On 28/06/2011 at 20:33, Dockett 32 said:

"I think that we are missing another CHIP sized defender, Garland is good but dont think he can handle a Buddy or Dawes when required, Rivers will benefit from being the Maxwell type marking floating across definately in our best 22 i believe" If you really have this worry then whip down and watch the Scorps one day and I think your concerns will disappear.

Tom Mcdonald 194cm Has looked the goods when I've seen him play very smart footballer going to be a regular of our defense. Same height as Chip.

Troy Davis 192cm Haven't seen him play as much has been ill but is coming along steadily at Casey

As for Morton I think he is still a required player. Could be lacking confidence had a finger injury which disrupted his preseason and last year

had a 10 week knee injury. Big problem I have seen lately is his kicks lack penetration he's kicking little dinky floaty passes needs to get his

head over the ball and fire it through so that they're not intercepted.

Regardless of whether its Cale or not (and I still worry about his appetite for a contest), an MFC Director told me earlier this year that Melbourne will (not might) lose one young gun to GWS.

It comes down to this: would you rather Dan Nicholson (or substitute any other recent non-early draft pick/rookie) in the 22 or Cale.

Nicholson will cost way less than Cale. The price for keeping him is too high for a guy that is maybe in the first 22

  On 28/06/2011 at 22:41, pitchfork said:

It comes down to this: would you rather Dan Nicholson (or substitute any other recent non-early draft pick/rookie) in the 22 or Cale. Nicholson will cost way less than Cale. The price for keeping him is too high for a guy that is maybe in the first 22

Exactly what cost or price are you referring too?

Contract wise - I reckon the footy department will offer what he's worth. If he doesn't like it he'll jump like Bruce did.

Place in 22 - I think 2 injury seasons has disrupted his progress and confidence.

Nicholson, other rookies, as well as other low draft picks don't offer/play as Morton does.

On current form he isn't best 22. Is he a required player? absolutely

Areas of game he needs to improve to go forward

Team Defence/Defensive mindset - needs to work for his mates/needs to develop an appetite for physical contest.

Disposal needs some work especially kicking

If you question whether he can make it go get up a tape of his run with role with Goodes when we played them up at Manuka Oval 2009.

  On 27/06/2011 at 08:03, pitmaster said:

I'm conflicted on Cale. His first two disposals were shockers and split us open, but he again was able to complete some goal-saving marks and won plenty of the ball - 6 kicks in the last despite those confidence shaking first couple of possessions.

He has been handy in the air the last few weeks while in defence.

I would like to see us persevere. There's not a lot left to come into this side - Tapscott, Davey and Bail this year, and Grimes a definite for next year. Dunn a maybe this year.

What about Neville????

  On 27/06/2011 at 04:03, jonny_fraser said:

Totally agree with this! If we are to keep him and and persist with him, i agree that he needs to play in the forward half! He is a good kick for goal and can get on the end of some easy uncontested ball

FWIW - I think Morton is suffering the same issue as Lynden Dunn - DB refuses to let them develop as fowards which is where they are best suited.

  On 29/06/2011 at 05:55, Weedster said:

FWIW - I think Morton is suffering the same issue as Lynden Dunn - DB refuses to let them develop as fowards which is where they are best suited.

Must be missing something. Dunn has played Half Forward for a least the last dozen games (that he has played) hasn't he?

  On 29/06/2011 at 05:55, Weedster said:

FWIW - I think Morton is suffering the same issue as Lynden Dunn - DB refuses to let them develop as fowards which is where they are best suited.

I don't think Morton is a natural forward.

And I don't think Dunn is a good enough footballer for where we are at. Is it DB that is unfair to Dunn? Or is it Lynden's shortcomings?

  On 26/06/2011 at 07:14, Freak said:

Agreed. i said since day dot that he was never going to get big enough and i guess I'm right again

Agreed Freak. IMO Morton play style only really suits the older pre flooding game styles.

He requires open spaces and to be left alone to posess the ball...

He should have stayed in Perth with the Big WACA ground that suited that style.

I'd be happy to get some sort of reasonable pick for him.

  On 29/06/2011 at 06:52, rpfc said:

I don't think Morton is a natural forward.

And I don't think Dunn is a good enough footballer for where we are at. Is it DB that is unfair to Dunn? Or is it Lynden's shortcomings?

He'd make a good distance runner for the Olympics, 2016...

  On 26/06/2011 at 07:36, sylvinator said:

He's still very young, has plenty of talent, has some elite attributes, and was drafted as a long term project considering how skinny and undersized he was at 18.

People on demonland will write him off.... of coarse... just like they wrote off Watts and Frawley and Garland early in their careers.

Sometimes 194cm+ players take some time! patience is required

Quite true with good points raised.Also last two pre seasons heavily interrupted.Give him a break.

I couldn't give a stuff which of our players go to Get Wealthy Sooner (GWS).

If someone doesn't want to wear the Red & Blue,there's the door.Success will be at least 5 years longer than with us,so if you put money first,good for you.

  On 28/06/2011 at 11:36, Jordie_tackles said:

I think that we are missing another CHIP sized defender, Garland is good but dont think he can handle a Buddy or Dawes when required, Rivers will benefit from being the Maxwell type marking floating across definately in our best 22 i believe

Yeah, i see him as this 3rd man up/floater style wise too. Not a bad option against teams where we don't need a 3rd key match up in defence on a big guy like the Pies at present and while Garland is there and fit. I see him getting out muscled a little too often for my liking which may suggest that we do lack that other Chip size defender.

With Garland back, this allows us to put Rivers on the 3rd biggest which he can hopefully handle a little better from here. Although i'm not sure the FD sees it this way. I think they over rate Rivers a little when it comes to body strength/height and he pays the price. He used to play taller before his injury IMO.

I think Garland has substantial upside for us too and is under rated somewhat. Could be our Scarlett going forward if he keeps improving the way he has been and with another pre-season or 2 under his belt. He's a long way from Scarlett type output/form i realise, but at times he shows glimpses.

Hopefully we can find one other big talented defender for multiple forward structures like the Pies, such as Tom MacDonald (~ see Diablo post above) if he comes on in the next year or 2. Either that or we could trade for someone.

I personally wouldn't like to see Martin covering opposition key forwards on a regular basis unless we have to. More damaging as a follower who rests/pushes up forward IMO. I'd like to think he just might develop into a CHF, although he lacks the big pack/overhead marking ability at this point and isn't exactly a hit up type player either. I think we need someone who can do one or both as CHF. Maybe Watts is the man for this job when he's big enough. Only time will tell i guess.

  On 29/06/2011 at 08:36, dee-luded said:

Agreed Freak. IMO Morton play style only really suits the older pre flooding game styles.

He requires open spaces and to be left alone to posess the ball...

He should have stayed in Perth with the Big WACA ground that suited that style.

I'd be happy to get some sort of reasonable pick for him.

I've thought the same. However, he does show something special at times even in todays game, albeit only when he's well clear in most cases. He's a bit of a conundrum atm eh.

  On 29/06/2011 at 08:36, dee-luded said:

He should have stayed in Perth with the Big WACA ground that suited that style.

Are you serious? Do you think he had a choice? The drafting process did somewhat limit his options.

  On 30/06/2011 at 02:55, La Dee-vina Commedia said:

Are you serious? Do you think he had a choice? The drafting process did somewhat limit his options.

DL is being glib.

Morton will be a very good wingman in the AFL.

I would love to tell Cale that personally.

Kid has little onfield confidence.

Saw him in Werribee at the VFL watching his brother last Sunday.

Felt like walking over and telling him just that.

I figure it's meaningless coming from me, though.

John Ralph stated this morning on SEN that Cale Morton rejected an offer from Gold Coast last year to move for more money.

  On 30/06/2011 at 03:44, joeboy said:

John Ralph stated this morning on SEN that Cale Morton rejected an offer from Gold Coast last year to move for more money.

Because GWS was offering more? But seriously he wasn't out of contract then. I hope he stays as I think he will be a very good player. Only time will tell.

  On 26/06/2011 at 17:58, stuie said:

Haters need to learn that there's alot of grey areas with young blokes coming through, and next year with a proper pre-season and a fresh mindset Morton may start to utilise his natural tools and abilities closer to his noted potential and become a real handy asset for us

On the other harnd...

Morton lovers should realize that drafting is an educated guess, and no matter how many tests are done on players not all of them will make it

This year seems like a bit of a nothing year for him so far and I reckon he'll be back and forth from Casey a bit, would love to see a Jones, Rivers, or even a McDonald or Dunn taking him under their wing in a mentoring kind of way and help him work out these effort and hesitance issues.

Supporters want blokes like Nicholson, Howe and Bail who bust a gut every time they go out. They play like it's their last game. Some of our coasters like Morton, Bennell and even Sylvia don't have that same level of commitment at the contest. Sylvia gets away with because his best is awesome. bennell has shown flashes but doesn't get it anywhere near often enough. Morton is simply lazy, plays off his man and doesn't chase hard enough. I don't know what the Footy Dept see but I defer to them because they must see something.

The problem is that they set a low standard for him to get game time. And that is a cancer throughout the whole team. Unless there is competition for spaces based on true performance we will continue to accept mediocrity of effort.

  On 29/06/2011 at 08:36, dee-luded said:

Agreed Freak. IMO Morton play style only really suits the older pre flooding game styles.

He requires open spaces and to be left alone to posess the ball...

He should have stayed in Perth with the Big WACA ground that suited that style.

I'd be happy to get some sort of reasonable pick for him.

Dont mean to nit pick, but all wa footy games are played at subiaco oval (aka Patersons Stadium) the waca is only used for cricket.

i would also be happy to get any draft pick for him, just want him gawnski

  On 03/07/2011 at 01:38, jnrmac said:

Supporters want blokes like Nicholson, Howe and Bail who bust a gut every time they go out. They play like it's their last game. Some of our coasters like Morton, Bennell and even Sylvia don't have that same level of commitment at the contest. Sylvia gets away with because his best is awesome. bennell has shown flashes but doesn't get it anywhere near often enough. Morton is simply lazy, plays off his man and doesn't chase hard enough. I don't know what the Footy Dept see but I defer to them because they must see something.

The problem is that they set a low standard for him to get game time. And that is a cancer throughout the whole team. Unless there is competition for spaces based on true performance we will continue to accept mediocrity of effort.

By that logic, Jack Watts would've played less than 10 games in his career.

Sometimes backing a player whose confidence is shot is the best strategy. Work out which you actually believe champ. You like to call people keyboard warriors but your line of thinking is about as fickle as a that of a teenage girl.

  On 28/06/2011 at 22:41, pitchfork said:

It comes down to this: would you rather Dan Nicholson (or substitute any other recent non-early draft pick/rookie) in the 22 or Cale.

Nicholson will cost way less than Cale. The price for keeping him is too high for a guy that is maybe in the first 22

I'd rather lose 2 players to GWS, Morton + another like Maric, if I could keep Scully. I'd even accept playing with a short List for 2012, if that was allowed, to keep the salary cap O fey with Scully's pay increase.

  On 03/07/2011 at 01:54, Bruce Almighty said:

Dont mean to nit pick, but all wa footy games are played at subiaco oval (aka Patersons Stadium) the waca is only used for cricket.

i would also be happy to get any draft pick for him, just want him gawnski

AhAhAh, Oh OK, I really didn't want to use the name pattersons, so tried to think of it's real name & got it wrong. Good. Subiaco, is it. The house of pain. The big ground. The one thats hard on the legs.

  On 30/06/2011 at 02:42, Rusty Nails said:

I've thought the same. However, he does show something special at times even in todays game, albeit only when he's well clear in most cases. He's a bit of a conundrum atm eh.

He's, in a way lazy, in that he seems to think he's clever keeping out of harms way, and gets given the ball... He runs in slow tempo and thinks in a slow tempo fashion. He loves open space & hates congested traffic. So my diagnosis is a trot down the Geelong road to Torquay way & put him to pasture, where he can just trot around to his hearts content.