It's a quiet couple of months here, so you'll forgive me a bit of indulgence.

I'm making an early call on young chip.

All Australian 2010.

Feel free to add your own.

5 rising star nods, and the eventual winner in James Strauss.

5 rising star nods, and the eventual winner in James Strauss.

That makes much more sense.

I realise, of course, this is a wildly early and silly prediction... I just reckon the time is right. Aging current opposition KP backs, retirements through some other clubs... a whole lot of opposition KP defenders I don't like.

Add to that Frawley is of just the right age to come into his own. You can see he believes he belongs now. He has the support around him, already has a number of scalps, has shown he's not injury prone in the Garland sense of the word.

I've been watching a lot of Grid Iron in the states of late, and the more I see of it the more I realise that in any code a defence is where it all starts. If we are to surge upwards, it'll start in the back six, and Frawley will have as big a part to play as anyone there. Probably a bigger part to play than anyone in 2010.

I think Frawley's year will be 2011 and not 2010. For him to be all australian in 2010 then our midfield will have to start winning and I do not think that will happen till 2011 at the earliest. If the midfield is loosing then no matter how many contests Frawley wins he will still lose a small percentage and concede to many goals to get over the line into the all australian team. Having said that he will not make it I predict that he will be extremely close.

If Frawley is all australian next year then Bate will be as well. With a functional midfield Bate will come into his own and star. I do not see why people knock Bate he can still become a superstar.

Must admit, he looks cherry ripe at training.

Breakout year last year? Check.

Set for another big year, training the house down etc? Check.

Predictions of greatness for next season? Check.

Based on the evidence, my prediction is a season ending knee injury. Round 3 at the latest.

Unfortunately all awards are based around the teams that wins games. To give our young players and players like Frawley a chance to get AA or Rising star we need to win games.

I think Frawley's year will be 2011 and not 2010. For him to be all australian in 2010 then our midfield will have to start winning and I do not think that will happen till 2011 at the earliest. If the midfield is loosing then no matter how many contests Frawley wins he will still lose a small percentage and concede to many goals to get over the line into the all australian team. Having said that he will not make it I predict that he will be extremely close.

If Frawley is all australian next year then Bate will be as well. With a functional midfield Bate will come into his own and star. I do not see why people knock Bate he can still become a superstar.

Backs usually take a few more years to gain the recognition they deserve. I think as above the most likely chances will be Bate or Sylvia. Davey would be dependant on where he played as if that is midfield competition will make that tough.

I would have Frawley, Jurrah and Sylvia almost dead heating as our most important players this year.

That makes much more sense.

I realise, of course, this is a wildly early and silly prediction... I just reckon the time is right. Aging current opposition KP backs, retirements through some other clubs... a whole lot of opposition KP defenders I don't like.

Add to that Frawley is of just the right age to come into his own. You can see he believes he belongs now. He has the support around him, already has a number of scalps, has shown he's not injury prone in the Garland sense of the word.

I've been watching a lot of Grid Iron in the states of late, and the more I see of it the more I realise that in any code a defence is where it all starts. If we are to surge upwards, it'll start in the back six, and Frawley will have as big a part to play as anyone there. Probably a bigger part to play than anyone in 2010.

Good post.

Sylvia to be our highest vote-getter in the Brownlow since Woewodin.

I've been watching a lot of Grid Iron in the states of late, and the more I see of it the more I realise that in any code a defence is where it all starts. If we are to surge upwards, it'll start in the back six, and Frawley will have as big a part to play as anyone there. Probably a bigger part to play than anyone in 2010.

Detracting from the thread a bit, but I can't find any thread in Other Sports relating to this. I also watched the playoffs yesterday. First time I've really tried to learn this sport. The Eagles looked a little gun shy (being the playoff's and all !). From what I gather they have had the best offensive figures all season, but they ran into a train in Dallas with good defensive pressure applied by the Cowboys.

It sort of supports your the theory you're alluding to - defence is where it all starts.

Good post.

Detracting from the thread a bit, but I can't find any thread in Other Sports relating to this. I also watched the playoffs yesterday. First time I've really tried to learn this sport. The Eagles looked a little gun shy (being the playoff's and all !). From what I gather they have had the best offensive figures all season, but they ran into a train in Dallas with good defensive pressure applied by the Cowboys.

It sort of supports your the theory you're alluding to - defence is where it all starts.

Good post.

Do you follow every sport? Seriously I think you do.

Anyway I do agree with you both. The last few years it has became obvious that defence is becoming the main aspect to a teams play. These days defence is now a team thing in all parts of the ground. Zone defence is a lot bigger and forward line pressure is just as heavily expected upon players as defensive pressurel

Back to the point of the thread James Frawley is not that good, not even close yet. He is one of our best defenders and is very much an exciting talent but everyone other non dees supporter would laugh at this. The point which has already been said is that all-aus defenders are made to look even better with a strong team which we are not yet.

Do you follow every sport? Seriously I think you do.

Anyway I do agree with you both. The last few years it has became obvious that defence is becoming the main aspect to a teams play. These days defence is now a team thing in all parts of the ground. Zone defence is a lot bigger and forward line pressure is just as heavily expected upon players as defensive pressurel

You think?

I certainly like to keep abreast of the sporting world. Grid-Iron however is one I haven't followed closely. I was determined to sit through a bit yesterday. The most frustrating moments were the referee delay-decisions. However, I did appreciate the clarity of their decisions and their interpretations.

Seeins Sav Rocca on the park for about 10 seconds all-up for Phileadelphia Eagles....I hope he is getting paid well.

Leave my Eagles alone! Our late season run was looking great until we ran into Dallas...twice. They pulled a Melbourne v Hawthorn 1990 on us.

Leave my Eagles alone! Our late season run was looking great until we ran into Dallas...twice. They pulled a Melbourne v Hawthorn 1990 on us.

I didn't know you were an Eagles fan...

What do you think of your quarterback there, 45HG16 ?

Did he turn up to play ?

Seemed to me he had no faith in the receivers and held the ball too often before release.

Back to the point of the thread James Frawley is not that good, not even close yet. He is one of our best defenders and is very much an exciting talent but everyone other non dees supporter would laugh at this. The point which has already been said is that all-aus defenders are made to look even better with a strong team which we are not yet.

I think you need to meet more non dees supporters and probably watch his game more often. Maybe end of last year that'll been fair but opposition fans now all recognise he is a promising talent.

He needs to consolidate on a good year but he's on his way up. Prob not AA 2010 but I'm confident he'll be there multiple times.

No comment.

I was about to watch the replay "live" last night but heard the score so I didn't watch it, as such I can't really say. They destroyed us last week and beat us earlier in the year - so maybe they just figured us out.

Detracting from the thread a bit, but I can't find any thread in Other Sports relating to this. I also watched the playoffs yesterday. First time I've really tried to learn this sport. The Eagles looked a little gun shy (being the playoff's and all !). From what I gather they have had the best offensive figures all season, but they ran into a train in Dallas with good defensive pressure applied by the Cowboys.

It sort of supports your the theory you're alluding to - defence is where it all starts.

Good post.

McNabb does have a little history of playoff issues but the Iggles have not been able to have an effective running game to help get there offence moving. Dallas D has been improving over the 2nd half of the season.

I think you need to meet more non dees supporters and probably watch his game more often. Maybe end of last year that'll been fair but opposition fans now all recognise he is a promising talent.

He needs to consolidate on a good year but he's on his way up. Prob not AA 2010 but I'm confident he'll be there multiple times.

Pretty sure you just repeated what I said. Very much a talent but atm he is not and will not be AA this year.

You made a nice little rebuttal out of something that didn't need to be rebutted.

Pretty sure you just repeated what I said. Very much a talent but atm he is not and will not be AA this year.

You made a nice little rebuttal out of something that didn't need to be rebutted.

Everyone knows that not every non-dees supporter would laugh at this. Every time.

Everyone.

Breakout year last year? Check.

Set for another big year, training the house down etc? Check.

Predictions of greatness for next season? Check.

Based on the evidence, my prediction is a season ending knee injury. Round 3 at the latest.

oh you didn't nasher. you are going to cop it if this comes true...

Back to the point of the thread James Frawley is not that good, not even close yet. He is one of our best defenders and is very much an exciting talent but everyone other non dees supporter would laugh at this. The point which has already been said is that all-aus defenders are made to look even better with a strong team which we are not yet.

you're kidding? every other club in the comp would trade for frawley if he was available, and while he might not be key back no.1 at all teams in round 1 he would definitely get a starting 18 spot.

im not saying he will get AA this season, but he will be a superb talent over the next decade and other afl supporters and clubs know that.

If Jurrah continues his form from last year and plays a full season, he'll be looking at All Austrlian selection.

Jurrah could be concided the best utility-forward in the AFL, by the end of 2010....