Agree with you billy I cannot think of one blunder in the last few years.

Even Meesen I believe was a reasonable idea.

It does not look flash now but just when he started to show some promise an injury has end his career.

2011 will tell with 3-4 players that were drafted at reasonable high level over the 2007/8 period.

There are no guarantees with young players!

There are plenty of players who are drafted 1-30 that do not make it.

The skill is picking the right ones, so far our FD has a great success rate.

Too true. Our 2006 draft has turned out to be quite handy. Chip @ 12, Petterd @ 30, Garland @ 46 were our first 3 draft picks for that year. 2007 saw Morton @ 4, Grimes @ 14, that pretty much cuts it out of 5 picks, although we did snag Aussie with a late rookie pick - this was Maric (21) and Cheney (53) draft.

I personally think in 3-4 years time, the 2008 & 2009 drafts could be the years that determine if we are to win a flag or not. So far, 2008 has the potential to be our "2001 Geelong Draft". Watts, Blease, Strauss, Bennell, Jetta, Bail all came out of this drat, with McKenzie on as a rookie, and LJ through the PSD. Add the 2009 inclusions (Scully, Trengove, Tapscott, Gawn, Fitzpatrick, Joel Mac), those guys, plus the "class of 2006" and the couple from 2007 could be the reason that the likes of Stynes and CS are talking about leaving an impression on this decade.

Some of us talk about this "premiership core", well, the above my names are it. I have listed 19 players that we have picked up over the past 3 years that I'm satisfied with to date, I would say 13 of those have shown they should make it to the required standard to win a flag, and that's not including the older players of Flash, Russian, Green, Sylvia, Rivers (these are the only blokes I can see getting a regular spot in our 22 in the next 3 years - big call leaving out Jones, Moloney, Dunn).

Then we get posts about questioning that "we shouldn't of got rid of Buckley", or "why would we pick player x up", etc!

guys one of my friends who is actually facebook friends with clayton asked him and this was his response..

Clayton Hinkley September 29 at 12:56pm Report

haha i signed here with fremantle again sorry! hope my cousin dan bell served you guys well though!

well now, heres hoping if that is the kind of player wew are looking for we have a crack at alwyn davey

Buckley returned from major hip surgery and played some pretty good footy in the VFL, I believe. Ultimately he couldn't break into the senior side of the AFL Grand Finalists. Not an indictment on a young bloke's ability, in my opinion.

And that's all it was: an opinion. I don't know why it warranted your snakey response.

I have great faith in the FD, as well. If they see something in Hinkley, I'll be excited to have him at the club.

My question was how Buckley and Hinkley compared. You failed to answer it and if your best was "...this Hinkley bloke...", I don't really know why you responded at all, let alone provided a history lesson for my edification.

Buckley couldn't break in to his ex's car so he keyed it!

well now, heres hoping if that is the kind of player wew are looking for we have a crack at alwyn davey

Ok, so a rumour we were chasing a player like that turns out to be utterly untrue, but you still think it's an indication we are chasing a similar player?

I'll give you the hot tip - we are not.

Buckley returned from major hip surgery and played some pretty good footy in the VFL, I believe. Ultimately he couldn't break into the senior side of the AFL Grand Finalists. Not an indictment on a young bloke's ability, in my opinion.

And that's all it was: an opinion. I don't know why it warranted your snakey response.

I have great faith in the FD, as well. If they see something in Hinkley, I'll be excited to have him at the club.

My question was how Buckley and Hinkley compared. You failed to answer it and if your best was "...this Hinkley bloke...", I don't really know why you responded at all, let alone provided a history lesson for my edification.

I do apologise for not giving you an answer in regards to the Buckley/Hinkley comparison. I can't, as I know stuff all about Hinkley, and knew that the FD would get ris of a player for a reason, and so far it has been the correct reason as the bloke didn't play a senior game (regardless of injury). Maybe his hip operation was the reason we got rid of him in the first place? He was picked up at pick 80+ or something by the Pies wasn't he?

Your opinion - you wanted to keep Buckley. My opinion - I'm glad we got rid of him. Sounds snakey to me.

Anyone care to recall that, since crossing to Collingwood, Buckley was in trouble with the police for vandalizing his exgirlfriend's car?

Tell you what- that bloke has character.

Ok, so a rumour we were chasing a player like that turns out to be utterly untrue, but you still think it's an indication we are chasing a similar player?

I'll give you the hot tip - we are not.

well, apologies, but how do we know melbourne had zero contact with him?

none the less, its not the kind of player we need, so i am happy if we dont attempt to lure any similar players

I do apologise for not giving you an answer in regards to the Buckley/Hinkley comparison. I can't, as I know stuff all about Hinkley, and knew that the FD would get ris of a player for a reason, and so far it has been the correct reason as the bloke didn't play a senior game (regardless of injury). Maybe his hip operation was the reason we got rid of him in the first place? He was picked up at pick 80+ or something by the Pies wasn't he?

Your opinion - you wanted to keep Buckley. My opinion - I'm glad we got rid of him. Sounds snakey to me.

My opinion was that the Buckley de-listing would have been a relatively tough decision for the football department and that I wouldn't necessarily have made that decision.

My post wasn't a condemnation of the FD at all. It was mainly a request for more info on Hinkley, possibly using Buckley as a comparison.

We already found a guy that breaks lines and has pace.....Rohan Bail....the end

as others already before ....WHY ??

hardly a priority... must be something here were all missing..

will wait for the PSD me thinks

Met with Clayton today after he returned from a trip home to Warracknabeal.

He met with Tim Harrington, Chris Connolly, Dean Bailey and a bloke introduced to him as Pete. They made him a firm offer of 2 years on the Rookie list. He then recieved a one-year extension from Fremantle which has been accepted. Got my information wrong. Clayton said he was going to the dees - I presumed he meant he'd signed but as he later explained to me it was just him saying they were in discussions with him. Apologies. Case closed.

Met with Clayton today after he returned from a trip home to Warracknabeal.

He met with Tim Harrington, Chris Connolly, Dean Bailey and a bloke introduced to him as Pete. They made him a firm offer of 2 years on the Rookie list. He then recieved a one-year extension from Fremantle which has been accepted. Got my information wrong. Clayton said he was going to the dees - I presumed he meant he'd signed but as he later explained to me it was just him saying they were in discussions with him. Apologies. Case closed.

You be breaking stories like Hutchy bro, werd!!