http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tab...39/default.aspx

Talks about our youngsters, our improving players, the list, the pre-season, Jurrah, and other stuff. Doesn't give much away about possible list changes.

Talks a bit about getting our group to start playing games together, says that's important.

Stuff on LJ is great. In fact, the whole article is great. He puts a very positive spin on the position the club is in and its professional approach towards the future.

I especially like this about Liam:

We thought with the indigenous guys that we had, particularly with Whelan and Aaron Davey, who have been outstanding for 'LJ' and are great people, we backed our people. We backed [football administrators] Ian Flack, Craig Notman and Chris Connolly in to enable us to take a bit of a chance with Liam.

His talent wasn't an issue; it was whether we could provide an environment where he would blossom into a really good player for us. When he got to training and we saw his ability, again it was only a matter of making sure that he had played enough games and was fit enough to play before we picked him to play.

It just goes to show that the experience that has been poured into the club over the last 2 years is really starting to pay dividends, I wouldn't have expected an approach like this a few years back.

"It's the number of games we can put into the right players that is going to see us grow – that's the best and most methodical way we can plan to go forward, rather than put any big statement out there."

That was a really good read.

Too right about some of the more experienced players stepping up this year, such as Moloney and Sylvia. Sounds like Bails is happy that Beamer and Rivers were able to have a good, uninterrupted season and I hope personally that he doesn't look at trading Rivers. I've always been a fan of him.

Good piece on LJ. Get a good pre-season into him and it's exciting to think he can get even better after what he produced this season. Well done Wheels and Flash on their work with LJ too.

I'm really looking forward to next season even more now. So much young talent there that we will see improve even more, not to mention we haven't even seen what players like Watts (only 3 games), Strauss and Blease are capable of yet. Exciting times ahead indeed.

That was a really good read.

Too right about some of the more experienced players stepping up this year, such as Moloney and Sylvia. Sounds like Bails is happy that Beamer and Rivers were able to have a good, uninterrupted season and I hope personally that he doesn't look at trading Rivers. I've always been a fan of him.

Good piece on LJ. Get a good pre-season into him and it's exciting to think he can get even better after what he produced this season. Well done Wheels and Flash on their work with LJ too.

I'm really looking forward to next season even more now. So much young talent there that we will see improve even more, not to mention we haven't even seen what players like Watts (only 3 games), Strauss and Blease are capable of yet. Exciting times ahead indeed.

I'm excited about it too. I think we're going to have to be patient though, as Blease, Strauss and Watts aren't likely to fire out of the blocks and we might cop a couple of losses more than we expected when our new midfield (BOASTING TOM SCULLY I MIGHT ADD) hits the park. I'm fully prepared to watch them become footballers at the expense of a couple of games that older heads may have won.

Go Dees.

Edited September 9, 200916 yr by Barry Dawson

"It's the number of games we can put into the right players that is going to see us grow – that's the best and most methodical way we can plan to go forward, rather than put any big statement out there."

That is the single most important statement Bailey makes.

It is vindication for those of us who urge him to continue to have development as his rasion detre and not winning games.

The right players - Watts, Blease, Strauss, Scully, Pick 2, Bennell, Jetta, Spencer et al.

Those pushed aside that would give us a better chance of winning games in 2010 - Bell, Dunn, Batram, Miller, Newton, and Johnson.

'It's the number of games we can put into the right players that is going to see us grow – that's the best and most methodical way we can plan to go forward, rather than put any big statement out there.'

A dig at CarlJudd?

Edited September 9, 200916 yr by Demonic_Inferno

great read,i can see Bailey staying as a coach for a while

Gaining more and more respect for him as a coach. He really seems to understand the game ang young players well. I found it interesting to see how often he noted Bennell and Jetta. He obviously sees a lot in those guys, both being guys not often talked about on here.

'It's the number of games we can put into the right players that is going to see us grow – that's the best and most methodical way we can plan to go forward, rather than put any big statement out there.'

A dig at CarlJudd?

I would take that as a "we don't need Brian Lake. We will succeed without relying on the quick-fix signing of a big name player"

Edited September 9, 200916 yr by Enforcer25

Seems to me that he's placing a lot of emphasis on getting the current playing group to play together as much as possible over the next year or two. He seems to be very pleased with the current group overall, and sees little need for further cleaning out This could mean that this year they're not planning to cut swathes through fringe players (Dunn, Bartram etc) for low draft picks or ambitious trades, and that they'll go for just the bare minimum in the ND. Perhaps it could be different next year.

That is the single most important statement Bailey makes.

It is vindication for those of us who urge him to continue to have development as his rasion detre and not winning games.

The right players - Watts, Blease, Strauss, Scully, Pick 2, Bennell, Jetta, Spencer et al.

Those pushed aside that would give us a better chance of winning games in 2010 - Bell, Dunn, Batram, Miller, Newton, and Johnson.

Absolutely. And its a good indication that most people's predictions for next year around here are missing the point.

Winning will be important from next year onwards, but the over-focus on results clouds the bigger picture. If we have the opportunity to develop the 'right' players together from next year and we manage to win along the way, then great. But if developing the right players means using the chance to mould as much of the future as possible and the end result in win-loss terms is only a bit better than this year, I'll wear that.

Edited September 9, 200916 yr by Ho Chi Dee

That is the single most important statement Bailey makes.

It is vindication for those of us who urge him to continue to have development as his rasion detre and not winning games.

The right players - Watts, Blease, Strauss, Scully, Pick 2, Bennell, Jetta, Spencer et al.

Those pushed aside that would give us a better chance of winning games in 2010 - Bell, Dunn, Batram, Miller, Newton, and Johnson.

Makes you wonder, what are we going to do with these players, given that some are contracted for 2010. Bailey's plan seems to clearly not involve them. But they're going to be there.