Half the first round of the draft in 2010 will be undervalued as trade coin.

If we're winning, and if, for example, Miller is happy to return to his childhood area (and I mean practically the same streets), we could get a first round pick for him, which would be seen as luncay in any normal draft.

Gold Coast are the next Freo; they will have huge pressure on them to be competitive immediately, will have to make a lot of trade and draft decisions in a hurry and they will have a surplus of early picks with diminished 'marginal utility', making the value of mature players much higher, especially key position players. Being in a good position to dupe them will be almost as valuable as getting a high pick now.

Why do you think that the full set of Frawley, Newton, Petterd, Bate and Dunn all got signed for two more years?

Win! Win like crazy, win everything you can! It's the best way to improve out draft position!

good point.. unless free agency comes in by then.. & its the sort of thing Vlad would do to us

You know mate after the devestation of the recent FIXture, I feel I have done a 180 on my thinking. That fixture just tells me straight out that the AFL are happy to let us die. No doubt about it. I now agree with you that we just have to put in an at least decent year of footy this year at the price of the draft bonus or we could really be in a mess. I still don't think we will have the cattle to take us all the way in the future but I don't think we can afford to risk finishing last again, Mr.Demetriou is sharpening his axe. That means of course we have to actually play decent footy, something we have been spectacularly rubbish at for the past 2 years. We need about 10 blokes to have their absolute best year of footy yet - probem is I can think of about 10 who had their best year last year, and that certainly didn't help us. Can we at least get bloody McLean on the park at least half the time please. Anyway, i'm with ya, back up the ladder pronto please Dees.

Yes! I am glad you "saw the Light"!!! Fighting clubs get noticed and respected. Those on welfare year after year are killed off spiritually and in the real world. Carlton had Richard Pratt to lean on so they could afford to bludge for two years after cheating for about 20 years. We don't hold those cards, so there blueprint was never ours. (Thanks Mark Rielly Round 22 2007) Now he really put the boot into the MFC.

Onward & Strong

Is that a backward triple somersault, 2 twists, finishing with the pike position with 3.4 degree difficulty off the springboard "BACKFLIP", or what Schtaker?

Yes it is, as I have pointed out myself in the first sentence of the post. A clear message from the AFL that we are not rated and not wanted means our survival is at critical point. Had we been given a decent draw I would be more confident that the AFL would tolerate more bottom-dwelling, but they won't.

Perhaps I should be like most others, form an opinion and then stick to it no matter what happens eh?

Yes it is, as I have pointed out myself in the first sentence of the post. A clear message from the AFL that we are not rated and not wanted means our survival is at critical point. Had we been given a decent draw I would be more confident that the AFL would tolerate more bottom-dwelling, but they won't.

Perhaps I should be like most others, form an opinion and then stick to it no matter what happens eh?

Nope.. you debate with an open mind. More people here could benefit from doing the same. Well done.

Yes it is, as I have pointed out myself in the first sentence of the post. A clear message from the AFL that we are not rated and not wanted means our survival is at critical point. Had we been given a decent draw I would be more confident that the AFL would tolerate more bottom-dwelling, but they won't.

Perhaps I should be like most others, form an opinion and then stick to it no matter what happens eh?

There is nothing wrong with changing your view Schtaker. Especially when the goal posts are shifted. Ie In this case THE FIXTURE, as you pointed out in that first sentence of yours also. Really was just making light of it.

However, I don't agree with your assumption that you have no doubt that the AFL are willing and "happy for us to die." Based on the fixture.

........................

However, I don't agree with your assumption that you have no doubt that the AFL are willing and "happy for us to die." Based on the fixture.

I've got an idea.... let the AFL give Collingw&%$ 13 sunday games to see how a 'pulling' club fares. We can take their draw and we'll do the numbers at the end of the season. We'll have a little look at our home attendances, membership numbers, and whether any new sponsors want to come on board.

Then we'll interview Eddie and see how they fared compared to 2008... If their earnings and numbers remain ok, given they are such a great club, then everyone wins. He may even want to continue to 'own' sundays.

Everyone, including Vlad are happy...

I've got an idea.... let the AFL give Collingw&%$ 13 sunday games to see how a 'pulling' club fares. We can take their draw and we'll do the numbers at the end of the season. We'll have a little look at our home attendances, membership numbers, and whether any new sponsors want to come on board.

Then we'll interview Eddie and see how they fared compared to 2008... If their earnings and numbers remain ok, given they are such a great club, then everyone wins. He may even want to continue to 'own' sundays.

Everyone, including Vlad are happy...

no we would have to swap with them every single year for like 10 years to truly judge the comparison.