Accept the fact that some players we just have to delist and cannot on-trade them for something of value in return.

Like in the case of Cheney, the spot on the list can be enough incentive.

Accept the fact that some players we just have to delist and cannot on-trade them for something of value in return.

Like in the case of Cheney, the spot on the list can be enough incentive.

Yip good point. Think its something we just have to all accept with some players on all AFL lists. Hopefully we dont spend all year ripping lumps out of them. Instead we choose to support rather than critique them. But thats probably just wishful thinking by me. B)

I think if we go into season 2011 with these players...these guys have questions marks over them for various reasons...ie., age and/or form.

Batram, Bate, Blease, Bruce, Johnson, Macdonald, Maric, Martin, McNamara, Morton, Newton, Strauss, Warnock

i like bruce but not sure he'll be around for the premiership window...question mark on age.

Bate & morton had a year to forget but both need to bounce back.

martin , Strauss & Blease did nothing in 2010 for various reasons...will watch them in 2011

maric and mcnamara couldn't break into the regular 2010 side...what hope have they got for 2011?

Batram had a great year but feel he wouldn't get a game in the cats,hawks, pies defence...think he could improve again though...

these guys are fringe players....Johnson, Macdonald, Newton, Warnock

bit early, isn't it?

Joel Mac, Maric, Bruce, Bartram, Bate, Martin, Dunn all candidates for mine.

Have we been watching different games?

After a poor 2008, 2009 started badly for Dunn. In his defence he was used in virtually every roll imaginable, unable to settle. Dunn returned to form late 2009 and was a solid contributor for the second half of the season. Solid enough to secure a new two year contract. He then backed that up with strong but wasteful performances in the first half of this season. He was unluckily dropped "for poor goal kicking". Dunn came back 3 or 4 weeks later after kicking 11 for Casey. He then dominated the remainder of the season picking up Brownlow votes on two occasions. In my opinion he was our best player for the last quarter of the season. His form was simply outstanding. His goal kicking close to perfect in pressure situations. He was hard and tough and very influential. He has found his place as a permanent forward and I for one am excited about watching him next year.

There is no way he is in the firing line. I expect him to sign a contract extension very early in the 2011 season to keep WS away.

Have we been watching different games?

After a poor 2008, 2009 started badly for Dunn. In his defence he was used in virtually every roll imaginable, unable to settle. Dunn returned to form late 2009 and was a solid contributor for the second half of the season. Solid enough to secure a new two year contract. He then backed that up with strong but wasteful performances in the first half of this season. He was unluckily dropped "for poor goal kicking". Dunn came back 3 or 4 weeks later after kicking 11 for Casey. He then dominated the remainder of the season picking up Brownlow votes on two occasions. In my opinion he was our best player for the last quarter of the season. His form was simply outstanding. His goal kicking close to perfect in pressure situations. He was hard and tough and very influential. He has found his place as a permanent forward and I for one am excited about watching him next year.

There is no way he is in the firing line. I expect him to sign a contract extension very early in the 2011 season to keep WS away.

Dunn was a massive stretch, I concede.But if he had a horrible 2011 then he would be a candidate.

I totally agree with your assessment. I saw things from him in late 2009 that suggested he'd have a big 2010 and was surprised when he had a lacklustre start to the season.

But if he had a horrible 2011 then he would be a candidate.

He doesn't quite have the runs on the board to make him safe if he has a bad year.

Dunn was a massive stretch, I concede.But if he had a horrible 2011 then he would be a candidate.

I totally agree with your assessment. I saw things from him in late 2009 that suggested he'd have a big 2010 and was surprised when he had a lacklustre start to the season.

But if he had a horrible 2011 then he would be a candidate.

He doesn't quite have the runs on the board to make him safe if he has a bad year.

...i agree with you on dunn...dunn got dropped for watts early this year...but he turned his game around...well he's atleast shown a glimpse.

I should clarify: when I say "sent to the scrapheap", I mean they will drop out of AFL footy altogether.

I think we have very few players on our list, that if we decided to let them go, would not be able to find a home on another AFL list.

Arrogance maybe, delusional probably, but I see our list as having that much quality.

I don't agree with that at E. Every year, 50+ players get delisted and usually only a very small handful of them get recycled once they do - two or three a year at the most would be my guess. Even the power Essendon/Brisbane/Geelong teams of the 00s always had waste to shed every year.

I just find the notion that we're that chock full of quality to be a bit unbelievable.

before we guess whos let go next year Im still waiting to see who has yet to get a dcm this year !!

I don't agree with that at E. Every year, 50+ players get delisted and usually only a very small handful of them get recycled once they do - two or three a year at the most would be my guess. Even the power Essendon/Brisbane/Geelong teams of the 00s always had waste to shed every year.

I just find the notion that we're that chock full of quality to be a bit unbelievable.

Alright, probably more correct is to say that we're chock full of players with potential that could still be fulfilled.

And "not many" does not necessarily mean "none".

Either way, maybe I exaggerated a bit.

A lot.

Too much.

Dunn, if he regressed to his form pre-2010 will be in the gun.

A player has his break-through year and you put it out there that you think he will slunk back into his prior form? Really, that's a very ordinary thing to say.

The question you should be asking is, Who will be delisted in 2012??

So, generally we have to move 3 on through retirements, delisting or trade.

1. Cameron Bruce - retired

2. Danny Hughes - delist. Will need to consolidate a spot in the seniors otherwise he's gone. Been in the system a long long time.

3. Addam Maric - trade. Wont get a huge amount for him, but I can see him playing for the Roos,or maybe even the Bombers.

4. Matthew Bate - trade. I think he will still be under contract(?), but if we get a full season out of Petterd, and if Dunn steps up again, Bate is in serious trouble.

Think the only remaining delisting this year will be TMac, demoted to the rookie list to free up a spot.

I saw a few people say that Joel Mac will need to lift. I think he is safe for the next 2-3 years. He adds a fair bit of mongrel and experience down back. Is a very courageous player, and will have benefited from 1 season under a new coach/club. I'm expecting a bit 2011 from him.

No chance Bennel will get delisted in the near future either. If he can add that bit of courage, he will be easily in our top 10. The appointment of T Viney will hpefully see Benny and the Jet come along in leaps and bounds this coming season. If Todd can develop their midfield abilities, they will be a very importnat piece in this puzzle.

Edit - Just realised Hughes is a rookie. The end of 2011 not looking good for him, or Bate for that matter.

A player has his break-through year and you put it out there that you think he will slunk back into his prior form? Really, that's a very ordinary thing to say.

It is, that's why I didn't say it.

Keep trying though.

It is, that's why I didn't say it.

Keep trying though.

You put him up as a candidate but your not thinking it? Your logic seems kind of flawed.

You put him up as a candidate but your not thinking it? Your logic seems kind of flawed.

He's in an extensive list and few of them are likely.

You're clutching at straws.

I think the Dunn call is fair. If uncontracted, a bad 2011 could mean he didn't have enough runs on the board to stay. Unlikely, but you're always going to have unlikely players when you reel off a bunch.

Anyhow, this conversation isn't much fun without knowing who is coming out of contract next year. That said, I'll reel off a few names.

Jetta, Martin and Maric stand out as an obvious three. Warnock, MacDonald and Bruce might be considered.

I imagine we may not want to go too deep into the draft, and we might be thinking about who we want to prune in the future too - the compromised drafts might mean some players get lucky when they otherwise wouldn't.